Kids who outwit adults
Reclaiming Kids Who Outwit Adults is the subject of the annual Rosel Schewel Lecture in Education and Human Diversity set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18 in Memorial Ballroom, Hall Campus Center at University of Lynchburg.
Speaker Dr. John R. Seita, associate professor of social work at Michigan State University, brings a special sensitivity to foster care and child welfare issues. Formerly an abused and neglected child who ended up in the Michigan child welfare system, Dr. Seita was removed from his mother’s home at age 8 to spend the rest of his childhood and adolescence in more than fifteen foster homes, detention facilities, or group care settings. At 18, he was on the streets homeless and a shoplifter.
Dr. Seita has conducted research on at-risk youth, given riveting presentations and lectures, and authored or co-authored six books and several articles and book reviews.
He was selected for the distinguished 2007 National Ruth Massing Foster Care Alumni Award through Casey Family Programs. Only one foster care alumni is selected per year to honor exemplary foster care alumni who have made great strides in improving the policy and practice in child welfare on behalf of those currently in America’s foster care system.
The Rosel Schewel Lecture in Education and Human Diversity, now in its nineteenth year, is brought annually to the campus and community by an endowment established by Elliot Schewel in honor of his wife. The purpose of the event is to help educate citizens and focus discussion on a topic that is important to all Americans.
The lecture is also sponsored by the University of Lynchburg School of Education and Human Development and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Central Virginia. A reception and book signing will follow the free lecture.