100 Years of Crooms: Honoring a Legacy, Engineering the Future

This year, Seminole County Public Schools celebrates an extraordinary milestone: the 100th anniversary of Crooms Academy of Information Technology.

To understand what Crooms represents today, we must first understand where its story began. In 1926, educators Joseph and Wealthy Crooms founded Crooms Academy at a time when segregation denied Black students access to the same educational opportunities afforded to white students. They believed their students deserved more. They envisioned an education that extended through 12th grade and went beyond the limited vocational curriculum typically available to Black students at the time, one that included music, the humanities, and preparation for a future filled with greater possibility.

What they created became far more than a school.

Crooms became a source of opportunity, pride, and possibility for generations of Black students and families in Sanford and Seminole County. Its legacy can be seen in the remarkable people connected to Crooms and its predecessor, Hopper Academy, including author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings, George Allen, the first Black graduate of the University of Florida College of Law, and countless educators, professionals and community leaders.

One hundred years later, there is something especially powerful about what Crooms has become. A school founded because segregation limited where Black students could learn is today a magnet school that draws students from communities across Seminole County. Students now seek out Crooms Academy of Information Technology for the exceptional opportunities it provides. The school has evolved into an award-winning, technology-focused magnet and has been recognized as one of the leading schools of its kind in the nation.

It is difficult to imagine a more fitting continuation of Joseph and Wealthy Crooms' vision. They believed education could open doors. They believed students deserved access to greater opportunities. And they believed deeply in the potential of the young people they served.

A century later, those beliefs remain at the heart of Crooms.

As we celebrated 100 years with the historic bell ringing to welcome everyone back for the 2026-2027 school year, we honor the generations of students, educators, families, and community members who built this remarkable legacy. We remember the inequities that made Crooms necessary, while celebrating the courage and determination of those who refused to allow those inequities to define what was possible for their children, and we continue to look ahead to the future.

The classrooms and technology may look very different from the school Joseph and Wealthy Crooms opened in 1926, but the spirit behind them remains remarkably familiar: high expectations, expanded opportunity and the belief that education can change the trajectory of a young person's life.

For 100 years, Crooms has been a place where history and possibility meet.

Today, we celebrate its past with tremendous pride and look forward with excitement to the students who will carry the Crooms legacy into its next century.

100 years of history. 100 years of opportunity. And a future still being engineered.

Midway Elementary School of the Arts Celebrates Becoming Seminole County's First Community School

As the county’s inaugural Community School, Midway Elementary School of the Arts will house an innovative model that unites healthcare providers, nonprofits, school districts, and higher education institutions under a collective 10-year commitment. By introducing this model to Midway Elementary, partners are deepening their long-term investment in student success and community well-being. 

“Community Schools are built on a simple but powerful idea: when we surround students with the right people, resources, and support, they can thrive no matter the challenges they face,” said Jeff Hayward, Heart of Florida United Way President & CEO.



This new Community School will serve as a collaborative hub, connecting students and families with academic, health, and community-based resources, while expanding access to vital services, enrichment opportunities, and long-term support. 

“We are incredibly excited to launch our first Community School in partnership with Heart of Florida United Way, Seminole State College, and True Health,” said Serita D. Beamon, superintendent, Seminole County Public Schools. “Together, we are creating a network of support that extends far beyond the classroom, helping students and families access the resources they need to thrive. By removing barriers to attendance and achievement while strengthening our relationships within the Midway community, we are ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.” 

By transforming the school into a “one-stop” center of support, Midway Elementary is strengthening connections between students, families, and the broader community by incorporating the following program model: 

• Expanded Learning: Students will have access to unique, enriching educational experiences that foster curiosity, build skills, and deepen community engagement to help reinforce classroom learning and support academic achievement.

• Mentoring and tutoring programs will support students, and higher education partner Seminole State College of Florida will bring their expertise for college readiness, access, and student success to expand postsecondary opportunities for family members. Additionally, the partnership will strengthen educator and staff practices through high-quality professional development and collaborative learning. 

• Wellness Support: Students and families can access on-campus medical, dental, vision and mental health counseling as well as additional support including assistance with food, clothing, and school supplies, ensuring that basic needs do not become barriers to success. 

• Family and Community Engagement: Parents and families will have the opportunity to participate in programs such as VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), Health education classes, and job training.

Community members also play an active role by volunteering as mentors, supporting the Roadrunner Market, and leading educational workshops. 

For more information about or to contribute to the Midway Elementary School of the Arts, please visit www.HFUW.org. 

Lyman High Has a New Top Dog!

Lyman High School has long been home to a pretty famous four-legged friend...Chase the Greyhound mascot. But now, there’s a new dog in town!

Meet K9 Scout, the Longwood Police Department’s newest weapon detection K9, and the latest four-legged partner helping keep our schools safe.

We are incredibly thankful for the strong partnerships we share with our law enforcement agencies and the many ways they support and protect our students and staff every day. Scout is another great example of that partnership, joining the other weapon detection K9 teams already serving schools across SCPS.

And while Scout has a very important job to do, we have a feeling this newest pup is going to make plenty of friends along the way.

FOX 35 recently had the chance to meet Scout and learn more about the important role he’ll play in keeping our schools safe. Check out their fun story below!

Altamonte Springs Senior, Avalyn Thompson is USA's lone triathlete in Youth Olympic Games

Article courtesy of Dakar 2026, Will Imbo

Avalyn Thompson is 2,100 metres above sea level in Park City, Utah, talking to Olympics.com from a USA Triathlon camp she earned on the strength of her junior series ranking, training alongside professionals for the week.

It's a long way from the Florida water she grew up in, and further still from the stretch of Atlantic she will race in come November when she lines up on Saly Beach for the women's triathlon competition at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

Dakar is still a long way off — too distant for anything as precise as acclimatization. But asked what she's doing to prepare for conditions she has never encountered, her answer amounts to "everything".

"Right now we're just training in a bunch of different conditions," she says. "I don't really know exactly what to expect. So doing a little bit of everything will hopefully set me up the best."

In three months she'll be the only triathlon competitor representing Team USA at Dakar 2026.

That's not a reflection of U.S. depth — every nation bar host Senegal is awarded a single quota place for the sport at the Games. But it does mean the entire U.S. effort at Saly Beach rests on one high school senior from Altamonte Springs, Florida.

SCPS Celebrates Our Partners in Education

We are so grateful for our SCPS Partners in Education!

For the second-year running, Community Flourishing Initiatives showed up early one Saturday morning in the Florida heat to help beautify local school campuses ahead of the new school year.

Partnering with school administrators, volunteers, and business sponsors, they adopted four schools this year, working to make campuses welcoming for our students. 

Thank you to all of our SCPS Partners in Education who helped provide a meal for staff, fill a food pantry, provide school supplies, and help our schools get ready for the new year!

Calling All Volunteers - Become a Dividend Today!

The Seminole County Public Schools 2026-27 Dividend Volunteer Application is now open! Dividend Volunteers must reapply each school year in order to support our students on campus, chaperone a field trip, help in a classroom, etc.

Please be sure to click on the button below or visit our Community Involvement website to apply.

Thank you for supporting our students and schools!  

The Sanford Herald is Seeking Student Writers

It's that time again! The Sanford Herald is looking for students in kindergarten through grade 12 who would like the opportunity to become a student writer with the Sanford Herald.

All students in kindergarten through grade 12 are welcome to participate. Students can write about school subjects, drama, chorus, band, cheer, games, student life, and more. 

Parents of interested students need to send written permission for their child to participate to Susan Wenner, Publisher/Editor.

Students may write as many stories as they'd like, or only one. The article will be published in the print and digital editions, including the student's name and participating school, identifying them as a Student Writer. 

Submit your interest and provide permission by emailing Susan Wenner HERE.