By HAP FRY

For a first-time visitor, there is a lot to process at 96 South Zuni Street in Denver. 

The seemingly omnipresent kinetic energy and stimulation can best be described as electric. 

On this particular mid-December Thursday, there are no fewer than 20 volunteers from the American Waterworks Association – many of whom appear wide-eyed with all that’s unfolding, yet eager to help with making sure Christmas packages are being distributed to the right people. 

Phones are ringing off the hook, people are waiting to get buzzed into the office, visitor badges are being printed out and distributed, packages are being delivered at an accelerated rate, and don’t forget about the kids – both big and small running around. 

Toddlers are being dropped off at the Early Education Center (ECE), while their teenage moms are hustling to class in the next building with hopes of getting their high school diplomas, or they are meeting with their Family Advocate (case managers). 

Consider it another day at the office for receptionist Caroline Walden, who is doing her best to control traffic in the lobby.

Mind you, she’s doing a pretty good job quarterbacking the scene. One can’t help but notice how competent her multitasking skills are given the circumstances.  

“It will be like this all day,” Walden said. “It’s fast-paced and chaotic. I love it, but you’ve got to be able to move fast and juggle a lot of different things.” 

According to the center’s website, Florence Crittenton Services (FloCrit) is the premier two-generation wraparound service for teen moms and their children in the Denver metro area. It serves 107 high school students and 102 toddlers ages 0-5. 

One important thing to note is that FloCrit students hail from 58 different zip codes – some coming from as far as Douglas and Weld Counties  

Their campus is a year-round family resource center built on the belief that when teen parents have access to education, care, and support all in one location, they can build healthy and self-sufficient futures for themselves and their children.  

In addition to providing a high school and Early Childhood Education Center, FloCrit also provides a Student & Family Support Program and the Alethia E. Morgan Health Center to further make it a one-stop shop for teen mothers and pregnant teen moms. 

There’s a lot of winning that takes place at 96 South Zuni Street and plenty of game balls to go around. 

Only in the case of Florence Crittenton, game balls come in the form of roses.

Yes, roses signify the victory and triumph taking place at Florence Crittenton, which was established in Denver in 1893, but the non-profit organization began partnering with Denver Public Schools in 1984. 

Every May, at graduation, graduates give a rose to the person who inspired them the most to work through the process of high school and ultimately graduate. 

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out where most of the roses end up.

“Most of them (graduates) give their rose to their kid,” said Desta Taye-Channell, Florence Crittenton President and CEO, fighting back tears. “It’s very moving and transformational. There are a lot of tears shed because there was so much sacrifice that took place.

“You know, some of them grow up really fast once they have a kid, and they look at them in their eyes and are like ‘I’ve got to take care of this kid. I’ve got to get my act together’. Those who stick with the program are pretty proud of their success and sacrifice.”

Photo by Hap Fry

As the President and CEO of Florence Crittenton, Desta Taye-Channell says there is a delicate balance between being reactive and proactive with her students and staff.

According to a 2024 report, the graduation rate at the school was 96 percent, which is astounding considering before partnering with DPS, graduation rates hovered around 50 percent. The school’s website cites a three-year average graduation rate of 85 percent. 

FloCrit Chief Financial Officer Samantha Deebs says funding comes in three ways – through state and federal grants and through private donorships. She said 100 percent of FloCrit students qualify for financial assistance.

One potential roadblock in funding, Deebs said, has to do with the Childcare Assistance Program (CCAP). 

“It has historically been a reliable source of funding for our Early Childhood Education Center (ECEP),” Deebs said. “Due to the state deficit, CCAP has been on a new enrollment freeze since December of 2024 and is estimated to continue through 2029. Because of this decrease in funding, we must rely more heavily on individual contributions to support the education of the children we serve.”

Finding their way

Zahara Ongalo, the mother of a one and half year old named Ceaskas, is one of those fortunate enough to find her way to FloCrit. She is a senior with big dreams and aspirations, thanks in large part to Ceaskas.

Ongalo got pregnant at 16 – right before her sophomore year of high school – when most youths that age are preoccupied with plenty of other things, and was confronted by some pretty big decisions. 

What drew her to Florence Crittenton from a DPS-based high school? 

“This school had a lot of services,” Ongalo said. “They help with housing. They help you with your rent. They help you with your bills. They help you with diapers, wipes, clothes – anything for the kids, and anything you could possibly need. They are here to help you, and they pull through every time.”   

Thanks in large part to Florence Crittenton, Ongalo has no shortage of confidence. She’s well- spoken, articulate, and has a firm plan moving forward. 

She completed the school’s phlebotomy program last year and is in the medical assisting program this year. She has goals of becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with the ultimate goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist.   

Photo courtesy of Florence Crittenton Services

Zahara Ongalo and her son have made the most of the opportunities provided by Florence Crittenton and have a plan moving forward.

Ongalo, though, is a bit of an outlier. She is still with her child’s father and also has the support of her parents.  

Not every student or mom who finds their way to FloCrit is as fortunate as Ongalo. 

They are often some of the most at-risk and poverty-stricken youths in the state. They come from troubled homes, gang affiliations, and often abusive relationships. 

To say the deck is stacked against them would be an understatement.  

“Teenagers are inconsistent people,” said Hezekia Carlstrom, who is the interim Family Services Manager. “They’re trying to figure out their identities. These kids are trying to navigate a world that really is set up for people 18 or older, and they’re 16 – they have a kid and now they have adult responsibilities.”

Carlstrom said emphasis is placed on each student’s particular situation when the school begins working with them.

“If we try and start in a place where hey, we’re expecting them to be on time, but they don’t have transportation – they’re taking public transportation, and they live an hour and a half away, we’re setting them up for failure.” 

Very purpose driven

Carlstrom, who grew up in Indiana and attended the University of Indiana before embarking on teaching at an alternative high school, worked as a case manager for Denver Rescue Mission before taking his current position with FloCrit.

“That was a great experience for me,” said Carlstrom, who received his B.S. in social work in December. “But I just really love teenagers. I think they’re hilarious, and they have a ton of potential … there’s just something really unique about who they are and how you can interact with them.” 

If Carlstrom could pinpoint one thing most unique about FloCrit, it would be the organization’s mission. 

“Our mission here is to educate, prepare, and empower teen parents and their children. It’s very purposefully driven.”

Reactive v. proactive

From behind her desk, Desta Taye-Channell, president and CEO, is thinking big picture 

“We cannot do what we do without the support of the community,” Taye-Channell said. “Our community is deep and wide.”

And the support is not lacking. That much was evident on this December Thursday when Caroline Walden had to usher in two volunteer groups. 

Two other groups were on tap to make cameos on Friday and the following Monday to help out with the gift sorting and set up.

“There is no way we would be able to process our donations without our volunteers,” Walden said.  

Taye-Channell, meanwhile, offers this insight when it comes to community involvement and why the community has been so supportive. 

“Everyone can connect with someone who has a daughter, or they know someone who has a young kid,” she said. “They can relate to the fact that what if my kid had a kid? I also think most people can genuinely relate that parenting is hard.” 

There is no denying that FloCrit has to be reactive on a day-to-day basis, but what Taye-Channell hopes is that the organization and school can be more proactive in how it operates. 

She says the school is doing a much better job of analyzing attendance, success rates, and areas in need of improvement. 

Right now, the school also needs more Early Education Center classrooms than the 10 it has. She said the organization is exploring options on how and where to expand with an emphasis on housing and more ECE classrooms. 

“It really is all about intervention, especially from 0 to 3 when a child’s brain is doing the most developing,” Taye-Channell said. “We’re essentially trying to catch them up to people who have ‘normal’ resources – who can get education right away.”

Taye-Channell says FloCrit has a saying for its high school students: “It’s not three strikes and you’re out; it’s three strikes and it clicks.” 

For FloCrit high school senior Zahara Ongalo, it didn’t take three strikes. It clicked immediately for her. She did say that being an all-girls school can lead to some drama, but inevitably, everyone is in the same boat and that they all pull for one another.

“Half of our school only speaks Spanish, so I feel like our population is very diverse. I like to be kept in the loop, so I’ve learned a lot more conversational Spanish than I ever did at my previous schools. I feel really happy with where I’m at in life, and the connections my son and I have made,” Ongalo said.