Our Work:
Where Education Changes Everything
Take Stock in
Children Program
Take Stock in Children was founded in response to persistent high school dropout rates among Florida's most under-resourced youth. Research has increasingly shown that low-income students are less successful academically than their higher-income peers due to the constraints of living in poverty. The Take Stock in Children program was designed to be a simple yet transformative model for 100% low-income youth in grades 6-12 by combining a volunteer mentor, college readiness and coaching, and a Florida Prepaid Project STARS scholarship. Take Stock in Children successfully serves an estimated 8,500 students across Florida each year through its 45 Take Stock affiliate network.
Take Stock in
College Program
The Take Stock in College program provides postsecondary completion and degree attainment support services each year for more than 6,500 Take Stock scholars enrolled at one of Florida's 40 public colleges and universities. Postsecondary degree attainment is the goal for every Take Stock College scholar. The college program is part of Take Stock's continuum-of-care support model for its first-generation students as they continue their educational pathway to degree attainment or certification. The program was developed in response to research that students in poverty are often ill-prepared for college and less likely to both pursue and complete a degree. The model provides scholars with the support needed to help them navigate college, problem-solve issues when they arise, and help develop life skills that will become increasingly important as they transition to working professionals. The Take Stock in College program helps ensure student scholars successfully use their Take Stock scholarship and delivers on our most basic promise, helping our scholars succeed in College, Career, and Life.
Leaders 4 Life Fellowship
The Take Stock in Children-Asofsky Family Foundation Leaders 4 Life (L4L) Fellowship is Take Stock's highest honor. The Leaders 4 Life Fellowship began in 2010 in partnership with the Asofsky Family Foundation whose mission is to enable highly motivated Take Stock students who have demonstrated strong leadership skills, moral character, and academic success to excel in a university environment by providing the tools and resources necessary to empower them to reach their fullest potential. In addition to the Take Stock in Children tuition scholarship, the L4L Fellowship provides additional financial resources to cover educational costs including housing, meal plans, computers, books, mentorship support, leadership training, and internship opportunities. Leaders 4 Life Fellows attend an annual weeklong Summer Leadership Institute and other gatherings throughout the year designed to expand their leadership and career skills. Since 2010, Leaders 4 Life has awarded 64 Fellowship with graduates of the program working at some of the world's top companies, including Google, Blackrock, and Florida's Disney and Universal.
Take Stock-Inspire Scholars Program - University of Central Florida Burnett Honors College
Take Stock is proud to partner with the University of Central Florida Burnett Honors College to offer the Take Stock-Inspire Scholars Program. This program selects students who demonstrate strong moral character, solid leadership skills, and academic success to excel in a university environment. As a Take Stock-Inspire Scholar, each student receives a Florida Prepaid College Foundation 4-year university tuition scholarship and a 4-year dormitory scholarship. The Florida Prepaid package and the Florida Bright Futures scholarship allow students to cover the full cost of attendance at UCF, including tuition, fees, housing, meal plan, and books. Inspire Scholars also have the opportunity to receive funds for co-curricular and professional development opportunities such as study abroad, undergraduate research, and internships, along with other benefits of being a part of the honors college.
Take Stock - Kelly-Strul Emerging Scholars Program – Florida Atlantic University
Take Stock is proud to partner with Florida Atlantic University for the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program. Since 2019, Take Stock and FAU have partnered to provide this program which assists academically talented first-generation, Take Stock students attending FAU to graduate debt-free from Florida Atlantic University in four years or less. The program provides scholars with financial resources, academic support, wraparound services, mentorship, and memorable life experiences that help them become successful leaders.
Experiential Learning & Summer Internship Programs – USA2Holland
Take Stock has partnered with the Netherland-America Foundation (NAF) to provide experiential learning and summer internship opportunities to bridge worlds with the USA2Holland program and expand student experiences. Through this partnership, Take Stock collegiate scholars and graduates can gain international working experience in the Netherlands and have financial assistance for travel, housing, and other support.
Housing Scholars
The Take Stock Housing Scholarship program was established to provide an on-campus dormitory housing scholarship for students who are homeless, foster youth, or are considered to be in danger or extraordinary need. To date, Take Stock has helped almost 1,000 students with the Take Stock Housing Scholarship program.
Workforce Florida (WFI) Scholars
Partnering with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Career Source Florida (WFL), and the Florida Department of Children and Families, Take Stock is proud to be manage the Workforce scholarship program which is specifically designed for children of current or former TCA recipients. The scholarship program encourages parents who want to break the cycle of generational poverty to enroll their child in the Take Stock Workforce Scholarship program that provides mentoring, college success coaching, and a Florida Prepaid Project STARS scholarship. Participation in the program encourages the parent(s) to comply with all work activity and behavioral requirements, and requires the children to remain in school, maintain a certain grade-point average, stay drug-free and crime-free, and avoid other risky behaviors. The program also serves to strengthen families because it encourages the parent(s) to remain more closely involved in the child's life, classroom performance, and other school activities during the vulnerable middle-school and high-school periods. Take Stock has served nearly 1,000 students through the Take Stock Workforce Florida Scholars program.
Helios Scholars
Take Stock in Children partnered with the Helios Education Foundation to expanding its successful data-driven approach to helping students escape the cycle of generational poverty through education. Through a generous grant awarded by the Helios Education Foundation, Take Stock developed a predictive analytics tool and methodology to drive student scholarship matching and utilization. This innovative program serves an additional 320 students in central Florida that develops scalable transformational practices applicable to the entire statewide network.
C.H.I.P Scholars
In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush announced a public-private partnership to help children of incarcerated parents in the Florida prison system. Take Stock in Children, along with the Florida Department of Corrections, Prison Fellowship Ministries, and the Governor's Mentoring Initiative were chosen to launch the Children of Prisoner/ Children of Promise (C.O.P.) Scholarship pilot program. Take Stock in Children was selected to administer this pilot program that was initially designed to help 76 students. Today, the program is known as the Take Stock in Children Children of Incarcerated Parents (CHIP) Scholarship
program. Take Stock has served over 1,000 students of incarcerated parents.
Take Stock Nation
Alumni
Today, Take Stock alumni to a total of over 39,000 and reside in across the United States and around the world.
The Take Stock Nation Alumni program was organized to harness the power of Take Stock graduates to create a pipeline of mentors for Take Stock students and develop future Take Stock leadership and support for the organization.
If you are a Take Stock graduate and would like to make an impact in the organization that made a difference in your life, join the Take Stock Nation Alumni program today!
Watch Take Stock Stories
A Student Story
Watch the impact Take Stock makes through Scholarships, Mentors and Hope
A Student Story
Watch the impact Take Stock makes through Scholarships, Mentors and Hope