Anahi takes the path less chosen: Youth Villages Scholars initiative helps her pursue education

Aug 24, 2026 | Blog, LifeSet

In Oregon, young people who experience foster care face steep barriers compared to their peers. Only 57% graduate from high school, and many age out of the system without family support. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, only one in 10 foster youth enrolls in college.

Against those odds, Anahi is charting a different path.

At age 7, Anahi and her siblings entered state care after their mother lost custody.

About a month later, they were placed in kinship care with their grandfather — someone they were not very familiar with — where challenges in the home continued.

As Anahi approached adulthood, she knew she needed additional support due to a lack of family guidance.

“I researched programs and navigated the process on my own; that’s how I found Youth Villages and self-referred,” she said.

Anahi enrolled in LifeSet, a program that walks alongside young people who experienced foster care as they enter adulthood. She was paired with a LifeSet specialist, and together they focused on key goals: securing housing, accessing health care and identifying scholarships.

Anahi and her then specialist got to work on applying for housing vouchers. They faced many hurdles in obtaining a voucher for her, but after three applications, they finally secured a six year voucher.

At the same time, Anahi continued pursuing her education and was accepted to Lewis & Clark College on a full scholarship.

“I always knew I wanted to pursue higher education,” she said. “So, [my specialist] encouraged me to apply to become a Youth Villages Scholar.”

Youth Villages Scholars is an initiative that provides additional personal and academic support to young people in LifeSet as they work toward college degrees or vocational certifications.

With guidance from Rogelio LariosCollazo, her current specialist, Anahi applied to the Scholars initiative and was accepted.

As a first-generation student, Anahi says the support she’s received has been essential.

My greatest passion has always been helping others, especially those with similar backgrounds [to mine]

- Anahi

Anahi juggles a full schedule. She majors in psychology and sociology and works long shifts, including weekends, at a senior residential facility.

“I’m taking 16 credits, but it works because I stay structured,” she said.

Her dedication has not only accelerated her academic career but also laid the foundation for her success. She is currently a junior, thanks to the dual enrollment credits she earned in high school.

Looking ahead, Anahi plans to attend law school and is interested in family or immigration law. She also hopes to work for Youth Villages while continuing her education and plans to study abroad in the future.

“My greatest passion has always been helping others, especially those with similar backgrounds [to mine],” she said.

Anahi built her future by finding support through the LifeSet program and the Scholars initiative. For more information, please contact Shauna Lugar at Shauna.Lugar@youthvillages.org.