Turning Ambition into Achievement
By Hannah Deadman-Arnst
Take Stock’s Wraparound Support Inspires Alum to Help the Next Generation
Palm-lined boulevards, glamorous sports cars, oceanfront wealth. These are the images people associate with Boca Raton. But for many South Florida students, life isn’t quite as glamorous.
Right in Boca Raton, Garvey Antoine’s family relied on food stamps and lived paycheck to paycheck. The son of Haitian immigrants, the first-gen college grad had to grow up faster than many of his peers. Around age 10, he started accompanying his parents to meetings as a translator, helping them navigate job opportunities and tax documents.
And while Antoine’s responsibility for his family helped shape him positively, he carried that weight into the classroom. Like many immigrants, Antoine’s parents wanted more for their son. So they encouraged him to focus on school.
“Other kids got to experience things like sleepovers or hangouts,” shared Antoine, who is 23. “I didn’t do that until high school, because my primary focus was on academics.”
Finding a Way Forward
In middle school, Antoine joined Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County, a grantee partner of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. The nonprofit offers mentoring, college readiness, and scholarships to low-income middle and high school students in the School District of Palm Beach County.
Antoine believed education was the key to unlocking a brighter future. “High school was all about prepping for college, finding scholarships, figuring out what to study. My viewpoint was, ‘If I’m going to make a better life for myself and my parents, it’s going to be through college.’”
Despite his conviction, Antoine didn’t have the tools or guidance to take those next steps. The Take Stock in Children/Johnson Scholars Program fills this crucial gap—giving students in 13 district schools scholarships and practical resources like financial literacy workshops and college readiness meetings.
From resume-building workshops to career exploration, the Take Stock in Children/Johnson Scholars Program demonstrates strong outcomes that support students like Garvey Antoine:
– 98% of students graduate from high school (compared to 80% of at-risk peers)
– 96% enroll in college (compared to 21%)
– 74% of those students complete college (compared to 29%)
“A lot of immigrant kids say they need to go to college, but they don’t know what it takes,” shared Nancy Stellway, Take Stock’s chief executive officer. “We take kids across levels and give them all the same opportunities. I want to see that glimmer of hope. We’re going to take a chance on them.”
Mentors Who Made a Difference
It wasn’t just resources that pointed Antoine in the right direction. It was the people.
In 2015, Antoine met Barry Dubinsky, a seasoned litigator who brought law books to every mentorship meeting. He would quiz seventh-grade Antoine on various topics and lend a listening ear when Antoine wanted to talk about high school life.
“If I needed advice, he would answer,” said Antoine. “That gave me confidence to look to him for guidance, while understanding I could make my own choices.”
Dubinsky remained Antoine’s mentor through 12th grade, and the two still keep in touch. “Often we tell kids things over and over, and they don’t hear us, but they see their mentors every week,” said Stellway. “Mentors are the lifeblood of this program.”
Johnson Scholarship Foundation Board Member David Blaikie agrees. “Committed mentors that show up for students are the heart of the Take Stock program. Mentors change lives by helping students believe in themselves and learn that, with hard work, they can achieve their dreams. For many students, it’s guidance they may not have at home. In partnership with the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and under the dedicated leadership of Nancy Stellway, Take Stock is making a strong impact in the lives of Palm Beach County high school students.”
Leaning in When it Mattered Most
Still, Antoine’s journey came with challenges. In middle school, he got into some trouble with teachers and picked small fights with peers.
But Take Stock didn’t leave him where he was. They rallied.
“We got everyone involved: Barry, Antoine, and his mother,” Stellway recalled. “Antoine showed up to the meetings. He leaned in. We said, ‘We’re here to help you get out of this.’”
Like many students, Antoine also struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without Wi-Fi at home, he missed two weeks of school and was failing two classes.
Still, he persisted. Take Stock empowered him to enroll in tutoring and get plugged into their afterschool program. And his mentor held him accountable.
“Giving kids money is like giving them keys to the car without teaching them how to drive or get oil changes,” said Stellway. “It’s the wraparound support that makes the difference. We might not see that impact until later on, but those little things add up.”
Believing in Yourself When Everyone Else Does
In his current job, Garvey Antoine helps students navigate the ins and outs of higher education.
For Antoine, those small things added up in big ways. In 2024, he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
“What makes Take Stock unique is that we stick with [the students],” shared Stellway. “Even when Garvey got in trouble, we said ‘we still believe in you. Now you need to believe in you.’”
Today, Antoine is the scholar services coordinator at the George Snow Scholarship Fund in South Florida. Every day, he helps students with stories like his navigate the college journey. His deep voice carries both warmth and strength—offering young people the same voice of reason his own mentor gave him.
“I always remind scholars that we’ll help them get through these challenges,” he shared. “Students will feel alone, but they don’t have to do it on their own. We can be the best guide we can be for them.”
To learn more about the Johnson Scholarship Foundation’s grants serving economically disadvantaged students, click here.
