Five Community Groups Take Top Honors At Superintendent’s Partnership Awards
September 10, 2009
Citrus Center Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, TECO Energy, Clear Springs, Lakeland Electric and the United Way of Central Florida took top honors at the 3rd Annual Superintendent’s Partnership Awards held today at Polk State College’s Winter Haven campus.
A total of 51 school district partners were honored at the event for providing assistance to schools, students, staff and school district departments during the 2008-2009 school year. The partners include individuals, businesses, civic, faith-based and non-profit organizations that provided a myriad of goods, services, donations, mentoring, tutoring or other assistance.
The following is a summary of awards announced at the event.
2009 Florida Education Commissioner’s Business Recognition Awards: Citrus Center Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, TECO Energy.
- Kiwanis organizes the annual Take Stock in Children golf tourney raising scholarship money for low-income students. The tourney has been held the past six years and has raised more than $80,000 in funds that has been matched by the state of Florida. Kiwanis also coordinates the annual Stuff the Bus campaign collecting school supplies for needy students.
- TECO Energy helped to create the school district’s About Face Awards to honor students making significant improvements in grades, attendance, disposition and attitude toward school or themselves. The About Face Awards have been held for the past 15 years. TECO also provides support to staff professional development programs and has provided more than $150,000 in financial support to the Polk Education Foundation.
Elementary Schools Partner of the Year: Clear Springs (nominated by Bartow Elementary Academy)
Elementary Schools Partner Of The Year Finalist: CEMEX (nominated by Haines City’s Bethune Academy)
Elementary Schools Partner Of The Year Finalist: First Presbyterian Church of Haines City (nominated by Haines City’s Eastside Elementary)
- Clear Springs, a Bartow-based real estate development company, partnered with Bartow Elementary Academy to grow blueberries. The school sold the blueberries and donated proceeds to literacy organizations. Clear Springs works with Bartow Elementary Academy students on science-related projects and studies.
- CEMEX was involved with Bethune Academy students doing science-related journals, art and poetry. CEMEX helped the school restore and reclaim outside areas and prepare two outdoor classrooms where students study the environment including a pine flatwood ecosystem. CEMEX employees volunteered more than 1,500 hours and provided $30,000 for school projects.
- First Presbyterian Church of Haines City donated more than $11,000 in food, school supplies and tutoring materials for at-risk students and their families. First Presbyterian also has hosted an after-school tutoring program for Eastside students providing a safe and secure place for students to study while waiting for parents to pick them up after work.
Secondary Schools Partner Of The Year: Lakeland Electric (nominated by Lakeland’s Tenoroc High)
Secondary Schools Partner Of The Year Finalist: College Board (nominated by Davenport’s Ridge Community High
Secondary Schools Partner Of The Year Finalist: Lake Wales Arts Council (nominated by Lake Wales’ McLaughlin Middle And Fine Arts Academy)
- Lakeland Electric has partnered with Tenoroc High in the school’s Power Academy, an academy introducing students to careers in the utilities industries. Students can receive electric industry certification through academy training. Lakeland Electric has also donated more than $53,000 to Academy programs and projects.
- The College Board helped Ridge Community High organize a college fair with college and university recruiters coming to Ridge’s campus. The College Board has donated college preparatory services and materials valued at more than $250,000 to Ridge. Ridge credits its association with the College Board with helping the school raise its graduation rate nearly 13 percentage points in one year.
- The Lake Wales Arts Council partnered with McLaughlin Middle And Fine Arts Academy on arts education projects and concerts. The Council brought high profile professional artists and musicians to teach students and offer professional development to McLaughlin staff. The Council also donated more than $20,000 to support McLaughlin arts programs and goals.
District Office Partner Of The Year: United Way of Central Florida (nominated by Grants Department)
District Office Partner Of The Year Finalist: Bright House Networks (nominated by Workforce Education Department)
District Office Partner Of The Year Finalist: Polk County Tax Collector’s Office (nominated by Fine Arts Department)
- The United Way makes education a top priority by allocating approximately 54% of their community funding to help at-risk children succeed in school. They have targeted literacy as a community need. The United Way has provided more than 3,000 volunteer hours and invested more than $3 million in education initiatives.
- Bright House Networks has provided more than $500,000 in airtime over its cable television network with school district news and announcements. Bright House is also heavily involved in teacher recognition programs and providing student scholarships.
- The Polk County Tax Collector’s Office coordinates the annual Kids Tag Art Project. In the project, students create specialty license plates that can be affixed to vehicles or other favorite places. Proceeds from sales of the tag art go to support art programs in elementary schools. The Tag Art Project has raised more than $45,000.
