Maine Student Leader Nathan Prest Honored with 2025 FosterClub Outstanding Young Leader Award

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is proud to celebrate Nathan Prest, a student leader and advocate, for being named a 2025 FosterClub Outstanding Young Leader. This national recognition honors exceptional youth with lived experience in foster care who are creating positive change in their communities.

Presented annually by FosterClub, a leading national nonprofit supporting youth in foster care, the Outstanding Young Leader Award celebrates individuals who demonstrate extraordinary leadership, resilience, and advocacy.

Prest received the award for his tireless work supporting youth in Maine through leadership and advocacy, particularly around transition supports and eligibility through age 22 for students with disabilities. His efforts are rooted in a deep commitment to belonging, resilience, and empowering others—especially those navigating both the foster care system and the transition to adulthood.

Prest is a current member of the Executive Student Transition Committee (ESTC), a youth-led advisory group of the Transition Maine initiative under the Maine DOE Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education. Transition Maine works to support students with disabilities as they move from high school into adult life, including employment, post-secondary education, and independent living. Prest’s voice has been central to shaping the program’s statewide direction and impact.

“We could not be more proud of Nathan and his accomplishments,” Connor Archer, Transition Maine Project Consultant, said. “Nathan’s commitment to inspiring others is remarkable, and his resilience in doing so has helped reshape many important initiatives when it comes to helping our students with varying abilities and challenges transition from high school into adulthood successfully. In 2025 alone, Nathan has presented at several conferences and summits, representing the strong presence that Transition Maine has not only here in Maine but across the country.”

“Nathan is an important and wonderful member of the ESTC, and we are so proud of him receiving this amazing award,” Xavier Pettis, Chair of the ESTC, said. “His work with youth advocacy and his own lived experience bring tremendous joy and excitement to everything he does with us. We are all excited to work alongside him in this journey as a leader and human being, as he grows and evolves over these next few years!” 

About Nathan Prest

Prest’s journey in foster care began at just four days old. After living with a foster family and then his grandmother, who became his primary support system until her passing, Prest returned to his former foster family, who eventually adopted him. Despite early life challenges, he graduated from Bonny Eagle High School, a milestone he once thought unreachable.

Today, Prest is a passionate advocate for youth with disabilities, including those living with autism, like himself. He speaks at youth summits and conferences, where he shares his story to encourage others to dream big and persist. He’s currently writing a book about his experiences and hopes to one day launch a business that supports others who are navigating similar journeys.

The Maine DOE congratulates Prest on this national recognition and thanks him for his ongoing leadership, both in Maine and beyond. His work embodies the core values of Transition Maine—empowerment, advocacy, and resilience—and we are proud to have his voice helping to shape a more inclusive and supportive future for all Maine students!

Learn more about the award and this year’s recipients here. You can also read Nathan Prest’s bio on FosterClub’s website.