Monroe County’s Take Stock In Children 2008 fund raising campaign ended Monday, February 4th at the annual Donors’ Forum, which is held each year at the Women’s Club in Key West.

This event was the culmination of a fund raising effort that began last December.  The funds will support 60 new Take Stock scholarships for Monroe County students now in sixth grade.  Pictured is the Monroe County Education Foundation which serves as the lead agency for Take Stock.

Monroe County’s Take Stock In Children 2008 fund raising campaign ended Monday, February 4^th at the annual Donors’ Forum, which is held each year at the Women’s Club in Key West.

This event was the culmination of a fund raising effort that began last December.  The funds will support 60 new Take Stock scholarships for Monroe county students now in sixth grade; these scholarships will be awarded next fall when they enter seventh grade.     

 (Link to Article) (Link to Press Release)

On January 25, 2008 a cadre of individuals representing Monroe County’s Take Stock In Children Program and the Monroe County Education Foundation (MCEF) attended the Keys Children’s Foundation Luncheon at Ocean Reef.  All nine of these individuals share a commonality.
(Link to Press Release)

Take Stock In Children juniors and seniors from Marathon High School and Coral Shores High School attended a day-long trip to Florida International University recently on January 25. Gina Hipson, TSIC Student Advocate and Katrina Wiatt, Monroe County Education Foundation board member and mentor, accompanied 12 students on this college visit. The trip was sponsored by the Monroe County Education Foundation.

Students were given a tour of the campus as well as an informational session with a college admissions advisor that included the college application process, SAT/ACT scores, financial aid, and campus life.

Hipson states that, “Being on a college campus certainly brings the ‘idea of college’ into the ‘realm of reality’ for students. The trip is a great opportunity.”

FIU is one of the 11 Florida state colleges/universities. TSIC scholarships award tuition and fees for 4 years of college at any of the 28 state community colleges and the 11 state universities/colleges.

During the month of November, 46 seventh-grade students and 28 upper-class students are signing scholarship contracts with TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN providing them “Scholarships, Mentors and Hope.”  They will be matched with their mentors at celebration ceremonies being held at schools across the Keys.  All supporters of Take Stock are welcome to attend:

• November 14th - Key West High School -  9:00 a.m.

• November 14th - Horace O'Bryant Middle School - 10:30 a.m.

• November 15th - Sugarloaf Middle School - 9:30 a.m.

• November 15th - Marathon High School - 1:30 p.m.

• November 28th - Key Largo School - 10:30 a.m.

• November 28th - Plantation Key and Coral Shores -  at Coral Shores High School  - 1:30 p.m.

These 74 handpicked students are being given the “chance of a lifetime” to further develop their skills and graduate from college.  Every November, all qualified Monroe County students from low-income families having the desire, motivation, and potential to go to college are awarded this wonderful scholarship opportunity.

TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN is celebrating its eighth year in Monroe County.   Beginning in seventh grade, students sign a contract agreeing to keep their grades at the A, B, or C levels throughout high school, obey the code of student conduct, stay crime- and drug-free and meet with their mentor once each week.

In return, TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN and the Monroe County Education Foundation promise to pay all tuition and student fees for a 4-year college education.  Students can attend any of Florida’s 28 community colleges for two years, followed by two more years at any of Florida’s 11 state universities.  They finish the program as proud university graduates with a Bachelor’s degree.

Currently, Monroe County has 178 students already in college and 196 students in Monroe County schools.  After this month, a new record total of 448 scholarship contracts will have been signed in our county since TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN started.

Each week every student meets with an adult mentor during school hours on school property.  Mentors offer their mentees guidance, encouragement and support.  The mentor component of this program helps students develop their own problem solving and personal management skills, as well as the personal values that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. 

Mentors continue to be needed since no scholarships can be awarded unless the student can be matched with an enthusiastic volunteer mentor.   To get involved as a mentor or to donate a scholarship, contact Jim Hall, Program Coordinator at (305) 293-1546, or by email at: Jim.Hall@KeysSchools.com