Mission Statement:  To enhance the quality of public education in Lee County by increasing community involvement in, and support for, Lee County District public schools.

Executive Committee:
Chair:  Harlan C. Parrish, Senior Executive Vice President, Colonial BancGroup
Vice-Chairman:  Robbie Roepstorff, President, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands
Treasurer:  Ken O-Donnell, Senior Vice President, Bank of America
Secretary:  John Hayes, President & CEO, GATES

Board Members:
Richard Ackert, Retired
Wilson G. Bradshaw, Ph.D., President, Florida Gulf Coast University
James Browder, Superintendent, School District of Lee County
Chris Bundschu, President, Bundschu Kraft, Inc.
Mark J. Castellano, President, Teachers Association of Lee County
Joseph Catti, President & CEO, FineMark National Bank and Trust
Jon Cecil, Chief Human Resource Officer, Lee Memorial Health System
Heidi Colgate-Tamblyn, President, SunTrust Bank Southwest Florida
Brent Crawford, Private Client Advisor, Banc of America Investment Services, Inc.
Dominic DiMaio, Market President, SW Florida, First Florida Bank/SYNOVUS
Kelli L. Eastman, Broker, Director of Sales, Bonita Bay Group
Thomas Fewster, Jr., Vice President, Customer Relations, McBLT Ventures, Inc.
Eva A. Freeman, Design Consultant
Thomas H. Giles, President, Avalon Engineering, Inc.
Ryan S. Goldberg, Regional President, Regions  Bank
David Hall, President, First Community Bank of Southwest Florida
Charles K. Idelson, President & CEO, Investors Security Trust Company
Bob Janes, Commissioner, District 1, Lee County Board of County Commissioners
Gregory H. Jones, President, Compass Rose Foundation, Southwest Florida college
Robert R. Jones Ed.D., Lee Campus President, Edison State College
Jane Kuckel, Ph.D., Chairman, School Board of Lee County
Gerald Laboda, D.M.D., SW Florida Oral & Facial Surgery
Michele Laboda, D.M.D., Gulf Coast Orthodontics
Dr. Bill Merwin, Retired
Heather Messmer, Owner, Ruth Messmer Florist, Inc.
Thomas Mueller, Business Manager, Covanta Energy
Greg Pasanen, Regional Vice President, Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union
Cole Peacock, Retired
Steven Personette, Public Affairs Manager, EMBARQ
Steven Pontius, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Waterman Broadcasting
Joe L. Pressler, Vice President, Estimating, Kraft Construction Company, Inc.
Chuck Reynolds, Retired
Scott Saxon, General Manager, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
Jerry Schmoyer, Executive Vice President, Miromar Development
Bruce A. Schultz, President & CEO, Southwest Capital Bank
Mike Scott, Sheriff, Lee County Sheriff's Office
Steven C. Shimp, Chairman of the Board, Owen-Ames-Kimball
Wayne Simons, Vice President, General Manager, Fort Myers Broadcasting Company
Nancy M. Solliday, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, The News-Press
E. Bruce Strayhorn, Partner, Strayhorn & Strayhorn Law Offices
Linda K. Taylor, Florida State Board of Education
Douglas Torretta, Branch Manager, Smith Barney Citigroup
Louis Traina, Ed.D., Vice President, University Advancement, Hodges University
Gary V. Trippe, Chief Executive Officer, Oswald Trippe and Company, Inc.
Bridge Trombley, Director of Business Development, Herman Strackbein Construction, Inc.
Eric Whitehouse, Campus Director, Rasmussen College

Highlights of foundation programs:
A-Team Challenge
The A-Team Challenge, now in its nineteenth year, is the only academic competition in the five-county area of Southwest Florida.  The A-Team Challenge is a single elimination competition with 33 local high schools participating.  The competition can be seen on the  Comcast Cable education channel.  The quarter, semi and final games will air on NBC-2 during prime time in April and May.

Academy of Teachers
The Academy of Teachers is made up of all former Golden Apple recipients. This group of outstanding teachers meets with the Superintendent of Schools. The Academy also meets regularly to share best practices for excellence in teaching with other district educators.

ArtSpeak
Our newest initiative entitled ArtSpeak helps students with autism focus on their strengths using art as a medium for self-expression.

Business Partners
This partner program addresses specific ways businesses can help toward the goal of enhancing public education. Businesses can "adopt" a school by pledging to provide it with time, talents and/or resources for one school year.

Career Days
Career Days introduces every eighth grade district school student in the county to the career academies of our district high schools. Business Partner’s answer questions related to their industry.

Carson Scholars Program
Merit based scholarships for elementary school students. Students are selected by a school committee. Students must have a 3.75 GPA and display civic engagement. 

Classroom Grants for Teachers
Since the inception of the Classroom Grants Program in 1988, more than $950,000 has been awarded to teachers employed by The School District of Lee County to fund creative and innovative classroom projects.

Collegium for the Advancement of Education
A week-long professional development training for teachers recognized for outstanding classroom performance. Collegium provides them interaction with business leaders, training in communications skills, conflict resolution, decision making, networking and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Dancing Classrooms
Dancing Classrooms was launched in 1994 as a not-for-profit project of the American Ballroom Theater Company. It is an arts-in-education program teaching ballroom dance to the upper elementary, junior high and high school students of participating schools which enhances character development.

Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program™
The Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program™ was the first initiative of The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc. It continues to be highly recognized throughout the community and is emulated in other Florida counties throughout the United States and Canada. Golden Apple puts a clear focus on teachers as the most important element in children’s learning and development, gives appreciation for the dedication and skills of teachers, creates enhanced respect and status for the teaching profession and develops community wide understanding of the importance of high quality education.

License for Learning - Support Education
Vehicle license plates supporting education can be purchased through the Lee County Tag Agency. Every renewal dollar comes to The Foundation for Classroom Grants and scholarship programs.

Mentoring
You can make a difference in a student's life by becoming a mentor, an adult who cares.

Newton Literature Center
In 1991, Jim and Ellie Newton donated funds to establish a district wide lending library where elementary, middle, and high school teachers can borrow classroom sets of literature books.

Teachers' Resource Center
The Teachers' Resource Center was created to collect and store new and reusable items donated by business and individuals to benefit schools and teachers. Teachers employed by The District of Lee County can use the materials as additional resources for classroom instruction.

Take Stock in Children
Take Stock in Children provides four-year college tuition scholarships to deserving sixth and ninth grade students from low income families who fulfill contracts agreeing to maintain good grades, and stay drug and crime free. A mentor from the community is provided to each scholar. An auction is held annually to raise funds to purchase these scholarships.

Updated:  7/23/09