The annual Children’s Champions Awards breakfast honored 15 young people and advocates for youth during the annual celebration hosted by Voices for Children Advocacy Center, formerly Weiss Children’s Advocacy Center and Priority Children.
The 24th annual celebration was presented in partnership with United Way of Genesee County and presented 10 awards and five scholarships to local individuals and organizations.
Lee Yorton was honored as the 2019 Outstanding Retiree. After retiring from General Motors, Yorton has volunteered to coach for the LakeVille school district for 10 years. He donates his time as coach and serves as a volunteer mentor to student athletes — encouraging them to recognize the value of education and to treat others with respect on and off the field.
Other awards given during the annual breakfast included:
• Outstanding Youth Award to Miriam Bingham, a senior at Flushing High School who serves as a program assistant for Teen CEO, a year-round program empowering youth ages 14-24 to learn about entrepreneurship, and an entrepreneur with her own business called MB Web Designs, creating websites for small business owners, teachers, and community leaders.
• Crim Fitness Foundation (Active & Healthy Leader Award) to Kevin Smith and Terrence Walker of the Flint PAL Program
• Special Resources for Children and Youth to Youthquest
• Opportunities to Develop Life Skills for Youth to CMB, a basketball and life skills development program founded by Chris McLavish
• Volunteer Engagement to Serve the Youth to GCCARD
• Multi-Disciplinary Team Awards to Detective Eric Freeman and court liaison Tara Pender
Five scholarship awards also were given during the event. Elizabeth Gibbs, Jenna Bearup, and Marissa Cox received the Bob Emerson Scholarship Fund from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint; Benjamin Jobe of Davison received the Curbco Vocational Education Scholarship/Youth Achieving a Career in Skills Trade Award; and Cheyenne Settle of Bendle received the Career Technical Scholarship.
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