Q Students lands $5,000 Miami Dolphins & SunLife Financial Scholarship

Could we be more proud?

No. We couldn't be.

James is a special student of ours. He is hardworking, incredibly smart and filled with potential. A resident of the Dunbar community, James is familiar with the many paths of life that he can take. Fortunately, he has chosen a positive one - one that many other students within our community have chosen as well.

Congratulations to James on attaining this scholarship! We know you are the change we need in the world and we look forward to your future accomplishments.

We are very thankful for SunLife Financial and the Miami Dolphins Foundation. 

Read below for the full press release.

 

Miami Dolphins, Sun Life Financial Present $220,000 in Grants & Scholarships to South Florida Nonprofits & Students

Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach; HANDY, Fort Lauderdale; Little Haiti Optimist Foundation, Miami; Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers among 12 exceptional organizations across U.S. honored with Sun Life Rising Star Awards for commitment to education

Wellesley, Mass. (October 21, 2014) – The U.S. business group of Sun Life Financial and the Miami Dolphins today announced the South Florida recipients of the Sun Life Rising Star Awards and presented $220,000  in grants and scholarships to four nonprofit community organizations  and an exemplary student nominated by each nonprofit. The 2014 South Florida Sun Life Rising Star Awards recipients are:

·      Nonprofit winners: Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach; HANDY, Fort Lauderdale; Little Haiti Optimist Foundation, Miami; Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers

·      Student winners: Joeniseley Mathurin, Delray Beach; Kyandra Dorestin, Plantation; Junior Appo, Miami; James Blanks, Fort Myers

Sun Life Group Market Manager John Hak and Sun Life Employee Benefits Representative Brandon Davis joined Miami Dolphins players, Dolphins cheerleaders and front office executives to surprise each winning student with a $5,000 scholarship for college, and recognize each nonprofit organization with a $50,000 grant at four awards presentations across South Florida. This year’s South Florida Sun Life Rising Star Awards recipients also will be honored at a special pre-game on-field ceremony and celebration at the Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens game at Sun Life Stadium on December 7, 2014.

The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program is dedicated to improving educational opportunities for students and education-based nonprofit organizations that support them in our nation’s under-served metropolitan areas.  Now in its fifth year, Sun Life recognizes the remarkable achievements of all Sun Life Rising Star Award recipients, and celebrates these exceptional students and organizations for their continued dedication to education.

This year, Sun Life will provide $660,000 in grants, scholarships and other resources to outstanding organizations and students in Boston, Nashville, San Francisco, South Florida and the Tulsa/Oklahoma City area. By the end of 2014, Sun Life Financial will have committed nearly $5 million to 86 students and 79 nonprofit organizations in 16 different cities across the country. Sun Life has committed $1.1 million in South Florida to local education-based nonprofit organizations and under-served area students.

“We’re committed to investing in the health of our communities through initiatives like our Sun Life Rising Star Awards program,” said Dan Fishbein, President, Sun Life Financial U.S. “Today’s student scholarship recipients have overcome great obstacles to achieve success.  These remarkable individuals and the nonprofit organizations that comprise this year’s class of Sun Life Rising Star Award recipients inspire us all and we look forward to seeing the positive impact that the collective efforts of all our Rising Star recipients will have on their local communities and beyond.”

Sun Life also invites Rising Star recipients to apply for summer internship opportunities at its U.S. headquarters in Wellesley, Massachusetts following their freshman year of college. The goal is to provide a substantial, meaningful work experience that lays the foundation for future professional success.

“We are honored to join Sun Life for the fifth year to recognize the efforts being made to better serve the lives of under-served youth in South Florida. These exceptional students and community organizations are transforming education in the region, and we are thrilled to be part of it,” said Miami Dolphins President & CEO Tom Garfinkel.

Judging panels comprised of government officials, community, education and business leaders evaluate the applications and student nominations in South Florida based on the following criteria:

·         Nonprofit’s commitment to developing and promoting skills that directly translate to educational engagement and matriculation rates for secondary school youth under the age of 21.

·         Nonprofit’s demonstrated partnership with a secondary or post-secondary educational institution.

·         Nonprofit’s documented ability to respond to the needs of specific groups of youth in a manner yielding measurable results.

·         Student nominee’s plan to pursue a post-secondary education, leadership qualities, commitment to his or her community and a 750-word essay.

This year’s panel included:

·                     Shannon Alfonso, President of Florida Region Marsh & McLennan Agency

·                     Maureen Capp, Director of Resource and Grant Development at Palm Beach State College

·                     James Champion, President at Champion Services Group

·                     Mary Chance, Executive Director of Consortium of Florida Education Foundations

·                     Steve Jarvis, Vice President at Gravity Benefits

·                     Debra Lage, Senior Associate at Mercer

·                     Mike Meredith, Executive Vice President at Willis

·                     Matt Moraski, Owner of Gravity Benefits

·                     Jamar Taylor, Cornerback, Miami Dolphins

·                     Dr. Wallis Tinnie, Department of Human Resources for the City of Miami

·                     Stacy Ostrau, Society Scene Publisher at Sun Sentinel

·                     Andy Zerbock, Vice President of USI Insurance

Sun Life leverages its partnerships with organizations such as the Boston Celtics and the Miami Dolphins to enhance the student experience, promote healthy lifestyles and leverage powerful role models to reinforce the connection between education, health and financial well-being.

South Florida’s 2014 Sun Life Rising Star Award winners are:

Palm Beach County

Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Inc. – Founded in 1969, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Inc. is a nonprofit youth development organization dedicated to promoting the educational, vocational, health, leadership and character of youth in a safe, nurturing environment. The organization strives to enable and assist all young people, especially those who need them most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.

Student Recipient: Joeniseley Mathurin, Atlantic High School

Joeniseley Mathurin works and volunteers at the local school and in her community. She also takes part in extracurricular activities, and participates on the cheerleading team, as well as mentoring younger Boys & Girls' club members.

Broward County

HANDY – Helping Abused Neglected Disadvantaged Youth, HANDY’s mission is to embrace, educate, and empower vulnerable youth to become engaged, productive adults. HANDY has met the needs of almost 50,000 Broward County children and youth in foster and relative/non-relative care under protective supervision.

Student Recipient: Kyandra Dorestin, Plantation High School

Kyandra Dorestin often speaks at community engagement events and activities as an advocate for foster care and dependency care youth. In addition to her involvement with HANDY, she is a member of Broward County’s Florida Youth Shine Chapter and is actively involved in extracurricular activities such as the dance team, and participates in regular park and beach clean-ups and donation drives.

Miami/Miami-Dade County

Little Haiti Optimist Foundation–Little Haiti Optimist Club is a nonprofit organization established in 2010 by a group of business professionals, community and civic leaders to provide programs to the youth of Little Haiti. Their mission is to make a difference in the lives of youth by providing education, mentorship, athletics, arts and cultural programming.

Student Recipient: Junior Appo, Miami Edison Senior High School

Junior Appo is a member of his high school band and plays three musical instruments. He also serves as treasurer on the student government council, and works as a teller and concierge at the school's credit union. He was recently awarded a trophy, honoring him as the top concierge in the student finance department.

Lee County

Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida – Quality Life Center (the Q) has served more than 15,000 youth and families in the community. Its mission is to strengthen and instill pride in family and community through programs and services to cultivate self-discipline, self-development, build confidence and promote cultural awareness.

Student Recipient: James Blanks, City of Palms Charter High School

James Blanks serves as President of Quality Life Center’s teen program. He instructs and tutors younger students in the program and participates in its community service projects. James also stays active in extracurricular activities by playing football at his high school, and serving as president of the Kappa League.

For more information on the Sun Life Rising Star Awards, please visit www.sunliferisingstar.com.

About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth accumulation products and services to individuals and corporate customers. The Sun Life Financial group of companies operates under the “Sun Life Financial” name strictly as a marketing name and no legal significance is expressed or implied. Sun Life Financial and its partners today have operations in key markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Bermuda. In the United States and elsewhere, insurance products are offered by members of the Sun Life Financial group that are insurance companies.  In the United States, Sun Life Financial provides a range of products and services to employers and their employees, including Group and Voluntary Accident, Critical Illness, Dental, Disability, Life, and Stop-Loss Insurance Products. Sun Life Financial Inc., the holding company for the Sun Life Financial group of companies, is a public company. It is not an insurance company and does not offer insurance products for sale in the United States or elsewhere, and does not guarantee the obligations of its insurance company subsidiaries. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE

Lee Memorial Health System: Title Sponsor of our Annual Fundraiser

Lee Memorial Health System has signed on as the Title Sponsor of Quality Life Center’s annual fundraising event on November 14, 2014 at Florida Gulf Coast University's Cohen Center beginning at 6:00 p.m. This year’s event, Fashioning the Future: Modeling Positive Change in our Community, will feature lively dance performances and an inspiring “personality runway.” 

Lee Memorial Health System is an award-winning health care system that is committed to meeting the needs and improving the health of the people of Southwest Florida.  It is the largest public hospital system in the state without tax support, and has more than a million patient contacts each year.  

“At Quality Life Center, we provide an environment where children can reach their potential", said Founder and Executive Director Abdul'haq Muhammed. "Maintaining close partnerships with community organizations, like Lee Memorial Health System, enables us to continue to demystify the world for our center’s children."

Jim Nathan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Memorial Health System & Keesha Allen, Director of Youth Programs at Quality Life Center

Quality Life Center, a non-profit organization serving youth ages 2 to 18, has been providing programs to the Southwest Florida community since 1990. The event will benefit youth development programs at the center.

For event tickets, sponsorships or additional information, contact Quality Life Center at 239.334.2797, email info@qlcswfl.org or visit www.qualitylifecenter.org.

Flyer is attached.

Attached picture features Jim Nathan, President & Chief Executive Officer, Lee Memorial Health System and Keesha Allen, Director of Youth Programs, Quality Life Center.

Quality Life Center Children Learn Tennis with the Help of USPTA

FORT MYERS, FL. (September 23, 2014) – Quality Life Center received a $2,000 grant from the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) to support its children’s tennis program.

Children enrolled in the center’s Arts Character and Education (ACE) afterschool program will learn the fundamentals of the game, safety and tennis etiquette during the course of the year. “While learning to play tennis, children recognize the importance of sportsmanship and friendly competition,” said Abdul’Haq Muhammed, Quality Life Center’s Executive Director. “They also benefit by getting exercise, learning a new skill and gaining the confidence that comes with increased skill levels.”

Twice weekly for over a year, Andy Saunders and other volunteers from the Lee County Community Tennis Association have been teaching tennis skills to the children at the center. Each time, they transport the equipment needed, including nets, child-size rackets and specially-designed tennis balls appropriate for use in teaching children. Funding from this grant will allow the center to purchase its own child-sized tennis equipment.

Volunteer Louis Eason, who started the program says, “Tennis is a great sport that you can play for a lifetime. I thought it would be nice to bring tennis to the deserving youth at the center who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn and participate in this great activity.”

About Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida

Quality Life Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization transforming the community by developing the potential of underserved populations in Southwest Florida through early learning and youth development programs, including afterschool and teen and summer camp programs. For 24 years, the “Q” has been instilling values of discipline, integrity and self-sufficiency. Quality Life Center is headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida. For more information, call (239) 334-2797 or visit http://www.qualitylifecenter.org.

###

Shari Armstrong: Following Her Own Path

After assembling a group of teenagers in the dance studio at 8 a.m. to practice the disco number they will be performing that night, Shari Armstrong runs downstairs to her office to return calls to the Mayor, Chief of Police, and other supporters attending the reception for The Wiz Meets the Wizard of Oz prior to the show that evening. Shari helped choreograph the seven dance numbers the children performed, and teach the dances to the classes of children ranging in age from 5 to 15. 

Having promoted the event in traditional and social media outlets, the demand for tickets had necessitated an additional show. After going over last minute details with the show’s director, Keesha Allen, Shari drives over to the venue to set up children’s projects which will be on display at the reception. On the way, she pauses to impart words of encouragement to a group of children during a final rehearsal. It’s not even 10 a.m.  Make no mistake, when the first guests arrive, Shari is calm, composed and looks like she just strolled out of a salon.

Shari Armstrong, Public Relations Representative for Quality Life Center was among the recipients of Gulfshore Business Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Award on September 5 at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers.  The award recognizes individuals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their professions and in the community.

“Despite having a wide range of talents, Shari is hardworking, humble and thoughtful,” said AH Muhammed, Executive Director of Quality Life Center.  “Whether it is working with children or promoting an event, she encourages action and involvement with her enthusiasm and positivity.”

A 2011 graduate of the University of South Florida, Shari has had diverse experiences in broadcast journalism: researching, writing, recording and editing for radio and television, as well as anchoring the show Florida Focus.  Casting aside enviable job offers on the corporate track, Shari returned to Fort Myers where she began working with an underserved community at Quality Life Center. She initiated major arts projects in order to provide children with a creative outlet. She wrote scripts, choreographed dances, and taught dance and drama, including The Nutcracker: Redefined, an updated version of the classic.

Utilizing her education and training, she transitioned to a position as Public Relations Representative while continuing to work with children in the afternoon. With patience and compassion, she brings out the best in youth. Meanwhile, she has energized the organization’s social media campaigns, started building media relationships, and did all of the leg work and much of the marketing for a big event featuring Magic Johnson at Quality Life Center earlier this year.

Flyers, programs and invitations to the summer camp show have long since been filed away, replaced on Shari’s desk with material for the Q’s annual fundraising event. Leaning back and taking a deep breath, she ponders: “It may not be the traditional path, but it feels right.”  Shari played the role of Dorothy in a performance of The Wiz years before.  She is no longer on the yellow brick road, but she is still striving for her own Emerald City.

More than 500 people support Q Children at The Wiz Meets The Wizard of Oz.

Quality Life Center would like to thank the community for its overwhelming support of its Youth Masterpiece production of The Wiz Meets The Wizard of Oz. Because "The Q" received a high volume of interest in its July 31st Youth Masterpiece production, the organization chose to meet the public’s demand by presenting an encore performance on August 1, 2014.

Over 500 people attended the lively mash-up of the classic movies, The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz. Positive feedback continues to buzz around town as people rave about the talent showcased by Q children ages 2 to 17. Check out the ballet, "Lollipop", jazz and even disco dances! 

The organization prides itself on the inclusion of each summer camp participant, with Director of Youth Programs Keesha Allen explaining that the show is a manifestation of the organization’s commitment to community. 

“Every Q child and staff member was an active part of making this production a success. It is truly a reflection of the power a community holds when it is united in attaining the same goal.” 

Quality Life Center would like to thank Mr. Charles Dailey and the Dunbar

Community School staff, Mayor Randy Henderson & the City of Fort Myers, Judge Archie Hayward, Judge Josephine Gagliardi, Fort Myers Police Department Chief Doug Baker, Florida Gulf Coast University, Hodges University, CommunityTV1 and the many parents, volunteers & community members who attended the show, which ultimately led to a standing-room onlyaudience and a second show.  

See more pictures here. 




Quality Life Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization transforming the community by developing the potential of underserved populations in Southwest Florida through early learning and youth development programs, including afterschool and teen and summer camp programs. For 24 years, the “Q” has been instilling values of discipline, integrity and self-sufficiency. Quality Life Center is headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida. For more information, call (239) 334-2797 or visit http://www.qualitylifecenter.org.