VMA Shine On Gala: Shining Bright
BY C.S. HOWARD
Visible Men Academy was shining bright last weekend as it hosted its Shine On! Dinner on the VMA campus. Shine On! is the school’s signature spring fundraiser event which draws a vibrant crowd of hundreds of friends and supporters. In a relaxed festive island-style atmosphere, guests – most of whom were decked out in the school’s “Shine On Yellow” in colorful, tropical attire – enjoyed an evening of entertainment and island-themed cuisine. The special treat for guests was interacting with the young boys known as the SUNS. The evening’s program included a welcome by fifth grader Breyon Peterson, and a poem by VMA Suns. Greetings were given by Louis Parker, CFO and a co-founder, and event co-chairs, Alysha and Jeremy Shelby, Tatyana Sharoubim-Stewart and Dr. Chad Stewart. Closing remarks were given by co-founder and head of school, Neil Phillips. The motto of VMA is to “Let Your Light Shine”. SHINE is an acronym for Selflessness, Honesty, Integrity, Niceness and Excellence. The boys are taught selflessness – show compassion and respect for others; honesty – be truthful, sincere and trustworthy; integrity – be who you say you are; niceness – be kind to others and excellence – strive for highest performance.
The school culture is built on an unwavering commitment to setting boys from lower income communities on a path toward lifelong achievement, family and community contribution, and realization of their great potential. VMA is devoted to providing quality education to the most underserved in our community. Its mission is to provide boys with strong academic, character and social education in a nurturing school environment and its purpose of VMA is to deliver a high-quality educational experience that meets the specific needs of at-risk elementary and middle school aged boys through the collaborative efforts of administrators, teachers, parents, the broader community and the student themselves. As evidence of its commitment and impact on the young Suns, VMA earned an “A” for the 2017-2018 school year and was the only K-5 Title 1 in Manatee County to receive an “A” and one of just four K-5 schools to improve their grade from the previous year. In addition, it was the only K-5 Title 1 to improve by two letter grades from a “C” to an “A”.
