Take Stock in Children

Take Stock in Children Helps Low-Income Children Achieve
We select students in 8th grade, who are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

•  To check your eligibility, review the Eligibilty Flyer 

Applications are available to eligible 8th grade students starting in September each year through the Guidance Department at each Marion County Public Middle School. Applications must be completed by the student and parent/guardian and turned back into the Guidance Department.

• The completed application packet must be turned into the student’s Middle School Guidance Department by October 21st, 2019.

The selections process continues into the spring, and all students will be notified by staff or letter by March 2020 as to their application status.  It is a competitive process, and students are selected by committees comprised of educators, civic leaders, and business sponsors from their own communities.

College & Vocational Scholarships Provide Hope for a Better Future
All scholars who successfully complete the program requirements receive a two year Florida Public College tuition scholarship.

Students & Parents Sign a Performance Contract
Upon selection, scholars and their parents/guardians sign a contract agreeing to stay in school, maintain good grades, exhibit good behavior, remain crime-and drug-free, meet with their mentors once a week and attend Take Stock workshops and events. Students are held accountable; if they violate their contracts, they will lose their scholarships.

Take Stock in Children Provides a Road to Success
Take Stock in Children makes a multi-year commitment to children, providing an inclusive array of services from the time they enter the program through their graduation from college or vocational school.

College Success Coach & Case Manager
Each scholar in the program is assigned a College Success Coach who meets with the student and monitors his/her academic success.  The Success Coaches also work closely with mentors and school personnel to ensure that each child achieves success.

Parental Involvement Increases the Chances of Success
Parents are responsible for supporting and encouraging their child’s academic success by 1) developing positive relationships with teachers, mentors, school administrators, and Take Stock in Children staff, and 2) playing active roles in the educational, cultural, and school-based activities of their child.

Volunteer to be a Mentor

You can help by mentoring a Take Stock in Children student at his/her school for at least 30 minutes per week. Our students need caring individuals, like you, to enhance their positive development. Learn more about how you can help by mentoring a student.

What is a Mentor?
A mentor is a caring, compassionate adult who chooses to devote their time to a young person, offering them support, guidance, and encouragement. If you can donate one hour per week, you can change a life by helping a child build a solid foundation of values, establish goals, improve their academic and life skills, while developing their self-esteem and confidence.

Why Mentor?
Our success rate at Take Stock in Children is a result of a comprehensive approach provided by our program. One of the key and proven success factors is the role of the mentor. More and more people want to have a lasting, profound impact in their community. They understand that the commitment of becoming a mentor can change a child’s life while helping them grow personally. Can you remember adults who paid attention to you; who believed in you; and who guided you during your childhood? These individuals served as mentors. Wouldn’t you like to have someone think of you as their life-changing, trusted mentor?

Where & When Does Mentoring Occur?
Mentoring sessions range from 45-60 minutes and occur at a school near your home or workplace, during school hours. The days and times of mentoring sessions are arranged between the mentor and mentee depending on their individual schedules and classes. As a result, mentoring is convenient for both students and mentors.

How Do I Become a Mentor?
Take Stock in Children mentors learn the principles and guidelines of school-based, academic-focused mentoring. They participate in an orientation session and receive a manual that contains tools for addressing the general needs of their students: improving grades, preparing for college, career planning, and developing life skills. Mentors also will be able to use the weekly Mentor Minute, an online resource center, to provide support services that target the specific needs of their students.

Download your Mentor Welcome Packet with a mentor application by clicking below:

Mentor Welcome Packet with Application (fillable)

Be a Philanthropist

Take Stock in Children is more than a rewarding opportunity to provide an education for a child. It’s an opportunity to change deserving low-income youth/students life forever. Become a donor and help break the cycle of poverty and high drop-out rates in your community.  Donation can be made online.

Your donation to Take Stock in Children will provide a child with the promise of a college scholarship, the guidance of a caring mentor, and a sustainable outcome of success. Students in the Take Stock in Children program receive:

• A college tuition scholarship for 2 years at a Florida Public college
• Volunteer mentor who meets with the child at his or her school for an hour a week to provide academic support and motivation
• Continuous assistance and intervention services by skilled student advocate (case Manager)
• Active engagement of parents or legal guardians in the child’s academic and personal development
• Career and educational counseling

Corporate Partnerships
An economically viable community includes a successful and educated workforce. Recognizing the importance of this, Take Stock in Children’s corporate partners have made a commitment to excellence in education and eradicating the cycle of poverty. Corporate sponsors provide in-kind services, mentors, financial support, and many cross-promotional opportunities. Companies can match donations given or raised by employees in addition to their corporate contributions. Take Stock in Children offers customized partnership programs for corporate sponsors.

The stories featured below provide a glimpse of the many successful students that entered our Take Stock in Children program and have successfully graduated. Read their stories.

George Shannon II

Kayla Krumm

Reminder: Current Take Stock in Children students (grades 9-12) need to update  contact information by clicking HERE

Additional Information for Current Students:

• Read the Back to School 2019 Letter-Back to School 2019
• Events and Important Dates for 2019-2020 – TSIC Calendar 2019-2020
• Student and Mentor meeting log sheet : Student Mentor Log 2019- 2020
• Your School Coordinators with preferred meeting areas on campus-  Coordinators & Meeting Areas

Record your mentoring sessions online here: https://www.takestockinchildren.org/login

While on campus, remember to always wear your Visitor Badge and Mentor Lanyard -both from checking in at the Front Desk staff at each high school location.

• TSIC School Coordinator names & preferred meeting areas on campus-  Coordinators & Meeting Areas
• Events and Important Dates for 2019-2020 –  TSIC Calendar 
• Read the Back to School Letter sent to Students-Back to School Letter 
• Volunteer Forms (needed to be completed at the start of every school year): Volunteer Form
• Refer your friends & family to become a mentor too! Mentor Welcome Packet 
• School bell times: https://www.marionschools.net/Domain/147
• Marion County Public School Calendar: https://www.marionschools.net/cms/lib/FL01903465/Centricity/shared/calendars/FullPage_1920.pdf

Want to receive text message updates from the TSIC Office? Use the Remind App! 

• For the Remind App Instructions Click Here: Remind App Instructions