CIS UPDATE CENTER

Take Stock In Children Awards Scholarships

Take Stock In Children of Nassau County held its annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony on April 30, 2002 at the Betty P. Cook Campus of Florida Community College at Jacksonville. Keynote speakers included Nassau County Sheriff Ray Geiger and Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edward "Bo" Turvey. Fifteen new scholars were selected to participate in the program, bringing the total number of Take Stock scholars in Nassau County to 59.

Take Stock In Children, in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, provides tuition scholarships to Florida community colleges and universities for financially disadvantaged students who agree to remain drug- and crime-free, and maintain high academic, attendance, and behavior standards. Once selected to participate in the program, scholars are paired with caring adult mentors, who meet with them for one hour per week on their school campus.

Take Stock also honored its four graduating seniors, each of whom will begin using their scholarship in the fall of 2002.

CIS Prepares for Annual Golf Tournament

The second annual "Helping Kids Prepare for Life" Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, May 31, 2002 at Long Point on Amelia Island Plantation. Lunch will be served beginning at 11:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. There will be cash prizes for the top teams, awarded at a reception following the completion of play. There will be several on-course contests, including a hole-in-one contest. The first player to register a hole-in-one on the specified hole will win a new Jeep Liberty, courtesy of Rick Keffer Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep.

The entry fee is $125, and includes lunch, practice balls, the tournament, and the reception. In addition, there are sponsorship opportunities available. For more information, or to sign up, please call the CIS office at (904) 321-2000.

Inaugural "365 Club" A Great Success

CIS held its first-ever 365 Club: An Evening for Education event on Tuesday, November 13, 2001 at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club. Fifty local businesses and individuals joined as Charter Members.

This event showcased CIS' annual "Report to the Community," while also raising funds for the program. Businesses and individuals were invited to join the 365 Club by sponsoring CIS operations for $1.00 a day for one year. 365 Club members receive a certificate of recognition for display in their homes or businesses.

Those in attendance heard from State Rep. Aaron Bean (R - District 12) and Marcus Christian, Chief Operating Officer of Take Stock In Children. Attendees also heard directly from students who have received CIS services regarding the positive impact CIS has had on their lives.

CIS Recognized as One of America's Top 100 Charities

The December issue of Worth magazine highlights the top 100 charitable organizations in America, and CIS has been recognized for its work in the field of Human Services as one of the "100 Charities That Will Save the World." With more than 819,000 charitable organizations recognized by the IRS, we are pleased that Worth selected CIS for this honor.

For more information on how you can make a tax-deductible contribution to CIS of Nassau County, please contact CIS at (904) 321-2000.

CIS Students Receive Seats in the "Honor Rows"

For the fourth consecutive year, CIS students in Nassau County who maintained good grades, high attendance, and positive behavior earned seats in the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation's "Honor Rows" program. CIS took approximately 100 students, parents, and chaperones to the Jaguars' game against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 30, 2001.

Annual "Report to the Community" Now Available

CIS' annual "Report to the Community," highlighting program achievements and outcomes, was released on November 13, 2001, at our 365 Club: An Evening for Education event. Attendees at this event received a copy of the report, which details programs, outcomes, and success stories from the 2000-2001 program year. If you were unable to attend this event, you may call the CIS office at (904) 321-2000 or e-mail us at to request a copy of the report.

November 2001 Designated "Communities In Schools Awareness Month"

The Nassau County School Board, the Hilliard Town Council, the Fernandina Beach City Commission, and the Nassau County Commission designated November 2001 as "Communities In Schools Awareness Month" throughout Nassau County. November 13, 2001 was proclaimed "Communities In Schools Day" throughout Nassau County.