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LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (June 23, 2025) – Two local students will benefit from scholarships provided by Neal Communities through Take Stock in Children of Manatee County, but that’s not the only benefit gained for Tuline and Joel. Neal Communities donated $13,121 to Take Stock in Children of Manatee County to provide a tuition-based college/technical college scholarship to students in the Manatee County program. Over the past several years, these students have been mentored by members of the Neal Communities team. Pamela Curran, vice president of finance, and Steve Abraham, president of Neal Communities Funding, served as mentors to Tuline and Joel. “I had the privilege of mentoring Tuline for two years and she is incredibly bright—definitely smarter than I was at 18,” says Curran. “Her ambition, focus, and maturity are remarkable. I have no doubt she’s going to make a meaningful impact in whatever path she chooses. She even inspired me to push myself further, both personally and professionally.” For her part, Tuline says her experience has been overwhelmingly positive and crucial to providing the support necessary for a higher-level education. She is planning to use her scholarship to attend the University of South Florida. “My aspiring career interests are in the field of Mechanical Engineering, with a concentration on prosthetics and mechatronics. Hopefully, I plan on working to innovate and create medical devices and prosthetics,” she says. “This scholarship is presented to me as a sign of resilience and motivation for future goals and aspirations. With this in mind, I would like to be a trailblazer, creating opportunities and inspiration for many others worldwide.” Curran says that she has mentored three other Take Stock students over the years. “I can honestly say that I’ve gained just as much from the program as the students have,” she adds. “These students have become like family to me. I’m forever grateful for their patience, wisdom, humility, humor, dedication, and inspiration. Each one has left a lasting impression on my life.” The second student, Joel, is planning to use the scholarship for college to study accounting and believes that with other financial aid, he can be debt free after earning his degree. “I took advantage of the mentoring program. My mentor, Mr. Abraham, and I often talked about a lot of things going on in my life, whether it be school or personal issues,” he says. “This scholarship helps me reach my goals of enjoying everything college offers. The financial support will also help me explore what I want to do for my future and the career path that I will take.” Abraham has served as Joel’s mentor for three years, using a variety of communications vehicles to connect, including chat, video and in-person meetings. “If someone can understand that learning is fun and rewarding, that you can develop skills to learn on your own, then the time you spend in school is probably more fruitful,” Abraham says. “If you leave school with a habit or desire to continue learning on your own, life will be infinitely better for you and the people around you. Having an adult to talk to without the emotional baggage that goes with a parent-child interaction is a chance for a young person to find out what it’s like to be their own person.” Take Stock in Children’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty for low-income, academically qualified students by providing opportunities for a postsecondary education. The students, from middle to high school age, are matched with a volunteer mentor, provided college readiness services and a dedicated college success coach. Each student is awarded a college scholarship and provided with postsecondary support through degree or certification attainment. In addition to Curran and Abraham, there are 13 additional Neal Communities employees volunteering as mentors with Take Stock in Children of Manatee County. Also, Ivory Matthews, vice president of community and governmental affairs at Neal Communities who has served as a mentor and former board member of Take Stock in Children of Manatee, is now a member of the Florida State Board of Take Stock in Children. “Neal Communities is committed to giving back to the communities where we live and work and we’re proud and grateful to our mentors,” says Matthews. “We wish these mentees and all the students involved with Take Stock in Children of Manatee County success in whatever fields they pursue.” Neal Communities has a philanthropic culture and a core belief that “Where You Live Matters.” The latest giving is part of more than $8 million Neal Communities has donated to local charities and causes throughout Southwest Florida.