Over the summer Troy hosted a back-to-school event for 60 foster students at the Phoenix Airport School. The goal was to provide the 60 students with the school supplies they need to have a successful school year! Each student walked away with school supplies, gift cards, music, and new sports gear for school. This event was important to Troy because there are over 65,000 children in the foster care system in California. Troy understand the need to create positive and memorable experiences for those facing difficult circumstances. Education can open many doors and is an avenue in which many youth are able to fulfill their goals and potential.
It was only fitting for Troy to center his event around creating a fun, positive association with the start of a new school year. Troy says, “I wanted to do this event because a lot of time foster kids are overlooked, especially older children in the system. I think we need to give them a voice. It’s a blessing for me to be in the position to show them that they are loved too and be a motivating figure to show them they can succeed as someone who hasn’t had the easiest road myself. In order to reach certain heights in life it many times takes a village and I along with my team aim at being a part of that village.”
Phoenix Airport School is a highly specialized, research-based school environment designed to support students with social-emotional and behavioral needs. Using a comprehensive trans-disciplinary planning and service delivery approach, evidenced based curriculum and technology, the program specifically addresses the individual needs of middle school and high school students, grades 6th – 12th who need a smaller, more structured setting. The goal is to help the students learn the skills needed to be able to return to a less restrictive setting and leading to college, career, and community access.
Proud partner of this event, Walmart in West Hills stated, “We are thankful to have the opportunity to partner with Troy Hill and the Los Angeles Rams to help these deserving kids be set up for success as they start a school year. Giving back to the communities we serve is part of our mission at Walmart, and we do that not only through providing funds, as we have with this grant to the Phoenix Airport School, but also by giving our time, as our Oxnard store associates have gladly done for this great event with Mr. Hill and the Rams.”