Huck YOUTH AWARDS

April 23, 2018 On Friday, April 20, 2018, 65 friends of Huckleberry House slept outside to raise awareness about youth in central Ohio. They also raised money to support Huck House’s proven programs. Thank you to everyone who was involved. Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Event Partner

Supporting Friends Mark and Maria Armstrong, Bricker and Eckler, John and Marah Derzon, Tim Hixen, M+A Architects, John Narcross and Susan Zoldak, and Tom Paplaczyk

Special thanks to COSI, the Harmony Project, Sales Fuel, the board of directors and staff of Huckleberry House, Megan Anthony, Digico Printing, Chaz Hixen, Jessica Barwell, Julie Wnukowski, Audrey Strong, Melissa Kruse, and Alex Westerfelt. 2018 Huck House Youth Awards ! PROGRAM ! Welcome Chaz Hixen President, Board of Trustees,! Huckleberry House Dinner ! Scholarship Awards Presented by Chaz Hixen and Maria Armstrong Board of Trustess, Huckleberry! House Paul S. Davis Award Presented by Becky Westerfelt Executive Director, !Huckleberry House House of Dust Barbara Fant ! Youth Awards Presented by Paul Davis Supervisor, Transitional Living Program, Huckleberry! House Closing Remarks Becky Westerfelt Huckleberry House Scholarships

William R. McNamara Scholarship In 2000, Bill McNamara established a scholarship fund to provide several scholarships per year to teens participating in Huck House programs. Scholarship winners can renew their scholarships each year. The financial support makes it possible for teens to reach the educational goals they set in our programs. Recipients: Aja Bolden, Nikkita Terrell, LaToja Owens

Soltis-Homer Scholarship Established in 2008 by the Soltis family, long time contributors to Huckleberry House, this fund awards scholarships annually to deserving young women served by Huck House. The scholarship helps achieve the Soltis family’s mission of giving teens a great start toward future accomplishments. Recipients: Judayza Johnson, Shawna Hunt

The Paul S. Davis Award The Paul S. Davis Award is given to a Huck House employee who exemplifies the core values of our agency and demonstrates practice distinction. A committee of peers looks for workers whose practice rises well above expectations and reflects Huck House’s commitment to youth and their families. The award was named for Paul Davis, a current Huck House worker who routinely demonstrates best practice. His response to a crisis, his consistency with his clients, and his support of his co- workers were chosen as the standards of Huck House excellence. Recipient: Meredith Leider, Community Support Provider, Transitional Living Program Youth Award Recipients

Pasha Rivers-Johnson Nominated by: Stephanie Smith, Huckleberry House In the past year, Pasha has faced many barriers but overcame them to reach her goals. Before entering TLP, Pasha gave birth to twins and left an abusive relationship with their father. The abuse also resulted in Pasha leaving college saddled with student loans. Despite being a victim of domestic violence, Pasha remains a kind, caring, respectful and dedicated student and mother. In the fall 2017, Pasha began taking classes at Ohio Dominican University and joined the track and field team. She hopes to become a special education teacher. Pasha has earned the admiration of her peers and counselors because she advocates for herself and other victims of abuse.

Ivan Vargas Nominated by: Caitlin Jones, Focus Learning Academy SW Besides being a well-mannered, respectful, hardworking student, Ivan is a model for true perseverance. Three days after his eighteenth birthday, Ivan was arrested for taking a joy ride on a grocery cart scooter. Ivan was booked with a felony charge and encouraged by his public defender to plea out and serve jail time. Ivan did not graduate from high school with his peers. Today, he is on track to graduate in the spring while working full-time at the Spaghetti Warehouse. Although the felony will keep him from joining the military, a life-long dream, Ivan plans to become an auto mechanic. Ivan is unique because he owns his mistakes, blames no one, and takes full responsibility for creating a better life for himself. KaMaury Baskin Nominated By: Dawn Heideman, Be The One High school can be stressful and isolating, especially for an African-American transgender teenager. As an 8th grade student, KaMaury had 27 behavior incidents, and several more in the first years of high school, but as a senior, she has learned to love, trust and believe in herself. Her behavior, attitude and self-confidence have improved tremendously. KaMaury gets her courage from knowing who she is and not letting anything get her down. Fighting and overcoming adversity in the last couple of years has made her want to keep moving forward and keep a positive attitude. Upon graduation from high school this May, KaMaury wants to get a job and start saving up money so that she can move to California, where she loves the lifestyle and weather. In California, she wants to become a life coach so that she can give back and help other people. KaMaury also wants to write a book, so others can learn from her story. Although she is not a life coach yet, she has plenty of advice to give to those who may be in a similar situation, “Keep your head up, it’s going to get better and everything happens for a reason.”

Brittney Evans Nominated by: Tyia Harris, Huckleberry House Brittney was adjudicated from the age of 16 to 20. When her adjudication ended, Brittney had some serious life goals. One she achieved quickly was earning her GED within six months of being released. One she is still working on is regaining custody of her son who was ten weeks old when her adjudication began. She worked hard and met all the requirements of Huck House’s Transitional Living Program – always working, saving money, staying on top of her custody fight. And she quit smoking! Brittney graduated and moved out of TLP on the day her second son was born. She now has new goals. In one year, she wants to be ready for her newborn’s needs as he enters toddlerhood, renew her lease, and be ready for Christmas. In five years, she hopes to have a deposit for a house and be in school for social work. “I really want to work with kids from where I came from – either at Huck House or in the juvenile justice system – so I can help them get to a better life.” For now, she is working for temp services to get back to work after her baby’s birth. Finding a job and a child care center that will make it easy for her to continue to breastfeed for one year is a priority.

When asked when she feels strongest, Brittney says, “every time I have to leave my oldest son after a visit because I want to bring him home with me.” When asked how she finds the strength to get through those hardest moments, she answers, “I find my strength knowing in my heart that it will happen someday.”

Precious Brandon Nominated by: Hope Brill, Huckleberry House Precious became homeless at 17-years-old and was referred to Huck House by her high school teacher. A week after her 18th birthday, Precious moved into her TLP . Before coming to TLP, Precious wanted to give up. She worried daily about where she would sleep at night and didn’t have anyone to talk to about her situation. Since entering the program, she has showed tremendous gratitude, motivation and hard work. One of her favorite parts about the program is having someone to talk to every week. Hope Brill, who nominated her and meets with her weekly, describes Precious as honest and dedicated to her goals. Precious wants to graduate high school, then attend college, so that she can start a career. She says for anyone struggling with homelessness, the most important thing is to stay focused, “because when you lose your focus, you lose yourself.” Aja Bolden Nominated by: Kenosha Hines, Huckleberry House Aja came to TLP in May 2017 determined to create a better life for herself and her unborn baby. Before TLP, Aja lived in the Van Buren family shelter. She survived a high risk pregnancy and gave birth to a premature baby boy after seven months of pregnancy. Her son gives her focus and keeps her determined to achieve her goals. While the baby was still in the hospital, Aja enrolled in the pharmacy technician program at Columbus State. After receiving her pharmacy tech certificate, Aja would like to pursue a degree in marketing. Her hard work at both TLP and Columbus State offered Aja the opportunity to apply for and earn the Huckleberry House McNamara Scholarship. Aja would like to start a program for middle school girls helping them recognize and avoid abusive relationships.

Rafael Castro Nominated by: Dawn Heideman, Be The One Soon to be the first in his family to graduate high school, Rafael is a hard-working young man who has had to rely on self-motivation to get him through school. He has emerged as a leader in the Be The One program at Walnut Ridge High School, he holds a part time job, and he plays soccer year- round. Soccer has become central to Rafael’s life and he applies the lessons he learned on the field to his everyday life. He values teamwork, mental-toughness and helping others. After graduation, he hopes to go to college and play soccer. Beyond college, Rafael wants to return to his native country, El Salvador, to build a soccer field for underprivileged children. At only eighteen, Rafael is already giving back to his community, he says, “If I can use these two hands to help pass out food, I’ll do it.” He has a mature outlook on helping others and hopes adults and other youth will look around them and realize ways to help their community. Rafael deserves recognition for his resiliency and compassion in a world of political uncertainty for immigrants. Madi Fant Nominated by: Erica Schnitz, Huckleberry House Madi moved out of her mother’s house and into her grandmother’s at 15-years-old. This transition was not easy. She was sleeping on the floor in the living room and things were going poorly. She fell behind in school and was unable to graduate on time. Madi came to Huck House through her own determination. Madi describes Huck House as “almost too good to be true,” and she is extremely thankful that her hard work is being noticed and commended. Her proudest accomplishment thus far is graduating from high school in December 2017, just six months after her original graduation date. Madi is also proud that she has held a steady job for over a year. In the long- term, Madi wants to help people and eventually write a book.

Jania Perry Nominated by: Hope Brill, Huckleberry House After a childhood in foster care and being adopted at 14, Jania came from Rhode Island to Ohio when she turned 18 because her biological mother lived here. “Don’t underestimate me!” is the motto that guides Jania through life. If you do underestimate her, she will do what it takes to prove you wrong. She is a hard worker and has maintained employment while in Huck House’s Transitional Living Program. One of her goals is to pay off loans. Her strength and determination are especially evident when it comes to her young daughter. Jania is committed to being the best parent she can be and boldly states that her daughter comes before everything. Jania left an abusive relationship to keep her daughter safe. She diligently applies what she learns from her parenting lessons. She says that the most important thing she has learned from her parent mentor is that it’s okay to let babies cry. As hard as it was, she knew she had to move her daughter to her own room. And that meant listening to some crying. When Jania is with her daughter, Huck House staff observe that she is incredibly attentive and always teaching new things. With a little giggle, Jania will tell you, “I’ve learned that kids are funny!” Chyla Larry Nominated by: Erica Schnitz, Huckleberry House Chyla came to Huck House due to problems with her relationship with her mother. She describes her past behavior as “aggressive” due to stress with family and school. When she first came to Huck House, she struggled with communication, but she has improved tremendously. “I talk a lot now,” Chyla says with a chuckle. One of her proudest accomplishments is that she can have conversations with people. She attributes this to her personal growth and now having a lot more confidence in herself. Chyla is also proud of her improvement with her behavioral management. Since she has been at her new school, Chyla has managed to control her anger and stay out of trouble. She is very thankful to her grandfather for being a major part of her support system. Chyla says her naysayers motivate and fuel her to achieve her goals. She plans to attend college to become a social worker.

Roxanne Johnson Nominated by: Tyia Harris, Huckleberry House Roanne has faced several challenges, including teen pregnancy, mental health issues and one of her biggest challenges, a custody battle with her mother over Roxanne’s daughter. Her cousin recommended she go to Huck House, where she found shelter support at the Crisis Shelter. Roxanne has since completed the Huck House Transitional Living Program and moved into a new apartment. Although saddened that she is unable to see her support system from TLP as often, she is very thankful for her ongoing relationship with Tyia and Kenosha. Her daughter is her motivation and Roxanne plans to tell her, “No matter what life throws at you, don’t give up.” She also wants to stress the importance of staying focused in school and avoiding outside distractions. Roxanne’s long-term goals are to get back into working, enroll part-time in school, and buy a car. Jhanel McCray Nominated by: Meredith Leider, Huckleberry House Jhanel left a violent relationship with her child's father and has been raising her 2 year old daughter on her own with very little help from friends or family. Jhanel set out to utilize Huck House’s Transitional Living Program to get financially stable, graduate high school, find stable while mastering independent living skills so she can live on her own successfully. Jhanel has made great strides towards her goals. She recently graduated from the Academy for Urban Scholars. She has been steadily employed and has been able to save money to buy a car and increase her savings. Jhanel values employment. Recently, when leaving one job for another, she respectfully gave two weeks’ notice, knowing how important it is to maintain a reputation as a good employee. Jhanel is positive, outgoing, motivated, hardworking, and a leader amongst her peers. Jhanel hopes to move to her own apartment in the next few months. There is no doubt that Jhanel will continue being successful and will reach whatever goal she sets for herself.

Delores Caine Nominated by: Michelle Jordan, Huck House Delores has survived many challenges in her life. She describes her childhood as “rocky,” explaining that she was raised by her grandmother due to family issues and her father’s violent death. Trauma, poverty, addiction, legal troubles, and family conflict have strongly impacted Delores’ family since she was very young. She shares that her primary goal is to create a better, more stable childhood for her children than she had herself. Delores’ path to Huck House’s Transitional Living Program included living on the streets. Delores describes sleeping at bus stops and just hoping people would leave her alone when she was asleep. She was always aware of signs telling her life would get better. The kindness of others has always been a sign for her. Delores’ own kindness and thoughtfulness are some of her core qualities and are evident in her interactions with her family, peers in the program, and staff members. She even took the time to write notes to her support team thanking them for believing in her.

Tekia Farmer Nominated by: Dawn Heideman, Be The One Tekia is a high school senior who is exceptional both in and out of the classroom, but she had to overcome a few struggles to get there. As an underclassman at Walnut Ridge, she struggled with grades and had 10 behavior incidences. Now, Tekia has barely had any run-ins with the disciplinary system at school and has started the year with well above a 3.0 GPA. She is on track to receive her diploma in June 2018. Aside from her academic and behavioral improvements, she is very active in her community and has accumulated over 300 hours of community service. Tekia welcomed a daughter in March 2018 and only missed five school days during her pregnancy, despite doctors’ appointments and nausea that comes with being pregnant. Tekia’s goals are to enroll into Columbus State in the fall and become a social worker for juveniles. Tekia Farmer’s future looks bright and her daughter has a strong female role model to look up to.

Thank you to Chipotle for sponsoring a special dinner for our Youth Award winners on March 20 where the youth got a chance to meet each other, participate in a photo shoot, and prepare for tonight’s event. Thank you for attending the 2018 Huck House Youth Awards Dinner underwritten by

Special Thanks

Community Housing Network Crowe Horwath Overmyer Hall and Associates Tiffanie Hiibner Megan Koontz Susan Scherer Charitable Foundation Pete Shuler Jeannie Mackowiak Chuck Manofsky Lori Stuart BeckyWesterfelt

For the kids we serve at Huckleberry House, getting to a safe, supportive, and appropriate home is never a straight shot. Especially when you consider from where many of them come. Issues such as violence, neglect, abuse, and poverty have taken their lives far off the beaten path. 1421 Hamlet Street Columbus, OH 43201 Whatever the journey home looks like, Crisis Line: Huck House helps youth through it. 614-294-5553 Sometimes that means giving them Administrative Line: coping and communication skills so 614-294-8097 family arguments don’t turn into www.huckhouse.org violence. Other times, it’s helping them learn how to budget, cook, and care for Board of Trustees Chaz Hixen their own children so they can maintain President a home of their own. And often, it’s Pete Shuler helping them navigate the system and Vice President get connected to resources that can help Paul Soltis them secure housing and move closer to Treasurer A.Lori Stuart their education and employment goals. Secretary The fact is, we can put a roof over a Maria Armstrong young person’s head. We can keep Jessica Barwell Tiffanie Hiibner them off the streets. But what we’re Eric Hutchison really trying to accomplish is to get Ryan Konst them “home.” Whether that home is Megan Koontz with their family, another relative or Regina Lurry friend, a foster family, or a home of Jeannie Mackowiak Charles Manofsky their own, the important thing is that Maria Mone young people develop the skills and get Frank Pifer the support they need to live safely Polly Sinesi and productively in a secure and stable Michelle Slappy environment. Craig Smith Julie Wnukowski And that’s getting somewhere every young person deserves to be. Executive Director Becky Westerfelt