- Students Expected to Gain First Hand Experience on What It Means to Deal with Physical Limitations Thanks to "Wheelchair Awareness" Project
- Teacher at Sea Scheduled to Skype with Students
- Dr. John A. Stewart Resigns as Interim Superintendent of Schools
- Kiera Wilmot Case: Bartow High School
- Polk County Public Schools Seniors Recognized as 2013 Gates Millennium Scholars
- Special Board Meeting Scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, 2013
- Special Work Sessions with NEOLA Scheduled for Wednesday, June 19, 2013 and Thursday, June 20, 2013
- Haines City High Dedication Ceremony and Solar Celebration for New Solar Power System
- Upcoming Event: Community Meeting Scheduled to Discuss Transportation
- Generosity of Spirit Makes Adopt-a-Senior Project a Success!
- Work Session and School Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, June 11, 2013
- Work Session and School Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, May 28, 2013
- Work Session and School Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, May 14, 2013
- School Bus Driver Arrested
- Governor Scott Presents Purcell Elementary Teacher with the Governor’s Shine Award
- Stock Market Challenge Advisor of the Year Among Local Teachers Named the Best in the State during Florida Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching Economics
- Lake Gibson High School Teacher Arrested
- Bartow High IB Student Named National Merit Scholarship Winner
- Newsweek Ranks Bartow High School International Baccalaureate School No. 2 Among America’s Best High Schools
- Lunch and Learn: District Leaders Have Lunch with High School Seniors
- American Association of Teachers of German Recognizes Local Students for Exemplary Performance on National Language Exam
- Duke University Talent Identification Program Names Polk County Students Among the Best in the Nation
- Polk County All-Star Academic Team Places in Top 5 at the 28th Annual Commissioner’s Academic Challenge
- Get your Zumba on for National Teacher Appreciation Day!
- Dinners Scheduled for Final Three Superintendent Candidates
- Polk County School Board Invites Public to Attend Meet and Greets Scheduled for Final Three Superintendent Candidates
- Student Discipline: Bartow High School
- Polk County Public Schools Commencement Schedule
- Green Celebration Concert and Showcase Held to Commemorate Earth Day
- Central Florida Aerospace Academy Student and Instructor Recognized for Excellence in the Field of Aviation
- Media Opportunity: Polk County Public Schools Holds 37th Annual Volunteer of the Year Awards on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
- Upcoming Event: Polk Video Awards Takes Place Tomorrow
- Local Teacher Given Nationally Recognized Siemens Foundation STARs Fellow
- Local Cadets Heading to National Drill Competition
- Special Meeting Scheduled for Tomorrow CANCELED
- Schedule Change for Superintendent Finalists Interviews Scheduled for Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- Superintendent Scheduled to Sign Collaborative Agreement with Puerto Rican University In Order To Recruit Teachers
- Open Enrollment is Underway for Polk County Public Schools’ Virtual Instructional Program
- FCAT Superheroes at Spessard L. Holland Elementary
- Public Hearing on Charter School Contracts Scheduled for Tuesday, June 11, 2013
- Special Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- Lake Gibson Middle Receives Honorable Mention in National Association of Agricultural Educators’ Advocacy Video Contest
- CORRECTION: Books Bridge Program Now Underway
- Kathleen High Students "Dig In To Help Out"
- Kathleen High’s FFA Land Judging Team Takes Top Honor at State Competition
- Promoting Literacy: Books Bridge Program Underway; Pirates, Princesses and Poetry
- Superintendent Finalist Interviews Scheduled for Monday, April 29, 2013 and Tuesday, April 30, 2013
- Ridge Community High Students Excel at JROTC State Drill Meet
- Local Student Recipient of National Achievement Scholarship
- Media Opportunity: Students Scheduled to Witness a Real Life Social Studies Lesson
- Students Who Did an About Face Honored During Annual About Face Awards
- Local Student Accepted Into Three of the Nation’s Top Military Institutions
- Upcoming Events: Sixth Annual All-County Gala Concert and Dance Festival
- Local School and Student Recognized for Excellence in Science
- NEOLA Work Sessions Canceled
- Notice of Central Florida Public School Boards Coalition Meeting
- Upcoming Event: Community Meeting Scheduled to Discuss Student Transportation
- Upcoming Event: Building a Healthier Polk Community Health Fair
- Special Meeting Scheduled for Friday, April 26, 2013
- Work Session and School Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, 2013
- Joint Meeting with the Board of County Commissioners Scheduled for Friday, April 19, 2013
- Special Work Sessions with NEOLA Scheduled for Thursday, April 11, 2013 and Friday, April 12, 2013
- Work Session and School Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 2013
- Superintendent Search Workshop Scheduled for Friday, April 5, 2013
- Polk History Fair Awards, State History Fair Qualifiers
- Ridge Community High's Drill Team and Color Guard Place 2nd in the State during Drill Competition
- Projecto Diccionario Program and Spain History Bee Winner
- Polk County Public Schools Seeks Hall of Fame Nominations
- CORRECTION: Media Advisory Titled "Presentation Scheduled for Thursday, March 7, 2013"
- Kathleen Elementary Becomes a Gold Level Positive Behavior Support Model School
- International Educators Visit Kathleen Elementary to Observe the School’s Positive Behavior System
- Presentation Scheduled for Thursday, March 7, 2013
- Notice of Central Florida Public School Boards Coalition Meeting
- Children's Book Illustrator Visits Local Elementary School
- City Commissioner Phillip Walker Shares a Message of Good Citizenship
- Math Carnival Equals Success at One Local School
- Jesse Keen Elementary STEAM Academy Students Take a Field Trip to USF's 41st Annual Engineering Expo
- Students Get a Taste of the Good Life Thanks to Their Good Deeds
- Learning Literacy Skills Extends to Literacy Night
- Kindergarten Registration Begins Today for Polk County Public Schools
- About the District
- Polk County Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year Awards Program
More ways to keep up with the latest news from Polk County Public Schools:
News Release
About Face Awards Given to Students Who Do an About Face
April 5, 2012
Pictured from left to right: Polk County School Board Chair Hazel Sellers (District 3), Antonio Cuellar from Kathleen Middle, Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sherrie B. Nickell, Dr. Sam Bennett from Southeastern University
Middle and high school students were recently honored at the annual About Face Awards for making positive changes in their lives. Teachers and staff at individual schools or sites nominated students who are making positive and noticeable improvements in grade point average, attendance, general disposition and attitude toward school or themselves.
About 300 people attended yesterday’s event held at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven. Honorees were joined by the mentors who helped them make positive changes and turnarounds.
Noted educator Dr. Sam Bennett delivered an inspirational message to the assembled crowd, speaking on the values of having dreams. The full-time professor in the College of Education at Southeastern University is the 2006 Florida Teacher of the Year winner. He has been educating the youth of the community for more than 20 years.
Also on the program were Polk County School Board Chair Hazel Sellers and Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sherrie B. Nickell.
Tampa Electric sponsors the annual event.
About Face honorees are listed according to school location.
Auburndale
Auburndale High: Devon Galloway
Berkley Accelerated Middle: John Thomas
Bartow
Bartow Middle: Janett Ponce
Compass Middle Charter: Christopher Fiedler
Gause Academy: Larry Klick, Marquita Holloway
Summerlin Academy: Sean Kindle
Union Academy: Ethan Jackson
Davenport
Davenport School of the Arts: Celeste Montes
Ridge Community High: Anthony Parnell
Dundee
Dundee Ridge Middle: Kimar Harriott
Eagle Lake
Lake Region High: Isamari Nieves
Fort Meade
Fort Meade Middle: Sandy Fuentes Aviles
Fort Meade Senior: Elfego Miranda
Frostproof
Frostproof Middle: Danique Rosius
Frostproof Senior: Kayla Cobb
Haines City
Boone Middle: Madeline Kelly
Daniel Jenkins Academy: Spencer Murugan
Haines City High: Brandon Wright
Lake Alfred
Lake Alfred-Addair Middle: Crystal Cranfill
Lake Wales
Lake Wales High: Selena MacDonald
McLaughlin Middle and Fine Arts Academy: Patricia Blair Lopez
Roosevelt Academy: Shantelle Woodard
Lakeland
Blake Academy: Sezar Keshishian
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center: Victor Wilson
George Jenkins High: Pablo Borgen
Kathleen High: Jennifer Gonzalez
Kathleen Middle: Antonio Cuellar
Lake Gibson High: Gregory Watford
Lakeland High: Ammi Arcia
Lakeland Highlands Middle: Marquavious Sharp
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy: Aaron Thoemke
McKeel Academy: Jamar Bolden, James Grimes
Rochelle School of the Arts: Mickayla Bernard
Sleepy Hill Middle: Aaliyha Mulazim
Southwest Middle: Jeanetta Sugrin
Tenoroc High: Marquis Scarbough
Traviss Career Center: Samantha Feagle
Mulberry
Mulberry Middle: Asha Cook
Mulberry High: Elayna Bentrovato
Winter Haven
Denison Middle: Jordany Joseph
Jewett Middle Academy: Cassidy Shiver
Ridge Career Center: Alan Brown