Foundation Recognizes Outstanding Scholars Wellington Community Foundation Awards $4,500 To Three 2024 Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship Recipients

By Shannon Anastasio

On Tuesday, May 21, amid the melodic tunes at Village Music Café, the Wellington Community Foundation presented the prestigious Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship to three exceptional members of the Class of 2024: Rachel Ireland, Jaden Browning and Sophia Amro Gazze. These remarkable students have demonstrated outstanding dedication, leadership and commitment to their community, embodying the spirit of service cherished by Arle and Ken Adams.

The Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship holds a special place in the heart of Wellington, named in honor of a pioneering couple, whose unwavering dedication and service to the community have left an indelible mark. Ken Adams, a former Palm Beach County commissioner, was a firm believer in the power of community and the importance of nurturing future leaders. When the Wellington Community Foundation established its scholarship program, it was only fitting to immortalize the Adams’ legacy by naming it after them.

Their tireless advocacy for the community led to remarkable achievements, and Ken’s involvement with the foundation further solidified the couple’s dedication to Wellington’s seniors, children and veterans. Although Ken Adams passed away in 2020, following his wife in 2017, their spirit lives on through the scholarship that bears their name. The Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship seeks to uplift future leaders, fostering better tomorrows. The 2024 recipients exemplify the values championed by the Adamses, displaying exceptional promise and a strong commitment to making a positive community impact.

Rachel Ireland, a student at Wellington High School, has been recognized for her exceptional academic performance and dedication to community service. With a GPA of 5.007, Ireland has demonstrated her passion for biological science and research. Her involvement in the National Honor Society, the Music Honor Society, the American Sign Language Honor Society and theater, where she choreographed the school musical Mamma Mia!, reflects her commitment to both academics and the arts. Her future aspirations lie in the field of genetics and molecular biology, where she hopes to make significant contributions.

Ireland thanked the foundation’s board of directors and Scholarship Committee members James Seder, Joanna Boynton and Don Gross for honoring her with the award. “Being selected for this honor is truly humbling,” she said. “Wellington has undoubtedly prepared me for my future, from the support of my teachers at Wellington High School, to the mentorship of the physical therapist at USA Sports Medicine Wellington, who graciously took me on as an intern.”

Jaden Browning, a student at Suncoast High School, stands out for his academic excellence and commitment to community engagement. With a GPA of 5.32, he aspires to pursue a major in chemistry. His achievements in the Academic Games, along with scoring in the top one percent nationally on both the SAT and ACT, highlight his academic prowess. Outside school, Browning dedicates his time to teaching computer coding to young people and participating in various community service activities, including food bank distributions and beach cleanups. His future goals revolve around becoming a research scientist, where he aims to make impactful discoveries.

Browning shared how he worked with Wellington Community Foundation founder Tom Wenham to assist in locating other veterans in Wellington and share the inspiring Red, White & Blue Jeans “A Salute To Our Heroes” event invites.

“When I met with Mr. Wenham to see how I could help, we had wonderful discussions about his military service, his dedication to community service and how he supported veterans for years,” Browning said. “I was impressed. I really was inspired by Mr. Wenham’s commitment to service in this area.”

Sophia Amro Gazze, a student at Florida Atlantic University High School, has been recognized for her academic excellence and leadership abilities. With a GPA of 5.48, she will attend the FAU Honors College to study cellular neuroscience. Her involvement in the dual-enrollment program at FAU has allowed her to accumulate three years of college experience in high school.

As president of the Mock Trials, captain of the Science Olympiad, vice president of the Model United Nations and senior thrower on the track and field team, Gazze has exhibited exceptional leadership skills and dedication to extracurricular activities. Her future aspirations include serving as both a healer and an activist in her community, leveraging her knowledge to make a positive impact.

“This scholarship stands on a strong foundation based on leadership, servitude and the future,” Gazze said. “It is such an honor to have received this prestigious recognition and to represent a strong generation of action and positive change.”

The Wellington Community Foundation extends its heartfelt congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients. Their exemplary achievements and dedication to community service embody the values cherished by Arle and Ken Adams, and their future endeavors promise to inspire and uplift the community.

As the 2024 recipients embark on their academic journey, the Wellington Community Foundation remains steadfast in its mission of “building a stronger community.”

For those who wish to support the Arle & Ken Adams Scholarship, or become involved in WCF’s mission, learn more at www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

Wellington Students Win Top Awards Emilia McGovern And Johnathon Bucknor Of Wellington High School Honored With Prestigious Pathfinder Scholarships

By Mike May

Two skilled, creative and industrious members of the Wellington High School Class of 2024 were honored recently as winners of the prestigious Pathfinder Scholarship Awards. Emilia McGovern won first place in the Business category, while Johnathon Bucknor won second place in the Theater Arts category.

McGovern and Bucknor are two of the more than 650 members of this year’s extremely talented crop of WHS graduates, who completed their high school careers on Monday, May 20 at a ceremony held at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

McGovern and Bucknor are already reaping the dividends of their unique skills, creativity and industrial work ethic. On Friday, May 10, both were honored at the annual Pathfinder Scholarship Awards, sponsored by the Palm Beach Post to honor the best and brightest students from across Palm Beach and Martin counties in 18 different categories.

McGovern, who will attend the University of Florida to study public relations, received a $3,000 college scholarship, while Bucknor, who has been accepted into the University of Central Florida, is the recipient of a $2,000 college scholarship. He intends to major in music and minor in theater.

The Business scholarship is awarded to students who have shown the greatest promise in the field of business, entrepreneurship or business innovation. The judging was based on the nominees’ overall academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and contributions made in their community.

The Theatre Arts scholarship is awarded to students who have shown exceptional accomplishment in drama, set/costume design, production and/or stagecraft. Judging was based on the nominees’ expertise in theater arts, overall academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and contributions made in their community.

Both appreciate the financial support from the Pathfinder program.

“I am very thankful for this scholarship,” said McGovern, 18. “It was an honor to be nominated for this scholarship, and I am grateful to the Wellington High School staff and guidance counselors for their support.”

Bucknor, 17, agreed that the opportunities and teacher support provided for him at Wellington High School are the main reasons why he has excelled in theater arts since his arrival on campus as a sophomore.

While accumulating top grades and being a four-year competitive cheerleader and a cheerleader captain during her senior year, McGovern has carved out time to help lead the DECA program at WHS, a high school program that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management through competitive and real-world experiences.

With more than 230 students, the DECA program at WHS is the largest student organization on campus. McGovern has helped plan, organize and direct events for the DECA chapter, which have positively impacted daily life in Wellington.

“She has been leading the school and the DECA chapter in the organization, planning and execution of our annual WHS Trunk or Treat, a fall holiday event for children in the community attended by more than 700 local families,” said teacher Elizabeth Newsome, the DECA advisor at WHS.

“Trunk or Treat impacted 2,000 children and is a student-run event,” noted McGovern, who oversaw the event from beginning to end.

McGovern also helped write two 20-page manuals that detail specific projects that students planned and executed for the DECA chapter, which benefited the Wellington community. Those two projects were “Learning Entrepreneurship with Lexi and Emilia” and “Act Against Allergies.” The first is a project aimed to encourage entrepreneurial abilities, growth mindsets and creativity among fourth graders in local elementary schools via weekly lessons in their classrooms. The second is project-driven through Trunk or Treat to encourage more people in Wellington to offer allergy-friendly alternatives during the Halloween season.

McGovern’s leadership at WHS also garnered the attention of Principal Cara Hayden.

“She has proven to be an asset to our school community, as well as an accomplished student who impresses me daily,” Hayden said. “It is inspiring to see Emilia’s passion as she has worked hard to bring back a sense of camaraderie to our campus following the pandemic.”

As for Bucknor, his passion for theater started when he was in the fifth grade at John Ross Elementary School in Edmond, Oklahoma, where he played the role of an elf in a small student production.

“I like acting because it allows you to be different people,” Bucknor said. “You get to help the audience feel different emotions, such as fear, sadness and happiness.”

Since arriving at WHS, Bucknor has had prominent roles in many theatrical productions, such as Little Women, Don’t Fear the Reaper, Check Please, Trap and Alice by Heart. In Little Women, he had to sing in front of an audience for the first time, and in Alice by Heart, he played the role of Alfred, who dies of tuberculosis at the end of the play. “It was my first death scene,” Bucknor said.

In addition to his many on-stage roles at WHS, Bucknor has also appeared in television commercials for Church’s Chicken, Universal Studios and Old El Paso.

Bucknor’s commitment to theatrical excellence has not gone unnoticed by Cassandra Truelove, one of his theater teachers at WHS.

“Johnathon is always polite and respectful to fellow students and teachers. He writes and records his own music, as well as acting professionally in commercials and other opportunities in his ‘free’ time,” Truelove said. “Johnathon is a perfect example of a scholar and performer. He is deeply invested in his academics, as well as constantly working to improve and fine-tune his craft in acting.”

McGovern will move into her dormitory at UF on Aug. 15 with classes to start soon thereafter, while Bucknor was set to attend UCF’s orientation on May 31 and enroll in summer classes there.

Time will tell what the future holds for McGovern and Bucknor, but chances are strong that they will meet and exceed all expectations.

EDUCATION Choosing A School For Your Child Plays A Pivotal Role In Shaping Their Future

In today’s rapidly changing world, the importance of selecting the right school for your child cannot be overstated. In navigating the choices, it is essential to recognize that education plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of today’s students and preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead.

The right school fosters an environment that nurtures your child’s unique abilities, interests and passions. It provides them with the necessary tools to develop intellectually, emotionally and socially. In an ever-changing landscape, where technological advancements and global challenges are reshaping industries and economies, the right education can equip children with the skills they need to thrive.

One of the key considerations in selecting a school is the curriculum. In 2023, the emphasis is shifting toward cultivating critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. Look for schools that offer innovative programs integrating technology, project-based learning and interdisciplinary approaches. These elements empower students to become creative thinkers and lifelong learners.

Furthermore, the school’s culture should align with the needs of your family. A nurturing and inclusive environment promotes collaboration, empathy and respect among students, enabling them to develop strong interpersonal skills and cultural competence.

Equally important is the availability of extracurricular activities. A well-rounded education includes opportunities for sports, arts, music and community service. These activities foster teamwork, leadership and a sense of belonging, while allowing children to explore beyond the classroom.

Additionally, consider the school’s resources, facilities and teaching staff. Adequate resources and modern facilities support effective learning experiences, while well-qualified educators create a positive and engaging educational atmosphere.

The choice of a school for your child has long-term implications. It is an investment in their future success and happiness. By selecting a school that values their individuality, cultivates their skills and prepares them for the evolving world, you are setting them on a path toward a fulfilling and prosperous life.

 

An Array Of Educational Options The Original Wellington Mall Is Home To Three Unique Private Schools

In addition to its six public elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools, Wellington is also home to a number of charter schools and private schools. A small cluster of these private schools can be found in one building — the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. These include #1 Education Place, the Wellington Collegiate Academy and the Children’s House of Wellington.

The heart and soul of #1 Education Place is its founders Judy Blake and Anita Kane. They started the private school more than 20 years ago. They got their start in education by working together as tutors.

Early on, most of their students were affiliated with Wellington’s equestrian industry. Now, while there are still many equestrians, the students come from a wide array of backgrounds, ranging from first grade to 12th grade. Student numbers vary, from as many as 100 students during the equestrian season, to a low in the 50s at other times of the year.

According to Blake, the teaching model at #1 Education Place produces great results. “We are a Montessori school,” Blake said. “And we are open 12 months a year.”

Teachers at #1 Education Place emphasize independence and executive function. According to Blake, when students learn executive function, they learn organizational skills, personal responsibility, how to organize their day and how to master life as an adult. They also learn all the core subjects taught at conventional schools.

Blake explained that students who attend #1 Education Place spend time learning about core communications.

“We have a big emphasis on writing, especially in high school,” Kane said. “We also focus on cursive writing, penmanship, grammar, spelling and English comprehension.”

In most schools, teachers set the course and direction for the school day. At #1 Education Place, the students are given more freedom to pursue their own areas of interest.

“We have a calmer environment than many other schools,” Kane said. “Also, we make a point of addressing the needs of each student as an individual. Nobody gets left behind.”

The teaching environment is peaceful and filled with purpose.

“We have all open spaces, no closed doors and there’s freedom of movement for everybody,” Blake said. “Here, students are interested in doing, learning and accomplishing. There are no rewards or punishments, but plenty of positive reinforcement. In many cases, we provide a few minutes of instruction, and then let the students do the work.”

#1 Education Place also supports flexibility when it comes to arriving at school and leaving school later in the day.

Blake explained that flexible schedules are important for students who have serious interests in other endeavors such as tennis, golf and equestrian sports, which require unique travel and practice time.

For elementary and middle school students, physical activity breaks are an important part of the school day, which includes 30 minutes of recess daily. From time to time, students get to go on field trips.

Upon graduation, most of the students continue on to higher education. According to Kane, several of this year’s high school graduates will be attending Hofstra University (and playing tennis), the University of Kentucky (and playing polo), Florida Atlantic University and Palm Beach Atlantic University.

“A high percentage of our students get accepted into their first-choice universities and colleges,” Kane said.

To learn more about #1 Education Place, call (561) 753-6563 or visit www.1educationplace.com.

The Wellington Collegiate Academy (WCA) educates children from kindergarten to eighth grade, enrolling 70 to 75 students. As of mid-May, it’s under new ownership, led by the husband-and-wife team of Horatio and Yaa McFarlane.

“We are looking forward to creating our own vision of education,” Yaa said. “Here, children will love to learn and feel amazing about themselves. I want to develop independent thinkers.”

“We’re excited to be adding to the lives of our students and supporting them in their education,” Horatio added.

While not teaching, Yaa will have a strong presence at the school.

“I will have a presence in the office, in the classroom and on the playground,” she said.

Yaa was born, raised and educated in England at a grammar school. She intends to bring a few English educational traditions to WCA.

“Our students will learn about William Shakespeare, and I want them to know who Charles Dickens was,” Yaa said.

While there will be some changes to the curriculum, many WCA traditions will remain the same.

“The main subjects such as English, mathematics, world geography, science and a language, such as Spanish, will continue,” Yaa said. “We are thinking about adding another language, as well.”

In addition to traditional subjects, there will be a strong emphasis on physical education, home economics, music and the arts.

“Physical education will include dance, team sports and running,” Yaa said. “We need to get our children running and incorporate P.E. into the daily curriculum.”

The students will also be introduced to gardening. “Children need to learn where foods come from,” Yaa noted.

Right now, the school has 10 teachers on the staff, and there are plans to add more for the upcoming school year.

The school’s commitment to music — which was a focal point of attention of the previous owners Juan Carlos and Jessica Valdez — will remain the same. In fact, Jessica Valdez, previously the choral director, has pledged her assistance to find an equally talented successor. “Music is so important as it helps the brain develop, improves a child’s ability to learn, be more creative and sleep better,” Yaa said.

Another aspect that will not change is the student-teacher ratio. In recent years, it has been eight to 12 students per teacher. That will remain the same.

Yaa is not a newcomer to the school, as she served as a teacher from 2016 to 2019, when the school’s founder Anna Oaks operated the school.

“Anna was looking for a ‘right-hand’ person, so I was asked to join her, which I did,” Yaa said. “I am still aligned with her vision of a small, faith-based school.”

Over the summer, the McFarlanes will be busy marketing and promoting the school to parents of current and prospective students.

“We are building a new web site, and we plan to offer a one-week summer camp program to current and new students,” Yaa said. “We will teach math, science, arts and crafts. We will possibly work with robotics and computers. There will also be lots of time for recess and sports.”

To learn more about the Wellington Collegiate Academy, call (561) 701-3462 or (561) 784-1776, or visit www.gowca.org.

The Children’s House of Wellington, co-owned by Catherine Williams and her daughter Jeri Williams, is a Montessori preschool now finishing its 20th year.

“I was at a Montessori preschool in Palm Beach Gardens,” Catherine recalled. “After it was sold to a new owner, they started to stray from core principles of the Montessori Method. I decided that if I wanted to continue doing what I love, I needed to open my own school.”

While the Children’s House of Wellington is licensed to teach as many as 44 students, they prefer to have fewer, capping out at about 40. Students range from age two-and-a-half to age six.

The big difference between a conventional school and a Montessori school is the overall approach to education.

“One of the hallmarks of Montessori education is that children of mixed ages work together. Groupings are based on the Planes of Development as identified by Dr. Maria Montessori,” Jeri explained. “Multi-age groupings enable younger children to learn from older children and experience new challenges through observation. Older children reinforce their learning by teaching concepts they have already mastered, develop leadership skills and serve as role models. Because each child’s work is individual, children progress at their own pace. There is cooperation rather than competition. This arrangement mirrors the real world, in which individuals work and socialize with people of all ages and dispositions.”

When it comes to the flow of the school day, there’s a great deal of thought given to what is done at any given time.

“The teacher prepares the environment of the Montessori classroom with carefully selected, aesthetically arranged materials that are presented sequentially to meet the developmental needs of the children using the space,” Jeri said. “Well-prepared Montessori environments contain appropriately sized furniture, a full complement of Montessori materials, and enough space to allow children to work in peace, alone, or in small or large groups.”

Montessori classrooms are designed to encourage children to move about freely and choose their own work, within reasonable limits. Those limits are the classroom ground rules and enable children to exercise their own free will while ensuring that their chosen activities are respectful of others.

“Within the prepared environment of the Montessori classroom, children are taught to complete a work cycle, which includes choosing an activity, completing the activity, and, perhaps, repeating the full sequence of the activity multiple times, cleaning up and returning the materials to the proper place, and experiencing a sense of satisfaction to have fully completed the task,” Catherine said.

A common trait of a Montessori school is a focus on social skills.

“In Montessori schools, children are formally instructed in social skills that they will use throughout their lives. For example, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’ interrupting conversations politely, requesting rather than demanding assistance and greeting guests warmly,” Jeri said.

Students also learn about Mother Nature. “We are fortunate to have a garden at our school,” Jeri said. “The children plant seeds, bulbs and bedding plants. We harvest and enjoy the beauty of what grows. A respect for all living things is important to learn early.”

At the Children’s House of Wellington, students are given a regular dose of physical activity on the school’s playground.

“Playing outside is important,” Catherine said. “Learning to play with friends without hurting them and still having fun are skills that can only be learned by doing.”

To learn more about the Children’s House of Wellington, call (561) 790-3748 or visit www.childrenshousewellington.com.

American Heritage Leads U.S. In STEM Local Students Win Prestigious Science, Math And Engineering Awards

By Melanie Hoffman

As the world continues to advance technologically, American Heritage Schools keeps pace with the global shift by integrating a culture of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) into its comprehensive and rigorous curriculum.

Founded in 1965, American Heritage Schools (AHS) is a nationally ranked college preparatory school with two 40-acre campuses in South Florida serving grades Pre-K3 through 12. The 4,800 students represent more than 60 different countries, more than 70 percent of the faculty holds a postgraduate degree and the student-to-faculty ratio is 5-to-1.

AHS alumni are notable leaders in their fields who are generating positive differences in the world. Dylan Cahill graduated from the AHS Palm Beach campus in 2014, from Dartmouth College in 2018 and is attending Harvard Medical School.

“American Heritage prepared me for college academics,” Cahill said. “Though I didn’t realize it at the time, the study strategies I developed in challenging classes at AHS helped make my transition into the demands of college life much smoother.”

Ranked among the top private schools in the State of Florida in STEM according to Niche, the leader in digital searches for the best K-12 schools and colleges, the students at AHS recently earned high honors in STEM, including No. 1 in Florida at the state science fair, No. 1 and No. 2 private school in Florida in math competition, and No. 1 in Florida in robotics competition.

The American Heritage Science Research Institute for select students in grades six through 12 enables students to conduct research on real-world problems, and in turn, they have earned international recognition for their findings.

The range of equipment in the science lab is unlike any other high school — fluorescent and inverted microscopes, UV/Vis plate reader (a spectrophotometer), a carbon dioxide incubator, a minus 86-degree freezer, a liquid nitrogen cryogenic tank and a scanning electron microscope, just to name a few.

“When our students graduate, they are equipped with a level of research knowledge they would not normally have without the opportunities presented in our program,” said Dr. Iris Thompson, director of science research at the AHS Palm Beach campus. “This sets them apart from their peers when applying to college or graduate school.”

Nolan Wen, a senior at the Palm Beach campus, published his science research as first author, which is an unusual feat for a high school student. His research was titled, “Development and characterization of laponite-enhanced tannic acid-based hydrogels,” in the Materials Letters journal. Wen will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall and was accepted to the school’s highly competitive seven-year bio-dental program.

“The rigorous course offerings and programs at American Heritage not only helped me get into Penn but have also prepared me well for life at Penn,” Wen said. “The BSL-2 level labs and incredible summer research program at American Heritage have provided me the platform to conduct graduate-level research and become an accomplished young researcher (published three times, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Finalist and Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist). As vice president of Model UN, president of the TASSEL Cambodia Heritage branch, and a member of Education Rocks and various national honor societies, I have been able to both embrace the school community and make a positive difference on a global scale. I’ve had an incredible four years at American Heritage and cannot wait to continue my education at UPenn.”

The mathematics departments at both AHS campuses are equally strong. Starting in the Lower School, honors courses and honors math competition classes are offered for accelerated math students in fourth through sixth grades. This early learning enables the students to learn higher-level critical thinking and problem solving. The school earned the ranking of No. 1 elementary school in Florida and No. 2 private elementary school in the U.S. in math competition, and many of those students advance to the high school level with great success. Both the Broward and Palm Beach math teams at American Heritage ranked No. 1 and No. 2 private school at the Florida Association of Mu Alpha Theta (FAMAT) statewide math competition.

“The American Heritage Schools competitive math program has been an amazing place to foster my love for mathematics and meet other kids who enjoy the STEM fields as much as I do,” said Sharvaa Selvan, a senior at the AHS Broward campus and vice president for the state and national Mu Alpha Theta student delegates. “Our victory at the February statewide was a testament to the countless hours spent by both the students and our amazing coaches over the past few months.”

Selvan has been accepted to the prestigious universities MIT and Georgia Tech.

“Our win at the NSU statewide competition demonstrates the enormous collection of mathematical giftedness of the members of our math competition team,” said Dr. Radleigh Santos, competitive mathematics head coach and an MIT graduate. “I’m proud of all their hard work, and I’m looking forward to their future success.”

In the field of robotics and engineering, the AHS Wyld Stallyns team at the Palm Beach campus qualified for the World Robotics Championship in Houston. The team also won the Creativity Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation.

Senior Dylan McClish is a top student in the AHS pre-engineering program at the Palm Beach campus and was accepted to Princeton, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Michigan and the U.S. Naval Academy.

“I’ve been at American Heritage for seven years, and I am forever thankful for how much it has prepared me for college,” McClish said. “It has allowed me to take a vast array of college-level courses that other high schools don’t offer, such as multivariate calculus/differential equations, learning math that many don’t see until they are a few years into college. I have been part of the pre-engineering and science research programs, and it has been fantastic to pursue my interests in AI and robotics with the full support of the school’s amazing faculty and resources. It has been a lot of hard work, but I know that I will be well prepared for college, and I am grateful that American Heritage has given me the tools to succeed at the collegiate level.”

American Heritage Schools is ranked No. 1 in National Merit Scholars out of all schools in Florida and the No. 2 private school in the nation. The students from both campuses comprise 10 percent of all National Merit Scholarship semifinalists throughout the 2,227 public and private schools in Florida.

American Heritage Schools is open all year at both campuses. It also provides an extensive summer program from June to August for children and teens ages 3 to 17 from all over the world. The offerings include traditional day camps, specialty and sports camps, the Summer Institute, available in-person and online with more than 100 courses designed for every student’s interest, and 1-on-1 tutoring. The comprehensive summer enrichment ensures that students are prepared or ahead for the next school year and gives them a competitive advantage to succeed.

American Heritage Schools will continue to set high standards for growth and learning and prepare the next generation of global thinkers and problem solvers to succeed.

To learn more about American Heritage Schools, visit www.ahschool.com.

Get Your Nursing Degree Locally NRI Institute Of Health Sciences Working To Reduce Nation’s Nursing Shortage

By Mike May

Residents of Palm Beach County, specifically those living in the western communities who want to work as a nurse, have a locally owned and operated school where they can acquire the necessary qualifications to get a job in the nursing profession. They can get their nursing degree from the NRI Institute of Health Sciences, based in Royal Palm Beach.

The NRI Institute is a fully licensed and accredited private degree-granting and post-secondary school that is qualified to prepare students for a career in registered and practical nursing, as a nursing assistant, a medical assistant, and in the field of diagnostic medical sonography. Starting next year, students will be able to get a four-year bachelor’s of science degree in nursing from the NRI Institute.

Located at 503 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in the Royal Plaza at the corner of Royal Palm Beach and Southern Boulevards, the NRI Institute currently has a 12,500-square-foot facility it calls home. When it opened in 2012, it had just 1,000 square feet of space and eight students. Now, it has 125 students with room for as many as 150 students. Since 2012, more than 400 students have graduated from the NRI Institute of Health Sciences.

The owners of the NRI Institute are the husband-and-wife team of Dan Splain and Elizabeth Stolkowski. Splain is the chief administrative officer, and Stolkowski is in charge of operating the school as the president and director of the nursing programs.

Both Splain and Stolkowski are well qualified to operate the school due to their extensive experience in the healthcare field. This includes working in hospital administration, managed care, nursing education and the international recruitment of healthcare professionals. For a number of years, the two of them operated a managed care facility in the Midwest, where they recruited nurses from overseas.

Stolkowski, a native of The Philippines, has three master’s degrees and a law degree.

“She is well qualified to oversee the academic side of the NRI Institute of Health Sciences,” Splain said.

What’s really important about Stolkowski’s role at the NRI Institute is her ability to get the students to cross the “finish line,” so to speak.

“Elizabeth has a talent for coaching students and getting them to pass the Nursing Council Licensure Examination,” Splain said. “After passing the exam, our graduates can then start working as nurses, where their starting salaries can range between $75,000 and $100,000 a year.”

Splain noted that there’s a great need for more nurses across the United States. That’s especially the case in Florida because of the large number of residents who are over the age of 65. Here in Palm Beach County, the number of residents over 65 expands greatly during the winter months.

This need for more nurses seems more acute now, but it is not a recent issue.

“Even before the pandemic, there was a nationwide shortage in the U.S. of more than one million nurses,” Splain said. “We still have a nursing shortage in this country.”

Many of the graduates of the NRI Institute of Health Sciences find employment in the western communities at facilities such as Wellington Regional Medical Center and Palms West Hospital, as well as many smaller medical offices and facilities. A number of graduates also land jobs in other Florida cities. And, of course, many of the nursing graduates get hired in other parts of the U.S.

“A large number of our graduates get jobs at Wellington Regional Medical Center because that’s where they do their clinical rotations,” Splain said. “They do such a great job during their clinical rotations at Wellington Regional that some are offered jobs before they even graduate.”

According to Splain, some graduates actually return to the classroom as instructors.

“We even have some graduates teaching in fine institutions all over the U.S.,” Splain said. “The nursing shortage in the U.S. can also be attributed to a shortage of nursing instructors.”

Time wise, getting a degree from the NRI Institute will usually take two years. The clinical rotations are interspersed with the classroom work. There are 12 faculty members, and the classroom sizes are usually eight to 10 students per instructor.

“We like to keep it small and teach them well,” Splain said.

According to Stolkowski, many of the students at the NRI Institute are not what you normally expect.

“We have many non-traditional students enrolled,” Stolkowski said. “We have students in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Many have families, as well as being enrolled full-time in school. Roughly 85 percent of our students are female.”

In addition to a wide age-range of nursing candidates, they also come from all parts of Palm Beach County, as well as Broward, Martin and St. Lucie counties. “A handful of students travel here from as far away as Vero Beach,” she said.

One aspect of being a student at the NRI Institute is the in-person educational experience.

“We don’t have any online classes,” Splain said. “You really need to have the hands-on academic experience in our classrooms to learn how to be a nurse.”

The NRI Institute of Health Sciences will hold its 10th commencement exercises on Thursday, June 8 at 5 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. Thirty nursing and diagnostic medical sonography graduates will receive their degrees. The guest speaker will be Dante Mitchell Tolbert, founder and CEO of Florence Technologies, which is an innovative edtech company that aims to combat the nursing shortage through solutions driven by artificial intelligence.

To learn more about the NRI Institute of Health Sciences, call (561) 688-5112 or visit www.nriinstitute.edu.

Our School Grants Accomplish Crucial Goal $11,000 In Grants Were Distributed To All 11 Wellington Schools’ Arts Departments In 2022

This year’s Wellington Schools feature series in Wellington The Magazine was presented in conjunction with the Wellington Community Foundation’s “Our Schools” grant program.

The WCF Board of Directors — including Chair Tom Wenham, Vice Chair Maria Becker, Treasurer Hope Barron, Secretary Jim Sackett, and directors Joanna Boynton, Dr. Gordon Johnson, Barry Manning, James Seder, Pam Tahan and Maggie Zeller — voted unanimously at the start of the year to present this grant to all 11 public schools in Wellington, specifically to be used throughout the “arts departments” in 2022. Wellington The Magazine followed the progress along the way, featuring one of the schools each month throughout 2022, speaking with the principal at each school and learning more about that school.

Wellington Regional Medical Center hosted a special breakfast event for the principals and other Wellington school representatives in January to launch this innovative program. The principals were invited by the Wellington Community Foundation as the recipients of the “Our Schools” grant, through which the foundation supported the fine arts departments at each school.

Although the arts are usually among the first departments in schools to have budgets slashed, Wellington schools still have a robust arts program to offer, and the WCF board wanted to ensure that this grant can help keep that in place.

Johnson added that music, drawing and other artistic activities engage students and give them avenues to use their creativity in ways the academic classrooms do not. Manning agreed. “All of our students need outlets, especially during these challenging times,” he said.

Tahan, who also serves as CEO of Wellington Regional Medical Center, offered to host the special breakfast in the Community Conference Room on the hospital’s campus, and the new annual principal’s breakfast was born.

Tahan and her staff did a wonderful job organizing and preparing the room, the menu, and takeaway gifts for all the principals. The buffet-style breakfast included a made-to-order omelet station with all the fixings, French toast casserole, bacon, sausage, kielbasa, home fries with peppers and onions, fresh fruit, assorted Danishes, and coffee, water and freshly squeeze orange juice.

The principals and other school representatives, along with the foundation board members, including two newly elected board members, Michael Gauger and Donald Gross, were welcomed with opening remarks by WRMC Chief Operating Officer John Mark Atchley, who thanked everyone for taking the time out of their busy schedules and joining in on this breakfast prepared just for them.

Wenham, chair of the foundation, also thanked everyone for coming and thanked the WRMC team for putting on a great event. He went on to thank each of the schools for all that they are doing for the community’s children.

“We know it has been hard,” he said, adding that events like the breakfast serve to further enhance and better the community’s understanding of Wellington’s schools. “Coming together like this is something we should consider doing more often.”

Becker, who recently stepped down as vice chair of the foundation, noted the happy reason for the day’s event.

“Today, we were able to bring together representatives from all of our local schools and award them money that they can now use to help fund a part of the budget that is often overlooked, the arts,” she said. “The arts provide a needed outlet for students at a time when they need it most. I’m excited to see how each school uses the funds to enrich the lives of their students. This morning has been a classic example of what makes our village an amazing community for families with children.”

The foundation’s “Our Schools” grants have been awarded for the past five years with a different concentration of spending, varying from elementary after school programs to middle school requests for laptops to additional tutoring staff to assisting students needing help affording the annual safety patrol trip.

The grants have targeted either elementary schools, middle schools or high schools independently each year. But this year, the board felt it was necessary to fund every Wellington school — and found the budget to do so.

The foundation recently passed a 2023 budget that once again includes funding for all 11 schools. The foundation will work with school principals to identify another area from each school that can utilize the grant dollars to benefit Wellington students.

These projects are only made possible through the hundreds of generous donors, annual sponsors and volunteers that continue to support Wellington’s neighbors through the leadership of the Wellington Community Foundation and its board of directors. It is just one way that the community continues to show up and help its most vulnerable members — children, seniors and veterans.

For additional information about this “Our Schools” grant project, and other foundation projects, visit www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

A Fine Arts Academy And Much More Wellington’s Oldest School Continues To Thrive Under Principal Dr. Maria Vaughan

By Deborah Welky

Wellington Elementary School was the first public school built in the young community of Wellington back in 1981, opening its doors with 13 educators teaching grades three to six under the direction of the legendary Principal Buz Spooner and Assistant Principal Marge Mosser.

Spooner went on to lead Wellington Elementary for 20 years before he retired, setting up a school culture that continues to thrive today. Since 2014, the school has been led by Principal Dr. Maria Vaughan.

Vaughan grew up in London, England, and received her bachelor’s degree from Kingston University there. In 1996, she moved to the United States to live closer to her parents, continuing her education at Nova Southeastern University, where she received both her master’s and doctoral degrees.

“I moved to Florida because of the beautiful weather and family connections here,” Vaughan said, adding that she moved to the western communities in 2019.

In London, Vaughan attended what is called “primary” school there, here known as elementary.

“I loved my primary school!” she recalled. “However, after I left and went on to secondary school, I realized that there were many gaps in my education and, because of this, I struggled — specifically in the area of math.”

As often happens, it only took one dedicated and inspirational educator to turn things around.

“A teacher named Ms. Okikiolu took me under her wing and tutored me one-on-one after school,” Vaughan said. “She was the most patient and kind teacher I had ever had. If it was not for her, I would have been unable to pass the exams needed to go to college to become a teacher.”

And a teacher is what Vaughan wanted to be, even as a child.

“Once I became a teacher, I started to think about how I could have a greater impact on student learning, and how I could help other teachers to develop their potential,” Vaughan said. “So, I became a team leader, and that was the beginning of my road to becoming a principal.”

That is what first brought her to the western communities.

“After being an elementary and middle school teacher for 20 years, I was fortunate to be promoted to assistant principal at H.L. Johnson Elementary School in Royal Palm Beach,” Vaughan said. “I was then promoted as an instructional support team leader (ISTL) for the south and west area offices. I served in that position for three years and was then promoted to be the principal at Wellington Elementary School.”

She didn’t know it yet, but when she started down that road as a team leader, she was about to meet a key mentor.

“Dr. Matthew Shoemaker has had the biggest influence on my career,” Vaughan said. “He was the west area superintendent, and I worked under him. As a leader, he would take the time to mentor me and share his reasoning behind decisions. He demonstrated what it means to be a servant leader and led with the ethos that we should always make decisions that are in the best interest of students. I have adopted that philosophy as a leader, and that is what guides my decision making.”

And for an elementary school principal, what could be in the best interest of students more than choosing top-notch teachers? However, it’s not always easy.

“The biggest challenge I face as a principal is the severe teacher shortage that we are now facing nationwide,” Vaughan said. “I have tried to combat this by, firstly, making sure that we retain the teachers we have and, secondly, by being proactive in finding and hiring new teachers.”

Attracting and retaining students is another challenge that one does not usually consider when talking about elementary education in public schools. Yet Vaughan ranks this as one of the highlights of her tenure.

“One area that we here at Wellington Elementary have been successful in is attracting students back to a public school who had otherwise chosen charter or private schools,” she said. “The opening of our fine arts academy has helped with this, as it offers a variety of programs that encourage and foster artistic creativity and spark students’ interest.”

The fine arts academy began in 2016 and includes, musical theater (productions and chorus), handbells, strings (orchestra ensemble), art (club, competitions and showcases), physical education (running club and team sports), and communications (TV production, journalism club and yearbook).

While the fine arts academy first began with baby steps, it has now evolved into a respected, recognized program.

“In the future, I would like to see our fine arts program expand so that more students can participate in some of the programs offered, and also to add components like dance, keyboarding and band,” Vaughan said.

Wellington Elementary’s gifted center also regularly receives accolades, Vaughan noted.

Set on more than 20 acres, this green school also has a lavish nature trail. The school is also involved in health and wellness, participating in various causes and walks, such as National Walk to School Day, Autism Speaks, the American Cancer Society, Heroes for Education and more.

Meanwhile, Vaughan feels driven to pass on her knowledge to those just starting along educational roads of their own. “Personally, I would like to continue helping teachers, especially new teachers, to grow professionally,” she said. “I want to work to attract more people to the education profession.”

A Nurturing  And Challenging School Culture Equestrian Trails Elementary School Principal Michele Chorniewy Aims To Create Resilient Young Learners

Story by Deborah Welky  |  Photos by Denise Fleischman

Equestrian Trails Elementary School opened in 2003 to serve Wellington’s eastern neighborhoods. Located adjacent to the Olympia community, the school will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year.

For the past 12 years, the principal at Equestrian Trails has been Michele Chorniewy, who grew up in a small, rural, “horse country” town just outside Ocala.

“I enjoyed elementary school tremendously,” Chorniewy recalled. “I can even look back on specific years and specific teachers who made that time special for me.”

Her first mentor, however, was her mother, Marlene.

“My mother should’ve been a teacher,” Chorniewy said. “I grew up in a single parent home with one sister. My mother had this mindset of high expectations, especially for us girls, that nothing could hold us back. She didn’t accept anything but the best we could possibly do. She was a huge influence in my wanting to be a teacher and make a difference, and she helped me find that inner drive within myself.”

Chorniewy received her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida and her master’s degree at San José State University in California. She also took part in a program and taught leadership to other teachers, her first steps toward administration.

“I taught for two years in Connecticut and for 10 in California, but I always knew I would be coming back to Florida,” she said. “I relocated when an opportunity presented itself right after 9/11. I spent one year teaching and observing at Cholee Lake Elementary School in Greenacres, then mentioned my degree to the principal. Soon after that, I became a team leader and then ESOL coordinator at the school.”

Her time at Cholee Lake helped Chorniewy make the transition to assistant principal, first at Limestone Creek Elementary School in Jupiter and then Marsh Point Elementary School in Palm Beach Gardens.

“I stayed with that principal, Maureen Werner, for three years and joined her when she went to open a brand-new school,” Chorniewy said. “We chose the design, the colors and hired every single person. At that time, you had to be an assistant principal for five years before you could apply to be a principal.”

Chorniewy credits Werner, who recently retired, with being a key mentor.

“With her as my mentor, I learned how to create a caring ‘school family,’ a supportive environment — especially for staff — where everyone feels appreciated and wants to come to work and views it as a happy place,” she said.

While working at Marsh Point, Chorniewy moved to Wellington, and her own daughters attended Polo Park Middle School and Wellington High School. By the time Equestrian Trails had an opening for a principal, Chorniewy was more than ready.

“I’ve been here at Equestrian Trails for 12 years now,” Chorniewy said. “When I got here, the school had dropped to a B-rated school. I needed to build a strong foundation through students and staff with relationships and a ‘we can do it’ attitude. Now, we’re an A-rated school with state-of-the-art programs and hands-on, project-based learning. We have lots of opportunities for kids to showcase their talents through arts, technology and more.”

The school is highly competitive in the Academic Games and does well in the STEM-based SECME competition.

“We’re a STEM choice school, something I created,” Chorniewy said. “We used to have a few clubs, but now we have robotics, a positivity club focusing on the importance of kindness, and a drama club, which I run myself. I consistently work to bring forth new programs, to make sure kids can compete globally for the jobs of the future, and to promote that to girls especially.

This past year, Equestrian Trails was second in the school district and 18th in Florida on state testing. “That was very big, coming off the pandemic,” she said.

When the pandemic struck, Chorniewy had unique experience for dealing with it.

“A big influencer on my career was Dr. [Martin] Krovetz, my lead professor at San José State,” she said. “He has written books on fostering resiliency in children and was well known around the U.S. I did my graduate work underneath him and learned the importance of creating a nurturing and academically challenging culture at school. In short, making sure students get what they need mentally, preparing them to overcome challenges and being there for them so they can sustain that while, at the same time, maintaining a top-notch academic culture for all kids equitably.”

Chorniewy has found getting back to normal harder than dealing with the early phases of the pandemic.

“The aftermath has turned out to be the hardest,” she said. “Teachers are having a hard time getting kids to learn. We’re seeing how academics suffer when students are home for long periods of time, with no parent in the room with them. And there’s a loss of social skills, especially in those kindergarteners who are now in second grade. We’re seeing kids who don’t know how to talk to one another, nor problem solve.”

Her focus recently has been getting those students the extra resources and assistance they need.

“True, some kids enjoy being on the computer and have the inner drive to listen to a teacher remotely but, especially on an elementary level, they’re not there yet,” Chorniewy said. “The majority of children need to be in school. Sadly, a lot of our kids who really needed to be in school were the last ones to come back. When they had the choice, they stayed home.”

In the future, Chorniewy hopes to get deeper into project-based learning and to have students work on global problem-solving, over weeks and months if necessary. She wants to bring in technology that students will need when they go to middle and high school.

“I want my students to problem-solve and work together,” she said. “We need to come back to that.”

While retirement may be in her future, she has no immediate plans to leave Equestrian Trails.

“I plan on retiring right here at Equestrian Trails,” Chorniewy said. “I recently remarried, so I’m looking forward to traveling. My daughters are older and getting married. I’m looking forward to grandchildren. There are always new things. In the meantime, I want to keep the school growing. I want to find new ways to inspire kids. I want to leave the school much better than when I got here. I’m already looking at staff for leadership ability. Great leaders create an environment where things continue to run well whether they are there or not. Everyone should continue learning.”