Adulting 101 Teen Conference

The Adulting 101 Teen Conference welcomes teens in foster care, along with their caregivers, Guardians ad Litem, and group home staff, for a day of learning, encouragement, and connection. This full day conference is working to connect our teens with the resources and services available to support them as they age through and out of the foster care system. We open the conference to teens starting at age 13 so they feel prepared for life beyond foster care when they turn 18.

Nonprofits and other support agencies from across our community are present to share information about their support services with teens in attendance and help them begin to create a vision for their future. Hero To A Child believes that the community of care surrounding these teens functions better in a collaborative way than as individual organizations and Adulting 101 is our way of helping this community show up for teens

Thanks to the support of Duke Energy and Raymond James, attendees at the 2026 conference heard from speakers Angel Cook and Dylan Wahl, who shared how resilience and support helped them overcome challenging childhoods. Dylan's powerful message reminded teens that foster care is something they have experienced—not who they are—and encouraged them to use the resources around them to shape their futures.

A panel of young adults who successfully aged out of foster care answered questions and shared real-life advice, while 14 community organizations connected teens with valuable support services. Through our interactive Game of Life, participants explored the realities of adulthood by navigating different paths after foster care. Many commented that while the game showed how expensive adult life can be, it also helped them better understand the importance of planning ahead and taking advantage of available supports.

Adulting 101 is held each summer. Interested sponsors and vendors can reach out to our Program Director, Tawnee Walling, at TawneeW@herotoachild.org with questions or for participation.

Special thanks to our 2026 Adulting 101 Teen Conference Sponsors

  • Guardian ad Litem Office, Child Advocate Manager

    “A huge THANK YOU for the conference last night!  It was so well organized and very informative.  I learned so much and feel better equipped to be able to help the teens on my cases.  The two teens I brought LOVED it!  They told me they were nervous at first because they didn't know what to expect, but after being there for a few minutes, everyone made them feel welcome.  They were both so excited about finding resources available for them and told me they realized how many other teens just like them are in the system and how nice it is that so many people want to help them.  They were also very excited about the gift cards, food, and goodies!  Thank you for all of your hard work in putting this together.  I hope you all know the positive impact you made last night.  I had two GALs and another teen there, and they also told me how incredible they thought it was.  Great job and many thanks!”

  • Guardian ad Litem Volunteer

    “It was so informative. My young adult and I got insight into so many programs that can help him transition to adulthood. He commented on how much he enjoyed it and how valuable he found it. I've been so worried about what he will do when he turns 18 and how to find the programs that can help him. Case management is overloaded. I provide continuity and can now assist with creating a plan. This event addressed a serious gap in service information and coordination. So needed and valuable! We will definitely attend next year. This was really beneficial. The gift cards were unexpected but appreciated surprises.”

  • Guardian ad Litem Volunteer

    What did you like the most?

    "The upbeat and welcoming atmosphere for the teens. They felt included and that this was an event to help them. It provided a good overview of many different services available to our teens in a comfortable, non-intimidating environment for them. The variety of organizations all in one place and all shared very helpful information for the teens and the adults in the room- I learned about the FosterPower app, which is an impressive tool."

LB Smith Family Foundation Funding

Youth who are committed to pursuing post-secondary education and have aspirations for future success often require more support than just tuition and fees typically covered by scholarships. The LB Smith Family Foundation "I CAN do it" fund is designed to help overcome the barriers to starting or completing educational dreams. Nominations can be submitted during the nominee's senior year of high school, while they are currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution, or when they are planning to attend a post-secondary program. This fund is also available to individuals who have aged out and may need additional assistance to finish their education successfully. The funds can be utilized for technology, transportation, course fees, necessary supplies for degree programs, childcare, or other living expenses.

Use the Children’s Needs Request form to submit for funding

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