august 2014 - access lakeland

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17¢4¢

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AND 5,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSWILL COMPLETE OVER

IN THIS ISSUE

Meet Your School Resource Officers

Volunteers Offer a Hand to Help Clean Up Neighborhood

HEARTH PROJECT:Warmth for Homeless Children

Get Into Energy with LE Power Academy

228 S. Massachusetts Ave.Lakeland, FL 33801

863.834.6000

www.lakelandgov.net

City of Lakeland’sMonthly Newsletter

30290-I-0147

August 2014

This month, thousands of Polk County students will return to school to further their education to help them become part of the future of America’s workforce. The City of Lakeland would like to wish every student much success in the upcoming school year. We’re cheering for all of you!

95,000THIS MONTH, OVER

STUDENTS

44.8%WHITE

28.8%HISPANIC/

LATINO21%BLACK/

AFRICAN AMERICAN

3.1%2 OR MORE

1.6%ASIAN

.7%OTHER

COMMUNITY SERVICE THIS YEAR.

52049,00053,000

BUSES WILL TRANSPORT

ANNUAL BUDGET

EMPLOYEESMAKING IT THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN POLK COUNTY.

OVER 1/2 ARE TEACHERS.

POLK COUNTYSCHOOL SYSTEM

TEACHING, TRANSPORTING & COUNSELING STUDENTS

OPERATING & MAINTAININGSCHOOLS

CENTRAL & FISCAL SERVICES

STUDENTS

MILESEVERY DAY

THAT’S LIKE DRIVING FROMNEW YORK — LOS ANGELESAND BACK OVER 9 TIMES.

ON THE ROAD

AGAIN...

$1EVERY DOLLARIS SPENTLIKE THIS...

Monthly Comparison ofResidential Electric Rates Source: Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) Monthly Utility Bill Comparison • May 2014

www.lakelandelectric.com*per 1,200 kWh usage

Lakeland Electric partnered with the Polk County School Board to create the Power Academy program being offered at Tenoroc High School. It is one of the academy programs that follows a strict Polk County School Board curriculum but Lakeland Electric sponsors this particular academy so students can learn valuable skills that will help them get a job in the power industry.

The Power Academy program began in the fall of 2008 and is open to all high school students in the county. “The goal of the academy is to help students prepare for technical positions while still in high school,” said Joel Ivy, General Manager for Lakeland Electric. “Students in the academy gain a solid understanding of both industrial and residential electricity,” Ivy said. “The academy is equipped with leading-edge technology.”

When Lakeland Electric approached school district officials about the program, it wanted to help train students for high-skilled jobs and this program helps them develop the necessary technical and people skills required for employment at Lakeland Electric or for any company in the world. In addition, this Academy provides students with an excellent foundation to compete for a variety of careers in other trades and industries, such as construction and manufacturing.

The Power Academy is conducted in its own facility on the Tenoroc campus. Students have an outdoor power pole lab in which they practice climbing techniques. An outdoor solar field is also on location. The curriculum includes resume writing, interview skills development, team projects, career exploration, job safety, electricity, electronics, robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics and blueprint reading.

Students who enroll in all four years of the program are allowed to complete a job-shadowing program at Lakeland Electric during their senior year. This program is very beneficial for students planning to go on to a four-year college or a trade school by providing technical knowledge and dual college credit enrollment while still in high school.

We know as a high school student you have to make some very difficult decisions on which classes to take to help you get into the career of your choice. We feel the Lakeland Electric Power Academy will give students the information and background needed to continue in almost any career that interests them.

936

students have graduated from the program,since its inception.

graduates of the program have been hired, full time, with Lakeland Electric.

LAKELANDELECTRICOPENHOUSE

SAVE THE

DATE!

10.4.1410AM-2PMFREE EVENT

LAKELAND ELECTRIC TRAINING FACILITY2727 CENTURION DRIVE

like \''līk\ vb: to be suitable or agreeable to. www.facebook .com/c i ty o f lake land LIKE US ON

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERSProtectors and Mentorsto Lakeland Youth

The Lakeland Police Department’s School Resource Officers

(SROs) work in collaboration with educators, students, parents, and the community to reduce crime, drug abuse, violence, and to provide a safe school environment. Lakeland’s School Resource Unit is made up of eight School Resource Officers and one Sergeant. Members of the team act as liaisons between the police department and the school district. The officers are in the schools providing law enforcement services, along with being a friend, mentor and role model to the students.

How do School Resource Officers provide a safe school environment?

• They patrol school grounds, respond to calls for service in the area, and participate in juvenile enforcement missions to prevent juvenile delinquency.

• They initiate interaction with students in the classroom and general areas of the school while being a positive role model; providing individual counseling and mentoring to students.

• Officers give school presentations on what an SRO does, the criminal justice system, and other related topics that help to build an understanding of law enforcement’s role in the community.

• SROs increase visibility within the school community. Attend and participate in school functions. Build working relationships with the school’s staff as well as with student and parent groups.

Lakeland’s SROs have become an integral part in the

proactive steps being taken to reduce gang activity in the City of Lakeland. Not only are the officers looking out for the typical signs of gang activity in our schools and public places, but they are training fellow school administrators on what to look for as well. They know that early intervention is the key to stopping many impressionable children from venturing down the wrong path. The unit hopes to soon reintroduce the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program back into our local schools. The Program is intended as an intervention tool against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. The program is targeted toward children immediately before the prime ages for introduction into gangs and delinquent behavior. During the past summer months, SROs were out patrolling parks and other areas where children and teens were known to hang out to ensure families that they could play safely and free from gang activity.

SRO’s are here to help increase positive attitudes towards

law enforcement by proactively working with students and staff to address issues before they become a larger problem. The officers want to assist in maintaining a safe, secure environment for the students to have opportunities for learning so they can achieve their goals in life. The SROs maintain offices at the various school campuses throughout the city and encourage students and/or parents to contact them should they have any issues at school.

Sergeant Richard RoseSupervisor of School Resource [email protected]

Officer Walter DennisBlake [email protected]

Officer Fred LewisGang Liason [email protected]

Officer Doris DiazSleepy Hill Middle [email protected]

Officer Lori EdwardsRochelle School of the Arts,Lawton Chiles Middle & Lincoln [email protected]

Officer Dave TorresSouthwest Middle [email protected]

Officer Oscar WesleyLakeland Senior High [email protected]

Officer Adam WilliamsTruancy [email protected]

Katina LewisElementary [email protected]

MEET YOURSCHOOL RESOURCE

OFFICERS

LAKELANDELECTRICOPENHOUSE

L O G O N . T U N E I N . G E T C O N N E C T E D .www.lakelandgov.net

UPCOMING EVENTSHONORING HEROES BBQ

9.6.14 • 6-9PM • Lake Mirror Center

CARDBOARD BOAT CHALLENGE& LAKES FESTIVAL

9.13.14 • 8:30AM - NOONLake Hollingsworth Boat Ramp

MUSIC ON THE PROMENADE9.19.14 • 6-9PM

Frances Langford Promenade at Lake MirrorLive Music By Jill's Cash Box

HOLIDAYCity Hall will be closed on

Monday, September 1, 2014 in observance of Labor Day.

Solid waste pickups for the week will be delayed one day.

STAYCONNECTED

ONLINE

www.lakelandgov.net

IN PERSONCity Hall is open

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Monday-Friday

PUBLIC MEETINGSCity Commission Meetings

First and Third Monday9:00 a.m.

Utility Committee MeetingsFirst Monday

1:00 p.m.

Watch the live broadcast on:

Channel 615 (Brighthouse) or

Channel 43 (Verizon FiOS)

IMPORTANT NUMBERS863.834.6000

Lakeland Electric Customer Service

863.834.9535

Power or Water Outages863.834.4248

Pollution Hotline863.834.3300

LPD Crime Tips Hotline863.834.2549

PAYING YOURUTILITY BILL

ONLINEwww.lakelandelectric.com

BY PHONE863.834.9535

IN PERSONLakeland Electric has partnered with over 50 local businesses

including area AMSCOT offices to accept your utility payment.

Thank you to the more than 400 volunteers from over 30 churches and organizations who came together for the 7th Street Park Neighborhood Outreach event this past June. Volunteers went door-to-door with food care packages while lawn care professionals assisted with lot clearings and residential yard care. Members from the Lakeland Fire and Police Departments were on hand to serve up hot dogs and join in on the kids activities. The event is a part of the Refuse to Lose anti-gang initiative. For more information visit www.lakelandgov.net.

The Mission of Polk County Public Schools is to provide a high quality education for all students. As of May 2014, more than 3,700 students have been identified as homeless, which is an increase of over 1,100 students from the 2012 – 2013 school year.

For more than a decade, the school district has been working to ensure that children experiencing homelessness have the same opportunities for educational success as housed students in Polk County. This focus is attributed to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001. The federal law, reauthorized by Title X, Pact C, of the No Child Left Behind Act, provides educational support and protections for children and youth who are experiencing homelessness. McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”

The HEARTH Project and the Polk County School Board are dedicated to assisting homeless and in-transition families and children by eliminating barriers to school enrollment, attendance, stability, and overall academic success.

If you’d like to donate resources or supplies to the HEARTH Project, contact homeless liaison Dee Dee Wright at 863.534.0755. Donations are also accepted at the office at 1915 South Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830.

THE HEARTH PROJECT IS IN NEED OF THESE ITEMS:School Supplies | Food and Gas Gift Cards | Hygiene Packs (toothbrush, deoderant, shampoo, soap, brush, etc.)

Please donate NEW ITEMS only.

Neighborhood Cleanup

HEARTH PROJECT: Warmth for homeless children

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august 2014 - access lakeland

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