The Core - January 2012 - Make a Difference. Become a Mentor!

January 2012 - Volume 11, Issue 1

Welcome to our New President

I am very happy to announce that we recently welcomed Phil Jones as our new President. His leadership skills, vision and collaborative nature will be instrumental in our continuing efforts to engage our community to ensure all our students have an opportunity to achieve academic success.

Phil Jones

Although Phil is recognized as the founder of Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company, he has significant experience with nonprofit organizations. He was a driving force as a board member and president of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and chaired the Central Florida YMCA during a time when its annual revenue grew from $9 million to more than $60 million. Phil earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Georgia, as well as Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from seminaries in California. While in California, he was involved in youth work and campus ministry at the high school and college level.

I know you will enjoy getting to know Phil. Beginning with the next issue of The Core, he will be sharing the news of the Foundation with you in this space.

Thanks for all that each of you do to support our Foundation as we seek to make a difference in our great community.

Chairman

Hillsborough Education Foundation

CONNECT WITH US

DONATE NOW

VOLUNTEER

Thanks, December Supporters!

Advanced Drying System
AllianceBernstein
Foundation Fund
Allstate Construction, Inc.
Todd Austin
AXA Equitable
Baker Barrios Architects, Inc.
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Bank of America Matching Gifts Foundation
Leslie and Hope Barnett
Batson-Cook Company
The Beck Group
Ralph Belfatti
Lawrence R. Bevis
BJ's Charitable Foundation
Richard J. Brandewie
John B. Brannan
Bright House Networks, LLC
Ralph and Rosemarie Buscarello
Caspers Company McDonald's Restaurants
Children's Board Of Hillsborough County
Citi
City of Tampa Water Department
Coca-Cola Enterprises Bottling Companies
Collier Enterprise II, LLC
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Inc.
Cox Fire Protection Inc.
Gary Cucchi
Cutler Associates, Inc.
Paul S. Dolcimascolo
Sheau-Lei H. Ellison
George and Lisa Etheridge
Everest University
Julie L. Farber
Fiol and Gomez, P.A.
Florida Educator Insurance LLC
Ford & Associates, Inc.
Candace Garcia
Nick Geraci
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc.
Andrew Harris
Helios Education Foundation
Hill Ward Henderson
Hillsborough Solid Waste Management Dept.
HOK Interiors
Holmes Hepner & Associates Architects
Joe and Sue House
HSA Engineers & Scientists
Humana, Inc
Humphrey Insurance Inc.
ING
The Institute of Life and Learning, Inc.
Iron Workers Local 397
James H. and Amy G. Shimberg Foundation
James H. and Amy G. Shimberg Charitable Trust
J.C. Newman Cigar Company
Gordon Johnston
Junior League of Tampa, Inc.
Kid Power Programs
Kids In Need Foundation
L. Ortega & Associates of Tampa Bay, LLC
LazyDays RV Center, Inc.
Donna Lombard
Long & Associates Architects/Engineers, Inc.
Mayra M. Lopez-Cepero
Governor Bob and Mary Jane Martinez
Mary Ann McCoy
Merit Professional Coatings, Inc.
MetLife Resources
Metrohm USA Inc.
Nielsen/WIN Group
Drew Pittman
Mike and Hope Poland
Prida-Guida & Co. PA
Michaele Rao
Elizabeth M. Reese
Matthew B. Roberts
Ryan Companies US, Inc
Rydom Structures, Incorporated
SchenkelSchultz Architecture
SERVE, Inc.
Dana and Connie Snyder
Stantec Consulting
Staples through Kids in Need Foundation
St. Petersburg Times - Payroll Deduction
David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts
Take Stock in Children
Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation
Tampa Convention Center
Tampa Palms Women's Club, Inc.
Tampa Theatre
The Tampa Tribune - News In Education
TD Charitable Foundation
Tom and Nancy Tilchin
Tindale-Oliver and Associates, Inc.
Tribeca ColorSalon
VALIC
Jose E. Valiente
VoltAir Consulting Engineers, LLC
Volunteer Florida, Inc.
Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc.
Wells Fargo Foundation
WILDERARCHITECTURE
The Williams Co.
Woodroffe Corporation Architects
Woody's Famous Salads
WWWayne, Inc.

"A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you."

- Bob Proctor

Author, Speaker and Success Coach

Join our mailing list!

Make a Difference in One Hour a Week

Mentors Needed for Prepaid Scholarship Students

Our mentoring program expects big things in 2012. The Foundation hired a mentor coordinator to improve mentor recruitment and retention.

Being a mentor is one of the most rewarding ways an individual can support the Foundation. By volunteering just one hour a week, an at-risk student receives the motivation and direction to succeed in school. To our Florida Prepaid Scholarship students, mentors are worth their weight in gold. Our students need someone to provide enthusiastic support for their academic and professional goals, and mentors fit the bill.

We need 120 mentors. Please spread the word and recruit people you believe would be interested in mentoring at-risk students. Leto, Blake and Robinson high schools really need mentors. Ask your friends, neighbors and co-workers if they would like to make a difference in the life of a student. In the words of Anton Ehrenzweig, "Every student deserves to be treated as a potential genius."

Contact William Dailey, Mentor Coordinator, at (813) 574-0264 to learn more about becoming a mentor.

Mentor Success Story

First in Her Family to Attend College

Cierra, a junior at Plant City High School, will be the

Judy Jensen and her mentee, Cierra

first in her family to attend college. Her hopes of pursuing a career in sports medicine are now coming to light thanks to a four-year Florida Prepaid Scholarship from the Garcia Family Foundation and her mentor.

Cierra said that without her mentor, Judy Jensen, she would probably not excel in her studies as much as she is now with her help. Cierra receives mental support as well as tutoring during the times that they meet.

CLICK HERE to read more of Cierra's story.

Excellence in Education Awards

It's time for the Excellence in Education Awards! Our EIE nominees represent the "best of the best" among their peers in Hillsborough County Public Schools. They work tirelessly to ensure their students receive the best education available. We visited 15 schools on our Surprise Patrol to announce our finalists for the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year, Instructional Support Employee of the Year, and Teacher of the Year awards.

Congratulations to our top-notch finalists for
the 2012 Excellence in Education Awards!

Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year Finalists

Walter Fernando Balser - Leto High

Kelly Kleiner - Chiaramonte Elementary

Karen Mynes - McDonald Elementary

Daisy Ramirez - Trapnell Elementary

Wayne Stinnard - Cypress Creek Elementary

Instructional Support Employee of the Year Finalists

Kathleen Bennett - Tinker Elementary

Leena Hasbini - Wharton High

Ryan Johnson - Lanier Elementary

Kena McDaniels-Harris - Edison Elementary

Bradley Myers - Bailey Elementary

Teacher of the Year Finalists

Christine Danger - Robles Elementary

Sue Creekmore - Kingswood Elementary

Katy Cortelyou - Kenly Elementary

Elisabeth Denisar Babin - Dowdell Middle

Yolanda Whitehead Driskell - Hillsborough High

We will announce our winners during the Excellence in Education Awards at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, February 16.

Good 4U, Good 4Us

Enjoy Some Savings

LEGOLAND® Florida Tickets

As a Hillsborough Education Foundation supporter, LEGOLAND® Florida would like to offer you BIG savings on 1-day, 2-day and annual passes!

Tampa Bay Times Forum Event Discounts

The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Tampa Bay Times Forum are partnering with Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk school districts to bring fans special education offers for the upcoming events below. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit your school district.

CLICK HERE to learn more about our promotions!

Mark Your Calendars Calendar-Events

Play FORE Education Golf Tournament

Monday, March 19, 2012

Avila Golf & Country Club

The Annual Play FORE Education Golf Tournament, presented by BATSON-COOK Company, will be held at the Avila Golf & Country Club on Monday, March 19. Hillsborough County Public School administrators will be on hand to watch the pre-event Putting Pro 9-hole Shootout. Then, more than 30 foursomes will compete for the Best Net and Gross Teams. The Tournament concludes with a dinner and Awards Ceremony. Sponsorship with a foursome is $2,500. Flagsticks and Tee sign sponsorships are also available. Contact Cheryl Hedrick at chedrick@educationfoundation.com or (813) 574-0273 for more information or CLICK HERE to sponsor/register.

Hooked on Education Fishing Tournament

Friday, April 6, 2012

Westshore Yacht Club

The Annual Hooked on Education Fishing Tournament will take place on April 6, 2012 at the Westshore Yacht Club. The Hooked on Education Fishing Tournament was started by two devoted corporate partners who understood the necessity of generating undesignated funds for the Foundation. Today, Larry Wilder of WILDERARCHITECTURE, INC. spearheads the event in partnership with Casey Weldon of Allstate Construction. They continue to add to the $250,000 already raised for the Foundation through this annual event. Each year, they host a Captain's dinner with key administrative Hillsborough County Public Schools personnel & participants the evening before the tournament. Participants receive dinner, a fishing shirt, hat and a cooler for their participation. At the tournament, each angler is treated to a McDonald's breakfast, boxed lunch, and a Westshore Yacht Club Awards dinner where photos document the biggest fish of the day for this "catch and release" tournament. The Foundation appreciates Larry's continued leadership of the event. If you are interested in sponsoring a boat or donating a drawing prize, contact Larry Wilder at 813-230-0190 or Cheryl Hedrick at 813-574-0273.

Winning Billboard on Display

If you drive along Channelside Drive near the Tampa Bay Times Forum, be on the lookout for the winning billboard from Kaitlyn Bryce, a student at Plant City High. Kaitlyn's design earned her first-place honors in KnowHow2Go's Billboard Contest, promoting college readiness. Second- and third-place designers were Ciara Demontegnac of Wharton High and Caitlyn Carty of Plant City High. Congratulations to all our winners!

CLICK HERE to see the winning designs.