Our Story
In 1999, Founder Dave Thillen volunteered to build his first Habitat for Humanity home in Greene County, Georgia and launched his legacy with one small step: refurbishing and installing community donated computers into every new Habitat home. Dave recalls the journey that soon took him to installing more than 30 computers and a network to connect them to the internet at the Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club of Greensboro. In short order, Dave began to provide individualized life coaching for every child living in the Habitat homes and rewarding their milestone achievements with scholarship dollars. “The momentum quickly built, and I never looked back”.
Witnessing the raw power of encouragement, goal setting, and tangible rewards, Dave realized how every student’s potential and self-worth would be amplified in the right setting. The community took notice of his successes, and in 2019, Greene County High School asked Dave to implement the “Thillen Plan” for every enrolled student. In 2020, Dave and Elaine Thillen founded the Thillen Education Foundation as a Georgia registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit and partnered with Greene College and Career Academy to put in motion an innovative, coaching, scholarship, and financial assistance initiative that will enrich the lives of thousands of Greene County students for years to come.
Our Heart & Soul
We believe in the infinite possibility for personal and professional growth in each student who participates in Thillen Education Foundation program. As volunteers for students, our passion is limitless. It’s a fact. Every time a student achieves a new life or career goal, we share in his or her joy. We thrive on their wins, celebrate their financial assistance earnings, and rally them on to even greater life successes. The individual volunteer-student partnerships are the lifeblood of our institution. Our business partners, community organizations, and donors provide the high-powered fuel for the financial assistance engine we have created to help students achieve their lifelong career dreams for college, the military, or skilled trade careers.
Mission
The Thillen Education Foundation is a distinguished community-based earned financial assistance program based on personal coaching and committed to honoring the achievements of 800 students who have participated in the Greene College & Career Academy Career Coaching Program at Greene County High School, a Title I school. Through business sponsorships and funding support from donors who share our commitment to ending generational poverty in Greene County, Georgia, we are financially enabling post-secondary education and skills training for hardworking graduates.
Mission
The Thillen Education Foundation is a distinguished community-based earned financial assistance program based on personal coaching and committed to honoring the achievements of 600 students who have participated in the Greene College & Career Academy Career Coaching Program at Greene County High School, a Title I school. Through business sponsorships and funding support from donors who share our commitment to ending generational poverty in Greene County, Georgia, we are financially enabling post-secondary education and skills training for hardworking graduates.
Vision
In the near term, our foundation vision is to maximize GCCA student participation in the personal coaching program designed by Thillen Education Foundation. We raise funds to enable college-bound students to gain peace of mind that the burden of expenses for post-secondary education will be minimized and to empower trade-skilled graduates to begin a professional career with the appropriate tools and supplies. In the future, our vision is for the Thillen Education Foundation educational and financial assistance model to be replicated by our nation’s public schools, impoverished or wealthy, urban or rural.
Volunteer
Experience the rewards of working one-on-one with Greene County HS students in our unique career coaching and financial incentive program. Help them develop life skills and a future plan as they prepare for college, join the workforce or military service. Since 2018, 200 individual volunteers have participated, impacting 700 students. It is a flexible program with personal training and a vast array of online resources.
How it Works
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Our Impact
The Thillen Education Foundation is dedicated to dramatically improving the performance of high school students. The TEF program combining career coaching and financial incentives launched in 2018 with students attending Greene County High School. TEF recently celebrated its fourth graduating class of students who participated in the full program from freshman through senior year.
The Program is Working!
The accompanying chart shows that over this period students in the program have demonstrated continuous improvement across many critical categories. Highlights include:
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By 2025, with 83% of the students opting into the program, the graduation rate reached 100%.
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The number of students on-track to graduate before senior year increased 103%.
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The number going to college increased 128%.
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Those participating in work based learning to pursue better opportunities in the trades after graduation increased 165%.
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Students are also learning to become better citizens as seen in the 967%. increase in the number of Community Service Recognition awards.
Over the past three years the Thillen Education Foundation has provided graduating seniors with $700,000 to cover college expenses,costs to pursue trade employment or for the military.
Personal coaching encourages kids to believe in their dreams.
Poverty should never limit a child's future possibilities.
Elaine Thillen
Board of Advisors, Thillen Education Foundation
Meet the Team
Our volunteer Board of Directors drives day-to-day foundation operations and partnerships, establishes long-term financial strategy for donor fund investment and disburses earned financial assistance to students, and guides communications and fundraising to continue our efforts for years to come.
