Palm Beach Foundation programs and student success stories:

The Palm Beach Foundation programs recognize that artistic and cultural activities are an essential component of healthy, strong and vibrant communities. We are currently running two programs requiring urgent funding: The Palm Beach Foundation student mentor program and CREATE - The student creative showcase. As follows:

The student mentor program is in-office and the students are in a working role where they are referred to as paid interns. This programs help with their future job opportunities by providing the correct working tools. They are taught work ethic and office behavior whilst acting as researchers, graphic designers, photographers and event coordinators.

The student creative showcase CREATE - is a program to platform and uplift students within the arts in a performance showcase. These are usually under-funded school music and art departments who desperately need instruments, tools and a platform for their students to create awareness. This also acts on an inspirational level for students to remain on-course as they face many outside community challenges. These students groups include: musicians, dancers, artists and many more.

Hope Smith

Hope graduated Suma Cum Laude from the International Baccalaureate Program at G-Star School of the Arts in 2016. She received recognition for her involvement in “the National Honor Society” and her devotion to film studies. Hope was also the recipient of the IB award for excellence in character as well as the G-Star legacy award. This enabled her to gain the opportunity to attend the University of Florida and pursue her bachelor's degree in Telecommunication major, which she graduated with in 2020. Her most prized experience has been that with the Palm Beach Foundation as a paid intern for ten years. She then shared her adaptive and innovative skills learned with students as their mentor and became personal assistant to the Foundation's President.

Karima Cromer

Karima graduated from G-Star School of the Arts in 2020 and went on to pursue art at the University of Central Florida. She graduated in 2024 with her bachelor's degree in Studio Art and a minor in Entrepreneurship. After working on a multitude of projects for more than five years with The Palm Beach Foundation under her mentor, Ms. Olympia Devine, Karima gained many invaluable experiences towards her career path as an Illustrator and business owner. In addition to the work that Karima did for The Palm Beach Foundation, she now runs her own business incorporating unique and innovative art that she has created. Karima hopes to continue growing her business and art skills towards her creative future.

George Velez

George was with The Palm Beach Foundation for five years. Throughout his time with the Student Mentor Program, he gained a vast amount of experience in the events industry. Hence, his college platform became a bachelor’s degree in Tourism, Event, and Recreation Management. His time with the Foundation taught him specifically to create, plan, and organize an event from start to finish. George is currently an Associate Project Manager in the Lighting Industry.

George stated… “I now understand more than ever the amount of time and diligence required to successfully put on an event. I believe the experiences I gained throughout my time in the student program are one-of-a-kind and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of something creative and meaningful.”

Donovan Cromer

Donovan worked for the Palm Beach Foundation for three years as a paid intern within the Student Mentor Program. He was responsible for providing administrative office support including word processing and Excel, creating office literature, event guest lists and more. He has excellent communication skills, and was always organized, dependable and computer literate. Donovan has the analytical skills to diagnose problems and devise viable solutions… and was always quick to volunteer to assist in multiple work areas within the charity. Donovan’s desire to learn and progress has been displayed by his attendance at college to complete his major in Computer Science.

School program testimonials:

On behalf of Palm Beach Public and the PBP Orchestral Strings Foundation, I want to thank you for the March 19, event. It was a wonderful experience for our students and we are grateful for the opportunity. I want to thank you for the very generous grant you've given to Palm Beach Public. The grant is being used to assist our Palm Beach Public strings students with music mentoring. We sponsored seven deserving students to attend a one week Strings Summer camp in July. Additionally, we will be sponsoring on going private professional musical mentoring to the same seven children plus an additional deserving child who was not able to attend the summer camp. The mentoring provided by this generous donation will help shape their lives for years to come. II would not have been possible without your support." - Randolph Smith, Musical Director, Palm Beach Public Orchestral Strings

"The steel drum group is one of several we have at Lake Worth Community High School. The programs have received superior ratings in many mandated assessments as well as being selected as a National Finalist with the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. The growth of this program has caused additional needs, such as new uniforms and additional instruments.

We are very grateful for the event at the Omphoy Hotel organized by the Palm Beach Foundation for the Lake Worth Centennial. We welcome the donation received, as well as the opportunity to showcase our full student steel drum ensemble.... which was so well received that we were invited to play at the hotel as entertainment on a regular basis...." Daniel Harvey, Director of Bands.

The Palm Beach Foundation Create event – March 2018 at the Mar-a-Lago Club showcased:

The Singers Ensemble as the premiere performing ensemble at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. It consists of 20 students who are primarily in their senior years at Dreyfoos. The group performs a variety of choral literature including classical, vocal jazz, and pop music. They are often seen highlighting the school in various holiday events throughout Palm Beach County. Each member of the group must be a member of the Vocal Department as well as a member of two other performing groups at the school. Many of these students will go on to major in music at universities and conservatories throughout the United States. They have travelled and competed in the past few years to Atlanta, Georgia and Chicago, Illinois in various vocal competitions.

“Thank you so very much for the generous grant you made for our performance at the CREATE event at Mar-a-Lago Club in February. Our students very much enjoyed the evening and being a part of the festivities. It was our pleasure to serve you and the community in that fashion. We will be using the funds to help allow several students, who were not able to afford it, to attend our out of state choral competition to Atlanta, Georgia this year.”

Ken Taylor, Director of Choral Studies, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.

"Philanthropy was at the heart of Marjorie Merriweather Post's values; she enacted the change she wanted to see in her community. As Palm Beach's notable humanitarians, you have helped to keep her charitable legacy alive. I strive to one day emanate this selfless vitality as graciously as you have. My name is Hope Smith. I am the Student Mentor Leader for the Palm Beach Foundation. I am writing to thank the donors on behalf of myself and the other students at the Foundation for all that you have done. The summer job has helped me get through college and has actually inspired my career path. I am currently amidst my third year at the University of Florida, studying Telecommunications with a minor in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance. I aspire to help others in the community, as you have done for me.

I believe my time with the Palm Beach Foundation has driven me to follow my passions for philanthropy and has guided me to take the risk of chasing after my dream career in filmmaking. The mentorship I have received in the program has guided me through my college years, and I am sure it will continue to support me in many facets of life to come. Even more precious to me has been my experience sharing skills, I have been mentored in, with other students. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our donors, for which, I am forever grateful."

- Hope Smith, Student Mentor Leader, The Palm Beach Foundation

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