FREE-NEFEC Newsletter for February 2026

Foundation for Rural Education Excellence

Supporting Academic Achievement in

Rural Northeast Florida Communities

February 2026 Newsletter

The Foundation for Rural Education Excellence, a registered 501 (C)(3) organization, was founded in 1998 to facilitate philanthropic support for rural school districts of the North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC): Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union Counties as well as Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and PK Yonge Developmental Research School. Working collaboratively, our mission is to enhance academic success and career opportunities for rural students in northeast Florida.

Visit our website

2026 College & Career Fair

Over 700 students from 11 member districts participated in this year’s NEFEC College & Career Fair. This event is all about opening doors for students by connecting them with colleges, universities, technical programs, military representatives, apprenticeships, scholarship resources, and countless pathways to life after graduation.

A huge thank you to the colleges, businesses, military partners, and industry leaders who invested their time into students from NEFEC member districts. Your partnership helps turn aspirations into action and possibilities into plans.

New Teacher Network Mini-Grant Winners

Please join us in celebrating three exceptional new teachers:

Ms. Grace Johnson, Baker County Schools
Ms. Shayla Harris, Bradford County Schools
Ms. Natalie Franklin, Bradford County Schools

Congratulations to these outstanding teachers! Each has been awarded a $150 Mini-Grant from FREE in recognition of sharing highly effective practices with their new teacher cadre.