Today Precious Oden is a culinary student at MDC pursuing her dream of becoming a chef and restaurant owner. But as a former foster youth, Precious wasn’t sure how her dream would become a reality.
Student Precious Oden at MDC Wolfson CampusPrecious spent three years in the foster care system before she and her biological sister were adopted. She became one of eight youth in the household and says financial resources were limited. Despite this, her adopted family encouraged her to go after her dream.
She enrolled at Miami Dade College, and thanks to a scholarship from the MagicWaste Youth Foundation this year, Precious has been able to continue pursuing an education at the Miami Culinary Institute. Her MDC scholarship helped pay for tuition and books, easing the financial burden on her and her adopted family.
“With support from my donors, I feel like every battle I face from heartache to homelessness is mere turbulence on my life’s journey. I am grateful that MagicWaste Youth Foundation opened their hearts to give me the chance that I prayed for since I was young,” says Oden. “I hope I can pay it forward one day.”
Precious is the first out of her eight brothers and sisters to pursue a college degree. To her, education means so much more than knowledge; it’s a hope for the future.
The MagicWaste Youth Foundation Scholarship Fund at MDC supports foster youth pursuing a college education. Precious is one of two MDC students to receive the scholarship so far.
“Access to higher education is the best opportunity —and reward— that our organization can offer any foster youth that has emerged victorious from his or her special circumstances and attained a high school diploma,” says Rudy Bustamante, founder and president of MagicWaste Youth Foundation. “Knowing that we can partner with Miami Dade College to give more youth the chance for a brighter future is so rewarding!”
