December 2019
        


-From the HEF Team!

HEF Gives Back
Mentors & Mentees Volunteer at Metropolitan Ministries

On Tuesday, November 26th 40 students and mentors gathered at Metropolitan Ministries to give back to their community.

The TSIC family served in a variety of capacity at Metropolitan Ministries. Some people worked in the kitchen prepping food, cleaning dishes and serving food. Others worked with families, playing with kids and looking over babies to allow parents time to receive the resources they need. Students and mentors also worked in the warehouse, sorting through clothes and other donations. 

We want to give a special thanks to Metropolitan Ministries for welcoming us, and for the amazing work they do in our community every single day! 





Staying in Touch Over The Holidays: 
Tips and Tricks

Tis the season for celebration, joy and peace. Many of us have time off from our usual obligations and can spend more time with our loved ones. However, not everyone enjoys the holiday season. The holidays can be especially tough for teens who are coping with family issues, a recent loss of a loved one, or whose families are experiencing economic hardships.  It is important to maintain rapport with your mentee over the break. Read below for some simple ways you can show that you care: 
 S en d A Picture:
You could share pictures of your family, a quirky holiday traditions, or something that is special to you during the holidays. This is a simple way to connect with your mentee and allow them to get to know you a bit better. 

Cook A Meal: 
Food plays a huge role during the holidays! It connects people to their families and reminds them of their culture. You and your mentee could agree to cook (or bake!) a dish that is traditional to you or your families country of origin and then send each other pictures of what you cook. You could also agree to cook something totally different, something neither of you have ever made, and then share the results through a text or email. 
 

Write A Letter:  
 
The letter does not have to be long, but it should be genuine and meaningful and should be used to remind your mentee that you care.              

Letter writing tips:
  1. Write how you speak. Do not over complicate the letter. It should be easy to read by your mentee.
  2. Mention something you talked about or did together the last time you met.
  3. Keep in mind that not everyone celebrates Christmas! 
  4. Most importantly, be genuine and sincere and let your mentee know you look forward to seeing him/her after the New Year.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM, JOANNE!
Join us in welcoming HEF's newest College Success Coach

Who was your favorite teacher and why? My High School Social Studies teacher, Mrs. Light. She was always willing to meet us before or after school and help us with whatever questions we had. She always had different activities to make sure we were learning in new and exciting ways. She was truly committed to our success!

Joanne Sandoval

  

What was your first job? I worked as a Stylist for Levi's. I got to meet people from all around the world and help them find clothes that made them feel confident! I also got to learn some great skills like marketing, finance, customer service, etc.

 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? I would love the ability to teleport anywhere I wanted! It would great to pop into one country for lunch and another for dinner. I also have family that lives all around the world so getting to see them whenever I wanted would be great.

 

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Australia! I have always wanted to go but since it takes over 24 hours to get there, I have found myself holding back. I guess that is where my teleporting superpower would come in handy. 

REMINDER: HCPS Choice Application Is Closing Soon!

Choice Logo
The Magnet and School Choice application period for the 2020-2021 school year for Hillsborough County Public Schools closes on Tuesday, December 31, 2019. 
Families that have questions can contact the Choice Information line at 813-272-4692. 
If you want more information, CLICK HERE! 

Mentor of the Month
L i n d a  L a w s o n
How did you become involved with mentoring through the Hillsborough Education Foundation ?  
Nineteen and a half years ago, I was an ambassador with the Plant City Chamber of Commerce. TSIC made a presentation to the ambassadors and asked for volunteers.  I immediately signed up. What a great decision!
What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring? 
The most rewarding part of mentoring is the privilege of getting to know and love the amazing young
 women. I have been blessed to mentor many mentees over the years and impact their future and life in a positive way.  In sharing my time, experience, and life lessons, brings great joy, satisfaction and
 gratification. I feel I'm the luckiest person in the world.
What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor?

Listening and caring are the most important elements in mentoring.  People don't care how much you
 know until they know how much you care.  Sometimes a student just needs to vent or may need encouragement, or a little push. I'm their cheerleader!  I love to cheer them on in their race to a successful life and career
When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time? 

My husband and I love to travel and do wood work in our free time.  Even though we are retired, we are very busy and love it.  We have one life to live and we want to live it to the fullest and make the world a better place.
What do you hope your mentee will learn from you? 
To strive for excellence and not settle for mediocrity is important for my mentees to learn from me. I want them to live well, succeed, and give back to their community. My mentee's success in school, college, and life are my passion.  
What We're Reading
Hillsborough County is Set to Open 4 New Schools!


 
Hillsborough County is set to open four new schools in the 2020-2021 school year. Including the newly named  Sumner High School which will open in South Hillsborough County on the North side of Balm Road, just east of US Highway 30. The new high school will offer relief to both of the neighboring schools, according to the district.

Sumner will be designed with enrollment for close to 3,000 students. The school will be the biggest high school opened in the history of Hillsborough County Schools!

To read more,   CLICK HERE!

Source: ABC Action News
The College Success Team 
 
 
 
Director of TSIC
( 813) 463-4283
Click the name of your assigned College Success Coach to email them.






College Success Coach
(813)574-0272
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0271
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0264
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0269

Mark Your Calendar

Date
Event
Audience
Dec. 16th-20th
Exam Week
High School Students
Dec. 20th
End of 2nd Grading Period (End of 1st Semester)
All Students
Dec. 23rd-Jan 3rd
Winter Break/Non-Student Days
All Students
Jan. 7th
Students Return to School
All Students

For more detailed information about the events occurring in Hillsborough County Public Schools, click the link below:

For the 2019-2020 TSIC Calendar, click the link below: 
 
For more information, contact Anna Corman via  email