Hillsborough Education Foundation

April 2008 Vol. 7, Issue 4

In This Issue

Upcoming Events

Learn More

Going Green

Excellence In Education Extends Beyond The Classroom

A Win/Win For Reading And Hillsborough's Students

A 'Hole In One' For Education

'Hooked On Education' Tournament Catches A Big One

Thank You To Our March Supporters

Upcoming Events

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Spirit Night: Celebrating Education In Hillsborough County

May 10, 2008, Tropicana Field

Rays vs. Angels

For the second year, the Tampa Bay Rays are hosting Spirit Night to highlight education in Hillsborough County. During the evening, the Rays will recognize the Teacher of the Year, Diversity Educator of the Year and Instructional Support Employee of the Year as well as the Founding & Presenting Sponsors of each of these events. Come out and join us as we watch the Rays take on the Angels in the 2nd Annual Spirit Night. For more information contact Jen Ferking at (813) 231-1953.

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Grants Reception

Hosted by: JPMorgan Chase

Thursday, May 15, 2008, Fountain Square

A special evening has been planned to showcase the innovation of our teachers and educators made possible by the Foundation's grants program. To learn more about our Grants Program, please call Tony Holbrook at (813) 231-1937.

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The Apple Appeal

One Buc Place - "The Private Tour"

Friday, May 16, 2008

The new training facility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has opened and the Foundation is hosting an evening with special private tours of the remarkable building. Lee Roy Selmon is Honorary Chair for the evening and some very exciting auction items will be available to bid on throughout the night. Attendance is limited and tickets are $250 per person. If you would like to become an Education VIP and get a "Private Tour" inside the Buccaneers' training facility please call Mindi Zink at (813) 231-1952.

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Scholarship Reception

Saturday, May 31, 2008, Nature's Classroom

We've had another successful year of providing student scholarships. This special event will recognize and honor our scholarship recipients. The reception will provide an opportunity for scholarship recipients to meet the generous contributors who make their scholarships possible. To learn more about our Scholarships Program, please call Tami Milner at (813) 231-1924.

Learn More

Volunteering with the Foundation

The Apple Appeal

Scholarships

Grants

Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools

Get a "Support Education" license plate

Contact the Foundation

Learn how you can help

Donate now

Note From The President

Forces for Good by Crutchfield & Grant profiles 12 charities that they feel exemplify the high impact that can be made by a non-profit organization through its leveraging of resources. The book discusses six areas that each of these charities excels in including obtaining support through volunteerism. The organizations ongoing efforts "build and sustain strong communities to help them achieve their larger goals". While we certainly wouldn't put ourselves in the same league as these 12 superstars, the upcoming week of April 27-May 3, 2008, National Volunteer Week, provides an opportunity to recognize the importance our volunteers and their efforts have in making our programs so successful.

We'd like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the literally hundreds of volunteers who help us make our mission a reality. Serving the students, teachers and schools of the 8th largest school district in the nation, with the variety of programs the Foundation offers, is way beyond the capabilities of what any paid staff can do. We are blessed with parents, teachers, administrators and community members who give their time and expertise by participating on our board, sitting on various committees, mentoring scholarship recipients, tutoring our young readers, or helping at the Teaching Tools resource store.

You're making a difference in our public schools and we thank you!

Going Green

The commitment to help keep our environment and community clean drives the "Going Green" program at our Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools program. Through our partnership with businesses and the community, Teaching Tools recycles for reuse all types of products and supplies to teachers and students in many of our low-income schools. The recycling efforts help save the County thousands of dollars each year by reducing the amount of waste!

You can participate in the "Going Green" program by educating someone you know about Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools and informing them that we are "Going Green". Whether they're relocating, changing jobs, closing shop or just cleaning up; don't let them throw that stuff away; direct them to donate those excess supplies and products to our Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools program. Our students, teachers, schools and community will benefit from these wonderful gifts while helping to keep our community cleaner! Just contact Emma Van Degna at (813) 740-7651 to schedule your donation today!

Excellence In Education Extends Beyond The Classroom

The 2008 Instructional Support Employee of the Year honoring this years winner, Stephanie Jones from Anderson Elementary School (pictured left) and Hillsborough's other outstanding Instructional Support Employee's was hosted by the Foundation on April 13^th at the beautiful Higgins Hall.

Instructional Support employees go above and beyond their job responsibilities and are dedicated to supporting students and teachers and principals, in 125 Hillsborough County Public Schools. Student representatives joined Hillsborough's finest for the awards breakfast and ceremony, allowing them to share this special time with their principals, students and families. Student representatives shared with the attendees the impact that each finalist has had on their lives.

We would like to extend a special thank you to our outstanding partner in education, Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union, who served as the Exclusive Sponsor of this year's event. We would also like to acknowledge the "Excellence in Education" program donors, who continue to contribute to the success of this exceptional recognition program.

A Win/Win For Reading And Hillsborough's Students

Get a jump start on your summer reading and help provide students in need with needed books and school supplies!

We are happy to announce the Barnes and Noble Book Fair to be held April 26th through May 4th, benefiting the Foundation's Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools program. Patrons of the Barnes and Noble's located in South Tampa, Carollwood, and Brandon can present a Teaching Tools voucher when making a purchase and a percentage of the sale will be graciously donated to Teaching Tools!

Funds raised will be used to support our program. For more information please call Emma Van Degna at Teaching Tools at (813) 740-7651 or visit www.educationfoundation.com.

P.S. - please forward this good news to other readers you know who might be interested.

A 'Hole In One' For Education

Pictured above: Hillsborough County Public School's Superintendent, MaryEllen Elia, putts with a participating team at our Golf Classic.

Thanks to all our generous sponsors of the Batson-Cook "Play FORE Education" Annual Charity Golf Classic. Batson-Cook celebrated their second year hosting this first class tournament by scoring a hole-in-one for students, teachers and schools, raising a record $125,000!

The record breaking day began with an exclusive Executive Shootout Challenge, followed by our traditional scramble. Players were treated to a beautiful day of golf at Avila Golf & Country Club concluding in the newly renovated club house with a delicious dinner donated by Carrabba's Italian Grill.

Special guests from the school district included; School Board Members, Dr. Jack Lamb, Susan Valdes - Chief Facilities Officer, Cathy Valdes -Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Federal Programs, Gwen Luney and Teacher of the Year, Debby Dowell.

Congratulation's to the Winners!

Gross Cup

Reynolds, Smith and Hills, Inc.

Net Cup

1^st Place - The Beck Group

2^nd Place - Batson-Cook Company

3^rd Place - Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union

Executive Shootout

1^st Place - Craig Cuffe - Kablelink Electric

2^nd Place - Jonathan Graham - GPM, Inc.

"Hooked On Education" Tournament Catches A Big One!

Compass

Pictured above from left: Bill Hoffman, President of the Hillsborough Education Foundation; MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools; Larry Wilder, Event Co-Chair, Wilder Architecture; Jim Inman, Event Co-Chair, The Morganti Group.

Thanks to all of our generous sponsors of the Morganti/Wilder Annual Catch & Release "Hooked on Education" Fishing Tournament. The Morganti Group and Wilder Architecture celebrated their third year hosting this wonderful tournament with proceeds benefiting the Foundation. A record sell-out crowd of anglers and captains prepared for the tournament by enjoying a night of food, spirits and stories served up at Rick's on the River. The next morning our tournament participants boarded 40 boats and departed from the Westshore Yacht Club to enjoy a fun-filled day in the sun.

The biggest catch of the day was the more than $130,000 raised to support the Foundation's various programs including Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools, Classroom & School Grants, Student Scholarships, Excellence in Education and much more. Many thanks to our sponsors and participants for your part in making this year's tournament an overwhelming success!