Empowering Youth Tacoma 2022 celebrates generations of student success
On Tuesday, May 21 2022, CSF-Tacoma celebrated its ninth annual Empowering Youth Tacoma luncheon. 180 guests gathered at Hotel Murano for a lively celebration of graduating CSF Scholars from all five Tacoma high schools: Foss, Lincoln, Mt. Tahoma, Stadium and Wilson. For many, this was the first time in years that folks were able to come together in-person and empower our students, making the celebration that much more powerful!
Scholars were joined by their families, College Success Foundation advisors and staff, Tacoma high school and middle school faculty, local college representatives, and a collection of ardent community supporters–all present to honor students’ incredible resilience and determination as they continue their educational journeys by attending college in the fall.
Community centered triumphs
This year’s luncheon was emceed by the homegrown, energetic talent of Lincoln High School and CSF alum Josh Bellinger. Josh personally attested to how his experience with CSF shaped the present day success he is proud to share with his family. Clad in a bright red sports coat and yellow pocket square, Josh ignited the room with his impassioned calls to invest in the educational opportunities for Tacoma youth.
For one of the afternoon’s highlight events, CSF alumni and advisors lined a red carpet rolled out in the center of the ballroom. One by one, scholars proudly walked through a tunnel of cheering and pom poms towards the stage. The room was all-smiles while each student took to the mic and announced their name and college selection.
CSF-Tacoma’s new Executive Director, Senait Habte, was warmly welcomed by our audience. She underscored the solidarity and strength of the Tacoma community. “62% of the CSF-Tacoma team are College Success Foundation alumni,” Senait said. “Our Tacoma team are true thought-leaders who enact equitable change in the schools they serve.”
Michael Cheever, CSF’s Executive Vice President, also shared informative words about CSF’s response roadmap to COVID student recovery. CSF’s Rally for College initiative scales our existing school relationships and pathway model to dramatically increase the availability of these resources to support as many students as possible.
Breaking stereotypes and setting new standards
It was the unforgettable and deeply personal testimonial of CSF alum Arlicia Etienne that moved the audience to a standing ovation. First in her family to hold a master’s degree, Arlicia is proud to have “[broken] the stereotypes and [set] a new educational standard in her family.” But her path to a successful career in education access and community development was not without its challenges.
When her brother, Ronald’s, life was unexpectedly cut short mid-way through her junior year at Lincoln High School, Arlicia and her family were crushed. But with the buoying and motivational force of CSF Advisor Robert Jones, Arlicia was able to regain her focus though she was riddled with grief. Rob was her cheerleader and challenged her to go out of her comfort zone and apply to eight colleges, where she was accepted into seven.
“Changing lives does not always mean that you are starting or leading a revolution,” Arlicia remarked. “Changing the world doesn’t mean that your name is in the headlines or your thirty second TikTok goes viral … Sometimes changing someone’s life means being there at the right time in the right moment when they need you most. Being their cheerleader and voice of reason when their world is clouded with grief and emotions. Teaching them the transferable skills that they’ll keep in their toolkit for the rest of their lives. And pushing them to their highest potential that maybe you’re the only one who sees.”
A commitment to empowerment
Arlicia chose to attend Seattle Pacific University and would later go on to earn her master’s degree in urban studies and community development from Eastern University in Philadelphia. Arlicia credited her CSF advisor for embodying the type of transformational care that kept her on the straight and narrow.
“[Mr. Jones] ultimately inspired me to give back to my community and become a CSF advisor myself. [Now a senior completion coach at the University of Washington Tacoma] I have devoted the past six years of my career coaching first-generation students with stories paralleling mine.”
Like so many individuals in the room, Arlicia has made the honorable decision to pay her success forward. She’s devoted her career to creating and developing initiatives for student retention and success–fortifying the very pathway that empowered her bright future.
Paying it forward the Tacoma way
Empowering Youth Tacoma was not just a celebration of CSF Scholars. It was a celebration of the vast and profound ripple effect our CSF staff have had on multiple generations of Tacoma families. You didn’t have to look far to see the many advisors who were former CSF Scholars–and the current CSF Scholars who may one day choose to pour their knowledge and wisdom back into the community that nurtured them. It’s a culture of reciprocity you can feel. “There’s something special, sacred and self-motivating about investing in the place that is home for you and the generations coming after you,” Arlicia noted.
Closing out the afternoon, Arlicia said it best: “Your support today is crucial to the students and leaders who will follow in my footsteps. So today, I encourage you to plant a seed of support for our students so they can grow into their potential, because just like me, they can’t do it without their community.”
If you were unable to attend Empowering Youth Tacoma, you can still make an impact. Please donate today.
