Please allow me to express my thanks to both of you for making the sound decision to close schools statewide in light of COVID-19. I applaud you for having the foresight to recognize that sheltering in place is the best method to stop the spread of this deadly virus.

In the midst of all of the crisis management and tough leadership decisions you are making, I’d like to share some perspective.

I understand that a directive has been given to school districts to begin some form of distance/virtual learning this week; sooner for some districts. From your press release, I know that Commissioner Corcoran understands that “it’s critical that we keep students safe and healthy” during this incredibly stressful time. I couldn’t agree more with this statement, which is why I have concerns about the distance learning directive.

First, there is the most obvious concern – not all families have access to the technology needed to learn in a virtual environment (i.e. computers and the internet). I know that districts across the state have done a tremendous job of distributing devices to families. I also know that businesses are stepping up to provide free or low cost internet. All of them are to be commended for their efforts, and I’m sure it will go a long way to help some students. Those things will not, however, help the families that live in a rural area that lack the infrastructure to access the internet.

For families who do have access to a device and the internet, some of them may be using these devices for the first time; others don’t use them a lot. This means there will be a large gap in levels of technical knowledge.

For some children, life at home is not conducive to distance learning. Even if they are provided with paper worksheets/packets, they may be living in an abusive situation, at a homeless shelter, or have other adverse childhood experiences that prevent them from focusing on academics while school is closed.

Another concern is students with IEP’s and/or 504’s. I’m aware that conversations have taken place at the state level about ways to address these, but I haven’t seen the results of these conversations made public, other than documents that already existed before this crisis. There are many students whose disability prevents them from learning without the accommodations that are provided in a classroom.

There are also privacy concerns, particularly with some software programs that capture and sell user data without permission. Many parents and teachers are not aware of these issues, and therefore are not able to take steps to prevent them.

Perhaps the most overlooked concern with distance/virtual learning is this: working parents who are trying to survive an incredibly stressful situation while putting a priority on keeping their families safe and healthy. As one elementary school principal said in a message that has gone viral on social media: “It is absolutely not possible to facilitate distance learning with a primary aged child and work from home at the same time. The very idea is nonsense. If you’re trying to do that, stop now. You can certainly have activities where your child learns, but your focus is your job, and survival. Again, unprecedented. Stop trying to be superheroes.”

Please stop asking us to be superheroes.

Sure, there are parents who want to facilitate distance learning, and they should have the freedom and flexibility to do that through enrichment activities. I also understand the value in students connecting with their teachers virtually. However, by requiring students to participate in distance learning as though they were in school (as the Commissioner explained in a recent video), you are placing a burden on teachers and parents that is unachievable for many, and incredibly stressful for most.

Here are some additional sources that explain the inequities present in distance learning:

• Coronavirus Forces Schooling From Home. Why That Will be a Problem.
• Coronavirus: Shift to Online Learning May Leave Poor Kids Behind.
• Virtual Learning Through Quarantine Will Leave Poor and Disabled Students Behind

Parents were surveyed by districts recently to ask about readiness for virtual learning, but the only things that were included in the survey were technology needs. We haven’t been asked about the equally important things that are needed for successful distance/virtual learning, such as technical abilities, family work situations, or mental health/capacity.

I fall into the “working parent” category. My family’s mental health is more important to me at this time than my children’s schooling. As state leaders, I ask you to send the message to all families that our kids’ mental health is more important to you as well. Please consider distance learning to be optional enrichment only, and make plans to assist the children who aren’t able to complete it once school returns.

Thank you for your time.

I’d like to start with telling you my story, and how I became an education advocate.

I grew up in Alachua County; attended Hawthorne High School and the University of Florida.

I’m not a teacher. While in high school, a lot of people thought I was going to be a teacher – probably because my parents were teachers. But, I knew even at a young age that I didn’t have the patience to be a teacher. So, I did the next best thing – I married a teacher!

My graduate school studies brought me to the Tampa area, which is where I met my husband, a former teacher of 22 years. Like most teachers, it wasn’t just a job for him. It was his passion. He loved his job, and he was really good at it. He was a music teacher. He once told me that loves music, and he wanted to share it with others. And, teaching is a great way to do that.

It was around 10 years ago that I noticed that the love he had for his job started to slowly dissipate.  When I asked him about it, I learned that there were decisions being made at the state level that made it harder to teach, and had a negative impact on our schools.

This bothered me, so I started doing research. I talked to other teachers, met with legislators and other decision-makers, and talked with other parents. I learned that the situation wasn’t unique to my husband or to that county. Teachers in other areas across the state were all saying the same thing.

When my children started school a few years later, I realized that these things happening in our state were not only impacting our teachers, they were impacting our children as well. This was when I started getting involved in PTA, and learned that they were noticing these things and fighting them as well.

Three years ago, my husband made the difficult decision to leave the teaching profession, which is what brought us back to Alachua County. It was here that I got involved in our county council PTA, who does a lot of great advocacy work at the county and state level. I’m currently serving as Legislative Chair for that group.

So, what is it that’s causing all of this angst among our teachers and our children?

It’s accountability.

Accountability is important. We all want our schools, teachers, parents and children to be held accountable. We want our kids to learn in an environment that’s focused on results. But, here in Florida, we don’t just have accountability. To use Sue Legg’s term – we have “accountability on steriods.”

Arthus Costa, Emeritus Professor at California State University, once said: “What was educationally significant and hard to measure has been replaced by what is educationally insignificant and easy to measure.”

In our state, we have a hyper-focus and narrow definition of accountability that focuses on what’s easy to measure. But, what’s easy to measure isn’t always what ultimately matters in education.

The largest component of our state accountability system is the Florida Standards Assessment, or FSA, which our children take beginning in third grade all the way through high school. They also take district-created tests that are mandated by the state in lower grades. There are a few ways the FSA is used for accountability:

• School grades – Every school receives a grade, on an A – F scale. At the elementary school level, grades are based 100% on scores from standardized tests. In middle and high school there are other components such as dual-enrollment or advanced placement courses, but 75% of the school grades are still based on tests. The stakes for school grades are very high. Schools could be closed if they receive a low grade for many years. My high school was on the verge of closing years ago, and I can tell you that it would have devastated that community. Some parents even decide where to purchase a home based on school grades.
• Teacher evaluations – State law requires that 30% of a teacher’s evaluation be based on student progression (i.e. test scores). Teachers could be transferred to another school because of their evaluation (which has happened in our county), or they could conceivably lose their jobs.
• Students are also directly impacted by testing, as they could be retained or fail a course based on test scores.

So, why is this wrong?

For one, the FSA measures one single point in time. It doesn’t tell us everything that took place during the 180 days within the school year. It also doesn’t evaluate the whole child, or take into account social issues, family issues, or other things that impact test scores that are beyond the control of the teacher or the school. Tests take up a tremendous amount of classroom time –  both on the actual tests as well as test prep, because test-taking skills can impact test scores. 8-year olds will sit for 90 minutes at a time for each FSA test that they will take this year (and they take more than one). Not only that, but the validity of the actual test has been questioned by experts across the state. We are making all of these high stakes decisions based on a test that may not be valid.

This is one of the reasons for the mass exodus of teachers from the profession. The test-focused teaching and learning environment continues to impact teaching in a way that is driving teachers away.

We all want accountability. We just want it done in a way that makes sense and doesn’t drive high quality teachers from the profession or dismantle communities.

I want to end on a positive note, so I will close by saying that I’m a public school parent. My kids wouldn’t be in public schools if they weren’t learning, and if I didn’t think it was the best place for them. The reason our public schools are good is because of the teachers who persist, day in and day out, in spite of (not because of) the accountability system.

It’s no wonder the city’s only Middle/High School (Hawthorne Middle/High School, or HMHS) has a population of just over 300 students. Even so, the school is responsible for educating third and fourth generations of families, many of whom still live in the area. Students not only go to school together, but live in the same community, go to the same churches and shop at the same grocery stores. In addition to serving as a place to learn, the school is often a second home to many, providing socializing, sports and mentoring. This sense of community may come to a screeching halt if the middle/high school closes its doors in the coming year because of HB7069 (passed in 2017), which forces schools with low grades for multiple years to face closure or turnover into a privately managed charter school.

What’s the real story?
Many have questioned the validity of the school grading system, especially when using it for high stakes decisions such as closing schools. The system has become progressively more difficult in recent years, while the consequences have increased at the same time. A school grade measures not only academic issues, but social as well, as family issues such as mobility or illness can affect a student’s ability to perform well on standardized tests. With such a small student population, a small percentage of student test scores at HMHS can have a large impact on the school grade.

At a more granular level, the grading formulas seem to favor larger schools in more affluent areas. In addition to scores from standardized tests, (which have known biases against low income populations), at the middle and high school levels, school grades are based on “Acceleration Success,” as defined as the following: High School: AP, IB, AICI or Dual Enrollment or Industry Certification; Middle School: EOCs or Industry Certification. Of those programs, HMHS is able to offer only a small number of dual enrollment opportunities and industry certifications. There are no AP courses.  Because of budget, the small population of HMHS does not afford students the opportunity to participate in many of these success measures, thus putting the school at an automatic disadvantage when calculating school grades.

Who is really served by closing neighborhood schools?
Upon learning about the school’s potential closure, members of the community came together from far and wide to show their support. Alumni from as long ago as 1966 contributed to a blog to share their successes, and show naysayers what has become of students who attended HMHS. Read their stories here.

After the school lost much-needed Title I funding in the same year, this rural community raised thousands of dollars to fund an instructional math program. Businesses sponsored school supplies drives, with individuals dropping off copy paper at the beginning of the school year. A mentor program was started, with over 20 participants. A new PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association) chapter was formed, with 35 members at its inaugural meeting.

The community, parents, students and staff do not want their school to close. In a world where choice is heavily promoted, they choose Hawthorne. The value in neighborhood schools is not lost on this community.  As the largest employer in the city, the school’s closure would disrupt more lives than just the students.

Other schools in the district do not want HMHS to close. Closing the school would mean busing over 300 students to schools over 20 miles away, and most likely rezoning other schools to accommodate the population increase.

Closing schools disrupts lives. It dismantles communities. It’s not helpful for education. Schools like Hawthorne need more support, not bad school “grades” and closure threats. We are calling on the Department of Education, the Board of Education and the Florida Legislature to reconsider the negative effects of HB7069 on schools, allowing for more flexibility in turnaround plans for struggling schools.

Megan Hendricks, HMHS c/o 1992 and President, Alachua County Advocates PTA

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, one in four adults (25.3 percent) in America volunteered a total of 7.9 billion hours in 2014.

The benefits to volunteering are numerous from both a personal and professional perspective. In addition to the altruistic benefits, research has shown volunteers have a 27 percent higher chance of finding a job after being out of work than those who don’t volunteer. It can even reduce stress and lead to improved mental and physical health.

With over 10,000 nonprofit organizations in the region, Tampa Bay is booming with opportunities to get involved. Young professionals who call the region home have found community service enhances leadership skills, leads to lifelong friendships and has a tremendous impact on the lives of others.

Here are four active volunteers working to make the Tampa Bay region a better place.

Ashley Ehrman

St. Petersburg Native Ashley Ehrman graduated from the University of South Florida in 2008. While in college, she became involved as a leader in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and continued as a volunteer adviser after graduation while working as a traveling consultant for the organization.

Ehrman furthered her love for philanthropy in her next role at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, where she worked with Leadership Tampa and Emerge Tampa Bay, a leadership and community development organization for young professionals. While helping others get plugged into services opportunities, Ehrman fostered her own passion for helping others.

Now 27, her volunteer portfolio includes Metropolitan Ministries, the Ryan Nece Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and USF Women in Leadership and Philanthropy (where she is currently employed).

In addition to Emerge, Ehrman contributes her community involvement to the advice of several mentors she has been fortunate to connect with, including Colleen Chappell of ChappellRoberts, Joanne Sullivan, an independent fundraiser, and Kelley Sims of KKS Marketing + Development in Tampa.

One such mentor, Jennifer Murphy from SunTrust, invited Erhman to a YMCA dinner at which she first learned about the organization’s program in Sulphur Springs. Shortly thereafter, she joined the Advisory Board for the Sulfur Springs Branch and was recently one of two young professionals asked to join the Governance Board of the YMCA. The forward-thinking initiative aims to bring young leaders into the organization to prepare for succession planning. “Leadership succession in our community is essential,” says Ehrman. “The earlier we get young professionals engaged in our community, the stronger our community will be.”

Ehrman has had so many helpful mentors, she created her own personal Board of Mentors, where she helps them engage with other young professionals.

John Fontana

John Fontana, age 31, has had a service mindset since he was a child. A Brandon native, Fontana attended Jesuit High School in Tampa, where community service was not only emphasized, it was required. It was there that he first started volunteering, getting involved with Habitat for Humanity, Key Club and muscular dystrophy camps.

After attending the University of Florida, Fontana returned to Tampa for a job in information technology, and later moved into Real Estate. Fontana currently owns a Bricks 4 Kids franchise, a national company that helps kids learn S.T.E.M. skills using LEGO bricks. Through this company, he is able to work with nonprofit organizations such as Make a Wish Foundation (helping a young child visit Legoland), as well as handicapped and autistic children.

Fontana’s current service passion is with Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS), where he mentors a high school student named Isiah. The time he has spent with Isiah has had a profound effect on the teen, increasing his confidence and improving his communication skills. Fontana has been affected by the relationship as well.

“You’re effecting people greater than you think you are, and you’re changing their life. My goal is to always make people feel better than [they felt before the time] when they met me.” Fontana encourages others to seek out volunteer opportunities, whether it be through organizations like BBBS or even a one-time event on a weekend.

“You definitely walk away being a better person after volunteering, and who wouldn’t want to feel that way.”

Audra Milligan

After growing up in Polk County and graduating from the University of Florida, Audra Milligan moved to New York City with nothing but two suitcases, searching for arts, culture and life. After finding a job as a receptionist at a hedge fund, she worked her way up to become the VP of the company at age 30. In 2013 at age 34, she decided to cultivate her roots and move back to Tampa.

Upon arriving, Milligan once again found herself seeking community, as she didn’t know anyone outside of family. After taking a role at Northwestern Mutual, Milligan noticed a community mindset among residents in the Tampa Bay region.

“I fell in love with how community-minded Tampa is. I was intoxicated with how much giving back there is, and how much people enjoy it. That didn’t really exist in New York.”

Milligan started meeting people one-on-one for coffee, and asked how she could get more plugged in. One common thread among young professionals was involvement in Emerge Tampa Bay. She immediately joined the organization and got more involved, attending mixers, joining committees and planning volunteer projects.

An Emerge connection told her about one of her favorite volunteer opportunities, Give Day Tampa Bay, hosted in the first year by Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and Florida Next Foundation. The one-day event raises awareness by encouraging people to give any amount they can to a local nonprofit. Milligan was part of a group of volunteers who launched the project in its first year through grassroots canvasing.

Milligan recently received the 2015 Deanne Dewey Roberts Emerging Leader Award from the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes professional values, leadership, service and dedication to the Tampa Bay community.

“I love Tampa. I’m really attracted to the sense of community that people feel here. It’s kind of got a big town, small town feel.”

Rebecca Sterling

Imagine a playground designed by kids, for kids, that allows them to explore their physical environment while encouraging active play and brain development. Organizers from KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit that builds playgrounds to enhance play for children, built such a playground along with 200 volunteers at the Fair Oaks Park Community Center in Tampa in December.

The playground is one of the many projects Rebecca Sterling has participated in for Bank of America, where she works as Vice President and Business Support Manager.

Sterling started volunteering at a young age, coordinating food drives, walks and fundraisers in high school and college. At the age of 19, she began working for Bank of America and was impressed with the company philosophy in giving back to the community. As her career progressed here, she was looking for a way to show her manager that she had leadership potential. A leader in the company gave her what she considers to be some of the best advice she has received – become involved in the company’s community efforts. Sterling immediately did just that, and now at the age of 36 is a former chair and activate participant in the Bank of America Community Volunteers, the bank’s volunteer arm.

In her volunteer role, Sterling has coordinated many community outreach efforts, including a recent group of 400 people that sent 10,000 holiday cards to Tampa Bay children’s hospitals through the bank’s Hearts for Holidays Campaign. The group also created over 15,000 paper booklets to benefit the Hillsborough Education Foundation’s Teaching Tools Store.

A Seattle native, Sterling has found her home in Tampa Bay, partly because of her community efforts.  “I love the community. I love the people here. I love making a difference in the lives of those in need.”

Her favorite service project was a collection of more than 10,000 school supplies for Backpacks for Hope to benefit Metropolitan Ministries [http://www.metromin.org]. All supplies collected go directly to children who would not otherwise be able to have basic supplies needed to be successful in school.

“I am always thankful when I am able to help those less fortunate than myself, especially children who are unable to help themselves.”

I’m writing to you as the parent of a public student in the State of Florida. Thank you, in advance, for reading my letter and listening to my concerns.

I am extremely concerned about the excessive testing taking place within public schools in our state. I have been watching and studying this issue for several years now – reading articles in local and national news media, talking individually and in groups with teachers and parents and reading research on the consequences of excessive testing. I have learned that neither teachers, nor parents, nor administrators, nor most local school boards are happy with the testing being done in our state. School districts are, rightfully, taking public stands against this. Parents are speaking out all over the state. Teachers are speaking out privately because, sadly, they are made to fear for their jobs if they speak publicly against testing and other aspects of education reform.

More than half of the school year – and in some districts even more than that – is spent on tests or test preparation, to the detriment of actual learning. As a parent, I am not happy with this. Let me be clear – I am not against accountability or standards. In fact, I think we should have a high level of accountability and expectations for our schools and our children. I also think standards are a good thing, as they are in almost all professions. What I am against, however, is standards that were created and funded by corporations and politicians who have little to no experience running a classroom and no solid evidence about what it’s actually like to implement these standards. Veteran teachers (and others who have just as much educational training and experience as them) should be the only ones writing standards for our education system. Furthermore, any standards that are implemented should be done over a long period of time, giving our teachers ample time to become trained in them, as well as express any questions or concern they have. The implementation of the Common Core State Standards was done improperly within the State of Florida, with very little consideration to the impact on teachers and students.

As a Senator who is elected to represent our state, is this what you really want for our education system – for the hard working school administrators and educators who spend many, many hours training and working for the benefit of our children? Is this what you want for the innocent children who deserve a high quality, first class education and would be receiving that if it weren’t for the involvement of federal and state government officials, and corporations?

I keep hearing how the United States falls behind other countries in terms of test scores. I, for one, do not care how my child performs against children in other countries on a standardized test. Studies have shown that standardized tests do not adequately measure learning and achievement. As a parent, I care more how much my child learns creativity, innovation and problem solving skills – all of which cannot be measured on standardized tests. To that end, how do we even know how well the U.S. compares with other countries when all we are using to compare is standardized test scores that have little to no actual meaning or real-world application?

I want my child to be taught things that cannot be measured with a test. I want her to be taught by teachers who are not evaluated by test scores. Schools should not be run like businesses because children are not products to be bought and sold. Instruction should be individualized and personal, not standardized and formal. Teachers and schools should not be pitted against each other in the name of competition. On the contrary, they should be working together to share successes without fear that their scores or evaluations will suffer if another’s increase. Corporations and politicians should not be profiting from education, as is the case with many charter schools in our state. Decisions should not be made based on the bottom line. They should be made based on what is best for the children, which is not always the same thing that leads to a profit.

I have spoken with many leaders at the district and state level about this, and what I continue to see is passing the blame. School districts say the state has the power. The state says districts have the power. No one wants to step up and take responsibility and action to bring about positive change.

The best leaders are the ones who do the right thing for the good of the whole, and I am sincerely asking you to do that now. Stop the excessive testing. Use tests minimally, as diagnostic tools to guide learning, not to grade schools or evaluate teachers. Give all teachers a voice in the development and implementation of standards. Treat them as valued professionals. Do support charter schools that stand to make a profit off of our children. Do the right thing, for the betterment and future of our workforce and our state.

Thank you, again, for reading my concerns. I look forward to receiving your response.

Veterinary technicians can be described as nurses for animals. They are often the first point of care an animal receives at a clinic. They perform initial examinations, listen to the owner’s concerns and help ease anxieties the animal might have. But unlike in the human medical field, a vet tech’s job might include taking x-rays, performing dental hygiene, or assisting with surgeries all in the same day — and often on more than one species.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterinary technician is now the sixth fastest-growing career field in the nation, and is projected to grow 52 percent this decade between 2010 and 2020.

Hillsborough Community College (HCC)’s Associate of Science Degree in Veterinary Technology provides the general and specialized training needed to meet this workforce need. The two-year program has grown from five students at its inception in 2005 to the second largest program in Florida with a current enrollment of 60 students. The overall workforce for vet techs grew by 25 percent between the program’s inception and 2010.

In April, HCC became the sixth institution in Florida to be fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), ensuring it meets the highest standards for quality and certification. The overall number of accredited programs in the U.S. increased by 32 percent between 2010 and 2013.

“It’s a source of educated technicians that do a lot of things that veterinarians in the past have had to spend time doing,” says Dr. Vincent Centonze, director of veterinary technology at HCC. Vet techs do a lot of the prep work to allow veterinarians to focus on diagnosing and treating medical issues.

Graduate Tampa Bay

Programs like this not only meet local workforce needs, but also help increase educational attainment, a goal of the Graduate Tampa Bay (GTB) initiative. GTB is part of the national Talent Dividend competition, in which three metropolitan regions in Tampa Bay are competing for a $1 million prize for the city/region with the largest increase in college degrees by the end of this year.

A 1 percent increase in the number of Tampa Bay residents with college degrees would result in an additional $3 billion for the region in the form of increased productivity, innovation and social benefits.

Community Partnerships

HCC’s program focuses on hands-on field work. Through partnerships with local organizations such as Hillsborough County Animal Services (HCAS), students are able to apply techniques learned in the classroom to animals that truly need medical assistance, allowing them to give back to the community. Students observe and assist with spay and neuter surgeries for animals waiting to be adopted. They also work on animals with other health needs such as fractured limbs or bladder stones.

“It’s not just an academic exercise,” says Centonze. “We pride ourselves on doing real time labs.”

Other community partnerships include SPCA Florida in Lakeland, Hernando County Animal Services and Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort in Ruskin.

Joining The Workforce

Graduates from the program can be found across Florida, with most remaining in the Tampa Bay region. “We have students all over the map,” says Centonze. “It makes me proud. It’s really wonderful.”

The program has a 92 percent employment rate within one year after graduation.

Students also participate in externships, spending a total of 240 hours doing hands-on preparation.

“It’s possibly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” says student Pavielle Siebold. “Like anything, it’s hard work. But, to be successful, you have to put a lot of hard work into anything that you do.”

Siebold is participating in an externship at the SPCA of Florida and will graduate in the spring of 2014. She plans to remain in the Tampa Bay area after graduation. She chose HCC’s program, in part, because of the accreditation which mandates real-world skills that are essential in practice.

The program “gives us the ability to help animals that don’t have a voice,” says Siebold. “It’s always about the care and love of the animals.”

Naples resident Jodi Bell knows adversity. She knows what it’s like to raise two young children on her own. She knows what it’s like to be homeless and to feel without hope. She also knows what it’s like to ask for help, to overcome her fears, and to live her dreams.

Bell and her ex-husband moved to Naples from New York in 1998. She worked in the insurance industry, but her passion was always to study law. For most of her life she lacked the self-confidence to follow this passion, until three years ago when all of that changed.

The transformation started when Bell left her unhappy marriage in 2007. With no family in Florida other than her one-year-old daughter, she had nowhere to turn. As difficult as that was, she now looks back at that decision as the beginning of an incredible journey. After a bitter custody battle, Bell became homeless with no job and just a suitcase of clothes. After eight weeks of living in her car and staying with friends, she was able to find a job and an apartment, and regained custody of her daughter.

The next year Bell got pregnant again. She was terminated from her job, leaving her once again feeling hopeless. She received support through her church and a local pregnancy center called Care Net. In January of 2010, at the age of 37, Bell made the life-changing decision to finally pursue her dreams and enroll at State College of Florida (SCF) Manatee-Sarasota.

“I wanted to provide a good life for my kids without having to depend on anybody,” says Bell.

The experience was scary at first, she says, because of her low self-esteem, which was somewhat amplified by a vocal cord injury that makes her speech hoarse.

“I was petrified the younger people in my class would make fun of me if I had to raise my hand to answer questions, or the teachers would not take me seriously.”

Ironically, this fear was overcome through a Fundaments of Speech course, which required her to deliver six speeches in front of the class. Finding encouragement from her professor and fellow classmates, Bell found each speech to be easier to deliver than the last.

Now, with no fear of public speaking, Bell is proud to have told her story to 400 people at Care Net’s Annual Gala.

“My dedication and perseverance in each course helped me to gain some self-awareness and overcome some fears. I haven’t allowed my vocal disability to prevent me from succeeding or doing well in my studies,” says Bell.

Providing Inspiration

Bell credits her success in college to the people there who believed in her — her professors, fellow classmates and on-campus resources such as the Academic Resource Center, which offers tutoring, labs and test preparation.

“Everything I lost about myself, I gained through SCF.”

When she graduates this month with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paralegal/Legal Assisting, Bell will be the first in her family with a college degree. She is currently interning with the Manatee County Attorney‘s office and plans to pursue a career as a paralegal.

“I just want to try to inspire other people in whatever situation that is preventing them from taking that step,” says Bell. “There are a lot of people that would love to go to college, but something is keeping them from doing it.”

Tampa Bay is making its mark on clean energy and alternative fuel consumption with the addition of compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and vehicles.

CNG is a relatively low-cost, environmentally friendly, natural fuel that burns cleaner than conventional gasoline. Available domestically, CNG sells for about $1 per gallon less than gasoline, emits about 40 percent less greenhouse gases and extends engines lives while enabling less cost for maintenance.

The first station in Tampa Bay opened in Clearwater in October, 2011. The City of Clearwater now has seven trucks operating on CNG and plans to convert all 70 of its garbage trucks within the next eight years. Other city departments such as public works and public utilities are converting vehicles as well.

“We’re hoping this really catches on and that we get more commercial outfits,” says Lisa Brown, marketing coordinator and public information specialist for the City of Clearwater Natural Gas Vehicles. “It really makes a lot of sense if the outfit does a lot of transportation and delivery of items through Clearwater.”

The newly designed vehicles can be identified by placement of a logo with blue-and-green lettering and a dandelion. The city regularly receives calls from other businesses and consumers interested in natural gas, and sees this as a growing trend. Verizon uses the station for 13 of its vans; Waste Pro does for two trucks. The jolly trolley on Clearwater Beach also has one natural gas trolley.

The conversion to national gas was encouraged by a study done by the City that assessed the amount of greenhouse gas emissions occurring.

Paying It Up Front And Forward

The process to switch to CNG vehicles can take a while because new vehicles using CNG can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $35,000. Converting vehicles runs around $80,000 each. Most businesses and public agencies are purchasing new vehicles as they retire old ones. Bi-fuel vehicles are becoming more popular as well because they can run on either gasoline or CNG.

Tampa International Airport (TIA) opened a public fueling station in March of 2012. The airport plans to convert at least 72 percent of its 115-vehicle fleet to CNG over the next 10 years, saving an expected $1 million. CNG is currently being used to fuel the airport’s 16 economy parking shuttles as well as eight other vehicles. Public customers used an estimated 7,500 gallons at the station in 2012.

The City of Tampa Solid Waste Department recently unveiled five new CNG trucks and plans to add five more to its fleet by 2014. The trucks will fuel at TIA’s station.

A third public station is set to open near the Port of Tampa by April of this year. The station is owned by Trillium, which is currently seeking corporate and private users.

J.J. Taylor Companies in Tampa, a beer distribution firm, opened a new CNG fueling station in February and plans to replace its entire fleet of 95 trucks with CNG operated vehicles in the next 36 months.

Hillsborough County is considering converting heavy duty vehicles to CNG and currently has one vehicle used by the Environmental Protection Commission. The county’s Department of Energy, along with the USF Patel School of Global Sustainability and TECO Energy have also started the Clean Cities Coalition, which helps companies, individuals and government entities with research and use of alternative fuels.

“We want to bring more options into the county,” says Margaret Rush, sustainability program coordinator for the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. “We’re developing a one-stop shop that can help you find the best information and the best way to move forward.”

Public Stations Welcome Private Vehicles

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is converting its entire fleet of buses to CNG. The Authority recently received $6.3 million in federal grant funding to purchase CNG-powered buses and build a fueling station on 21st Avenue in Tampa, scheduled to open in early 2014. HART currently has a fleet of more than 230 buses and vans. Beginning with the vans, retired vehicles are being replaced with CNG-powered options. The estimated timeframe for completion of the conversion is 10 to 12 years. The estimated yearly savings to HART is $750,000.

“CNG is cleaner,” says Marcia Mejia, public information officer for HART. “It burns cleaner, so it’s better for our environment. It has the added benefit of being available domestically.”

The stations at TIA, the Port of Tampa and Clearwater are open to the public. Access must be provided by the institution.

What does it take to be a good mom? Each person’s answer to that question is probably very different. For one mom, it might be involvement in school and the community. For another it’s just getting out the door on time each day. Still for others, it’s about instilling strong values and beliefs in your children.

83 Degrees Media talks with five moms in Tampa Bay who blog about their daily life experiences in hopes of inspiring other parents, providing advice and learning something about themselves along the way.

Some are just starting out with children; others know the ropes. But they all have one thing in common: The bond that ties them together as writers and as moms, and the desire to share what they know with the world. For them, being a good mom is about small successes, overcoming challenges and being the most authentic version of yourself.

The Be Present Project, Jessica Muroff

Like many young professionals, Tampa native and University of South Florida graduate Jessica Muroff had the typical 40+ hour work week, working from home most nights, spending lots of time on email. One day she woke up and realized that her daughters were 4 and 6 years old and wondered where all of the time went. It was then that she decided to make a significant, albeit somewhat scary, career and life change to a new job that would allow her to spend more time with her family. A few months later, The Be Present Project blog was born.

The blog focuses on how to be more present in our everyday lives – from family dinners to “no phone zones” to little things like hugs and simply saying, “I love you.”

“I would like to give people more resources and tools to be inspired and to help them be more present every single day — to simplify things in life and focus on being present,” says Muroff.

With all of the struggles involved in the day to day balancing act that is being a mom, the blog inspires people to take a deep breath and focus on what’s important.

“As a mom, we put too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect, and I think we overdo it sometimes,” says Muroff. “I’m amazed at how simple it can be to do this –- slow down, take some breaths, make some priorities.”

Throughout the blog, you’ll find advice such as finding pure joy through belting out songs with your kids on the way to school or using a handwritten letter to give ‘a moment’ to someone else. You’ll learn to slow down and appreciate the little things in life, like counting freckles.

Most of all, the blog chronicles Muroff’s personal journey of successes and challenges involved in being more present on a daily basis.

“I feel completely more fulfilled than I have been in a long time. I’m so much happier as a person. This has been a really amazing journey for me.”

Mommy Masters, Ellie Hirsch

“Together, we can master motherhood,” is Ellie Hirsch’s motto and theme. As a stay-at-home mom of children ages 6, 4 and 10 months, and with a husband who travels frequently, she realizes the definition of motherhood is different for everyone.

“One day you’ll be a mommy master, the next day you might be a mommy disaster,” laughs Hirsch. But, it’s all part of the learning process.

Hirsch moved to Tampa in 2004, when her husband’s job brought them to Florida. While at first it was tough being away from family, they now love the area and have no plans to leave.

“The atmosphere for children is fantastic,” says Hirsch. “We have created a really nice life for ourselves.”

The goal of Mommy Masters is to be a resource for parents, with tips, tools and reassurance in whatever decisions they face. The blog includes a different parenting tip each month, taken directly from the experiences Hirsch has in her own life. Tips include ways to teach children to appreciate what they have, the importance of storytelling and creative responses to tantrums.

“I try to be informational, as a resource where parents can go if they need advice, help or confidence,” says Hirsch.

Other highlights include “Mommy Master of the Month,” featuring mom entrepreneurs, mostly from the Tampa Bay region.

“It’s incredible the amount of women who are doing so many great things,” reflects Hirsch.

And not to leave dads out, the “A Dad’s Perspective” section features a guest dad blogger who shares his perspective on parenting, such as tips for flying with children.

Hirsch also released an 18-track educational CD of children’s music. The CD and the blog have been a wonderful experience for her. “It’s my biggest accomplishment, aside from my children,” says Hirsch.

Gone Bananas, Kirsten Krienes

Hernando County resident Kirsten Krienes started blogging in 2008, with the main goal of writing about her experience raising a young child with epilepsy.

“I started the blog as an outlet,” says Krienes. “It ended up being a blog about, basically, my life,” which Krienes likens to “going bananas.”

Her daughter, now 10, was diagnosed with epilepsy at one month old. Her Gone Bananas blog describes general day-to-day experiences such as trips to Busch Gardens and stay-at-home pumpkin carvings. It also offers a humble, sincere account of her struggles living with anxiety. Krienes describes challenges she has faced, as well as small tasks that help her get through.

“I want people to know that I’m still me, I’m still real, I can still joke and have a good time,” says Krienes. “I just happen to deal with this as well.”

Krienes posts music videos to describe her feelings and moods, such as Walk by Foo Fighters when a particularly tough week had her feeling like she was learning to walk all over again.

Through the blog, Krienes has been able to work through some of her anxiety issues and is thankful for the connections she has made with others in similar situations.

Krienes also uses the blog to educate people about epilepsy, which effects 65 million people worldwide (300,000 children under the age of 15 in the U.S.).

Krienes may go weeks at a time without blogging, mainly to make sure all of her posts are genuine and well thought-out.

“I consider myself beautifully flawed — otherwise known as normal,” laughs Krienes. Her tagline is “Sliding through life one banana peel at a time.”

Metamorfit, Jenny Hodges

In 2008, Land O’ Lakes resident Jenny Hodges thought she hit rock bottom. A full-time graduate student and stay-at-home mom to three kids ages 1, 2 and 3, she weighed in at 369 pounds. Realizing that not only was she not taking care of herself, but she wasn’t serving as a positive role model for her kids, Hodges set off for the weight loss journey of a lifetime.

She started by drastically changing her diet, going from eating lots of boxed, processed foods to a clean, “close to the Earth” diet with minimal ingredients. She learned about portion control and gained accountability through Weight Watchers.

She also started to exercise.

“Once I started incorporating exercise and changed my diet, it was amazing to see how my body transformed,” says Hodges. She quickly discovered a passion for sports and fitness. “I became an amateur athlete, and realized I’m kind of a natural at it.”

After 2½ years, Hodges was at a weight she was happy with — a grand total of 212 pounds lost — and has kept it off ever since.

Her blog, titled Metamorfit because of the transformation she went through, began as a way to “pay it forward,” letting people know that anything in life is possible. Even with three young kids (one with special needs), being in the right mindset allowed Hodges to manage her life and reach her aggressive weight loss goal.

Metamorfit features a weekly vlog, or video blog, and healthy recipes. Hodges also writes about parenting experiences such as teaching your children about healthy living, and exercise tips such as “5 Tips for a Pilates Newbie.” Her blog is a few months old and, she says, has already inspired people to make important life changes.

Hodges is active in the Tampa Bay blogging community and credits it for helping her blog get off the ground.

“We’re not competitive with each other,” she says. “We do a lot of outreach together and answer questions. Being a newbie blogger, I really needed that.”

Denise Mestanza-Taylor, Run DMT

Being a stay-at-home mom, running marathons, and organizing both a moms group and Tampa Bay bloggers online community keeps Denise Mestanza-Taylor constantly “on the run.” Her blog follows her passion for running, along with the constant running around that comes with raising three children, ages 10, 7 and 2.

A University of South Florida graduate and former Pasco County school teacher, Mestanza-Taylor first found her passion for running in 2007. After each race, she would share stories in the online forum of the local moms group she organizes and realized she had a following. This, coupled with her long-term love for writing, gave her the inspiration to start the blog.

“I pride myself in always having a story to tell,” she says, noting that her main reason for writing is to share her experiences.

True to the blog’s title, the Run DMT posts run the gamut, from recipes to weekly meal plans, activities to do with kids and play-by-plays of her running journey complete with pictures. There’s also a “Soup du Jour Vlog” each week on Thursday, which features a short video.

“Tampa Bay has beautiful beaches, rivers and parks to explore, wonderful restaurants and great nightspots,” says Mestanza-Taylor, noting that the vast amount of things to do in the region year round provides great blogging material.

She started the Tampa Bloggers online community after hosting a local BlogHer Meetup in 2011. The meetup provided so much knowledge about blogging and a sense of community, she wanted to repeat the experience.

Like many others, Mestanza-Taylor describes herself as “a mom on the run, just trying to find an easy pace through it all.”

Described by its owners as “3.19 acres of urban paradise,” the 100-feet-wide by ¼-mile-long Gateway Organic Farm is nestled between Highway 19 and Roosevelt Boulevard in Clearwater, an unlikely place for a farm.

Hank and Pam Sindlinger bought the property with the intention of simply using the existing greenhouse to cultivate Pam’s herb garden hobby. Little did they know it would turn into the only USDA-certified organic family farm in Pinellas County, serving more than 100 families each week through community supported agriculture.

Originally from Manfield, OH, the Sindlingers had large gardens and farms throughout their lives but originally chose the corporate world when it came to their careers. In 2003 their lives changed abruptly when their grandchildren, Stephen and Stephanie, came to live with them. A desire to settle down and to retire in the Sunshine State ultimately led them to choose Clearwater as their home.

Their introduction to Florida gardening came in 2004 when they bought a small landscape nursery next to their house. Pam’s involvement in local and statewide gardening groups introduced them to the concept of community supported agriculture (CSA), which allows the public to buy “shares” of the farm and then benefit from the harvest.

“We wanted to expose the children to the way we were raised — getting back to our roots, both literally and figuratively,” says Pam Sindlinger, farmer and co-owner of Gateway Organic Farm.

Six years later, they have never looked back. After the CSA families benefit from the harvest, any abundance is sold to local chefs at restaurants such as the nearby Café Ponte, Parkshore Grill in St. Petersburg and Island Way Grill in Clearwater. They also host charity events, such as the fall festival for All Children’s Hospital, which brought over 600 people to the farm.

Seeds2Soup

Recently, they engaged in a community partnership with the High Point Neighborhood Family Center and Pinellas Technical Education Center’s (pTEC) Culinary Program to create the first USDA certified organic community garden in Florida. The project, titled “Seeds2Soup,” allows low-income families served by the Center to grow their own food at the farm.  Children visit on a regular basis for farming and education, and their families receive hands-on classes in meal preparation through pTEC, using the food they grow.

“I’m just impressed seeing the kids learn so much about life,” says Margo Adams, executive director of the Center. “They’re learning everything you would think of when you want to teach people to be self-sufficient or to eat healthier.”

Sustainable Families

“We want to teach them how to fish, not just give them a fishing pole,” says Caroline Brown, program director for the Center. The idea is to instill self-sustainability so the families can continue to use the skills they have learned.
Families who participate in Seeds2Soup receive long-term benefits, with many still growing food in their homes.

“The parents are so happy to be able to grow food in their back yard and then actually have their kids enjoy eating vegetables,” says Brown.

The project earned the farm the Florida Innovative Farmer Award for 2012 from the Florida Small Farm and Alternative Enterprise Conference. The award is based on achievement, innovation, leadership in supporting viable communities and effective outreach about sustainable agriculture.

“We would never have imagined things like this would come from growing turnips,” reflects Sindlinger.