Edwin Caraballo, Jobs for Florida’s Graduates (JFG) Career Coach at Memorial Middle, was honored with a $1,000 check from the AT&T Foundation.

Edwin Caraballo wants students at Memorial to stay in school and develop skills that will lead them to fulfilling careers. Even though he lives in Palm Coast, he gets up every morning at 4:30 a.m. and travels to this inner-city school to serve and teach others.

Caraballo is the Jobs for Florida’s Graduates (JFG) Career Coach at Memorial Middle. JFG employs certified teachers, called Career Coaches, who have the responsibility of ensuring that each student has all of the tools they need to take charge of their own academic and vocational success. The AT&T Foundation recently recognized JFG for its exceptional stay-in-school efforts throughout Florida. The foundation chose Memorial’s JFG program as an outstanding example of student achievement, school support and devoted teacher.

To honor Memorial, the AT&T Foundation awarded the school’s JFG Career Association with $500 for student community service projects, and surprised Caraballo with a $1,000 check. It was presented during the installation ceremony of the Career Association student officers by (from left) Senator Gary Siplin, Judy Spencer of the AT&T Foundation and Heather M. Beaven, CEO of the Florida Endowment Foundation for Florida’s Graduates, Inc. Memorial Middle Principal Dr. Stefanie Shames congratulated Caraballo, along with the new officers of the Career Association, for their hard work.