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WORDS & PICTURES: School District of Manatee County

A handful of professional baseball players were special guests at Tillman Elementary in Palmetto. Brandan Bidois, Elijah Birdsong, Owen Kellington, Patrick Reilly, and Landon Tomkins are pitchers for the Bradenton Marauders, our local minor-league team for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They joined third and fourth-grade students, as well as physical education teachers Tyler Bench, Kyle Mauk, and Hunter McGarry.

The players used their …

NEXTGEN | Oct 10, 2023 | 0

Ready For the Work Ahead!

MAIN PICTURE: Wendy Dewhurst

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. The warm welcome I received has made the professional and personal transition much easier, and I believe it’s also one reason Manatee County is growing so much—this is a wonderful place for families to live, learn, …

NEXTGEN | Oct 10, 2023 | 0

Creating Young Leaders…

WORDS: Gabrielle Versmessen

After reading about the events and powerful testimonies from students during the Kiwanis Key Leader program in a March 2020 issue of Kiwanis Magazine, Judge Ed Nicholas was sold on bringing the program to Manatee County.

Targeted toward eighth-grade through eleventh-grade students, the Key Leader weekend helps students develop leadership and team-building skills while assisting them in becoming the best they can be. According to the Kiwanis …

NEXTGEN | Oct 10, 2023 | 0

Blazing a Trail…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

In a town where baseball and football are the dominant youth sports, two Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School seniors are overcoming challenges and defying stereotypes to put Manatee County girls’ lacrosse on the map.

Sienna Cassella and Ashling Marshall have put in an unbelievable amount of effort throughout their youth, especially at the high school level, to earn scholarships to play lacrosse at separate Division I …

NEXTGEN | Oct 10, 2023 | 0

A Mammoth of a Mission…

WORDS: Sheri Roca
PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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 global conservation of these majestic creatures? Just east of Lakewood Ranch, you will find the Myakka Elephant Ranch. This facility is a family-owned and operated nonprofit conservation center that offers once in a lifetime, …

NEXTGEN | Oct 10, 2023 | 0

A Flavor For Giving Back…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

Hailing from Delaware, working in management at Walmart, longing to sell snow cones on the beach somewhere, Stephanie Edwards made her dreams a reality in 2015.

Stephanie worked for Walmart for 23 years. She sat on the board of directors for a food bank and the local chamber of commerce through her management position with the company, as well as served in various local reading …

NEXTGEN | Oct 10, 2023 | 0

Rebuilding the Dream…

WORDS: Sheri Roca
PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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. For the last 86 years, the United Community Center (UCC) in Bradenton has been building dreams, changing lives, and strengthening families.

The many dedicated volunteers, or “Dream Builders,” work tirelessly to encourage about 1,500 kids yearly …

NEXTGEN | Aug 16, 2023 | 0

The ELC Explorer!

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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 Explorer is unique to the ELC’s fleet of buses in that it is equipped with a special tailgate that allows wheelchair access onto the bus.

Adorned with images of cartoon children exploring, reading, and playing along with …

NEXTGEN | Aug 16, 2023 | 0

The Importance of VPK…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK) is a free educational program that prepares four-year-olds for kindergarten and beyond. Participating in VPK sets a student’s educational success for life. There are early literacy skills being taught as well as social-emotional skills that are being acquired.

In order to enroll in VPK, a child must live in Florida and be four on or before September 1st…

NEXTGEN | Aug 16, 2023 | 0

The Best of Pals…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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 teacher or mentor who positively influenced us over the years. You can be that person to a child!

The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County (ELC) offers the ReadingPals program to VPK children at local …

NEXTGEN | Aug 16, 2023 | 0

From Punk Rocker to Museum CEO!

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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, Andrew Sandall has had quite the assorted road to his current role.

Beginning his museum journey in 1992, Andrew started as a curatorial assistant at his local history museum in Boston, England. At that time, he had no …

NEXTGEN | Aug 16, 2023 | 0

Hello to ¡HOLA!

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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. ¡HOLA! Elementary at Manatee School for the Arts is striving to do just that.

As an arts-infused dual-language public charter school, ¡HOLA! Elementary is the first and only school of its kind in Manatee County. It opened its doors …

NEXTGEN | Aug 16, 2023 | 0

An Avenue to Grow…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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 tutoring that’s done on at least a 3:10 teacher-to-student ratio? What about being secure in knowing that your child is in a safe, positive, and life-affirming environment?

Avenue941 is a local initiative that does all of these things and …

NEXTGEN | May 15, 2023 | 0

A Day for Kids…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

April 7th marked the 75th De Soto Children’s Parade sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County (ELC). Children from all over gathered in Palmetto to watch a slew of handmade floats, performance acts, and conquistadors march down 10th Street to Sutton Park. The winning float for “Best Use of Theme” was designed by Palma Sola Elementary School.

It featured students …

NEXTGEN | May 15, 2023 | 0

A Success Story for the Books…

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

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 to find anyone to hire, and about to close their doors for good, they reached out to the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County.

“We called, said we’re about to shut down, and we didn’t know what …

NEXTGEN | May 15, 2023 | 0

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Articles

Marauders Had a Ball at Tillman!

Ready For the Work Ahead!

Creating Young Leaders…

Blazing a Trail…

A Mammoth of a Mission…

A Flavor For Giving Back…

Rebuilding the Dream…

The ELC Explorer!

The Importance of VPK…

The Best of Pals…

From Punk Rocker to Museum CEO!

Hello to ¡HOLA!

An Avenue to Grow…

A Day for Kids…

A Success Story for the Books…

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