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!

Game Changers - the Story of Mitchell Marcus

TSIC’s annual Leadership Summit kicks off tomorrow in Tallahassee, Florida and is all about “Game Changers in Education.”  A recent story about high school student Mitchell Marcus broke last week, and is a true Game Changer, one rich with leadership, inclusivity, and sportsmanship.  Check out this great video and read more from the Huffington Post below:

 

A special needs student from a Texas high school scored a basket in the final game of the season after a player from the opposing team gave up the ball.

Mitchell Marcus, a teenage student at Coronado High School in El Paso, Texas, is the team manager for the Coronado Thunderbirds and an avid basketball fan. During the last game of the season on Feb. 12, Marcus, who has a "developmental disability," was given the chance to play, according to Fox local affiliate KFOX 14 in El Paso. With 90 seconds left, Coach Peter Morales put Marcus into the game.

"Mitchell's a great shot," his mother Amy told KFOX. "He took his first shot and missed. It hit the rim. You just hear the whole crowd sighing. It went out of bounds and Franklin got it. We all knew that he wasn't going to have his chance."

Then, Jonathon Montanez, a senior at Franklin High School and a member of the opposing team, down by 10 points, tossed Marcus the ball. "Since we were down and there was only 13 seconds left, might as well give Mitchell his last shot," Montanez told KFOX.

Marcus finally scored, and the crowd went wild.

A video of the game and Marcus' basket went viral after being uploaded online.

CBS News correspondent Steve Hartnan knew he wanted to tell Marcus's story. "It's America at its best," he told the El Paso Times. "When I grew up, kids like Mitchell got picked on, and to see how far we have come along is touching. I get emotional thinking about it."

NBC Southwest station KTSM first reported on Marcus' story the day after the game, calling it "the play of the year."

"I was so happy then," Marcus said about his shot. "It made my night."

Over the past three years, Marcus has helped the Thunderbirds earn a No. 1 ranking in the city of El Paso.

Coach Morales spoke with ESPN's El Paso radio station, KROD, about Marcus's amazing experience.

"This kid is very very loyal to your program," Morales told ESPN radio. "He's dedicated. We've had kids that come to this program and play with us and this kid has been more loyal than some of those kids to us because he wants to be here."


Take Stock in Children commends Mitchell, his coach, and the other team for their great examples of leadership and dedication.  This story serves as an inspiration for our students to create a positive environment at home and at school that allows everyone to thrive.

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

Internship Opportunity - Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

Throughout the year, we have been blogging about the importance of internships for professional development and networking opportunities. Internships are a great way to gain experience in your field, build your resume, and make connections with future employers. On a personal level, internships are also a great way to travel, earn some money, and make new friends!

This past summer, I applied and was selected to intern with the United States Census Bureau as a Statistician through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program (HNIP). It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has helped me grow as a student, professional, and individual. I encourage Take Stock in Children graduates to apply for this amazing opportunity 

Fellow HACU interns and I

in front of the Capitol in Washington, DC

(second to the right, second row)

THE SCOOP The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is a non-profit organization that was established in 1986. The HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) is an internship program that places students in federal and corporate internships in the summer, spring, and fall of each year. HNIP was started in 1992 with only 24 students and one internship site. Today, HNIP serves nearly 700 students per year at over 40 internship sites nationwide!

BENEFITS One of the best parts about HNIP? It’s paid! There are different pay scales based on your education level/year in college (i.e. sophomore, junior, senior, graduate student) ranging from $470 -$570/week. Additional benefits include airfare provided to and from your internship site, orientation in Washington, DC (with travel and lodging provided), housing arranged by HNIP staff, opportunities to live in another city, and of course, opportunities for professional development.


Exploring the beautiful National Mall

OPPORTUNITIES Personally, many of my friends from the program were signed on to full-time positions through their internship site. HNIP has a variety of Federal partners, including the Department of Treasury, Department of Commerce, Office of Personnel Management, US Census Bureau, Department of Labor, Department of Homeland Security, and more. In terms of corporate partners, HNIP interns have been placed with companies such as Apple, Sodexho, Lockheed Martin, and IBM. Students come from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from business, mathematics, journalism, and sociology, so there is a place for everyone! While the majority of interns work in Washington DC, other potential sites include Anchorage, Alaska; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Seattle, Washington. If you are looking for the opportunity to live abroad, this is the program for you.

CHECK IT OUT I made so many friends through this program that I am still in touch with today. Because interns are coming from all over, I now have friends from California, Texas, DC, and even Puerto Rico. At a recent graduate school interview in Boston, I was asked about my experience with statistics, a pertinent skill for the field I wish to pursue; needless to say, my interviewers were quite impressed that I worked as a Statistician with the US Census Bureau. HACU has provided me with lifelong friends and experiences to cherish for years to come. I encourage all TSIC students to check out this program for a great opportunity to live abroad and enrich your life.

For more info and eligibility, please email awhitcomb@takestockinchildren.org or visit www.hacu.net for more info!


-Allie Whitcomb
AmeriCorps College Success Coach
 

Recuerdo Madrid – Greetings from Madrid!

A first generation college student, Take Stock in Children graduate and 2012 Leaders 4 Life (L4L) Fellow, Alfonso Mejia represents what the TSIC model is all about: when students are provided with support, motivation and accountability, they will excel personally and academically.

A 2012 graduate from Charles W. Flanagan High School in Broward County, Alfonso Mejia is the first person in his family to pursue a college degree.  President of his high school class for all four years, he graduated within the top 2% of his class.  He aims to continue his involvement with student government at the University of Florida, where he is currently studying Accounting and Finance and plans on going to law school to become a lawyer and work in the non-profit sector. 

In an attempt to make the most of his college experience, Alfonso is currently studying abroad at Antonio de Nebrija University in Madrid, Spain through UF’s School of Business.  Alfonso’s family is Colombian, so he is fluent in Spanish, but in an effort to perfect the language and gain an appreciation of the culture, he enrolled in the highest level Spanish course offered.  He explains, “Part of the reason I chose [to study abroad in] Spain was because I wanted to master my Spanish and have a solid foundation [of the language].  Second to English, the Spanish language plays a significant role in the business world and is almost essential [to know].”

Refining his Spanish is just one component to his experience abroad, as he will also have the opportunity to teach children once a week and volunteer to feed the homeless.  “Living abroad has taught me to value other cultures and ways of life.”  It is this altruistic and motivated spirit that sets Alfonso apart, making him a great example of what being a Leaders 4 Life Fellow is all about.

The Leaders 4 Life Fellowship was created in partnership with the Asofsky Family Foundation and recognizes TSIC students who have emerged as leaders.  Of L4L, Alfonso says:

Whenever I feel down, I remind myself how fortunate I truly am.  Being a L4L Fellow means to me a life-long commitment of gratitude and generosity.  The L4L Fellowship was created through genuine principles that must be reciprocated by the fellows.  For now, we must focus on our studies and finish strong, but when we are done with school we must remember where we came from and who gave us the opportunity to be what we will become in the upcoming years.  I plan on giving back to society in the same way that L4L does: giving a student the power of an education.

In the future, Alfonso plans on mentoring youth, starting his own scholarship fund similar to the Leaders 4 Life Fellowship, and one day hopes to be on the Take Stock in Children Board of Directors.  We are so proud of all of Alfonso’s accomplishments and wish him buena suerte – good luck – for the rest of his semester abroad in Spain!

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.

Ways to Save in College!

How College Students Can Save Money infographic

Welcome to our Blogspot

In February of 2011 eight graduates of the Take Stock in Children program came together to develop and implement an Alumni Alliance for the purpose of reconnecting program participants with the organization and networking with fellow alumnus.  Our vision is to provide a Take Stock in Children alumni network to increase postsecondary retention among TSIC participants and support local program needs. 

If you are a graduate of the Take Stock in Children program and are insterested in learning more about our group, please email Helen Quinn, Alumni Alliance State Office Liaison at hquinn@takestockinchildren.org .  Together we can make a difference in our communities.  After all, we ARE Take Stock in Children! 

Learn more about Take Stock in Children by visiting us on the web at http://www.takestockinchildren.org/

"Break the cycle. Pay it forward."