The "Lost and Found Voices" Project

In 2024, Bethesda was recognized as a Distinguished Institution by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and awarded a grant. Rather than use the funds in a traditional way, Bethesda proposed using it to give the youth in their care a public voice - to tell their stories, anonymously, to the very community in which they live and go to school. The girls themselves named the project "Lost and Found Voices."


The girls' stories are 9 individually written narratives covering themes of:


- Foster care, abandonment, and loss of family

- Domestic abuse and parental incarceration

- Substance use as a coping mechanism

- Mental health struggles

- Finding hope, self-worth, and a path forward through Bethesda's programs

The Distinguished Institution Award

The Distinguished Institution Award was presented to Bethesda at the October 2024 N&D Conference by Kenneth Krawchuk, Regional Coordinator, Pennsylvania Department of Education. Pictured below is Title I Education Supervisor, Gina Weigle, receiving the Distinguished Institution Award from Kenneth Krawchuk.