Seacoast Collegiate High School Receives $46,025 Grant from The St. Joe Community Foundation for a 1:1 Device for Life Program

Left to Right: Dr Tom Miller (The Seaside School, Inc. Executive Director), April Wilkes (The St. Joe Community Foundation Executive Director), Teresa Horton (The Seaside School Foundation Executive Director), and Drew Ward (Seacoast Collegiate High School Principal)

SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL [October 27, 2023] — Seacoast Collegiate High School, part of The Seaside School, Inc., is excited to announce a substantial grant of $46,025 from The St. Joe Community Foundation, a dedicated supporter of education and community growth. This generous funding marks a significant step in the realization of Seacoast Collegiate High School's 1:1 Device for Life Program.

A momentous check presentation ceremony took place on Wednesday, October 25, 2023,  at Seacoast Collegiate High School, where April Wilkes, the Executive Director of The St. Joe Community Foundation, presented the grant. This grant is set to provide 175 Chromebooks to students in grades 10th through 12th, enabling them to excel not just in high school but in their college and professional careers.

April Wilkes, Executive Director of The St. Joe Community Foundation, stated, "Education is the cornerstone of a thriving community, and The St. Joe Community Foundation is deeply committed to giving back and making a positive impact on the lives of students. We believe that access to technology and digital resources is vital for the next generation's success in an ever-evolving world. This grant signifies our dedication to that cause."

This grant from The St. Joe Community Foundation exemplifies the Foundation's long-standing support for The Seaside School, Inc. Over the years, the Foundation has sponsored various events, including a significant pledge of $100,000 to the Seacoast College High School and Northwest Florida State College Dual Enrollment and Workforce Development Center opening in Fall 2025 in Walton County. Additionally, The St. Joe Community Foundation has consistently provided sponsorships and support for various educational initiatives at The Seaside School, Inc., including the annual Seaside School Half Marathon + 5K Race Weekend.

Dr. Tom Miller, Executive Director of The Seaside School, Inc., expressed, "We're deeply grateful for The St. Joe Community Foundation's continued support, and this grant for our 1:1 Device for Life Program is a testament to our shared commitment to quality education in Walton County. The Chromebooks will enhance the educational experience and skill development of our students, preparing them for the future."

The 1:1 Device for Life Program at Seacoast Collegiate High School is a multifaceted initiative that empowers students and the broader school community. By providing individual devices to each student, it offers a comprehensive range of benefits, including seamless access to digital learning materials and textbooks, fostering personalized learning, facilitating collaboration, ensuring flexibility in education, enhancing efficiency in feedback and assignments, boosting student engagement, promoting equity in access, enabling data analysis for targeted interventions, preparing students for college, offering cost savings through digital resources, increasing parental involvement, and fostering innovation in teaching methods and curriculum design.

In addition, this initiative not only benefits the students but also extends its positive impact into the workforce. Graduates will be well-prepared with essential digital skills, research and communication proficiency, and easy access to resources. The 1:1 Device for Life Program aligns students with technology commonly used in professional settings, enhancing their adaptability to various software and tools and facilitating remote work and collaboration along with well-equipping them for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Drew Ward, Principal of Seacoast Collegiate High School, emphasized, "The 1:1 Device for Life Program reflects our vision of empowering students with essential skills that will help them succeed in both higher education and their future careers. We are truly excited about the positive changes this will bring to our students and our school community."

One of the program's beneficiaries, Lauren Baugh, the Student Government Association President at Seacoast Collegiate High School, remarked, "Receiving a Chromebook through the 1:1 Device for Life Program is a game-changer. It's not just a device; it's a key to unlocking our future success, both in college and in our careers. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity from The St. Joe Community Foundation."

Left to Right: Dr. Tom Miller (The Seaside School, Inc. Executive Director) and Lauren Baugh (Seacoast Collegiate High School Student Government Association President)

Melanie Sabillon, an 11th grader at Seacoast Collegiate High School, also commented, “Most of them [students] use their phone or pen and paper, so our computers are way faster and better for taking notes or doing projects. It’s great! It’s also one less thing we need to worry about. I don’t have to go out and spend $1,000 on a Macbook or ask my mom for money. It’s there and I get to use it and not worry about it.”

Seacoast Collegiate High School's 1:1 Device for Life Program, fueled by the generosity of The St. Joe Community Foundation, represents a significant step forward in the pursuit of excellence in education. It empowers students, strengthens the school community, and fosters the essential skills that will drive success in the workforce of tomorrow.

For more information about The Seaside School, Inc., visit SeasideSchools.net. Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year Seaside Neighborhood School and Seacoast Collegiate High School will open on January 5, 2024. 

###

About The Seaside School, Inc.
The Seaside School, Inc. - the oldest operating public charter school in Florida and comprised of Seaside Neighborhood School in Seaside, Florida and Seacoast Collegiate High School located on the nearby campus of Northwest Florida State College - was founded in 1996 with the simple goal of creating a school to address the need for a better middle school education in Walton County. Today, Seaside School has nearly 440 students across the two school campuses and Northwest Florida State College serving grades 5th through 12th and was ranked in the top five of all public charter schools in the state of Florida for the 2021-2022 school year based on the Florida Department of Education School Grade Program. The Seaside School, Inc. is also the top performing school in Walton County. For more information, visit SeasideSchools.net. 

About The St. Joe Foundation
The St Joe Community Foundation’s mission is to enrich the quality of life of the people who live, work, and play in Northwest Florida. Created in 1999, the Foundation provides grants to other 501(C)(3) entities for the areas of education, environmental stewardship, building healthier communities, and programs that honor the cultural arts. The Foundation is funded exclusively by a transfer fee on the sale of real estate in certain communities and resorts St Joe develops. This fee applies the first time a property is sold, and on each resale. The Foundation is a separate entity from The St. Joe Company and has a separate Board of Directors. www.JoeFoundation.com 

©2023 The St Joe Community Foundation. The “Taking Flight” Design®, “St. Joe (and Taking Flight Design)®” and “St. Joe Community Foundation℠”  are registered service marks of The St. Joe Company or its affiliates.

Media Contact
Bobby Parker
Parker Gene Creative LLC
bobby@parkergenecreative.com
850.797.1987