Pinellas Education Foundation

The Pinellas Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by Gus A. Stavros in 1986. Based in Clearwater in Pinellas County, Florida, the foundation's primary aims are to improve educational opportunities in Pinellas County schools and improve the quality of public education. The foundation has raised over $140 million to support students and teachers in Pinellas County.[1] The Pinellas Education Foundation has been ranked first in the annual national study and ranking of K-12 Education Foundations for three consecutive years.[2]

Pinellas Education Foundation
Formation1986 (1986)
Founders
  • Gus A. Stavros
TypeNonprofit organization
(IRS exemption status): 501(c)(3)
PurposeEducation
HeadquartersClearwater, Florida, United States
Area served
Pinellas County, Florida
MethodScholarships, mentoring, and volunteering
Key people
Gus A. Stavros, founder
Stacy Baier, president
Doug Bishop, chairman
Websitepinellaseducation.org

History

In 1986, the Pinellas Education Foundation was founded by Gus A. Stavros.[1] The foundation is a coalition of business and community leaders, and is partnered with or sponsored by several businesses and organizations, including the Stavros Institute.[1] Terry Boehm served as the foundation's president from 2001 to 2017, before being succeeded by Stacy Baier (née Carlson) in March 2017.[3][4] In an annual nationwide study and ranking of K-12 Education Foundations, the Pinellas Education Foundation has been ranked first for three consecutive years, in 2014, 2015, and 2016.[2] In August 2018, the foundation's logo was changed from its original blue-and-white design, which featured an image of a graduation cap, to a logo with a sunburst graphic and a warmer color palette.[5]

In July 2018, Doug Bishop began serving a two-year term as the Chairman of the Pinellas Education Foundation. He replaced Gary Regoli, president of Achieva Credit Union.[6] In the following months, the Richard O. Jacobson Foundation donated $5 million to the Pinellas Education Foundation, which is the largest donation ever received by the nonprofit.[7] It was publicly given to the Foundation on November 30, 2018, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the renaming of Pinellas Technical High School to the Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School.[8] The Seminole high school originally opened in 1961 as the Largo-Seminole Agriculture Center, before being renamed as the Career Academies of Seminole and later Pinellas Technical High School.[9] The funds will contribute to the construction of a veterinary science building at the high school, while also helping "high-achieving minority and low-income students" to go on to higher education through a districtwide initiative known as Elevating Excellence.[7][9] At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Bishop stated that the Richard O. Jacobson Foundation has donated $7.5 million to the Pinellas Education Foundation in total.[7]

In March 2020, Pinellas Education Foundation was given $150,000 by Resiliency Fund for Pinellar Education Foundation's Digital Equity project, which aims to provide stable and high-speed internet for students.[10]

Programs and partnerships

Enterprise Village and Finance Park
Main article: Stavros Institute § Programs

Partnered with the Stavros Institute, the Pinellas Education Foundation helps run Enterprise Village and Finance Park, hands-on educational programs on economics and business. Enterprise Village, is designed for fifth-grade students.[11] After a unit of in-classroom learning, fifth-grade students at participating schools visit Enterprise Village, an indoor set of various artificial stores, where they learn to use checks and debit cards, and apply for and work in mock-up jobs at partnered companies.[12] Finance Park is the eighth-grade equivalent of Enterprise Village, with a focus on understanding insurance, along with using mathematics and decision-making skills to effectively budget healthcare, utilities, and other expenses.[11][13][14]

Next Generation programs

The foundation's Next Generation Entrepreneurs program, started in 2012, awards grants to students with innovative business ideas.[15][16] The Next Generation Tech program, started in 2016, provides high school students with real-world settings for developing software, while working with mentors and attending monthly workshops.[15][17] The program emphasizes the software development framework and the varied types of skills and career opportunities required to develop technology solutions.[18] The Tampa Bay Technology Forum named the Next Generation Tech program the Student Program of the Year for 2016.[19] On April 26, 2017, the Pinellas Education Foundation awarded a total of $30,000 to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-place winners of the 2016–17 Next Generation Competition, with first place for each program receiving $10,000, and the second and third places receiving $3,500 and $1,500, respectively.[15]

Stuff the Bus

In partnership with Fox 13 News[20] and the Pinellas County Council PTA,[21] the Pinellas Education Foundation sponsors and helps organize "Stuff the Bus" donation drives, in which businesses and members of the local community can donate school supplies before an upcoming school year.[22]

Take Stock in Children

Through donations, the foundation has awarded scholarships to over 1,200 low-income students in Florida through the Pinellas Take Stock in Children Scholarship program, in partnership with the statewide Take Stock in Children program.[23] The statewide program is a fellow nonprofit organization established in 1995.[24] Over 24,000 children have been enrolled in the overall program.[25]

Walker's Rising Stars

Established in 2003, the Walker's Rising Stars scholarship competition recognizes public high school junior and senior students with proficiency as visual or performing artists.[26] The young artists, in the fields of culinary arts, dance, instrumental, theatre, visual arts, and vocals, compete for up to $5,000 worth of scholarships distributed by the Pinellas Education Foundation, which are awarded to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-place finalists.[27][28][29]

References
  1. "About Us". Pinellaseducation.org. Pinellas Education Foundation. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  2. "Pinellas Education Foundation Ranks First in National Study of K-12 Education Foundations - 12/07/16". Pinellaseducation.org. Pinellas Education Foundation. 23 March 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  3. Colleen Wright (April 7, 2016). "Pinellas Education Foundation president to step down in 2017". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  4. Colleen Wright (December 14, 2016). "Stacy Carlson of Tampa named president of Pinellas Education Foundation". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  5. "Introducing Our New Logo". YouTube.com. Pinellas Education Foundation. August 23, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  6. "Doug Bishop appointed chairman of the Pinellas Education Foundation". Tampa Bay Newspapers Inc. July 11, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  7. Megan Reeves (September 25, 2018). "New name, veterinary science center for Pinellas Technical High School after $5 million donation". The Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  8. Tiffany Razzano (December 5, 2018). "Tech high school celebrates opening with ribbon cutting". Tampa Bay Newspapers Inc. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  9. Lauren Coffey (November 30, 2018). "$5 million Pinellas Education Foundation gift is a record-breaker, and hones in on the skills gap". Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  10. "Coronavirus pandemic inspires the Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  11. Kate Feldman (February 11, 2015). "Growing up quickly: Stavros Institute introduces students to adulthood". Tbnweekly.com. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  12. "Enterprise Village". Stavrosinstitute.org. Stavros Institute. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  13. "Finance Park". Stavrosinstitute.org. Stavros Institute. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  14. Taylor Katz (May 20, 2012). "Finance Park educates eighth graders on budgeting basics". WTSP. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  15. "Pinellas Education Foundation Awards $30,000 To The Winners of Its Next Generation Entrepreneurs And Next Generation Tech Programs". Tampa Bay Newswire. April 28, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  16. "Next Generation Entrepreneurs". Pinellaseducation.org. Pinellas Education Foundation. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  17. "Pinellas Education Foundation Awards $30,000 To The Winners of Its Next Generation Entrepreneurs And Next Generation Tech Programs". Tampa Bay Newswire. April 30, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  18. "Next Generation Tech Competition". Pinellaseducation.org. Pinellas Education Foundation. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  19. "The Pinellas Education Foundation's Next Generation Tech Program Named Student Program of the Year by Tampa Bay Technology Forum". Pinellaseducation.org. Pinellas Education Foundation. March 23, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  20. Harrison, Mariah (August 3, 2018). "Pinealls County stuffs a bus for kids in need". Fox 13 News. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  21. "Pinellas back-to-school events offer free supplies, and fun". The Tampa Bay Times. July 31, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  22. Martinez, Christina (August 12, 2019). "Stuff the bus for area students in need". WTSP. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  23. "Take Stock in Children". Pinellaseducation.org. Pinellas Education Foundation. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  24. "Scholarships, Mentors & Hope". Takestockinchildren.org. Take Stock in Children. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  25. "Our Program". Takestockinchildren.org. Take Stock in Children. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  26. Eric Horchy (May 26, 2017). "High-schoolers shine at Walker's Rising Stars competition". The Suncoast News. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  27. Terri Bryce Reeves (May 22, 2009). "Walker's Rising Stars Scholarship Gala showcases talented Pinellas student". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  28. "Twenty-three finalists go for top honors in Walker's Rising Stars competition". Tampa Bay Times. April 29, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  29. "The 13th Annual Walker's Rising Stars Scholarship Competition". The Weekly Challenger. May 12, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
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