Manatee Education Foundation

06/10/2026

Thanks to Your Observer for capturing the magic of smARTen Up Camp and the young artists who discovered new talents! 🎨

This camp would not have been possible without our community partners: the School District of Manatee County, Braden River Elementary, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Embracing Our Differences, Manatee Community Foundation, and The Hecht Foundation.

Over four days, the Manatee Arts Education Council hosted students who are gifted in the arts.

06/05/2026

Congratulations, Mr. Simmons! 🎉 Thank you for everything you give to Manatee County students. We're proud to help recognize educators like you!

06/04/2026

That's a wrap on smARTen Up Camp! Our students closed out the week with a standout final performance. Thank you to our students and families for joining us for a fun-filled week!

See you next summer! 😎

A special thank you to the partners who invested in our students this week: the School District of Manatee County, Braden River Elementary, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Embracing Our Differences, Manatee Community Foundation, and The Hecht Foundation.

06/03/2026

🎭🎵 Creativity is alive at smARTen Up Camp! 🎨💃

This week, 75 students are singing, dancing, acting, and creating alongside Manatee County visual and performing arts teachers, with a special showcase performance to close it all out on Thursday. We’re so glad these students could join us to explore their talents and let their creativity shine! 🌟

We're incredibly grateful to our community partners the School District of Manatee County, Braden River Elementary, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Embracing Our Differences, Manatee Community Foundation, and The Hecht Foundation for bringing this experience to life for our students.

06/02/2026

What a night! We were proud to join the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County at the Stand For Children Gala, celebrating the incredible work being done for our youngest learners. Every child deserves a strong start, and the people in that room are making it happen. 🌟

A special congratulations to Cox Chevrolet and the Cox Family, recipients of the 2026 Paul Scharff Children's Champion Award! It's a beautiful reminder of what it looks like when businesses invest in children.

05/30/2026

Congratulations to our board member Vernon DeSear on receiving this well-deserved award! Your dedication, leadership, and lasting impact on our community continue to inspire us all. We are grateful for your service and proud to celebrate this remarkable honor with you. 🎉

05/28/2026

☀️Summer break is officially here! 😎

Wishing all School District of Manatee County students and teachers a well-deserved, fun-filled summer. Rest up, recharge, and soak it all in. 🌴

05/28/2026

🎉 Congratulations to JaShaun Judge, a junior at Bayshore High School and the recipient of a scholarship to attend a one-week camp at IMG Academy! JaShaun is able to choose the sport of his choice and return to Bayshore High School in the fall to support his school’s team!

We’re proud to have such amazing community partners whose support makes life-changing opportunities like this possible for students right here in our community. This scholarship is part of IMG’s sponsorship of the Galvano Golf Classic.

Wishing you all the best at camp this summer, JaShaun! 🌟

05/27/2026

A heartfelt thank you to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for the $15,000 grant awarded to the Manatee Education Foundation!

This generous investment means so much more than dollars. It supports our mission and helps our organization grow so we can serve more students and teachers, and make a lasting difference in Manatee County for years to come.

We are so grateful to have such a meaningful partner in building a stronger school community. 💙

05/26/2026

🧱 Talk about powerful building blocks for learning!

Thanks to Florida Power & Light and the EmPOWERing STEM Educators Grant, teachers from three elementary schools in the School District of Manatee County were able to purchase LEGO Science kits. The kits were shared between science and STEM teachers at Lucy Williams Elementary School, Virgil Mills Elementary School and Robert E. Willis Elementary School, and excitement is stacking up fast!

“As an after-test activity, we had a great time building a wind turbine to generate electricity for a DJ booth and slushie machine! Really excited to introduce these earlier in the school year next year!” – Rachel Deitch, Fifth Grade Teacher at Robert E. Willis Elementary School

“It was like Christmas in the Science closet!” – another teacher’s reaction to learning that there are science manipulatives and models stored at her school and available for her to use.

Thank you to Florida Power & Light for believing in the power of teachers and the potential of every student. We’re grateful for this partnership and the support from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations to help improve STEM education statewide.