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 …
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 …
WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
A penguin is unlike your typical bird due to its inability to fly, but that doesn’t stop the bird from having its own beautiful uniqueness. It is from this philosophy that The Penguin Project was born.
The Penguin Project is a national musical theater program where children and young adults with disabilities perform in a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical. All roles are …
WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
Dating back to 1948, the De Soto Children’s Parade has been a great source of joy for young ones in Manatee County. This tradition was created by the Hernando de Soto Historical Society and included children of all ages parading through what is now Old Main Street to where Pier 22 sits. While the Hernando De Soto Historical Society also facilitates the De Soto Grand …
WORDS: School District of Manatee County
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
The School District of Manatee County has partnered with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) to establish the first-ever Guy Harvey Academy of Arts and Science at Anna Maria Elementary School. The academy, named for the world-renowned wildlife artist, conservationist, and businessman, will focus on marine sciences, conservation, and the arts.
The collaboration between the district and GHOF will begin this …
WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
The Bradenton Kiwanis Club is well-known around Manatee County for the many good projects they have done for our community. This year, the Club turned 100 years old, and to celebrate, they not only did things throughout town but also explored the history behind the Bradenton Kiwanis Club.
Established on August 22nd, 1922, the Club was initially named the Manatee River Kiwanis Club. …
WORDS: Gabrielle Versmessen
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Early childhood education is an integral part of ensuring that students in our community are not only prepared for grade school but also excel in it. Our children begin learning at home, but all too soon, those little ones go off to child care, where their first experiences of a structured learning environment are formed.
Before becoming a mom, I thought child care was …
WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
With humble beginnings just six years ago at only 76 students, 36 mentors, and one location, Dive Into Reading has grown to over 500 participants and six locations across Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto counties. Dive Into Reading is a five-week summer program that helps first, second, and third-grade students who are behind in their reading comprehension. Along with reading, the program incorporates sight words and …
WORDS: Amy Treis
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Reading Rainbow is an American educational children’s television series that originally aired on PBS from July 11, 1983, to November 10, 2006. This valuable show emphasized and encouraged children to dive into the world of reading. The show also educated the viewers on how to use a library to find these cherished books.
If there is one constant throughout the decades, it is the …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
The COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous for visitor and tourist attractions worldwide, and Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a beloved, Old Florida park that’s been around for more than 80 years, is no exception.
However, things are starting to look up. Jungle Gardens has returned to its pre-COVID schedule; it’s hopeful to continue a seven-day-a-week schedule. The park, which in March cut 80 percent of its staff, is now …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
A hollow silence replaced screeching basketball shoes, whistles, and hollers from cheering parents and booming coaches that usually trumpet the commencement of basketball season at the Police Athletic League’s gymnasium in Bradenton. Lights dimmed, bleachers emptied, and the rhythmic dribble of the basketball hushed as COVID-19 – the pandemic that shocked the world and shuttered businesses, schools, and sports on a pivot – …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
Frank DiGiovanni and his daughter joined a long line meandering out the door of Blaze Pizza back in 2017 for a fundraiser benefiting Willis Elementary. Hungry parents and kids halted the mid-week tornado of soccer matches, ballet classes, and math homework to pool together and raise money for their school. While hot pizzas bubbled in ovens and dutiful parents continued to arrive in droves, DiGiovanni – …
WORDS: Katelyn Disbro
PICTURES: Kyle Baker
KIDS around the County are longing to get back out into the community, back into sports, and once more enjoying the outdoors with their friends and families. And, when life does get back to normal, look no further than the Conquistadorables for an amazing fun program full of glamour and grace!
The Conquistadorables have been capturing the hearts of everyone they meet in Manatee …
The birthday party glowed with many women and men in white or purple “Votes for Women” sashes. Fancy hats abounded. In February, the League of Women Voters (LWV) was 100 years young!
The celebration at IMG Academy on February 15th, which coincided with the 200th birthday of Susan B. Anthony, was attended by over 200 Manatee and Sarasota County supporters. The event was hosted by the LWV …
Southwest Florida has a new early learning resource. The Mosaic Backyard Universe at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton is a brand-new permanent exhibition geared toward children two to eight years old, providing a welcoming and safe place for them to begin learning about science and nature.
The Mosaic Backyard Universe is part of the North Education Center, the Museum’s new wing that opened October 1. The …
