Mentor Mark Roby, TSIC 2019 Grad Tristian Woolery, TSIC 2019 Grad Cole Yeager, and TSIC Executive Director Chuck Licis-Masson.

New Take Stock College Scholarships Available

MONROE COUNTY, FL, MARCH 31, 2021 – “Take Stock in Children is expanding in Monroe County,” declared Bryan Green, President of the Monroe County Education Foundation (MCEF). “Strengthening the alliance with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation has been an objective, and it has come to fruition!”

“The immediate result will be the availability of 50 additional four-year college scholarships,” according to Chuck Licis-Masson, Executive Director of the Monroe County Education Foundation and the Take Stock in Children Monroe program. “We will be accepting applications until June 30, 2021.”

The household income threshold levels are being raised, enabling more students to be eligible. “The Florida Prepaid College Foundation recognized the unique economic challenges for low-income households in Monroe,” Licis-Masson explained. The new eligibility levels are expanded to household annual incomes up to $60,000 for a family of four. The entire new income schedule is attached.

Eligible students currently in grades six through 10 are encouraged to apply. “Priority will be given to high achieving students with limited financial resources available for college expenses,” Licis-Masson said. “The usual requirements for Take Stock applicants will apply, including family tax returns for the last three years. All enrollees will be required to have a non-family mentor who will guide them once a week. Applicants who recruit an acceptable college graduate as their proposed mentor will be given preference.”

“Our agreement with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation provides a 1:1 match for all local donations.” Green said, “About $20,000 local funding will be needed to purchase the contract for each student to cover tuition and fees for four years in any of Florida’s 12 universities and 28 colleges. Florida Prepaid has promised to match whatever we do locally; so the sky is the limit!”

“We will work hard in April, May, and June to raise the funds and identify the eligible students so that this expansion will impact the greatest number of Monroe’s students on the verge of launching their higher education plans,” Licis-Masson said.

President Emeritus of MCEF, John Padget, Key West education activist and philanthropist joined Superintendent Teresa Axford in celebrating this dramatic expansion of Take Stock. “Take Stock has proven itself over 20 years, and we are thrilled with these expansion plans,” Padget and Axford said.

Take Stock in Children is the flagship program of the Monroe County Education Foundation. Nearly 800 scholarships have been granted to Monroe County students since 2000. More than 90% of those students have earned a college degree or career certificate, well above the national average.

For additional information or to access the application, visit www.monroecountyedfound.com/eligibility or contact the Take Stock in Children office at 305-293-1546.

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