Foster children in America face a lot of challenges and needs, but at the same time, so do their educators.

 
Building Blocks, a nonprofit organization that recruits and supports foster care households, and a Communication Arts Department persuasion class are holding a seminar today (Wednesday) Nov. 18 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Gardner Hall auditorium. The seminar is also sponsored by Miss Molly’s Coffee Company in Wayne, which partners with Building Blocks.

 
How teachers and prospective teachers should address the unique needs of students in foster care will be the subject for today’s forum. Learning how to deal with issues of foster children in their class rooms is important for teachers and having this seminar will hopefully have a positive impact on both student and instructor.

 
The seminar panel will include attorney Kyle Dahl; Leanna Rosberg, who has been a foster sister and can give insight; and Tonya Bauman, Building Blocks training and recruiting specialist.

 
A breakdown of exactly how this particular situation works in Northeast Nebraska will be discussed, along with the best ways for teachers to support foster care students and their families and also how foster care affects the ability to learn and process information in school.

 
“We are excited to work with these students to bring a greater awareness of the foster care system in our local area,” Miss Molly’s Molly Temme said. “Particularly, getting this information to future educators who will make a difference in the lives of local children and families.”

 
“We’re organizing this seminar because our own past experiences with classmates in foster care made clear that not all teachers are aware of how being in foster care affects students,” Eve Ortmeier one of the seminar organizers from the Persuasion class said.

 
Teachers do not always understand the possible needs of a foster care student.

 
“We decided that helping education students here at WSC understand the needs of foster care children could make a difference for many families, in addition to fulfilling our class assignments,” Ortmeier said.

 
Gardner Hall is the place to be today for this great opportunity to learn and understand foster care students and teachers and to better the way the school system is handling it. Those searching for more information can contact Hanna Knox at 402-358-0679.