Building a strong foundation doesn’t just stay within the walls of our Teen Preparation Center. We know that there are many other teens within our community who need the support and resources we provide here at The Foundation. So when Fort Vancouver High School reached out to us about providing extra support and resources to some of the current Foundation students attending their school while also providing some support for students who weren’t a part of The Foundation, we took this as an opportunity to move our work beyond the walls of our Teen Preparation Center. 

One of the things our team did when they got to the High School was do some hallway surfing - where they went and out and found kids in the hallway during classroom periods and stopped to talk to them. Once a connection was established, new students came and joined current Foundation students in the classroom. With those who attend, check in with them about their grades, school work and plans for the future. After a year of getting this program off the ground, we now see 18-20 students each lunch period. 

“The idea is to challenge them” said Yolanda Tuner, Resource Manager for The Foundation “we want them to think more about where they want to go and what they can do once they finish high school. Help them see the importance of it.”

Taking the time to hear the students out and help them set goals is just one piece of the puzzle to helping them find success. We help them sit down and do their homework and go through their grades with them. Help them fill out a goal sheet that highlights what the students would like to achieve by the end of the school year. We have them sit and catch up on homework or other assignments that need to be done. Having our staff there not only provides a space where some of these students can feel more formatable, but we provide them another trusted person to hold them accountable for their actions and give them a reason to want to do good. 

There’s also a little time to have fun as well though during our time with the students. We bring in snacks, have casual conversations with them and even play games with prizes at times. Through this program, we’re recreating a mini version of The Foundation at the school for those students looking for extra support or even just a safe space to be. There’s a place for accountability, fun and planning the next steps of their future together. Going into 2026, we hope to increase the capacity for us to provide service at Fort Vancouver High School so we can create more consistency and a streamline of support for the students.