Polk County Public Schools
Haines City’s Engineers of Central Florida, Winter Haven’s Four Lakes Golf Club Charities, Winter Haven resident Keith Finlayson, MidFlorida Federal Credit Union and Mosaic took top honors at the 2nd Annual Superintendent’s Partnership Awards held at Polk Community College’s Winter Haven campus.
A total of 57 school district partners were honored at the event for providing assistance to schools, students and staff during the 2007-2008 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.
2008 Florida Education Commissioner’s Business Recognition Awards: MidFlorida Federal Credit Union, Mosaic.
MidFlorida Federal Credit Union awards scholarships to high school seniors, provides a new vehicle to the county Teacher of the Year and provides books for every Polk kindergartener. More than 40 MidFlorida employees use company release time to volunteer in Polk schools and the credit union’s Extra Credit for Schools Program provided more than $30,000 to schools last year.
Mosaic donates more than $60,000 each year to Polk County youth fairs and FFA programs. They donate another $25,000 to schools. Mosaic employees are involved with schools through Junior Achievement, the Great American Teach-In, Polk Education Foundation, Economic Education Council, chamber of commerce education committees and FFA Foundation. Mosaic has also taken a leadership role in the creation of high school academies through the school district’s Workforce Education Department.
Districtwide Partner Of The Year: Keith Finlayson
Districtwide Partner Of The Year Finalist: MM Parrish Construction
Districtwide Partner Of The Year Finalist: Ridge Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society
Keith Finlayson is a key member of the Migrant Parent Council which donated $5,000 in supplies for migrant students and their families.
Winter Haven’s MM Parrish Construction has helped to coordinate the Take Stock in Children golf tourney raising $43,000 in scholarships that was matched by state funding.
Ridge Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society organized, coordinated and raised $10,000 for the 2008 Mathcounts competition for middle school students.
Elementary School Partner of the Year: Four Lakes Golf Club Charities
Elementary School Partner Of The Year Finalist: Kingston Partners, Inc.
Elementary School Partner Of The Year Finalist: Sand Piper Red Hatters
Four Lakes Golf Club Charities has delivered school supplies and personal care items to Wahneta Elementary students and families in Winter Haven for ten years. Their annual donations total about $10,000. They volunteer approximately 500 hours and also organize a holiday gift drive for Wahneta students.
Auburndale’s Kingston Partners Inc. designs posters and graphics for Polk City Elementary including the school’s logos. Their design work, totaling approximately $7,000, is visible throughout the school and on all the school’s communications vehicles.
Sand Piper Red Hatters have adopted Haines City’s Eastside Elementary and formed a non-profit corporation “Friends of Eastside.” Through silent auctions and a benefit concert, the Red Hatters have raised more than $3,000 for library books, art materials and physical education equipment.
Secondary School Partner Of The Year: Engineers of Central Florida
Secondary School Partner Of The Year Finalist: Swamp Boys BBQ
Secondary School Partner Of The Year Finalist: Phoenix Industries
Engineers of Central Florida donated $6,000 for Ridge Career Center’s sign in Winter Haven and nearly 90 percent of the company’s employees volunteer at the school on councils and committees. They supply on-the-job training for Ridge students, classroom speakers and career exploration opportunities for architecture and mechanical drafting students.
Winter Haven’s Swamp Boys BBQ has assisted Lake Wales’ Roosevelt Academy through sales of its products and donations to the school. Swamp Boys have assisted the school’s E Street Grille and culinary arts classes.
Winter Haven’s Phoenix Industries has had an eight-year relationship with Winter Haven High, helping the school raise $175,000 during that time. Phoenix was instrumental in helping the school’s band perform in New York’s Carnegie Hall.
The following are partners nominated by individual schools that were also honored at the event.
Auburndale
Caldwell Elementary: Land America Lawyer’s Title
Auburndale High: Kazbor’s Grille
Bartow
Bartow Elementary Academy: Clear Springs
Bartow High/IB/Summerlin Academy: Bartow Rotary Club
Floral Avenue Elementary: Northern Star Generation
Polk Regional Detention Center: Winter Haven Friends of the Library
Union Academy: Mosaic
Dundee
Dundee Ridge Middle: Hardee’s of Dundee
Eagle Lake
Pinewood Elementary: Wal-Mart Distribution Center
Lake Region High: Mike White Carpentry & Concrete
Frostproof
Frostproof Middle-Senior: Highland Corporation, Inc.
Haines City
Alta Vista Elementary: Polk Professional Title Company
Eastside Elementary: Sand Piper Red Hatters
Highland City
Highland City Elementary: McKesson Foundation
Lake Wales
Roosevelt Academy: Swamp Boys BBQ
Spook Hill Elementary: Publix Super Market store #557
Lakeland
Blake Academy: City of Lakeland Public Works Department
Crystal Lake Middle: David R. Bowden Agency, Inc.
Dixieland Elementary: Riverside Bank
George Jenkins High: Barney’s Pumps Inc.
Kathleen High: Beef O’Brady’s Family Sports Pub
Lake Gibson Middle: Papa John’s
Lakeland High: Southern Homes
Lakeland Highlands Middle: Beef O’Brady’s Family Sports Pubs
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy: Wheelabrator Ridge Energy, Inc.
Lincoln Avenue Academy: MidFlorida Federal Credit Union
Medulla Elementary: Starbucks Coffee
North Lakeland Elementary: United States Postal Service
Philip O’Brien Elementary: ICT Group, Inc.
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary: Harrell’s Fertilizer
Scott Lake Elementary: Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Southwest Middle: T. Mims Corporation
Traviss Career Center: Sun ‘N Fun Inc.
Valleyview Elementary: Chick-Fil-A
Wendell Watson Elementary: Stedem Ford
West Area Adult School: Sanoba Law
Polk City
Polk City Elementary: Kingston Partners, Inc.
Poinciana
Laurel Elementary: Best Western Admiral’s Inn
Mulberry
Kingsford Elementary: Willow Oak Baptist Church
Mulberry High: Community First Credit Union
Winter Haven
Brigham Academy: Saddle Creek Corporation
Garner Elementary: Garner Elementary PTO
Inwood Elementary: Sunny Ridge Farm
Wahneta Elementary: Four Lakes Golf Club Charities
Westwood Middle: McDonald’s
Winter Haven High: Phoenix Industries
The following are district-wide partners nominated by district departments that were also honored at the event.
Fine Arts: Polk County Tax Collector’s Office
English for Speakers of Other Languages: Prentice Hall
K -12 Math: Ridge Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society
K-12 Reading: MidFlorida Federal Credit Union
Recruiting: Mimi’s Café
School Technology Services: Compass Learning Inc.
Electronic Equipment Repair and Support: MPC Corporation/Gateway
Take Stock in Children: MM Parrish Construction Company
Title I Migrant Education: Keith Finlayson
Wellness: Michael Holley Chevrolet
Workforce Education: Lakeland Electric Company