September 14^th, 2006

BRADENTON - Sherry Berry was all smiles. The Community Affairs Manager of Tropicana-Pepsico in Bradenton, Berry was beaming as she was handed a beautiful burgundy, black and gold plaque thanking her and her company for their decade-long support of the Manatee County School District's Take Stock in Children program.

Sharon Albrecht and Diana Dill, Program Administrators for the Take Stock program in Manatee County, made the presentation to Berry.

Over the past 10 years, Tropicana-Pepsico has donated $400,000 to the local Take Stock in Children program, which helps at-risk children earn access to a four-year college scholarship.

“Tropicana has been the foundational supporter of the Take Stock in Children Program here in Manatee County,” Dill said. “Without their support, the program simply would not have existed in this community.”

The Take Stock in Children program brings hope to high-potential, low-income students across Florida who yearn to further their education past high school. Students who enter the program must sign and abide by performance contracts stating that they will keep good grades, exhibit positive behavior and remain drug and crime free, according to information provided by the Take Stock program.

Each student in the program is assigned a mentor who meets with them regularly to encourage them and assist them along the way. If the child graduates from high school in good standing with the program, they receive a four-year college scholarship and even career counseling and guidance once they are ready to graduate from college.

Berry said the Take Stock in Children Program is one of Tropicana-Pepsico's favorite community assistance programs. Besides the financial support, Tropicana employees have served as mentors to Take Stock students over the years.

“One of the things that really attracted us to this program was the fact that the students who get the scholarships have to do good school work, they have to stay out of trouble and they have to have committed family support,” Berry said. “We get requests for help from programs all over the country every day and there's no other program that I've seen that has the same multi-faceted requirements compelling the students and the parents to make such a lasting commitment.”

Left to Right - Sharon Albrecht, Sherry Berry and Diana Dill