We always had a passion for education , it changes lives for the better . Sometimes people just need a little help to get there .
Donor Spotlight
SPEARMANS BUILD HAPPY SMILES HAPPY KIDS LEGACY
DELORES AND GUY SPEARMAN have been avid supporters of the EFSC Foundation since 2001 when they created a scholarship with a donation of $ 15,000 . As a practicing dental hygienist for many years , Delores was especially interested in the college ’ s dental programs , hoping to encourage others to devote themselves to the field .
Paramount to this generosity was a deep-seeded desire to make a difference in the lives of children .
“ We were home watching a Sunday night special news feature ,” said Spearman . “ The topic of the piece was the surprising number one reason children miss school — dental problems . It had my immediate and undivided attention .”
Most parents and caregivers understand how important school attendance is for children , especially in kindergarten through the third grade when so much development is taking place . However , listening and learning can be difficult if a child is experiencing tooth pain .
Delores Spearman discusses the EFSC dental programs with EFSC faculty .
Data from the National Children ’ s 2016 Oral Health Survey found that about 8.6 million kids between the ages of six and twelve have missed school due to oral health problems .
The Spearmans did some research , made some calls and soon discovered that access to dental health was not only a local issue but a growing national issue .
They grew interested in the dental programming at Eastern Florida State College and began to discuss with college leadership how they could best support the programs and create avenues to address the dental needs of children .
So , an endowed scholarship was created to support four $ 2,000 annual scholarships for students in the EFSC Dental programs . This endowment has grown to more than $ 150,000 in net assets .
Additionally , they began funding an annual event called Happy Smiles Happy Kids . This event took place at the EFSC Dental Clinic where Dental Hygiene and Dental
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We always had a passion for education , it changes lives for the better . Sometimes people just need a little help to get there .
- Delores Spearman
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