CAUSE&EFFECT
Charity for Change Founder Karen Conley, with U2Can and Giver, creates a video series teaching social-emotional learning skills.
An Education in
Seismic Transitions Traditional, environmental, and specialized education in Collier County make a monumental, all-virtual shift to fulfill their missions BY KELLY J. FARRELL
At the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, Collier County’s educational and environmental institutions and nonprofits speedily pivoted as schools and brick-and-mortar locations shut down, forcing educators and advocates to dip into their wells of creativity and technological innovation to deliver their critical missions and outreach online. Fueled by a passion for education, these organizations were stalwart in adapt-
ing to change. “We cannot lose these connections,” says STARability Foundation Executive Director Karen Govern.
CONNECTING VIRTUALLY The seismic transition from classroom to distance learning required putting computers and internet access in the hands of all students. This is precisely what Collier County Public Schools
did, as well as area educational nonprofits, including Redlands Christian Migrant Association and The Immokalee Foundation, both serving low-income, agricultural families. The STARability Foundation serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and provides vital socialization opportunities, so quarantining was a particularly disconcerting situation for Govern and her clients. “One of
20 NAPLES CHARITY REGISTER
020-VIRTUAL-2021.indd 20
9/29/20 2:19 PM
