Author: Lydia Martin

Dr. Donna Mills was recognized as a distinguished honoree at this year’s NAACP 29th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. She currently serves as a SLPS Board Member and has been a staunch advocate for children as well as a community activist for the past thirty years.  With unwavering dedication, she has continued to propel positive momentum in the community by working to support organizations and efforts including The Bible Way Soul Saving Station, Save Our Children Center, and Kids at Hope to name a few.   Dr. Mills leads by example and believes that All Children Are Capable of Success – No … Read More

At PACE Center for Girls, the Speakers Bureau’s first guest speaker of the year was Ms. Denise Sirmons, Treasure Hunter and Kids at Hope Coordinator. She captivated the students with her life story. Although she made several wrong choices as a youth, Ms. Sirmons eventually learned from her mistakes. The most important thing she learned in life was the importance  of surrounding herself with successful people, walking with integrity, and working hard.  

St. Lucie Elementary students received a special presentation from the National Theatre for Children. During the presentation, the students learned from Captain Wattage the importance of energy conservation and how they can reduce energy consumption at home. Since 1978, The National Theatre for Children has dedicated itself to teaching young students about important and timely issues. As the largest touring theatre company in the world, the group reaches two million students every year. http://nationaltheatre.com/Program/captain-wattage/  

St. Lucie Public Schools Board Chair Kathryn Hensley was honored at a recent St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon for her steadfast advocacy for children and tireless commitment to harnessing energy and making a positive difference in this community. In addition to serving as the School Board Chair, Mrs. Hensley is also actively involved in HANDS of St. Lucie County and Children’s Services Council among many other groups and organizations. Thank you for being a true Children’s Champion!  

The Division  of Minority Affairs at Indian River State College recognized Mrs. Linda Tapia, Migrant Recruiter for St. Lucie Public Schools, for her extraordinary service and dedication to the Hispanic community and her profession. The presentation was made during the 2016 National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration “Honoring Our Heritage, Building Our Future.”  

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Cheered on by her teammates and coaches from Fort Pierce Central’s Swim Team, 9th grader Leah Scheible won the Gold Medal in the 100-meter freestyle and the Silver Medal in the 200-meter freestyle at the recent Special Olympics State Aquatics Championship held at the North County Aquatic Center in Sebastian. Scheible met her Cobra swimming teammates over the summer at the St. Lucie County Special Olympics Swimming program where she participated and Coach Gray along with several of the Ft. Pierce Central Swim Team volunteered.  According to FPC Cobras Swim Coach Heather Gray, she was already … Read More

Cheered on by her teammates and coaches from Fort Pierce Central’s Swim Team, 9th grader Leah Scheible won the Gold Medal in the 100-meter freestyle and the Silver Medal in the 200-meter freestyle at the recent Special Olympics State Aquatics Championship held at the North County Aquatic Center in Sebastian. Scheible met her Cobra swimming teammates over the summer at the St. Lucie County Special Olympics Swimming program where she participated and Coach Gray along with several of the Ft. Pierce Central Swim Team volunteered.  According to FPC Cobras Swim Coach Heather Gray, she was already setting goals for herself … Read More

9-28-16  The Speakers Bureau Special Guests at Dan McCarty Middle School were Dr. Donna Mills, school board member of St. Lucie Public Schools, and Mr. Lafayette Ashley, recent FPC graduate and student at Indian River State College.  Dr. Mills shared in depth her life story. She emphasized to students the need to understand that true success comes from within and also stressed that the choices students make will determine their success in life, and she pointed out to students throughout her presentation, “No matter the situation, you can always make it out of your circumstances, knowledge will take you far, … Read More

Samuel S. Gaines Academy 7th grade students and staff welcomed Mr. Raphael Sanchez, the Executive Director of Human Resource for the St. Lucie Public Schools, as a guest speaker in the Speakers Bureau series.  Mr. Sanchez emphasized lessons and rules he established for himself while growing up. Mr. Sanchez spoke about his childhood, and recounted a story of resiliency and perseverance.  Mr. Sanchez believes, “Life is nothing but keys and doors; the more keys you have, the more doors you’ll be able to open for yourself.”  Mr. Sanchez says he didn’t want any doors closed due to lack of an … Read More

Fort Pierce Westwood High School hosted its very own Mr. Joseph Lezeau as the guest speaker for the Speakers Bureau Series. Mr. Lezeau spoke about the basic principles that were taught to him by his father. These are two very important resources to have: information and knowledge. He recounted his experiences of initially growing up poor in both Haiti and the U.S.  Mr. Lezeau also shared with his audience the fact that, in the beginning, he did not take advantage of the resources and knowledge he attained and was not appreciative of what was in front of him. He recognized … Read More

     St. Lucie Public Schools unites with other communities across the nation on Monday, October 17 to spotlight afterschool programs and activities. During this rally for program awareness, afterschool programs and activities throughout the county are expected to participate in Lights On Afterschool.      Two locations are earmarked for the rally in St. Lucie County according to organizers Terrance Platt and Kimberly Roberts.  The Fenn Center in Fort Pierce and the Port St. Lucie Community Center in Port St. Lucie will open their doors from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM in order for parents, students, and community members to become … Read More

Thanks to the generous donation of an alumni, the Port St. Lucie High School Jaguars have a lot to cheer about as homecoming week festivities kick off on Monday, October 10.    A supersize spirit mural featuring the Jaguar mascot in an 18’ x 144.5’ display will send a roar of school pride across the campus in a ceremonial unveiling on October 14 at 6:55 pm before the homecoming game crowd. The custom mural, valued at $18,900.00, was designed and will be painted by Douglas Hancock, Vice President of Sign Pro of North Florida, Inc.  Hancock is a 1995 graduate of … Read More

Antravious Soleyn, a recent graduate from Fort Pierce Central High School and member of the poetry club, was one of the honored guests at a recent Speakers Bureau event at Dale Cassens Educational Complex.  His positive command of the language and poetic verse captivated students as he recited a poem that he wrote. Guest speaker Mr. Tony Barnes, SLC NAACP President and Fort Pierce City Director of Purchasing, also spoke to students about his love for sports as a youth and because he was so good at playing football, he thought he was the man. He made poor grades in … Read More