Laura’s journey is a testament to resilience and transformation. After moving between 17 high schools, she felt disconnected and unsupported in her education, leaving college and career aspirations seemingly unattainable. However, joining the Ready to Succeed program in 2023 marked a turning point. With the guidance of her career advisor, Betsy, Laura gained the resources and encouragement necessary to not only graduate but excel in her dream career. Her adventurous spirit has led her to study abroad and become an Impact Fellow with the McCabe Impact Fellowship, positioning her to transfer to a four-year university next year. 

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“Ready to Succeed has not only transformed my academic life, but my personal life as well. I cannot be more thankful to everyone at RTS for supporting me in my journey.”

Olivia, a third-year Film and Media Studies student at UC Irvine, has thrived at Ready to Succeed through hands-on career exploration. Working alongside her Pathways Advisor, Rudy, and RTS mentor, Film and TV editor Wynton, she received valuable feedback on her editing reel. With Wynton’s support, she perfected her portfolio and became a finalist for the Television Academy Foundation’s Spring 2025 Internship Program. 

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“Ready to Succeed stands out in that they genuinely care. They provide an opportunity to connect people like myself and people that I wish I had the opportunity to connect with when I was younger. They cultivate an environment of genuine care and growth for former foster youth.”

When Chrisie first joined Ready to Succeed, she was shy and unsure of how to advocate for herself and almost opted out of the program entirely. But after a personal call from the Program Director, encouraging her to stay, she gave it a shot. And Chrisie dove right in. At Camp Ready, she sharpened her interview skills with guidance from RTS advisors, and took a leap of faith by applying to her first internship at DreamWorks. Despite the odds, she landed the role of Production Assistant Intern, giving her the confidence to aim even higher. In her second year, Chrisie grew into a savvy networker, connecting with professionals at DreamWorks and earning a coveted internship with the Television Academy Foundation, followed by another with Lionsgate. By her third year, Chrisie had become a rising presence in the entertainment industry. She appeared on KTLA alongside RTS leadership to talk about the program, and began mentoring other Scholars on their resumes and applications.  

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“The help of RTS Advisors and their workshops gave me a huge confidence boost in my storytelling and passion to look for a career in entertainment. It made me believe that I could do anything I put my mind to.”

When Tamar joined Ready to Succeed she was uncertain about her future on top of taking care of her son. After entering foster care at age 10, unpredictability and fear became familiar, and she had learned not to expect much—let alone be asked what she truly wanted. But with RTS, that changed. Her advisor asked her a simple but powerful question: “What do you want to do?” For the first time, Tamar was given space to explore. She switched majors five times, tried internships in different fields, and gradually reconnected with the part of herself that loved fantasy novels, mermaids, and poetry. RTS became a space for growth and healing, where she built meaningful relationships and found her voice.. In 2025, Tamar graduated from Cal State Northridge and today continues to build a life full of purpose for herself and her son.

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“Ready to Succeed has helped me build my career goals starting from nothing. FInding people who support you can be hard, but RTS has always been there for me.”

When Ajani first joined Ready to Succeed, he wasn’t sure what to expect. As a transfer student and Communications major at UC Santa Barbara, his past experiences with support programs had mostly involved virtual workshops and paperwork—not personal connections. But Camp Ready changed everything. Over two days of career-building sessions and community bonding, Ajani met other former foster youth navigating similar paths and formed his first meaningful connections within RTS. It was also where he met his Career Advisor, Jazmin, who became a trusted mentor throughout his journey. With guidance from RTS and support through the McCabe Impact Fellowship, Ajani completed a summer internship with LA-Tech and has graduated as of 2025! 

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Entering my senior year, I still had a lot of questions about what I wanted to do after college. But Jazmin, my RTS advisor, has been a tremendous help. She constantly asks about my interests, suggests internships to apply for, and provides so much support.