NICEVILLE, FL (April 27, 2012) – Take Stock in Children of Okaloosa County held a graduation celebration to honor its 18 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 Take Stock in Children program.
Every Take Stock in Children senior receives a full scholarship to attend any state college or university in Florida of their choice upon graduation and successful completion of the program. To learn more about Take Stock in Children or to become a valued mentor or supporter, please call 888-322-4673 or visit www.takestockinchildren.org.
Take Stock in Children of Okaloosa County seniors pose with their new laptops alongside Angela Roy, Tyler Margaratten and Nick Gupta.
About Take Stock in Children
Take Stock in Children is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization with a solid 16 year history of providing mentors, educational scholarships and hope for Florida’s low-income and at-risk youth. The organization has provided educational support and college scholarships for over 17,000 children in partnership with more than 800 public schools throughout 67 counties in Florida. It is the only scholarship mentoring program with the mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education, and has attained a high school graduation rate of 92 percent in Florida (as compared to Florida’s average graduation rate of 76%). The program’s multi-year commitment to students and their comprehensive program services begin in middle school and continue through high school graduation and into college. Special emphasis is placed on student accountability and specific measurable outcomes. Take Stock in Children students pledge to meet with their assigned mentor once a week, maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5, and remain drug and crime free. Upon successful high school graduation, as a fulfillment of their contractual agreement, students are then awarded a college scholarship to any college, university or vocational school in the state of Florida. To learn more about Take Stock in Children, please call 888-322-4673 or visit www.takestockinchildren.org.
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