The purpose of this phenomenological narrative study was to explore why many aged-out foster youth from the Texas and Louisiana foster care system do not complete a high school diploma. The researcher conducted eight interviews with participants who had been in the foster care systems of these states for at least five years. The interviews were conducted either on Zoom or face-to-face and focused on participants perceptions of how their basic needs impacted the participant's educational journey, perceptions of how belonging and self-esteem impacted their education, and how trauma impacted their desire for self-fulfillment and reaching their goals. The researcher discovered in the data that each participant had experienced trauma that exposed them to foster care, and each experienced further trauma during their time in the foster care system. These experiences had an impact on their basic needs, self- esteem, and motivation to graduate high school. The most common wounds they experienced were abandonment, low self-esteem, and feeling unloved. The findings show the importance of meeting the emotional and physiological needs of children in foster care. Caregivers, social workers, and schools should do what is necessary to meet children's basic needs of love, belonging, and safety. These factors play a significant role in the well-being and academic success of children in foster care. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]