Local program teaching teen girls in foster care life skills

Year of the Woman: Pearls Court

SAN ANTONIO – A court program that started in 2015 to help young girls in foster care is still flourishing today.

Pearls Court since its inception has helped more than 40 teen girls about to age out of the foster care system. 

"It's to enrich them and empower them, so that way, when they age out of the Child Protective Services care, they can go on into adulthood and be prepared for what life throws them," 438th Civil District Judge Rosie Alvarado said. 

Alvarado and 408th Civil District Judge Angelica Jimenez took over the program in January and are both encouraged by the positive impact the program has had on the girls. 

"One of the wonderful things that we have been able to see is that we're getting now girls that are getting placed into universities," Alvarado said. 

Besides the girls going on to college, another great accomplishment is none of girls have gotten pregnant.

The success of Pearls Court is due in part to the many mentors who volunteer their time to help the girls. 

"Each of these girls has a community of people that surround them and support them," program director Kimberlee Morrison said. 

As Pearls Court moves foward, the hope is to help even more teens in foster care.

"We are very hopeful that we will soon be able to open this up to boys, as well," Jimenez said. "We have many plans for the youth that is currently in foster care for Bexar County."

Click here for more information about how to become a mentor or donate to Pearls Court. 


About the Author:

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.