[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 58 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN GRADUATION AND CONTRACT SIGNING 2010

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                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 22, 2010

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring to the 
attention of my colleagues the work of Take Stock in Children. This 
organization offers extraordinary educational and mentoring programs 
for disadvantaged youth throughout the state of Florida.
  Enrolling students as early as sixth grade, Take Stock in Children 
offers each child a college tuition scholarship, a volunteer mentor, a 
case manager, and long-term support. The children in the program sign 
performance contracts agreeing to get good grades; exhibit positive 
behavior and; remain drug and crime free.
  Through their programs, Take Stock in Children aims to reduce the 
number of high school drop-outs and increase the number of students who 
finish college and enter the workforce successfully. Since its 
inception in 1995, Take Stock in Children has served over 16,000 
children in 67 of Florida's counties, graduating 92 percent of its 
scholars in comparison with the state average of 65 percent. In my home 
county of Broward, over 900 low income students have received 
scholarships since 1996, with 550 volunteer mentors meeting with the 
students at their schools every week.
  I would like to congratulate the 72 Take Stock in Children senior 
scholars who will be graduating and the 85 new scholars who will be 
entering the program next week in Broward County. They join students 
graduating from around the state, 88 percent of which are first 
generation college-going students, empowered by the financial and moral 
support that this important program has provided over their high school 
career.
  I am proud today to honor the important work that Take Stock in 
Children continues to do paving the way to better lives for many 
disadvantaged children and helping them pursue the American dream of a 
college education.

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