Lightning teams up with Stantec to award educational scholarships to STEAM-focused students

This season, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Stantec have partnered again to help continue the education of four deserving students from the Bay area through the Hillsborough Education Foundation’s Take Stock in Children program. During Thursday evening’s contest against the Buffalo Sabres, Stantec awarded four students with a combined $35,000 in college scholarships. Isabella Saa, an 8^th grader at Farnell Middle School; Joseph’Lafay Washington-Clements, an 8^th-grader at McLane Middle School; Julian Brito, an 8^th-grader at Roland Park K-8 Magnet School; and Nicolas Legeret-Harris, a 12^th-grader at Strawberry Crest High School, were awarded their scholarships during the game on Thursday after an extensive essay and interview process.

Stantec teamed up with the Hillsborough Education Foundation (HEF) to champion the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in local schools. From November 2018 to January 2019 students were given the opportunity to apply for scholarships through the Hillsborough Education Foundation. After the application period closed, the Hillsborough Education Foundation reviewed thousands of applicants and identified more than 400 eligible scholars in Hillsborough County.

Students who applied for this program were required to write an essay based on character building experiences and the positive influence of mentors in their lives. The HEF staff narrowed the pool of potential candidates based on the additional criteria of students actively developing STEAM skills. From that pool, Stantec and the Lightning reviewed the applications and interviewed the potential candidates to ultimately select the four scholarship recipients.

“The winning responses were so heartfelt and personal, truly standing out among all of the exceptional submissions. These students are wonderful examples of the great potential found in our next generation of community leaders,” said Kim Austin, Vice President, Regional Marketing & Communications at Stantec. “This is a program that Stantec looks forward to supporting year after year as part of our mission of contributing to our communities and advancing the development of future generations.”

All four winners were surprised and honored at the Lightning home game in front of their family, friends and peers. Stantec and HEF presented each winner with a check for a combined total of $35,000 in educational scholarships. The awarded funds will be going directly to their college education.

About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. 

We care about the communities we serve—because they're our communities too. We're designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.

About Take Stock in Children
Take Stock in Children (TSIC) is a Florida nonprofit founded in 1995. This statewide program is independently managed in each county, and the Hillsborough Education Foundation manages the TSIC program for Hillsborough. Essentially, the Hillsborough Education Foundation administers the application process, recruits the mentors, monitors the student’s academic progress and mentor interaction, and raises funds to provide scholarships to at-risk students in 6th-10th grades. Take Stock in Children also provides a dollar-for-dollar match for all funds raised by the Hillsborough Education Foundation. Through the Take Stock in Children program students get the support, motivation, and accountability they need to escape the cycle of poverty, graduate high school, and attend a Florida college on a Florida Prepaid Scholarship.

Media Contacts                                               

Stantec Media Relations
Maggie Meluzio
Ph (617) 654-6037
maggie.meluzio@stantec.com

Tampa Bay Lightning Media Relations
Brian Breseman
Ph (813) 301-6871
bbreseman@amaliearena.com

Trevor van Knotsenburg
Ph (813) 301-6826
tvanknotsenburg@amaliearena.com