Lee County Schools is receiving a $2 million workforce grant to help students learn skills for high-demand jobs in our state. The money from the state of Florida will expand Adult and Career Education Academies in the district and charter schools.
Within the academies, students are gaining skills through hands-on experiences in industries like construction, technology, and the medical field.
"Going into high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I was older," said Ava Bellafalcone, a senior at Estero High School enrolled in the new Medical Lab Assisting Program. "This helped me decide what I wanted to do. I want to be an ultrasound tech."
With the workforce development grant, the district plans to add a new robotics program at Island Coast High School, an Environmental Water and Reclamation Program at Cypress Lake High, and create a Solar Academy at Estero High School.
"Right now, we have about 8% of all our solar capacity in the state of Florida," said Doug Beck, a science teacher at Estero High, who is also spearheading the new solar program next year. "In the next 20 years, it’s going to double, and it’s going to create a lot of opportunities for students."
Ten high schools and three charter schools are benefiting from the funding. This is the second workforce development grant awarded to Lee County Schools this year.
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