The Talented 10th
Legacy Gift

“Education and work are the levers to uplift a people. Work alone will not do it unless inspired by the right ideals and guided by intelligence.

Education must not simply teach work–it must teach Life. The Talented Tenth of the Negro race must be made leaders of thought

and missionaries of culture among their people.”

– The Talented Tenth, W.E.B. DuBois

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Saginaw High School alumni and siblings 

Otis Washington (2001) and Krystal Walton (1988) 

each attained the rank of 10 in their respective graduating classes.

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Krystal graduated from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, CA in 2000 while working as many as 3 jobs to earn a bachelor's degree in Christian Leadership & Applied Management. This was followed by a Clear Level II Education Specialist credential from CSU-Dominguez Hills (2005), a master's degree in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University (2016), a Clear Administrative Services credential from National University, (2017), and four education certifications.  

A public educator with over 23 years of experience in instruction, administration, and due process, Krystal joins her education, training, and work ethic to serve her community as a Los Angeles County special education administrator and autism educator. During the 2006-07 school year, Krystal taught at Saginaw High School as a special education teacher.

A member of the Palos Verdes (CA) chapter of The Links, Inc., vice president of the Kappa Zeta chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Int'l., a service organization for women in education, and her work in ministry, Krystal is firmly committed to serving the community. The work she has begun through The Angel Foundation for Learning is an extension of her ongoing work to help today's youth attain their goals and become tomorrow's leaders.

Otis earned football and academic scholarships to complete a bachelor of science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Vanderbilt University in Spring 2006. Whether he was in Nashville at college, at home in Saginaw or the new home he made with his family in Columbus, OH, Otis served others.

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With his wife Dee, Otis served the communities of Saginaw, MI and Columbus, OH through his work as an educator, minister, musician, and songwriter while employed as an insurance supervisor. Otis followed the example of his parents, Pastors Otis O. and Charlene Washington: to lead his family and his community by purposeful living in service to God and others. 

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The Talented 10th Legacy Gift continues the Washington Family ethos,

which led both Otis and Krystal into a life of service:

to love God through purposeful work that honors Him (John 14:15),

to love ALL people as God loves us (John 13:35), and

service to humanity is service to God (Matt. 25:40).

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The Talented 10th Legacy Gift is purposed to inspire the recipient to follow the path of The Washington Family

and the mission of The Talented Tenth by continuing to pursue education and a life of service to others.

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This financial gift will be given to the graduating scholar who attains the rank of 10

at the end of their senior year as did both Otis and Krystal.

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