20 Years Transforming Student Lives
At Helios Education Foundation, we believe in the power of education and in the students, partners, and communities that make opportunity possible.
In 2025, we reflected on 20 years of impact while reaffirming our commitment to transforming lives, one student at a time, across Arizona and Florida. This milestone year was defined by both celebration and continued progress.
During fiscal year 2025, we invested $20 million in partnerships and initiatives designed to improve education outcomes, with 30% dedicated to scholarships that expand student access to postsecondary education.
We commemorated our anniversary by hosting signature events and receptions in Florida and Arizona. The focal point of these gatherings was a special, one-time investment created to mark the moment: the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship. Through this effort, we awarded $1 million in scholarships to 40 transfer students across Arizona and Florida, supporting their journeys to complete four-year degrees.
Throughout this milestone year, we maintained a strong focus on advancing our efforts across research, policy, and community partnerships. Our research shed light on critical issues, including chronic absence in Arizona high schools and the economic gains tied to increased postsecondary attainment in Florida. We supported policy efforts that strengthen early literacy and expand college readiness through strategies like dual enrollment. In Florida, we also launched a targeted request for proposals to support nonprofit partners working to expand college access and completion
For 20 years, we have been guided by a core conviction: when students succeed, communities thrive. As we look ahead, we do so with gratitude for the partners who walk alongside us and confidence in the students whose determination inspires us every day.
In partnership,
20 Years in Review
SEE OUR IMPACT- $350M+
Total Community Investments: Improving third-grade reading, college-going, and postsecondary attainment in Arizona and Florida.
- $44.7M+
Scholarships:Awarded to students throughout Arizona and Florida.
- 2.38M+
Students Impacted:By the educational initiatives Helios has funded. LEARN MORE
- 520,000+
Education Professionals Supported:Through professional development and training, including: educators, guidance counselors, administrators, and other industry professionals.
- 190+
Grantees:Organizations that receive Community Investment and Chairman/President grants from Helios. LEARN MORE
- 550+
Grants Awarded:Community Investment and Chairman/President grants awarded to organizations in Arizona and Florida.
Awarding Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarships
Keeping students at the center of our work, we awarded a total of $1 million in scholarships to 40 deserving transfer students across Arizona and Florida, reinforcing our long-standing commitment to helping students persist and complete their degrees.
Transfer students represent both promise and vulnerability. Many have already overcome significant barriers, yet still face financial strain, difficulty transferring credits, and limited support as they work to complete their degree programs.
Scholarships received through the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathways program are helping students stay enrolled, earn their degrees, and reach the finish line.
Arizona Pathway Scholars
We partnered with Education Forward Arizona to award the scholarships to students pursuing degrees at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Maricopa Community Colleges.
Florida Pathway Scholars
Scholarships were awarded in partnership with Florida A&M University, Florida International University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of South Florida.
"I never gave up on the dream of providing a better quality of life for my children. I realized that finishing my degree was not just about career advancement. It was about proving to myself and my children that it’s never too late to achieve your goals."
Jasmine Martinez Helios Pathway Scholar, Special Education Major at Arizona State University ![Author photo]()
Celebrating 20 Years Together
Throughout 2025, we hosted events that honored the relationships and shared values that have shaped our Foundation’s journey. These moments of reflection also reaffirmed our commitment to student success in the years ahead.
We convened community partners and education leaders at events in Arizona and Florida to mark 20 years of impact and to recognize recipients of the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship.
Arizona Celebration
In Phoenix, we hosted a community reception at the Helios Education Campus, bringing together partners, supporters, and recipients of the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarship. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego also joined the celebration and issued a proclamation declaring May 7, 2025, as “Helios Education Foundation Day.”
Florida Celebration
In Tampa, we convened statewide partners and supporters to celebrate two decades of expanding education opportunities across Florida. The event included the awarding of the Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarships and a special video message from Tampa City Mayor Jane Castor.
“This scholarship will help me take the next step in my career, allowing me to pursue my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and begin a journey of helping those in need. It will also fulfill my passion for continuous learning and professional growth.”
Aaron Lewis Espinosa Helios Pathway Scholar, Nursing Major at University of Central Florida ![Author photo]()
Partner and Student Stories
Highlighting the partners and students whose work, resilience, and progress bring our mission to life formed the core of our storytelling this year, reflecting the breadth of our impact and the relationships that have shaped two decades of student success in Arizona and Florida.
From early learning and literacy to college enrollment and degree completion, each story exemplifies our enduring beliefs: the strength of community, the importance of equity, the power of education as an investment, and the impact of true partnership. Together, they show how values put into action create lasting change for students and the communities they call home.
These stories remind us why this work matters and how sustained investment in education helps strengthen our collective future.
Partner Impact Stories
These stories highlight the long-term, systemic changes in education that have been made possible through deep collaboration with trusted partners across Arizona and Florida.
Student Success Stories
These stories bring our 20-year impact to life through personal student narratives that show how Helios-supported programs remove barriers, open pathways, and transform lives.
ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence
Throughout 2025, the ASU Helios Decision Center for Educational Excellence expanded its role as a trusted resource for data-driven decision-making across the state.
The year marked an important shift from primarily building tools to strengthening how stakeholders use them. Engagement remained strong, with sessions attracting nearly 1,100 new and returning visitors—73% of whom said they were likely to share ASU Helios Decision Center data within their organization, and 59% indicating they were likely to use it to inform decision-making.
Key achievements included updates to the High School Outcomes Tool and the Postsecondary Feedback Reports Portal; enhancements to the K–8 Outliers visualization, the Visualization of Student Trajectory and Achievement (ViSTA), and the Arizona Education and Workforce Visualization; along with discussions around how to leverage the data to inform future career and workforce pathways. Visitors consistently highlighted the ASU Helios Decision Center’s quality and relevance.
As one person shared, “No one is connecting the data in the way in which the Center has and then visualizing it in a way that people can actually see what is happening throughout the pipeline.”
"Twenty years ago, we imagined a Foundation that could create lasting change in education – not just for individual students, but for entire communities. We believed then, as we do now, that education is the surest path to opportunity."
Vince Roig Founding Board Chairman, Helios Education Foundation ![Author photo]()
Financial Summary
In Fiscal Year 2025 (October 2024 - September 2025), Helios Education Foundation made 323 investments totaling more than $19 million.
| # Grants | $ Grants | |
|---|---|---|
| Community Investments Only | 29 | $17,075,000 |
| All Other Charitable (Scholarships, sponsorships, and other community efforts) |
265 | $2,547,037 |
| Total | 294 | $19,622,037 |
| # Grants | $ Grants | |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Grade Reading | 7 | $4,155,000 |
| College-Going | 9 | $2,630,000 |
| Postsecondary Attainment | 13 | $10,290,000 |
| Total | 29 | $17,075,000 |