Julia S says that she chose to turn her “stumbling blocks into stepping stones” after facing the challenges that come with growing up in foster care. Julia graduated from Florida State in 2016 at the age of 22. She attributes AOK with supporting, inspiring and motivating her to achieve her goals. “When you’re trying your best to be self-motivated and determined to become a better you, it is more than reassuring to know you have a safety net to fall back on. AOK has provided me with a family, mentors, funding, and all around support for me to turn my dreams into reality.”