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October 24th, 2006
BRADENTON - High expectations and solemn commitments were the hallmarks of the first-ever meeting of the Manatee County Take Stock in Children's Leadership Council, which was held on Tuesday, October 24th at the School Support Center in Downtown Bradenton.
The Take Stock in Children program takes high-potential, low-income students and matches them with a mentor. Students who maintain good grades, exhibit positive behavior and remain drug and crime free, receive a four-year college scholarship and career counseling and guidance once they graduate from college.
“I was personally involved with students who were in the program when I worked at King Middle School,” said Brenda Harvey, a retired educator serving on the Leadership Council. “I still stay in touch with a student who is now working and attending college. She's doing really well. The Take Stock in Children program really stimulated the good traits that she already had.”
While the Take Stock in Children program has been operating in Manatee County for over a decade, this is the first time that a Leadership Council has been convened to oversee aspects of the program such as fundraising, management and recruitment of mentors.
“Our long-term focus is to establish the foundation of operational and community support that insures the substantial growth and development of the Take Stock in Children program in Manatee County,” said Doug Wagner, Director of Adult, Technical and Career Education for the school district and the Program Director for Take Stock in Children in Manatee County.
Wagner told the Leadership Council about a study of 1995 high school graduates in Manatee County, which showed that 10 years later, over 70 percent of those students had not obtained degrees any higher than a high school diploma.
“Hopefully this program can put a dent in that data and get students excited about the prospect that they can go to college and be successful,” Wagner said.
The convening of the Leadership Council was organized by local Program Administrators Sharon Albrecht and Diana Dill.
Sherry Berry, manager of Community Affairs for Tropicana-Pepsico in Bradenton, a long-time supporter of Take Stock in Children, said she's excited about seeing the program grow and prosper.
“It's a great program because it gives kids an opportunity to go to college who might not be able to otherwise,” Berry said. “It also helps kids stay on track as they work their way through school.”
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERS
Chairman Walter Miller, Manatee County School Board
Sherry Berry, Tropicana-Pepsico
Dr. Sharon Burke, Christian Counselors, Inc.
Beth Carney, Manatee Community College
Steven Cecil, Ameriprise Financial
Alex Chavez, Great Florida Insurance
Brenda Harvey, Retired Educator
Cynthia Lorraine, Manatee County Sheriff's Office
Heath Marston, State Farm Insurance
Denice Maynard, Kinnan Elementary
Tony Templeton, The Templeton Foundation
Dale Thompson, Psy Care
Jeff Williams, Publix
Take Stock Group