Five stories of overcoming challenges were shared Tuesday as the Rochester-Olmsted Youth Commission honored a group of young people during the 22nd annual Outstanding Youth Awards.
The five recipients of the awards this year have faced challenging choices and personal loss on their paths to becoming exemplary young people in the community.
"It's really a wonderful thing for us each year to see the combination of the youth commission and the students who are honored," said Olmsted County Commissioner Sheila Kiscaden after the awards were presented during Tuesday's county board meeting. "You make us very, very proud."
This year's honorees are:
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Age: 17
At 12 years old, Bufford started four years of drug abuse that eventually landed her in treatment programs. While some programs were not successful, one led her to sobriety. It also helped her deal with a history of depression and post-traumatic stress.
In treatment, she became a resident community counselor and advocate for her peers, and that advocacy has continued. She plans to return to the treatment facility to talk with residents about what she has learned, and she recently went to the state Capitol to push for funding of sober school programs.
Through it all, Bufford has caught up on her high school credits by attending APEX Recovery School at Rochester Area Learning Center. An A-student, she plans to take classes at Rochester Community and Technical College next year with hopes of becoming a nurse to help babies born to addicted mothers.
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Ashley Callier
Age: 21
As the oldest daughter in a single-parent household with three siblings, Callier assumed unique responsibilities early in life, especially after her mother was diagnosed with a serious illness. As a result, her middle-school days at the Alternative Learning Center were mired by truancy.
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At age 16, she became a teen parent, which could have continued the cycle she was born into. Instead, she sought support and guidance and graduated by attending school at night and working during the day, even as her son faced surgeries after a traumatic injury.
Today, Callier is a regular participant in a parenting group and serves as a role model for her siblings, as well as other young parents taking classes at the Alternative Learning Center.
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Phillip Del Vechio
Age: 19
A 2016 John Marshall High School graduate, Del Vechio overcame his learning disability with the help of special services. Today, he attends Hawthorne Learning Center to boost his English and math skills, and plans to attend Rochester Community and Technical College.
In addition to his academic efforts, Del Vechio serves as a volunteer hockey coach for the Rochester Raiders adaptive floor hockey team. He coaches and mentors players with cognitive and physical disabilities, helping the team qualify for the Minnesota State Adaptive Floor Hockey Tournament.
A courtesy clerk at HyVee, Del Vechio continues to focus on his studies and efforts to help others.
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Heather Garrett
Age: 16
Garrett, whose father died during her freshman year at Century High School, has used her loss to help others connect in the face of similar grief. Now a junior, she started a grief support group in the school and helps others facing similar struggles.
A three-year participant in RCTC's Upward Bound program, Garrett works hard academically and hopes to take post-secondary classes at the two-year college during her senior year. Her academic advisor, Jennifer Bjerke, said she has grown as a student and leader while also dealing with the loss of her father, with whom she shared a special bond.
In addition to school and Upward Bound activities, Garrett has two part-time jobs, which she uses to help contribute to household expenses. She also volunteers at Quarry Hill Nature Center, the Salvation Army and a summer youth program in St. Felix.
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Tereva Kobenan
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Age: 17
Kobenan's loss of her father at a young age taught her the value of life and the benefit seeing the best in every day. She is an active member of the local Upward Bound program and its Student Leadership Council. She is a vocal advocate for the program.
In the face of personal challenges, she is also active in volunteering in the Adopt-a-Highway program, pulling weeds at Quarry Hill, student government and the LINK program at Century High School, where she is a junior.
Kobenan also is a waitress at Charter House, where her earnings help support her family.
