Community News

The Boca Raton Tribune C O M M U N I T Y

PBSC Receives $3 Million in Federal Grants to Continue Upward Bound Program and Expand to the Glades

Lake Worth, FL – U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel announced that $3 million in grant funding has been awarded to Palm Beach State College by the U.S. Department of Education to expand the Upward Bound TRIO college readiness program.

A portion of the funding will enable PBSC to launch an Upward Bound TRIO program in the Glades to serve Pahokee and Glades Central high schools. This will mark the first Upward Bound TRIO program for high school students in those western communities.

“Although we know that not everyone has to go to college to be successful in life, we know from experience that there are benefits to earning a college degree,” Frankel said to high school students, administrators, parents and PBSC officials on hand for the announcement. She referenced a Georgetown University study that reports college graduates earn $1 million dollars more over the lifetime of their careers.

“This Upward Bound program gives young people a real opportunity to reach their full potential, so I’m very pleased to have Palm Beach State not only continue their program but add to their program with this $3 million over five years,” Frankel said.

“What’s special to us about having this TRIO grant is that we can serve more students,’’ said PBSC President Ava L. Parker, J.D. “We can expand our services out to the Glades. If we just help a few, it’s great, but it’s so much better when we can help more students.”

Upward Bound is one of the eight U.S. Department of Education-funded TRIO programs, including seven designed to help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds get on the path to higher education and finish. They are collectively known as . Upward Bound participants receive tutoring and academic and career counseling, and they participate in social, cultural and educational activities, including field trips and college tours. Students enter the program in the ninth or 10th grade and continue until high school graduation. Upward Bound staff is charged with tracking the success of students for six years after high school graduation.

Syla Alcin, Upward Bound program director, said in the 2020-2021 year, 100% of the seniors served achieved proficient level on state assessments in reading/language arts and math. More than 90% of participants continued in school for the next academic year or graduated with a high school diploma, and 52% enrolled in a program of postsecondary education attained an associate or bachelor’s degree within six years following high school graduation.

“Those are great achievements that could not happen if we did not have the support of those programs and the community,” Alcin said.

In addition to Upward Bound, PBSC also operates Student Support Services, Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers TRIO programs.

Melyne Cineas, a rising senior at G-Star High School who first entered the Upward Bound TRIO program when she was at Lake Worth High School, said she has been on college tours, received assistance with scholarship applications, attended workshops, gained college readiness skills, and has participated in other activities, including a trip to Atlanta where she toured the state universities. “I love TRIO Upward Bound. It’s like a second family. It’s a second support system. My advisor and my peers have helped me to be a great person and be ready for college.”

Kevin Alvarado Escobar, an incoming senior at Palm Beach Lakes High School, said the program has helped him improve academically and gain experiences that he may not have otherwise received. “From being in this program, I have gained the trust of people that I never thought I would have met.”

The most recent grant will provide $286,527 a year to serve 60 students at Glades Central and Pahokee high schools. The first grant provides $312,480 a year for the original program established at PBSC in 1999. It will serve 65 students from John I. Leonard and Palm Beach Lakes high schools.

During the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention last month in Orlando, The Family Law Section presented a check for $75,000 to The Florida Bar Foundation in support of their children’s legal advocacy programs. Since 2019, the Section has donated $650,000 to the Foundation, the largest S e c t i o n c o ntributor to the Bar’s nonprofit arm.

I m m e d i ate Past Chair Heather L. Apicella presente d t h e ch e ck to Florida Bar Fo u n d a t i o n ’s Immediate Past President, Connie Bookman.

“We’re immensely proud of our partnership with the Foundation and we’re deeply grateful for the support of our Section members who help make this possible, year after year,” said Apicella.

The Family Law Section’s charitable giving has grown significantly over the years, enabling the Section to contribute more than $125,000 annually to various family law-related initiatives.

“We’re proud that the dollars we allocate to charitable giving either directly or indirectly help the Florida families we work on behalf of every day,” said Philip S. Wartenberg, Chair.

In addition to the annual contribution to the Foundation, the Section also contributes:

Scholarships – Estimated at over $35,000 annually for the Board C e r t i f i c a t i o n Review Course and Trial Advocacy Workshop C h a i r ’ s H o n o r a r i u m – Annual cont r i b u t i o n o f $ 5 , 0 0 0 t o a charity or organization personally selected by the Section’s Chair (In 2022, the contribution was awarded to SOS Children’s Villages Florida)

Florida Chapter Association of Family and Conciliation Courts – Annual $5,000 contribution.

Surfside Family/Victims – One-time contribution of $5,000 in 2022.

Complimentary Redbooks/Marital Review Course materials for all members of the judiciary, including Judges and General Magistrate & Child Support Hearing Officers in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits.

Robust support for our many members who manage pro bono cases throughout the State.

Family Law Sec tion of The Florida Bar Donates $75K To The Florida Bar Foundation

Delray Beach Welcomes Usta Boys ’ 18 & 16 National Clay Cour t Championship

By: Steve Dorsey

Delray Beach, FL – The USTA Junior Boys National Clay Court Championships have served as a steppingstone to college scholarships and professional success for a lengthy and impressive list of American players over the past 54 years, including one of the all-time greatest in Hall of Famer John McEnroe, who claimed the Boys 18s title in 1976, a year after winning the 16s title.

Current ATP Tour American stars Taylor Fritz, Jenson Brooksby and 2016 Boys 18 champion Sebastian Korda also honed their games while competing in the National Clay Court Championships in Delray Beach. Fritz, the top-ranked American in the world, this week gave Rafael Nadal — the all-time leader with 22 Grand Slam titles including 14 French Open titles on the clay at Roland Garros — all the Spaniard could handle before falling in an epic fivesetter at Wimbledon.

Brooksby, the 21-year-old Californian who has climbed the ATP Tour ladder to No. 34 in the world rankings, made it to the 3rd round at Wimbledon this month. Korda, a finalist at the 2021 Delray Beach Open who is ranked No. 46 in the world, reached the quarterfinals last year in his debut at the All-England Club but had to pull out this year because of injury. Other notable Americans who played in the National Clay Court Championships as teenagers include Tommy Paul, who recently reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon, as did Frances Tiafoe, who was a champion in Delray Beach at the ATP Tour level at the 2018 Delray Beach Open. Paul was the 2013 National Clay Court champion in 16s and took the 18 title in 2014, defeating Reilly Opelka in the final of both events.

So who among today’s elite American Junior players might follow in the footsteps of Fritz, Brooksby, Korda, Paul and Tiafoe? We could be given some clues next week during the 2022 Boys 18 and 16 National Clay Court Championships in Palm Beach County. More than 450 of the nation’s elite young players will descend on Delray Beach and surrounding communities for the week-long tournament July 10-17. The singles and doubles quarterfinals, semifinals and finals in both age groups will culminate July 15-17 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, site of the ATP Tour’s Delray Beach Open. Both finalists in the 18s singles competition will earn entry into the DBO’s pre-qualifying Survivor Series event while the champion will also receive a 2022 US Open Juniors Main Draw Singles Wild Card.

Lucas Brown of Plano, Texas, the USTA No. 2-ranked player, will be the top seed in the Boys 18 singles draw. Brown, who has made a verbal commitment to the University of Texas, arrives here with a 52-19 overall record. Jelani Sarr, another rising high school senior from Pooler, Ga., who is committed to the University of South Carolina, will be the No. 2 seed and is No. 6 in the USTA national rankings.

The Boys 16 singles top seed is Andrew Ena of Rego Park, N.Y. He’s ranked No. 2 nationally by the USTA. Ian Bracks of Tulsa, Okla., is the No. 2 seed and ranked No. 4 nationally. The No. 4 seed in the Boys 16 draw is No. 8-ranked Asor Ismoilov of Delray Beach, who should have a strong local contingent cheering him on in his quest to claim the singles title in that age group. Another local entry from Delray Beach is Alex Ekstrand, who will compete in the Boys 18 singles.

Both Boys singles draws each will have 224 players competing in front of family and friends from as far away as California and Hawaii. Ivan Baron, tournament director and former USTA Gold Ball champion at USTA National Hardcourt Championships, said more than 100 college coaches are expected to attend the event that will be contested the first five days at five different venues, including the Delray Beach Tennis Center, which has 14 clay courts. The other venues are One Tennis Academy at Boca Lago, Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton Racquet Club and Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in northern Palm Beach County. Admission is free to all matches all week.

“The atmosphere is electric all week. And it’s a great chance for fans see some incredibly impressive tennis before you have to start buying tickets in just a couple years to see these guys play” Baron said.

BMW, the official automobile of the USTA National Clay Court Championships, will feature a 2022 M3 and M4 edition vehicle on-site at the Delray Beach Tennis Center and South Florida BMW Centers will be presenting the daily Boys 16s Player of the Day. Next to the display cars, fans can enter a contest to win four box seat tickets to one session of the 2023 Delray Beach Open.

Baptist Health will be participating as the official Healthcare Partner for the tournament for the second consecutive year. As the largest not-for-profit healthcare organization in South Florida, Baptist Health will provide medical services and support for the players all week and Baptist Health Orthopedic Care will be presenting the daily Boys 18s Player of the Day. “As leaders in healthcare and sports medicine, we are incredibly excited to partner with the USTA Clay Court National Championships again,” said Reggie Laroche, Assistant VP at Baptist Health. “By joining this prestigious event, Baptist Health will not only support topranked elite tennis athletes in USTA Clay Court National Championships and the Delray Beach Open, but also the Delray Beach community at large, creating a safe, entertaining and memorable week for all.”

Singles action begins on Sunday at 8 a.m. EST. Doubles will not begin before noon EST that same day. For complete draws, including match times, locations and results, click here. For all other tournament related information, visit

YellowTennisBall.com/NationalClays. Media interested in covering the event can contact John Butler to arrange coverage and interviews, 561-350-6795, Jbutler@YellowTennisBall.com.

Lesser Law Firm Attorney Danielle A. Sherriff appointed to Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics

When attorney Danielle A. Sherriff joined the Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith family, she reaffirmed her commitment to service with integrity, professionalism and ethics.

It’s only fitting that today, as she celebrates her one-year anniversary with the firm, she was sworn in as a commissioner for the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics. Sherriff was appointed to the position by the Palm Beach County Association of Chiefs of Police.

“It is an honor to have been selected to ser ve on a commission that plays such an important role in building the public’s confidence and trust in Palm Beach C o u n t y g ove r n m e n t ,” Sherriff said.

In addition to serving on the commission, Sherriff is on the board of directors of Scholar Career Coaching, a mentoring program affiliated with the United Way of Palm Beach County dedicated to empowering college-bound students in Title 1 high schools. She is the past president of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and past president of the F. Malcom Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association.

“We are very proud of Danielle Sherriff being appointed to the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics,” Managing Partner Gary S. Lesser said. “In addition to being a highly-skilled advocate for her clients, she continues to dedicate herself to service to the community with the utmost integrity.” T h e m i s s i o n o f the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics is to “foster integrity in public services, to promote the public’s trust and confidence in that service, and to prevent conflicts between private interests and public duties.”

Librar y presenting Boc a Raton High School photography exhibit Until the end of the month

The Boca Raton Public Library presents a new photography exhibit, “Emerging from Darkness: Boca Raton Community High School Student Photography.” Visitors to the Art in Public Places area of the Downtown Library will be able to view a variety of photographs taken by the students in Boca High’s esteemed photography program.

Boca Raton Community High School has more than 500 students taking photography for college credit through the College Board in the United States and Cambridge University in England. In this 3-year course, students learn the elements and principles of art; how to properly use cameras and photographic techniques; and how to process their images using Photoshop to earn industry certification. The students compete in— and frequently win—numerous photo contests. They also serve the school’s yearbook, newspaper and athletic programs.

“Library visitors are going to be so impressed with the creative, innovative and thoughtful photography by the Boca High students,” notes Amanda Liebl, Events & Community Engagement Coordinator. “A big thank-you goes to Mr. Rob Sweeten, Boca High’s photography teacher, for bringing these exceptional pictures to our community.”

This is the seventh year the Library has showcased the work of our local photography students. “Emerging from Darkness: Boca Raton Community High School Student Photography” will run from June 8–July 31 at the Downtown Library, 400 NW 2nd Avenue, during regular library hours.

Achievement Centers for Children & Families ’ CEO Moves to Lead the Organization’s Foundation Place of Hope Receives Multi-Million Dollar Donation

The Achievement Centers for Children & Families (ACCF), which has served the Delray Beach and southern Palm Beach County communities since 1969, announced that its Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Seibel will move into a new leadership position in a dual role as CEO of the organization’s Foundation and as Strategic Advisor to the Center. ACCF is currently undergoing a national search for a new CEO for the Center, which serves 500 children and families in Delray Beach, Florida with nationally accredited programs in early childhood education, K-12 afterschool and summer programs and comprehensive family support services.

The ACCF Foundation was established in 2001 as a separate 501(c)(3) from the Center to ensure the long-term viability of the Center’s programs and sustainability of its resources. The CEO and Strategic Advisor position is new for the Foundation.

In this new role, Seibel will lead the organization’s longterm funding initiatives, work to expand ACCF’s impact in the community, and expand its programming, outreach, funding and earned revenue. She will serve as a partner to the Center’s new CEO and support to the human service non-profit organization that has an annual budget of $7 million. Seibel has served in various leadership positions at the organization since 2004, assuming the role of CEO in 2013.

“We have been talking about how to grow the Center and develop new, impactful ways to support working families for some time now. I’m grateful that the Board of Directors made this strategic investment in Achievement Centers’ future,” said Seibel. I’m excited to take on this new challenge serving as a strategic partner and working alongside the Center’s new CEO. In this new role, I’ll have the opportunity to use my depth of knowledge, my history in the community, and my network of relationships to expand our services, build partnerships, and explore emerging opportunities.”

James Mueller & Associates LLC has been engaged to conduct the search and the position description can be found at achievementcentersfl.org. Applications will not be accepted by Achieve- ment Centers.

“ S t e p h- anie has been pivotal to the success and g r o w t h o f the Center, managing the d a y - t o - d a y o p e r a t i o n s t h a t s e r ve s children and f a m i l i e s i n our communi- ty,” said Kevin McNally, President of the ACCF’s O p e r a t i o nal Board. “We are so grateful to have had her at the Center’s helm for all the years. Her desire to take on a new position at the Foundation while serving in an advisory role to the Center, is a best-case scenario.”

Holly Goodman, Chairman of the ACCF Foundation Board, added, “We cannot think of a better person than Stephanie to serve as our CEO of the Foundation at this time in our history. She is deeply informed about our mission and is excited to translate that into funding that will ensure the long-term success of the Center. Under her leadership, we will grow our funding, broaden out outreach, and further our impact in the community.”

Achievement Centers for Children & Families is located at 555 NW Fourth St., Delray Beach. For more information, call (561) 276-4561 or visit achievementcentersfl.org.

Place of Hope, a nonprofit based in Boca Raton, received a $5.5 million donation from local families to help renovate their new campus in Stuart.

This year the organzation expanded to Stuart, Fla. taking over an 11 acre campus from the Samaritan Center for Boys.

The new campus was in desperate need of building renovations, painting, irrigation, and landscaping.

Place of Hope’s CEO Charles Bender says these donations will also go towards much needed supplies as the nonprofit seeks to car- ry out its mission.

“These amaz- i n g f o u r f a m ilies picked up the phone when we

called. T hrough we were able to their g enerosity, guarantee that we

can still continue people in need. Charles Bender, to help so many We are ecstatic.” CEO of Place of

Hope, said.

Bobbi and John Erbey Foundation, The Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Foundation Inc., Tom and Kathleen Lane, and the Berlin Family Foundation contributed to the massive donation.

“We have confidence and trust in the leadership of Place of Hope. For years, the organization has demonstrated an impact on the community. This Stuart property has a lot of potential. It just made sense to give and we’re looking forward to the community joining us, Bobbi and John Erbey Foundation said.

For more than 20 years, the faith-based non-profit offers emergency and long-term foster care for an estimated 1,000 children and young people ranging in age from newborn to 25 in the South Florida area.