Take Stock in Children Mentor, Teacher Kimberly Rolston
awarded Palm Beach Illustrated’s Educator of the Year!
September 24, 2021 – West Palm Beach, Fla. – Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County cheers Kimberly Rolston, of West Palm Beach, for her recent recognition as Palm Beach Illustrated’s Educator of the Year. Rolston, in her third year of volunteering as a Take Stock in Children Mentor to support fellow mentors and students enrolled in the nonprofit’s scholarship program, teaches early education at The Greene School in West Palm Beach.
Rolston’s more than two decades of credentials and service are rooted in education and woven with child advocacy, ministry, and her enthusiastic passion for learning.
“Kim possesses a true compassion for a student’s individual success, and we are so very appreciative of her choosing to volunteer her time with us to help break the cycle of poverty with education,” said Nancy Stellway, Executive Director, Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County. “We cheer Kim’s honor and recognize her as a leader in advocating for children’s wellbeing and success.”
Rolston, a long-time contributor to several, local nonprofit organizations, said she finds the benefits of mentoring applicable in and out of the classroom, “…my first love.”
“I felt the more I communicated with my mentee, the more I learned how to become an effective communicator and inspire self-confidence and give direction,” Rolston said.
Sharing the title of Educator of the Year, is Ariana Murphy, a Teacher at Belle Glade Elementary School, who tied for the top award. Fellow Take Stock Mentor, and Teacher at Glades Central Community High School Mark Risisky, of Wellington, placed among the seven finalists.
About Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County:
Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County celebrates 26 years of commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty with education. We accomplish our 98% success rate with an innovative multi-year model that begins in middle school, and continues throughout post-secondary completion. We provide wraparound services to underserved youth from age 12 – 22, with no drop-off after high school completion. We help students evade dropping out of high school and attain a college education by providing one-on-one mentoring, after school club meetings, college readiness coaching, college retention services, and two-year scholarships.
How can the community help? Take Stock in Children Palm Beach County impacts the community by bringing limitless opportunity to its young adults, with the gift of education. We remain committed to empowering students to earn college scholarships, experience the reward of dedicated work, and gain wide-open access to a life of success, without poverty. Strengthen your community by investing your time as a mentor to support students as a friend and role model throughout their educational journey, or, make a donation to help fund resources critical to student success. www.takestockpalmbeach.org.
Photo of Kimberly Rolston Contributed by: Kimberly Rolston
Photo Credit of Mark Risisky: Laura Louise Tingo