February 2021
      
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing Black people's central role in U.S. history.
Highlighting Black Stories 

A great way to celebrate Black History Month with your mentee is by learning and sharing Black stories. You can start by watching some of the videos below:
Benjamin Banneker

The exceptional life of Benjamin Banneker - Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua
The exceptional life of Benjamin Banneker
Ida B. 
Wells

How one journalist risked her life to hold murderers accountable - Christina Greer
The Courageous life of Ida B. Wells
Bayard 
Rustin

An unsung hero of the civil rights movement - Christina Greer
An unsung hero of the civil rights movement
Take some time to talk to your mentee about the importance of sharing stories by watching an engaging Ted Talk by Novelist Chimamanda Adichie. Chimamanda tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
College Board Announces Changes

The College Board announced that it will discontinue the optional essay component of the SAT and that it will no longer offer subject tests in U.S. history, languages and math, among other topics. The organization, which administers the college entrance exam in addition to several other tests, including Advanced Placement exams, will instead focus efforts on a new digital version of the SAT.
 
MENTOR OF THE MONTH
 Margaret Busa

How did you become involved with mentoring through the Hillsborough Education Foundation? 
When I moved to Tampa 7 years ago, I wanted to put my skills to good use. As a retired
 schoolteacher I wanted to find a volunteer opportunity that complimented my background. I saw an ad for HEF in a newsletter from The Tampa Bay Newcomers, and I joined and got involved right away with the TSIC program.

What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring?
The most rewarding part of mentoring for me has been later in the relationship. Now that I have been a mentor for several years, I am so pleased to follow the educational careers of my past mentees as they further their education and make life choices for themselves. The day to day mentoring is rewarding in that, you see the growth of the mentee from month to month. Becoming a mentor has been an amazing opportunity for me. It keeps me current in todays' world. I'm looked upon as a "grandma" figure in my mentee's eyes and that suits me just fine.

What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor?
There are many qualities that a mentor possesses in order to be successful and influential on a young girl. Being a quality mentor is much about building a good relationship with your mentee. I believe a mentor needs an enthusiasm for sharing; a respectful attitude; an eagerness to invest in others; and good listening skills. A quality mentor must be honest and caring and have the ability to offer feedback and constructive advice.

When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time?
Well, since I am retired I have a lot of free time. I enjoy reading, baking, exercising, and especially travelling. Of course, with COVID, travel has been a challenge this past year.  My true love is to visit my granddaughter in Illinois. I am also involved in two Newcomer groups in the Tampa area.

What do you hope your mentee(s) will learn from you?
As a mentor, I bring to the table a certain knowledge since my background is teaching. I've been where the students are; school; college; family; life choices and decisions. I want my mentees to see that they can achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams if they persevere and have solid expectations. I want my mentee to learn to be a self-sufficient young woman with high expectations. I hope I can teach her to believe in herself and know that with positive goals she can pursue anything she wishes in her future.
Learning about HBCU's

HBCU stands for " Historically Black Colleges & Universities ," institutions of higher learning founded
before 1964. Their primary mission was originally to provide a safe space where African Americans could receive an education following the Civil War, though students of any race or ethnicity may attend an HBCU. There are currently 103 HBCUs in America-half public, half private institutions.

To learn more about HBCU's click the video below: 

The Importance And Relevancy of HBCUs | The One Story
The Importance And Relevancy of HBCUs | The One Story
Would Your Mentee be Interested in a Summer Job?


Lawmakers, School Officials Eye Drop in Student Enrollment
 
Florida legislators and local education officials are trying to pinpoint what happened to nearly 90,000 "missing" public school students, as public school enrollment estimates have dropped amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A mid-school-year estimate by state economists projects that 87,811 fewer students have enrolled in public schools than were predicted to sign up for the 2020-2021 academic year. "Imagine a school district just closing. That's the size of this problem," House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, said.

Source: News Service of Florida

Gov. DeSantis' Budget Increases School Spending by $285 Million

Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking lawmakers for a $285 million increase in public-school funding in the coming year and to keep tuition rates flat for college and university students --- a potentially stark contrast to what House and Senate budget leaders have signaled could be coming. DeSantis released an overall $96.6 billion budget proposal for the 2021-2022 fiscal year under the slogan "Florida Leads," offering a rosy outlook on the state's financial future. The rollout came as lawmakers brace to negotiate a budget amid a roughly $2 billion shortfall brought on by COVID-19.  

Source: Florida Trend

Don't Count Standardized Tests This Year, Legislators Say

In an academic year marked by a pandemic and poor academic performance, students and teachers shouldn't face penalties for poor results on standardized tests, two Broward legislators say. Unlike last year, when the state canceled all standardized testing due to COVID-19, students would still take the exams, under a bill filed by freshman Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, and veteran Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale. But the tests would be low stakes, not high stakes.



Source: Tampa Bay Times
The College Success Team 
 
 
 
Director of TSIC
(813) 463-4283
Click the name of your assigned College Success Coach to email them.


College Success Coach
(813) 574-0272
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0271
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0264
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0269
Mark Your Calendar

Date
Event
Audience
Feb. 15th
HEF Office is closed in observance of
President's day
All
Feb. 16th
Free Training for Mentors: 
Understanding & Addressing Bullying
Click Here to Sign Up		All Mentors
Mar. 18th
Free Training for Mentors:
Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences 
Click Here to Sign Up
All Mentors

For more detailed information about the events occurring in Hillsborough County Public Schools, click the link below:
 
For more information, contact Anna Corman via email. 


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