JOSH SMALL

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When I think of the legacy of the young man whom this award is named for, I think of a young man who, despite challenges and struggles, continued to participate in YLAT and share his laugh, kindness, and spirit of warmth and hope to all those he met. The same can be said for Josh Small, On 3/11/20, Josh attended his first YLAT meeting.  Right from his first meeting, Josh was enthusiastic and excited to meet new peers and adults and connect with these new friends with a shared history of foster care.

Josh has been an integral member of the Southern Maine YLAT community, consistently bringing positivity and energy to our spaces. Josh walks into each meeting with a broad smile and shows deep compassion for his peers and adult support by taking the time to talk to each YLAT member, asking questions about how they are, and sharing his own experiences. By jumping enthusiastically into new activities and sharing thoughtfully during group discussions, Josh leads by example and encourages his peers to be involved and engaged. Josh brings his full self to every meeting and training, and his sincerity helps create a safe and accepting space for all YLAT young people.

Immediately after Josh’s first YLAT meeting, the initial stages of the pandemic lockdown went into effect, and as a result, in-person meetings were put on hold.  Josh attended the first virtual YLAT meeting on 05/13/20 and surprised many staff and peers by remembering the names and little details of each person he met at his first meeting.  Josh continued to attend several virtual YLAT events and training throughout 2020.  He would always contribute, share his thoughts and listen to others in a format that was certainly new and different.  Josh took the time to check in with each adult and peer he cared about and ask them about their day. 

In the fall of 2020, the Southern Maine YLAT team could meet again in person, and Josh could return to school as well.  Josh worked hard to complete his senior year at South Portland High School, graduating in June of 2021.  During 2021 Josh tried many new things while participating in YLAT events and attending Bryant Pond. Josh learned about knitting at one YLAT event, and he stepped boldly out of his comfort zone at Bryant pond when he tried canoeing and rock wall climbing for the first time.  Josh would embrace these new experiences despite his fears, which served as a model for other youth who felt fearful or apprehensive.  In this way, Josh is a true leader.

Josh is a young man who strives always to do his best; he is on time, always prepared, and ready for meetings and events.  He genuinely cares about everyone he meets.  He loves animals, and he enjoys fishing and various outdoor activities. He participates in STRIVE events and always gives his best.  Josh joined workforce readiness training this year, where he showed great interest and commitment to learning about various jobs and educational pathways. He graduated from South Portland in 2021 and is working on his post-secondary goals with Vocational Rehab.

Josh is not a young man who is willing to give up easily in the face of challenges, and he encourages others to do the same.  Josh has goals of improving his independent living skills, and he enjoys learning new skills to improve himself daily.  Josh is very proud to share with others the things he is learning about job skills, cooking, and daily living skills.  Even when things seem hard, Josh reminds us to Just Keep Going because every experience helps us learn and grow and that sometimes the best thing to do is show up, smile, and ask the first person we see, “How are you? How was your day?”