High school students team up to help local foster children

CLINTON COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - May is Foster Children Awareness Month and a group of local high school students is teaming up to help foster kids in their community.

Blanchester High School student Kimberly Hurst and her club, Future Farmers of America, decided they wanted to collect duffel bags for foster children in Clinton County.

“It’s great to know that you are having a direct impact on these children,” Hurst said. “[...] we were told [foster children] often carry their belongings around in trash bags.”

Recent data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that there were more than 15,000 children in Ohio’s foster care systems.

Hurst says it is an issue she thinks many community members do not realize impacts their own neighborhood.

“I mean most of the foster children you probably go to school with you may not even know are foster children,” she said. “But once you understand that they are in the community, they are really here with us, it opens your eyes up to this issue and you’re able to help them out which is a great thing.”

Hursts’ students began to spread the word at Blanchester High School, local businesses, churches and on social media.

In total, the FFA club was able to collect 95 bags, letters of encouragement and hundreds of dollars worth of personal hygiene products that will soon be in the hands of foster kids.

“It’s a great feeling because I just love helping people out,” eleventh-grade student Aubrie Panetta told FOX19 NOW.

While the students’ project is complete, the group says they hope their work inspires others to give back to those in need.

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