FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
(EON: Enhanced Online News)– Gain:
Foundation for Lee County Public Schools Partners with Florida Lottery and Consortium to Illuminate Pathways to College Success for Local Students
Fort Myers, FL — January 15, 2025 — The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools has announced an exciting new collaboration with the Florida Lottery and the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations aimed at expanding access to higher education for students from low socio-economic backgrounds. This partnership will help support and empower local students through the Lighting the Way to a Bright Future initiative, which is designed to increase awareness of the Bright Futures Scholarship Program and provide essential college preparation resources.
The Bright Futures Scholarship Program, funded primarily by the Florida Lottery since its creation in 1997, has helped over 800,000 students pursue post-secondary education, awarding more than $5 billion in support for college and vocational/technical school. This new initiative will provide grants to fund projects that serve students in grades 5 through 12, ensuring that even more students from underserved communities are prepared to take the next step in their educational journey.
As part of the collaboration, the Florida Lottery will provide $5,000 grants to fund one Lighting the Way project in each of Florida’s nine districts. These projects will focus on increasing college access through a variety of activities, including test preparation, college readiness workshops, FAFSA completion assistance, and outreach efforts to inform students about the Bright Futures Program. Projects may take place during or after school, with a deadline for submission by October 3, 2024.
The initiative is designed to provide targeted assistance to students of low socio-economic backgrounds, with a special emphasis on reaching out to 5th to 9th graders. Projects that focus on encouraging students eligible for the Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship Program or provide educational opportunities about the Bright Futures Scholarship are particularly encouraged.
About the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations:
The Consortium is the membership organization for Florida’s school district-wide local education foundations. Established in 1987, the Consortium connects individuals, organizations, and financial resources to build the capacity and effectiveness of Florida’s local education foundations. Together, Consortium members raise more than $83 million annually for a variety of locally driven initiatives and are led by 1,200 board members, 80% of whom are local business and community leaders working in partnership with school district leaders. The Consortium manages the nation’s only 1:1 legislative match for education foundation initiatives and a variety of privately funded grant programs. To learn more about the Consortium or connect with any member local education foundation, visit https://educationfoundationsfl.org
About The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools
The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc. is a private 501(c)3 organization established in 1986. Its mission is to enhance and enrich the quality of public education in Lee County for students and educators through programs, resources, and experiences made possible through corporate, individual, and educational partnerships. Find us online at www.leeschoolfoundation.org, on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.
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Media Contact:
Marshall T. Bower, Esq.
President and CEO
Tel. (239) 337-0433