Polk County Public Schools
Antionette Wilcox, teacher at Bartow’s Union Academy, was appointed by Gov. Crist as a board member for the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers organization. As a board member, Antionette will have a leadership role in a minority teacher recruitment and scholarship program that involves high schools, community colleges and public and private colleges and universities. This is another in a series of awards for Antionette. Earlier this fall, she received an Excel Teaching Award from the Foundation for Excellence in Education. Last school year, she was an inaugural recipient of a governor’s award for African-American educators. In 2003, Antionette was Polk County Teacher of the Year.
Karen M. Siegel Academy, a Lake Alfred school serving special needs students from across Polk County, is the recipient of a $1,000 grant from the Auburndale Wal-Mart.
According to Karen Siegel Principal Donna Swindle, Wal-Mart was impressed with the school’s Take Flight Café in which students prepare and sell meals. She added that the store was also impressed with the school’s expansive science curriculum.
Karen Siegel paraeducator Doni Axon was involved with securing the grant. The grant application was written by Sandra Harper, the school’s consumer and family science teacher and also the school’s 2008-2009 Teacher Of The Year. Cynthia Gaskin, coordinator of community outreach programs for Wal-Mart, assisted the school with the grant application process.