Garrison honored with Legislative Champion Award by Student Groups

Children’s Home Society, Community Partnership Schools make heartfelt presentation

FLEMING ISLAND – Representatives of the Children’s Home Society of Florida and Community Partnership Schools filled the meeting room at Florida Rep. Sam Garrison, and they each had stories of success they wanted to share.

They smiled as they talked about making a difference around Clay County, and they all ended their tales by looking at Garrison and crediting him for a portion of the accomplishment.

“We couldn’t say thank you enough. You love the county, and we know that, but the level of support you’ve shown reaches far beyond the zip codes in Clay County,” said Shawn Smith, Director of Community Partnership Schools at Wilkinson Junior High. “I want you to know that the impact that we’ve been able to make because of you has stretched statewide, and that’s amazing, and it is because of you. A lot of it is because of you. I know how much you love Children’s Home Society.”

Since he got to Tallahassee, Garrison has ensured education funding increased or wasn’t slashed from the budget each year. That wasn’t forgotten by those dedicated to helping students with limited resources. There are three schools in Clay County – Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High, Orange Park Senior and Wilkinson – that are Community Partnership Schools, which are part of the Children’s Home Society of Florida Program that brings a transformative strategy to offer high-quality education, healthcare, counseling, opportunities and mentoring in communities that need safety, security and hope.

Children’s Home Society then presented Garrison with its Legislative Champion Award. Chris Stone, the Northeast Florida Senior Director, said it was important for him to hear others in the organization share their feelings and see Garrison’s commitment.

“I want to say that I can feel your humility,” he told Garrison. “I can sense it and feel it very thick in this room. This day is about you, and we are so honored and so blessed that we have you on the side of the Children’s Home Society.

“You’ve had a chance to hear from the folks who do the work. I am just a guy who cheers them on. These are the people who really do the work. Thank you for the love and dedication you have put into the years of being a true champion. This whole society, we could not be who we are without people like you, and we mean that sincerely.”

Garrison also heard from Ben Ulsch, a new graduate from Keystone Height who earned a Community Partnership Schools scholarship and will attend Sante Fe State College in Gainesville.

He told the congressman about his parents being killed in a car crash when he was in seventh grade and growing up with his grandparents and five other brothers.

He credited Keystone Heights’ Community Partnership Schools program with easing some of his grandparents’ burden.

“Keystone, being a community partnership school really took that load off, you know, having free lunch for me and my brothers,” he said. “That was so huge. It was a tough thing. It was a real blessing for my grandparents. It helped us out a lot. But through those hard times, I had my brothers to help me, and my older brother and I led the way and did the same for my younger brothers.

“I love finding our way through high school and having each other's support. Having that kind of low just lets off my grandparents a little bit.”

Garrison was overwhelmed. He credited former Florida Sen. Rob Bradley and Rep. Travis Cummings for creating many of the successful community programs in Clay County. He insisted he was an eager steward of their vision.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge their hard work because they did the hard work,” he said. “We just keep it rolling. But it’s cool to be able to support a lot of these kids.

“you know, the folks at Orange Park sometimes don’t have those resources, right? Or Keystone doesn’t have those resources. And Wilkinson doesn’t have those resources. Giving those folks a chance to access the gifts God’s given them is super cool. And just from a moral and a personal standpoint, that’s really awesome.

“The investment y’all are making these kids now won’t bear fruit, probably for 20, 30 years. We may not even see it, but it does make a difference.”