INK! recognizes St. Johns County Take Stock in Children graduating seniors

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - May 19, 2023 - PRLog -- The St. Johns County Education Foundation which operates as Investing in Kids (INK!) hosted an awards ceremony to honor Take Stock in Children® (TSIC) graduating seniors in St. Johns County on May 15 at St. Augustine High School in St. Augustine, Fla.

Since 1998, INK! has been the exclusive umbrella agency in St. Johns County for Take Stock in Children® (TSIC), a statewide non-profit organization that offers deserving low-income students the unique opportunity to earn college scholarships through educational support, mentorship, and college success coaching.

Students apply to participate in TSIC when they are in the eighth grade in St. Johns County public schools. Upon acceptance into the program, they sign a contract to maintain a 2.5 grade point average (GPA), uphold good behavior and attendance, and stay drug and crime free. TSIC is a public-private partnership unique in the State of Florida.

The Take Stock in Children graduates are as follows:

Joseph Lepera          Allen D. Nease High          PV Women's Civic Alliance Scholarship

Celine Taylor          Allen D. Nease High          Davidson Cares/Riverside Homes Scholarship

Ren Cataldo          Pedro Menendez High          Sandra Goode Family Scholarship

Sierra Chamberlin     Pedro Menendez High         Margie Davidson Memorial Scholarship

Zara Johnston          Pedro Menendez High          Snyder Family Scholarship

Aja Rouselle          Pedro Menendez High          Ring Power Scholarship

Achilles Vela          Pedro Menendez High          St. Augustine Lions Club Scholarship

William Kittles          St. Augustine High          Davidson Cares/Vallencourt Scholarship

Daneja Berryhill       St. Augustine High          St. Augustine Lions Club Scholarship

Dalil Khan          Creekside High          Davidson Cares/Providence Homes Scholarship

Gabriel Casimiro        Bartram Trail High          Brooke J. Ladue Memorial Scholarship

Ameer Doufikar          Bartram Trail High          St. Augustine Lions Club Scholarship

Anjolee Romero          Bartram Trail High          John Paling/Diane Irish Scholarship

Wesley Wolfe          Bartram Trail High          Beaver Toyota Scholarship and James Wheeler Sr. Memorial Scholarship

Wolfe was awarded the James Wheeler Sr. Super Senior Scholarship for outstanding character, work ethic, community service, and academic success. The scholarship is valued at $6,000.  He will be attending the University of Florida in the fall semester.

Volunteer mentors for the class of 2023 were honored at the event including Anne Berkey, Kevin Bush, Jenny Cox, Gary Deck, Erin Dooley, Diane Farmer, Danny Gurr, Ian MacDonald, Rob Kenner, Yanetta Smith, and Kerri Murphy. They collectively volunteered more than 800 hours to mentor the TSIC Class of 2023. For more information, visit the website at www.ink-stjohns.org.