Florida’s Take Stock in Children Program Provides Hope for First Time College Bound Students
For several years now, I have been a mentor for high school students at our area high school. Mercy Lab Foundation allows for the donation of time as well as financial contributions to the Take Stock in Children Program in Florida. This unique program is a nonprofit mentoring, college success, and college scholarship organization. Its mission is “to break the cycle of poverty for low-income, underrepresented, academically qualified students by providing opportunities for degree attainment through postsecondary education.”
One of the most fulfilling parts of the program is being a mentor. Many of the mentors start with students when they are in grade 9 and mentor them all through their high school years. They meet in-person at the high school each week for about 30 minutes and catch up with their mentee about their school performance, how they’re doing overall, and help to find answers for questions they may have about careers and college.
The frequent mentor sessions (about 2 hours per month for my students) allow me to get to know my mentees very well and help to guide them as they choose classes and extracurricular activities. The Take Stock in Children staff communicates frequently to the mentors and provides training for them to be able to answer questions about college scholarships, applications, requirements, etc. It all works like a large support team for each student involved in the program.
Take Stock in Children has grown since its founding in 1995 to include a postsecondary completion program and serves approximately 15,000 students each year. It has become a statewide program that has served more than 36,000 low-income, at-risk children through scholarships, mentors, and a chance for a college degree that may not have been possible without the extra support and guidance.