Jayden

Jayden grew up the middle of three. His older sister looked after him; he looked after his younger brother. That's how it went for eleven years — kids raising kids, doing a better job of it than the adults around them.

When the siblings had to be removed from their home, the county was able to place Jayden with a licensed foster home close enough that he still sees his brother every weekend. He'll tell you that's the most important part of all of this.

He plays soccer like he has something to prove. He's learning piano because a teacher at school noticed he could sight-read rhythm better than kids twice his age. He is polite, funny, and a quietly excellent older brother even from a distance.

Make the school soccer team. Find an adult mentor — a real one — who sticks around. Play a piece at a recital his brother can come watch.

League fees, piano lessons, and the mentorship program that pairs kids like Jayden with vetted volunteer adults. Small investments that give a great kid a wider runway.