This session will describe one of the most effective initiatives in the country for eliminating educational and economic inequity-the Tangelo Park Program. This is a commitment with virtually no bureaucracy where community citizens make all decisions in a once a month meeting. Tangelo in unique because funding is assured in perpetuity. Data will show dramatic increases in high school completion, college graduation, and radically reduced crime. The preschool programs established school readiness and an effective parent leadership program increases student advocacy.
In this session I will present what has happened to a community (Tangelo Park) in Orlando Florida that suffered overt problems with drug dealers, excessive crime, poor educational achievement, excessive school dropout, and virtually nonexistent college completion after remarkable philanthropist (Harris Rosen) decided to do something about it. Twenty-five years ago, the principle of the elementary school in Tangelo could watch drug deals going down form his office window, every morning had to police the playground for paraphernalia and told his teachers to go home right after school. Tangelo, which is tucked right behind the International Drive Tourist area is where that that certain parking attendant at any upscale hotel would send a potential buyer to make a score. Tangelo was dangerous with very little hope
However Harris Rosen provided the financial backing for the initiative that collaborated with community leaders to establish an advisory board with continued financial support guaranteed by him. The Program oversees the, educational needs, scholarship distributions and community wellbeing for its citizens—ages 2 to 22. At no cost to its citizens and in perpetuity, TPP offers:
- pre-school opportunities for every Tangelo Park two-, three-, and four-year old;
- parenting classes and vocational or technical opportunities for parents with children in school;
- full tuition, room, board, and living expenses for every Tangelo Park high school graduate who is accepted by a vocational school, community college, or public university in the state of Florida
After years of sustained support the elementary school has achieved top ratings in the Florida Comprehensive Assessment test. Virtually all Tangelo high school students earn a regular high school diploma. 0f those students who go on to four-year schools either directly or through community college and remain in the community, 78% achieve a degree--far above the 10% expectation for a community of this socioeconomic level. Crime in the neighborhood has decreased 73% over 26 years showing a continuous decline over the past several years (Evaluated by the University of Central Florida) The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has acknowledged that the Tangelo Park Program has reinforced the relationship between their office and the community.
This session will describe one of the most effective initiatives in the country for eliminating educational and economic inequity-the Tangelo Park Program. This is a commitment with virtually no bureaucracy where community citizens make all decisions in a once a month meeting. Tangelo in unique because funding is assured in perpetuity. Data will show dramatic increases in high school completion, college graduation, and radically reduced crime. The preschool programs established school readiness and an effective parent leadership program increases student advocacy.
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Engagement for this session will diverge from traditional approaches in that I will present such compelling evidence for the success and economic viability of the Rosen Tangelo and now Parramore programs that the session participants will be able to will reach out to their community leaders or contact us for further dialogue and sharing. I anticipate that those conversations will result in visits to our programs and causing community leaders and philanthropic organizations to alter their traditional funding and support philosophies regarding poverty in our underserved communities. I have worked with Harris Rosen and have seen first-hand that one man who cares can instill hope into a community. He has invested thirteen million dollars in Tangelo Park. I want others to do the same.
We have hosted and interacted with some of the wealthiest individuals, largest foundations and corporations, political leaders, the national football and basketball associations, mayors, governors, media outlets about committing to adopt communities of their own. Diana Oblinger knows about Tangelo. However in 26 years no one has stepped up. That is why Harris decided to support another community (Parrramore). This program is the most effective initiative in the country. It has won the Martin Luther King Foundation ANGEL award, been featured in the New York Times and Good Morning America, recognized by several national educational and financial organizations, and any number of highly influential people-however, no takers. So OLC perhaps you can do what no one else has been willing to do.
We are wasting millions of minds in this country. We cannot continue to do this is we are to thrive as nation. We have proven, without a doubt, that the talent pool in our underserved neighborhoods is as deep and any gated community in this country. The national expectation of the number of college graduates without Harris Rosen and the University of Central Florida would be 40. We have graduated 152 students with 218 degrees-25 if the graduate level and 12 vocational certificate. We have increased the odds ratio of getting a college degree in to 10.5. A bachelor’s degree is worth 2.7 million dollars in lifetime earnings- lifting a person out of poverty into the middle class. We done that for entitle community. The thirteen millions dollars invested in Tangelo Park is a bargain when compared to money wasted on ineffective programs