November 22, 2017
Over the past two years, Tallahassee Community College’s student-athletes have served their community by taking part in a mentoring outreach program with students from Sabal Palm Elementary School in Tallahassee.
Volunteers from all of TCC’s sports teams, including the entire baseball team during the 2017 fall semester, work with one to three students at a time providing individual tutoring and assistance on a wide variety of subjects.
“Whatever the teachers assign, the athletes sit down and work with the students personally,” said Ashley Kemp, a reading coach at Sabal Palm. “Their work ethic in the school is amazing.”
Kemp added that TCC is one of the school’s most impactful community partners in terms of promoting student success.
According to TCC athletic director Rob Chaney, the College actively encourages student-athletes to be involved in the community.
“What better way to give back than to invest in the lives of children?” Chaney said.
The students from Sabal Palm, along with a group of students from Bond Elementary School, recently attended a TCC women’s basketball game against IMG Academy-Bradenton. Following the Eagles’ 122-40 victory at the Bill Hebrock Eagledome, the students had the chance to meet TCC players and coaches.
“There are multiple benefits to this partnership,” Chaney said. “It’s never too early to bring students onto a college campus and begin fostering the goal of a college education.”
Kemp said Sabal Palm students who work with athletes from the College become more engaged in the classroom throughout the rest of the school year.
“They’re excited to get help from people they look up to,” Kemp said. “To them, this is everything.”