VERO BEACH — Looking forward to furthering their education, teen members of the Indian River Habitat for Humanity Prep Club toured three Florida schools in the Tallahassee area.
The Prep Club is for high school age children of Habitat homeowners and is part of Indian River Habitat’s Scholarship Education Program.
Accompanied by Scholarship Education Program supporter and volunteer Al DeRenzo and IRHFH staffer Annie Blewett, students Terrell Charles and Cammie Henry enjoyed visiting the campuses of Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and Warner University (a Church of God-affiliated college in Lake Wales.)
In addition to learning about each school, the students enjoyed the hospitality of Tallahassee couple Daryl Parks and April Jones. (Parks, an attorney, is a founding and managing partner in Parks and Crump, LLC. As a student in Tallahassee, DeRenzo’s son interned with Parks, who is currently one of the attorneys representing the family of Trayvon Martin.)
The ”incredibly hospitable” couple threw the Vero Beach group a BBQ to welcome them to Tallahassee, and Jones, a FAMU graduate, escorted the students on a tour of the campus.
The students challenged one another in “many matches of Scattergories,” in which, everyone agreed, DeRenzo prevailed. Charles, who had learned lots about the art of Italian cuisine in DeRenzo’s cooking class last year, tried Indian food for the first time and “loved it.”
Through the Scholarship/Education Program, Habitat provides education-based after school and summer care, help with homework, access to computers for schoolwork and, for high school students, assistance in preparing for college, annual campus tours, and scholarship support.
In addition to receiving support with college prep, Prep Club members enjoyed fun events and field trips and are required to perform community service activities.
Habitat believes that education is one of the vital keys to success in life and to eliminating the need for second-generation Habitat homeowners.
For more information on this program, please contact Family Services Support Coordinator Debbie Parcher at (772) 562-9860, X232.
