Education

One Port Charlotte woman was skeptical of her student loan consolidation and potential forgiveness, but an email over the weekend changed her life. After decades of monthly payments, Laurie Winter is free from student loan debt. She got an email from the US Department of Education announcing her federal Direct Consolidation Loans were forgiven.

Albezargan graduates University of Georgia

During the 26th annual STRIVE Awards Celebration on April 18, eight high schools’ 40 seniors and 39 juniors received awards from the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. The philanthropist H. Jack Hunkele believed strongly in the importance of identifying and assisting students whose grit and resilience enable them to overcome major obstacles in order to succeed, and this belief is embodied in the STRIVE Awards.

ENGLEWOOD — As Aydan Wear’s name was called, his peers shouted for the popular Lemon Bay High School graduate who was a varsity football captain, lip sync champion and Senior Hall of Fame inductee.

It may feel like mid-summer but this week a sense of fall returns to Manatee and Sarasota counties. Area high school football programs will be wrapping up their 20-day spring practice allotments by playing exhibition games. Here is a look at the six games being played Thursday night. Bradenton Christian at Bayshore ...

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County honored 40 seniors and 39 juniors at eight high schools on April 18 during the the 26th annual STRIVE Awards Celebration.   The STRIVE Awards represent the vision of H. Jack Hunkele, a philanthropist who believed in the value of recognizing and supporting students whose resilience and grit...

PUNTA GORDA — The newly formed Charlotte Harbor LULAC Council No. 7276 is awarding scholarships to qualifying 2024 graduating Hispanic or Latino high school seniors from six local high schools.

PORT CHARLOTTE — Eric Bell wore a personalized sash with photographs showcasing his career as a safety for the Port Charlotte High School Pirates to graduation Wednesday.

PUNTA GORDA — After advancing for the first time since 2017, Charlotte High School’s robotics team Golden Fish swam to new heights at the FIRST Tech Challenge CENTERSTAGE World Championships in Houston, Texas last month.

NORTH PORT — The Imagine School North Port commencement treated families, staff and graduates to a night of inspiration, comedy and a cutout of George Clooney on a stick.

A roundup of 2024 spring high school football games played by Manatee and Sarasota County programs on Thursday, May 16. Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18 SATURDAY Out-of-Door Academy...

PORT CHARLOTTE — Daniel Robinson told his fellow soon-to-be Charlotte High School graduates that their decisions as adults are now their own.

The Education Foundation this past Sunday hosted its first Ringling Bridge 5K/10K Run and Well-Being Expo. The event brought together over 1,200 race participants and many others. While people were drawn to this event for many reasons, we are so glad that they joined us to support students and teachers in Sarasota County Schools.

Every high school in Sarasota and Manatee counties will hold graduation ceremonies this week, all between May 14 and May 19. You can see photos of almost every graduation here, each posted the day after they happen. Look below for the photo gallery of the school you are interested in, or find the date the photos will be available. Schools are listed alphabetically. ...

NORTH PORT — Last spring, when the North Port football team came out with swagger and confidence following a winless season, most people thought the team had lost its collective mind.

NORTH PORT – Andreas Alvarez tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout as Northside Christian routed Imagine School, 11-0, in a Region 2A-3 quarterfinal Wednesday night.

SARASOTA — Sarasota County School Board member Bridget Ziegler has vowed once again to uphold her stance on limiting transgender influence in the classroom and in sports after a recent federal ruling added “gender fluidity” in Title IX, a longtime civil rights law.

PORT CHARLOTTE — Precision was the order of the day during Port Charlotte High football practice on Wednesday afternoon.

VENICE, Fla. (WWSB) - Brian Wheatley is stepping down as the head coach of the Venice High School volleyball program after 30 years at the helm. This information has been confirmed to our ABC7 Sports Dept. by the athletic director on Wednesday afternoon. Wheatley has accepted the head coaching position for volleyball at Auburn High School in Auburn, Ala.

Sarasota County Schools proudly welcomed nine new teachers – all from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s College of Education – to its ranks earlier this week. This past semester, Sarasota County Schools hosted 71 college and university students from 11 different educational institutions. The students were placed in 25 public schools throughout the district, with placements ranging from field experiences and observations to final teaching internships. Nine students from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s College of Education completed final teaching internships – all nine students received acceptance agreements for teaching positions with Sarasota County Schools for the 2024-2025 school year. Sarasota County Schools – for the first time – was able to pay its teaching interns, and offer a stipend to supervising teachers, courtesy of the generosity of Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. This builds upon Sarasota County Schools’ existing partnership with Barancik Foundation to enhance efforts relating to teacher recruitment, retention, and recognition. These nine new teachers will participate in the district’s First Year Teacher Induction program. In addition to an immersive training this summer – covering collaborative learning environments, classroom management, educational technology, and more – the new instructional hires will be matched with a mentor to help them navigate their first year on the job.