ReportWire

Tag: Bryanna Howard

  • Future of Hungerford property sparks more debate in Eatonville

    [ad_1]

    EATONVILLE, Fla. — The future of Eatonville’s historic Hungerford property is at the center of a new proposed deal.

    The plan, which would transfer the 117-acre Hungerford property from Orange County Public Schools to Dr. Phillips Charities, goes before the school board for a vote on Sept. 30.

    If approved, Dr. Phillips Charities officials have said they will work with the town on a master plan shaped by residents.

    What You Need To Know

    • A new proposed deal would transfer the 117-acre Hungerford property in Eatonville from Orange County Public Schools to Dr. Phillips Charities

    • Dr. Phillips Charities officials have said they will work with Eatonville on a master plan for the property

    • Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner supports the agreement, calling it “a step to protect Eatonville’s legacy”

    • Some residents and leaders say the deal threatens the town’s history and identity

    Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner supports the agreement, calling it “an important step to protect Eatonville’s legacy.”

    Dr. Phillips Charities officials also said the plan would “help expand access to education, the arts and health care, while creating opportunities for growth.”

    The proposal sets up a multiyear plan for the land. 

    Eatonville’s town council held a special meeting Thursday evening to discuss the future of the historic Hungerford property.

    Council members have come out against the proposed land sale.

    Residents also got the chance to speak during public comment. Each was given three minutes to give their thoughts on the potential move.

    Most said they oppose the sale, calling the property a historic part of Eatonville that should not be given away just for money.

    Others say the deal needs to happen in order to bring investment and opportunities to the town.

    “I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t ever ask God about where my blessing is coming from. I just want the blessing. So, this a blessing for the town and future residents. And I will say this, everyone who makes the vote against it, remember, there will be an election,” Eatonville resident Michelle Ford said.

    “To me, it’s a bad deal. It goes against the foundation and principles of Eatonville,” said Julian Johnson, president and founder of 1887 First. “We purchased this land back in the day to build a sustainable community for ourselves, and I think this deal takes the historical character out of Eatonville.”

    Johnson also said the process felt unfair, adding, “They came in disguise. Like, ‘We’re here to help. …’ But we caught some of the discrepancies in their contract and their proposal. We just saw disingenuous behavior from them early.”

    Orange County Public Schools reacted to the meeting Thursday.

    “We are disappointed in the outcome of the Town of Eatonville’s council meeting; however, we remain optimistic that this proposed plan will ultimately move forward. This initiative represents a transformative opportunity for the Town of Eatonville, made possible through the generosity of Dr. Phillips Charities, and holds the potential to bring lasting benefits to our families and students,” OCPS Media Relations Admnistrator Michael Ollendorff said in a statement. 

    Eatonville is one of the oldest historically Black towns in the United States, located between Orlando and Winter Park.

    In 1899, Robert Hungerford and his wife donated 40 acres of land to the Hungerford School Public Charitable Trust, and the Hungerford School was founded as a private school, the first school for Black children in Central Florida. The site was meant to provide a private school and a junior college or trade school in Eatonville for African American children, according to his great-grandaughter, Bea Hatler. In total, and over the years, 160 acres were donated.

    In 1951, the Orange County School Board acquired the title to the Hungerford property, but with a deed restriction designed to reflect the original intention of the charitable trust. The land is also the former site of Robert Hungerford Preparatory High School, which at one time was — along with Jones in Orlando — one of only two Black schools in Orange County.

    In recent years, several potential plans for the property have been abandoned among objections from the Eatonville community and legal complaints that the land would be used for other purposes.


    [ad_2]

    Bryanna Howard

    Source link

  • Seminole County schools partner with Space Florida to launch aerospace program

    [ad_1]

    SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County students are getting a head start on some of Florida’s fastest-growing careers, thanks to a new partnership with Space Florida.

    What You Need To Know

    • Space Florida Academy Program is now in all nine Seminole County high schools
    • Students can earn certifications in aerospace, cybersecurity, logistics, and more
    • Partnership connects classroom learning with internships and real-world projects
    • Teachers say the program helps students graduate ready for college and careers


    The Space Florida Academy Program is rolling out across all nine high schools in the district. The idea is to give students real-world skills and industry certifications while they are still in school, so they graduate ready for both college and the workforce.

    Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, backs the program to help students focus on fields tied directly to the aerospace industry, including aviation, advanced manufacturing, construction, cybersecurity, logistics, and semiconductors.

    For Lyman High School sophomore Isaac Schroeder, the program is more than just another class on his schedule; it’s a chance to see what his future could look like.

    “I feel good about it. The space program is fun. You know, I try my best in our class. We do a lot of interactive activities and stuff. Yeah, I actually do like it,” Schroeder said. 

    Schroeder says he’s been interested in engineering since middle school, and programs like this make him feel like he’s moving in the right direction.

    “It will help me get into a school with engineering in it, because that’s honestly what I’m trying to do; get into college with engineering classes and stuff,” he said. 

    Inside the classroom, students are not just sitting at desks. They are working on projects like rockets, rovers, and gliders. That’s what aerospace teacher Mary Acken says makes this program stand out.

    “It’s going to give a lot of industry partnerships with our students and give them a lot of opportunity to get internships, to understand the workings and the management of different aerospace projects,” Acken said. 

    She’s been teaching aerospace at Lyman High School for years and says her students are learning skills that even surprise people already working in the industry. She said the partnership with Space Florida takes that work further by giving students clearer pathways into real careers.

    And for students like Schroeder, the benefit goes beyond textbooks or test scores. He says the best part is the classmates who share his interests and teachers who push him to think bigger.

    “Honestly, the people that I get to meet and the teachers. The teachers are the best. Ms. Acken, Mr. Moran, hands down, the teachers are probably the best,” he said.

    For Schroeder, it’s motivation. He’s still considering whether to go into civil engineering or aerospace, but the program is giving him a foundation to build on and the confidence that he’s on the right track.

    [ad_2]

    Bryanna Howard

    Source link