18 OKALOOSA COUNTY TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN SENIORS SURPRISED WITH LAPTOPS DURING GRADUATION CEREMONY

Take Stock in Children of Okaloosa County held a graduation celebration to honor its 18 low-income high school seniors on Wednesday, April 25 at the Niceville Community Center. The ceremony concluded with a special presentation by Nick Gupta, a Pensacola High School International Baccalaureate student, who surprised each senior with a free laptop for college.

Working through the Santa Rosa Education Foundation, he raised the funds to purchase the 18 laptops. The fundraising effort was initiated by Nick and his brother Nathan Gupta three years ago for the Take Stock in Children graduates of Santa Rosa County, and was extended to those in Escambia County the following year. This year, with Nathan now in college, Nick assumed the sole responsibility for raising the funds for all three counties in the Panhandle.

Nick presented the laptops alongside Fort Walton Beach High School students Tyler Margaratten and Angela Roy, who have accepted the challenge of replicating the Gupta’s efforts to raise funds and purchase laptops for the 27 Okaloosa County Take Stock in Children scholars who are slated to graduate in 2013. Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alexis Tibbetts was also in attendance to honor the graduating seniors, as well as welcome 11 new students into the program.

This graduation was just one of a series of ceremonies taking place across the state gathering community leaders, mentors, parents and supporters of Take Stock in Children to celebrate more than 1,400 successful seniors.

TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN WELCOMES THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Take Stock in Children has added three respected business and community leaders to its State Board of Directors. The impressive trio of new members includes Douglas Durand, dean emeritus of the College of Business at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, Tarren Bragdon, president and chief executive officer of the Foundation for Government Accountability and Drew Weatherford, co-founder and partner of Strategos Public Affairs.

Douglas Durand, dean emeritus of the College of Business at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, has a professional career spanning 32 years in higher education where he launched and built academic programs at the University of South Carolina, Missouri State University and the University of Colorado. He established scholarships for disadvantaged students throughout the Midwest, and now sponsors a dozen Take Stock in Children student scholarships, and mentors two students in Sarasota.

Tarren Bragdon will be an asset to Take Stock in Children, currently serving as president and chief executive officer of the Foundation for Government Accountability, a research and advocacy organization committed to making Florida the most economically vibrant state in America. In 1996 at the age 21 he joined the Maine House of Representatives where he helped create an adoption program to find permanent homes for foster children, and today remains the youngest person ever elected. He has also formerly served as chief executive officer of The Maine Heritage Policy Center, and is a nationally recognized expert on health reform issues.

As co-founder and partner of Strategos Public Affairs, Drew Weatherford has an extensive background in public policy, government advocacy and strategic partnerships. He formerly served as managing director of Red Eagle Group, where he specialized in business development, enhancing networks and marketing presence for clients. Weatherford also formerly served as south Florida fundraising director for the Seminole Boosters of Florida State University and helped to raise funds for student athlete scholarships.









*Photo captions: Douglas Durand, dean emeritus of the College of Business at the University of Missouri – St. Louis; Tarren Bragdon, president and chief executive officer of the Foundation for Government Accountability; Drew Weatherford, co-founder and partner of Strategos Public Affairs.

To read the full May 2012 E-Newsletter click here