While Axa Salas was attending Sarasota High School, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County paired her with mentor Sandy Chase, and the two have been in touch ever since. Chase has provided practical guidance, assisting Axa at every stage of two great unknowns—the college application process and now her journey through college. Beyond practical support is the intangible boost that comes from having a trusted advisor who sees a young person’s potential and helps that person see it.

 

This year, Southside Elementary PE teacher Coach Morgan used Education Foundation teacher grant funding to purchase camping equipment so her students could learn about the great outdoors—in school. For Coach Morgan’s students without the resources to go camping, the experience of collaborating and problem-solving as they searched for gear or set up a tent was especially important. Her project was one of the hundreds of projects across Sarasota County brought to life this year by the Education Foundation’s donors who provided nearly $500,000 in teacher grant funding.

 

For 35 years, the Education Foundation, an independent, nonprofit organization, has championed students and teachers. Driven by the belief that all young people deserve to graduate high school equipped to reach their full potential, the Education Foundation fuels innovation and promotes excellence in teaching through teacher grants, recognition, and learning. It provides comprehensive, accessible support to students who need it most. A trusted, go-to partner, the Education Foundation seeks to unite the community to prepare each and every student for life.   

 

By developing programs and initiatives that place the well-being and potential of young people at its center, the Education Foundation supports educators like Coach Morgan and students like Axa. Today, as the first in her family to attend college, Axa is preparing to graduate from Florida State University with a degree in finance (and no student debt), ready to thrive in her next endeavor. Of her mentor, Axa said, “Without her, I don’t know where I would have been.”

 

Life-changing relationships and resources are at the heart of the Education Foundation’s work helping students get ready and go further in their lives. To learn more about the Education Foundation, visit EdFoundationSRQ.org.