Volunteer USA Announce $175,000 in Scholarship Awards During Adult Education and Family Literacy Week

~ Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges members step in to make significant difference in lives of deserving family literacy students~

Tallahassee, FL – In honor of the recent Congressional designation of October 18-23 as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, Volunteer USA Foundation today announced the recipients of this year’s Family Literacy Initiative Scholarship program, a unique program that provides college or career school scholarships to deserving parents and their children participating in Volunteer USA’s Family Literacy Initiative.

The awards are the result of a partnership with the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC), the Florida Prepaid College Foundation and corporate sponsor, Dollar General. FAPSC members are providing the full scholarship awards to the adult students. In addition, one child of each parent winner will receive a two-year Florida Prepaid scholarship, which will cover tuition and fees for the child at one of Florida’s 28 community colleges.

“Celebrating family literacy events this week is especially exciting as we aim to change the lives and futures of some of our most deserving adult students in Florida,” said Liza McFadden, president of Volunteer USA. “Our foundation is proud to be a part of this unique, family-friendly scholarship program that empowers parents and children to learn together and aspire to higher educational and career goals.”

Jeb Bush, Jr. honors a Volunteer USA Foundation family literacy scholarship recipient in 2008.He;s joined by program sponsors from Florida Prepaid College and Dollar General.

Today, Volunteer USA announced the newest class of family literacy scholarship winners - students who have excelled in their family literacy academy coursework and demonstrated a desire to continue their education. Jeb Bush, Jr., a supporter of the Family Literacy Initiative, will recognize the scholarship winners along with sponsoring FAPSC schools and career colleges during a National Family Literacy Day Celebration event being held November 4^th in West Palm Beach.

The scholarships are competitively awarded, with winning adult literacy students selected based on academic gains, attendance, GED exam status, a personal essay and reference letters. FAPSC member colleges and career schools are donating $175,00 in scholarships to help the following individuals begin the next step in their quest to learn and achieve more:

• Lucy Delgado, FIU Family Literacy Academy-Miami; ATI Training Center
• Marfie Diaz, PLC Family Literacy Academy-Tampa; Concorde Career Institute
• Olga Jimenez, GROWS Family Literacy Academy-Apopka; Herzing University
• Maria Segura. Jump Start Family Literacy Academy-Immokalee; SW Florida College
• Danish Shaw, Deaf Family Literacy Academy-Broward ; Kaplan Higher Education
• Nancy Tomayo, Parent Power Family Literacy Academy-Palm Beach; Keiser Career College

“Creating second chances for parents and children who need a little help is what this foundation strives to do,” said Kathy Mizereck, executive director of FAPSC. “We are proud to help these parents achieve a better and more productive life. What an accomplishment for the students. They’re raising young children, working and attending classes, but they do it because they realize a good education will lead to more fulfilling futures.”

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