How Dozens of Brevard Students Had Their College Opportunity Doubled
Take Stock in Children of Brevard doubled eligible scholarships from 60 to 120 credit hours for 41 Class of 2026 scholars across 17 high schools.
By Amy Ling
Forty-one Brevard seniors entered graduation season with a much bigger college runway than they expected. Take Stock in Children of Brevard doubled their eligible scholarship benefit from 60 credit hours to 120.
The Brevard Schools Foundation announcement says the Class of 2026 scholars represent 17 high schools. The change can turn support that once covered roughly two years of college into a path toward a four-year degree at participating Florida institutions.
The scholarship is only half the program
Take Stock in Children works with income-eligible students and pairs them with volunteer mentors. The relationship can begin years before graduation, giving students a consistent adult who checks in, encourages progress and helps make college feel less abstract.
Students also receive college-readiness support as they work through applications, financial-aid steps and the decisions that arrive during senior year.
Why 120 credit hours changes the calculation
A scholarship covering 60 credits can make an associate degree attainable. Doubling that amount gives eligible students a stronger chance of continuing directly toward a bachelor's degree without pausing to assemble a second financing plan.
Brevard Schools Foundation President and CEO Janice Kershaw called the expansion a way to remove financial barriers and create additional educational and career pathways for students and their families.
Brevard still needs mentors
The money matters, but the program also depends on adults willing to show up consistently. Residents interested in supporting a student can learn about becoming a Take Stock mentor through the foundation.
Forty-one scholarships made the headline. Behind each one is a longer story of a student meeting expectations, a mentor keeping an appointment and a family being able to picture four years of college instead of two.
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Amy Ling
Amy writes about Brevard's schools, students, families, and community programs. Her work focuses on the practical side of local education: what changed, who it helps, and what parents and students need to know next.
