Student Stories

Champions For Learning Students Making A Commitment To Education Through Take Stock In Children Program

Orthal and Hector are like many 10th grade students in Collier County – they are busy this fall semester keeping up with classes and engaging in athletics and clubs. Most importantly, they both have made a commitment to their education by participating in Champions For Learning’s Take Stock in Children and College and Career Preparation programs. With your support, they will accomplish amazing things.

For Orthal, the decision to apply to our programs was easy. He saw first-hand how being a Champions For Learning student made an enormous positive impact on his sister Alaysha, who is now a current Collier County Public Schools educator and recently spoke of her experiences at our Night for Champions gala. Now, Orthal’s own educational journey has been transformed as he dreams of studying engineering or math after high school. Although his parents did not attend college, they understand the importance of education and are a strong support network as he progresses through our programs by actively participating in their son’s one-on-one meetings with his Champions For Learning College Success Coach. Orthal was paired with his volunteer mentor, Paul Theriault, during eighth grade, who has been with him every step of the way, both in and out of school. Thanks to Paul’s encouragement, he remained engaged with his learning goals by participating in Florida Gulf Coast University’s (FGCU) summer STEM Academy.  For two full weeks spent on campus with other students, Orthal explored career opportunities in STEM fields and improved his math skills through lab sessions, hand-on activities, and working directly with faculty on projects involving engineering and robotics. Over the summer, Orthal also attended campus visits with Champions For Learning, including the University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, and Florida Polytechnic University, where he toured academic buildings, explored campus living, and had the opportunity to listen to current college students, faculty, and staff. Even though Orthal’s journey is still unfolding, his experience with Champions For Learning has already been instrumental in helping him see himself as an undergraduate student someday.

Orthal’s friend and classmate Hector also has high hopes of being a first-generation college student and the very first member of his family to pursue a postsecondary degree. His mom is incredibly grateful to Champions For Learning for providing individualized and strategic guidance on how to navigate the complex college application process so that Hector will have an actionable plan in place and an informed support system to help direct him through his educational journey. Hector’s volunteer mentor, Neil Moss, has also played a crucial role in championing his mentee’s achievements since middle school, not only advising him about big-picture decisions but helping him study for his advanced classes. Being involved with our programs inspired Hector to pursue the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) diploma, which offers students an in-depth understanding of subjects while developing the tools necessary to succeed in college-level classes. Over the summer, Hector participated in the Lorenzo Walker Technical College summer camp where he spent a week fully immersed in the world of automobile mechanics and learning first-hand in the shop and through field trips to the Edison and Ford Estates with staff from Champions For Learning and partner organizations. Our Student Programs staff helped plan these engaging activities, options for guest instructors, and programming for students like Hector to participate in during the camp. Hector shared his excitement about the upcoming school year and credits our workshops as the reason he’s been able to develop important lifelong skills like communication and meeting new people that he continues to use confidently in his day-to-day life, both in and out of the classroom.

Will you be counted as a champion for learning and make your gift to support Student Programs? It takes the help of many for Champions For Learning to ensure that our students are prepared for their future learning goals. You can be the reason Champions For Learning students like Orthal and Hector are empowered to chase after their dreams. To invest in the educational success of Collier’s students, please click the button below.

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