(Image: Moises Lopez with Danny Treyo)
The 2016 graduating class from the school of hard knocks stood on stage at the Disney Concert Hall last week to be honored with college scholarships for completing the first leg of a long, tough journey they’ve been on.
They are 175 foster care kids who have beaten every obstacle put in their path and succeeded beyond all expectations. They have shown the courage and they have the dreams. Now, it’s time to pursue them.
They’ve all graduated from different high schools throughout Los Angeles County, and many were meeting for the first time, but they treated each other like old friends.
Their stories are often heartbreaking, but inspirational, and that’s the key to why this event held for the last 27 years by the county of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services deserves our recognition.
We’re fast to condemn the department when a foster care child is lost or abused in the system, and rightfully so, but not so fast to give the vast majority of social workers and foster parents doing a tough job their due when the succeed.
“Without them, I don’t know where I would be today,” said 18-year-old Moises Lopez. “I know I wouldn’t have the chance to still be pursing my dream.”“Without them, I don’t know where I would be today,” said 18-year-old Moises Lopez. “I know I wouldn’t have the chance to still be pursing my dream.”
For Dennis McCarthy's entire article, please click here.
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