Take Stock in Children—Scholarships, Mentors and Hope

Take Stock in Children assists deserving low-income children in Marion County by offering them a challenge: If they agree to keep up their grades, work hard, and play by the rules, their community will provide a scholarship to college, a mentor to help them stay on track, and hope for the future.

• There are 102 active high school Take Stock in Children recipients
• More than 420 students have benefited from the Take Stock in Children program
• The Foundation recently welcomed 26 new students into the program

The TSIC Success Story

The Public Education Foundation is proud to report a 96% success rate in keeping students on track to earn their high school diploma. Additionally, over 97% of the recipients attend college. These TSIC scholars, who enter the program in the 8th grade, go on to work for some great industries. We have students who became Marion County teachers, served in the U.S. military and work for the Florida Department of Education.

Read Clay Griffin’s Success Story >>

Read George Shannon II’s Success Story >>

Read Kayla Krumm’s Success Story >>

Guiding the Future with Mentors

Take Stock in Children students are matched with a caring adult mentor who meets with them one hour per week at their student’s school.

Mentoring is the key to the success of the Take Stock in Children program. Research proves that if a teenager is mentored, their chances of becoming a high school drop-out are cut by 52%. Additionally, students in mentoring programs are more likely to attend and graduate from college. They are less likely to skip classes and tend to have a better attitude towards school and teachers.

Take Stock in Children mentors commit their time to students throughout the duration of their middle and high school career. These mentors provide motivation, guidance, friendship and support to ensure the child’s success in school and life.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor please contact Meghan Magamoll at 352-671-4162 or email at Meghan.Magamoll@marion.k12.fl.us.

Take Stock in Children Opportunities

Ambassador Program

The Ambassador Program is for current TSIC students to promote leadership among their peers through student outreach, community involvement and overall student excellence. The Ambassadors attend monthly meetings at the Foundation office where they discuss current happenings in the program, work on public speaking skills and vote to pick a student of the month at their schools.

We are always looking for local community resources to provide an opportunity for student involvement.

Scholar Dollar Auction

Throughout the year, Take Stock In Children students are rewarded with scholar dollars by keeping up their grades and meeting the program requirements.

To say “keep up the good work,” the Foundation hosts a Scholar Dollar Auction, where students used their accumulated “scholar dollars” to bid on great items donated by community businesses.

Senior Recognition Night

Each year, TSIC high school seniors are invited to attend a banquet in their honor. During this special ceremony, the students are recognized and congratulated on their accomplishments followed by a motivational speaker who provides inspiration and excitement towards the next phase of their journey.

The 2011 Senior Night theme was “We Go Together,” and was held at the Klein Center in Ocala.

Leadership Camp

Leadership Camp is an exciting event at which students will participate in leadership activities and various teambuilding games.

A one-day event in both the spring and fall, Leadership Camp is facilitated by a professional life coach and trainer. Twenty-five students are encouraged to “think outside the box”, sharpen their communication skills and have fun making new friends.