Safe Children Coalition awards scholarships to 2026 Achievers and alumni

Safe Children Coalition’s Achievers program recently honored high school graduates and awarded over $20,000 in college scholarships to “Class of 2026” graduates as well as returning college students who were engaged with the program as teens.

A total of 20 scholarships – 10 first-year college and 10 continuing college – were awarded. The program took place at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Selby Auditorium. Contributing to this year’s program and scholarship funding were Sarasota County, Publix Super Market Charities and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

Keynote speaker was Achievers alumnus Mikhail Scott, the director of outreach for Indelible Solutions. Serving as “Mistresses of Ceremonies” were Achievers Advisory Council co-chair Dr. Tracy Goodman and Achievers program coordinator Maiyah Newsome. Program awards and acknowledgements were recognized by longtime program manager Jone Williams and additional team members.

The Achievers program empowers at-risk, minority and other disadvantaged students to set and achieve goals in both their educational and personal lives, encouraging continuous growth in the areas of personal development, college preparation, community service and leadership, cultural enrichment, and career options. The program ultimately increases student participation in school programs, decreases school absenteeism and dropout rates, and prevents delinquent behavior.

The program, which has served thousands of students in the community for over 30 years, is open – and free – to all middle and high school students in Sarasota County. During the 2025-2026 school year, the contracted number of children involved in the Achievers program was 128.

Key program components presented during the 2025-2026 school year included a scholarship day workshop, the MLK Community Service Breakfast, a college and career ready workshop, a computer science and coding workshop, the Thanksgiving turkey drive, and more. Career cluster programming this past year featured Achievers alumni as well as professionals from the community and surrounding areas currently serving in industries including education, civic, health and medical industries, banking, nonprofits, and more.

For more about Safe Children Coalition, visit sccfl.org.

About Safe Children Coalition, Inc.
Safe Children Coalition, Inc. (SCC) serves as the lead agency for community-based care for Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties. SCC is a collaboration between local community agencies who provide services to children and families in need. SCC is committed to protecting children, strengthening families, and building community. The core functions provided by SCC include child welfare case management, foster care, adoption, independent living, prevention, diversion, quality management, and support services. Visit sccfl.org or call 941-371-4799.