As National Scholarship Month comes to an end, we want to deeply thank all our IDEA employees for their contributions to student success through the Give Me 5 campaign, our year-round all-staff internal giving campaign! Did you know that IDEA staff raised more than $556,000 for the Give Me 5 Scholarship last year with cafeteria staff (Child Nutrition Program) being the largest group of staff donors? In addition, more than 90% of staff participated in giving even during the COVID-19 pandemic! 

It’s extremely awe-inspiring that our staff believe so deeply in the futures of our scholars. Through their generous contributions, on average, IDEA is able to award approximately 600 Give Me 5 Scholarships of about $2,500 to IDEA scholars each year, as well as a one-time, zero-interest emergency loans. 

What is the Give Me 5 Scholarship and how did it start? 

The Give Me 5 staff giving campaign began during the 2008-2009 school year out of an employee’s desire to continue supporting students once they graduated from our network. IDEA graduated its first senior class in 2007 and quickly learned of the financial burdens alumni and graduating seniors encountered on their journey to and through college. Determined to make the dream of college and IDEA’s mission a reality, the Give Me 5 campaign was born.  

By contributing each month, employees are providing financial support for graduating seniors and alumni struggling to get to college or stay in college due to financial circumstances. It is because of support offered through Give Me 5 to students that IDEA Public Schools continues to live up to its organizational promise of democratizing higher education. 

“We would not be able to achieve 100% college matriculation or give our students their chance at achieving the American dream by first completing their college degree without Give Me 5. It is just one other way we do Whatever It Takes.” – Phillip Garza, IDEA Chief College and Diversity Officer 

Thank you, Team & Family, for ensuring our scholars make it to and through college! Your kindness and generosity mean so much to our seniors, alumni and their families.