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Andre Cooley
FYI Class of 2006
While I was in the nation's capital I had the honor and privilege of working in the office of the Honorable Senator Mary Landrieu on foster care issues and doing other tasks suck as answering phones and delivering mail. I was able to have a meeting with the Senator and discuss foster care issues and the need for policies that help to better the system to meet the needs of the children in foster care. I believe that I was able to make the Senator aware of issues and give a face to foster care. With CCAI I was able to attend briefings and make lifelong contacts within Congress and various governmental agencies that have been helpful to date. It is very important to me to advocate for youth and the changes that will make the system a better place for children.
I am currently attending the University of Southern Mississippi pursuing a M.A in Social Work. I received a B.A. in Administration of Justice in May 2009 and have worked as a Senior Deputy for the Forrest County Sheriff’s Department as well as a Spanish Translator for the Mississippi Department of Health. To date, I am a very strong advocate and mentor for youth in care. I have been working with leaders within the Mississippi Department of Human Services, national foster care organizations, and Congress on foster care issues. I have served on several panels and review boards for foster care. It is very important to me to remain a catalyst for change for youth. CCAI equipped me with the tools that I needed for effective leadership and communication to the leaders of this great nation. I love working and I am currently looking to relocate to the Washington, DC area and work at the national level in youth advocacy. |
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“I recommended the FYI program to a friend of mine who ultimately interned through FYI the year after I did. Like me, he has also stated that he felt this was a life changing opportunity for him. I continue to encourage foster care alumni who I know to apply for this program because I feel that this is a wonderful opportunity to see our nation's capitol, to learn about the political structure of our legislature and to meet other people who have similar life experiences to themselves.”
“Due to being an intern with FYI, CCAI asked me to help them pick interns for a couple of the other classes, which was an honor but a grueling decision to have to make. CCAI also contacts me every Christmas to send me cards and gifts, which makes me feel like they are remembering me and caring about my future. I have also nominated a number of people I know for Angels in Adoption and their selection has been one of the few ways I have felt that I have been able to thank them in the way that they truly deserve. Thanking these people has been a delight for me and for the people who were recognized and I feel that the legislators who made the choices were more educated for having learned about them.”
“The FYI program was where I discovered what I actually wanted to do; how I wanted to impact the foster care system. For nearly three years I had been passionate about reforming the foster care system, but it was during my time on the Hill that I realized how I wanted to change it. While direct service was rewarding to me, I felt like I wasn’t able to change the foster care system on a substantive level. The FYI program didn’t just teach me legislative ideas, it inspired me and emboldened me to create my own ideas.”
“Due to being an intern with FYI, CCAI asked me to help them pick interns for a couple of the other classes, which was an honor but a grueling decision to have to make. CCAI also contacts me every Christmas to send me cards and gifts, which makes me feel like they are remembering me and caring about my future. I have also nominated a number of people I know for Angels in Adoption and their selection has been one of the few ways I have felt that I have been able to thank them in the way that they truly deserve. Thanking these people has been a delight for me and for the people who were recognized and I feel that the legislators who made the choices were more educated for having learned about them.”
Information about the Program
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The Congressional Foster Youth Internship (FYI) Program provides talented college students who have spent their formative years in foster care an opportunity to intern in a Congressional office for a summer. The FYI program instructs these young adults in how best to bring their unique perspective and resilient spirit to bear as advocates for the needs of other waiting children.
By bringing together former foster youth with Congressional offices, CCAI helps raise attention to the policy and procedural barriers that trap children in the foster care system. After their time on Capitol Hill, the interns remain an instrumental link and resource to many Congressional offices. Some interns have even joined the Congressional staff after their internship. These foster youth are more easily able to secure jobs after college due to enhanced skills and the professional recommendations gained from the FYI Program. CCAI’s goal is to help these youth build their futures by gaining the experience, contacts, reaffirmation, and life skills they need to succeed. Here are some ways this program has forever impacted the success of these youth:
- Over 90 FYI Alumni have used their FYI experience as a foundation to go on and pursue a wide variety of distinguished careers
- 60 Members of Congress have benefitted directly from the program
- FYI’s 10 Briefings have provided firsthand knowledge to federal policymakers
- 1 FYI testified before House Ways and Means Committee hearing and spoke about his experience aging out of foster care
- 37% of FYIs have pursued graduate, law, and doctoral degrees
Foster Youth Internship Policy Reports
2010 Foster Youth Internship Report, "Leaving Our Mark on a New Generation"
2009 Foster Youth Internship Report, "Using Yesterday to Shape Tomorrow: Uniting 500,000 Foster Youth Voices for One Mission"
2008 Foster Youth Internship Report: "Putting the 'Foster' Back Into Foster Care: Recommendations for Improving Foster Care and Adoption"
Foster Youth Internship Briefings
2010
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