Marauders Had a Ball at Tillman!
A handful of professional baseball players were special guests at Tillman Elementary in Palmetto. Brandan Bidois, Elijah Birdsong, Owen Kellington,…
Ready For the Work Ahead!
I became a member of the Manatee County community on July 3rd, my first day of work as superintendent of schools. It has been a wonderful three months…
Creating Young Leaders…
After reading about the events and powerful testimonies from students during the Kiwanis Key Leader program in a March 2020 issue of Kiwanis Magazine…
Blazing a Trail…
In a town where baseball and football are the dominant youth sports, two Saint Stephen's Episcopal School seniors are overcoming challenges and defying…
A Mammoth of a Mission…
Did you know that there is a magical place right here in Manatee County where you can not only get up close and personal with elephants but help in the…
A Flavor For Giving Back…
Hailing from Delaware, working in management at Walmart, longing to sell snow cones on the beach somewhere, Stephanie Edwards made her dreams a reality…
Rebuilding the Dream…
There is a safe haven for the inner-city kids of central Bradenton to grow, learn, be creative, and play ball, and it is called 13th Ave Dream Center…
The ELC Explorer!
The 2nd Annual Stand for Children Day Luncheon debuted the finished look of the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County's newest mobile classroom: the ELC Explorer!...
The Importance of VPK…
Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK) is a free educational program that prepares four-year-olds for kindergarten and beyond…
The Best of Pals…
Oftentimes, we don't realize how much of a lasting impact a stranger can have on our lives, especially as a child. But most of us can recall at least one…
From Punk Rocker to Museum CEO!
From being a guitarist in a moderately successful punk rock band in England to becoming the Chief Executive Officer of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature…
Hello to ¡HOLA!
Imagine living in a community where language barriers are broken, creating a common ground where we're able to see ourselves as more the same than different...
An Avenue to Grow…
Have you ever wanted your child to be enrolled in an afterschool care program but worried about lack of transportation? Would your child benefit from free…
A Day for Kids…
April 7th marked the 75th De Soto Children's Parade sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County (ELC). Children from all over…
A Success Story for the Books…
After one of the most unprecedented times in our country's history in 2020, D C's Child Care Center was at a loss for what to do. Short-staffed, unable…


















