The room is packed.
Susan Sullivan flits from one end of the classroom to the other, greeting those who walk in. With a positive reputation from Tomlin Middle School, she is taking what she has learned as principal of TMS and amplifying it in her new role as Plant City High School’s principal.
Then there’s PCHS PTSA President Yvonne Fry. That woman has the guts to dream big and then carry out those ideas in the thought bubbles that follow her around. I’ve lost track of how many projects and organizations she’s involved in. I’m convinced she doesn’t sleep.
They are joined by two board room tables stacked with community powerhouses, such as Plant City Mayor Rick Lott, City Manager Mike Herr, Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce President Marion Smith and School Board member Melissa Snively.
It is overwhelming — in a good way. No, in a great way.
The meeting is the kick-off luncheon for the PCHS Business Advisory Council Wednesday, Aug. 5. Forget any fancy mission statements and flowery jargon on what this council will do. The goal is simple: connect students with Plant City leaders.
“The main focus is to help kids go on and be successful,” Sullivan says.
From the Florida Strawberry Festival to Wendy’s restaurants, representatives around the table included professionals in the health, banking, manufacturing, media, government, education, accounting fields and beyond. Members of the group were asked to pitch their ideas of how to become involved in supporting PCHS and its students.
Their ideas were more than enthusiastic.
MENTORSHIPS
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” No one really knows the answer to that question right away.
Add figuring the answer out while balancing grades and required community service hours, writing college essays and resumes, playing sports, and for at risk-youth, a lack of parental support and financial instability.
Shoot, it’s hard enough at that age to avoid tripping in hallways filled with several hundred students at a time or trying not to get rejected by a potential prom date.
Many business leaders are hungry to lend a helping hand. Confused on last night’s trigonometry homework? Need assistance navigating the confusing maze of college and scholarship applications? They’ve got you covered and hope to launch a mentorship program during the school year.
The program won’t just be for students seeking to go to college. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 68.4% of 2014 high school graduates were enrolled in colleges or universities. It’s still a majority, but a large percentage of students go straight into the military or immediately jump into a career or vocation.
And so, another idea is born: internships.
INTERNSHIPS
It’s not a revolutionary idea, but it is one that can make a big impact. Allowing students to try different careers could end them up with an answer to the dreaded question above.
It also expands their minds and feeds their personal growth.
This was the part of the meeting where I was on the edge of my seat with excitement.
For two years the Plant City Times & Observer has been trying to connect with area schools’ yearbook and journalism programs to teach students the ins and outs of reporting. We’ve only been around for three years, but we couldn’t wait to get further entrenched in the community we cover.
We can’t even say the responses fizzled because there were no responses — until this summer.
Bam! We have three interns: Abby Baker, Jose Lozoya and Arden White.
I am a sucker for volunteerism. If I was in a pageant, my platform would be all the platforms. From competing in Dancing with the Locals to helping create a dish for the United Food Bank’s Celebrity Chef Dinner, I am there.
So mentoring our interns is one of the best parts of going to work. Every Wednesday we critique their work, offer them tips, teach them AP style, and most importantly, give them bylines. They are published writers at 16, 17 and 18. Not a lot of people can say that.
Now that PCHS is asking for our involvement, I am over the moon concocting ways to design a sister program we can implement to coincide with yearbook class. (I already have a journalism 101 packet ready to go.)
On top of that, I want to take this beyond PCHS to other high schools, middle schools, tutoring facilities, after-school programs and daycares under one umbrella program managed by the Plant City Times & Observer.
Our staff members have unique perspectives that can appeal to a wide variety of interests. Sports reporter Justin Kline knows graphic design and podcasts. News reporter Emily Topper worked at her college radio station. I have a background in broadcast with video editing software skills, and camera and script writing knowledge.
To foster in our youth a love of reporting, ethics, technology and writing in a real world application would benefit all of Plant City by giving its students confidence and the ability to grow their talents and interests.
And it would teach students the art of storytelling — something that has been around since cave paintings. Students would learn to look outside of the box, find the new angle, seek honesty and truth in everything they do, and dig deep inside of themselves.
GET INVOLVED
If you are interested in becoming involved with the Plant City High School Business Advisory Council email PTSA President Yvonne Fry at yfry@yvonnefry.com.
JOURNALISM ED
If you would like for the Plant City Times & Observer to teach your students, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, tutoring groups, clubs and more about the art of storytelling through writing, or audio and video production, email Managing Editor Amber Jurgensen at AJurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
MEET THE PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER INTERNS
What is your favorite thing about reporting?
Jose Lozoya | My favorite thing about reporting is being able to learn about people’s lives in the community and feeling like I could contribute in some way to the city I was born and raised in.
Arden White | My favorite thing about reporting is being able to meet all the different people I get to interview.
Abby Baker | I like to learn about all the people and things I’m reporting on.