At just 18 years old, Elijah is a jack-of-all-trades: senior, club member, football team captain and yes, student body president, who will give a speech at his high school graduation in June.

But Elijah wasn’t always sure what the future would hold when he entered foster care at 15. He soon entered into kinship care with his grandfather, which provided a stronger sense of consistency and family support during a critical stage of his life.

Even with his grandfather’s support, the reality of graduating and setting plans for his future still felt overwhelming.

That’s where Youth Villages’ Independent Living Program (ILP) — designed to help young people who have experienced foster care build the skills needed to enter adulthood — became a turning point.

“When you come from a situation like Elijah’s, there’s just a lot of unknowns,” said Noah Gerber, ILP specialist. “It’s not just about school or work. It’s about figuring out how you’re supposed to do life — how to make decisions, plan for the future and believe you can get where you want to go.”

For Elijah, Gerber provided guidance and reassurance during a time when the stakes felt high.

Throughout high school, Elijah balanced many responsibilities. Off the field, he also began thinking seriously about life after graduation, including college and employment.

“Elijah has always been motivated,” Gerber said. “He wants to do well. He wants to give back and be involved.”

Gerber says Elijah needed someone to help him organize those goals and see that they were attainable. Together, they worked on college applications, completing the FAFSA and applying for scholarships.

Through peer-to-peer monthly meetings geared toward learning new skills, Elijah learned employment readiness and financial literacy. One of his proudest moments came when he saved up and purchased his own car.

“That was huge for him,” Gerber said. “Buying his own car showed how much he had grown. He set a goal, worked toward it and followed through.”

But ILP’s impact went beyond checklists and milestones. It helped Elijah build confidence that he can accomplish anything he puts his mind to.

“ILP helped take away some of that fear of taking the next step in adulthood,” Elijah said. “It helped me see that I could get a job, manage my responsibilities and do the things I need to do for myself in life.”

Elijah is set to graduate from high school this summer and was accepted to the University of Oregon as a first-generation college student.

He’s excited about joining campus clubs, staying involved in community service and continuing to lead — whether that’s on a team, in a classroom or in his community.

For Gerber, watching Elijah grow and mature as he enters the next chapter of his life has been deeply rewarding.

“That sense of fulfillment matters to him,” Gerber said. “He wants to stay active, help others and feel connected.”

About Youth Villages – Oregon

In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Human Services, our Oregon services focus on strengthening families to prevent or reduce the need for out-of-home placements (Intercept), supporting youth who age out of foster care or lack a stable caregiver as they transition to adulthood (LifeSet and Independent Living Program) and providing on-call behavioral health support (Specialized Crisis Services).

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