Millions of children and teens across America quietly provide care for a loved one every day, yet most people have never heard the term Caregiving Youth. From helping a grandparent living with Alzheimer's disease to supporting a parent with a chronic illness, these young people often balance caregiving responsibilities alongside school, extracurricular activities, and friendships.

As someone who helped care for my grandmother, I understand both the challenges and the incredible strength that caregiving can build. In this blog, I explore why Caregiving Youth matter, the unique experiences they face, and why it is time for schools, healthcare providers, and communities to recognize and support the millions of young caregivers whose contributions often go unseen.

#GivingGrace #CaregivingYouth #YoungCaregivers #YouthAdvocacy #CaregiverSupport #FamilyCaregiving #AlzheimersAwareness #DementiaAwareness #MentalHealthAwareness #StudentSuccess #MissMetroplexTeen2026 #CaregivingYouthAwareness #AdvocacyMatters #FutureLeaders #EveryVoiceHeard

The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven still reminds me of my Mimi. What began as cherished afternoons baking pecan pies and sharing family stories eventually became a journey I never expected—a journey as a young caregiver for a loved one living with Alzheimer's disease.

In this blog, I share how my experience caring for my grandmother opened my eyes to the reality faced by more than 5.4 million Caregiving Youth across America and inspired me to launch Giving Grace: Advocating for Caregiving Youth. This is the story of how one family's experience became a mission to ensure young caregivers are seen, supported, and heard.

#GivingGrace #CaregivingYouth #YoungCaregivers #AlzheimersAwareness #DementiaAwareness #MissMetroplexTeen2026 #YouthAdvocate #CaregiverSupport #AdvocacyMatters #EveryVoiceHeard #FamilyCaregiving #TeenLeadership

Madeline Grace Asbell – Miss Metroplex’s Teen 2026

Madeline Grace Asbell was recently crowned Miss Metroplex’s Teen 2026 and will compete for Miss Texas’ Teen 2026 in the Miss America Opportunity program.

A Rouse High School student, varsity cheerleader, and National Advocate for the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY), Madeline champions her platform “Giving Grace: Advocating for Caregiving Youth.” She raises awareness for students who care for loved ones at home and works to expand support, recognition, and resources for young caregivers across Texas.

Learn more at www.madelinegraceasbell.com.

Madeline Grace Asbell shares why she loves the scholarship side of the Miss Texas and Miss America Organization and how it inspires her educational goals.

This week, I participated in my first meeting as part of the Leander ISD Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. It was an inspiring day of meeting other student leaders and sharing ideas for the future of our schools.

I was especially moved by a conversation with a peer passionate about food allergy awareness, which reminded me of Miss America’s Teen, Tess Ferm, and her platform “From Fear to Freedom” advocating for food allergy education nationwide. It’s a powerful reminder that when students bring their passions together, we can create real change.

I’m also grateful to the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) for recognizing my work in their Treasure Talk newsletter. Their support helps connect my local leadership to the national movement making caregiving youth more visible and supported.