October 2019
                                       
Join HEF  in Celebrating

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month the Take Stock Team asked some of its students what this m onth (September 15th- October 15th) means to them.  Read below to find out what they said
   
G a b r i e l a 

Hispanic Heritage Month means many things to different people. To me, it means that the United States appreciates the Hispanic people that live here and everything they contribute to this country.

I believe that people should never forget where they came from, or who made the things we have now, possible. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for our nation to acknowledge the important role that Hispanic people have played in this country through inventions, activist movements, or even the food they have brought from their culture here to the U.S.
 

 
A l e j a n d r a

Hispanic Heritage Month is such an amazing and special time because it gives people the opportunity to celebrate all of our Hispanic families. It is so important for people to feel comfortable expressing their own culture, especially in this time where many are being judged for things like speaking their native language. 

I love my Hispanic culture and I'm proud to be part of it!

  I v a n 

When I first arrived to this country, I was only 7 years old. I left behind everything I had ever known and started over with my family. I learned a new language and with it I was submerged into an entire new culture. Hispanic Heritage Month allows me to remember where I come from, and with it make sense of who I am. 

I am a Cuban-American boy who loves being bilingual, dancing, sports and Hispanic food. This month also serves as a reminder of the strength of those that came before me, those who have sacrificed to give me a better life. I am proud to carry on with their legacy.


    
S t e p s   T o w a r d s   t h e   F u t u r e

What is it?   Pasos Al Futuro  provides information and resources in Spanish to bilingual families to ensure they are aware of all the opportunities offered in Hillsborough County Public Schools. 

Who should attend? Students from 8th to 12th grade are encouraged to attend with their Spanish-speaking families.

When & Where is it?     The event will take place from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The presentation  will be offered at 7 different high schools throughout the county:

Leto High School ( 10/17/2019)
Lennard High School (11/14/2019)
Alonso High School (10/24/2019)
Plant City High School (11/19/2019
Chamberlain High School (11/7/2019)
Strawberry Crest High School (12/05/2019)



Fall Senior Workshop
We welcomed 70 seniors and their families

The Take Stock In Children team welcomed 70 seniors last Saturday at the HCC Brandon campus. The TSIC Director, Anna Corman, explained to the attending seniors how to activate
 their Florida Pre-Paid Scholarship, and she reviewed their  scholarship requirements. In addition, the Dean of Student Affairs from the HCC-Plant City Campus, Cris Legner, taught students about the FUSE program. Finally, the College Success Coaches reminded students to apply to colleges, the FAFSA and other important scholarships, like the HEF Senior Scholarships.

We want to say a special thanks to the folks over at the HCC-Brandon campus for providing us
 with the space to host this workshop! We could not have facilitated this event without their support. 
Mentor of the Month
D o n n a   S h e i n b e r g

 

How did you become involved with mentoring through the Hillsborough Education Foundation ?   I started with my mentee when she was in 5th grade. She entered the TSIC program in 6th grade, and I continued to work  with her. This is our third year together. 
 
What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring?  Watching my mentee continue to grow into an amazing person. I look forward to our meetings every week, and I love how our relationship continues to grow.
 
What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor?   I think consistency and dependability are key. Let them know that you'll always be there for them, no matter what. Be supportive, encouraging, and non-judgmental. It's important to also be an advocate for your mentee, and a great listener. 
 
When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time? 
I like spending time with family and friends, trying new recipes, thrift store shopping, reading, and walking my miniature schnauzer Marie. 
 
What do you hope your mentee will learn from you?  Never be afraid to ask for help, think positively, and dream big!  
Call For Volunteers!
FAFSA Completion Volunteers: 
Help Suncoast Families Access Money for College
 
LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network and United Way Suncoast are proud to offer volunteers a chance  to help students and families in Tampa Bay complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as a first step toward education or training after high school.  Nearly half of the students who would qualify for this free federal funding do not apply, leaving millions of dollars of college financial aid unclaimed.
We train volunteers about FAFSA completion so they can better assist students and their families.  Join FAFSA volunteers and help connect students to the financial aid they need to make their dreams come true!

Interested in helping?  Link to the new portal for FAFSA training and volunteerism which has just opened In partnership with United Way Suncoast https://www.volunteersuncoast.org/fafsa. The portal has a training video, links to district background check applications, and a list of school events where they can volunteer to help answer student/family questions about financial aid applications.

For more information or with questions, contact Becky Gilmore, LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network Program Coordinator at  bgilmore@cftampabay.org   or call (813) 609-4866.

Do you know someone who would like to volunteer?  Click Here! to print out a flyer. 


College and Career Center 
Founded in 2019, and in collaboration with LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network, the College and Career Centers are focused on helping prepare Tampa Bay high school students for life after graduation and are located in six Tampa Bay area high schools. Armwood High School's CCC opens this fall with the support of LEAP Tampa Bay.

Volunteers play a pivotal role at the College and Career Centers, working with the school guidance staff to advise students across all grade levels. Training is provided to volunteers on topics like the various options for education after high school, the financial aid process and the "nuts and bolts" of applying to college.

While many volunteers are parents of students at the schools, community volunteers are also welcome. A background check is required, and volunteers are asked to make an ongoing commitment to work at the center approximately once per week during the school year.  If you are interested in volunteering with the Armwood College and Career Center, please contact Becky Gilmore, Program Coordinator, LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network at bgilmore@cftampabay.org, (813) 609-4866

Financial    Aid
 
There are at least three scholarships that all of our students should apply for when they become seniorsThey are the following: 

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The FAFSA is a need based grant that is distributed to eligible students by the United State's Education Department.  To apply click here!

Bright Futures
Bright Futures is a merit based scholarship that is awarded to eligible students
 by the state of Florida. To apply click here!

HEF's Senior Scholarships
This program includes a variety of scholarships (over 200!), some are merit-based while others are need based. This scholarship is distributed by the Hillsborough Education Foundation. To apply click here!

If you want additional information on any of these scholarship opportunities please contact your College Success Coach. 

What if your mentee is not a senior?

There are still things underclassmen can be doing. While they may not be ready to apply to scholarships, they can still look up scholarship opportunities. Students can begin compiling a list of scholarships they will be eligible for by the time they graduate. That way, once they get to senior year the amount of work they have to put towards searching for scholarships will be significantly reduced. 

In addition, student should be working to complete community service hours, many scholarships- including Bright Futures- requires students to volunteer in their communities.

 
Priority Deadlines &  Requirements 
f or Florida Universities 
 
Those of you who mentor seniors, be mindful of college application deadlines that are fast
 approaching. To help, we have included the Florida University Matrix below. This sheet contains  information on the 12 Florida Public Universities, including college application deadlines and  requirements. This sheet will allow you to keep track of your senior's progress and remind them about upcoming deadlines. 

The following guide also gives you information regarding the SAT/ACT- meaning that juniors and seniors can use this as a reference to determine what scores they need to aim for on upcoming tests.

Also, don't forget that "Early Decision" for most Florida Public Universities is November 1st! You can find more information on this in the resource below.



   
2019 EmpowerED Luncheon
TSIC Scholar Nelidad Alvarez speaking at the EmpowerED Luncheon
 From left to right:  HEF Board Chair Royce Reed, Nelidad Alvarez, Nelidad's mother Silvia Jose Gonzalez, HEF CEO Kim Jowell
 
On Wednesday, September 18th, business leaders and community partners joined Hillsborough Education Foundation (HEF) for its signature EmpowerED Luncheon. Presented by Suncoast Credit Union and held at Armature Works.

During her opening remarks, HEF CEO, Kim Jowell, addressed what everyone in the room had slowly begun to notice - the new logo and colors. Kim shared the details of the recent rebrand efforts and expanded on how the new mission and vision statements will continue to guide the organization's focus moving forward. It was also during her remarks that Kim presented the 2019 Sue House Award winner, John Rose with a plaque in honor of his contributions to the Teaching Tools Resource Center

The program continued in a way that was nothing short of empowering. During lunch, attendees heard from a discussion panel comprised of five very influential individuals in the field of education - both locally and beyond. HEF was particularly honored to have Betty Castor, former USF President and Commissioner of Education, serve as the panel facilitator. Seated on the panel were:  Kevin Johnson, President/CEO of Suncoast Credit Union; Rachael O'Dea, Principal of Forest Hills Elementary; Damaris Allen, President of Hillsborough County PTS/PTSA and Dr. Dakeyan Graham, 2020 Florida Teacher of the Year. 

Each of the panel members addressed, from their unique perspective, current hot topics in the field of education - equity versus equality, the impact of parent involvement and the significance of partnerships between businesses and schools in the cultivation of our future workforce. 

Following the insightful conversation,  Nelidad Alvarez, a ninth grader at Lennard High, and one of HEF's Take Stock in Children students, took the stage. Nelidad shared the numerous challenges she has overcome and how they have fueled her determination to succeed. She said, "My mother Silvia raises my 2 brothers, one sister, and me by herself. She works in the fields picking strawberries and blueberries which has required us to move a lot - including every summer to migrate North. My mother has a third-grade education, but she makes sure my siblings and I make education a priority. I applied for this mentoring and scholarship program because I want more for our family, I want to make my mom proud and I want to be a role model for my siblings." 

Very special thanks to Suncoast Credit Union for once again making this event possible by serving as the presenting sponsor. Also, much appreciation to all our other incredible community partners for joining us in support of students like Nelidad! 

What We're Reading
It can be very stressful trying to get a student ready for college, and as a mentor you will play a key role in that. The following article describes topics you can discuss with your mentee, starting freshmen year, to help them be college-ready. 


The College Success Team 
Click the name of your assigned College Success Coach to email them.
 

 
Mark Your Calendar

Date
Event
Audience
Oct. 21st
College Tour to the University of South Florida and St. Petersburg College 
Sophomores & Juniors
Oct 28- 30th
Virtual College Week
Juniors, Seniors & Mentors
Oct. 17th, 24th & Nov. 7th
Pasos al Futuro
(Workshop about the college
 application process) 
Students with Spanish-Speaking Parents
Nov. 6th, 7th, 12th & 14th
District Financial Aid Nights
Seniors

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