Pinellas Education Foundation

Tickets are now on sale for ChangeMakers 2026! Join us for breakfast to hear about the impact of our collective work with Pinellas County Schools, celebrate those who are making a difference for students, and inspire others to invest in public education.

Please join us for this year's ChangeMakers breakfast.
📅 Wednesday, September 23 at 8:30 a.m.
📍 Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park
🎟 Reserve your spot today: https://pinellaseducation.org/news-and-events/events/changemakers/
🤝Sponsorships are still available.

The St. Petersburg Civitan Club has long been committed to supporting local students, and we recently had the opportunity to share how their investment is helping create opportunities across Pinellas County.

We are grateful for their generous surprise donation and continued partnership. Thank you for making a lasting impact on the students we serve!

Want to learn more about the candidates running for Pinellas County School Board?

Join the PCCPTA School Board Candidates Forum on June 29 from 6:30–8:00 p.m. at St. Petersburg College Seminole Campus in the Digitorium.

Parents, educators, and community members are invited to hear directly from the candidates before the August 18 primary election.

🎓 Meet some of our Take Stock in Children college graduates! 🎓

Congratulations on earning your degrees! We can't wait to see what's next for you.

"Seeing my scholars grow in their confidence, communication, vocabulary, and love for learning has been one of the most emotional and rewarding experiences for me as a teacher."

A teacher at Maximo Elementary shared this reflection after implementing the Pinellas Early Literacy Initiative in her classroom this year.

She saw the impact firsthand. One student began the year struggling with foundational reading skills and performing below grade level. Through targeted literacy support, small-group instruction, and consistent practice, he made steady progress throughout the year.

He is now reading on grade level and participating more independently in classroom learning.

His growth reflects what happens when students receive focused early literacy support and the opportunity to build skills at their own pace.

Because of the continued support of the Kiwanis of St Pete, 33 more Pinellas County students will have access to mentorship, college readiness coaching, and scholarship opportunities through our Take Stock in Children mentoring program.

This investment builds on a partnership that has already helped support 454 students. Thank you for building brighter futures for students!

Reading, prizes, and game tickets? That's a summer win! ⚽⚾

Summer reading helps students strengthen literacy skills, build confidence, and stay engaged in learning while school is out.

We're grateful to our partners, the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Rowdies, for encouraging students to keep reading all summer long through fun reading programs that reward learning with exciting prizes and experiences.

Explore these opportunities and help your child make reading part of their summer adventure.

Our scholarship recipient Naveen is heading to the University of Florida this fall to study engineering while continuing his passion for music and service.

Through our Foundation, he received the Korean War Veterans Memorial Scholarship thanks to the generosity of Public Service Education Foundation of Pinellas Park, an award that holds special meaning to him because his grandfather served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.

Along with this year’s scholarship, Naveen also placed first in the Instrumental category at Rising Stars last year as an 11th grader at Palm Harbor University High.

Despite taking an IB History exam just before his final performance at the Mahaffey, Naveen took the stage determined to play “with heart, not just hands.”

For Naveen, music is about more than performance. Inspired by his grandfather, he co-founded Healing Harmonies Music with his sister, performing regularly at assisted living centers and senior communities.

“This experience has taught me about the power of music as a source of healing and a way to bring people together,” he said.

Congratulations, Naveen!

💍 A special honor for an outstanding educator! 💍Our Teacher of the Year, Denise White, recently received a custom Teacher of the Year ring, generously donated by Balfour.

This special tradition helps us celebrate excellence in education and the impact educators make on students every day.

Thank you Balfour for helping us recognize and celebrate exceptional educators!