TSIC Alum Stephen Helwig's Story



TSIC Alum Stephen Helwig

Take Stock in Children Director of Alumni Affairs, Kevin Bulger, recently had the opportunity to speak with TSIC alum Stephen Helwig. Stephen’s story is an excellent example of how TSIC continues to shape lives. Read the full interview below:

 

Take Stock: Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Where did you grow up? Where did you go to college and what did you study?

 

Stephen Helwig: I was born in Jamaica and moved to the United States when I was eight years old. Until 7th grade I lived in Boynton Beach, just south of West Palm. At the start of 7th grade my family moved to Palm Bay, FL and I attended Covenant Christian School. Eventually I switched to West Shore Junior/Senior High School in my sophomore year. I received the Take Stock in Children scholarship in the 11^th grade. At first I did not receive a mentor, but I was very fortunate to be matched with one during my senior year.

I attended Brevard Community College (BCC) and received my AA degree; afterwards I moved to Orlando and attended the University of Central Florida (UCF). In 2007 I got my bachelors degree in Management Information Systems (MIS) from UCF.

 

TS: What has been your career path after college? Can you tell us about your current job?

 

SH: After I moved to Orlando in 2006 to finish my college degree, I began looking for internships and entry level positions before I finished my college coursework. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who was interning at Siemens, which is an international electronics and electrical engineering firm with their Energy Division US headquarters in Orlando. He told me that Siemens was looking for student interns with MIS majors, and, with his help, I was able to secure an internship there, which later turned into a full time position.

In total, I worked at Siemens for 6 years and made my way up the ladder to become a Level 2 IT Architect. However, the farther I moved up the chain at Siemens the less they asked their employees to develop their technical skills, which was a skill set I still wanted to develop. I also wanted to transition from internal IT support, to working on a product that was a revenue stream for the company. This led me to accept my current position as IT Architect at Silverpop, which is based in Atlanta, GA. At Silverpop, I get the opportunity to further expand my technical skills building an email marketing solution using cutting edge cloud and web technologies.

 

TS: When did you first become involved in Take Stock in Children?

 

SH: My guidance counselor at West Shore actually brought it to my attention during an English class. At first I brushed it off and didn’t pay any attention to her. But she persisted, called my family, and eventually I was forced to sign up. A year later I found out that I received this scholarship.

 

TS: Who was your mentor? Can you talk about your relationship with your mentor?

 

SH: Dyer Matlock was my mentor. In the beginning, I wasn’t paired with a mentor, and, at first, I didn’t think I needed a mentor because I thought only the kids who got into trouble got mentors. I was never a kid who got into trouble. But, in my senior year, I was paired with Dyer who has become a lifelong friend and role model for me. In the beginning, we met once a week and after high school graduation we would work on cars together and do woodworking together. Over time he became like a family member to me and we still talk regularly over the phone. In fact, he and his wife are planning to make a visit to Atlanta to see me and my wife. We’re looking forward to their visit!

 

TS: Would you say Take Stock in Children impacted your life? How so?

 

SH: Take Stock in Children impacted my life in many different facets. First, Take Stock introduced me to Dyer, who as I mentioned, is someone who I will be friends with for the rest of our lives. Second, the scholarship got me on track to obtain a degree and not get burdened by student debt. I only had to take out loans to pay for my living expenses while at UCF, which was very minimal. This investment also had a great impact on my family because with my college tuition paid for, it allowed my mother to help afford my brother’s college expenses. In the end we were both able to get jobs and improve our family’s future prospects.

Take Stock congratulates Stephen on all of his accomplishments, as he stands as a real role model for current TSIC students!

Scholar Spotlight: Laura Gomez

Laura Gomez, an honor student from George Jenkins High School, was selected in 10^th grade by the Polk Education Foundation’s Take Stock in Children scholarship mentoring program to receive a Ronald McDonald House Charities/Tampa Bay Florida Prepaid tuition scholarship valued at approximately $5500.

 

As a senior this year, Laura has continued to apply for scholarships and is now a national finalist for the Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship and was recently selected by Florida Southern College as one of five George Jenkins Scholars who will receive a full scholarship for all unmet financial need, including room and board, when she starts in the fall. The scholarship also includes $2,000 per semester living stipend. Rounding out the package with her Bright Futures, State scholarships and PELL grants, Laura has set her sights on a Masters degree in Nursing.

 

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments, Laura. We are so proud of you!

SAT versus ACT

Pepsi versus Coke

Cowboys versus Indians

Disney versus Nickelodeon

SAT versus ACT

As College Success Coaches, we often get asked which is better, the SAT (Standardized Achievement Test) or the ACT (American College Testing) for college admissions?  Colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. So which should you take?  Below is advice from test prep aficionado, the Princeton Review:

It's all about the numbers. Some students end up scoring substantially higher on the SAT; others do better on the ACT. In lieu of a crystal ball, we created The Princeton Review Assessment (PRA) designed to help you determine which test is better fit with your abilities.

To help you zero in on the right exam, here are seven key differences:

1.     ACT questions tend to be more straightforward

ACT questions are often easier to understand on a first read. On the SAT, you may need to spend time figuring out what you're being asked before you can start solving the problem. For example, here are sample questions from the SAT essay and the ACT writing test (their name for the essay):

SAT: What is your view of the claim that something unsuccessful can still have some value?
ACT: In your view, should high schools become more tolerant of cheating?

2.     The SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary

If you're an ardent wordsmith, you'll love the SAT. If words aren't your thing, you may do better on the ACT.

3.     The ACT has a Science section, while the SAT does not

You don't need to know anything about amoebas or chemical reactions for the ACT Science section. It is meant to test your reading and reasoning skills based upon a given set of facts. But if you're a true science-phobe, the SAT might be a better fit.

4.     The ACT tests more advanced math concepts

In addition to basic arithmetic, algebra I and II, and geometry, the ACT tests your knowledge of trigonometry, too. That said, the ACT Math section is not necessarily harder, since many students find the questions to be more straightforward than those on the SAT.

5.     The ACT Writing Test is optional on test day, but required by many schools

The 25-minute SAT essay is required and is factored into your writing score. The 30-minute ACT writing test is optional. If you choose to take it, it is not included in your composite score — schools will see it listed separately. Many colleges require the writing section of the ACT, so be sure to check with the schools where you are applying before opting out.

6.     The SAT is broken up into more sections

On the ACT, you tackle each content area (English, Math, Reading and Science) in one big chunk, with the optional writing test at the end. On the SAT, the content areas (Critical Reading, Math and Writing) are broken up into 10 sections, with the required essay at the beginning. You do a little math, a little writing, a little critical reading, a little more math, etc. When choosing between the SAT and ACT, ask yourself if moving back and forth between content areas confuse you or keep you energized?

7.     The ACT is more of a "big picture" exam

College admissions officers care about how you did on each section of the SAT. On the ACT, they're most concerned with your composite score. So if you're weak in one content area but strong in others, you could still end up with a very good ACT score and thus make a strong impression with the admissions committee.

Alternative Spring Breaks!

 
With Spring Break coming up in the next few weeks, we thought we would offer our students a way to engage in volunteerism while taking a break from studies. Alternative Spring Breaks are trips where a group of college students engage in volunteer service that focus on a particular social issue such as poverty, the environment, or education reform. Students learn about the social issues and then perform week-long projects with local non-profit organizations. Alternative breaks are great because you get to travel and work with a group of peers for a week, all while creating an impact in the community!

What you stand to gain
·         Travel You can travel to new communities and meet new people
·         Involvement These trips are great ways to become more involved in school and in your community
·         Savings Alternative Breaks are often considerably less expensive (if not totally free, covered by student government) than traditional Spring Break trips
·         Experience Serving with an Alternative Spring Break is a great way to gain leadership experience

Quality components of an Alternative Break
Strong Direct Service: Should provide an opportunity for participants to engage in direct or “hands on” projects and activities that address unmet social needs, as determined by the community.

Orientation: Alternative breakers learn about the purposes and goals of their community partners with which they will be working.

Education: Breakers learn about the complexity of the social issue through reading materials, speaker panels, documentaries, and guest lecturers related to current trends and historical context. A strong educational foundation for the trip will contribute to a meaningful service experience.

Training: Breakers are provided with adequate skills necessary to carry out service projects during their trip. This may include learning physical skills, such as construction or maintenance skills, as well as interpersonal communication, such as interacting with children, sensitivity training, working with people with disabilities, trail building, etc.

Reflection: During the trip participants process the service work as it connects to the broader social issue. Groups set aside time for reflection to take place individually and as a group.

Reorientation: After students return to campus, reorientation activities allow participants to talk about issues with others on campus, learn about local volunteer and civic involvement opportunities, and brainstorm other means to benefit their local community. Reorientation (the post-trip application of the experience) is the essential purpose of an alternative break - to provide a platform for participants to work towards lifelong active citizenship.

Diversity and Social Justice: Strong alternative break programs include diverse representation of students from the campus community and direct exposure to studying social justice issues

Impact

Many students who return from an alternative break experience consider it a life changing event. Alternative break alumni have reported changing their major, increasing their campus involvement, committing to continued community service, actively staying updated on social issues, and joining a service program post-graduation such as AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or Teach for America. Many return to participate and lead alternative break programs throughout their time as students.

An impact analysis conducted in 2001 by Dr. Pushkala Raman and her Marketing Research Class at Florida State University in conjunction with Break Away (www.alternativebreaks2013.org) revealed that there is overwhelming evidence to support the view that alternative breaks are “indeed contributing to the creating of active citizens.”

Many schools coordinate Alternative Spring Breaks for their students, so if you are interested in taking part in a trip this spring, check with your Student Government or Community Outreach office.  You may also want to check out the following link for more organizations which offer their own Alternative Spring Breaks:  studenttravel.about.com/od/springbreakvolunteers/qt/alternate_sprin.htm

Declaring a College Major

Wondering just what major you will settle on? Check out this infograph with data from the National Center for Education Studies that breaks down the most popular undergraduate degrees:

The Most Popular College Majors 2012 infographic by herrimanjoe.