Veronia Sadek Named Leaders For Life Fellowship Recipient

Volusia Take Stock in Children (TSIC) scholar Veronia Sadek, a senior at Spruce Creek High School, received a surprise visit Jan. 20th in her classroom when representatives from FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools arrived to announce she had been selected as one of six statewide recipients of the annual Leaders for Life Fellowship. Joining in the surprise visit were Spruce Creek High School Principal Dr. Todd Sparger, FUTURES Foundation Board members Dr. Linda Bradley and David Jimenez, FUTURES Foundation Executive Director Cynthia Ramirez, Volusia TSIC Student Services & Mentor Coordinator Shimene Shepard and Volusia TSIC College Success Coach Carol Grogg.

“Receiving the Leaders For Life Fellowship will help me achieve my career goal of becoming a trauma surgeon,” stated Veronia Sadek of Port Orange, FL.

Sponsored by the Asofsky Family Foundation in partnership with the statewide Take Stock in Children (TSIC), the Leaders for Life (L4L) Fellowship enables the recipients to excel in a university environment by giving them the resources that empower them to develop their full potential as "leaders for life." The mission of L4L is to enable highly motivated TSIC scholars that have demonstrated strong leadership skills, moral character, and academic success, to excel in a university environment by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to empower them to develop to their fullest potential. The goal of L4L is to eliminate the financial burdens normally associated with a university education and allow the fellows to devote 100% of their attention to their studies and personal development.

Each year, more than 100 of TSIC’s top students from across Florida apply for the L4L fellowship program. Following a highly competitive selection process, only 12 high school seniors are chosen as finalists for this prestigious honor. In December 2020, Ms. Sadek learned she was a finalist for the fellowship program. From the group of 12, six students were selected as L4L fellowship recipients which will enable these well-rounded TSIC scholars to obtain resources for postsecondary success.

The L4L fellowship provides each student with up to $10,000 annually for leadership training and development, housing, food, textbooks, supplies, transportation needs, and other college-related expenses.

“We are so thankful for Mark Asofsky and his family foundation who have created an innovative fellowship that allows Take Stock in Children scholars the ability to enter a university without the financial concerns of non-tuition college expenses,” stated Shimene Shepard, Volusia TSIC Student Services & Mentor Coordinator. “Veronia is the second Volusia TSIC scholar to become a L4L fellow. In 2014, our scholar Kevin Tierney also from Spruce Creek High School was a L4L recipient. This is truly a life changing opportunity for Veronia, and we look forward to her continued success in college and beyond.”

In Volusia County, TSIC scholars are chosen in eighth grade through an application and selection process based upon financial need, academic achievement, good character, and community involvement. Scholars that are selected for TSIC agree to meet weekly with their mentor, remain crime/gang/drug/alcohol free, and maintain a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average. When the scholar meets these requirements, most Volusia TSIC scholars are awarded a four-year Florida Prepaid college tuition scholarship upon high school graduation. “FUTURES Foundation works directly with the Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Foundation S.T.A.R.S. (Scholarship Tuition For At-Risk Students) Program for dollar-for-dollar matching funds on the purchase of these scholarships which doubles our donors’ investment,” Shepard stated. TSIC applications from public school eighth graders planning to attend one of the 10 Volusia County public high schools are being accepted through Feb. 5, 2021 and can be accessed at www.futuresvolusia.org/Take-Stock-In-Children-6-17.html.

Donations to purchase scholarships are accepted throughout the year and mentors are always being recruited for TSIC scholars. Anyone interested in assisting with scholarship purchases or becoming a volunteer mentor devoting 30 minutes each week on school campus or virtually may contact Shepard at sashepa1@volusia.k12.fl.us or 386-255-6475, ext. 50724, for additional information.

Watch the surprise announcements at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTOkQz_RL5c&feature=youtu.be