Cohort 15’s project addressed one of Tulsa’s most urgent challenges: how to better support youth aging out of the foster care system. Too often, young people leaving foster care face instability in housing, education, employment, and health. Nationally, more than 20% of foster youth become homeless immediately after aging out, 50% remain unemployed by age 24, and fewer than 3% earn a college degree. Locally, the numbers mirror these struggles. Seeing this need, the cohort launched FosterHive, a youth-led coalition designed to unite nonprofits, civic leaders, service providers, and foster youth themselves to ensure that every young person can transition into adulthood with dignity, stability, and opportunity.

The group grounded its work in empathy, elevating the lived stories of foster youth and families over statistics alone. One story they shared was that of Reenea, who was taken from her mother at age six and shuffled through shelters and hospitals before finding stability in her sister’s adoptive home. At fifteen, she dreams of college but reminds foster parents that kids carry deep trauma into every new placement. Another came from Wil and Des, a couple who, after failed fertility treatments, turned to foster care. Six years later, after raising three foster children through many challenges, they built a stable home defined by persistence and love. Their message to the community was simple but powerful: be the constant when the system cannot. These stories became a driving force behind FosterHive’s mission to create lasting change.

To transform that vision into action, Cohort 15 built committees focused on partnerships, storytelling, branding, and knowledge management. Through months of research and collaboration, they created a coalition spanning seven essential areas—housing, health, education, criminal justice, advocacy, basic resources, and employment. This led to confirmed partnerships with Welcome to Hope, Launch Ahead, Iron Gate, the Tulsa City Council, the Mayor’s Office, JusticeLink, Madison Strategies, Youth Services, NRCYS, and THEC, forming the foundation for a sustainable and lasting effort.

On December 5, 2024, FosterHive hosted its inaugural summit, bringing together 11 organizations and earning endorsements from both the Mayor of Tulsa and members of the City Council. The highlight of the summit was an interactive simulation where participants navigated scenarios of homelessness, drug abuse, and systemic barriers in housing, healthcare, and employment. By engaging in these exercises, community leaders deepened their understanding of the obstacles faced by foster youth and the urgency of coordinated solutions. FosterHive’s commitment also drew attention from the wider community, with local media coverage highlighting the project’s innovative approach and impact.

FosterHive was created through the dedication of the entire Cohort 15 team, with every student contributing to its vision and foundation. After graduation from YPI, several cohort members committed to continuing the work by stepping into a new role as the FosterHive Management Board, responsible for sustaining the coalition, nurturing partnerships, and expanding opportunities for foster youth in Tulsa. Their leadership ensures that FosterHive will continue growing beyond YPI, embodying the belief that when young people lead with empathy and determination, they can transform the systems that shape their community