Troy Moon, Pensacola State College
Pensacola State College plans to open a dual-enrollment charter school at the Warrington campus that will target military dependents and at-risk students.
The proposed opening date for the Pensacola State College Charter School (PSCCS) is August 2022.
PSC President Ed Meadows made the announcement on Tuesday, May 18, during a press conference on the Pensacola campus.
At the press conference, the Gulf Power Foundation presented the College with a $100,000 leadership gift that will fund a state-of-the-art Technology Innovation Center at PSCCS, which will be open to 10th through 12th grade students.
The charter school will offer both precollegiate and collegiate classes, giving students the opportunity to graduate with both a high school diploma and/or an associate degree. It will be based in existing facilities at the Warrington campus.
“We are honored to celebrate Gulf Power Foundation’s investment in the heart of our community,” Meadows said. “I think we’re on the right path. The charter school is going to be very beneficial to the military and it’s certainly going to be beneficial to our community.”
The impetus for the charter school came from meetings between PSC and Naval Air Station Pensacola leadership.
“This is the definition of community,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Kinsella, NAS Pensacola commanding officer, speaking of the partnership between Pensacola State College, the Navy and Gulf Power. “This is the very definition of helping each other, understanding our shared values and moving forward with them. This is something that is going to benefit the entire community. This is going to be transformational for our community.”
Gulf Power Foundation’s gift continues a legacy of an educational partnership between Gulf Power and PSC that is committed to invest in the future of our future leaders. Gulf Power and the Gulf Power Foundation have been valuable partners to PSC, previously providing $616,000 to support the college’s mission and commitment to higher education, said Andrea Krieger, Executive Director of Institutional Development. Gulf Power has now contributed $716,000 to educational initiatives at PSC.
In addition to contributions to PSC Foundation campaigns, donations have helped support scholarships, a multicultural honors program, the automotive technology program, SkillsUSA and the PSC Nonprofit Center for Excellence and Philanthropy.
“We are honored to be part of the mission of Pensacola State College to support our military families and other students through additional education opportunities that provide the learning environment to grow their skills,” said Gulf Power Vice-President Mike Spoor. “Our mission is to help build strong communities, and at the core of our mission is to build toward the future. Not only are we investing in our children, we are investing in accelerating their potential for an even brighter future.”
PSC has already held preliminary discussions about the new school with Escambia County School District officials and the Florida Board of Education. Meadows characterized the talks as “very positive.” The application for the school will presented to the PSC Board of Trustees in late summer or early fall for approval.
Officials from Gulf Power and PSC encouraged other businesses to consider supporting the PSCCS.
“The PSC Foundation hopes other companies and individuals will see the value of this investment and will join Gulf Power Foundation by contributing to this effort,” Krieger said. “Gulf Power’s gift comes from their recognition of the importance of serving military families and at-risk students in our region and creating additional learning opportunities in the technology and innovation center.”
Companies and individuals interested in financially supporting the charter school initiative should contact Andrea Krieger at 850-484-1477 or akrieger@pensacolastate.edu.
Left to right: Patrick Dawson, Capt. Tim Kinsella, Julian MacQueen, Andrea Krieger, Wesley Hudgens, Sandy Sims, Rick Byars, Mike Spoor, Ed Meadows, Sarah Gatewood, Scott Luth, Margie Moore, Ed Moore and Troy Tippett.