The Education Foundation of Sarasota County is grateful for the generosity of Bank of America for providing $15,000 to support PLANit Sarasota, mentoring, and LaunchPad4U. Awarded in May, this grant helps us continue to engage with our community partners to reach more underrepresented and underserved students and support them as they develop a pathway to a high-quality certification, diploma, or training. We will pair more students with trusted mentors. At LaunchPad4U, we will continue to spark innovation and networking in teaching and provide a community space where all students in Sarasota County can access vital resources.
Thanks to this grant, more students will complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the efforts of PLANit Sarasota. We are excited to host FAFSA open houses and conduct a student influencer campaign encouraging the completion of this important step in the college application process. We are grateful for our community partners who help us reach more students who most need extra support. Working together as a community we can achieve so much more.
This year, our mentoring program will begin pairing juniors with mentors. In previous years, we have focused on supporting seniors, but based on feedback from our College Career Advisors and school counselors, we are extending that support to juniors as well. We are excited to provide this extra level of assistance earlier in the process. Mentors have proven to be a tremendous resource to our students who need another layer of support to realize their dreams. The generosity of organizations such as Bank of America helps us change more lives.
With the recent spike in Covid-19 cases limiting access to area schools, we are happy that students and families will be able to access valuable resources at LaunchPad4U during this important time in the college application process. We’re excited to bring together educators and community partners so we can best reach each and every student in Sarasota County Schools.