After the founding members departed, the remaining board members have terminated this once thriving and helpful organization.
Dead in the water. Surprised this listing hasn't been removed yet. It's inaccurate, misleading and, as such, a perfect representation of the individuals who took it over and ran it into the ground.
Review from Guidestar
I was recently telling an associate about this organization, which had been promoting a community innovation center effort about a year ago. When I searched on the company name, to get the info to send along, this Great Nonprofits listing came up, but the company itself appears to be gone. In looking over the comments from the last year or so, I'm surprised the organizational listing still shows as 4+ stars, let alone even remains on the Great Nonprofits site. Now I wonder what other listings are outdated and incorrect.
This nonprofit appears to no longer exist. Their website is gone, and they appear to offer no services or support in any of the categories they identify as areas of service.
I have known this organization for many years and it was a helpful resource. However, recently, the website has been removed, and it's even difficult to contact people affiliated with the organization. I know there were new board members, and several key leaders in the organization have departed - apparently taking the talents and ideas behind the organization with them, leaving what seems to me to be a shell organization! The current people seem to have no clear mission, and have disconnected themselves from the community that was historically served by this organization. Very sad to see a once helpful, thriving non-profit dedicated to promoting a variety of educational methods no longer there!
Review from Guidestar
I *had* been a client served,but when I went to look for resources at the website, it's gone. The Facebook page, which I had found very helpful and interesting over the last few years, has disappeared as well, and there was some unfavorable press in the local newspaper about the organization recently. I'm disappointed, since LI4E had been such a nice resource for informal ed and good tech and science news.
In a surprising turn around this once open, creative and highly collaborative nonprofit has become closed and insular, adopting a top down administrative model that through micromanagement and attrition has effectively cut off communications within the community and with program partners. Additionally, there are now serious potential conflict of interest concerns with a too close affiliation between the nonprofit and a for profit venture from whose offices the nonprofit now operates. Sadly, I urge caution to potential partners and constituents, and certainly to donors.
I've worked with this program for four years and I really enjoyed every bit of it. Learning Is For Everyone is a great organization all together.
LI4E provides opportunities for individuals of all experience levels and backgrounds to explore the world and stretch their imaginations in a tangible and real-life applicable manner. By collaborating with other organizations, LI4E brings the best that others have offered together to offer students in Tampa Bay and beyond the benefit of years of experience from teachers/mentors all over the world!
As volunteer program director for Learning is for Everyone, I'm excited about the great work we're doing bringing innovative learning and empowered living to more people, especially through the development of our Community Innovation Center program. Collaborating with area libraries and other organizations, the Community Innovation Center concept promises to revitalize libraries and neighborhoods, helping make people empowered creators of their own futures and ours. Everything we do - from hosting TEDxYouth@TampaBay, now in its fourth year, to our FIRST Community STEM education programs, to our Makers Festivals - is designed to bring accessible, inclusive, inspired creativity to as many people as possible, helping us change culture from passive consumption to active creation.
The future is limitless and LI4E provides a marvelous canvass for creating the lives we imagine, for ourselves, our families, our children, our communities and our country.
A long, long time ago I got an Erector set for Christmas when I was about 5. I learned an amazing amount of engineering skills from this one basic set. Unfortunately, I was never able to convince my parents that I needed the electric motor kit for more involved creations but fortunately, I had to improvise a solution for powering my projects. This led to scrap 110V clock motors and lots of bare wires and quite a few electrical shocks. But I learned. Then came the chemistry set and electric trains with the same results. These were not only fun toys, they were great engineering learning experiences and I carried these skills with me for the rest of my life. As the owner of a small machine shop I have turned these early engineering experiences from a hobby into a business where I provide my customers with "Special Projects, Invention & Wizardry".
I have been a mentor to LI4E and TEAM DUCT TAPE for several years and have worked closely with the LI4E team on all their robotics projects and a couple of Red Bull challenges. I see LI4E as the modern day equivalent of those early Erector and chemistry sets. The kids get real hands-on experience in real world engineering challenges and in just one build season get more practical engineering experience than my toys provided me in several years of use. I had to figure things out for myself. The LI4E team is a streamlined way to introduce students to a future in engineering and many of the past team members have already gone on to pursue an engineering education if not jumping right into an engineering career.
I'm a retired media specialist and have had the opportunity to observe LIFE, Inc. activities for about ten years. This is an amazing group with ever-widening interests. Originally a home-schoolers' group, it now serves the whole spectrum of life-long learners, providing resources and opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. If I ever have a question about where to find an answer LIFE, Inc's website is one of my first stops. With their new involvement with Makers, they have opened a new window on the world for me.
LI4E is a wonderful vehicle that provides not-so-cookie-cutter opportunities for people of all ages and encourages them to share their interests and skills.
Three years ago, our son was introduced to LI4E via its FIRST FTC Robotics team at the USF
Engineering Expo. At this outreach event, LI4E’s “Team Duct Tape” was demonstrating their robot to the public. Our son was interested in joining a robotics club but had not been able to locate one nearby in which he could participate. When we followed up with Terri Willingham at LI4E, she explained the program and offered our son a chance to join the team as an apprentice when the new season started.
It was not long before he was a full-fledged member, spending his Saturdays building robots and
competing in FTC matches. We were happy to see that the team operated in a manner that reflected
the values in the LI4E mission statement of collaborative learning. Our son is now starting his third year with the team. And last year, we became coaches for Team Duct Tape which has been both challenging and fulfilling.
Our family has participated in other inspiring LI4E activities, including the Mini-Maker Faire, Red Bull Challenge, and TEDx events. We are always interested to learn about LI4E projects because they often
provide an unusual opportunity that you are glad to make time to attend.
We recommend LI4E for its goal to inspire love of life-long learning and its commitment to providing worthwhile programs.
As a recently retired, middle school science teacher, I first became involved with L.I.4.E. Inc. as a volunteer for another non-profit, The Concourse Council Inc. Over the course of a few months, I worked on almost a daily basis with the project manager of the non-profit, Tampa Bay Mini Maker Fest. My knowledge base regarding S.T.E.M. education was limited, but because of T.B.M.M.F., LI4E, associated websites, newsletters and my collaboration with the project manager, it has grown by leaps and bounds. The addition of intelligent ways of combining curriculum to be more inclusive is very exciting. S.T.E.M. education is the wave of the future and the addition of all aspects of the many and varied programs encompassed by LI4E addresses real educational reform. I hope to work with the project manager again in the near future as I feel her organization can help reengage many students in K-12 education. Enlightened public/private school representatives should avail themselves of the LI4E project manager and her unlimited resources to improve their S.T.E.M. curriculum offerings. In my opinion, there is not a more vital, necessary, and more deserving non-profit than LI4E on so many different levels. Please feel free to contact me for details on our non-profits experiences with the aforementioned groups. Thank you for the opportunity to shed light on the best chance of moving education forward for the majority of children for the next generation. Sincerely, Jim Wilcox jimi44@hotmail.com
I was a mentor and coach for 2013 Dixie Hollins FRC Team 4769. We received mentorship and assistance from LI4E that enabled our rookie team to compete with experienced teams. Teri and her team believe in STEM education and are tireless in the promotion of STEM. I really can't say enough good things about LI4E. We need more organizations like this one to help children learn.
LI4E has been fantastic in helping my students tackle the STEM challenges of USFIRST.ORG. Over 30 high school students were served by creating this great opportunity and they are now ready to do outreach to the community to promote STEM learning by show how they have applied the learning they have done in their classrooms.
LI4E (Learning Is For Everyone) focuses a huge effort on creating experiential learning opportunities for students that go way beyond the classroom and inspires young hearts and minds to pursue careers in the sciences, technology and engineering disciplines. I am honored and even humbled to be able to support such a noble cause, paying forward my own engineering career experiences by offering support and guidance to today's students that will become tomorrow's leaders.
I have been part of TedxYouth@TampaBay as its graphic designer since day one. Terri, the program director for LIFE is an amazing woman that had a vision to showcase the best of people making a change in our community, nation, and world. The TedxY speakers and performers are young men and women who are passionate, determined and strive to set an example for others to follow. I am honored to be part of such an organization.
LIFE has been a wonderful resource for my family. We have benefited from it greatly and appreciate it immensely. It has made it possible to navigate homeschool successfully. We love the educational links it provides. We highly recommend it to everyone. LIFE is a great source for keeping us informed about important educational issues. Whenever we have a question it is the first place we turn to. We have never been disappointed. We have always come away feeling empowered to forge ahead.
My husband and I are so thankful to have found LIFE. We are excited to be involved with such a high standard organization that is making a difference in the lives of children everywhere. We are greatful that our son can reap the benefits of being a recipient of LIFE's gifts. America needs LIFE, now more than ever.
LIFE is a wonderful resource!! All of my questions were answered and I was given great direction to help all of my children, whether they were home schooled or not. Thank you so much Terri!
LIFE is such an amazing resource. I am constantly pleased with the information that the group sends out because it is of such a high quality and so useful for our homeschooling family. Additionally, their large annual events are noteworthy in quality and value. Thanks, LIFE!
LIFE has kept me abreast of all the happenings in Florida with educational value. I have been able to pass this always accurate information on to others for use in their fields (teachers, librarians, artists) and other parents, to help with the ever difficult but always interesting tasks required of those involved with children. In any capacity. As a homeschooling parent, I've had to limit the online resources I used as it could take all day just to sort through them. However LIFE is one that I've always clicked on, as i knew there would always be something pertinent, from information of TED conferences to LAGO contests, and suggested answers to any questions that anyone asked.
LIFE is anvery helpful organization! Their message of "learning outside of the box" is a message being well received. They work with the public and teach people to take charge of their families education. They offer so many opportunities for both public and private resources.
LIFE is wonderful network of resources that brings people together with opportunities. LIFE provides this direct outreach to allow families to make informed decisions about educational options and programs. This unique approach is what makes this organization so successful.
Review from Guidestar
My daughter is in college now and LIFE helped us get there. Any time I had a concern, problem,a need for resources that I couldn't find on my own, a question about anything, a need to share my experiences and get support, a need to connect with others making the same educational choices, LIFE was instantly available to provide whatever I needed.
LIFE is an invaluable resource for everyone. It is an incredible organization which provides a wealth of information. We are so grateful that it is available. It has helped guide our family through our homeschooling experience. The information it provides, such as the educational links, are extremely beneficial. LIFE also helps us and the community stay informed about important educational issues. We especially like attending LIFE Fest. We always recommend LIFE to everyone in need of an educational resource. It’s the greatest one we have ever come across.
With the many choices of children's education available today, LIFE is a resource you can't live without. If you're wondering what method of education is right for your family, whether it be home-schooling, public, private, umbrella, un-schooling, etc. LIFE can help you make informed decisions and can instruct you in the steps you need to protect your rights, purchase curriculum, find a support group, and a million other things you don't even know, you don't know!
LIFE has always been a wonderful resource for the homeschool community. I have turned to Terri Willingham many times with questions, looking for resources, ideas and help. Terri always has suggestions and ideas of what to do or where to look to find the information. LIFE happily supports us all on our journey, regardless of what road it takes. Thank you!
LIFE is an amazing organization with a wonderful mission. Imagine an organization dedicated to empowering people to take charge of their education - that of themselves and their children. The vision presented, one of allowing people to pick and choose among educational opportunites - whether in public schools, private schools, libraries, museums, and blend the best to customize an individually designed program. That was the initial focus of LIFE. Its website and other outreach (LIFEFest, for example), provide invaluable information, and their intent to provide these resources at free or low cost aids all members of the community.
As vice president of Learning is for Everyone for the last two years, my role has been an active and enjoyable one, but not always a deeply personal one. When we rose to the challenge of creating a community based high school level robotics team in an area of Tampa Bay lacking the hands on experiences FIRST offers, that changed. Administering the FIRST program through Learning is for Everyone's FTC Team Duct Tape has given us an unparalleled opportunity to reach youth in a three county area, engage in our community with local area businesses and organizations, and to introduce this dynamic robotics and engineering program to hundreds of youth in the area, and to reach even more with our information and education-rich website. In just two seasons: •We’ve introduced seven students, from four different public schools, two private schools and homeschools, to FIRST robotics for the very first time. •Four of them went to the FIRST World Championship in their very first season with us - or rather, they helped take us there! •All our new applicants this season are also new to FIRST. •We’re heading into the new season with all of last season’s non-graduating members, now TDT veterans. •All of our graduated members are now in college, at least two in engineering programs. •One of our students interned in CA over the summer, at a robotics company called Anybots. •We’ve provided mini-grants to two other area FIRST community teams, to help support the experiences of a dozen other children in this program. The results of participation in FIRST continue to impress me, and the excitement of the students involved in the program continues to warm and move me. Students participating in FIRST programs are more likely to complete high school and to go on to major in tech and science fields in college. They get first-hand experience and guidance from professional mentors. They learn invaluable teamwork and real-time problem solving skills, in an engaging environment. I'm proud of Learning is for Everyone for actively supporting FIRST robotics in the Tampa Bay area, and hope that we're able to expand our support to other areas in coming years.