SALT LAKE CITY — At the Park City Culinary Institute in Salt Lake City, 15-year-old Amen was given the opportunity to put his cooking skills to the test.k

“It took me, like, almost a year to make scrambled eggs,” he joked.

Since Amen has mastered scrambled eggs, his visit to the Institute was to learn how to make sushi — something he enjoys eating. He was accompanied by Rylee Evans, his youth connections advocate at Raise the Future.

“He’s actually very adventurous. I love that about him. He’s a lot of fun,” Evans said.

Evans has worked with Amen for about a year and a half, and during that time, has gotten to know what he’s really like.

“Amen is goofy and hilarious!” Evans said. “Amen can be shy at first, but when he opens up, he is a lot of fun. He loves to make people laugh, to the point that he has a hard time being serious.”

Amen has lived in foster care for nine years, and during that time, he’s been placed in multiple homes. Evans believes it’s one of the reasons it takes time and effort to get to know him.

“I think part of his survival mechanism is this tough front, and that’s what people get, because it protects him from having to be vulnerable with people that he thinks he might lose again,” she said.

Amen said there have been difficult moments for him while living in foster care, but he’s hopeful those days are behind him.

“The trauma, personally, that’s the hardest part for me,” he said.

Amen is in 10th grade, and he recently discovered a love for reading. He also likes listening to music, and even tried making his own beats while in school.

Evans hopes by finding a family connection, he might discover other activities he enjoys.

“I don’t think he’s ever been involved in something that is his. I would love for him to find that, but he will try anything,” Evans said.

Amen said he would like to be adopted by a family he could trust and rely on as he navigates high school and college.

“I just want someone who helps me through the way,” Amen said.

An active and engaged family is also an important quality for Amen.

“Amen really values quality time. He wants people in his life who want him there and want to spend time doing things with him,” Evans said. “Other people’s feelings also really matter to Amen. He is constantly concerned about others and constantly takes a stand to defend those being bullied.”

Evans said a family that takes time to peel back Amen’s layers will find a young man who has a bight future ahead of him.

She hopes that Amen will find that connection soon.

“I think he’s going to graduate high school and he’s going to be one of those dynamic personalities that people just love and adore,” Evans said. “He’s a smart kid with so much potential, it just needs some help getting there.”

You can read more about Amen in his Raise the Future profile, or contact Raise the Future at 801-265-0444.

For more on the Park City Culinary Institute, click here:

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