鱿鱼视频app

鈥淚 never thought that I would be at this point,鈥� Kretschmer said.

Kretschmer said she had been in the CCAS鱿鱼视频app care since she was 14, jumping from foster home to group home until she was 18.

鈥淎cademically, I鈥檝e always done really well, but I just thought from an emotional and financial standpoint that it would never be something that would happen for me,鈥� she said.

This is her fourth year receiving the scholarship, having recently graduated with a four-point grade average at in the behavioural science technology program. Kretschmer received about $1,500 yearly in financial aid from Catholic Children鱿鱼视频app Aid during those three years.

This time, she is receiving the scholarship to help pay for some of her expenses as she entered the psychology program at York University this fall.

鈥淚 look at it and I鈥檓 proud of my accomplishments but there鱿鱼视频app so much more motivation in knowing that the opportunity is out there 鈥� it motivates me more even though I still have a long way to go,鈥� she said.

For Chavenne Stamp, 21, the journey has also been  difficult.

Stamp said she went into care at the age of 11 after having just moved to Canada from Jamaica with her mother and brother. In less than five years, she went through six foster homes and group homes and became pregnant at the age of 15. After turning 16, she was able to get an apartment and soon had a second child.

鈥淭hroughout that time, I had my social workers and they were behind me 100 per cent,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hatever I was doing I was able to tell them.

鈥淚f I was facing a hardship, if they weren鈥檛 able to help me they would steer me in the right direction so I believe that helped a lot in terms of how I was able to cope with everything that was going on.鈥�

Stamp said she finally decided to attend college as a mature student and enrolled in police foundations at . This fall she starts her second year at Humber, but has decided she would like to get into social work at York University in the fall of 2009.

鈥淲hile I鈥檝e been volunteering with the Jane and Finch Community Family Centre, I鈥檝e noticed that I鈥檓 happy with what I鈥檓 doing there so I figured instead of doing policing, that I鈥檓 not so passionate about, I鈥檒l do what I love and get paid for doing it.鈥�

Two years ago, Stamp said she helped to start a grassroots community group called Jane and Finch On the Move, which provides social events like community barbecues, but which also holds forums with youth and other community members on difficult issues.

She said the group also holds local politicians accountable for their promises.

鈥淚 was happy doing those things. I feel proud of it. I figure I want to continue down that path,鈥� she said.

Mary Bowyer, the executive director for , the fund-raising arm of the society, said a large number of the scholarship recipients choose 鈥渉elping鈥� professions, such as social work, teaching and health care.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e very actively involved,鈥� she said. 鈥淢any of them volunteer for their community. They have overcome some challenges that some of us can鈥檛 even fathom, and they have come out of that with a positive determination to make the world a better place.鈥�

Bowyer said there is a 90-per-cent graduation rate of the former crown wards who receive scholarships.

鈥淭his year, there were three or four youth who we were providing scholarships to who needed to take a year off for various purposes and now they鈥檙e coming back to finish their degree, so if we included those folks, we might be a bit above 90 per cent,鈥� she added.

The CCAS provides scholarships to every one of its former crown wards successfully enrolled in school.