February 12, 2008

4 to 7 p.m.

Edison College Collier Campus

 

"Being a Take Stock mentor for deserving low-income children has been extremely rewarding for me," says John Henry (Class X and a board member of the Immokalee Foundation).  "You commit your time and see positive change in a young person's life.  The success ratio of Take Stock Students is astounding."

 

A Florida State-sponsored nonprofit program founded in 1995, Take Stock in Children has provided over 11,000 deserving low-income children with scholarships to college or vocational schools and mentors. 

 

In Collier County alone, over 400 Take Stock Scholars are under the guidance of the Education Foundation. Take Stock will induct 63 new students (mostly 7th graders but a few 9th graders also) in Collier County and, therefore, need up to 63 new mentors to volunteer one hour a week (usually at lunch) during the school year to help change a young life forever. Mentors are assigned throughout the Collier County school system.  Tayler Carraway, a student at Naples High School, is shown below with mentor Mary Knapp.

 

In Immokalee, where John volunteers, the Immokalee Foundation has partnered with the Education Foundation for this program. There the challenge is even greater to identify the children and provide them with an opportunity to take advantage of the Take Stock program.

 

"The return on time and money committed to the Take Stock program has been huge due to the very high graduation and matriculation rates of these students--over 80 percent of the Collier students graduate from high school and matriculate to higher education," he says.

 

The Citizens Foster Care Review Board (CFCRB) is a court-appointed and court-trained volunteer organization created to provide citizens' review of foster care cases in Collier County. They are seeking volunteers interested in serving on a panel that hears court cases for children in the foster care system and will provide training later this year or in early 2008.

"It is an extremely rewarding experience to walk away with the knowledge that I have succeeded in averting yet another tragedy in the life of a child," explains Terry Abraham-Whalley (Class VIII and Review Board co-chair) as to why she is committed to the work of CFCRB.

 

The Board is commissioned to recognize and address the barriers which prevent permanent placement of children who are in foster care and advocate for positive change.  With only one judge in Collier County hearing dependency cases and of 331 cases involving 564 children last year, the Board volunteers provide a vital service.  CFCRB is empowered to conduct judicial reviews and hear testimony in place of the judge.

 

Participation doesn't involve any direct, one-on-one contact with the children, and all activities take place in the Collier County Courthouse.  The judicial reviews for the panel take place on Wednesdays. No legal training or experience is necessary to volunteer. 

 

"The ability to observe the physical and educational progress of these previously abused children is immensely satisfying," says Terry, who reports that volunteers must spend a minimum of eight months of the year in Collier County and participate in quarterly in-service training to keep their knowledge and skills current.

 

Fran Kieselhorst (Class V) and Willie West (Class VI) also serve on the board. Learn more details about volunteering for the Citizens Foster Care Review Board by reading their listing on the GNL website.