Congratulations to our 98 Take Stock scholars for achieving an impressive 3.5 GPA, with the sophomore class earning a 3.66 to lead the way. Our students could not achieve this success without the support, encouragement and guidance of our mentors. Congrats students and thank you mentors!

Applications are now being accepted for Take Stock Class of 2024. 8th grade SCPS students who qualify for free/reduced lunch with a minimum 2.5 GPA are encouraged to apply.  25 students will receive the support of a caring mentor, college success coaching and a 2-Year college tuition scholarship upon graduation!  Take Stock Student Applications are due February 14.

“This scholarship allows me to pursue the career of my dreams. Besides that, I've been able to meet amazing people who have guided me through my high school years and changed my life for the better.”

Isabel Fernandez-Petit

Senior, Lake Brantley High School

Talented and full of life, Isabel moved to the United States in 2015 not able to speak English. Today, this bilingual Venezuelan enjoys both the arts and sciences. Her favorite subjects this year are trigonometry and photography. Active in school, she performed at football games with the dance team and is in the school’s leadership program. She has held leadership positions in both the Spanish National Honor Society and Student Government and is a member of the National Honor Society. She enjoys playing the clarinet, singing, playing volleyball, drawing, and her most recent discoveries are photography and mixing music. Her top choices for a college major are emerging media (graphic design, animation, photography, etc.) and nursing. Isabel is looking forward to prom and graduation and hopes to attend the University of Central Florida next year. Thanks to the support of Take Stock and dedicated mentor Cheryl Blakeney, Isabel's college dreams are a reality!

"Take Stock in Children rewards students for their hard work during their high school years. It not only provides immediate opportunities like mentors, but it also teaches the value of delayed gratification. That is a valuable life lesson." 

Amanda Stahl - Take Stock Mentor

Seminole High School

As a secondary and college math teacher, Amanda spent the past two decades working with young people. She met her husband at the University of Central Florida and they have lived in Seminole County since 1995. She started serving as a TSIC mentor in 2010 and has impacted the lives of five young ladies since then…and they have impacted her! One student she followed throughout high school and into college, another she worked with only six months before she moved to Hawaii after graduating early and starting her college career. One thrived in dual enrollment classes, while another taught her that just showing up each week mattered and was life-changing. Her current mentee Karyme is a hard-working Seminole High School student destined for a medical career, who also enjoys performing with the school’s Dazzlers dance team.

“I originally started mentoring because I thought I could help someone. Little did I know that each of my mentees would in turn touch my life too.” Thank you Amanda for 10 years of caring and commitment as a Take Stock mentor!

Rosa's advice to students: "Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't limit yourself by doubting your capabilities, and it's okay if you don't know what you want to be when you grow up. You'll figure it out as you go through your journey. Also, if possible, I highly encourage you to do a study abroad within your major. That opportunity will expand your horizon in so many ways."

Rosa Malagon

Take Stock Class of '06 & Current Mentor

A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Rosa earned her master’s degree in social work in August 2018 and is currently a Take Stock mentor paying forward what she received more than a decade ago. Her favorite part of college was studying in Amsterdam and applying what she learned on an international level. Currently, she is a mental health counselor working in the behavioral health field. She plans to become a licensed clinical social worker and eventually open her own practice. Rosa also hopes to get some additional experience working in a receiving hospital like South Seminole Hospital Behavioral Unit, which cares for people in a mental health crisis. How rewarding to see one of our Take Stock scholars succeed and give back by mentoring the next generation of deserving Take Stock students!