On May 15, INK! hosted at ceremony to celebrate the St. Johns County Take Stock in Children® (TSIC) graduating seniors. Each student is graduating from St. Johns County public high schools this May and each will be attending college supported by a scholarship funded by individual donors, corporate sponsors, and community partners.
The evening program featured Tim Forson, Superintendent of the St. Johns County School District, who shared his remarks and acknowledged students, mentors, teachers, high school principals, school board members, INK! staff, and volunteers for their support of the program and the graduating seniors.
Take Stock in Children® offers deserving, low-income students the opportunity to earn college scholarships
Since 1998, INK! has been the exclusive umbrella agency in St. Johns County for Take Stock in Children® (TSIC), a statewide non-profit organization that offers deserving low-income students the unique opportunity to earn college scholarships through educational support, mentorship, and college success coaching.
Students apply to participate in TSIC when they are in the eighth grade in St. Johns County public schools. Upon acceptance into the program, they sign a contract to maintain a 2.5 grade point average (GPA), uphold good behavior and attendance, and stay drug and crime free. TSIC is a public-private partnership unique in the State of Florida.
One hundred percent of all monetary donations received by INK! for the Take Stock in Children program are directed to the purchase of the scholarships and are fully matched by Florida Prepaid Foundation with funding by the State Legislature. Community partners and business owners also provide significant support to help with academic and educational assistance. According to James Wheeler, INK!’s Operations and Student Programs Director, and long-time program director of Take Stock in Children in St. Johns County, each graduating senior earned a scholarship with a value of approximately $6,500, equal to 60 credit hours of tuition at a state college in Florida.
Introducing the 2023 Take Stock® in Children St. Johns County Graduates
According to Donna Lueders, INK! Executive Director, this year’s graduating seniors persevered through particularly challenging moments through high school. “The COVID pandemic disrupted much of the first year of high school for this year’s graduates,” she said. “During the pandemic, these students learned both in the classroom and online through uncharted territory in education. We have great respect for this group of graduates.”
The 2023 Take Stock in Children® graduates honored for their academic accomplishments and donors recognized through named scholarships for the students are as follows:
- Joseph Lepera Allen D. Nease High Ponte Vedra Women’s Civic Alliance Scholarship
- Celine Taylor Allen D. Nease High Davidson Cares/Riverside Homes Scholarship
- Ren Cataldo Pedro Menendez High Sandra Goode Family Scholarship
- Sierra Chamberlin Pedro Menendez High Margie Davidson Memorial Scholarship
- Zara Johnston Pedro Menendez High Snyder Family Scholarship
- Aja Rouselle Pedro Menendez High Ring Power Scholarship
- Achilles Vela Pedro Menendez High St. Augustine Lions Club Scholarship
- William Kittles St. Augustine High Davidson Cares/Vallencourt Scholarship
- Daneja Berryhill St. Augustine High St. Augustine Lions Club Scholarship
- Dalil Khan Creekside High Davidson Cares/Providence Homes Scholarship
- Gabriel Casimiro Bartram Trail High Brooke J. Ladue Memorial Scholarship
- Ameer Doufikar Bartram Trail High St. Augustine Lions Club Scholarship
- Anjolee Romero Bartram Trail High John Paling/Diane Irish Scholarship
- Wesley Wolfe Bartram Trail High Beaver Toyota Scholarship & James Wheeler, Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Wolfe was awarded the James Wheeler Sr. Super Senior Scholarship for outstanding character, work ethic, community service, and academic success. The scholarship is valued at $6,000. He will be attending the University of Florida in the fall semester.
Mentors Make a Difference
The event also honored TSIC mentors who are extraordinary volunteers dedicated to students at critical points in their young lives. Volunteer mentors honored at the event include Anne Berkey, Kevin Bush, Jenny Cox, Gary Deck, Erin Dooley, Diane Farmer, Danny Gurr, Ian MacDonald, Rob Kenner, Yanetta Smith, and Kerri Murphy. They collectively volunteered more than 800 hours to mentor the TSIC Class of 2023.
“A mentor is someone whose hindsight can become a student’s foresight,” said Wheeler. “Life experiences allow our mentors to anticipate opportunities and many of life’s hurdles that our students have yet to face. They are special and giving adults, because they share their time, experience, and listening skills with students at critical points in their young lives,” he said. “Their impact is truly profound, lasting well beyond the high school years of our Take Stock scholars.”
During the evening presentation, Wheeler presented a special tribute to Dr. Clay Carmichael, Principal of Pedro Menendez High School, as he is retiring after more than 35 years in education. “Dr. Carmichael has been a steadfast supporter of the Take Stock in Children program, welcoming our mentors to the campus and watching over our Pedro students as they chart their paths. I personally appreciate all that he has done for our program,” said Wheeler, who awarded Dr. Carmichael with a gift of appreciation.
