Success is our Future Awards Banquet

Crittenton Residential Services Staff attending the LA County's Probation Department: 21st Annual Success is your Future Awards Banquet.

Success is our Future Awards Banquet

Crittenton Services for Children and Families staff and residential clients were invited to attend the Los Angeles County Probation’s Department: 21st Annual Success is our Future Awards Banquet on May 16, 2013.

Crittenton’s graduating class of 2013 consisted of six female clients that were honored and recognized at the annual academic and talent achievement event. Among the recognition given to Crittenton clients at the awards ceremony included:

  • Four Academic Achievement Awards
  • 1 Honorable Mention (4th Place) Art Contest Award
  • 1 Performing Arts Award for a moving spiritual dance performed by a Crittenton client

Crittenton Services for Children and Families clients have been recognized for their personal and academic progress for a number of years at this annual event and this year was no exception.

“The Crittenton youth and staff that were chosen to attend the event were delighted to be a part of this special and fabulous recognition that was heartwarming and fun,” said Tonia Gadson, Transitional Coordinator for CSCF, and added,”Our clients were excited and happy about how many of them were recognized for their educational milestones.”

The Success Is Our Future Event was founded in 1982 by Probation Officer, Daryl Pipkin, of the Los Angeles County Probation Department, and a dedicated group of service providers. The event originally only awarded academic scholarships to outstanding students, however, over the years this premier event has added additional award categories in the areas of performing arts and athletics.

The purpose of the annual event is to award scholarships to deserving young women and men in order to continue their education at institutions of higher learning. The financial assistance awarded will help provide the much needed support to purchase books, pay tuition and assist with living expenses. As a result of the financial assistance provided, many of the scholarship winners have earned Bachelor and Master degrees from institutions including USC, UCLA, Howard, and several California State Universities.

Clarence Brown, Executive Director of Eggleston Youth Center in Los Angeles and the event’s committee chairman, noted the value and respect the event’s planning committee has for all the honorees, and in a statement encouraged everyone in attendance to do their best and to try to help those less fortunate, “I commend you on your perseverance to succeed in spite of having to overcome poverty, crime, drugs and violence,” and added, “As you continue your journey in the coming years and you continue to make positive life-style changes, your rewards will be even greater.”

When asked what were their college plans and career goals Crittenton clients in attendance answers varied from joining the United States Marine Corps to attending community college and transferring to four-year colleges in order to become engineers, registered nurses or medical doctors. Despite their differences in opinion – their mindset’s were the same – which one Crittenton client by the initials AZ summed up perfectly, “I am motivated and I am a changed person, and I’m on my way to success!”

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Crittenton Services for Children and Families of Southern California (CSCF) is a non-profit social services agency whose mission is to heal the wounds of abuse and neglect; strengthen families; and help troubled adolescents reach their full potential. Established and incorporated in 1966 Crittenton has a highly trained workforce operating 24 hours a day / 7 days a week providing comprehensive counseling, medical, and other support services to the clients in our care. We provide a full array of residential, in-home, community based, wraparound, mental health, foster care, and adoption services with a service planning area throughout Southern California that covers Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego Counties.

Visit www.crittentonsocal.org to learn more about our programs and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, and Flickr.