Nonprofit turns struggling teens college-bound

When 17-year-old Kiara Vanellison first started high school, she didn’t see college in her future.

“When I was becoming a sophomore, after my freshman year, my grades were not good at all,” Kiara said. “I didn’t care for school.”

Everything changed when Kiara joined the Think Big for Kids program during her sophomore year. The program paired her with a mentor, Rachel McCaskill, who would become a pivotal figure in Kiara’s academic turnaround.

“By the time junior year started, I told her I wanted to go to college. She’s said, ‘OK, well, we’ve got to start tightening the belt, focusing on your grades. Talk to your guidance counselor, and see what you can do,’” Kiara remembers. “Rachel helped me set realistic goals. She was very much my motivation to help me go get this dream and actually make this happen.”

Think Big for Kids is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by connecting students with career opportunities, mentorship and scholarships. For the 2023-24 academic year, the organization has awarded 70 scholarships to students from 33 high schools in the Tampa Bay area. This marks a significant increase, doubling the number of scholarships awarded in the previous academic year.

The organization offers eight types of scholarships aimed at supporting two- and four-year college degrees, trade schools and apprenticeships. These scholarships cover a range of fields, including general studies, business, entrepreneurship, law enforcement and technical trades. The scholarship Kiara earned is helping her attend St. Petersburg College (SPC) this fall.

“When I found out I got it, I thought, ‘Is this real?’ It was kind of a mentality of I didn’t feel like I deserved it,” Kiara told the Catalyst. “I looked at my mentor and said, ‘I did it.’ I was crying. It’s refreshing to know that despite the path I put myself down as a freshman, as a preteen, I’m on a completely different path now.”

Kiara plans to begin her college education at SPC and eventually transfer to the University of South Florida to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. In addition to scholarship funding and a mentor, Think Big for Kids also helped Kiara land an internship with Haneke Design, a digital design and software development company in Tampa, which helped her discover her interest in business and marketing.

Funding for the Think Big for Kids scholarships comes from grants and donations from individuals and companies. Think Big for Kids collaborates with more than 100 partner companies from various industries to provide career showcases, field trips, mentorships and internships, all aimed at developing a skilled workforce.

“Scholarship season is the high point of our year because we get the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of these incredible graduates, all of whom will be first-generation college students,” said Amy Alley, executive director of Think Big for Kids, in a prepared statement. “These kids have overcome many obstacles while balancing studies, work and family life. We are so excited to see what the future holds as they prepare to enter the workforce and make our community an even better place.”

To qualify for a Think Big for Kids scholarship, students must write a personal essay and undergo an interview with a committee of Think Big employees and volunteers. The organization partners with the Hillsborough Education Foundation and the Pinellas Education Foundation to promote and administer the scholarships.

Since its founding in 2016 by Tampa Bay tech entrepreneur Tony DiBenedetto, Think Big for Kids has served 7,000 middle and high school students. The organization aims to serve 10,000 kids by 2025.