A Note from CEO Kim Jowell |
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150 local businesses leaders (including me) will be trading in a day at the office for a day in elementary schools across Hillsborough County tomorrow for our third annual CEOs in Schools One Day of Change in partnership with Vistra Communications and the district.
From greeting students, meeting with teachers and the principal to cafeteria duty—I can't wait to hear about the many memorable moments and lessons learned from this hands-on experience. I am so grateful for the commitment from volunteers in our business community to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing our public schools and how we can all play a role in strengthening public education and supporting our future workforce. I'm excited for my day at Lockhart Elementary and am looking forward to seeing everyone's pictures on social media.
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Another way to support our students and teachers is by Giving the Gift of Education this holiday season. As the end of the year approaches, I hope you'll consider making a contribution to help give a child digital access or books to inspire the love of literacy. Your gift is tax deductible and is a great way to give in honor or memory of a friend or loved one, while making a difference and building equity in education for all students. |
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We Value Our Volunteers: Celebrating Our Mentors |
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Last Wednesday, we celebrated National Mentoring Day and our nearly 300 amazing community volunteers who serve as mentors in our Take Stock in Children program. We are so grateful for their dedication. They are truly changing lives for hundreds of students by providing support to guide them down the path to graduation and personal and academic success.
The Importance of Mentoring
Quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people—ultimately, mentoring connects a student to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Studies show students with a mentor have better school attendance, better attitudes toward school and are more likely to enroll in college.
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Mentors on Mix 100.7
Longtime HEF supporter and Mix 100.7 Host Laura Diaz recently joined HEF's mentoring program. On her morning radio show, the new mentor talked with veteran mentor Tracy Smith, who has been with HEF's program for 15 years about our need for more mentors.
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Listen: National Mentoring Day on Mix 100.7 |
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Supporters Hold Record Number of Supply Drives
to Restock our Shelves
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This summer, we put out an urgent call like never before for help from the community to host school supply drives in order to replenish the inventory in our Teaching Tools Resource Center that was drastically depleted during the pandemic—and WOW was that call answered!
Individuals, neighbors, groups and businesses held 180+ Supply Drives since July—the most HEF has ever had totaling 18,950 pounds of core school supplies! That's a 474% increase in product donations compared to last year's summer supply drive season, which was detrimentally impacted by the pandemic.
This generosity gives us the opportunity to continue to serve nearly 100,000 students in need this school year.
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Watch: Teachers from Hillsborough County's highest needs schools are grateful for donors' support, which allows them to shop for FREE core school supplies and classroom resources
to ensure all students have the tools
they need to succeed!
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Thank you for helping to #EraseTheNeed for our students!
The need for supplies continues throughout the school year and so does our work. Visit our website to learn more about how you can help by organizing a supply drive, shopping from our Amazon Wish List or by making a cash contribution.
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Funding Teachers' Innovative Ideas
to Excite Young Minds
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Every day, teachers and administrators go beyond the curriculum looking to enhance the learning environment for students, but are all too often limited by budgets.
Our School and Classroom Enrichment grants provide funding for creative and exciting educational opportunities to promote better academic results for students.
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We have awarded
48 grants
worth $50,000+
so far this school year!
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Kingswood Elementary
Increasing engagement, thinking and discussion in Math by building learning stations for group work.
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Burnett Middle
Fostering cultural awareness through literacy: 700 copies for
the entire school to read.
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Jackson Elementary
Renewable Energy Materials:
Students investigate how solar & wind energy and hydropower can
generate electricity.
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There are 68 projects and programs still waiting to be funded.
Through our online platform, projects can be supported by individual investors in the community and HEF. Interested funders can search the submissions by school, subject or teacher.
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Join Us to Honor Teachers & Support Staff |
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We are looking forward seeing you and being back in person at the Straz Center for our 2022 Excellence in Education Awards.
It's sure to be an electrifying evening as we recognize the hard work of Hillsborough County Public Schools' top educators and support personnel who have gone above and beyond, especially during the pandemic.
We'll be celebrating more than 650 nominees and revealing the winners of the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year, Instructional Support Employee of the Year and Teacher of the Year.
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Our work doesn't happen without the generosity of our donors. That's why we dedicate a section in our monthly newsletter to showcase the individuals and companies making our mission possible.
For this month’s feature, we are celebrating donor Ken Sale from Hancock Whitney!
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Ken Sale is a native Tampanian. He was born at MacDill Air Force Base, attended Hillsborough County Public Schools and graduated from Leto High School. He says his father always stressed the importance of education.
"My father always told me education is something that can’t be taken away from you. You can lose your health or money, but once you’re educated—you’re educated," Sale said.
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The Hancock Whitney Vice President of the Loan Division reinforced education with his son and daughter, Amber, who is HEF’s Development Coordinator and is how Ken first heard about HEF. He’s been consistently supporting our mission to strengthen public education ever since.
“I didn’t quite know the scope of the needs in our community. There’s a huge need and saw a way to make a difference in Hillsborough County,” said Sale. “Every child should have an opportunity for an education. Everyone should be on an even playing field and unfortunately a lot of students aren’t for a number of reasons. Supporting HEF is a way to provide students with the opportunity to get the education all of us should have.”
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Ken generously gives as an individual donor and Hancock Whitney matches dollar-for-dollar. The bank also sponsors HEF’s annual fishing tournament every year, as well as our EmpowerED fundraising luncheon.
“That’s one of the reasons I work for the company, they care about the community, and I also have a voice in what we do in this community. I appreciate the company for supporting my beliefs and my ideas,” said Sale.
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Ken echoes HEF’s Core Belief that education is key to a prosperous community—and encourages other business leaders to invest in students today for a brighter future for all of us.
“We need to focus on building a better community and that starts with the children—you’ve got to educate them and get these teachers the tools they need to do that. Anything we can do to help, we try to do that, because education improves the world.”
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We are proud to shine a spotlight on Ken Sale and Hancock Whitney
and are grateful for their continued support!
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