Sixteen years of guiding and nurturing our students!

2004 -2005 COMPACT Award Winners

2004 - 2005 ANNUAL REPORT

A Message from COMPACT's Executive Director, George Fuller

Sixteen years of guiding and nurturing our students! Yes, we have completed another successful year. Way back in 1989 COMPACT was launched with a pilot program of 15 students at Jones High School. Since then COMPACT has touched the lives of over 8,000 students, including over 600 this year. The 2004 - 2005 school year began with three hurricanes and 10 lost school days, but even the storms could not keep us from our purpose - helping students to become productive members of society.

A banner year for COMPACT, the highest ever results were achieved in three areas of our COMPACT Report Card. Aphrodite Smith of Colonial High School improved from a .6 G.P.A. to a 3.7 G.P.A.! Also, Oak Ridge High School rejoined COMPACT after a nine year absence and new "Reading Buddies" partnerships were established between Colonial High School and Brookshire Elementary School; Howard Middle School and Fern Creek Elementary; and Timber Creek High School and Columbia Elementary School

The year concluded with a marvelous and memorable week long trip to Washington, D.C. for 23 special achievers (one of the 24 winners was unable to participate). This year we had the highest number of trip winners since 1994. Some highlights of this endeavor and of the entire year are featured in this annual report.

We are proud of and thankful for all who made this a successful, exciting year. To all of you- students, teachers, mentors, parents, staff and business partners, we say thank you!

COVER PHOTO COMPACT 2004-2005 COMPACT Award Winners (L - R): Aphrodite Smith, Colonial High, Most Improved Student; Jorge Maldonado, Oak Ridge, Co-recipient Student of the Year; Natasha Yandel, Timber Creek, Co-recipient Student of the Year; Xavier Persad, Evans High, Co-recipient Lee Norris Rayam Scholarship; and Ashanti Robinson, Dr. Phillips, Co-recipient Lee Norris Rayam Scholarship.

Ashanti Robinson of Dr. Phillips High School, the co-recipient of the Lee Norris Rayam Scholarship, will attend Valencia Community College

Xavier Persad of Evans High School, the co-recipient of the Lee Norris Rayam Scholarship, will attend the University of Florida.

Tour of Mount Vernon

Before boarding the Spirit of Washington for a cruise to Mt. Vernon, Virginia, the group poses for a photo.

2005 Washington, D.C. Trip Winners

Romelyne Augustin, Oak Ridge; Tiffany Bowen, Timber Creek; Travis Crust, Colonial Ninth Grade Center; Brittany Davis, Dr. Phillips; Anthony Fitzpatrick, Jones; Tamara Henry, Oak Ridge; Jennifer Johnson, Colonial 9th Grade Center; Nikkee Johnson, Timber Creek; Vickee Johnson, Timber Creek; Ruth Joseph, Dr. Phillips; Jorge Maldanado, Oak Ridge; Mercedes Marti-Padial, Colonial Ninth Grade Center; Nathalie Mertis, Dr. Phillips; Xavier Persad, Evans; Danielle Peterson, Dr. Phillips; Ashanti Robinson, Dr. Phillips; Charlene Rodriquez, Timber Creek; Noelani Rodriquez, Colonial Ninth Grade Center; Shawn Rose, Colonial; Diana Segura, Timber Creek; Aphrodite Smith, Colonial; Souhaila Taleb, Dr. Phillips; Tiffany Tomlinson, Dr. Phillips, Natasha Yandel, Timber Creek.

Embassy of Morocco

Dr. Phillips student, Souhaila Taleb (3rd from the left), a native of Morocco, secured a visit to the Embassy of Morocco. Pictured with her family friend, Mr. Mohammed Ariad, Deputy Chief of Mission, are her friends and teacher from Dr. Phillips High School. From left to right are: Nathalie Mertis, Tiffany Tomlinson, Souhaila Taleb, Mr. Ariad, Danielle Peterson, Brittany Davis, Ashanti Robinson, teacher, Mrs. Everett, and kneeling is Ruth Joseph.

Presentation to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

George Fuller, Executive Director (left) and Rocky Robinson, Program Manager, present Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with a memory album and letter from former COMPACT student, Marine Corporal Sarrah McHenry, a 1998 Boone High School graduate. The memory album includes photos and biographical sketches of 10 former COMPACT students (including Corporal McHenry) who met with Justice Thomas on Washington, D.C. trips from 1994 through 2004. Justice Thomas has met and inspired COMPACT students and chaperones on every trip, beginning with the first one in 1992.

COMPACT Students receive years of inspiration

from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas!

Timber Creek Contingent

at the Office of Justice Thomas

Justice Clarence Thomas poses with the Timber Creek High School Washington D.C. trip winners. From left to right are: Nydia Chaves, Timber Creek Assistant Principal and chaperone; Charlene Rodriquez, Diana Segura, Tiffany Bowen, Justice Thomas, Nikkee Johnson, Vickee Johnson and Natasha Yandel.

Bolling Air Force Base Brunch

The Washington D.C. trip concluded with a fabulous brunch at Bolling Air Force Base. The host was retired Army Reserves Captain, Otto Jordan, cousin of Executive Director, George Fuller. Some of the students posed for a photo before being served.

Students with Captain Jordan

Colonial Ninth Grade Center Air Force ROTC students, Jennifer Johnson (left) and Noelani Rodriguez salute with retired Army Reserves Captain Otto Jordan.

Gandhi Statue

Travis Crust from Colonial 9th Grade Center in front of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

COMPACT 2004-2005

Reading Buddies Programs

Colonial High School & Brookshire Elementary

Colonial Ninth Grade Center & Hidden Oaks Elementary

Howard Middle School & Fern Creek Elementary

Timber Creek High School & Avalon Elementary

Howard Middle School & Fern Creek Elementary School Reading Buddies

Howard Middle School and Fern Creek Elementary School Reading Buddies pose for a picture.

Colonial High & Brookshire Elementary School

Reading Buddies

Sea World sponsored Reading Buddies from Colonial High School and Brookshire Elementary School and treated them to a day at the park to celebrate their successful year! Pictured here are Colonial High buddies Christopher Bonilla (2nd from left ) and Aliena Rodriquez (far right).

Mentor of the Year

Chris Takashima of Darden Restaurants is a mentor at Oak Ridge High School and the 2004 -2005 COMPACT Mentor of the Year.

Oak Ridge High School

Kerry Price (left) a teacher at Oak Ridge High School serves as a mentor to student, Jorge Maldonado, co-recipient , COMPACT Student of the Year.

Jones High School

Alton Drake, of AT&T was Jones High School Mentor of the year. He is pictured here with mentee, Eikedo Encarnacion.

Orange Center Elementary School

Twin mentors, Ed and Sue Chairvolotti with mentees Dominique Pierre-Louis and Anquanette Taylor.

Service-Learning at Timber Creek

Natasha Yandel, co-recipient of the COMPACT Student of the Year Award, earned over 150 service learning hours. She was a leader in the Timber Creek High Tsunami Relief Fund-raiser. Here she poses at the event with Shishir Inocolla who starred as Michelangelo in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies.

Rose Cooper

Colonial High School teacher, Rose Cooper, has led the Colonial High School COMPACT Program for 10 years.

LaToya DeCastro-Chiles

Former COMPACT student, LaToya DeCastro-Chiles served as a Washington, D.C. trip chaperone this year. Ms. DeCastro-Chiles graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in 1994 and Florida A&M University in 1999. She obtained a Master's Degree from Webster University in 2004. She has been a teacher with Orange County Public Schools for 6 years, first at Evans High School and for the last 4 years as a Honors Biology teacher at West Orange High School. This fall she will join the Guidance Department at Meadow Woods Middle School. Here LaToya is greeted and congratulated by Supreme Court Justice Thomas.

Memorial Middle School

Teachers/Mentors and Students

Memorial Middle School teachers posed with their mentees (left to right): Vivian Chanel, teacher/mentor; Lakrisha Isaac, mentee, Virticee Thompson, mentee; Deavbrey Devine, teacher/mentor.

LaShanda Brown-Neal

The 10th Annual Salute to COMPACT Banquet was held September 29, 2004 at the Expo Center Lake Highland Ballroom. At the banquet Ms. LaShanda Brown-Neal received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. She graduated from Jones High School in 1995 and was named the COMPACT Student of the Year for 1994-1995. LaShanda graduated from Florida A&M University in 2002 receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business. She is employed at Florida A&M University as an accountant.

Sarrah McHenry

Sarrah McHenry graduated from Boone High School in 1998. She was the recipient of the COMPACT Student of the Year Award in 1996 and the Lee Norris Rayam Scholarship in 1998. Sarrah graduated from Polk Community College in 2002 and is now a Corporal in the United States Marines.

Ms. Brown-Neal is shown here receiving her award at the COMPACT Banquet with (left to right): George Fuller, COMPACT Executive Director; Ronald Blocker, Superintendent of OCPS; and Linda Landman Gonzalez of Darden Restaurants and the Chair of the COMPACT Board of Directors.

2004 - 2005

COMPACT Board of Directors

For more information contact:

Orlando/Orange County COMPACT

445 West Amelia Street

P. O. Box 1073

Orlando, Florida 32802-1073

(407) 292-5435

Website:www.compactinc.net

Outgoing COMPACT Board Chair, Linda Landman Gonzalez (left) of Darden Restaurants hands the gavel to incoming Chair, Traci Blue of the City of Orlando. Ms. Blue assumed her duties July 1, 2005.

2004 - 2005 COMPACT Programs

Teachers/Coordinators