WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Nerves taut, attention fixed, everyone waits for the competition to begin. Months of preparation have led to this moment. No athletic skill needed here, though—it’s all about the books.
The School District of Manatee County’s annual Battle of the Books brings together teams of students to prove how well they know the Sunshine State Young Readers Award (SSYRA) titles, a set of 15 books …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Katelyn Disbro
The four-year-olds at Toad Hall Children’s Center have plenty to say about fire safety. They talk about the smoke alarms in their homes and how fast they’re able to crawl beneath smoke. But they also have questions, particularly about the silent, furry visitor standing at the front of their classroom.
“Can he bark?”
The visitor is Marshall, a life-size fire dog mascot for West …
WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Foundation for Dreams (FFD), through its signature Dream Oaks Camp program, strives to create a place where children recognize one another as individuals, not by their disabilities. Its vision is to give individuals with special needs opportunities to learn and grow, build meaningful relationships, and develop new skills.
FFD is the only organization in Southwest Florida providing year-round weekend and summer residential camp sessions for …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: School District of Manatee County
A five-year-old boy walks up to our table, his straw hat and flowery shirt matching the restaurant’s décor. His name tag displays his title: Host.
“Are you having a nice time?” he asks, smiling. We nod and smile back.
“Good.” He moves off, on his way to ensure others are having a similarly nice time.
Soon, a little girl approaches, her …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Every Wednesday and Friday during the school year, volunteers gather at Feeding Empty Little Tummies (FELT)’s building in Palmetto to unpack, sort, count, and pack food.
The warehouse was not specially built for the organization, but Executive Director Jessica Ryherd likes to think it fits. More than 100 years old, the building was once a feed store and later tied to shipping produce by …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1987. Tim Milligan attended his first Rotary meeting at another member’s invitation. At a time when clubs limited membership by profession, he didn’t take the invitation lightly.
Louisville, Kentucky, 1997. A man stopped by the Salvation Army office where Tom Richmond served as a lieutenant. “Have you ever been a member of Rotary?” he asked. Tom hadn’t, so the man described its …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: School District of Manatee County
Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning. —William Arthur Ward
If you‘re a parent, you‘re probably used to your kids asking all kinds of questions. Why is the sky blue? How do airplanes stay in the air? What is the internet? Or that classic question that suddenly makes you wish you had paid more attention …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Katelyn Disbro
Taking care of young children is serious work, even if it mostly looks like (messy) play. With kids around, there’s often playdough on the floor, paint spattered across the table, and after snack time, crumbs everywhere. But somewhere in the middle of all that noise and motion, children are learning. And the people leading those classrooms carry a big responsibility, helping these kids build …
WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Children with undetected vision problems often struggle academically, athletically, and personally.
While you let that sink in, meet Dr. Michael and Sarah Mackie, with Eye Center Inc., and the founders of The Vision Foundation.
Michael is a native of Manatee County, and both his parents were educators in the Manatee School District. Both Michael and Sarah were very active in the community throughout their young …
WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
For over 80 years, Janet and Dean Mixon operated Mixon Fruit Farms off 27th Street East in Bradenton. But after the citrus greening disease and rising insurance costs, the Mixons made the difficult decision to put the property up for sale. That decision began with conversations with the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, and in 2025, they voted to purchase 39 acres of the …
PHOTOS: Melissa Parker, SDMC Communications Department
Dr. Laurie Breslin is closing out her first school year as superintendent with a clear sense of purpose. In this conversation with NEXTGEN Family Magazine, she talks about her own journey into education, what she looks for in strong schools, and why preparing students for what comes after graduation remains central to the work ahead.
NG: You‘ve shared that you didn‘…
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Suncoast Credit Union Foundation
When was the last time you held a penny? As a child, thrilled to spot that flash of copper on the ground? Or maybe you were sorting through a handful of change from a cashier (and remembered why you usually use a card). Perhaps you dropped the pennies into a tip jar, glad not to weigh down your wallet.
Pennies don‘…
WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
What began over 85 years ago as an organization to boost morale and promote Spanish heritage is now a thriving society of generous members raising funds, spirits, and fellowship for our entire community.
The Hernando de Soto Historical Society (HDHS) brings together a dedicated group of volunteers from across our community. Through more than 20 committees, members contribute hundreds of hours to plan and produce …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Karen Corbin’s journey into Bradenton’s nonprofit world started with a knock on the door. A neighbor had smelled a possible gas leak outside Karen’s house. They got talking, and Karen explained her current situation. She’d recently moved to Florida from Connecticut and was looking for work.
She’d met the right neighbor. The woman worked for the Selby Foundation in Sarasota and offered to help …
WORDS: Nemours KidsHealth
A home filled with reading material is a good way to help kids become excited readers. What kind of books? Ask your kids about their interests. If they’re too young to tell you, ask your local librarian for suggestions about age-appropriate books.
You also can visit Nemours Children’s Reading BrightStart! to find book suggestions for children from birth to age 5.
Here are some other tips:
Keep …
