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August-September 2013 - Volume 12, Issue 8
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Message from Our President
Take Stock in Children
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B. Philip Jones, Jr., President
Hillsborough Education Foundation
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This month we would like to share information about the Take Stock in Children Program (TSIC). TSIC is one of those wonderfully simple ideas that really works. At-risk students in grades 6-10 are given the chance to be awarded a college scholarship,and are matched with a mentor who offers guidance and counsel throughout the student's school years. The student must maintain good grades, stay out of trouble, and remain drug free. Over the years, the TSIC program has enabled over 11,000 students in Florida to attend college.
It is exciting to think about the potential of Take Stock in Children's scholarships to change the lives of students. If you would like to be a mentor for a student, it will not only change the student's life, it will also make a profound impact on your own. We are happy to announce that last year 100% of our Take Stock in Children seniors graduated high school, and one of our students won the Leaders for Life Award, This student competed against other Take Stock students in the state for the award, and won a $40,000 post-secondary scholarship. To learn more about the Take Stock in Children Mentoring and Scholarship Program, and how you can get involved please contact Fred Weber at [email protected] or (813) 574-0280.
All the best,
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Thank You
to Our August Supporters
Ace USA | Alfonso Architects | Kenneth Alonso | Ashberry Water Conditioning | AXA Advisors, LLC | The Bank of Tampa | Bayonet Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning | The Beck Group | Board of County Commissioners | Broadstone Citrus Village | Burger 21 I, LLC |
Community Foundation of
Tampa Bay, Inc.
| Disney Reservation Center | FBI Tampa Division | Debbie Ferraro | Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund | Florida Dairy Farmers | Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission | Golder Associates, Inc. | James B. Gordon | Granite Services, Inc. | HCC PTA | The Hamilton Foundation Inc. | Laura Hannon | Helios Education Foundation | Hillsborough Association of School Administrators, Inc. | Bill and Deborah Hoffman | Bruce and Ellen Houghton | Humana Inc. | International Ship Repair & Marine Services, Inc. | James H. and Amy G. Shimberg Foundation | Jones Edmunds & Associates | Linda Judd | Laser Spine Institute | Helen McGrath | Metropolitan Ministries | MetLife Resources | NADCO | National Louis University | Nielsen | Office Depot through the Kids in Need Foundation | Perry Ellis International | Mike Poland | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP | The Propeller Club - Port of Tampa | Quarles & Brady, LLP | The Rolling Pin | Ronald McDonald House | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment | Seibert Insurance Agency | Shriner's Children's Hospital | Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP | Signature Financial Solutions, LLC | SPX Foundation | Beverly J. Stansell | Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union | Sweetbay Supermarkets | Take Stock in Children | Tampa Bay Pilots Association | Tampa Bay Times Fund, Inc. | Tampa Convention Center | Time Customer Service | TriNet | United Healthcare | Volunteer Florida, Inc. | Alton and Barbara Jo Ward | Linda Wizner |
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Just 1 hour a week can change a life.
Studies show that students with a mentor are:
46% more likely to stay drug free
27% more likely to stay alcohol-free
62% more likely to stay in school
37% more likely to avoid violence
Through weekly sessions mentors instill self-confidence, encourage better decision making, and provide a support system that many students lack; thus building a foundation of basic values and challenging their student to take responsibility for their actions. Mentors can be an excellent source of advice for the student, but more often than not what the student really needs is just someone to listen and offer encouragement. For more information on how you can help change the life of a student in Hillsborough County, contact Fred Weber at [email protected] or 813-574-0280.
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Mark Your Calendars
Strides for Education
5K Walk | Run
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Tampa Bay Times Forum Plaza
7 a.m. Registration
9 a.m. Walk|Run
11 a.m. PTA Get Moving Day
Click to learn more and register.
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Good 4 U, Good 4 Us
LEGOLAND� Florida Tickets
As a Hillsborough Education Foundation supporter, LEGOLAND� Florida would like to offer you BIG savings. We have 2-for-1 discounted tickets and free teacher passes.
Sesame Street Live Group Rates
When you take advantage of rates for general groups as well as special rates for school and daycare groups, a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Hillsborough Education Foundation.
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Show Your Support for Our Teachers and Students
Purchase a Florida Supports Education specialty license plate and $20* is automatically donated to benefit teachers, students and classrooms in Hillsborough County Public Schools.
Through the support of programs like this, we raise funds to provide scholarships and mentoring for students, grants for teachers, plus free school supplies year-round to at-risk students.
Please purchase, or renew, the Florida Supports Education specialty license plate today and show your passion for education. To learn more, Click here or visit www.license4learning.com
*There is a $5 processing fee. There may also be a one-time tag-replacement fee.
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The Hillsborough Education Foundation
has received the coveted Four Star Charity
rating from Charity Navigator.
Receiving four stars indicates that the Hillsborough Education Foundation adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way. Approximately a quarter of the
charities that Charity Navigator evaluates have received the highest rating, indicating that Hillsborough Education Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This "exceptional" designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Hillsborough Education Foundation from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.
Forbes, Business Week, and Kiplinger's Financial Magazine, among others, have profiled and celebrated Charity Navigator's unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. They evaluate ten times more charities than their nearest competitor and currently attract more visitors to their website than all other charity rating groups combined, thus making it the leading charity evaluator in America. Users of the site gave more than they planned to before viewing the findings, and in fact, it is estimated that last year Charity Navigator influenced approximately $10 billion in charitable gifts.
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Take Stock in Children Students shopping in the Teaching Tools Store.
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Take Stock in Children Student Shopping Day
On Saturday, August 24th the Teaching Tools Store opened its doors to a different type of shopper- Take Stock in Children students. One-Hundred and five students ranging from grades 6-10 that are entering the Take Stock in Children program this year came in with their families to shop in the store. Since the Take Stock in Children program provides scholarships to students in lower income families, the Teaching Tools Store shopping trip
ensures that the students enter the program with all of the school supplies they need to be successful. The shopping trip values ranged from $36 to $623 worth of free school supplies, books, personal care items and "fun stuff". That day $24,252 of product was distributed to the Take Stock in Children students, as well as to their siblings and family members that visited the store with them.
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156 Take Stock in Children Scholarship Recipients Join Program
On September 24th, 156 Hillsborough County Public School students signed a contract that could change their lives. The Take Stock in Children (TSIC) Signing Ceremony is an event that is a favorite of many Foundation staff members. At this event, students as young as 12 years of age sign their TSIC contract which states that they will stay in school, remain violence and drug free, and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or above. In return, they will receive a mentor from the community to offer guidance throughout their time in school and college scholarship upon graduating high school, an opportunity that without the program many of the students would not have. Special guests included TSIC President Madeline Pumariega, who administered the student's pledge, as well as Ashley Zimmerman and India White, TSIC alumni who spoke to the students about how the scholarship changed their lives.
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Teaching Tools Breakfast Raises Over $120,000
Thank you to all who attended the 7th Annual Teaching Tools Breakfast on September 12th. The Teaching Tools Breakfast is the largest annual fundraiser to support the Teaching Tools Store. This year through individual and corporate pledges, the breakfast raised more than $120,000.
Special guests included Socorrito Claudio, a teacher at Wimauma Elementary, who spoke about the impact of the Teaching Tools program on her students. "Ninety percent of my classroom supplies are provided by the Teaching Tools Store" Claudio said. Schemea Jules, a first grade student at Oak Park Elementary, thanked the crowd for their donations to her school, and described some of the science and music projects she and her classmates had completed using the free school supplies.
Foundation President Phil Jones shared with the audience that students coming to school each day without critical school supplies is a real problem in Hillsborough County. "Fifty-eight percent of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Purchasing pencils and paper is not an option for many families." He also explained that every dollar donated to the Teaching Tools Store provides $10 in free school supplies for our children. "That's a 1000% return on your investment. But to the teachers and students, it is a return on individuals and changes the lives of students."
Click here if you were unable to attend the Teaching Tools Breakfast, but would like to make a donation.
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in the Teaching Tools Store
Wells Fargo Branch Managers
in the Teaching Tools Store
If you're interested in volunteering at the Hillsborough Education Foundation contact Kirsten Donohue at
(813) 463-4280 or [email protected]
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Left to Right: Phil Jones, Mary Sue Rothenberg, Luis Garcia, Amy Shimberg, & Sol Fleischman, Jr.
Hillsborough Education Foundation Celebrates 25 Years
The Hillsborough Education Foundation is officially 25 years old! We started off the yearlong celebration by recognizing four board members who have been serving on the Hillsborough Education Foundation Board of Directors for nearly 25 years, two of which actually have been on the board for the entire 25 years. Luis Garcia was at the first board meeting in 1988, Mary Sue Rothenberg joined not long after Luis in 1988, Sol Fleischman, Jr. joined in 1990, and Amy Shimberg joined in 1993. The Foundation is lucky to have long standing board members who are so dedicated to public education in Hillsborough County. Stay tuned for more exciting events and information as we continue to celebrate 25 years of supporting public education in Hillsborough County. |
| Check out this video from the 2012 Strides for Education 5K |
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Charity Navigator is America's premier independent charity evaluator. They help charitable givers make intelligent giving decisions by providing in-depth, objective ratings and analysis of the financial health and accountability & transparency of America's largest charities. Charity Navigator awarded The Hillsborough Education Foundation four out of a possible four stars. Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that the Hillsborough Education Foundation adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way. Click here to review our four star charity rating.
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