FORT WAYNE, Ind. — This Friday, Study Connection will mark 38 years of connecting Fort Wayne Community Schools students with local mentors at its annual Celebration and Recognition Breakfast. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Pearl Street Arts Center downtown.
Honoring Volunteers, Students and Community Partners
The breakfast will spotlight the tutors, students and supporters who have helped the program thrive during the past school year. Gian Paul Gonzalez, known for his “All In” message that inspired the New York Giants during their Super Bowl run, will serve as the featured speaker. Gonzalez also founded Hope + Future, an organization that works with young people in inner‑city schools and juvenile detention centers, and serves as a chaplain for the Giants.
Local volunteers and organizations will also be recognized. Trinity English Lutheran Church will be named Team of the Year. Northcrest Elementary student Brandon Jafeth Gonzalez‑Castillo will receive the Don Wolf Outstanding Student of the Year Award. Fort Wayne Zoo tutor Sayler Hayes, who works with a Franke Park Elementary student, will earn the Mike McClelland Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award. Wade Holbrook will be honored with the Connie Dickey Outstanding Colleague of the Year Award.
Program Roots and Impact
Study Connection was founded in 1989 by Don Wolf, retired CEO and president emeritus of Do It Best Corp. The nonprofit pairs volunteers one‑on‑one with FWCS students who need extra academic assistance. Participants meet for an hour each week after school throughout the academic year. In addition to tutoring, the program seeks to connect students with community mentors and expose them to local career opportunities.
Over nearly four decades, the initiative has helped countless Fort Wayne youth improve their grades, build confidence and envision future pathways. The annual breakfast provides a chance for the community to celebrate those achievements and encourage continued support for the mentorship model.
For more information about Study Connection and ways to get involved, visit their website or contact the organization directly.
Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.
