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February 2023

Happy Valentine’s Day! Our hearts are filled with gratitude for you and all you do to help us strengthen public education in Hillsborough County—from our donors to our volunteers.

And nothing fills my bucket quite like hearing directly from students about the positive impact teachers and district staff have on their lives. The inspiring stories at this year's Excellence in Education Awards reenergizes us in our commitment to our mission.

It's because of supporters like you, that we are able to honor our district's educators and support personnel and continue to invest in our students. Thank you for the ongoing love you show HEF and those we serve!

2023 Excellence in Education Awards

2023 Award Winners

(Left to Right)

Chinovia Shedrick, Instructional Support Employee of the Year

Muhammed Conteh, Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year

Nicolette Barone, Teacher of the Year

Hillsborough County Public Schools employees use their superpowers every day to empower students and help them succeed, that's why our Excellence in Education Awards theme this year was a no-brainer – Calling All Superheroes!

We were proud to send up the Bat Signal to highlight the 667 nominees, 12 finalists and three winners for Teacher of the Year, Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year and Instructional Support Employee of the Year.

Thank you to our caped crusaders who sponsored this mission and everyone who came out to recognize our district's incredible staff!

Missed the show? Catch the full recap here!

CEOs in Schools: Making a Difference

It's been 3 months since our annual CEOs in Schools event, and we love seeing how business leaders in our community are growing their relationships with the principals, staff and students beyond just a one-day visit to their paired schools.

The continued support from these senior executives is having a lasting impact on the lives they've touched throughout the school community, helping to strengthen public education and setting up our future workforce for success.

Check out how these AMAZING CEOs are supporting schools!

HEF in the News: Our CEO is What's Right with Tampa Bay!

Hillsborough Education Foundation CEO, Kim Jowell, was recently featured on FOX 13 News for becoming the first recipient of the Joe Rizzo Learner & Leader Award from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.

The award honors the legacy of Flagler Education Foundation’s late executive director and is presented to an individual who serves as a leader in the organization and shows commitment to furthering their own education.

Get the Rest of the Story

Imagine trying to do all your work on your smartphone. For thousands of students in Hillsborough County, a parent’s phone or Wi-Fi at a local restaurant is all they have outside of school to complete their homework and access online learning resources.

HEF launched our Digital Equity initiative during the pandemic and we have seen the positive impacts on students' academic success, but our funding is limited. We need your help to be able to serve an additional 200+ students who have been referred to us by the school district.

See How You Can Help

Brian and Maureen Butler own Vistra Communications. Among the many ways they give back to our community, Brian is the founder of our CEOs in Schools program and Maureen serves on HEF's Board of Directors. Check out the unique way they honored their parents and company's 15th anniversary by donating $10,000 in books to HEF.

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