HEF's Take Stock Team is excited to celebrate all the incredible mentors who have committed time, energy and resources to providing quality care and support to our scholars this year.

This is a great opportunity for mentors and mentees to wrap up the school year together at a fun event with food, recognition awards & raffles!

Date: June 1, 2023

Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

Address: 3800 Citibank Center

RSVP By: May 19, 2023

Have Questions? Contact TSIC Mentor Coordinator, Elisabet Rivera!

How did you become involved with mentoring through Hillsborough Education Foundation? My friend and my own mentor, Mike Kanter, a former TSIC mentor for many years, recommended it! 

What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring? Spending time with enthusiastic and energetic kids! I visit Chamberlain High School every week or two to visit my mentee over lunch. Being there in the middle of all that hope and energy really lifts me up! 

What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor? I try to be a good listener and observer. The more I learn about my mentee and students, the better I understand how I can help them.  

When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time? I spend time with my wonderful dog, who retired from work as a guide dog through Southeastern Guide Dogs, she is my third one. She’s so smart and caring! I also sing in a Community Choir at Metropolitan Ministries and do other volunteer work there and at Trinity Café. I also like to read!!

What do you hope your mentee will learn from you? That there is hope in every experience and every person. Seeing hope everywhere takes a little practice and requires a little muscle building, but finding that hope as you travel through the days is the best treasure of all.  

Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health.

Read about some resources that can benefit your mentee:

Your College Cares

Local college and community partners developed Your College Cares in hopes to build a safe space for college students looking for mental health resources in Tampa Bay. Whether that’s an article or campus link, they are there to lessen the stigma toward college mental health.

Many universities offer inclusive wellness services that include one-on-one counseling, student support, and other vital resources.

Yale's Happiness Course for Teens

A widely popular course at Yale University about the psychology of happiness has been retooled for teens. It teaches them how to better manage stress and feel happier as they navigate their high school years. The free, self-paced course uses TikTok-length videos to teach the feelings and thoughts that lead to mental well-being and how to obtain it. 

HEF's Take Stock in Children team is excited to host an in-person college tour to Hillsborough Community College's Trade Center.

Current middle and high school students, parents and their mentors are invited to join us. This is a great opportunity to stay in contact with your mentee over the summer!

• RSVP by Friday, June 9th - there are only 50 spots available!
• Date: Wednesday, June 14
• Drop-Off Time: 11:00AM
• Pickup Time: 1:00PM
• Drop-Off/Pickup Location: 5610 E. Columbus Drive Tampa, FL 33619
• Transportation: Students, parents and mentors will be responsible for their own transportation/parking.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact: Elisabet Rivera.

Please join HEF's Take Stock team in welcoming our new Director of TSIC, Mia Wuster. Read Mia's introduction below:

I am delighted to join the HEF TSIC team! As an alumna of Take Stock in Children, a first-generation college student, and a current nonprofit professional, I am thrilled to utilize my passions and skills to enhance the TSIC experience for both students and mentors.

My journey into the nonprofit sector began during my time as a Disney College Program intern, where I witnessed firsthand the lifechanging impact of Wish Granting on children and families. Since then, I have been committed to pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector, specifically focusing on youth development and education-based organizations. I have obtained a bachelor's degree in English Literature, master's degrees in both Nonprofit Management and Public Administration, and a fundraising certification from UCF (Go Knights!). Throughout my professional experience at organizations like Communities In Schools and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I have worked in various departments including volunteerism, development, marketing, data and operations.

At my core, I believe education has the power to not only change lives, but to change the world. Access to education certainly changed my world, and I'm so excited to support you all on your Take Stock in Children journey. 

Every year, HEF's TSIC program has outstanding seniors graduate from the program, and this year is no different. Join us in celebrating a few of our amazing graduating scholars!

• Student: Kaysar
• School: Chamberlain
• Rank: Valedictorian
• Weighted GPA: 6.83
• College: Princeton 
• Major: Economics

• Student: Ariel
• School: Chamberlain
• Rank: Salutatorian
• Weighted GPA: 6.05
• College: HCC 
• Major: Computer & Information Sciences

• Student: Maria
• School: Jefferson
• Rank: Salutatorian
• Weighted GPA: 5.65
• College: HCC
• Major: Nursing

• Student: Alejandra
• School: Lennard
• Rank: Salutatorian
• Weighted GPA: 6.49
• College: USF
• Major: Engineering

• Student: Nevaeh
• School: Spoto
• Rank: Salutatorian 
• Weighted GPA: 7.52
• College: FIU
• Major: Biomedical Science

Click the name of your College Success Coach to email them!

Mia Wuster

Director of TSIC

(813) 574-0271

Mark Your Calendar

For more detailed information about the events occurring in Hillsborough County Public Schools, view the HCPS Calendar.