- March 27, 2024
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Deborah Williams, new executive director of Flagler’s Education Foundation, hopes to fill 2,600 backpacks.
Last year, Flagler County Public School’s Education Foundation led a Back2School Jam, which offered 2,600 stocked backpacks to needy families free of charge. According to Sabrina Crosby, coordinator of special projects, every last backpack was cleared out.
“We couldn’t accommodate the number of people that came,” she said. “It was crazy.”
Recognizing the larger need in the community, and with smaller contributions from program sponsors, the foundation knew that it would not be able to host an event of that magnitude again this year. But it will still provide backpacks to students who need them.
Led by new Education Foundation Director Deborah Williams — who replaced Nicole Brose July 11 — the 2011-2012 initiative has been changed from Back2School Jam to the Packs4Backs Program, a mission with a few new rules but the same vision.
“We’ve already purchased the bags,” Williams said. “But we’re working on raising the money to fill them.”
Each bag costs $10 to stock with basic school supplies. To match last year’s offering, $7,500 is still needed.
“We may be under that number, but we’re staying positive and we’re thinking 2,600,” Crosby said.
Instead of an open invitation, the Packs4Backs Program will be organized through parent signups at their child’s school. Only students enrolled in the free- or reduced-lunch program — last year, five district schools had at least 50% of its enrollment on the program — or those with extenuating circumstances, will be eligible for supplies.
“(But) no child will go without,” Crosby said.
Even if supplies run out, students can get free clothing, shoes, toiletries and supplies year-round from Flagler County’s S.T.U.F.F (Supplying Things You Find Fundamental) Bus, a two-person operation run by volunteers Scott Combs, driver, and Pat Bueltman, manager.
Williams, who has been involved in fundraising for about 20 years, mostly in healthcare and education, said she’s always looked for work that’s about more than just a paycheck. As her first project with the Education Foundation, she’s coupling Backs4Packs with an event called “Graduate One, Everyone,” a campaign to promote parent awareness and education.
The event, 7 p.m. Aug. 4, at nine stations spread throughout the county, is the beginning of a drive to raise Flagler’s graduation rate of 83% — the state average is 76% — to 100%. It will provide information on new promotion requirements and offer information on how to qualify for free supplies.
Applications for the free/reduced lunch program will also be available.
The foundation endures through the help of local sponsors, such as Frank Cates, of Champion Self-Storage, who is throwing a school fundraising event called Family Fun Fest in August, where he will accept school supplies as currency (read the full story in the Aug. 4 edition of the Palm Coast Observer).
“I really feel like we really got a jump start,” Williams said. The foundation’s budget has already been approved. A strategic plan is in place. Before Brose, the foundation’s 17-member board worked without an executive director for 17 years.
“I’m running alongside a very engaged and active board,” Williams said. “And that’s my job ... to facilitate ... and help guide. They’re really the energy behind it.”
To donate or volunteer for the Packs4Backs Program, Aug. 3 to Aug. 5, at Flagler Palm Coast High School, contact Deborah Williams at williamsd@flagler schools.com, or 437-7526, Ext. 3125.
COMMUNITY INFORMATION STATIONS
A complete list of all of the Graduate One, Everyone community information stations, open at 7 p.m. Aug. 4, are as follows:
• Bunnell City Hall
• Government Services Building
• Espanola Community Center
• Hidden Trails Community Center
• African American Cultural Society
• Flagler County Public Library
• Palm Coast Community Center
• Hammock Beach Community Center
• Wickline Community Center
+ Flagler schools record 40% AP test success rate
Results from Flagler County’s 2011 Advanced Placement exams are in, showing 40% of all tests taken recording at least a score of 3, the minimum required for making AP courses to count as college credit.
A total of 821 AP exams were taken by 519 students in the district. Tests are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest.
Rebecca G. Wight, a Matanzas High School senior, averaged a score of 4.6 on 10 total exams, with nine of those 10 scores as 4 or above. She was named the district’s only recipient of the National AP Scholar Award, which requires an average of at least 4 on all exams, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
The AP Scholar with Distinction recognition is awarded to students who received an average score of 3.5 on all AP exams, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams.
The following students were awarded Flagler County AP Scholars with Distinction from Flagler Palm Coast High School: Kaitlyln Gore, Riley Littlefield, Ryan L. McDermott, Samantha Penalver and Kyle Russell.
The following students were awarded Flagler County AP Scholars with Distinction from Matanzas High School: Christine Bolla, Tyler Bright, Marielena Dias, Amy Langhauser, Vasyl Lubenets, Gianna Mastrostefano, Samantha Webber, Rebecca Wight and Jasmine Perez.