The Lakelander - Issue 91

Worried about fitting an appointment into your busy schedule? Being ready for you is one of our top priorities. With nearly 20 locations and more than 290 providers, Lakeland Regional Health makes booking visits easy for the whole family.

We are always ready to provide exceptional care. Need an appointment soon? Some of our convenient locations are accepting new patients with same-day appointments.

CLASS IS NOW IN SESSION

When it comes to comfortable furniture or bedroom sets for those late night study sessions, we are your homework headquarters. Let us help you create study-friendly spaces that promote productivity and keep your students focused on work. And by the way - we also carry laptops and tablets. Take a look at what “&more” has to offer!

Auburndale 521 Hughes Rd. (863) 967-6602

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Auburndale 521 Hughes Rd. (863) 967-6602

Bartow

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Bartow

1350 N. Broadway (US 98) (863) 533-1611

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1350 N. Broadway (US 98) (863) 533-1611

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Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake 1515 Hwy. 17 N. (863) 294-7749

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1515 Hwy. 17 N. (863) 294-7749

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Frostproof

Frostproof 500 N. Scenic Hwy. (863) 635-2645

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500 N. Scenic Hwy. (863) 635-2645

a a Ft. Meade 1401 Hwy. 17 N. (863) 285-9757

Ft. Meade 1401 Hwy. 17 N. (863) 285-9757

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a a Haines City 35495 Hwy. 27 (863) 422-3144

Haines City 35495 Hwy. 27 (863) 422-3144

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Lakeland - Christina 6100 S. Florida Ave. (863) 646-2921

Lakeland - Christina 6100 S. Florida Ave. (863) 646-2921

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Lakeland - Combee 1225 N. Combee Rd. (863) 665-3111

Lakeland - Combee 1225 N. Combee Rd. (863) 665-3111

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Lakeland - Lake Gibson 6625 US 98 North (863) 858-3866

Lakeland - Lake Gibson 6625 US 98 North (863) 858-3866

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Lakeland - North 1409 N. Florida Ave. (863) 682-8107

Lakeland - North 1409 N. Florida Ave. (863) 682-8107

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Lake Wales 126 Hwy. 60 W. (863) 676-6515

Lake Wales 126 Hwy. 60 W. (863) 676-6515

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Winter Haven North 1399 6th St. NW (863) 251-2039

Winter Haven North 1399 6th St. NW (863) 251-2039

badcock.com/electronics

badcock.com/electronics

24

New Head of School at LCS Get to know Bryant Black as he takes the reigns of Lakeland Christian School and works to cultivate a Biblical vision of “The Good Life.”

32

First Kindergarten, Then Careers What steps is Polk County Public Schools taking to introduce students to career options at a younger age and create a pipeline that supports local employers?

46

A Few of Our Local “Best and Brightest”

Polk County Public Schools has been instrumental in the lives of some of the area’s most influential figures. Take a trip back in time with several of those men and women.

The

of Creating a Brighter Future

PUBLISHER

Curt Patterson

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OPERATIONS

Jason Jacobs

EDITOR, CONTENT STRATEGIST

RJ Walters

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jonathan Sierra

VP, FINANCE

Deb Patterson

GENERAL COUNSEL

Ted W. Weeks IV

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Curt Patterson | 863.409.2449

ADVERTISING SALES

Isaac Vargas | 407.619.3508

Jason Jacobs | 863.606.8785

EDITORIAL

DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCER

Jordan Randall

CONTRIBUTORS

Adam Spafford

CREATIVE

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Briana Chenot

Sydney Silva

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jordan Randall

Jonathan Sierra

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Jason Jacobs

DISTRIBUTION

David Heideman

FIND YOUR PURPOSE. BUILD YOUR FUTURE.

Dive in to the waters of Tampa Bay and research stone crabs. Learn to trade through our student-run investment fund. Intern on Capitol Hill.

Hands-on, real-world experiences ensure you graduate with the knowhow employers and graduate schools demand.

BEST REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES

- U.S. News & World Report

BEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOLS

- Poets&Quants for Undergrads

BEST CAREER SERVICES IN THE NATION

- The Princeton Review

TOP FULBRIGHT PRODUCER

- U.S. Department of State

#1 IN EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

- National Society of Experiential

- Education

“A PERSONALIZED EDUCATION CATERED TO STUDENTS’ INTERESTS”

- Colleges of Distinction

98% POSITIVE OUTCOMES AFTER GRADUATION

- FSC Career Services Annual Report

THE POSITION WE FIND OURSELVES IN

a youngster being able to properly pronounce words that start with an “R” after years of working with a speech pathologist, or a high schooler overcoming their fear of public speaking by delivering a well researched, well written presentation. Everyone reading this can agree—the more wins we can provide current and future students in Polk County, the better off we all are.

put students in a better position to succeed?

Can you find once a month to volunteer in a local classroom?

Will you sign up for PTO for the first time to get an inside look at your neighborhood school?

judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions.”

Th is quote from American author, educator and businessman Stephen Covey is uncomfortably true. We are quick to criticize but often slow to invest the time and energy to be part of potential solutions.

I too often hear the sentiment, “Your kid goes to that school?” without any follow-up conversation about the factors that make that school less than desirable to someone and what it would take to change that perception or reality— depending on who you’re asking.

Schools are a lot like sports teams. They are filled with individuals of different skill levels managed and taught by people with different philosophies. They all have resources, but not always the same amount or equally as useful. Sometimes decisions from the top are hard for the staff to reconcile with their day-to-day experiences, and sometimes the outcomes and results are not indicative of the effort being put in. But at the end of the day, everyone simply wants to win.

Sometimes the wins (or losses) are reflected in data like graduation rates and reading proficiency scores, while sometimes it looks more like

Whenever there are any “losers” in public education we all lose because students aren’t given the proper chance to reach their full God-given potential, and the community suffers the effects of too many children becoming adults who are unable to read, write and acquire the skills needed to succeed.

The good news is that the strong majority of leadership in our public schools and our universities and colleges recognize the position we are in and are willing to dedicate their lives to improve it—although it’s not as simple as A-B-C, 1-2-3.

Polk State College President Angela Falconetti isn’t afraid to say that education is political in nature because elected officials ultimately hold the keys to funding and resources. That attitude enables PSC leadership to actively fight for wins in Tallahassee and D.C. that spell new facilities and career prep opportunities.

Fred Heid, Superintendent of Polk County Schools is listening, evaluating and planning most of his waking hours. As he puts it: “ Nothing frustrates me more than being told, ‘This is how we've always done it.’ Because to me, here's what I hear: kids have to wait until the adults figure it out.”

What are you willing to do and what am I willing to do to help expedite the changes that need to happen to

Are you willing to read education news, pay attention to school board meetings and then see where your giftings and strengths match the needs we have?

And if you’re a business owner or entrepreneur and you’ve never heard of Lakeland Leads, the time is now to do your homework.

The non-profit includes influential leaders from a broad spectrum of businesses and organizations with the goal of connecting local businesses to opportunities to positively impact public policy, programs and career readiness opportunities for PCPS students. They have identified gaps and potential solutions—they just need people to fill the voids.

I'm not going to pretend I don't have any concerns about the educational experiences my six children will have as long as we are Lakelanders, but I will emphatically state that I genuinely love the passion and tireless dedication of so many teachers and staff my kids are mentored by every day, and I believe we have leaders in place who care as much about my kids as I do.

And if I don't like the position we are in, I know there are ways I can help be part of the change—and so can you.

THE BUZZ

COMMENTS FROM LAKELANDERS

FB

CONTRIBUTORS

ADAM SPAFFORD

Adam came to Lakeland in 1999 to attend Florida Southern College and, except for a 20-month graduate school stint in Massachusetts, has been here since.

When he’s not writing page-turners for The Lakelander, he trades stock and index options.

DAVID HEIDEMAN

David grew up in Minnesota and Iowa, but made the move to Lakeland to be close to family and enjoy the Sunshine State's amenities. Most of his working life was spent in upper management in the restaurant industry. He also controlled inventory and shipping for a large manufacturer and owned a fulfillment company. His favorite hobbies are spending time with family, attending church, dining out and enjoying the activities the area has to offer.

David enjoys working with his colleagues at The Lakelander, where he leads the Distribution Department (you'll see his smiling face filling racks of magazines!) and does other special projects.

SYDNEY SILVA

Sydney Silva was raised in Freeport, Maine and moved to Lakeland Florida to attend Florida Southern College. She is currently working to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts as a graphic design student. She is our design intern here at The Lakelander and is continuing to take classes over the summer.

In her free time, when she's not designing or studying, she enjoys photography and painting as other creative outlets as well as hanging with her animals, Charlie and Henry, and hanging with friends. @ssquid.ink

Cultivating A

Biblical of Vision

THE GOOD LIFE

new era has dawned at Lakeland Christian School, where LCS started the 2023-24 school year under the leadership of new Head of School, Bryant Black. Dr. Mike Sligh’s successor steps into the role with a deep love for Christ-centered education, a desire to further elevate student success and a longing for students to grasp Coram Deo—“Life in the presence of God.”

Bryant began his career as an educator at Chattanooga Christian School (CCS) in 1995. He served as a history teacher and history department chair, as well as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, before his promotion to Upper School Head, a position he held from 2013-2019.

“I’ve kept an eye on LCS over the years––the school truly has a strong community,” Black said. “We have so many aspects we can easily take for granted that are truly exceptional—from our incredible Board of Directors to our students, staff and faculty.”

When God provided an opportunity for his wife, Ashley, to become Director of Operations at Heart for Winter Haven—a Winter Haven-based non-profi t— the couple moved to Florida. Bryant joined the LCS faculty as a high school history teacher in 2021 before moving into the role of Director of Curriculum and Instruction during the last school year.

“The Head of School role wasn’t on my radar when I first came, but after Dr. Sligh announced his retirement and the Board kicked off their national search with Carter Baldwin Executive Search, I felt led to apply,” Bryant said.

WRITTEN BY VICTORIA BARDEGA

PHOTOS BY JAVI REYES, JORDAN RANDALL, AND LCS DESIGNED BY BRIANA CHENOT

LCS Head of School Bryant Black and his wife, Ashley

“ THE GOOD LIFE ” “

”

“I’VE KEPT AN Eye ON LCS OVER THE YEARS––THE SCHOOL TRULY HAS A STRONG Community ...”

In a few short years, Black has made a great impression on LCS students

“As a board, we were committed to fi nding someone who would embrace our mission to educate students in the light of God’s Word,” said LCS Board Chairman Kevin Knowlton. “During the interview process, it was abundantly clear that Bryant’s passion for Christian education and proven educational leadership experience made him the best candidate. He holds an unwavering commitment to the school’s mission, to pursuing academic excellence at every level and to developing our students into individuals who possess strong moral character with a solid foundation for faith and life.”

With the new school year underway, Bryant hopes to focus on several areas of student development and educational growth. Th ere will be additional emphasis on discipleship to give students opportunities to grow deeper in their faith, as well as a commitment to student engagement within the Lakeland community.

“My calling and passion are one in the same,” Bryant said. “It’s the cultivation of a school community that is redemptively Kingdom-minded in every aspect of school life. I long for our students to see the beauty, the love, the life and the scandal that is Jesus.

“We want our school to feel like home for our students,” Bryant said. “My prayer and hope is that we continue to build our students up to take ownership of their faith and engage with the world outside of the classroom.”

WANT OUR SCHOOL TO FEEL Like Home FOR OUR STUDENTS...”

LCS is home to nearly 1,100 students

“WE

Creating a Christ-centered space for students to innovate creatively, to reflect deeply and to think Biblically continues to be a driving force for the administration. Bryant is especially excited about how the new high school building will elevate the science programs.

“I feel fortunate to be stepping in with an incredible new high school building. We have fantastic, state-ofthe art labs in place that are top tier for our science classes. We are also looking to grow our amazing robotics program,” Bryant said.

Yet for Bryant, student success isn’t limited to getting good grades in the classroom or winning a championship trophy on the athletic fi elds. In fact, sometimes the most important lessons are learned during diffi cult times.

“My wife and I always encouraged our three sons to engage people and to take advantage of opportunities as they navigate who they are and who God created them to be,” he explained. “I want our students to not fear failure but to embrace it. Failure is a part of life. How we walk through our failures matters.”

With a desire to carry out the mission of the school and the Great Commission in this city, Bryant is excited for what’s to come. Th rough it all, the school continues to focus on keeping Christ at the center.

The new high school building includes state-ofthe art science facilities

“I FEEL Fortunate TO BE STEPPING IN WITH AN INCREDIBLE New HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING... ”

DESIRE IS] THAT WE CONTINUE TO Cultivate THIS CULTURE THAT REFLECTS OUR MISSION AND THE MISSION OF Christ , OUR HOPE,”

“What Jesus did impacts everything––from the way we communicate to the way we forgive one another,” Bryant said. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘our students will preach what we preach and practice what we practice.’”

Th is thought is something he keeps at the forefront as a mentor and leader in education and encourages others to keep this in mind, too.

“Th e legacy [at LCS] has held a commitment to a mission that includes a lifetime of service from the leadership. [My desire is] that we continue to cultivate this culture that refl ects our mission and the mission of Christ, our hope,” he said.

“I am invigorated to cultivate a biblical vision of ‘Th e Good Life’ for the next generation. Th e LCS student experience must be an invitation to the ‘good life’ in Jesus Christ. More than ever, our kids need to experience love, forgiveness, relationship and community, restoration, exhortation and discipline in the spirit of the Lord.”

“[MY

polk county public schools

AT A GLANCE

Polk County Public Schools was a city, it would rank just outside the top 20 largest in Florida based on its student population.

As the population has exploded and many communities have become home for professionals who work in Tampa and Orlando, the need for more schools, more teachers and better collaboration amongst infl uencers and PCPS leaders has dramatically increased. Public education is almost always a hot topic because it's tied to taxpayer money, elected offi cials are often the catalysts of polarizing headlines surrounding it, and because frankly, it impacts everyone.

With the 2023-24 school year underway, our goal is to provide readers with a realistic look at where Polk County Public Schools is, what it is striving to become, and ultimately, how it can get there.

20.4%

demo graphic

13,000

7,000

TOTAL STAFF teachers

OPTIONS FOR ALL

10 schools offering International Baccalaureate programs for rigorous, accelerated learning

Nearly 30 certified or model career academies

42 PBIS Model Schools (a proactive approach schools use to improve school safety and promote positive behavior) 7 elementary, middle and high schools offering Cambridge Program, an internationally recognized diploma program

How Academies Are Transforming Education in Polk County

WRITTEN BY ADAM SPAFFORD

DESIGNED BY BRIANA CHENOT

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PCPS

engaging. proficient. opportunistic.

worked with Delta, Arby’s Sheriff ’s Offi ce. Yes, you

was not an employee of the three recognizable entities, but he was on teams of students who put together presentations that aimed to solve realtime challenges as part of the new 3DE academy at Teneroc High School.

Th e school-within-a-school model brings a comprehensive experiential educational curriculum designed by Junior Achievement to life through dedicated teachers and facilities within existing high schools.

Johnson and his peers collaborated on projects that were in-partnership with businesses, organizations and corporations, and were then judged according to a comprehensive rubric by field experts and actual employees from the companies.

“School without 3DE for me is much less engaging,” he said. “You also are forced to work with people you wouldn’t normally converse with, which is what happens in real businesses.”

Across 12 public high schools in Florida, 3DE has proven to reduce student absences by 22.5%, increased math profi ciency by 55.2%, increased

reading profi ciency by 81.3%—and most telling, increased graduation rates 33.6% in schools that have already had program graduates.

District leaders are excited about the possibility of 3DE expanding across the county once financials and program logistics can be fully fleshed out, and it is another positive step in the right direction when it comes to equipping students for the long-haul by providing them careercentric opportunities at younger ages.

In the millenia since Plato founded the Academy, the formal pursuit of wisdom and virtue has evolved with the needs of society. Th ough a particular focus is not required of an academy, perhaps at times blurring the lines with modern liberal arts schooling, the term is often associated with specifi c disciplines—think military, or culinary, or art & design. In this way, we’ve come to envision these two intellectual approaches as complementary, one being focused and one more diff use.

Today, a powerful hybrid educational model is being cultivated within Polk County Public Schools: alongside traditional education there’s been rapid integration and expansion of the Academy structure. These specialized institutions and comprehensive programs offer learners the chance to explore

potential interests sooner and develop skills around those interests while aligning with local career opportunities.

“Since adopting the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC) standards in 2010, the number of academies in the county’s high schools—and even some middle schools— has grown to 122, including 29 that are certified by independent auditors and nine that are models for schools nationwide,” explains Steven Cochran, Senior Director for Career, Technical and Adult Education for PCPS.

Those numbers put PCPS second in the nation as far as number of accredited and certified academy programs. More than 30 percent of Polk County High Schoolers attend an academy. Cochran, who serves on the board of the NCAC— whose standards are colloquially known as “the Nashville mode” thanks to its city or origin— credits former Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd and current Superintendent Fred Heid for the success of PCPS academies. Several of the certified academies have

powerful. specialized. comprehensive.

“fostering a tight-knit learning environment...”

already hosted visits by educators from around the country—from as far away as Hawaii—to see firsthand how these standards are enriching students.

As Cochran explains: “There are 10 standards at each certified site which focus on aiming students at career and college, fostering a tight-knit learning environment so students have a sense of belonging, and teacher collaboration with career and technical educators in order to tie academics to career relevance.”

Th is structure currently provides Polk County students with opportunities for focused training in aerospace, leadership, medical, construction, television, business and more.

“The more students are exposed to opportunities and occupations, the more their ideas can take root. Without

that exposure, their options become limited,” Cochran says. Th e benefi t to students is more than intellectual.

“Students want connection—and they want to know what they’re learning is going to be of value in the future,” Cochran continues, noting that students can earn industry certifications, college course credits, and sometimes both.”For those students who continue on to college, the credits can save them tuition money and for those who may not have considered college as an option, it can give them confidence that they can excel in higher education.”

It all works to allow students an earlier chance at s eeing how their K-12 experience is preparing them for the rest of their lives.

“bolstering opportunities for all....”

“When do we break the cycle of telling kids that ‘you'll get to do what you want to do when you get to high school?’” Superintendent Fred Heid asks rhetorically. “Why delay [until] 12 years or 8 years [old]? How do we create opportunities for students to explore our academies and career tech education, and do that at the earliest stage possible?”

Cochran adds that a strategic shift like that correlates well with research that notes that many 7th graders have “some sort of idea of what they’d like to do,” and the state mandate to assess students' career interest in 8th grade.

Connecting students’ interests to vocational opportunities is instilling love of learning while also setting the stage for Lakeland’s future skilled workforce.

Last year, an iTV broadcasting studio was built at Southwest Elementary School, with the support of local realtor Jen Lay and Indie Atlantic Films Founder Andy McEntire.

PCPS started an eSports program that Heid says “is highly successful and continues to expand into new schools,” and a newly launched home design and construction program at Bartow High School won a national competition.

And that’s just the start.

Ridge Community High School will soon introduce several new academies, including a hospitality program, in partnership with UCF and Harry Rosen.

Six high schools in Polk County will off er a new

Civics Academy that focuses on career and technical occupations that will “expose students to opportunities in local government such as those highly skilled but often overlooked jobs of keeping safe water running and constant electricity fl owing,” according to Cochran.

A new Air Traffi c Control Academy will also launch soon in Bartow.

Heid hopes to launch academies for even younger students—beginning with middle schoolers—for the 202425 school year. “We want to continue to provide options that students find of value and interest….and that obviously align to industry needs.”

Cochran adds that there’s even an Agricultural Academy slated for Willow Oak School— something completely new to Florida.

Families now have the option to provide their children with a focused, specialized education within the public school system, eliminating financial barriers and bolstering opportunities for all. “It’s a big district so providing the same opportunities for all students is a challenge,” Cochran says, “but students can apply for an academy outside of their district.”

In the past the district would host one large-scale educational showcase each year at RP Funding Center, but the district is now hosting five showcases around the county in January to make the event more accessible and hopefully spur on greater turnout.

“We want kids to be at the dinner table at night talking their parents' ears off [about what they’re learning],” Heid says. “Soon parents and students will be able to enter their interests into an app or PCPS website to find magnet schools and academies based on their interests. We’re creating that drive earlier and earlier.”

And so the pursuit of wisdom that began in an ancient Athenian grove known as Akademos is today inspiring the academies of Polk County Public Schools. As we might have heard the great philosopher say, “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”

WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS PHOTOS COURTESY OF HIGHLIGHTED

DESIGNED BY BRIANA CHENOT

LAKELAND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATING CLASS OF '72

Grady Judd

nce upon a time, when young Grady was running around the streets playing cops and robbers, he told his buddies that he would one day be their sheriff. They laughed, telling him, “They're not gonna elect somebody from Combee Road to be sheriff.”

Never one to be lacking confi dence, his usual response to them was, “Y’all just watch.”

Sheriff Grady Judd has now served in law enforcement in Polk County for 51 years and he has been Sheriff since 2004. For him, it’s all just part of God’s mission for his life, and he loves that he gets to serve and protect the individuals and families that make up the place that he has forever called home.

He attended Crystal Lake Elementary and Crystal Lake Junior High School before attending Lakeland High School , where he graduated from in 1972.

Known as a man who is very comfortable in front of cameras, and also known for myriad memorable quotes from throughout his career, it’s fitting he can easily recall some of the most impactful quotes from his childhood.

He fondly remembers his 4th-grade teacher, Dora Frost, a veteran of the military, who would march the kids around the campus.

“She would tell us, ‘You cannot be anything you want to be, but you can be anything you work to be.’”

Similarly, his 6th-grade teacher taught him “when the times get tough, people quit buying fl owers” as a way to motivate students to fi nd meaningful work to contribute to society.

Judd is widely recognized as a leader of leaders, evident by the fact he is a past president of the Florida Sheriff s Association and the Major County Sheriff s of America. But he said as a pre-teen he really was just like most youngsters who get themselves into a little mischief and fi nd themselves in fi sticuff s on occasion.

He laughs when he recalls deciding one day, one his walk home from Crystal Lake Junior High, to cool off with a swim in Crystal Lake.

Polk County Sheriff

“My mother was not happy when she found out…she said, ‘You're in your school clothes, you could've drowned.’ I knew how to swim, but that was an unfortunate time for me,” he said with a grin on his face.

Judd says once he got to high school he was all business, although a quick look at his high school yearbook photo shows he probably knew how to have some fun, too.

“I love those pork chopped sideburns, don’t you?,” he says looking at a photo from his senior year. “Don't show it to my deputies who want to have beards!”

He played football in junior high, but a high school coach told him in tryouts that he was “slow and uncoordinated”, which essentially put an end to his athletic career.

At just 16 he started working for the ambulance. Soon after he delivered a baby on the job, he was on the scene of two car crashes where his classmates were killed and he transported one of his teachers to the hospital, where ultimately she succumbed to cancer.

“It created a profound public eff ect on me, the way I wanted to help people the rest of my life,” he said.

If Judd was a case study for career readiness for PCPS students, the district would pass with fl ying colors.

He graduated from LHS on a Friday. The next week he started working toward a degree in political science at Polk Community College, and the following month Sheriff Monroe Brannen hired him as a radio operator. That September he married his high school sweetheart Marissa Ogburn, and ever since, Judd has been working tirelessly to protect the citizens of Polk County.

This school year is particularly special to Judd because it marks the beginning of the transition of all PCPS school resource officers over to the Sheriff ’s Office.

“I like to share with folks, whenever you deliver your children safe to school in the morning, they become my children,” he said. “So I have 110,000 children all day long until we can deliver them back safely to you.”

Judd and the Sheriff 's Offi ce are respected as experienced leaders when it comes to school safety.

After a gunman killed 14 students and three staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Judd was asked to serve on a commission that investigated the massacre.

“Th ey were slaughtered because

the sheriff 's offi ce failed. Th e school resource offi cer there failed. Th e school system failed. County communications failed,” he said.

Th e commission worked with then Florida Governor Rick Scott to pass the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. Judd said the experience serving on that board confi rmed to him that security at PCPS has been better than most districts for a long time, and it also motivated him to continue to improve it.

“We can never guarantee that an active shooter won't show up on a campus,” he said. “But I can tell you, we've reduced the probabilities.”

The task of keeping kids safe is deeply personal to him because he has 13 grandchildren and he has thousands of friendships and connections throughout the county. The man who was once a kid growing up off of Combee Road would love to keep serving Polk County constituents for years to come, if the electorate agrees.

“And if one day I die at about 110—I wanna live at least that long, I wanna be sheriff until I'm 100— if they say he looked out for the kids, then that's all I'll ever need…that would be my legacy.”

JOIN OUR MISSION TO UNITE BUSINESSES AND EDUCATORS TO DEVELOP LAKELAND’S NEXT LEADERS.

OUR APPROACH

Innovative Education Models

Early Education Matters

Seek to Understand District Goals

Partnership & Accountability

Celebrate Success

We’re making it easy for the Lakeland business community to get involved in education with our simple, multipronged approach.

Lakeland Leads needs your help to connect businesses and community stakeholders with our education system to foster partnerships that create lasting transformation for our schools and students. Together, we’ll implement groundbreaking ideas that bring about improvements in underperforming schools and positively impact our future community leaders.

Scan to visit LakelandLeads.org and learn how you can be a part of this exciting mission, or email melody@lakelandleads.org.

LakelandLeads.org

DEDICATED to EDUCATION

Nurturing Polk County Public Schools

For years, CPS Investment Advisors has remained steadfast in support of Polk County Public Schools. Whether through purchasing school supplies for Philip O’Brien Elementary School, providing new uniforms and hygiene products for students or donating essential home goods to graduating college-bound seniors, our employees offer their time and support to ensure every child has what they need to thrive, focus on success, and not worry about essentials.

As a proud sponsor of the Polk County School Board’s “Focus on Excellence” campaign, CPS ensures school employees are appreciated and rewarded for their outstanding contributions—even adding a sprinkle of joy to busy administrative days by offering a sweet escape with free ice cream from the CPS Frozen Treats truck.

With a commitment to supporting our community’s schools, CPS Investment Advisors believes all students and school board employees deserve to have all of the tools they need to reach for greatness.

We work hard to empower students and teachers. The future is bright!

KATHLEEN HIGH SCHOOL

Gow Fields

ong before he was the mayor of Lakeland or the President and CEO of Fields Insurance and Financial, Gow Fields was busy perfecting his typewriting skills at Kathleen High School, in spite of the ridicule some of his male classmates gave him for taking a course that was generally reserved for young women who aspired to be secretaries.

Even then, Fields was all business, looking for any advantage he could gain.

One typing teacher told him it would help him develop his off-hand dexterity for basketball, and his high school teacher Peggy Newsome said it would pay off because he would be able to efficiently produce research papers in college.

“She said it would pay off…and sure enough, it did,” said the 60-year old Fields. “Matter of fact, when I was in college, I would type other students' papers for them for a fee. That was a nice gig.”

Fields could write a short book with the number of teachers and school staff within Polk County Public Schools who inspired him, in educational development and athletics.

Fields attended Lakeland Christian from kindergarten through 5th grade, Lime Street Elementary (now Philip O’Brien Elementary) in 6th grade,and Seth McKeel Junior High School in 7th through 9th grade.

Th e 1981 Kathleen High School grad recalls the impact his 1st grade teacher Ms. Strickland and his 4th grade teacher Ms. Cunningham had on him, and he said his 6th grade teachers Ms. Musgrave and Mr. Dyer-Hurdon helped him develop into a young man.

He also has fond memories of many of his coaches, including Coach Williams and Coach Fullington at Seth McKeel Junior High.

He played basketball and football and ran track at Kathleen, but says

Former Mayor of Lakeland (2009-2014)

Current President and CEO of Fields Insurance and Financial

he gave up maybe his “best” sport— baseball—after junior high because “it can get boring during batting practice” and he was a sucker for the constant competition of football and basketball. His appreciation for educational mentors in Polk County runs beyond high school. Fields attended Florida A&M for a semester before returning home and enrolling in Polk State College.

“One of the guidance counselors, Ms. Jan McDougle, encouraged me upon graduation to stay in Central Florida because of the ‘booming opportunities that will be happening here…’” he recalls. “It was being prophetic in the way she described it. And of course she did not oversell it, and that played a key role in me making sure that I paid attention to what was going on here and how that would serve me upon graduation.”

After college, while interviewing for jobs, he was a substitute teacher. In the years that followed, he served as an assistant boys basketball coach

at Kathleen, and then had a stint as an assistant for the Red Devils girls basketball team when his daughter played on the team.

He eventually entered into a much bigger local spotlight, serving the city as an elected offi cial for 21 years, including serving as mayor from 2009-2014, becoming Lakeland’s fi rst Black mayor.

Fields attributes a lot of the success he has had from what he learned as a student in PCPS schools.

“Public school education taught me that it better prepares you for the real world that you're gonna go function in, because you've gotta encounter people at varying ability levels and skill and talent levels,” he said. “And if we're going to do well as a country and as a broader community, we have to make sure everyone has a chance to succeed, and that's going to take all of us being willing to be open and accepting that everyone is not gifted or talented the same.”

WINTER HAVEN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS OF '73

Perry Blocker

Polk County Public Schools

Teacher for 38 years

erry Blocker was a student in Polk County Public Schools when it finally integrated in the late 1960s. After earning a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Florida she came back home, where she taught nearly every grade from 1st through 8th at Walter Caldwell Elementary, Lake Alfred Elementary, Auburndale Central Elementary and Westwood Middle School.

She always loved unlocking student’s

reading abilities and during the course of her career she led multiple reading programs and even garnered grant funding to help provide additional resources to help students become better readers.

Today, following a 38-year teaching career at PCPS, the 1973 Winter Haven High School graduate is as gung-ho as ever about the importance of educating the next generation.

She retired from PCPS in 2015, but you’ll usually find her alongside children or devoting herself to other community endeavors she has long been committed to.

“ I just love teaching reading to kids…I just feel awake and ready to go back to it, even though I know I'm retired,” she said energetically, noting that she is a reading tutor through United Way and has also volunteered with PAL in Winter Haven.

She has also worked tirelessly over the years to support programs that combat hunger and homelessness, and she has

served with th the Florida Guardian ad Litem program, providing a voice to children in the 10th Circuit Court.

“I just feel like it's one of my purposes in life…to help and encourage others, to build our community to make [it] better.”

She attended Jewett Elementary School in Winter Haven, as well as multiple middle schools, including Denison Middle School when it became integrated.

She credits her high school history teacher Oziemar Woodard for inspiring her to be a teacher. Her

She admits it was a career choice that ended up bringing her a lot of joy and allowed her to make many fond memories. Her favorite age to teach was elementary students because the students “come in with their eyes wide open…they're just innocent and they soak in everything.”

The lifelong educator said she is encouraged by how PCPS continues to add more vocational programs and provide high-achieving students opportunities to earn college credits, and even associate degrees, while in high school.

One thing she says she’s glad she didn’t have to grapple with during her years in the classroom is all of the technology.

“That to me is a real challenge for, um, educating students,” she said. “They love it… but we don't get to communicate with them verbally (as much) because of technology.”.

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BARTOW HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS OF '92

Marnee Cobb was “a fantastic junior high geometry teacher that helped you love something that otherwise could be pretty tough to teach.”

A local leader he admired was Ernie Cooper, who was actually the principal of the school’s Putnam attended in both junior high and high school.

Commissioner of Agriculture

CEO of Ducks Unlimited

hen Adam Putnam announced his candidacy for governor of Florida in 2017, he chose to host the press conference on the steps of the old courthouse in Bartow.

The Bartow High School band performed, teachers of Putnam’s from over the years were on hand to cheer him on, and a he was speaking to a crowd filled with local friends and family who would carry signs, wave to cars from street corners and knock on doors for the duration of a campaign that ultimately culminated in Putnam conceded the GOP nomination for governor to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I've been so blessed to have just phenomenal support from my hometown and from my home county, including

not just classmates, but faculty and administrators who made a difference in my life and stayed involved in my life long after I graduated from Bartow High School,” he said. “I think that's part of the magic of Polk County and it says a lot about the heart and passion of the teachers that I was fortunate enough to learn from.”

Putnam attended Oaks Elementary, Union Academy and Bartow Junior High

The 49-year-old Putnam, who currently serves as CEO of Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. has lived a life of significance and service.

At 22, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and he eventually served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture from 2011-2019—a logical fit for the thirdgeneration farmer who owns Putnam Groves Inc. in Bartow.

Putnam and his wife, Melissa, raised their four children in Polk County Public Schools until they relocated to Memphis, and Putnam has a full heart of admiration for the teachers who helped him become who he is today.

He credits Owen Williams for being a “phenomenal English teacher” and said

“He was a gift to the community,” Putnam recalls. “He embedded the activities of the school into the larger Bartow community and brought the community into the school.”

In high school, Putnam was involved in 4-H club, school government and was on the yearbook staff. And the record also shows that he was a member of the Yellow Jackets baseball squad.

“I played baseball, I should say, I rode the bench in baseball,” he says with a laugh. “I was never a very good baseball player, but I enjoyed it…everyone was very tolerant to let me put on a uniform.”

He acknowledges that because of the sheer size of Polk County the school district’s leadership has always had the steep challenge of meeting so many unique educational needs of a diverse population, but he believes staff and faculty have regularly risen to the occasion.

He uses the creation of the International Baccalaureate program at Bartow High School as an example.

“The rigor is unbelievable,” he said, recounting the experience of his daughter’s at the school. “I'll never complain about how much homework I had ever again, when I saw the load that they were carrying and the number of big time courses…and still kind of active in clubs and athletics.”

Adam Putnam

Former

Current

The Business of Creating a Brighter Future

a high-stakes business serving more customers than ever before. Changes come swift and often. Some are celebrated, while others are criticized. It’s a results-focused industry, but it really all begins and ends with relationships—both inside and outside the building.

Its CEO matter-of-factly states there’s “no silver bullet” or quick fi xes, but there is a driving passion shared among staff and stakeholders to make the foundation stronger and the future brighter.

WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS DESIGNED BY BRIANA CHENOT PHOTOS COURTESY OF PCPS

SUPERINTENDENT HEID IS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

And to do that, this broad-shouldered, approachable and action-oriented leader continues to look in the mirror, while somehow keeping both eyes on the road of progress that requires more community members to mentor students, partner on programming and engage in critical conversations.

Fred Heid’s title is Superintendent and the “company” he leads is one of the nation's 30 most populated public school systems in the seventh fastestgrowing county in the United States.

Heid spent almost 10 years as superintendent of a Chicago-area school system prior to being hired by Polk County Public Schools in 2021. He said PCPS was the right spot for his family because during the interview process he and his wife met a wide range of people, from city mayors to school staff to community partners, and every single one of them shared a sincere commitment to the students of Polk County with high expectations for what comes next. Here is a glimpse at the challenges, opportunities and potential solutions in store for the district.

“I WON'T GIVE EXCUSES BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO IMPROVE.”

Looking in the Mirror

Since starting just before the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, he and district leaders have tuned their ears to staff, parents and students, while staying on top of trends and combing through data.

Heid has been in classrooms frequently and has made it a priority to be visible in public, including hosting Community Conversations series to provide updates to and solicit feedback from community members.

He has had a chance to digest real-time data and be in some of the environments that data stems from.

Some of the data is positive. For example, PCPS has the second most accredited and certifi ed academy programs of any district in the nation, and it off ers 10 schools with International Baccalaureate programs, as well as a number of other opportunities for rigorous and accelerated learning.

Other data is more troublesome.

Th e state recently released a report showing the majority of PCPS students in grades 3-10, with the exception being 4th graders, scored below grade level on the fi nal Florida Assessment of Th inking (FAST) Reading test in May.

His response in an article published by lkldnow.com is consistent with his direct and analytical approach.

“I won’t give excuses because we really need to improve. And so many of us were shocked and disappointed by the scores here,” Heid said. “Th e state of Florida also took a position this year that with this new test, that they would only allow the same amount of A and B and C and D schools to exist that were

“NOTHING FRUSTRATES ME THAN BEING TOLD, THIS IS HOW WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT...”

previously identifi ed, which again fl ies in the face of logic. Why isn’t a goal to get every school to an A? Why do we make it harder?”

Th e high school graduation rate in the district is 78.3%, 9% below the state average.

“No one is satisfi ed with these results. No one is making excuses,” he said in a post on the Polk County Public Schools website. He mentioned the district is constantly working with guidance counselors and success coaches to ensure students meet graduation requirements.

Adam Putnam, a 1992 Bartow High School graduate, and the former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, has an appreciation for how PCPS served him and his family well, and he recognizes the breadth of how many diff erent communities it is tasked to serve.

“Essentially, if you split Polk County down U.S. 27 you have a county that is primarily

rural communities (East side) and a county that is primarily urban communities (West side).”

Gow Fields, a 1981 Kathleen High Grad, and the mayor of Lakeland from 2009 to 2014, went a step further in his opinion on the grandiose nature of managing a district of approximately 115,000 students and more than 13,000 staff.

“Th ere are a lot of people who are very critical of public education because they don't take into account how challenged public education is since it has to take every student,” he said. “Private schools don't have to take every student, charter schools don't have to take every student and even your magnet schools or the academies, if kids can't keep up, they will counsel them or encourage them to go back to their zoned school, if you will.”

Paving a Road to Progress

“Nothing frustrates me more than being told, 'Th is is how we've always done it,'” Heid said. “Because to me, here's what I hear: kids have to wait until the adults fi gure it out.”

One way district offi cials are fi guring it out is by analyzing existing programs and resources.

“When I arrived here…we had over two dozen reading (intervention) programs across the district, and

we actually did the analysis on them. We eliminated the ones that didn't (have a positive impact on student outcomes)...and so we're down to seven or less,” he said. He also said the district has eliminated redundant contracts to free up money in the general budget.

“Th ere's an old saying, you can't grow something new in the garden until you weed it out…you've got to get rid of the old to make room for the new and create opportunities for it to grow.”

While looking to implement new programs and provide adequate resources to serve all students, Heid mentioned two other high-priority challenges that require strategic intervention.

The first is a diminishing workforce in an environment where districts are vying for the same candidates. As of the beginning of the new school year, PCPS had roughly 300 teacher vacancies across the district.

Th ere is also the expectation that PCPS could add as many as 7,000 additional students this year, meaning the population boom of the past few years is still in full force.

“We're developing love handles on the east and west side of our school districts,” Heid said, noting that Polk is a bedroom community for Orlando and Tampa workers. He also mentioned the importance of the half-cent sales tax for schools, a key funding source for building new schools and improving existing ones.

Heid strongly believes the future of the district hinges on being able to expose students to career options at younger ages, offering more career training paths, and ultimately being a pipeline that works with small businesses and large corporations in Polk County.

Th e large number of academies and vocational training options ( see the “From Kindergarten to Careers” article for an in-depth look ) is a strong foundation for developing workforce ready students,

“..YOU'VE GOT TO GET RID OF THE OLD TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IT TO GROW ."

HEID MAKES IT A PRIORITY TO BE IN CLASSROOMS AS OFTEN AS HIS SCHEDULE ALLOWS

but it’s only the beginning. Heid wants his staff at the table with entrepreneurs, CEOs and business and nonprofit leaders, discussing what their needs are, how they can partner with them to provide internships (including helping pay wages in some cases) and how to get them mentoring students, beginning as early as elementary school.

In Polk County there is an express need for contractors and construction workers—everything from masons to painters to carpenters. The medical profession is also in desperate need of more skilled workers; that includes nurses and doctors, but also certified technicians for a multitude of specialties.

One way PCPS has prioritized the development of partnerships between local businesses and local schools is by creating a Community Liaison position for each of the district’s five regions.

Community liaisons attend public meetings, network with professionals and work with regional superintendents and school principals to create long-lasting relationships that benefi t students, teachers and communities at large.

It Won’t Happen Without Help

Heid admits there hasn’t always been streamlined processes to effectively partner with PCPS schools—and for too long, too much of a burden has been put on principals—but the new structure and priority on collaboration should serve as a fresh reset. With that in place, he isn’t shy about stating how fundamental community involvement is to the longterm success of students and families.

“Really what our schools need is they need more time, more effort. So if there are retirees, if there are people who are looking to give back to their community, and help support a student who's learning to read, learning to do math, or just simply build a meaningful relationship… we're open to that,” he said.

Fields, a successful businessman who is married to Kay Fields, a longtime school board member and the CEO of Girls Inc. Lakeland, agrees that the fortune of public school students is not just the responsibility of educators.

“HELP SUPPORT A STUDENT WHO'S LEARNING TO READ, LEARNING TO DO MATH, OR JUST SIMPLY BUILD A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP... ”

BREAKING GROUND AT THE SITE OF SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL MODERNIZATION PROJECT

DR MELODY RIDER PRESIDENT OF LAKELAND LEADS

“[We need people] being engaged and being willing to speak at schools to students that are at that age where speaking to them or sharing with them about your career is meaningful,” he said. “For the younger kids, going and reading to them is very helpful so that they see that there are people who are not paid to be there who actually care about their education, their growth and development.”

In 2019, a group of Lakeland community influencers created the nonprofit Lakeland Leads to create an intentional space for business and education leaders to join forces to create better student outcomes and a more promising economic future for our communities.

Lakeland Lead’s executive board includes leaders from entities including Publix, GrayRobinson, AgAmerica and Harrell’s, and its advisory board is an impressive mix of educators and nonprofi t visionaries.

Lakeland Leads President Dr. Melody Rider said they "need businesses to engage like never before with K-12 education to inspire, mentor and foster the next generation."

"Th is is our community, our students and our responsibility," she said.

Businesses can become part of the solution by visiting lakelandleads.org or emailing the nonprofi t at info@lakelandleads.org.

Sheriff Grady Judd, who graduated from Lakeland High School in 1972, said in terms

“THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR RESPONSBILITY.”

SINGLE

of responsibility he would love to just see folks get the basics down pat. He said people might not like the reading or math scores they see in the district, but he also points to data like unexcused absences and number of schools attended in a year to determine student health.

“First off, if you spend 20 minutes a day with your child reading, that's more than the average amount of time that a parent spends with [their] child at all,” he said. "If you read 20 minutes a day with your child, your child will grow up to be successful. 99% of the time that's a guarantee.”

Heid might chuckle at the sentiment that it could all be that easy, but it is the small and consistent wins along the way that fuel the fire in his soul to figure out how to help kids read, and every other important skill under the sun, as long as they are a student of Polk County Public Schools.

“I constantly remind our staff every single day is an opportunity to change the trajectory of a student's life,” he said. “There's all kinds of known barriers that may prevent that student from being successful, but you have an opportunity every day to start anew and try and make a difference with that kid. And nothing makes me happier to see (than) our kids being successful in class.”

“EVERY

DAY IS AN Opportunity TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY STUDENT'S Life ...”

Who is college for and how much is it worth? Which degrees are in demand and what makes one option better than another? With school back in session, join us for a visit to the library of local higher ed, where four president share what keeps them up at night and why their school is worth considering.

WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS PHOTOS BY JORDAN RANDALL AND JONATHAN SIERRA ON LOCATION AT INKLINGS BOOK SHOPPE

THE PRESIDENTS

Several years ago, Dr. Angela Falconetti was preparing for a short family trip to Disney World—a rare escape from her duties as President of Polk State College—when the phone rang. It was a lobbyist notifying her of an opportunity to testify to the Florida House at the State Capitol regarding a key funding opportunity for the school. The appointment would have to be early the next morning.

“So I got home that night, put the alarm on, packed, woke up at 3:30 in the morning, drove straight to Tallahassee, changed in a bathroom, did my hair, put makeup on and walked straight into the House building to testify, at like 9:30 in the morning,” she recounts.

The assertive 48-year old leader once listened to stories of how her grandparents fled Cuba and sacrificed so much so that future generations, like Angela’s, could have a “good life.” Today Falconetti is doing her part to make that same opportunity true for everyone in Polk County.

“We are Polk” is more than the school’s slogan, it is the school’s DNA. More than 70 percent of Polk State graduates stay in Polk County, and more than 90 percent of students are from the area.

The school is the largest higher education institute in Polk County, now serving more than 20,000 students annually through bachelor’s and associate degree programs, as well as a wide range of certificate and workforce training options at locations like Polk State Corporate College in Bartow.

Leadership is constantly sifting through national and regional data while working to align its educational options with local employer needs. That’s why they’ve stepped full-force into a lot of nationally recognized certification and licensure programs—such as advanced manufacturing, IT, child care and more. The school is also keenly focused on programs like hospitality, law enforcement training and elementary education. It’s the reason that Falconetti has her “Eagle eye” laser focused on building the Polk State Haines City campus, which is envisioned as a new technology-powered, engaged learning environment that takes the college’s nursing and health science programs to new heights.

Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti

Polk State College President

“We are Polk” is more than the school’s slogan, it is the school’s DNA.

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Polk State received $13.8 million for the project from the Florida Legislature in 2022, and a $1.7 million donation from AdventHealth provided an endowment to fund the Dean of Nursing position. Unfortunately for Falconetti and her team, the legislature vetoed their request during this year’s legislative session for $16.2 million to complete Phase I of the Haines City campus.

“Oftentimes I'll wake up at night strategizing, my mind goes ’round and ’round thinking about…what do I need to do in Tallahassee? Who do I need to

meet with?” Falconetti said. “It’s a passion of mine, it's a dream. It's not just because we need a building. It's because of what's gonna be in that building. It's going to be transformational for sure for that community.”

Within a 10-mile radius of the Haines City Campus site, there are more than 80,000 residents whose highest educational attainment is a high school diploma or some college but no degree.

Falconetti readily admits the role she stepped into six years ago is deeply political, in part because about half of the college’s funding

comes directly from the state. One of the reasons she said ‘Yes’ to becoming the face of Polk State is one of the primary reasons she strongly believes its best days are still ahead—an extremely committed and skilled board of trustees who utilize their connections, influence and experience to bolster the college’s position.

The board consists of Citizens Bank and Trust President/ CEO Greg Littleton, Teresa V. Martinez—President and Founder of the Institute of Spanish Communication, Inc., community advocate and

“[Education] can take somebody from poverty to prosperity or from prosperity to be even more prosperous...”

nonprofit leader Ashley Bell Barnett and Cindy Hartley Ross, the owner of Social Graces.

“They go to Tallahassee, they go to Washington DC and they talk to the members of Congress, and they carry a level of connection in this county that is extremely beneficial for our institution,” Falconetti said.

The Polk State College president has truly been preparing for this role her entire career too. Her educational achievements and professional accolades are enough to fill up several LinkedIn profiles, but some of the highlights include: a postdoctoral fellowship in Community College Leadership with The University of Texas at Austin while working as a research associate for the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, serving as Special Assistant to the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges in Washington, D.C. , serving as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Virginia Western Community College, and most recently, serving as Chair of the Florida College System Council of Presidents.

She continues to leverage those experiences and connections to create new opportunities at a school where a student's average age is 25-26 years old. She has seen an increased need to provide more social and psychological support to a population that is still recovering from some of the impact of the pandemic. It’s all with the future in mind.

“I feel if we open the doors for individuals to pursue a higher level of education ....[it] can take somebody from poverty to prosperity or from prosperity to be even more prosperous in their lives,” she said.

She said her advice to her 12-year-old daughter Sophia about pursuing continuing education includes finding something she is passionate about and going after it, while also being realistic about what kind of long-term lifestyle that can afford her.

“Pursue a college education because no one can take that away from you, and you have something to build on.”

Falconetti admits the work is ongoing to raise the school’s profile and help locals understand that what was founded as Polk Junior College and eventually became Polk Community College until 2009 is in a new era of opportunity and anxious to prove its prowess.

But the proof of progress is all around her. At a recent Polk State College graduation, a Spanish-speaking woman pulled the President aside. Her son had just graduated with two degrees and was enlisted in the military. She asked Falconetti, “Are you the lady who helped my son?” Falconetti said that there are a lot of people who helped her son succeed, and she was one of them.

“She just started crying in my arms. She cleans homes for a living so they didn't have a lot of means to put him through,” she said. “He received employment at the college and benefited from some scholarships. That's the type of lives that we're changing.”

“Pursue a college education because no one can take that away from you, and you have something to build on.”

Kent Ingle has a gift for seeing the end from the beginning and for constructing a winning strategy that he believes will garner purposeful results.

deep hunger meet,” Ingle said. “And if you follow what gives you a sense of gladness and satisfaction and joy, you're always gonna be in a place where you feel like you're making a contribution, you're creating a difference, you're leading a change.”

From a young college student crafting scripts and studying shot sheets for an NBC affiliate TV station—where he interviewed global icons including Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali—to developing attainable and repeatable leadership tactics that benefit ministry and higher ed leaders, to leading the ascension of Southeastern University as its President since 2011, Dr. Ingle is a man with a plan, or in his words, “a framework.”

His cheerful confidence and knack for defining “simple” solutions to complex challenges might make him appear formulaic at times, but the reality is he’s just really good at staying focused on how God uniquely designed him and how that translates to making transformative Christian education accessible and affordable for as many students as possible.

He credits Fred Cottriel, the pastor of the church he attended in Bakersfield, Calif., for first calling out his servant leader abilities and introducing him to the idea of “divine design”—the concept that God has uniquely created each person with distinct skills to use for a specific purpose.

“One of my favorite writers, Frederick Buechner…says, the place where you're called is a place where your deep gladness and the world's

Dr SEU

The change in the 12 years since Ingle took over as President of Southeastern has been seismic for the Assemblies of God affiliated institution. That change has included, but not been limited to: the addition of more than a dozen athletic teams, including a football team that was the catalyst for a state-of-the-art stadium that sits near

Dr. Kent Ingle Southeastern University President

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the main campus entrance; the addition of a nursing program, the construction of a variety of modern facilities, like the 125,000-square foot Live/Learn facility Buena Vida; the launch of more than 100 SEU extension sites across the United States; and more ideas constantly being processed through the well-established framework of Ingle’s team alongside the school's board of directors.

His efforts at a respected university that was in need of renewal when he took over has pushed enrollment from 2,546 students in 2011 to more than 10,000 this school year (including 2,300+ on the main campus). Southeastern is more of a household name than ever before, in part because Ingle has an established presence on national news outlets and recently joined the Forbes Business Council.

SEU leadership frames the present and plans for the future by: listening (to students, faculty, the board, trends, etc.), auditing the context, clarifying the goals and aligning the vision.

It’s no accident that the framework begins with listening. Ingle admits he is driven to learn from other people’s journeys of growth and development, from global leaders to the students on campus.

“I’ve heard many times students ask about [meeting up for] lunch or coffee...and believe it or not, I tell 'em, just reach out to my office and we can make it happen,” he said. “(Through conversations with students) we’re making sure that we're creating the right university environment that integrates faith learning in life for them…once they step out, they're not only gonna have the strong academic skills, but they're gonna have those soft skills, the emotional intelligence that allows them to really take their skills and enhance that from a relational standpoint.”

Being open for conversation has also led to new programs that Ingle said are often launched within a year or two of ideation so long as they fit the school’s vision and help it achieve its goals. An example is SEU Trades, a brand new degree and certificate program that will initially help students pursue careers in construction technology, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and project management.

“How SEU Trades really started is we

received a call from John Deere and they [said], ‘We’re struggling in trying to certify mechanics across the country, and we have heard about your model and your networking in education, and how you are hitting the issue of accessibility. Would you consider partnering with us?’”

The new program addresses one of the university’s primary goals of making education more accessible, because as Ingle sees it, “Not everybody needs a degree, but everybody needs an education.”

He is also a stalwart for making higher education more affordable, stating “it’s really the university’s responsibility to drive down the cost of tuition.” On occasion you can see Ingle on Fox News sharing how SEU staff try to take scholarships to the streets instead of expecting students to come to them.

The cost of tuition to take courses at the SEU campus in Lakeland ranges between $30,432 and $32,968 per year for full-time students. Credit hours cost nearly twothirds less at the extension sites because the university does not have “brick and mortar costs,” but those students are also not eligible for all of the same financial aid.

Ingle shares university staff are tirelessly working to bring down the out-of-pocket costs for students by directing them to scholarships and grants—such as federal pell grants—and also through establishing new partnerships with more faith-based and non-profit organizations that are looking to strengthen communities where SEU is present.

The decision makers at the university are locked in on creating an “experiential education” for students that promotes learning, living, working and serving in Lakeland. Last year, SEU students served for approximately 60,000 hours in local communities.

As Ingle keeps pushing the pedal to create what he dubs “new curves of opportunity” for students, he acknowledges that he is grateful for a team of Christ-centered leaders who keep the school’s original mission at the forefront.

“The board of trustees will always make sure…we never have mission drift,” he said.

That’s no small feat for a school that has quadrupled in size since Ingle came on board, but it’s a challenge they have certainly planned for.

“If you follow what gives you a sense of gladness and satisfaction and joy, you're always gonna be in a place where you feel like you're making a contribution...”

Anne Kerr is polished and confident. She is the face of a celebrated liberal arts school with breathtaking scenery, a rich history of local support and impact, and an acclaim for developing well-rounded graduates.

Yet she acknowledges there is still much to learn—and heights for Florida Southern College to still aspire to. Now in her 19th year as President, she and her staff wrestle with challenges like helping students develop social EQ coming out of a pandemic, enhancing programs and launching new programs that are relevant to today’s job market, and standing out as a leader in hands-on learning in an increasingly screen dominated society.

The 69-year-old Kerr, who usually dons a wardrobe that includes the trademark rosy red of the Moccasins, shares it has been her ongoing mission to open new worlds of opportunity for “one of the best kept secrets in higher ed for long before she came.”

From a marketing and reputation standpoint the results of Kerr and her staff’s efforts are clear.

In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Southern the 8th best “Regional University in the South,” and the accolades continue to pile up.

Kerr uses the term “engaged learning” to describe how students have opportunities to learn about culture and explore potential careers up close and personal.

Florida Southern students can travel internationally as part of the Junior Journey program, and the college guarantees every student access to internships.

Kerr says the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise, which recently was named a “Best Business School” in The Princeton Review, is a great example of an engaged learning environment in action.

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Dr. Anne Kerr Florida Southern College President

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Kerr uses the term “engaged learning” to describe how students have opportunities to learn about culture and explore potential careers up close and personal.

“[It] is one of the best business schools in the nation based on the quality of the faculty, the curriculum, and fabulous project-based courses for our students,” she said. "We have a wonderful dean, Dr. J. Michael Weber, who leads the enterprise, and the School is not only a benefit to the students who go through there, graduate, and are very successful, but also, it is a great asset for our community.”

Business students get to learn from guest lecturers from around the world and build relationships with some of the most influential local business leaders, through events like the Polk Real Estate and Economic Update that the college hosts annually. Business college students are earning internships at distinguished entities like Bank of America, FedEx, Goldman Sachs and Publix.

Florida Southern has also made a name for itself through the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences, where students can earn bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees. Students work in simulated lab settings with high-end technology and have opportunities for handon clinical experience at myriad healthcare providers in Central Florida.

Education and other “traditional” majors continue to blossom at FSC, but its school of arts and sciences offers more than 35 majors, many that represent significant shifts toward technology-focused careers.

“We have a dynamic computer sciences department, and students are very interested

in cybersecurity, AI, and many other aspects of technology management. Our pedagogy in some disciplines is changing in exciting ways,” Kerr said. “We have faculty members who are now using gamification pedagogy because it’s fun and incredibly effective for this generation of students.”

The rise of the state’s oldest four-year college coincides with a continual rise of the cost of attending the school.

Tuition for a full-time student during the 2004-05 school year ranged from $16,680 to $18,240 for a full-time student, according to The Ledger. The tuition for the 2023-24 school year is $42,360.

Kerr acknowledges the cohort of students Florida Southern attracts are usually already committed to attending college and FSC “helps formulate that dream for the student.”

Still, she says one of her main goals currently is to raise more funds to provide more scholarships—something the school states it does to the tune of more than $52 million per year currently.

“It deeply troubles me when we have talented students who want to enroll or can't continue here because they don’t have the financial resources to do so,” she said. “I admire students who work and attend FSC.”

Funding and growth aside, Kerr said the thing that perpetually keeps her up at night is student safety. She said “no

college president has been the same” after a gunman killed 33 people, including himself, on the campus of Virginia Tech in 2007.

“From comprehensive emergency response plans to mental health and counseling services, we have made significant strides in ensuring student safety.”

She said she is grateful for the experienced leadership of Head of Security Eric Rouch and the tight partnership they have with Lakeland Police Department who provides 24/7 coverage for the campus.

“I always question, and pray for our students and our campus every night,” Kerr said.

Prayer has long been a common practice of students and faculty alike at the college that was founded by the United Methodist Church. Kerr says there is a “deep thread of spirituality” at the school, including the Christian campus ministries and chapel, a Hillel program for Jewish students and more.

Something else that Kerr counts on to help center her amidst the noise and responsibility of being a college president is her horses. She and her husband, Dr. Roy Kerr, own four horses, a passion which was awakened when a dear friend invited her to her horse ranch years ago.

Not surprisingly, Kerr enjoys participating in horse shows—just a little extra competition for someone who is built for adventure.

He

has one final lap— the curves, the “whoops,” the stiff competition—in him before he truly rides off into the sunset. When Randy pulls up on his bright orange KTM dirt bike, you’d think he’s just one of the guys when he removes his helmet and starts talking about fixing up his dad’s old truck or a woodworking project he’s finishing. But if you saw him the next business day the helmet would be replaced with studious glasses, he would probably be donning a suit and sharp purple tie, and if you were fortunate enough to have reserved some time with him in his office, you would be trading wisdom with the first and only president of his kind.

Some will remember the long and sometimes contentious process that preceded the founding of the state’s 12th public university. It was a show of political fireworks involving then Senate budget chairman JD Alexander and his plea to turn Florida Polytechnic—then a branch of the University of South Florida—into a standalone STEM focused institution in rural Polk County.

Florida Polytechnic has quickly, if imperfectly, become an innovative, handson learning research university that has partnerships with Mosaic, Lockheed Martin, Cisco and more. It is a career runway for students that the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported produces graduates who have median earnings of $57,900 one year after graduation, 35% higher than the average public school graduate in Florida.

The first class of students at Florida Poly was 554 students during the fall of 2014, and Avent said there were around 30 employees when it launched, including roughly 10 faculty. Today, enrollment is at more than 1,500 undergrad students, and the school website states more than 150 staff and 73 faculty work there.

It’s been a wild ride to get there.

“There were six legislative mandates that had to be met, and when Ava Parker (now the president of Palm Beach State College) walked in as [the first] employee, she had a year and a half, and she had to hire anybody she could,” Avent recalls. ”Ava got the university ready to open just by her sheer power and devotion to the university.”

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“I never imagined that I would be able to help establish a brandnew STEM university...”

Dr. Randy Avent Florida Polytechnic University President

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Avent remembers “100-hour weeks” early on, and it was an unheralded challenge for a brilliant scholar who worked for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for nearly two decades, at one time served as a chief scientist for the U.S. Department of Defense, and who said he was once happiest with “his door shut, solving technical challenges and writing papers.”

Yet, when he released a public letter on July 24 stating he would be stepping down as President at the end of the 2023-24 school year, it signaled the accomplished 65-yearold father of three realized he has grown exponentially as a leader by taking on this challenge.

“I never imagined that I would be able to help establish a brand-new STEM university and mold the way it would serve students, industry and the entire state,” he wrote in a 411word message sharing his plans to transition to a faculty role.

He and his staff had to prove the credibility of the institution early on, and they led Florida Poly to its regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in 2017 and its critical ABET Accreditation in 2019.

The infrastructure has followed.

The 90,000 square foot state-ofthe-art Applied Research Center opened last fall, a third student residence hall is under construction and a new engineering building is in the works to break ground this fall.

Additionally, the Global Citrus Innovation Center opened, the fruit of a momentous public-private partnership with Fortune 500 company International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF). Avent has long held the vision of building a research park for public-private partnerships on open land within miles of the university, but he acknowledges it has progressed slower than he hoped.

“One of the things that keeps me up at night is how many warehouses [that are being built on nearby land] because they are really going to shut the door on that opportunity,” he said.

Avent said the university graduates 300-400 talented students each year, but “they all leave Polk County” because high-tech jobs with competitive wages

“Polk County's not gonna get anything out of this university if we can't start attracting some high tech economies.”

and growth opportunities are not currently part of the area’s infrastructure.

“Polk County's not gonna get anything out of this university if we can't start attracting some high tech economies,” he said. He’s not completely pessimistic, noting the domino effect that hopefully started with the IFF partnership and mentioning the impact he expects to see from SunTrax—a 400-acre site that involves a partnership with Florida Poly and the Florida Department of Transportation that will develop and test emerging technologies that improve and advance transportation.

Avent is proud that he leads a university where they “teach theory, not technology.” He says STEM is not just about buzz categories like 3D printing and robotics, it’s foundationally about understanding hard math like triple integrals on closed contour surfaces and being able to determine whether sequences converge or diverge.

Florida Poly challenges students to not only be great at solving complex problems, but also to be comfortable working on teams and presenting their fi ndings to peers, skills that enable them to be more career ready.

“You know, the old joke, ‘How do you tell an engineer is extroverted?’” Avent quips. “He looks at your shoes when he talks to you.”

To combat some of the stress related to his job, Avent truly did return to one of his pastimes of yesteryear, connecting with a group of Florida Poly students along the way.

He rode dirt bikes all through high school, and then picked the hobby back up when his kids wanted to ride. But ever since, he had only daydreamed about it on occasion.

Th en one day, a former student government president showed off a picture of his new street bike to Avent. Avent advised against it because of

how dangerous they are, and the young man said his grandparents echoed that sentiment so much that they told him they would buy him a car if he sold it.

“I said...you take them up on that deal, and then go out and buy a dirt bike,” Avent recalls.

One thing led to another. The student did purchase a dirt bike and invited the President out for a spin. Avent rekindled his love for racing at spots like Croom State Park and Bone Valley—often riding with several students—and eventually purchased a couple of KTM bikes to race in hair scrambles and enduros.

For a leader who has helped cast the vision for an institution that has the power to impact generations, it’s something exhilarating that allows him to live in the moment without getting lost in the details.

“On a dirt bike, if you're not worried about the 10 feet in front of [you], you're gonna pay for it,” he said.

1905

A view of Lakeland High School with the students gathered around the building. Lakeland High School was built on Florida Avenue in Lakeland, Florida in 1902. It served as the city high school until it was replaced by a larger building in 1927. Th e latter building still stands and is now known as Lawton Chiles Middle School.

Courtesy of Lakeland Public Library