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Tag: APP Education

  • Unique way of learning taking place in Thonotosassa

    THONOTOSASSA, Fla. — When you think of education, you often think of textbooks and notebooks, but one academy is taking a different approach.

    What You Need To Know

    • Montessori is more of a hands-on approach, but this academy takes learning outdoors
    • The academy is also looking to expand services into Dade City next year


    Freedom Montessori Academy is giving students an opportunity to learn outdoors. And they are expanding their reach.

    Learning is all about being hands on at Freedom Montessori Academy.

    The school’s process is a method of education based on self-directed activity and hands-on learning. The academy is a tutoring service that serves 15 students in the Thonotosassa area.

    Eleven-year-old Adelyn Iott says this supplemental approach has been a big help for her.

    “It’s just really hands on, and you understand it better,” she said.

    Madison Whitmer says the teaching methods help her concentrate.

    “My school I had computers after I did it, so I had a headache when I got home, here I don’t have a headache because we don’t use electronics,” she said.

    The majority of the work isn’t done indoors but outside on the farm.

    Melanie Smith, the founder of the academy, was an educator for more than 20 years prior to this. She decided to take that experience and give students a personalized way of learning.

    Students go at their own pace, in a unique learning environment.

    “I think it’s nice in this setting that they understand how long it takes for a plant to grow that they eat in in 10 seconds,“ said Smith.

    From building a labyrinth, to planting seeds, Smith believes it’s part of raising curious kids that will use these skills in life.

    “Every child is unique and every child’s brain is developing at a different level, and they need that time to think for themselves, this is what this is about,” said Smith.

    It shows students like Iott that learning can happen anywhere.

    “Outdoor experience, life survival, how to take care of plants, how to build stuff,“ said Adelyn.

    Making education fun and something that doesn’t always happen indoors.

    The academy will be expanding to a location in Dade City next year.

    And the farm will soon be home to a nonprofit aimed at providing farm education to veterans and breast cancer survivors.

    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Pasco County schools turn to truancy petitions over attendance issues

    LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — The Pasco County School District is taking a tougher stance on student absences, and some families may find themselves answering to a judge.

    The district is filing truancy petitions against families when kids miss too many days.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Pasco County school superintendent says truancy has been a big problem in schools since the pandemic

    • Families who receive truancy petitions will have to go before a judge and explain why their child missed so much school

    • Superintendent Dr. John Legg called it a last resort but said students need to be in the classroom 


    Superintendent Dr. John Legg says truancy petitions are a last resort. So far, the district has only filed about a dozen petitions. But still, some families say the policy is concerning.

    “Attendance is crucial. When our students miss school, they miss the knowledge, they miss the activities, they miss the learning from the other students, and they fall behind,” Legg said.

    He says truancy has been a big problem in Pasco County schools since the pandemic. Right now, 1,200 students are considered truant, meaning they’ve missed more than 15 days of school in 90 days, all unexcused. So the district had to buckle down, sending out truancy petitions.

    “What we’re looking at are those most severe cases where we have students that are absent 40, 50 days out of 90 days, bringing these before the court to get their assistance in order to help these students get to school so they can get the education they deserve,” he said.

    Families who receive truancy petitions will have to go before a judge and explain why their child missed so much school. The judge will decide the action to take. 

    Jessica Silber, owner of Elevate Advocate & Learning Co., says the policy has some of her clients concerned.

    “I think there can be some great intentions sometimes behind guidelines but not always considering the needs of all students,” said Silber.

    Silber works with families who have children with special needs, like autism. She says while therapy appointments are excused absences, these families sometimes deal with other challenges, like anxiety or behavioral problems, that may not always come with a doctor’s note.

    “If there is something impacting their attendance outside of your control, then let’s go for an evaluation, let’s get it documented, in case something does come up and you have to go to court,” she said.

    Legg says ultimately the goal is support, not punishment, and keeping kids in class.

    “Those are all the things our social workers and schools work with our families on to make those excused absences and to work with families. What we’re talking about are those chronic absenteeism where parents simply do not bring their children to school,” he says.

    Legg says there are about 350 students whose absenteeism is excessive and warrants a truancy petition. The district will chip away at filing those petitions to help the courts keep from getting backed up.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • Astronauts poised for moon trip aboard Artemis II

    There has not been a human presence on or near the Moon since the astronauts from 1972’s Apollo 17 mission walked on the surface of Earth’s satellite.

    Now, 50+ years later, the Artemis Project is working toward a long-term goal to first establish a permanent base on the Moon, and then use the Moon as a feasible way to facilitate human missions to Mars.

    The Artemis II flight will send four astronauts on a planned ten-day mission to fly to, circle, and return from the Moon.  We speak to experts to talk about the significance of the mission, Florida’s role in it, and how all of mankind stands to benefit.  

    Allison Walker

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  • Two Hernando schools closed Monday due to rolling power outages

    HERNANDO COUNTY — Hernando High School and Brooksville Elementary School will be closed Monday, Feb. 2 due to rolling power outages scheduled by Duke Energy, according to the Hernando School District.

    The district says YMCA programs are also cancelled.

    All other campuses will remain open.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Students studying about the next mission to the moon, history of flight

    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — All eyes are on the upcoming Artemis II mission to the moon because America hasn’t been to the moon in more than 50 years, and some Brevard County students are following along and learning about the history of flight.

    What You Need To Know

    • Some Viera Middle School students are learning about the history and future of flight

    • They are part of a program created through a partnership between FlightWorks Alabama and Airbus U.S. Space and Defense 

    • Some students are building model airplanes, and others are building their own space capsules

    • Teachers are helping the students understand the importance of developing a talent pipeline for future engineers and aviators

    The students learned Friday that NASA delayed a key test, the wet dress rehearsal, because of expected cold temperatures. The wet dress rehearsal, a simulated launch day for the team and the fueling of the rocket to check for issues before the real liftoff, is now scheduled for Monday, Feb. 2, with a potential launch on Sunday, Feb. 8.

    In one classroom at Viera Middle School, students are studying the dawn of aviation.

    It all began when the Wright brothers took flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. in December 1903. Their Wright Flyer was the first to achieve sustained, powered and controlled flight.

    Those students are building their own model planes.

    Seventh-grader Olivia Toler and her peers are cutting, sticking and gluing their models as part of the We Build it Better program, which was created through a partnership involving Airbus U.S. Space and Defense.

    It has reached 600,000 students in classrooms across the United States, United Kingdom and France and was created to help students like Toler understand the importance of developing a talent pipeline for future engineers and aviators.

    “Something like in the field of aerospace and launching rockets,” Toler said about a potential career.

    Down the hall in Lynn Dotson’s class, her students are focused on the future of flight.

    Every Friday in her classroom, it’s Artemis “Fri-yay,” where students learn something new about the moon mission.

    This time, it’s all about the Orion capsule, which will take the four-person crew to the moon.

    Liam Stevens and his friends built their own capsules out of plastic and Styrofoam cups.

    They put chocolate on the inside and are applying gradual heat to test the strength of the mock heat shield.

    “Testing it, seeing what’s wrong and trying to fix it,” Stevens explained.

    Dotson took time away from teaching in schools to be an educator at NASA. Now she’s back in the classroom mentoring future engineers — maybe even preparing them for spaceflight.

    “What if they become astronauts?” Dotson said, smiling.

    She said she is excited her students are immersing themselves in studying Artemis.

    “How cool would that be? I could be the one that inspired them — and the other teachers here. That’s our job,” Dotson said. “We are inspiring the next generation.” 

    Greg Pallone

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  • Florida invests in state college nursing programs to address workforce shortages

    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A new state investment is helping train the next generation of nurses in Florida, with more than $20 million going to nursing programs across the state.

    What You Need To Know

    • A new state investment is helping train the next generation of nurses in Florida

    • More than $20 million is going to nursing programs across the state

    • The state says it has invested $485 million in nursing programs since 2022


    Gov. Ron DeSantis says the expanded funding and scholarships could help fill critical health care jobs, and it’s already making a difference for students at St. Pete College.

    While it looks like a hospital, it’s actually Kaylee Wynn’s classroom at St. Pete College, and Mr. Hercules, a simulation mannequin, is her patient.

    “You don’t expect it, you go up to a mannequin and it’s breathing, so it’s the weirdest thing at first. But you kind of get used to it,” she said.

    Kaylee is a fourth-semester nursing student and will graduate in May. Nursing will be Kaylee’s second career — she was a special needs teacher, until something happened in her life that prompted her to make a change.

    “When my dad was hit by a drunk driver, I saw him in and out of hospitals having experiences, good and bad ones. Those things change how you feel about things, so I wanted to make an impact on people,” she said.

    Kaylee received the LINE scholarship from the state to help her pay for nursing school. DeSantis recently awarded $20 million to LINE funding, saying Florida is investing to strengthen the health care workforce.

    “While you’re in nursing school, it’s hard to get the hours for work. You go from full-time to not working much, so any scholarship opportunity is great,” said Kaylee.

    SPC Dean of Nursing Jean Lee, who has been in nursing since 1991, says the demand for nurses is always there, but especially now. SPC recently expanded its program, and she says state funding is crucial to provide students with the essential equipment they need, like simulation mannequins.

    “The idea is that the simulation center mimics the real-world hospital, and so we have to provide experiences for them in simulation that will equate to what they experience when they go into the hospital and take care of real patients,” said Lee.

    Kaylee says that experience means when she graduates, she’ll be confident caring for patients from day one. 

    The state says it has invested $485 million in nursing programs since 2022.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • SPC offers free SMART Tech certifications for students

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In a room with more buttons than a pilot’s dashboard, Jose Rivera shows prospective students different training systems they will learn in two new SMART Tech courses.

    “So this room is going to be one of the newest labs for the program that we have here at SPC,” Rivera said.

    Rivera is one of the instructors. Each box-like system teaches a different manufacturing skill.

    “Pneumatics, AC/DC electronics, robotics,” said Rivera, listing just a few.

    St. Petersburg College Dean of Workforce Development and Corporate Partnerships Belinthia Berry said those courses will lead to employment.

    “And not just any job, a high skill, high wage job,” Berry said.

    The equipment is all to support SPC’s SMART Tech program, which is offering a variety of certifications.

    “Semiconductor, mechatronics, artificial intelligence, your robotics, your technician-type courses that are in your advanced manufacturing,” Berry said.

    Two new courses starting in February include electronic board assembly operations and robotic and semiconductor technician operations.

    For SPC student Kalon Houston, who spent his 20s working in the culinary world, these skills equate to a future with more financial stability.

    “It gives you an opportunity to find, skill-set a job that people are paying you that 20 threshold or more. Like as soon as you get the degrees for it,” Houston said.

    But the biggest selling point for these new courses at SPC — they are all free. They are funded through the Florida Job Growth Grant.

    “So the state says, you know what, we’re going to give scholarships to everyone for the first two years. And so we’re in our first year all the way up until next year of 2027. All of our courses are free,” Berry said.

    For Houston and others, these free certifications are a step toward finding more than just a job. He is on the hunt for a career. 

    “I think it’s good for people to know that, like, it doesn’t really matter your age or what route you took in life. Like, it’s never too late to take another route,” Houston said.

    Coming later this year, SPC said it will also launch an Automated Production Technician Program.

    Erin Murray

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  • Polk County school leaders vote to move forward on rezoning 16 high schools

    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Polk County School Board voted Tuesday on a plan that could change where thousands of students attend school next year.

    What You Need To Know

    • Board members took the second and final vote on the rezoning plan for all 16 high schools in Polk County

    • The superintendent says that the rezoning is necessary because of significant population shifts over the last decade

    • Under the plan, new school boundaries would go into effect next school year


    Board members too the second and final vote on the rezoning plan for all 16 high schools in Polk County, approving it unamimously.

    District leaders say comprehensive rezoning is needed to deal with growth in Central Florida, and while changes like these can be stressful for families, the Polk Education Association says these changes will be beneficial for students.

    Officials say they didn’t take this lightly — the plan has been in the making for a couple years and allows for growth.

    “Comprehensive rezoning is necessary and comes after years of data analysis, demographic studies, research into population growth trends and input from various community stakeholders throughout our district,” Superintendent Frederick Heid said in a video created by Polk County Schools.

    Heid explained that the rezoning is necessary because of significant population shifts over the last decade, with some severely overcrowded high schools, and others, particularly those in the middle of the county, with much smaller enrollment and unutilized classroom space.

    Maps show the current and new boundaries for high schools. Heid said it’s a plan that has been in the making for a couple of years. The district held a series of public meetings and surveyed families, and all of that data was used to help create the comprehensive rezoning plan.

    Stephanie Yocum is the president of the Polk Education Association and says rezoning will ultimately benefit students and teachers.

    “With the limited dollars that Tallahassee is not giving us, we need to make sure we are utilizing those dollars to the maximum capacity. And rezoning helps, again, not just with teachers, and being able to lower class sizes at overpopulated schools. It helps us bring more equitable and stable staffing plans to schools, and it also helps the student experience,” she said.

    If passed, new school boundaries would go into effect next school year.

    The district says there is a plan for current sophomores to be grandfathered into their current high schools, but they would have to provide their own transportation to get there. The district is also developing a plan for siblings to keep families together.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • Polk County Boys and Girls Club opens Workforce Development Center in Mulberry

    MULBERRY, Fla. — Students in Polk County now have a new path to the workforce. The Boys & Girls Club has opened a Workforce Readiness Center to help high schoolers explore careers and build job skills.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Polk County Boys & Girls Club opened a new space in Mulberry

    • The new building is making way for a Workforce Readiness Center for high school students

    • The center will give high school students insight into careers they might want to pursue and hands-on training


    Inside a new building, kids at this Boys and Girls Club in Polk County are just being kids. The club serves about 80 children and teenagers.

    For Llerli Isidro, it’s a place where she wants to make everyone feel at home. 

    “I love working with them every day, and it’s like the best part of my day every day,” she said. 

    Isidro is a part-time staff member now and a high school senior, but she was once a student here, too. 

    As the oldest of three children, she said the center really had an impact on her life.

    “Growing up, I’ve always had to be the one that took care of them, and I feel like coming to the club, I didn’t have to worry about that anymore,” she recalled.

    Now that the Boys & Girls Club has created a Workforce Readiness Center, she said it will mean even more opportunities for students to achieve their goals.

    “I feel like this could really help them,” Isidro said. “It gives them, like, an insight on the world and what they’re going to do,” she said.

    Dustin Hooker is the director of teen initiatives for the center. 

    He said they created the space with flexibility in mind to help bring in hands-on training in fields like HVAC, plumbing, culinary and more.

    “We can be more of a resource to the community and our young people because now they have something they can call theirs,” Hooker said.

    Prior to opening the center, they taught high school students skills like resume writing and taking college tours.

    Ashley Ray, the vice president of development, says the center will build on that.

    “The high schoolers that we will, we do have a few that have been coming to do community service hours, so they come in and help out with the program. But there is only so much that we’re able to do for them,” she said.

    Isidro said the center will help prepare teens for life.

    “This could help them in the future, but also they could have fun, they can still be kids. Here, people take care of you,” she said.

    Kids being kids in a new space aimed at giving them a pathway to a future career.

    The Boys & Girls Club is looking to partner with industry leaders in Mulberry to bring courses to the Workforce Readiness Center.

    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • N.C. campuses preparing for potential winter weather impacts

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Colleges and universities across North Carolina are preparing for potential winter weather that could disrupt travel, classes and campus operations statewide.

    What You Need To Know

    • Weather experts predicting possible icy storm conditions across North Carolina this weekend

    • Several campuses are sharing their plans to keep students, staff and faculty safer amid the winter conditions 

    • Some students said they feel safer knowing their learning institutions are taking steps to protect their campus community


    UNC Charlotte is closely monitoring the forecast inside its Emergency Operations Center.

    Christopher “Chris” Gonyar, the university’s associate vice chancellor for safety and security, said inside the center, UNC Charlotte’s emergency management team prioritizes planning ahead before an extreme weather event arrives.

    “In the summer and spring, we’re looking at thunderstorms and tornadoes,” Gonyar said. “During the winter, we’re looking at snow/ice, wintry precipitation. They gather that information, then I’ll come into the Emergency Operations Center [where] they’ll give me an update or brief on what we expect the day to look like.”

    UNC Charlotte has enrolled over 32,000 students and operates around the clock.

    Gonyar said assessing potential impacts helps guide decisions about classes and events.

    “We have to start making decisions about our campus operations before snow and ice start to fall,” Gonyar said.

    Gonyar said preparation is key with responding to this weekend’s potential winter storm, stating the emergency management team is planning for what appears to be an “impactful winter weather event.”

    “We’re taking a look at what that means for our campus operations. What are we doing about classes on Monday,” Gonyar said.

    “UNC Charlotte has continued to grow over the years, so we are a 24/7, 365-day-a-year campus. It may surprise some folks, but we do have a small number of classes that occur on Sunday, and events over the weekend. We’re planning and preparing for how we maintain those operations or do we recommend those things are postponed.”

    Many students stay on the campus grounds in residence halls that could be impacted by an ice storm.

    “Making sure we have plans in place to continue to provide food and housing for the population that lives on campus,” Gonyar said.  

    Gonyar said safety remains the top priority when making operational decisions.

    “The most important thing to us is the health and safety of the UNC Charlotte community,” Gonyar said. “Every decision we make is guided by that principle.”

    “We would much rather err on the side of making a call considering safety and have it be all rain, then waiting on a decision until it’s too late and putting our community in harm’s way because they tried to get on a road to travel to make it to class or we didn’t cancel an event, so they try to get themselves to that event,” Gonyar said. “We always start with safety and security, then we look at operations and how that will be impacted by the decision that we make.”

    Associate Vice Chancellor for Safety and Security at UNC Charlotte Christopher Gonyar, upper left, is monitoring the looming storm inside the Emergency Operations Center. (Spectrum News 1/Jennier Roberts)

    UNC Charlotte student Xavier Deloach said he is stocking up on essentials and paying close attention to campus updates.

    “Grocery shopping, stack up on food, toilet paper, tissues, lots of water,” Deloach said.

    The business analytics major said he finds comfort in knowing UNC Charlotte has eyes on the potential ice storm.

    “It makes me feel kind of safe they’re taking preparations for everyone,” Deloach said. “Make sure people are not going out here [unnecessarily].”

    The university also operates The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.

    Gonyar said his team is also planning on ways to ensure that uptown community is safe during the expected weather storm.

    “They do tend to have a lot of larger events that bring in folks from outside the state or community, so we have to think about those things as well. It’s not necessarily just our thousand acres in Northeast Charlotte,” Gonyar said.

    In Union County, Wingate University has been making plans as forecasts raise concerns about freezing rain and sleet.

    The campus serves over 3,600 students across two campuses in the Town of Wingate and in Hendersonville.

    Associate Vice President of Campus Operations Glenda Bebber said their safety remains top priority for the learning institution.

    “We can’t function without taking care of our students,” Bebber said. “They’re our No. 1 priority.”

    Bebber said staff and leaders recently held an emergency preparedness meeting to determine next steps for operations in the event conditions worsen.

    “We have several members across the campus who participated from academics, to operations, campus safety, academic support, dean of students, athletics, to make sure we can keep our students as safe as possible,” Bebber said.

    Bebber said the leaders discussed the best path forward with how many students could be managed safely, in the event a power outage extends beyond a 24-hour period on campus.

    “It’s mainly just a safety issue,” Bebber said. “Can we feed students, keep them warm, what access do they have to internet capabilities,” Bebber said. 

    Wingate has been making several preparations in the event the worst does occur.

    Bebber said her team has 4,000 pounds of ice melt on deck to help create clear pathways to key buildings like the W.T. Harris Dining Hall and the Crowder Welcome Center. Those spaces will serve as campus shelters if power is lost. 

    Glenda Bebber, far left, is the associate vice president of campus operations for Wingate University. Bebber and director of grounds Blake Center are prepping ice melt ahead of the expected winter storm. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Glenda Bebber, far left, the associate vice president of campus operations for Wingate University, and Director of Grounds Blake Center are prepping ice melt ahead of the expected winter storm. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    “Our concern at this point is being able to get it out enough, as well as the temperatures for the ice melt to actually be effective,” Bebber said. “We also have several tons of sand on campus, so if the ice melt isn’t being as effective, we are prepared to put out sand to make a path to W.T. Harris Dining Hall, which we are staging to have students come in, serve food and have a warm place to go.”

    Wingate University said “residential facilities do not have generators and will be without power” in the event of an outage event.  

    “We also have some heaters coming in that also have a generator power. We’re staging those [in shelters] to be able to provide additional heat source, should our students need to leave their residence halls or apartments and come somewhere that will be warmer,” Bebber said.

    Grounds crews are also preparing for potential damage from ice.

    “We got more of our hard hats for chainsaws,” said Blake Center, director of grounds at Wingate. “We don’t know if there’s going to be any fallen trees on campus because of the ice, so we went ahead and purchased that. All of our equipment is ready to go, depending on what is going to happen over the next 48-72 hours.” 

    T’Asya Jay is a student athlete at Wingate.

    Jay is currently gearing up for possible power outages and travel challenges.

    “Making sure everything’s charged, enough food in case power goes out, and I’m not able to go anywhere,” Jay said.

    Jay is comforted knowing Wingate Univeristy is taking action ahead of the icy events. 

    “Makes me feel a lot better because I personally did not know they were going to do that,” Jay said. “Knowing they’re taking the right steps and making sure we’re all safe and protected and covered for the weather this weekend is good to know.”  

    In a campus community communications, Wingate University confirmed “classes will be remote on Monday for all programs on both campuses.”

    The university also stated “students are encouraged to have fresh batteries for flashlights and phone charging backup” and “candles or any open flames are strictly forbidden and should not be used.”

    Spectrum News 1 reached out to several additional colleges and universities in the state ahead of the weather events.

    In a statement to our news team, UNC-Chapel Hill Strategic Communications Manager Erin Spandorf said the university is “closely monitoring the potential winter storm expected this weekend and assessing what preparations may be needed.”

    According to the university, that includes “evaluating possible operating condition changes and taking appropriate steps to mitigate ice and/or snow impacts.”

    Livingstone College also released an inclement weather plan, further stating no decisions have been made yet regarding Monday operations.

    The college said it will continue to monitor conditions and share updates as they become available.

    Livingstone also said safety remains the top priority and outlined plans for campus safety and emergency services, meal services, residence hall support and a warming center if power outages occur. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to monitor college email and the school’s website for the latest updates.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Administrators indicted in investigation at Durham elementary school

    Three administrators with Durham Public Schools were indicted Tuesday in an investigation into a 2024 incident at Eno Valley Elementary School, according to the superintendent. The three were also suspended with pay, officials said.

    Superintendent Anthony Lewis did not give details on what happened, but said the incident happened at the elementary school in November 2024 and was reported to police. Instructional assistants involved in the incident resigned shortly after it was reported, he said. 

    “Because active legal and personnel matters are ongoing, there are limits on what additional details I can share at this time,” Lewis said in an email to parents Wednesday morning.

    “What I want to be clear about is this: nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our students. Any matter involving student safety must be handled with urgency, care, and full cooperation,” he said. 

    “Durham Public Schools has established policies and procedures in place to protect student safety and, as our review moves forward, we will reinforce expectations and apply what we learn to ensure those practices meet the high standards families expect and students deserve,” Lewis said.

    He said parents could contact their principal or the DPS public affairs office with any questions or concerns. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

    Charles Duncan

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  • Business tour immerses high school seniors in careers

    PLANT CITY, Fla. — The Future Career Academy is kicking off its annual business tours to give high school seniors the opportunity to learn about careers outside of college.

    What You Need To Know

    • The business tours take high school seniors in Hillsborough County and immerse them in careers across the county
    • Simmons Career Center was the first school to kick off the tours in Plant City


    For some high school seniors, the future is full of unknowns.

    “I started off with not knowing what I’m going to do,” says Luis Canul, who will graduate in May 2025 from Simmons Career Center in Plant City.

    To help find answers to some of his unknowns, he’s going on a business tour with the Future Career Academy. It gives him an inside look at what a warehouse career could be.

    The tours are immersing students in careers that don’t require a college degree.

    For Canul, the tour has been educational, but it’s also got him thinking about what’s next. “They open my eyes to things that out of my family and culture, I would never see, I wouldn’t know that at the hospital they did this or at the warehouse they did this, so now it opens me to more opportunities that I could get.”

    The business tours are open to high school students across Hillsborough County.

    Simmons Career Center school counselor Jeanne Knotts says most of their students don’t go to a four-year university, and the tours have become another avenue to help their graduates find employment.

    “We’ve had numerous students find careers and just interests through learning more about jobs in the community,“ said Knotts.

    And while most might think working in a hospital requires first going to college, there are other options the students are learning about too.

    “We have quite a few entry-level roles that are good for the students, whether it be clinical or non-clinical,” said BayCare Talent Acquisition Advisor Haley Rohr.

    BayCare says it has had students come back after tours with more questions and a desire to apply.

    For Canul, it’s about finding the right fit.

    “I look at benefits, how the work area is, because I want to work in a place that is friendly,” he said.

    The tours will be taking place through the end of February.

    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Elon University plans full-time law program in Charlotte

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. —  Elon University is deepening its footprint in Charlotte with the launch of a full-time law program in the middle of plans to merge with Queens University of Charlotte. 

    The two universities announced their intent to merge in September, a decision solidified in December after trustees approved a definitive agreement. 

    On Tuesday, Elon announced it has applied to the American Bar Association for approval to launch a full-time Juris Doctor program in Charlotte with classes targeted to begin in fall 2027.

    What You Need To Know

    • Elon University announces intent to launch full-time law program in Charlotte

    • The school is already operating a part-time law program in Charlotte 

    • If approved, the new program will operate on the Queens University of Charlotte campus

    • The moves come as Elon and Queens continue moving forward with plans to merge


    If approved, the program would operate on Queens’ campus, either upon completion of the planned merger or by way of a lease agreement. 

    Education leaders say Charlotte currently lacks a full-time law school, following the 2017 closure of the Charlotte School of Law.

    “Charlotte needs a law school,” said Zak Kramer, dean of Elon University School of Law. “It’s the largest city in the country without a full-time program.” 

    Elon already operates a part-time Law Flex Program in Charlotte.  

    Students in the four-year program said the format allows them to balance employment, school and family responsibilities. 

    “A game changer for me,” said Kayla Price, a law student in the Law Flex Program and a paralegal. “It fit my lifestyle, it fit everything I needed to stay in Charlotte and also be able to work and continue to get practical experience at the same time.” 

    The proposed full-time program would expand Elon Law’s presence in the city while maintaining its existing offerings. 

    “That would be in addition to the program in Greensboro and the Law Flex Program,” Kramer said. “So, the Law Flex Program will continue, we’re just growing into a full-time program as well.” 

    “The Law Flex Program will go with the new program to the Queens University campus, but Elon has other programs in its [South End building], it’s growing programs in this building, so we will make unbelievable good use of it,” Kramer said. 

    The Law Flex Program first launched in Fall 2024, and currently has around 83 students between its two cohorts. 

    Kramer said they’re expecting a growing demand for Charlotte’s full-time law program, as they aim to enroll a class of around 75 students, giving aspiring lawyers a chance to develop partnerships in the Queen City’s legal community. 

    According to Juris Education, the average cost of law school, including tuition and living expenses, totals about $230,000.

    For private institutions, Juris Education reports the average tuition alone for a three-year program to be roughly $168,000. 

    Elon leaders say the new full-time Charlotte law program, designed to be completed in two-and-a-half years, would mirror the university’s Greensboro offerings, while providing a more cost and time-efficient option. 

    “The full-time scale will be the same [cost] as the scale in Greensboro,” Kramer said. “This year in Greensboro it was $136,000 all in. A lot of students get merit scholarships, so they end up paying less than that.”

    “The benefit of being a 2.5-year program is its more cost effective, and it’s faster because students don’t have to pay for that second half of a third year, so they graduate with less debt and get out into the marketplace faster,” Kramer said.

    The location of the proposed law school is closely tied to Elon’s planned merger with Queens. 

    Elon President Dr. Connie L. Book said placing a full-time law program on the Queens campus reflects what the merger aims to achieve. 

    “It is something that together Elon and Queens could not have achieved independently,” Book said. “So when we say stronger together, this is a great example of the kind of accelerated opportunity that the merger with Queens and Elon are bringing to Charlotte and beyond. A full-time law program is central to that vision. 

    “We were going to have a full-time law program even if the merger hadn’t been realized,” Book said. “But the cost avoidance of having the relationship with Queens is a $31 million issue, meaning, I don’t have to build a new library, dining hall [etc.]  So, we had [otherwise] imagined leasing a building and then doing improvements to it.” 

    Elon leaders said the new program will also benefit current students by giving them an infrastructure to enjoy on a higher education campus.

    “The Flex Program has already started benefiting working professionals here in Charlotte,” said Jack Randolph, a paralegal and student in the Law Flex Program. “Now, having a full-time law school opens the doors for everyone, whether they’re coming straight out of undergraduate or looking to change careers, and they feel like a full-time program works best for them.” 

    Jack Randolph and Kayla Price are enrolled in Elon University’s Law Flex Program in Charlotte. The paralegals said they’re excited the institution is expanding to a full-time option for students in a growing area. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Applications for the new program are expected to open in August 2026, pending ABA approval. Elon University said offers of admission cannot be extended until formal authorization is granted. 

    Regulatory approvals are still required before the merger between Queens University of Charlotte and Elon is finalized. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Students with intellectual disabilities thrive with Project EDGE class at MTC

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — At Manatee Technical College, there’s a program called Project EDGE that teaches students with intellectual disabilities work skills to increase their independence.

    What You Need To Know

    • It teaches students skills to become more independent

    • Justin’s class graduates in April, and Manatee Technical College said they plan to reapply for the grant so the program can continue

    Inside the classroom, Justin Torres is making significant academic progress.

    “It’s been really great. I have learned a lot in this class,” he said.

    Torres is part of the Project EDGE program at Manatee Technical College. EDGE stands for Empower, Develop, Grow, and Educate. The program is designed for students with intellectual disabilities. Torres has autism.

    “It’s like getting distracted really easily. It’s really hard to keep in one place,” he said. “It’s really been a struggle, but I’ve gone through it and I’m here.”

    The 900-hour class began last August. It teaches students skills to become more independent, which is a goal for Torres.

    “It’ll make me live an independent life like I want to,” he said. “I want to work every day so I can get my own house, start a family, protect my family. That’s my goal.”

    Carrie Walden is the instructor for Project EDGE. She says the program first started in 2024 thanks to a $1.2 million grant. All the graduates from the first year either moved on to MTC’s main campus, other colleges, or found jobs.

    “We work on resumes, interview skills, what to wear to an interview, and what questions might be asked,” she said. “We do a lot of customer service training and how to act when we’re at a job.”

    While Torres already has a job at Culver’s, he has bigger plans for his career.

    “Right now, I’m focused on being a barber,” he said.

    With Project EDGE, he is one step closer to reaching his full potential.

    Torres’ class graduates in April, and Manatee Technical College tells us they plan to reapply for the grant so the program can continue.

    Julia Hazel

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  • Pinellas County Schools now requires Level 2 background checks on all volunteers

    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — With the new year comes some big changes for volunteers in Pinellas County Schools. The district is now requiring all volunteers to go through a Level 2 background screening, costing volunteers anywhere from $75 to $90.

    What You Need To Know

    • All Pinellas County school volunteers will be required to complete a Level 2 background screening

    • Level 2 background screenings cost anywhere from $75 to $90, which volunteers are responsible for

    • District officials say that if anyone needs financial assistance to cover the costs, they can reach out to the district

    • LINK: More about Level 2, how to volunteer


    Curtis Campogni has two kids in Pinellas County Schools and volunteers himself. He says an email he received from the district prior to going on winter break is on his mind. It stated that as of January, all volunteers must undergo a Level 2 background screening and pay for it.

    “First and foremost, moving to a Level 2 is definitely safer and prioritizing children’s safety is the primary goal,” said Campogni, and while he says Level 2 screening is absolutely safer for students, he has a lot of questions about the implementation.

    “It’s not just simply the cost associated with it, it’s the time, the communication,” he said. “It’s some of the bureaucracy that comes with, well what does it mean to be a volunteer and what does it mean to be a mentor?” 

    Mistine Dawe is the director of strategic partnerships for Pinellas County Schools. She says all 9,000 Level 1 volunteers will need to become Level 2 volunteers by the end of June.

    “Which means they will go through a background screening with clearinghouse,” Dawe said. “It’s the same system we use for our employees, and we also use it for our contractors, so they will be fingerprinted. That allows us to have continuous monitoring; it also allows us to have any arrest notifications that come in.”

    Dawe says fingerprinting can cost anywhere from $75 to $90, but there is financial assistance in place for anyone who needs it. She says the district doesn’t want to place any barriers for anyone who wants to give their time.

    “As we began to look at the safety and security of our schools, this was just an area that we knew we needed to make some adjustments in,” she said.

    Campogni says he appreciates the added security and hopes volunteers don’t get discouraged.

    “Being a mentor, or being a volunteer is about planting trees for the shade you might not see, but you will see it, so do not get discouraged,” he said. “Ask a lot of questions, get involved, and continue to wrap this village around our students.”

    Pinellas County Schools urges any volunteers who need assistance or have questions about the new policy to reach out.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • Springfield local schools support staff on strike

    SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Support staff from the Springfield Local School District in Lucas County have gone on strike because union contract standstill in negotiations.

    What You Need To Know

    • Nearly 100 members of the support staff Union Local 478 went on strike on Wednesday

    • Formal negotiations between the board and the labor union started in June 2025

    • Those affected by the strike are educational aides, custodians, cafeteria workers, recess monitors, secretaries and bus drivers

    Coming into the new year, the union and the school board did not come to an agreement. On Wednesday, nearly 100 support staff union local 478 members went on strike.

    They waved their signs and shouted their demands as cars drove by, and parents dropped off their kids at school.

    “We are out here for a better contract, a fair contract, fair wages and most importantly, we want to have lower insurance,” said Danielle Welch, a secretary with Springfield High School.

    Welch said the strike is heartbreaking. She is not only part of the support staff, but she’s also a parent with kids in the district.

    “I love the kids. They’re the best part of my job to me — to know that you’re making a difference in someone’s life. It’s just priceless,” explained Welch.

    Formal negotiations between the board and the labor union started in June 2025. The union’s contract ended at the ended June 30th.

    Chris Griffith from the Ohio Association of Public School Employees said after months of negotiations, they deserve better than what the Springfield school board is offering.

    “We’re out here picketing today for the right to work inside the schools. We’re picketing for better insurance rates,” said Griffith. “We can’t afford to have the increase the school board is putting on us right now.”

    The Springfield Local School District and Superintendent Matt Geha issued a statement saying: 

    “The district has negotiated fairly and honestly, suggesting contractual language that would benefit its employees and improve operations across the district. The board’s compensation package is believed to be fair and currently offers an increase in wages while asking for modest increases in health insurance contributions from the employee.”

    Those affected by the strike are educational aides, custodians, cafeteria workers, recess monitors, secretaries and bus drivers. School is still in session, but there is no busing, no hot lunch or breakfast, and the schools won’t be cleaned.

    “The funding cuts at the state level are dramatically hurting all these local school systems and the villages, and city schools, and it’s not looking any better,” said Griffith.

    Griffith said the strike will continue until they’re offered a better contract.

    “Come back to the table for a reasonable deal and have the board work with us to get an equitable contract for all of our people,” said Griffith.

    According to Griffith, the district’s proposals would reduce employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), extend increased employee premium shares, shift additional healthcare costs onto support staff and fail to provide a wage increase that keeps up with the rising cost of living.

    It’s not clear when the union will meet with the board to discuss the contract.

    Rose Todd

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  • How to address speech delays in ‘COVID kindergartners’

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Most children born during the COVID pandemic are now in their first year of school, often being referred to as “COVID kindergartners.”

    Research from the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that experiences in early childhood can have long-term impacts on development and growth.

    What You Need To Know

    • The “COVID kindergartener” class refers to children born around the time of the pandemic who are now about halfway done with their first year of school

    • The Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center conducts around 2,500 speech screenings each year across the Carolina region

    • In 2025, in the Charlotte area alone, the failure rate was around 35%, compared to20% prior to the pandemic. A 15% increase just five years later

    • They just launched “Tools for Transformation,” which is a campaign to raise money for essential tools needed to help these kids with their therapy


    Jack, 6, was born right before the start of the pandemic and is part of that “COVID kindergarten” class, which are students now almost halfway done with their first year of school.

    Jack’s mom said that since the pandemic was a huge part of his early years of life, it had impacts on his speech development. 

    “You know, he only saw people outside of the house. When his sister was born, we kind of, like, locked down again, because she was born in 2021, so it was still shaky ground as far as seeing people. Even though I can’t say this is the specific way that he was affected by it, like there’s no way that it didn’t,” said Maggie Patterson, Jack’s mother.

    Seeing speech and language delays in children born around the time of the pandemic isn’t uncommon.

    The Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center conducts around 2,500 speech screenings each year across the Carolina region. In 2025, in the Charlotte area alone, the failure rate was around 35% and before the pandemic, it was 20%. That’s a 15% increase in only five years.

    “We were so shut down that children did not have that exposure to language stimulation they normally would have. Then, on top of that, everyone was wearing a mask. So that’s an important piece for children to develop language is to actually read lips,” said Shannon Tucker, executive director of the Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center.

    The center helps kids from across North Carolina and just launched its “Tools for Transformation” campaign to raise money for essential items needed to help these kids with their therapy.

    “A couple of examples of tools is, tools to build vocabulary. That can even be apps on an iPad that we have to pay for, that can be specialized books that help develop certain types of vocabulary. That could be oral motor tools to stimulate the development of the muscles of the mouth. Those are very specialized tools and are very expensive,” Tucker said.

    Tucker also has some everyday advice for parents to help children with speech development.

    “Read and have a lot of two-way conversation. So, reading a book is great. What’s even better than reading a book is asking questions about that book, engaging in dialog about what you’re seeing. If you don’t have books, you can do it on the bus, on the way to the grocery store. Just talking and talking, we tell all of our parents to be a radio announcer. Just talk about everything you can see and everything you do, and that child’s brain will just soak that up,” Tucker said.

    Jack’s mom says even though he’s still working on communicating, it’s nice to see her son improving. 

    “If it was “R” or “L” heavy, he really had a hard time getting his point across, and as a 5-year-old, that’s infuriating. So it’s just nice to see him be able to communicate what he wants,” Patterson said.

    For more information about the Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center and resources it provides, visit its website here.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

    Arin Cotel-Altman

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  • State education commissioner includes Bible verse in letter to families

    LAND O’LAKES, Fla. — Should a Bible verse be included in a letter from the state’s Department of Education?

    Some families say that it violates the separation of church and state, so they were surprised when they received a letter from Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas quoting Proverbs 22:6.

    What You Need To Know

    • In a letter thanking private and homeschool families, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas quoted Proverbs 22:6 from the Bible

    • Some families say that it’s a clear violation of separation between church and state, while others support the commissioner

    • The state’s DOE has not responded to our requests for comment on the letter that was sent prior to winter break

    • BELOW: Read the letter in full


    Denise Mestanza-Taylor received the email from the state’s education commissioner before winter break.

    “They were just talking about our rights as parents, and the freedoms we have as homeschoolers,” she said. “It listed some resources.”

    Addressed to “Florida’s parents,” the letter started by thanking private and homeschool families, which Mestanza-Taylor is. But she says when she got to the third paragraph, she said, “It listed a Bible verse, Proverbs 22:6 about guiding our children on the right path. I’m paraphrasing, but it just struck me as odd to see this Bible verse in a letter from the DOE.”

    Mestanza-Taylor says her family is Christian, but she firmly believes in secular education.

    On the other side, Tampa Bay Christian Homeschool Families disagreed, saying the following in a statement from Misty Sosa.

    “It is refreshing to see a public official acknowledge parents’ God-given rights and responsibilities regarding the education and raising of children. I would submit that excluding Christianity from the public is not a neutral position,” Sosa said. “It is, in fact, an argument in favor of a secular religion. All humans worship. Some worship God; some worship man. All worship.”

    “It puts one religion above all. Yes, as a Christian, I understand that we are to minister to others, but how would someone feel if it was a scripture from the Quran that was in a letter,” said Mestanza-Taylor.

    She says that while the Bible does have its place in her home, it doesn’t have a place in state education.

    Spectrum News reached out to the State’s Department of Education multiple times for a statement on the letter that included the Bible verse. It has not responded to any of our requests.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • Plant City private school looks to expand as interest increases

    PLANT CITY, Fla. — Choosing the best education for a child comes with a lot of decisions, whether it involves selecting a public school, homeschooling or a private school. In Florida, that decision is leaning more toward a private education for many parents.

    What You Need To Know

    • School officials say the number of parents interested in a private education has increased
    • They are looking to expand and build a new building to accommodate the growth


    From home life to education, Elizabeth Phillips, the PTO president at Faith Christian Academy private school in Plant City, loves being involved with her children and helps with events like the maji market.

    “Every time they look around, they can see my face and I’m always there for them, that’s the main reason why I do it,“ she said.

    Phillips says her children were enrolled in a public school until about two years ago when she decided to make the switch to a private education.

    “My older two were struggling, the classes were a lot bigger, and they couldn’t get that one-on-one attention, and they were, in my opinion, just kind of falling through the cracks,“ she said.

    She says smaller student-teacher ratio has helped her children succeed.

    This comes as private school enrollment in Florida continues to grow. The latest report available from the Department of Education shows enrollment from the 2022 to 2023 school year increased by more than 28,000 students from the previous school year.

    Enrollment specialist Nylah Williams says it’s a trend they’re experiencing firsthand. “Our elementary is growing very fast, we currently have 191 students here at Faith Christian Academy, and we are still growing for next year.”

    The growth is so much that they’ve had to divide classrooms to accommodate more students.

    Assistant principal Benimowei Jombai says they’re planning an expansion to meet the growing demand.

    “As they say if you build, they will come and we built this; they’re coming so we need to build more so that more can come so that we can serve more people here in Plant City and the surrounding area,“ he said.

    Head of school Nicole Williams says the expansion will also include additional amenities that will help preserve its faith-based education and sense of security. “A new athletics center, a welcome center, we want to make our center even more safe with gates and security.”

    Phillips hopes the expansion will mean more opportunities for her children. “Once we get into more classrooms, they can have more socialization with more students.”

    Faith Christian Academy is looking to start off the expansion by adding a modular building on its property, and school officials hope to host a groundbreaking for the new building in April, with a completion date in 2027.

    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Child advocates brace for post-holiday spike in abuse reports

    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Students across Tampa Bay head back to school next week following winter break. The CEO of Pasco Kids First, a child advocacy center, said it’s the time of year his team typically sees a spike in reported child abuse cases.

    What You Need To Know

    • Winter break ends next week for Tampa Bay students

    • There could be an increase in abuse cases due to holiday stress and family tension

    • Pasco Kids First monitors and supports affected children


    “Unfortunately, we’ve been really busy,” said president and CEO Mike Trepper. “So, we have children and families coming through, and that’s because things have happened to them on their person, meaning they’ve been physically or sexually assaulted or they have been witness to violence.”

    Trepper said after cases of abuse, neglect, or trafficking get reported to the state hotline, they’re forwarded to law enforcement. From there, victims will be referred to agencies like Pasco Kids First, one of 26 child advocacy centers in Florida.

    Trepper said there’s normally a 10% to a 20% increase in reports to review and children who need to be seen at the center in January. According to advocates, while the holidays can be a fun time for kids, they can also mean family stress and tensions rising to the surface.

    “We’ve actually seen a lot more cases this year than we have before,” said Michelle Mejia, a case coordinator with the child protection team.

    Trepper said the center handles more than 5,000 abuse and neglect cases every year. There are a number of reasons that could be behind the post-holiday spike.

    “The economy, job situations, joblessness, perhaps food insecurity, and then you have the added stress of just the holiday season,” he said.

    “The kids are out of school, and so some parents just may have that frustration. They may not be used to dealing with the kids for that long,” said Mejia.

    According to Trepper, kids may then tell someone what happened once they get back to school, but there are also signs a child may be in trouble. They can include a change in behavior or language, being secretive, or marks on their bodies. He encouraged believing kids when they disclose and reporting suspected cases of abuse.

    “I know sometimes it can be scary and you think, ‘I don’t want to get involved,’ but for the sake of children, get involved,” said Trepper.

    As tough as her job can be, Mejia said there are signs of happy endings, too. T-shirts line the hallways of the center with messages from past clients to those just walking in the door. Mejia said she’s seen it, too, like when children come back for therapy appointments she’s scheduled for them.

    “Granted, I don’t talk with them too much because I don’t want them to make that little connection, but I do see them happier and different from what I get to see when I interview them because they’re healing. So, it’s a different child that I’m seeing afterwards,” she said.

    Child abuse can be reported to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873. The Florida Department of Children and Families offers other reporting options on its website.

    Sarah Blazonis

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