For the sixth consecutive year, The Education Foundation of Collier County – Champions For Learning has received the Luminary Award from Take Stock in Children, Inc. The program requires only 5 workshops per year to be hosted for students, and our Student Programs team surpassed the number of required workshops by 400%, hosting at least 5 workshops per quarter. These weekly workshops cover relevant topics for students such as the college admissions process, financial aid, and college selection. Additionally, students in the program are required to meet with their volunteer mentor 16 times per school year, and our student and mentor pairs exceeded the number of required mentor sessions by over 100% throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide, academically focused mentoring program that guides students towards successful completion of high school and college enrollment. Take Stock in Children empowers students from households with low incomes to overcome barriers to higher education. Champions For Learning has offered our Take Stock in Children program to Collier County students since 2000, providing them with the opportunities and skills needed to achieve educational, career, and life success.
“Receiving the Luminary Award for the sixth year in a row demonstrates our belief that education is everything,” said Barbara Evans, President and CEO of Champions For Learning. “Our Student Programs team has consistently gone above and beyond in their work to ensure that Collier County students reach their academic goals.”
The program incorporates workshops, one-on-one coaching, and scholarship opportunities; however, the key component of Take Stock in Children involves matching newly enrolled students with their Champions For Learning volunteer mentor, with whom they will meet with regularly during the school year. Our mentors are often the first non-authority, adult relationship that students form. They provide guidance, motivation, support, and role-modeling to grow our students’ life skills and help them prepare for postsecondary success. This Luminary Award also reflects the dedication our mentors have when it comes to serving as a catalyst for educational success for the students in Collier County.
About Champions For Learning™
Founded in 1990, the Education Foundation of Collier County – Champions For Learning’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for educational success by investing in Collier’s students and educators. Our Student Programs are designed to equip and prepare students for their future learning and career goals, and our Educator Programs are designed to value, empower, and support our educators to experience professional success. Recognized as the education foundation serving Collier County by the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Champions For Learning serves as a unifying force within the community by driving collective action towards the common goal of student and educator success.
Champions For Learning is a volunteer driven organization. Of the 428 people who volunteer with us each year, over half dedicate two to four hours of their time to our organization every week. With dedicated volunteers and a committed administrative team, Champions For Learning embodies the belief that education is everything!