Tag Archive for: disadvantaged students

Highlighting the Scholar Communities of the Take Stock in Children Palm Beach/Johnson Scholars Program

January 21, 2026/in Gbolade George, News, Take Stock in Children/Johnson Scholars Program

By Gbolade George

3 E’s: Equip, Empower, and Expose

Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County, the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, and the School District of Palm Beach County (TSICJS) collaborate to eliminate barriers to post-secondary success. Through this unique partnership, students gain access to community mentors, comprehensive career readiness support, and a two-year Florida Prepaid Scholarship upon graduation.

These efforts are anchored in TSICJS Scholar Communities across 13 district high schools, which provide the essential resources to equip and empower students for their future endeavors.

Equip

Students in the Take Stock in Children/Johnson Scholars program are equipped with skills that are aligned with post-secondary success.

Ambassador Elections – Student Leadership

TSICJS coordinators facilitate student officer elections, providing a platform for participants to develop public speaking and leadership skills through active campaigning. Once elected, ambassadors and student leaders play a vital role in the program by collaborating with coordinators to design and implement various on-campus events and activities.

A Palm Beach Lakes High School TSICJS student gives an election speech, running for Scholar Community President.

Student Resume Workshops

Many TSICJS Scholar Communities host resume workshops in collaboration with TSICJS college coaches or school-based experts, such as English Language Arts department chairs. Recently, Santaluces High School ambassadors spearheaded a workshop during their fall meeting, where students utilized Canva to design and update their professional resumes.

Santaluces’ student-led resume workshop.

AmeriCorps College and Career Readiness Series

AmeriCorps service volunteers dedicate a year of service as college and career readiness Coaches for the TSICJS program. In this capacity, they facilitate workshops on wellness, financial literacy, and resume building, while also equipping students with professional techniques for formal interviews.

AmeriCorps College Coach with a TSICJS student during a mock interview.

Expose

TSICJS students are exposed to opportunities to grow their career interests and goals by attending college exploration trips, and by sharing development opportunities with their school-wide communities.

PBSC Career Exploration: October 2025

In October, 10th-grade TSICJS Scholars participated in a career exploration day at Palm Beach State College. Students explored the advantages of dual enrollment and early admission while engaging in hands-on experiences across various fields, including criminal justice, machining, cybersecurity, and nursing.

Mock courtroom students acting out an impromptu court case.

Palm Beach State College Career & Industry Panel

TSICJS Scholars at Royal Palm Beach High School facilitated a career and industry panel during College and Career Spirit Week. The event featured a diverse group of professionals who discussed how education shaped their growth and opened doors to new opportunities. By sharing stories of alternative paths—such as trade schools and military service—the panelists demonstrated that the road to success takes many forms, providing students with a broader perspective on their postsecondary options.

Royal Palm Beach High School Students and career panel participants.

Empower

TSICJS students are empowered to develop leadership skills that positively influence their school environments. Across the 13 scholar communities, selected student leaders receive direct mentorship from their coordinators to foster growth and create a lasting impact on their campuses.

Student-Led TSICJS Recruitment

Students lead recruitment events to share the advantages of community mentorship and highlight growth opportunities, including college visits, resume development, career connections, and academic pathway support.

John I. Leonard High School Students presenting TSICJS to interested 9th grade students.

Fall Clothing Drive

TSICJS Scholars at Forest Hill High School organized their second annual school-wide Thanksgiving Clothing Drive, uniting the campus around the goal of community service. The initiative successfully collected over 25 bags of clothing and shoes for the local community, while providing participating students with at least four community service hours each.

Forest Hill High School TSICJS Scholars delivering donated goods.

The School District of Palm Beach County is grateful for its enduring collaboration with Take Stock in Children Palm Beach and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. For 15 years, this partnership has transformed the lives of students and families throughout the county, providing the essential resources and support necessary for long-term post-secondary success.

This blog was written by our grantee partner, Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County. It is shared here with permission.

Moving Forward, Serving Others: PBA Alum Reflects on College and Career

May 26, 2025/in News, Palm Beach Atlantic University

Moving Forward, Serving Others: Haitian Heritage Month at PBA

PBA alumna and Johnson Scholar Hangyna Ward (née: Jean) loves helping others—in fact, it’s been a big part of her life. From volunteering in student clubs at PBA to her current role in the public sector, she radiates servant leadership.

Born and raised in West Palm Beach, Ward recalls her father encouraging her to pursue higher education, try new things, and not be afraid to fail.

“My dad came from Haiti without much of an education, but he gave us a great lifestyle; we didn’t want for anything,” she says. “He said, ‘This is what we did with limited resources—imagine what you could do with a college degree.’ He told me not to fear; pursue my heart’s desire and God will do the rest.”

Forging a Path Ahead

Before transferring to PBA, she attended Palm Beach State College. Though Ward considered other local universities, she wanted a place where God was at the center and she could be around like-minded individuals. With a goal to enter into social services, she chose to study psychology and minor in politics.

“I have a heart for people. Before my current position, I was a case manager and worked with domestic violence shelters; I also would speak in prisons,” she says. “I love the study of the mind… Not just learning why people act the way they act, but also finding a solution for it.”

She also participated in PBA Praise, a gospel music ensemble—even becoming president during her senior year and meeting her future husband, Joshua there—and the Black Student Union, where she supported worship nights, spoken word events, and meetings.

“PBA shaped me tremendously,” shares Ward, who graduated in 2015. “In leadership, you deal with a lot of scenarios that may be hard; you have to make hard decisions and be a light.” She adds that PBA helped her learn to show God’s love through her character and how she navigates conflict.

Hangyna Ward, a Johnson Scholar and alum from Palm Beach Atlantic University, poses for a photo in downtown West Palm Beach. She's surrounded by palm trees and is wearing a gray blazer and black shirt. She has black glasses and medium length black hair.

Hangyna Ward now serves as community engagement manager for the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller.

Shining a Light through Service

Indeed, Ward has had countless opportunities to reflect God’s love in her career, from serving as a case manager for Henderson Behavioral Health and earning a master’s degree in criminology to being an economic empowerment advocate at the YWCA of Palm Beach County.

In 2021, she joined the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, racking up promotions along the way. Now as community engagement manager, she partners with local organizations to serve Palm Beach County residents, from job training to housing programs and more.

In 2023, Ward launched the Clerk’s first-ever community resource fair. The annual fair gives residents an opportunity to learn about affordable housing, mental health services, re-entry programs, and get fresh food from organizations like Feeding South Florida. Since its inception, the fair has served over 700 people.

She’s also a 2024-2025 graduate of Leadership Glades. Hosted by the Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce, participants learn about the region’s business landscape, public services, and ways to better support the community. Located in western Palm Beach County, the rural region faces unique housing, environmental, and economic challenges. Ward hopes to bring a community resource fair to the area, ensuring residents can access these critical services.

“I have the best job in government. I get to create what I call ‘impact events,’” she says, smiling. “My job is for the people. I’m not just bringing flyers—it’s in-person, real assistance.”

For Ward, celebrating Haitian Heritage Month means strength, not giving up, and remembering to keep moving forward, especially as she thinks about her two young children.

“Haitians have a lot of history where we could have been down—but yet we still stand, and we’re building that resilience,” she reflects. “I am not where my parents were. And I am looking ahead at ways to provide greater opportunities for generations to come.”

This blog post was originally published by our grantee partner, Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), in honor of Haitian Heritage Month. It is shared here with permission.

From High School to College: Advice from Boys Hope Girls Hope Freshman Collegians

February 26, 2025/in Boys Hope Girls Hope, News

This article was originally written by Martin Totland at Boys Hope Girls Hope, one of the Foundation’s grantee partners. It is shared here with permission.

The transition from high school to college is a significant milestone for Boys Hope Girls Hope scholars.

“Make sure you’re prepared for the realities of student life and pick a major that you’ll love working in for years to come.” — Hesed Cruz, Santa Clara University

For first-generation college students, this journey is both exciting and challenging, full of unexpected experiences, moments of personal growth, and valuable lessons. We spoke with three of our collegians, Hesed Cruz and Cynthia Moran from Boys Hope Girls Hope of Arizona, and Ja’lyn Thomas Jackson from Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado, to learn about their first-year college experiences and the advice they have for high school scholars preparing for the next, big chapter of their lives.

“At Boys Hope Girls Hope, ensuring our young people are prepared for the future is a major priority,” said James Williams, Director of Post-Secondary Success and Strategic Partnerships at Boys Hope Girls Hope Network Headquarters. “Through unwavering support, mentorship, and resources, we help young people prepare for, transition to, and thrive in college, equipping them with the tools to overcome challenges, unlock their potential, and build brighter futures for them and their community.”

Hesed Cruz: Learning Independence and Staying True to Your Values

Santa Clara University – Communications and Film Studies

Hesed Cruz, an out-of-state, first-generation Hispanic college student, reflects on the surprises and challenges of college life at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit university and Boys Hope Girls Hope partner school situated at the heart of Silicon Valley.

“My experience was really unexpected,” he said. “I didn’t anticipate having flexible schedules or the amount of support professors offered. But at the same time, being far from home was harder than I thought. I miss it sometimes.”

Hesed has found college to be a mix of challenges and rewards, such as striking the right balance between socializing and studying. Despite that, Hesed has found value in being a LEAD scholar at Santa Clara University, a program for first-generation college students that assists in academic planning and success, community engagement, and vocational exploration. “[The program] connected me with students who share similar struggles and offers mentorship and guidance for my college journey,” Hesed said.

He advises Boys Hope Girls Hope scholars to reflect carefully on their readiness to leave home and to choose a college and major that aligns with their goals and happiness. “Make sure you’re prepared for the realities of student life and pick a major that you’ll love working in for years to come,” Hesed emphasized.

Cynthia Moran: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Embracing Opportunity

University of Arizona – Political Science

“The scholars who are the most successful are the ones who take advantage of their opportunities.” — Cynthia Moran

Cynthia Moran has found her first semester both fulfilling and transformative. “I’ve realized I belong in every room I step into,” Cynthia says. “As first-generation students, we often struggle with imposter syndrome, but I’ve learned to prioritize my goals while staying connected to my family.”

Though only two hours from home, studying at Arizona State University, Cynthia faced homesickness and missed family moments, such as her sisters’ soccer games and school dances. “Thankfully, my family calls every day to remind me how much they love me,” Cynthia shares.

Despite these challenges, Cynthia has embraced numerous opportunities, from networking in the Latino Lawyers Club to canvassing for Mi Familia Vota. She also participated in voter education initiatives and shared her family’s experiences with NPR during a pivotal election season.

Cynthia’s advice to Boys Hope Girls Hope scholars is to never let fear hold them back. “Apply for that internship, network, and pursue your passions,” she encourages. “You are capable of doing more than you think. Don’t close doors out of fear of the unknown.”

Cynthia’s experiences in her first year of college track closely with what Alexandra Harmon, the College and Career Success Director at the Arizona affiliate, sees again and again in her work with scholars and collegians.

“The scholars who are the most successful are the ones who take advantage of their opportunities,” Harmon said. “Apply to the internship, join the club, talk to the guest speaker after class. This leads to a snowball effect where more opportunities keep opening up to them: that conversation leads to a research position, or the internship leads to an even better paying job. As the saying goes, ‘Ninety percent of success is just showing up.’ The ones who stand out from their peers are the ones who put themselves out there.”

Ja’lyn Thomas Jackson: Thriving in a Supportive College Community

University of Virginia – Business/Arts and Sciences Undeclared

Ja’lyn Thomas Jackson, a first-year student at the University of Virginia, has embraced the rewards and challenges of college life.

“So far, I’ve really been enjoying UVA,” Ja’lyn shares. “There are times when school can get tense and hard, like during economics exam weeks or while applying to the business school, but aside from those times, it’s extremely rewarding being here.”

Ja’lyn highlights the diversity and connectedness of college life. “I’ve been able to learn so much because it’s such a diverse setting. There’s always someone willing to share their experiences, and professors teach unique courses. I was really surprised by the sense of community at a big school like UVA—it’s far more connected than I expected.”

For Ja’lyn, rewarding moments include attending office hours and building relationships with professors. “You feel so much more confident after meeting with a professor about the material,” Ja’lyn explains.

His advice to scholars is straightforward yet powerful: “Find a good support system that will help you thrive while you’re here, and most importantly, remember to have fun.”

A Message of Encouragement

Hesed, Cynthia, and Ja’lyn agree that college is a time of growth, learning, and self-discovery. Their stories show that every challenge is an opportunity to grow, and every success is a step toward a brighter future, something Boys Hope Girls Hope hopes to provide for every scholar who comes through our program.

For our high school scholars, their advice is clear: prepare a lot and really sit down to think through what you want out of college, stay true to your values, be open to new experiences, and believe in your potential. The journey ahead may be daunting, but with the support of Boys Hope Girls Hope, and your own determination, anything is possible.

Full Circle: A University of Florida Journey

December 16, 2024/in News, University of Florida

One of the first MFOS graduates looks back on the program’s generational impact, celebrates her daughter’s own University of Florida journey

This article was written by our grantee partner, the University of Florida, about a Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship (MFOS) recipient. JSF helps support this nationally recognized program through a matching grant. The article is shared here with permission.

Khrysten Sears Spencer (B.A. ’09) wore an orange University of Florida (UF) alumni T-shirt and a blue Gator logo belt as she walked up the large white staircase in the Reitz Union. Her eyes widened as she took out her phone, paused and used it to scan the interior.

“It’s changed so much,” she said as she followed the crowd toward the freshman orientation.

Sears Spencer’s daughter, Allannah Dean, a member of the class of 2028, stuck to her side as they found seats in the first row in the ballroom for the beginning of Preview. They opened their pamphlets and chatted with another Gator family seated behind them before the speaker began.

This first-year orientation experience isn’t new to them.

Eighteen years earlier, Sears Spencer traveled with Allannah, who was under a year old, from their home in Belle Glade—a rural town lined with sugar cane and spotted with football fields about 255 miles south of Gainesville—to begin her own freshman year. It was a life-changing feat she may not have managed without being accepted into the inaugural 2006 class of Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars (MFOS), UF’s nationally known and recognized program for low-income, first-generation college students.

College Dreams Come to Life

Sears Spencer found out that she would be the valedictorian of Glades Central Community High School the day after she gave birth to Allannah. Both of her parents attended college but neither graduated. Her father was a carpenter and her mother worked as a child-care provider.

Despite her stellar academic achievements, doubt crept in. Some people told her she should shelve her dreams because of the responsibilities of motherhood. But she refused to give up.

“Just proving them wrong. It could be done. It would be difficult, but not impossible,” she said.

Sears Spencer’s mother was initially worried for her daughter. She had been a teen mom herself and intimately understood those complexities and hardships. But she quickly turned her concern to support, telling Sears Spencer to hunt for scholarships that would ease her financial burden. By then, she had already secured a Bright Futures scholarship to cover 75% of her tuition. They both hoped a full ride opportunity would present itself.

That’s where the newly created Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship came in.

Leslie Pendleton, founding director of MFOS and now executive director of University Initiatives for UF Advancement, said former UF president Bernie Machen drove the program’s creation. He had assembled a similar program for first-generation students during his prior role as president at the University of Utah and dreamed of doing something larger and more impactful at UF.

“There is a hole in our financial-aid system,” Machen said when the program was announced in 2006.

He went on to describe how the University of Florida was losing out on hundreds of students every year who might qualify for Bright Futures scholarships but otherwise didn’t have the money to pay for room, board and assorted living costs. The year before MFOS began, there were more than 400 applicants from families making less than $40,000 who were ultimately admitted to UF but decided not to enroll. The MFOS program was designed to close that gap and ensure those students—students like Sears Spencer—could not only afford to enroll in UF, they could pursue their studies debt-free.

Khrysten Sears Spencer (left) with her daughter, Allannah, at the University of Florida. Photo by Jennifer Romero (B.S. ’19).

Pendleton helped build the early stages of MFOS. Not only did the university invest in scholarship support from the beginning, but it also provided numerous resources like peer mentors, financial literacy education and community building activities to make these students feel at home on UF’s campus.

“It wasn’t just, ‘Hey, we’re going to give you a scholarship, figure it out.’ It was, ‘We’re going to give you the support to succeed and thrive here,’” Pendleton said.

The vision was to build an inclusive community of scholars who would be the first in their families to graduate from college and who would go on to share their success across their communities, she said. Access was the key. President Machen wanted to make sure the University of Florida was within reach for all high-achieving students, not just those who could afford it.

Sears Spencer’s inaugural MFOS class had more than 400 students. Pendleton said it was important to start big so the incoming scholars felt like they were part of a community and were able to navigate their early college lives together.

The program has now grown into a national standout. MFOS students graduate at the same rate as their peers, they are successful in the workplace, and they give back to the university faster than anyone else, Machen said in a recent interview.

“When you really go inside these kids’ lives and look at what they’ve been through to get here, you can’t believe it,” Machen said. “What I came to realize is that we don’t make them special. We find them, and they are special. We just give them a little nurturing and a little help, and then they do the rest on their own.”

A Life-changing Gator Experience

Sears Spencer and her mother drove to Gainesville a week or two before officially moving to find a daycare that was reasonably priced and close to campus. She didn’t have a car her first year, so the woman who ran the daycare would pick up Allannah in the mornings.

Khrysten Sears Spencer holds a photo of herself with her daughter, Allannah, taken years ago. Photo by Jennifer Romero (B.S. ’19).

She was also able to form a small community on campus. Her and another student who had two children would schedule playdates with Allannah, and a friend who Sears Spencer knew from high school offered to help whenever she could.

“I didn’t really have the traditional college experience because I was known as the girl who took her kid to college with her,” she said. “I had to take care of her. I had to get through it. That was sort of my mindset. I don’t have the luxury of playing around. I have someone to raise.”

During her time at UF, she did her best to experience campus life, going to sporting events and even having dinner at the president’s house where she met her scholarship’s namesake, President Machen. Sears Spencer graduated from UF in 2009 within three years, all while raising Allannah.

If not for MFOS and the University of Florida, Sears Spencer said she might never have found her current career path. She started as a psychology major but transitioned to a communications science and disorders degree. She now works as a speech-language pathologist in the Palm Beach County school district, where she diagnoses and treats kids who have speech and language disorders. She didn’t initially plan to go back to her hometown of Belle Glade, but she is happy to give back to her community.

“I do feel like being able to go off to UF, have everything paid for, that I was able to get into a career that I had never heard of before,” she said. “I am extremely grateful for it. I do not know where I would be without it because it really changed my whole path in life.”

I do feel like being able to go off to UF, have everything paid for, that I was able to get into a career that I had never heard of before. I am extremely grateful for it [MFOS]. I do not know where I would be without it because it really changed my whole path in life. —Khrysten Sears Spencer

Through Her Daughter’s Eyes

Allannah Dean also went to Glades Central Community High School, where she graduated No. 3 in her class and received a full Bright Futures scholarship.

When she graduated, she gave a farewell speech to her class. As Sears Spencer sat in the stands listening to her daughter, she thought about how just 18 years earlier, she delivered a similar speech to the same high school with an infant Allannah in the stands.

Allannah’s final college decision came down to the University of Miami and UF, but she found herself drawn to her mother’s alma mater. She visited Gainesville in the summer of 2023 for the UF Student Science Training Program, and she said she liked the college-town feel.

“I was raised to be a Gator,” she said. “It was a no-brainer.”

Allannah plans to pursue an engineering degree—for now she has her sights set on nuclear engineering. She started UF in Summer 2024 in STEPUP (the Successful Transition and Enhanced Preparation for Undergraduates program) within the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. The program offers an accelerated transition into university life and connects students to a community of mentors, faculty and industry leaders.

Allannah’s University of Florida bucket list consists of studying abroad, cheering at Gator football games and sunbathing at Lake Wauburg.

Sears Spencer said Allannah is quiet but more independent than she was at her age. She filled out every college application and financial aid paperwork on her own, and she was proactive at finding organizations to join at UF. But she still makes time to call her mom every day.

“This is where it all began for us,” she said. “I tell her all the time, ‘Enjoy your college experience. You’ll make lifelong friends, enjoy it. Don’t get too crazy, definitely, but enjoy it and also take advantage of the opportunities.’”

Sears Spencer knows firsthand the power of those opportunities. As she reminisced about her own time at UF, she said she’s grateful for how the MFOS program positively shaped her and Allannah’s lives and appreciates how special it is to bring the story full circle through her daughter’s own UF experience.

Regalia of Resilience: PBA Grad Reflects on the Power of Education

May 23, 2024/in News, Palm Beach Atlantic University

This article was originally published by our grantee partner, Palm Beach Atlantic University. It is shared here with permission.

Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) graduate and Fulbright recipient Niang Thang ‘24 knows a thing or two about the importance of education—though she didn’t always believe in it. Over the past seven years, she’s seen how higher education, mentorship, and the transformative power of belief can help someone move from feeling stuck to living out their dreams.

Niang Thang lives with her parents, who are immigrants from Myanmar, in West Palm Beach. During her early high school years, Thang struggled with her mental health and some academic challenges.

Thang’s parents went into panic mode, unsure of how to respond to their only child’s struggles. Their solution? Pray.

“They loved and cared for me; they wanted to do what was best,” she shared. “They turned to God—they said, ‘We don’t know what to do, so the only thing we can do is trust [Him] and His will.’”

Finding Academic Renewal at PBA

A couple of years later, Niang Thang was ready for something more.

“Something sparked in me,” she reflected. “I wanted to build a future for myself.”

She heard about PBA from her friend’s sister, who attended the university. Though Niang Thang was reluctant to apply, her friend encouraged her.

A month later, Thang received her acceptance letter.

Thang entered PBA as a freshman in fall 2020, while navigating college life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second-generation college student says her past experiences of learning how to manage her mental health helped her thrive during the pandemic.

Thang also credits her success to PBA’s supportive community. She was particularly moved by the genuine care that faculty and staff demonstrated—especially as she entered PBA with an undeclared major.

“When I was trying to choose, I met with my career mentor, Jennifer Fonseca,” she said. “She guided me and helped me figure out my major. She had a willingness to help me.”

After diligently researching and identifying programs that best mirrored her passions and goals, Thang chose to study psychology and pursue a chemistry minor. She was also accepted into the Frederick M. Supper Honors Program.

Now, she’s the Class of 2024 Outstanding Graduate of the psychology department.

“I came into PBA as one person, now I’m graduating as another,” Thang said. “PBA had a big role in transforming me. I started with nothing—but I felt like I had such potential and big dreams.”

Thang added that she could focus on her academic and career goals thanks to the scholarships she received, including the 2024 Women of Distinction Scholarship, which gives funds to female students who excel in academics, service, and leadership, and the Johnson Scholarship, which is distributed to PBA students with demonstrated financial need.

“They made it easier [for me] to go to school,” she said. “My peers are worried about how to pay for school, or they’re in debt. I don’t have to feel burdened because I don’t have to work and sacrifice my grades. The scholarships saved me and my parents from that financial burden. I am honored to have been chosen.”

In addition to easing the financial pressures, the scholarships enabled Thang to thrive in a full-time academic routine—which, in turn, helped spark conversations with her parents about her hopes and dreams.

“We started talking about my future and my passions,” she shared. “They were very open-minded. I would have thought that they wanted me to go into pre-med! But I was comfortable talking with them.”

Looking Ahead: Fulbright and Future Goal

This summer, Thang will embark on a year-long English teaching assistantship to Taiwan under the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Though she wasn’t initially planning to apply, a professor urged her to consider it, and she took a leap of faith. Guided by Dr. Carl Miller, associate professor of English and PBA faculty coordinator for the Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships, Thang prepared her application last semester while also applying to graduate programs.

Last month, she learned that she received the Fulbright.

“Tears started flowing; I was in utter shock. I couldn’t believe it,” Thang said, adding that these moments remind her to believe in herself. “People would think I was a failure with no future—but there was something in me that said I knew better.”

After her teaching assistantship, Thang wants to continue her education and become a clinical psychologist.

“No matter what, I can do and achieve much more,” she reflected. “PBA is something special—I’ve never encountered people like this. These professors are investing in our lives, and their belief in me [reminded me] that I can thrive. I don’t think I would have done as well as I did if I attended another school.”

To learn more about PBA’s psychology and counseling programs, click here.

To watch PBA’s 2024 Commencement recap video, click here.

Palm Beach Atlantic University is a core grantee partner of JSF. At the bequest of its founders, the Foundation distributes $1.2 million to PBA each year. The funds provide scholarships to qualified students who wish to pursue higher education but cannot otherwise afford to do so.

First-Gen FAU Graduate Uses Accounting to Pay it Forward

April 24, 2024/in Florida Atlantic University, News

Christopher Gonzalez (front row, third from left) with other Florida Atlantic University Johnson Scholars and JSF board members, staff and consultants, during a JSF site visit in March 2023.

First Generation Johnson Transfer Scholar and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) graduate Christopher Gonzalez believes helping others can make a big difference in someone’s life. After experiencing it firsthand, he was inspired to do the same for others.

Gonzalez grew up in Hialeah, Florida. His parents are Cuban immigrants, and every year during tax season, he joined his mom on outings to their CPA to file taxes.

“The [CPA] was so helpful,” he says. “She spoke fluent Spanish and would talk to us and show us how bills or [anything else] would affect the tax return. It always helped, because I feel like every dollar counted.”

For his family, education was always highly regarded.

“They knew that me getting an education would be very important—like typical parents, they wanted me to be a doctor,” he laughs. “They wanted me to do good in school, and growing up, [they] made sure I was completing my homework and doing well in classes.”

Those CPA meetings, combined with Gonzalez’s affinity for math and numbers, helped him decide what he wanted to do with his life.

“It always piqued my interest, and I felt like I could do this someday to help other families,” he says.

With a goal to pursue accounting, he started his higher education career at Palm Beach State College (PBSC)—partly because he loved Palm Beach County and partly because his father lived in West Palm Beach.

“I fell in love with the area, so I moved to West Palm Beach on my own and enrolled at PBSC,” he says.

After receiving his associate’s degree, he transferred to FAU in 2021 with a spot in the accounting scholars program. He was also accepted to the very first cohort of FAU’s Johnson Transfer Scholars Program, which aims to improve the retention, matriculation, graduation and career readiness of first-generation transfer students.

Gonzalez says the scholarship enabled him to worry less about finances and focus on his studies.

“The events I went to also got me out of my comfort zone,” he recalls. “At PBSC I would park, go to class, and then get back to my car and leave. I started to enjoy going to these events [at FAU] and hearing other people’s stories.”

He was even invited to attend lunch with the Johnson Scholarship Foundation in March 2023, where he was able to share his journey with JSF staff, board members, and consultants.

In addition to easing the financial burden, Gonzalez believes the scholarship program’s mentorship offerings contributed to his success.

When he first began at FAU, he was assigned a mentor, whom he met five times per semester to ensure he was on track with his goals. He also met with the career development team to review his résumé, go over job interview questions, and make sure he was prepared for future career opportunities.

“It was good to know I had someone to reach out to if I had any questions or concerns,” Gonzalez says. “FAU offers a lot of resources, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming. Knowing there was someone specifically assigned to help was great. It felt easy to ask for help—and if [my mentor] couldn’t help me, he would connect me with someone or share resources.”

Gonzalez graduated with his bachelor’s in accounting in December 2023. This August, he will begin a fellowship at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of the Big Four accounting firms. While at PwC, he’ll be working toward his master’s through the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.

When he thinks about his future, Gonzalez says he wants to help as many people as possible, especially families and single parents.

His advice to others who want to chase their dreams? Set a goal and keep moving forward.

“Never give up or fall into the pressures of what a normal college path looks like,” he advises. “It took me six years to get my associate’s. If you take one step forward, it’s still one step closer to where you’re meant to go.”

Providence St. Mel Student Earns 36 on ACT

April 16, 2024/in News, Providence St. Mel School

This article was originally published in the Johnson Scholarship Foundation’s 2023 annual report about Providence St. Mel School, a grantee partner of the foundation. Click here to read more content from the annual report.

Mario Hoover earned the nickname “Mr. 36” from achieving a perfect ACT score in 2022. He was the first student at Providence St. Mel School (PSM) to earn the accomplishment.

Located on Chicago’s West Side, Providence St. Mel has offered preschool through high school students a high-quality education for more than four decades. JSF provides a matching grant for the school’s Paul J. Adams III Purple & Gold Scholarship Fund. The fund, named after Chicago civil rights activist, educator, and PSM founder, offers vital financial and academic support to economically disadvantaged students during their middle and high school years.

“I never imagined I would get a perfect score,” Hoover said to ABC7 Chicago—one of several interviews in which he participated. “To me, it means doing the best that I can to boost my academic career and professional career to inspire others to do the same.”

Hoover began attending PSM in the third grade after his public elementary school closed. Christel Ward, PSM’s dean of students, recalls having him in class.

“To me, it means doing the best that I can to boost my academic career and professional career to inspire others to do the same.”

“I watched Mario grow up and excel,” said Ward, who has worked at PSM for over 25 years. “Because of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, we’ve been able to help students excel and get ready for college.”

Following that top ACT score, Hoover kept pursuing his studies. The summer before his senior year, Hoover attended a two-week program at the University of Oxford to study neuroscience.

A PSM student works on an assignment in the classroom during a site visit from the JSF team in September 2023.

In addition to achieving a perfect ACT score and a 3.9 GPA, Hoover participated in PSM’s concert choir and on the track and debate teams. He also tutored social studies and English and volunteered at a nearby hospital and the local Boys & Girls Club. During his senior year, he competed in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Series for solo and ensemble, earning a Division I rating and an IHSA All-State Honorable Mention. He also advanced to the Chicago regional finals of the August Wilson Monologue Competition, which introduces students to the 20th-century playwright and his American Century Cycle through workshops and masterclasses.

Now, Hoover is a freshman at the University of Chicago, a top research institution, on a full scholarship. He’s majoring in neuroscience and pursuing a minor in music. His hard work and accomplishments exemplify the power of education and Providence St. Mel’s commitment to its students—including those who may not be able to afford a private school education.

“Education changes lives,” said Ward. “It isn’t just an investment in yourself. You’re using that tool to make a difference somewhere else—individually, in your school, or in your community. Change is about not staying where you were. It’s progress.”

First-Generation College Grad Helps University of Florida Students Reach for Success

February 20, 2024/in News, University of Florida

Growing up, Cherrelle “Elle” Collins dreamed of going to college like she saw on TV. She also wanted a career that would help people. Now as a first-generation college graduate, she’s living out her dream—empowering historically low-income, first-gen students at the University of Florida to reach for success like she did.

As director of the nationally recognized Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars (MFOS) Program—which JSF helps support through a matching grant—Collins works hard to ensure each student receives individualized attention and mentoring as they experience college life.

But without her own mentors guiding her along the way, she may not have pursued helping others through access work.

Collins shares that her childhood was a mix of challenges and aspirations.

“College wasn’t something we talked about around the dinner table or dreamed about at a young age,” she explains. “I always felt inspiration from people who look like me on TV—series like The Cosby Show and how those people navigated college with success. That sparked this idea of college, and it took root in my mind as a possibility.”

Thankfully, Collins had an army of mentors and educators supporting her during her elementary and teenage years.

“I think about my fifth-grade English teacher and my cheer and dance coaches, who told me they saw potential in me,” she says.

As high school graduation neared, Collins and her mother began having serious conversations about her future.

That got Collins thinking: Who did she want to be? She knew she wanted to go to college, but believed her educational outcomes needed to outweigh the cost of tuition. So, Collins focused on surgical technology, beginning her higher education journey at Niagara County Community College, outside of Buffalo, New York. In 2012, she received her associate’s degree before attending the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) as a nursing major.

But along the way, conversations with UB administrators and professors stirred something more in Collins.

“They helped me see my potential,” she recalls. “I thought there was only one way out—I had to [study] medicine or engineering to save my family from poverty. I recognized through those mentors that I could lean into what I was passionate about. And I wanted to be in a helping profession.”

Elle Collins at University of Florida. Photo courtesy of UF Student Life, by Matt August.

These fruitful discussions helped Collins realize she could help students with stories similar to hers. So, she switched her major to health and human services and graduated in 2014. She then pursued a master’s degree in higher education administration at UB.

During that time, she also served as assistant director for college success initiatives at Say Yes Buffalo, which helps remove educational and employment barriers for students in area public and charter schools. While there, she helped open college success centers in over 20 high schools.

It was the start of her dream career.

Sadly, something tragic happened in her first year of grad school. Collins lost her mother.

“Everything reminded me of what I was going through,” she shares. “My mom, who was a woman of faith, always instilled this idea that you can run from something or you can run to something. You can sit in the pain and the grief—or use it to fuel your next thing.”

Collins took that advice to heart, determined to start a new chapter. She began job searching in the spring of 2016, just before graduation.

“I didn’t see myself in New York anymore—I thought being home would help me get through grief, but I realized I needed to be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” she says. “I widened my search and started to look for other places that could give me something different.”

Collins searched with a specific idea in mind: the chance to work at a big university.

“I wanted the sports, the bands, Greek life—those things my smaller schools up north didn’t have,” she explains. “As I went through the interview process at the University of Florida, [it felt] conversational. I could be myself. As I walked around, it gave me the feeling of what I saw growing up—what I thought college was like.”

In the fall of 2016, she moved from New York to Gainesville after accepting a housing and residence life position at UF. Less than nine months into her position, she was promoted from resident director to area coordinator.

However, it didn’t take long before Collins told her supervisor that she was interested in transitioning into access and community work at the university. She was introduced to Dr. Leslie Pendleton, the senior director of the MFOS Program at the time. Collins says the program, a full financial need scholarship that assists historically low-income first-generation college students pursue education at UF, reminded her of a first-generation scholarship she received while at UB.

“I was encouraged to collaborate with and learn from her,” says Collins, who joined the MFOS team as director in 2022.

She says her work with Say Yes Buffalo and UF housing uniquely prepared her for her current role.

“They allowed me to hone in on leadership, communications skills, problem-solving, and strategic thinking,” she shares. “I understood not every Gator had the same experience, and we need to take an individualized approach. Housing is crisis management, it’s 24/7! I lived where I worked—so there was a deeper understanding of student needs.”

She describes her MFOS role as dynamic and fulfilling, especially when meeting with students, staff, and faculty or collaborating on new initiatives that enhance students’ experiences.

“Not every program will fit the needs of every student, so I want us to think deeply about enhancing that experience. What do first-year students need? They need help with transitions, [knowing] how to study the curriculum as a college student, and building community. Second-year students need help with their major declaration and doing more through leadership or service on campus. And the third- and fourth-year students are [navigating] that transition out.”

Each year, the MFOS Program serves over 1,600 individuals. The network is composed of about 6,000 students, including alumni and current students.

She believes the program is successful because of the approach to tailored support and a team of people with unwavering dedication to student success.

For Collins, working in the department is also a full-circle moment.

“It’s an honor to give back and speak to the little version of myself,” she explains. “I see myself represented in many of the students’ stories, so giving back to a program that has played a similar role [in my life] is unexplainable.”

Her advice to Machen scholars? Believe in yourself, never underestimate the power of your dreams, and own your story.

“I remember a time when I wasn’t always proud of [my story],” she says. “I believe that for many students who identify as first-generation or limited income, there can be a lot of shame associated with their journeys. Shame about leaving home, shame about not knowing all the answers, shame about upbringing. I believe there is power in owning our stories and sharing them more broadly to impact and change the trajectories of communities, systems, and structures.”

One Man, One Little School, One Big Dream

November 8, 2023/in News, Providence St. Mel School

This article was originally published on Sept. 15, 2023 by John W. Fountain, Providence St. Mel School class of 1978 alum, as a birthday tribute to the school’s founder, Paul J. Adams III. It is shared here with permission.

A photo of the Providence St. Mel School gym, which has the words "We Believe" painted on the brick.

Two words emblazoned across the wall of the gym at Providence St. Mel embody the school’s spirit, “We Believe.” Photo by John Fountain.

Grass, emerald-green, lush and alive. Proud blades that point toward the sky. Perfectly manicured, this grass glistens beneath the sun. That was nearly 45 years ago.

And yet, for as far as I could see the other morning, standing outside the yellowish-brick castle in the 100 block of South Central Park Avenue on Chicago’s West Side, the grass still shimmers in the wind and golden sunlight—a simple symbol of promise, pride and hope, more than four decades since I first laid my eyes on it.

I don’t recall exactly the first time I saw the lawn outside Providence St. Mel, or Paul J. Adams, III—the man responsible. It must have been sometime in 1974—back when Afros and bell-bottom pants were signs of the times and the struggle to lay hold on the American dream still seemed ever elusive for Blacks in America, and we were singing James Brown’s “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud.” What I do recall clearly is the notion that grass wouldn’t—couldn’t—grow on the West Side: too poor, too ghetto, too far from the fertile soil from which sprouts the stuff of American dreams.

Back then, in neighborhoods like Chicago’s impoverished K-Town, where I grew up and had been dubbed by the Chicago Tribune as part of America’s permanent underclass, the “American Millstone,” there was plenty of evidence to suggest that might be the case: broken glass, bald lawns and vacant lots, blight, poverty and despair that flowed like a river of hopelessness.

Back then, I remember the sprinklers outside Providence, the crystal spray that doused Mr. Adams’ lawn endlessly. How, as a high school freshman, I quickly learned one of his most important rules: Don’t step on the grass, or else pay a fine.

To some, it might have seemed ridiculous or severe to impose a penalty for something so infinitesimal. It might also have seemed difficult to fathom how something as simple as grass might be proof enough that some things others deem impossible—with a little planting, watering and vision—might indeed become possible.

Paul J. Adams III at JSF’s Chicago reception for grantee partners in September 2023.

As a poor kid whose father had deserted me by the time I was 4, I was the kind who, like many children from similar backgrounds today, was written off by researchers, given my demographics of having been born Black and poor, and raised in the urban ghetto—hopelessly predestined to an unalterable mortal existence, never to rise. Without my mother’s decision and sacrifice in 1974 to send me to Providence St. Mel, which set me on a different path than so many of my childhood friends, I might have succumbed to the death of dreams that eventually entombs those dreams too long deferred. Maybe not.

This much is not debatable: That for more than four decades, Paul Adams and Providence St. Mel has helped lead poor Chicago children to the Promised Land of educational success and that since 1978 every one of the school’s graduates has been admitted to a college or university.

This much is also clear these days:

That for at least the last 45 years, the Chicago Public School system has largely wandered in the wilderness of “miseducation” and still has yet to fully cross the sea of red-tape bureaucracy occupied by a union that often seems more concerned for teachers than students, and by bureaucrats who, by their failure to fix the system after all this time, leave me wondering whether they ever really want to.

At 13, I saw Paul Adams as a lion of a man, his proud woolen Afro as his mane, and every square inch of Providence, including every blade of grass, as his domain. More importantly, I found inside the school’s walls a safe-haven from the perilous streets of my neighborhood. I found educational opportunity and the expectation of success. I found through one man’s vision sufficiency to dream. In Adams, I saw a Black man filled to the brim with integrity, character and commitment. An unyielding Black man who was not only willing to stand for the education and future of Black children, but also willing to fight, even to give his life for our good.

He turns 83 today.

‘Last Dollar Aid’ Helps Students Cross the Graduation Finish Line

March 14, 2022/in Brittany Yapp, News

Nativity Prep’s Last Dollar Aid Program has continued to be made possible by the generosity of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. The Last Dollar Aid program provides tuition assistance to alumni in college who face gaps in scholarships and expected family contributions. Since its inception, Last Dollar Aid has an incredible impact with a 94 percent graduation rate, far higher than the national average for similar demographics.

Each year the Graduate Support team works extensively with alumni who are seniors in high school and in college to support them in a variety of ways. Alumni who are entering into and enrolled in college can apply to the Last Dollar Aid Program. If accepted, they must maintain a set GPA, be in regular contact with our Graduate Support team, and attend at least two Nativity events per year.

Here are some highlights of two Last Dollar Aid recipients:

Allen is a current senior at the University of Massachusetts Boston who has taken advantage of much of what UMass has to offer. He shared that Last Dollar Aid helped make it possible for him to take part in an amazing opportunity – Recalc Academy’s Finance Accelerator program, a 7-week program for students from diverse backgrounds to receive expert training on skills needed for banking, consulting, and private equity. Allen is exploring his options in the finance world and recently landed a job offer at UBS.

Isaiah is a recent graduate of Framingham State University where he studied finance. Isaiah returned to work with the Advancement Team at Nativity before landing a job at JLL, a real estate and investment management firm. For Isaiah, the importance of Last Dollar Aid was not only financial but kept him in touch with Nativity for support to persist in college.

As we continue to empower and support boys from Boston in pursuing elite high school and college educations, we are grateful for the incredible support from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.

Brittany Yapp is Associate Director of Annual Fund and Communications at Nativity Preparatory School.