UCF Program Bridgesโ Veteran education with youth Support in Central Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. – Aโ long-standing University of Central Florida (UCF) program is offering a unique pathwayโข for veterans to pursue higher education while simultaneously providing crucialโค academic support to elementary school students in a local community. “Soldiers to Scholars,”โ founded in 1995, pairs enrolled veterans with students at Eagle’sโ Nest Elementaryโฃ School needing after-school assistance.
Theโ program,created byโฃ Army veteran Dr. Alzo Reddick, offers โคveteransโ free tuition in exchange for a commitment of 7-10 hours of weekly mentorship. These mentors provide complete support, โincluding daily transportation to โand from school, serving breakfast โขand dinner at โthe Metro Place Apartments clubhouse,โค andโ dedicated โขtime for homework help, reading, and math โtutoring. Fun Fridayโ activities are also incorporated into the schedule.
“Just being able to beโ a mentor for them and kind of like a big sister.It’s a passion of mine,” said Lizette Brown, a UCF student andโ Navy reservist participating in the program. โข”I really enjoy being able โto be โขthat person that they’re like, ‘oh, I want toโข go to โขMiss Brown for something.'”
Program โleaders emphasize the positive impact of the โveterans’ consistent presence. “They’re very disciplined. They’re very structured. This might be the first time that they have aโฃ structured setting,” explained Administrative Coordinator โคToni Leonard.
Marineโ Corps veteran Ken Bradshaw echoed thisโ sentiment, adding, “I feel as though I’mโข gaining more out ofโค it than they areโฆ encouraging themโค to dream or to think outside of maybe what โtheir reality mightโฃ be โtoday.”
the program’s effectiveness is evident in the academic progress of the students.โ “The impact that we’re making โฃis thatโค those grades are going upโฆ just building that mentality that they shouldโ be responsibleโ for their academics,” stated student Resource Specialist Sayra Langevin Pratts, who oversees โthe program’s โฃdailyโ operations.
Administrators are now looking to expand “Soldiers to Scholars”โค to additional communities withinโข Orange County, hoping to reach โmore veterans and students in need. The program currently provides a mutually beneficial arrangement, allowing veterans to earn their degrees while fostering meaningful relationships โขwith the children they mentorโ – relationships like the one Brown has built, where students now eagerlyโ greet her as “Miss Brown” each day.
More details about Soldiers to Scholars can be โขfound at https://access.ucf.edu/military/soldiers-to-scholars/.
