Demitrius Chiazza, 18, of Sellersville, received the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC) Youth Award for Outstanding Achievement at the 2010 Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice, Wednesday, November 3, in Harrisburg. Chiazza was one of four Pennsylvania youths honored. The conference was sponsored by the JCJC, the Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers and the Juvenile Court Section of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges.
Chiazza was homeless and struggling with substance abuse when Bucks County Juvenile Court Judge Rea B. Boylan committed him to Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy (CSF Buxmont). During one school year at CSF Buxmont, Chiazza took it upon himself to turn his life around.
Bucks County Juvenile Probation Officer William Wiegman nominated Chiazza for the award. “We’re very proud of Demitrius,” said Wiegman, adding, “With the help of CSF and their teamwork, he really excelled.”
“CSF Buxmont provided support for Demitrius’s recovery from drugs and assisted him in attaining his high school diploma,” said Rick Pforter, director of CSF Buxmont’s day treatment program. “He stayed clean, he got a job and he learned to play a musical instrument, donated by the Bucks County Plant a Seed Foundation. He set a goal to continue his education and made arrangements to take his SAT’s. As a result of his efforts, he was awarded a full-tuition college scholarship by CSF.”
“We provided Demitrius with a safe environment and worked with him to help him make changes,” said Kepleen (Kip) Suida, coordinator of CSF Buxmont’s Sellersville school. “He saw the opportunity, and he really took it. He showed that you can overcome the bad circumstances life deals you.”
Chiazza works at Arby’s and will major in music at Bucks County Community College. “I feel like I just got the greatest gift ever,” he said, on winning the award. “I’d like to thank my probation officer, Bill Wiegman. Without him, I’d be dead. I want to thank Kip, from CSF, for help with my education, and my CSF counselor, Brittany Rush, who I could always talk to.” Asked what he would tell kids experiencing what he went through, Chiazza said, “I’ve been homeless; I’ve seen it all. Now I know that your worst day sober is better than your best day high.”
