Letter from the Publisher

Reach, aim, motivate and lead.

NOW THAT IT’S AUGUST, we can close the book on a summer that seemed to just fly by. Even though the calendar says it’s still summer, when the kids go back to school that is the end as far as I’m concerned, and we find out real soon what our children retained academically during this down time. That brings me to this month’s charity, which aims to minPaul Favero and Hegan Heffron imize that “summer slide” in which kids stay away from the books while the knowledge gained in the previous school year slowly drips away. RAMAL, which stands for “Reach, Aim, Motivate And Lead,” is the organization started by Barbara Brooks and takes on as one of its missions tutoring at-risk kids. The tutoring that takes place during the summer is especially significant as it helps those kids who may have slow or no internet at home and perhaps little academic guidance – they are especially vulnerable to the summer slide.

Brooks must be the First Lady of education in this county, and even though she is now retired, she is just as much a part of the education of our community’s children as she ever was. I attended Forest High School in the late 1980s and even then I remember Barbara Brooks’ prominent role as an educator.

To have such a significant local figure as Brooks playing her hand at educating kids in retirement is surely a vote of confidence to any parent who deems their child in need of tutoring. I don’t think we can ever overstate the contributions Barbara Brooks has made to education in Marion County throughout her career, and even in retirement as CEO of RAMAL Education and Social Services.

With her team of volunteer educators, Brooks is helping to nurture the academic progress of many kids who fell behind due to the pandemic. The hope is that the tutoring services will eventually take place year-round, and I can’t think of anyone more capable of making it happen than Brooks.

With summer over, it is my sincere hope that everyone enjoyed a needed respite or vacation at some point, even if it was just relaxing at home. Nothing says “back to normal” more than a family vacation, and I think getting through the past 17 months has earned everyone that right.

When I look back at this past summer, I remember not only quality time spent with my children but also a moment that will probably never happen again. By that, I mean the simultaneous reigns of two of Tampa’s pro sports franchises. After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in January, the Tampa Bay Lightning successfully defended its NHL title by retaining the Stanley Cup.

Another championship means another boat parade and the showcasing of the hardware. How cool was it that my associate in Tampa, Paul Favero, had the honor of carrying both the Lombardi Trophy and the Stanley Cup Trophy to the parade! Not too many people in history can say they’ve had both those trophies on their boat at the same time.

Next up, a World Series trophy for the Rays.

‘Til next month, Barbara Brooks of RAMAL Education and Social Services tutoring at Boys and Girls Clubs

PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER