Program Highlights

Abriendo Puertas

Helios invested $445,000 in Abriendo Puertas, which is an innovative partnership with Chicanos Por La Causa and brings to Arizona the nation’s first evidence-based parent leadership program for Latino parents with children ages birth to five. The program works to build the capacity and confidence of parents to be strong and knowledgeable first educators, promote their children’s success, and become an integral part of their education process.

First Generation Scholars Program

The $5 million investment by Helios in the First Generation Scholars Program provides scholarships for first-generation students in the State University System of Florida. The Foundation's $5 million investment was matched by the State, creating a $10 million endowment for this initiative.

Hispanic Heritage Fund of Metro Orlando

The Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to Hispanic students pursuing a college or university degree. The Helios investment of $1,000,000, establishes a scholarship endowment and completes the development of a comprehensive multi-year strategic framework and business plan to specifically address college persistence, degree completion and pathways to careers in fields of high demand.

Make Way for Books

The Make Way for Books - Neighborhood School Readiness Collaborative provides opportunities for thousands of children to enter school ready to read and succeed. The project provides comprehensive early literacy programming for children ages birth to five that is focused and coordinated in twelve high-need neighborhoods surrounding Tucson Unified School District elementary schools. Helios invested $415,000.00 in this initiative.

Ready Now Yuma

Ready Now Yuma is a partnership between Helios Education Foundation and Yuma Union High School District in Yuma, Arizona to ensure that every student is challenged, supported and prepared to succeed in college and career. This initiative is a district-wide implementation of a high expectations, performance-based education model designed to graduate knowledgeable, highly skilled students academically prepared for success beyond high school. The investment in this five year initiative was $5 million.

SEED School of Miami

SEED Miami, is the first urban public boarding school in Florida and the third in the country. SEED Miami’s ultimate goal is to provide an outstanding educational program that empowers students to be successful, both academically and socially, in college and beyond. Helios invested $1,000,000 in SEED Miami, to help ensure that these students are college and career ready.

Take Stock in Children

Helios invested $4,000,000 in Take Stock in Children in support of dropout prevention and encouraging low-income students to graduate from high school and transition to college. Take Stock in Children is working across Florida to break the cycle of poverty for low-income, academically qualified students by providing opportunities for a postsecondary education. More than 24,000 students in Florida’s 67 counties have been identified as Take Stock participants.