GARGIULO EDUCATION CENTER INC

The Gargiulo Education provides help and support for each student that attends. They motivate them to succeed and have good grades in school. The programs that the center provides are just incredible. They have aviation, 3D printing, music, and many more. The kids even have the chance to save up money at a young age. The center is just a great atmosphere to visit and attend.

GEC has been a blessing in my life, I love the way they help my children with their homework, vocabulary and the way they help them read. I like that they are surrounded by a calm and loving environment. Thanks to the patience, love and dedication of Ms. Mary and all her staff, the school feels like family.

I have had excellent experience with this nonprofit. They work so hard to address the needs of each and every student. It is a privilege to be associated with GEC.

GEC provides a stable learning environment and enriches student learning. Students learn valuable life skills in the Entrepreneurial program. They learn valuable team building skills and interact in confidence building exercises with various mentors and teachers. Students go on field trips in town, most recently the "Trunk or Treat" event at a Memory Care center in Naples.

Incredibly mission focused! The children are clearly the priority and focus of the work they do and the staff and volunteers meet each child where they are. GEC creates a micro community where everyone works together - staff, volunteers, parents and children. There is a true spirit of "we're all in this together!"

I’m happy to come here everyday because the teachers are very helpful and very patient. This program has helped me very much by teaching me life skills.

GEC empowers its students to accomplish great things and provides a home away from home for children after school and during the summer. It provides children who would not otherwise have opportunities for out-of-school enrichment activities exposure to career fields, tutoring and homework assistance, and fun and engaging learning. GEC's programs make a remarkable difference in the lives of the students they serve.

The Gargiulo Education Center makes such an impact on the lives of the children - it's truly amazing. In the many years I have been a part of the GEC family I have seen so many children thrive and grow into educated and confident adults. This program should be available to more children in more areas. It's life-changing.

I am the Director of Education at Gargiulo Education Center. The students and staff here are my family. The strong relationships I have formed here have solidified my confidence in continuing to work with the students and families here at Gargiulo. I have always motivated my own children to excel and overcome any and all obstacles. This is the same determination I will impart to all the students here at Gargiulo. As we all work together, we can insure that every student here at Gargiulo will be successful and accomplish and fulfill their dreams and ambitions.

This center gives many children from migrant parents an opportunity for a better future. Their parents don't understand much English and the center helps them by helping their kids with their homework. The students also get a chance to learn new things. The center also helps them out by giving them food and clothes at times when needed.

This is a very great place with very kind staff and the kids are also wonderful. Time always flew by and would recommend to anyone who likes education.

Gargiulo Education Center is the epitome of what non-profits should be. In an environment that requires ongoing attention to the needs of students K-12, teachers and staff are constantly researching ways to enhance their learning while providing support that involves other than academic activities. For example, students participate in baseball camps, learn entrepreneurship, and become involved in community activities. Parents are offered activities that help them learn and comprehend English and participate in school activities with their children on occasion.

My name is Tyrone Taylor. I have been a Math Teacher at the Gargiulo Education Center since 2021. Gargiulo Education Center is one of a kind; it provides a rich education, cultural, and productive experiences for the children who it serves. The children are exposed to the best educational support in Southwest Florida. These children are primarily migrant children the help that they receive at the Center aid to bridge the gap that provides that will an opportunity that they could have never afforded. Thanks to the center many of these children will have the support to be the best they can be in this society. I believe that with the assistance and support that these children received the sky is the limit. I have never seen such value given before to a section of the population that truly needs it.

The Gargiulo Education center is a great opportunity for the kids to work with the best teachers out here. It has helped me personally in every subject and making sure I pass the classes. They provide fun activities for the kids and have a great program called smart. It’s Very welcoming and the provide a lot of help for the student and parents. They provide classes for the parents to learn English. It just an amazing center and helped me so much in life.

I have been so impressed with the students of GEC and watched over the years how the programs have had such a positive impact on their growth and development. This center is truly a blessing to not only the children that attend but the families and surrounding community. Their assistance does not stop at the center door but reaches into the homes and families of students to make sure they are all supported with whatever needs they might have. I can say for sure many lives have been changed because of Gargiulo Education Center.

I have had a very positive experience with everyone at the Gargiulo Education Center. I am so impressed with the directors, the staff as well as the students. I am so happy to see the students get such great help with their work so that they can be very successful academically!

I am a volunteer at Gargiulo Education Center. I have seen firsthand the wonderful programs that are offered for these children. Besides being able to get help in their academics, there are drama, music, art, excursions and various other activities. Mary Asta is constantly looking for ways to help these students academically and personally. I have seen these students graduate from High School and continue their education or enter the work force well prepared.

I am a mathematics teacher at Gargiulo Education Center. My life focus in teaching has been job preparation. I am retired military, train, train, train. I worked in industrial sales , 7AM -8PM covering New York State. I taught inner city middle and high school mathematics. I taught Microsoft Office to non-English speaking adults. I also taught mathematics at the Junior College level

Gargiulo education center is a great place for migrant children to learn, lead, and laugh. They provide quality tutoring, many opportunities to develop life skills, and a close family like environment for the children.

This is my second year as a volunteer math tutor at Gargiuolo Education Center (GEC). The staff here is amazing! Mary Asta and the entire staff not only help the students educationally, but also with their personal and emotional growth.
Mary Asta has done a wonderful job creating a safe place where the migrant children (whose parents are working in the fields all day) have after school tutoring, learn life skills, and work skills. Besides having a skilled staff to help the students with school work, Mary will have them at a country club dinner, or put on performances for the teachers and at fundraisers. The students are involved in all GEC puts in.
Mary is always looking for and providing opportunities for these students that they would not have otherwise even having a martial arts class for students to learn self defense.
It is a privilege to be able to volunteer at GEC.

Gargiulo Education Center is a dream come true for the children of migrant workers. The opportunities that come about for these students would not have been possible without Mary Asta, the Center's Executive Director. The dedication, genuine love and caring Mary has given to these children, has surpassed the normal duties of a director. The teachers, admin staff and volunteers also have to be commended for allowing the wheels of GEC to run smoothly. Not only do these students have access to computers, technology, music, drama, the arts and other unique programs, they have numerous field trips that expose the children to events they mght not possibly ever have the privilege to attend without GEC. I am honored to be a part of this wonderful organization!

Sincerely,

Marilee Warner

My name is Larry Jensen. I am a fifth grade teacher/tutor at Gargiulo Education Center. Gargiulo is an excellent place to work. The staff is very supportive of the teachers. We offer homework and reading assistance to the children. Mary Asta, the director, has also put together a program that includes piano lessons, art, drama, and computer technology. The learning environment at Gargiulo is very rich. Their is genuine concern for the children and their education.

I have been volunteering with the Center for several years as a desire to give back to the community as well as help to make a difference in a young student's life. I amvery thrilled to help implement The S.M.A.R.T. (Serenity, Meditation, Awareness, Respect and Trust) program.
This innovative initiative was created as a pilot program to provide emotional health support and first aid for Gargiulo Education Center migrant students due to lack of services available in our area. While it is clear that there is a serious need for psychological intervention in today’s young society, it is even more evident among the migrant population.

This program helps them through a regimented curriculum helping to build emotional intelligence. I have not seen a more comprehensive program that addresses this need more thoroughly.

I have been a donor of the Gargiulo Education Center for many years. I continue to support this organization because of the transformation they are making in these students. They are not just providing supplemental education through their innovating programs, they are changing lives!

I have been coming to GEC since I was in Kindergarten and am now a graduate working here. This organization has grown so much and has gotten so many wonderful teachers thanks to Ms. Mary. She has provided us with many new things such as programs, jobs, scholarships and so much more. This is an amazing and safe place for kids to come and get help with their homework. Overall, this place helps kids learn, find their passion, and give them an opportunity for a brighter future.

For many years I've had the privilege of being involved with GEC. Under the leadership of Mary Asta, I have watched the center grow and flourish exponentially. The programs she has implemented are amazing, and the student's educational and emotional needs are being met in a myriad of ways. This is truly a first-class program and you can tell the children and the migrant community truly appreciate all the hard work done by Mary and her staff at the center. These children will most definitely have a better and brighter future thanks to everyone who donates their time, money or talent to GEC.

The Gargiulo Education Center created a mentorship program with Cypress Woods Golf and Country Club to give the kids and opportunity to learn professional skills, where our food and beverage staff, golf staff, office staff and I helped mentor the kids. It was a great experience for both parties, we were able to teach and show the kids about each of our positions and what it takes to work in a business. I thought the kids really enjoyed the mentorship program and learned a lot from each of our departments, and the kids seemed very appreciative of being able to take the time to learn and grow from all departments like my front desk position. They learned skills needed to work in an office, such as answering phones, typing and filing, and some marketing, which I think will help them grow professionally. I also believe that the Gargiulo Education Center is a great place for the kids to learn and grow as individuals to take what they learned and create a great life for themselves. The Gargiulo Education center also does a great job to help the kids in a lot of different ways and really cares for the kids by helping them any way they can with great opportunities that the center finds or creates for the kids.

Gargiulo Education Center provides outstanding educational, experiential, and entrepreneurial programs for K-12 students. It has been amazing to watch these students gain confidence in all that they do and hope to achieve. I have worked in numerous non-profit educational programs all over the country, and have yet to find one that provides more opportunities and support for its students, families, and staff. Gargiulo Education Center is truly a beacon of light for our community.

I am thrilled to be associated with the Gargiulo Education Center. We offer a safe, clean school for our students to work on their homework, interact with their friends and have a meal before joining their parents at home. The school has professional teachers and a clean safe environment to spend time after school. The school also offers other programs throughout the year to enhance their experiences in preparation for a successful total school experience.

The Gargiulo Education Center Inc is an exceptional organization focusing on developing and advancing migrant children of all ages in very important aspects of life. The center has developed a number of programs and activities that teach the students not only manners and good behavior but also, with the help of knowledgeable and dedicated teachers and staff, guide and advise them into achieving better grades at school and develop entrepreneurial skills.

My name is Larry Jensen. I teach and tutor 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students at Gargiulo Education Center. Gargiulo is an exceptional place to work. The director, Mary Asta, has gone out of her way to provide a variety of enriched learning experiences for the students. In addition to tutoring, the Center offers art and drama, piano, and computer technology courses for the students. The students themselves are very eager to learn and receptive to the tutelage of the teachers and high school students.

I have volunteered at Gargiulo Education Center for two and a half years. The program services the families of workers of the Gargiulo farms and processing plants in Collier County, Florida. Buses from the school system bring the students to the center after school. Children from kindergarten to twelfth grade get off these buses and are greeted at the door by the director, Mary Asta. This year they are also greeted by hand sanitizer and a quick-take thermometer. But this program cannot be defined as an after-school program, because it is so much more.

The first function of the program is to augment the learning in the school and help the children with their homework. Six to eight qualified teachers have been hired to oversee this function. Volunteers help the teachers. Since many of the parents of these students do not speak or read English, this is very important. The children are provided with a hot meal and a snack during the afternoon. This gives the opportunity to teach proper table setting and the placement of napkins on their laps, among other good table manner lessons.

As for the "so much more" --- I will list as much as I can.
SMART program developing emotional intelligence weekly thru music, art, computer and mental health groups and private meetings.

EAP Entrepreneur Apprenticeship Program. The older student actually are paid by the center to perform various job. They learn to write resumes and apply for a job and learn the responsibilities of holding a job. The young children run the store (items donated). They learn to price, display and sell. Currency is points earned for good behavior.

The Gala. This has been the major fundraiser for the center for the past three years. The children have a part in this. Last year they stenciled napkins and made objects for the table decorations, wrote and performed a song and acted as welcomers in sport coats and best dresses.

Visiting Alzheimer Center. Mary Asta has a mission with a Alzheimer home in Naples. I have been with her when she has taken some of the children with her. The adults love to see the children and the children get to realize that there are many wonderful people that make up our world. Yesterday they went there in costumes for a trunk Halloween in which many of the residents sat outside to view the children.

Delivering food to the families of their neighborhoods. Each week (or month) food is brought to the Center. The children, along with Ms. Asta, help to deliver to not only their families, but all the families in the camps.

Some other activities the children have been able to participation in:
going to the airport to fly in a plane, going to a baseball camp in Baltimore, taking drama and yoga classes at a church two summers ago, going to a country club and restaurant for meals.

During the time that the public schools were closed and doing virtual learning, Ms. Asta kept the school open all day. The children did not have internet service at home and most of their parents were not home but working for Gargiulo. She hired more teachers, got donated big tents and fans so the school could be held safely outside. The children wore masks, used hand sanitizer and learned social distancing. The school was a great success.

There is so much more, but the underlying principle that Mary Astra functions by is giving these children as many various experiences as possible so that they will be comfortable in all the possibilities that life has to offer them.

It is my privilege to volunteer and experience the exceptional children and devoted staff at GEC.

GEC reached out into the community to find services that would help their kids gain emotional support. Since partnering with GEC in 2019, we have watched this nonprofit create a fun and safe space that supports building emotional intelligence in the children. Being a part of GEC is an honor for our staff. Their dedication in supporting children to heal, grow and develop self-acceptance shows daily.

The director of Gargiulo Education Center, Mary Asta, is a wonderful person who has helped us by keeping the center open during COVID-19. Many teachers come to help us with improving our grades and homework. Students are encouraged to look at scholarship opportunities and prepare for college. Gargiulo Education Center is a place where we can feel safe. This place cares about every one of us and wants us to succeed in life. It has given us many opportunities that we most likely would have not gotten anywhere else.

The benefits of Little School are that they help us with our homework and we go on field trips plus these are fun. Its fun to shop at the school store every week with the points we earn for work hard and good grades. Love being here with my friends, they make it fun.

The children at Gargiulo Eductation Center go to this after school program to better themselves. The children, most of which are children to hard working migrant parents that work long hours, are given the opportunity and attention to be further educated. The program while being a nonprofit manages to bring in teachers and gather volunteers to help teach its children. The teachers that work at the school also play a significant role in finding out more information about the children. The children are taught based on their grade level and they are taken one-on-one with teachers and volunteers to help further develop the children in need of help. A basis that Gargiulo uses to help teach and advance their students is with the help of the S.T.E.A.M. program. The S.T.E.A.M. program focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Music, and Math. The use and implementation of the S.T.E.A.M. program can be seen not only within the classroom but also with the interactions and activities in which the children get involved in. Apart from teaching the children about subjects of importance like Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Music, and Math. The children are taught the importance of learning how to deal with the stresses of having a migrant lifestyle. This is why Gargiulo integrated the use of the S.M.A.R.T. program with much success. The S.M.A.R.T. program which stands for Serenity, Meditation, Awareness, Respect, and Trust, focuses on providing all of that which it stands for and more! Its main use is to help with the children's emotional health support and first aid. This is something that is much needed within the area in which Gargiulo is situated in.

Gargiulo Education Center provides a sense of belonging and connectedness within an environment with shared goals and values striving towards academic success. I belong to several World Organizations like, The University of Oxford Education Society, The Oxford and Cambridge Society, Kappa Delta Pi International Education Society, as an Educator, I appreciate my time spent as an After School Teacher at Gargiulo Education Center, because of the ethos of a large caring family that we create for our Children and Families in this Migrant Farm Workers Community in beautiful Naples in our Sunshine State of Florida. 

GEC is an organization that has greatly benefited the lives of migrant children and their families since its conception. Particularly, during the past year, despite Covid and its consequences, the students have been able to continue to learn in a safe environment. Under the leadership of the Director, Mary Asta, the GEC provides a physical space where the necessary requirements have been initiated with adherence to social distancing and sanitation procedures. The after school program continues to be effective in enabling the children to maintain/improve their grades as well as peer relationships safely. A wide range of experiences were provided prior to Covid that allowed the students to participate in many enrichment opportunities. Plans for these to continue will be in place as time allows. GEC equals happy, confident, and thriving children and adolescents. It is a heartwarming place to be as a teacher, volunteer, visitor and most importantly, a student who is realizing his/her value and potential as an individual and as a member of society.

I have worked with Mary Asta at the Gargiulo Education Center for 4 years now. We have partnered up to assist as many students as we can to get services for mentoring and work experience. We have successfully worked with numerous students together. It has been a pleasure working with these students and Mary..if ever I am in need of anything regarding these students Mary is on it. I have not met a director who is more involved with her clients than Mary. I am so impressed with the relationships that these students have with Mary. These students know that she really genuinely cares about them and that she has their best interest in mind. The Gargiulo Education Center is a wonderful facility and I have been so honored to be partnered with them for the last 4 years.

The Gargiulo Education Center provides wonderful opportunities for the students and for the families. Ms. Mary is a very caring person and has done a lot for the program. If it wasn't for the Gargiulo Education Center, children would be struggling more during these hard times. Overall, I really see how this program impacts the children and their families in a positive way.

Gargiulo Education Center is amazing! The teachers and staff do everything they can to help the kids succeed. Students are the focus here! Mary, the director, always puts their needs first, gives them learning opportunities as well as a loving heart. This is the place to be after school!

When I retired after teaching second grade for 34 years, I was looking for someplace to volunteer. Did I find it!! The Gargiulo Education Center is a place that kids can go to after the regular school day is ended. Many parents are still at work in the mid afternoon and kids might be home alone or with a sibling. At Gargiulo kids are with other kids and adults participating in a program that supplements their classroom curriculum but also includes enrichment activities in science, the arts and technology! There is a lot going on in this little building! Thanks to teachers, parents, volunteers, the board, and donors the center services kids. I have been a volunteer for over ten years so I have seen so many excited kids and the projects they have been involved in. The force behind it all is, Mary Asta, the present director. She has changed the focus to be child centered where she has involved the students In all aspects. Her title says she runs the show but she has put so much in the kids’ hands. She has an abundance of energy and spirit and shares it endlessly with all at Gargiulo! It’s a fun place to be every afternoon!

This is a gem of a charitable organization in Naples for migrant children. The Executive Director is is very committed to changing lives by teaching problem solving and business skills to these children. It is a joy to watch her love, dedication, and tireless work and this small migrant community ‘s wonderful response to the opportunity the community has provided!!!

The Gargiulo Education Center is providing an enriching academic support for children of at-risk migrate agriculture workers. This wonderful organization includes STEAM, effective leadership, financial management, and SMART with the CSWFL (building emotional intelligence) in a safe and caring environment to these students. The amazing support and resources these students are provided through the GEC teachers and staff improves their knowledge and success for the future.

The Gargiulo Educational Center provides a safe, nurturing and welcoming place after school for migrant students. Academic support, supplementing the public school curriculum, enrichment programs, and a hot meal are provided Monday through Thursday from 2:00 - 6:00. As a teacher who works with these students, I can attest to the phenomenal work being done at the community center. Mary Asta, the director, has a vision for expanding opportunities through the center supporting these students, for whom she deeply cares. It is my privilege to be a small part of this unique outreach to our migrant families who make Naples a more vibrant community.

The Gargiulo Education Center is doing some amazing work molding the minds and offering opportunities to some of the community's most overlooked and in need. They certainly are breaking the cycle of poverty through education!

The Gargiulo Education Center is truly a beacon for the community. The impact they are making on the many students lives they serve is inspiring!

I really enjoy volunteering at Gargiulo. The kids are so sweet and really want to learn. I am so impressed by Mary’s dedication to these kids! The kids obviously enjoy the learning environment!

Gargiulo Education Center is a place for kids to learn and improve their skills and succeed in life and be something. In my experience here, the teachers and staff members treat there kids with a lot of respect. The teacher helps the kids with their homework. Here at Gargiulo Education Center we are provided with fun activities like art and technology. In technology we do 3D printing and design on the computer and make cool things. We go on fun field trips related careers and trade and do partys here at the Gargiulo Education Center. Not that long ago, we did a family-A-Fair. We had a lot of people come out and help us and our families. We had people giving out free food, ice cones, and face painting. I have gotten so much help here. I’ve been coming here since 1st grade and have learned respect and responsibility. I am 13 and my name is Alex. This place has shown me so much. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I have seen myself change so much. I have grown up to be a responsible young adult.

Gargiulo Education Center is not only a great place for kids to get help with their homework but it has also impacted my life. Working with these children is such a blessing, I made friendships here that I know will last. I always love coming into work because I get to see the big huge smiles on the children's faces.

Gargiulo Education Center has been a great experience to my entire family. I have a tenth grader, eight grader, and a third grader that attend GEC. But I have the privilege to be part of the GEC staff. I have been working for GEC for a few months. To me it has been an honor. We are beyond blessed to be part of little school (GEC). We have experience new adventures that in no other place we could of ever experience. GEC is practically the best, it provides my kids educational help. It has helped my kids tremendously. They are doing so great in school, and all this is because of all the help they get at the center. GEC is a place where we all feel like a family. Together we make a difference. I love all the kids and families here at GEC!!!!!

I was first introduced to the Gargiulo Education Center through their Director, Mary Asta. I was so moved by her passion and commitment to these children I had to experience it for myself.
All aspects to help these children's needs are being addressed. Since their parents are working long hours in the fields, no one is home after school. The school bus drops off all the children (elementary school through high school) at the Center. They have access to one on one educational support and an after school meal all in a caring and welcoming atmosphere.
Not only are their educational needs met but also necessary life skills and leadership skills in a fun and loving environment. For the first time the thought of going to College is a very real possibility for these children.
Not only are the lives of these children being changed but as a volunteer you will be changed as well!

I look forward to spending time with these loving children and helping them learn and grow. I brought my guitar the last few times I came and they loved to sing along and make up funny songs. Gargiulo gives them a great chance at succeeding in school and life and I am happy I can help them.

A wonderful after school program whose goal is to provide educational support to the migrant community. The teachers are exceptional and dedicated. The volunteers are supportive of the students and staff. The students are polite and respectful. The center offers services and support to the students that would not be otherwise available. Students have access to STEAM, computers, Art, Music.

Every week, I look forward to heading over to the Center on Monday afternoons to work with these children (4th graders). I am in my third year as a volunteer with the 4th graders and have seen tremendous development in these kids over this period. They have so much energy that always gets channeled into a learning opportunity for them and for me. This program is extremely well managed and truly changes the lives of these children. It has been such a rewarding volunteer experience and I would encourage getting involved with the Center.

I was a student in this program and it was more than just homework help it was learning how to be well mannered, learning life skills and how to be a model citizen many migrant students end up dropping out of school but this program prevents that and leads students into a higher education. In the fall I'll be attending FGCU because of this program I thank the Lord for these people and the program.