Feb 24, 2012 - Naples, FL- On Thursday, February 23rd, The Education Foundation of Collier County inducted 28 new ... Ch
PRESS RELEASE
February 24, 2012
CONTACT: Susan McManus The Education Foundation of Collier County (239) 643-4755 The Education Foundation Welcomes Twenty-eight New Take Stock in Children Scholars Naples, FL- On Thursday, February 23rd, The Education Foundation of Collier County inducted 28 new students into the Take Stock in Children Scholarship and Mentoring program, at a ceremony hosted by Moorings Park. Students are matched with an adult mentor with whom they meet weekly through graduation. Students commit to maintaining a 2.5 grade point average, remain drug and crime free, and participate in Take Stock in Children events. Their parents commit to support and encourage their child in meeting his or her obligations. The emphasis is on providing an exemplary one-to-one mentoring and life-skills program to support students throughout high school. When the students fulfill their commitments and graduate high school, they receive a tuition scholarship to a Florida state university or post-secondary training program. To-date, The Education Foundation has had 106 graduates, 122 currently in the program, including the 22 eighth-graders that were recently inducted, representing 14 schools. Since the beginning of the program in 2000, the retention rate has averaged 90%. Ninety-nine percent of the 106 graduates have gone on to some type of post-secondary education. This year, 104 eligible applicants from middle schools across Collier County went through the application and selection process. A selection committee, made up of community volunteers, had the difficult task of evaluating these highly qualified 8th graders. This year, in addition to the eighth-grade inductees, The Education Foundation is inducting five students who are earning scholarships through Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board. Take Stock in Children is a statewide college scholarship and mentoring program. The Education Foundation manages this program in all areas of Collier County except for Immokalee Middle and High school, which is managed by The Immokalee Foundation. Congratulations to this year’s inductees: Stephanie Abreu, East Naples Middle Carlos Adames, East Naples Middle Dominic Bartholomew, Lely High Jennifer Buck, Lorenzo Walker Technical High Manuel Carrion, East Naples Middle Matthew Cleare, Naples High Guy Gaponenko, Oakridge Middle Maria Marrugo, Gulfview Middle Patricia Morejón, East Naples Middle Sergio Morquecho, East Naples Middle Maggie Moxam, Golden Gate Middle Benjamin Nguyen, East Naples Middle
Sarmento Palomo, Golden Gate High Lindsey Peña, Manatee Middle Jennifer Perez, East Naples Middle Joe Rodriguez, Golden Gate Middle Luz Maria Rodriguez, Cypress Palm Middle Victoria Rogers, Golden Gate Middle Annisa Setiawan, East Naples Middle Tiah Thompson, Cypress Palm Middle Natalia Vargas, Cypress Palm Middle Linda Vasquez, Cypress Palm Middle Jennifer Vergara, Corkscrew Middle Jaheem Washington, Cypress Palm Middle Brian Withrow, Oakridge Middle Tiarra Woods, Golden Gate High Kaitlyn Ziegelmaier, East Naples Middle Valentina Zuniga, Corkscrew Middle
Photo byline( l to r) Back row: Jennifer Buck, Maria Marrugo, Maggie Moxam, Benjamin Nguyen, Lindsey Peña, Jennifer Perez, Tiarra Woods, Patricia Morejón, Luz Maria Rodriguez, Victoria Rogers, Annisa Setiawan Middle row: Manuel Carrion, Stephanie Abreu, Natalie Vargas, Linda Vasquez, Jennifer Vergara, Kaitlyn, Ziegelmaier, Valentina Zuniga, Tiah Thompson, Carlos Adames Seated: Dominic Bartholomew, Guy Gaponenko, Sarmento Palomo, Jaheem Washington, Matthew Cleare, Brian Withrow, Joe Rodriguez, Sergio Morquecho - Photo by Gail Rothenberg
About The Education Foundation of Collier County Founded in 1990, The Education Foundation of Collier County is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization that eliminates barriers and creates opportunities for students, families, educators, and the community to work together so that every student may succeed. Get on the bus for Collier students: Learn - Volunteer Give. www.GetOnTheBusCollier.org.
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