As enrollment increases, Team Success looks for more business partners for holiday program

BRADENTON -- A student once asked for a carton of eggs. Other requests include socks, crayons, markers and shoes.

At Team Success, a Title I charter school in Manatee County, the students fill out a top four dream list for holiday gifts each year. The school partners with local business and individuals to try to provide at least one gift for each child each holiday season, knowing it may be the only gift the child receives, said Amiee Fleming, the school's director. As the enrollment in the charter school continues to grow -- the school now boasts 500 students from kindergarten to eighth grade -- officials are hoping to find more partners.

"It's getting a little harder," Fleming said. "We want to make sure every child has a gift for the holiday."

The school plans to spend approximately $20 per student, and a whole classroom can be adopted for around $400. The students make wish lists of about four items and most of the time the requests are simple and things the school can easily obtain for the students, Fleming said.

Sometimes, the students reach a little higher, asking for expensive video games or the like, Fleming said. Those requests often go unfilled.

Businesses, like Kevin Taylor's TSI of Manatee, can get involved by donating to the school. Taylor has been partnering with the school for the last couple years after finding the school on a fundraising website, DonorsChoose.org. Taylor, a 48-year-old Bradenton native who now lives in Palmetto, estimates his company has given about $2,500 to the school in the last two years.

Taylor's company employees nine people, he said, and he enjoys giving back especially when he knows it's going to a good cause.

"They're local kids and they're the future of our community," he said.

The gifts are wrapped, individually labeled and given out to students before the winter break begins. This year's celebration will be on Dec. 18, Fleming said, so they're searching for donors by Dec. 14.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter@MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 5:41 PM with the headline "As enrollment increases, Team Success looks for more business partners for holiday program ."