Soroptimists award scholarships to 7 area women

VISTA – Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland recently gave educational awards totaling $21,500 to seven local women as part of its Live Your Dream Awards program. The Live Your Dream awards assist women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects.

These women are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program. Awardees may use the money in whatever manner will help them further their goals, whether that be tuition, supplies, rent, child care or other living expenses.

This year's first-place award winner received a check for $3,500, and the other six recipients received $3,000 apiece. The top winner's application has been submitted as a candidate for an additional region-level award and a chance to become a candidate for one of three $10,000 Soroptimist federation-level awards.

"We usually present these awards at our annual awards gala, but due to the pandemic all in-person events have been canceled and we simply mailed the checks and awards certificates to the women" Eden Weinberger, chair of the Live Your Dream Awards Committee, said. "We hope to celebrate with them via Zoom soon."

Fallbrook resident Kasey Critz was awarded first place; her dream is to earn a master's degree in special education and work as an advocate for learning disabled students. She has been pursuing a bachelor's degree in education at National University, maintaining a 3.23 GPA and receiving many student achievement awards plus admission to the Honors for Social Change program.

Critz escaped a physically abusive marriage and was left as the sole financial support for four sons diagnosed with learning disabilities. She said the day she enrolled in National University was a "day of reckoning."

"It was time to return to school, so I would never again be in a position that left me and my sons powerless," she said in her application. "The Live Your Dream Scholarship would give me a chance to breathe when I am wondering how I am going to squeeze 30 hours of work, homework and parenting into a 24-hour day.

"Many times I thought that I should take a temporary leave from school and focus on making more money because it was so difficult to succeed at both. I don't always have a homemade dinner on the table or have all the laundry folded and put away. My assignments aren't always turned in on time, and sometimes I fall asleep at work because I work the overnight shift as an emergency veterinary nurse. Many times, I just have a good old-fashioned cry to get myself to the next day. Somehow, with the grace of God, I always find a way to make it work, but now I don't have to figure out how to hide the bruises behind sunglasses, makeup and sweaters," she said.

All six other award winners have similarly poignant stories and struggles. One is pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University San Marcos part-time while holding down a full-time job. The other five are enrolled in local colleges, universities or trade schools. One is studying criminal justice, three are seeking degrees in medical fields and one is getting certified in cosmetology. All are single mothers living in North County San Diego.

For more information visit http://soroptimistvista.org or email [email protected].

Submitted by Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland.