Tampa Elks Lodge #708 is using its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant as well as the $4,000 matching grant funds from the Harry-Anna Trust Fund to sponsor the Motivated Mustangs Club at Madison Middle School in Tampa. The club’s mission is to work with select students to improve attendance and behavior issues, focusing on developing a sense of belonging to the school. Students who believe they belong do better in attendance and grades.

The March 11 meeting’s theme was dreams and goals. After eating some breakfast sandwiches from McDonald’s, they discussed as a group the definition of motivation. Then the club members wrote their 10-year or 20-year dreams. They spent another 10 minutes writing potential actions to help meet one of the goals, what they could do to help reach it and why it mattered. Lastly, they spent 10 minutes on accountability, writing things they need to stop doing, start doing and continue doing to achieve their dream.

At every club meeting, a $25 Walmart gift card is given as an attendance award. Students get one raffle ticket when they attend the club meeting and another if they are wearing their club shirt. They also get a ticket if they wear their club shirt on any Tuesday that is not a club day and show the school social worker. Students can earn up to five tickets per month.

Pictured are club member Nevaeh, who won the gift card, and Laura Bell and Carolyn Miller. Also pictured are lodge volunteers Carolyn Miller, Betty Orcutt, Laura Bell, Patty Volpe, PER Shelagh Gombarcik, Melissa Bertoch and Bonnie Atwood.