Education Conversations

In the continuation of our Education Conversations miniseries on education and the economy, Jennifer talks with Jennifer Johnston, Director of Community Leadership for Gulf Coast Community Foundation. They discuss the connection between students, community, and businesses, and how preparing tomorrow’s workforce starts in our classrooms today.

Launching the first in our mini-series on college education and the economy, Jennifer talks with Kimberly Lent Morales, director of research and evaluation for Helios Education Foundation. Kimberly co-authored a recent report titled “Florida’s Future Billions”, and they discuss several findings from the study, including the question, Is an education beyond high school worth it?

Enjoy a special good cheer episode with this compilation of positive and inspiring clips from our guests over the past two seasons. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Teachers play an important role in education—they are on the front lines in shaping the future through our students—and we are so appreciative of all they do. In this episode, Jennifer talks with the three district Teacher of the Year finalists about what motivates them to teach and what it means to them to be named 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic that people are both excited and concerned about. While AI has been around for decades, Jennifer talks with Dr. Rebecca Hines, Associate Professor at UCF, about how it is being used in education today, particularly how she is using it in special education, and ways AI can help teachers be more efficient and effective in the classroom.

S2E7 – Since 1955 The Selby Foundation has made a significant impact on thousands of young people and the operations of hundreds of charitable organizations through traditional grants and student scholarships. In this podcast, Jennifer speaks with Susie Bowie, Selby Foundation President and CEO to learn more about the history of the foundation and explore the Regional Scholarship Providers Network, a new initiative to reduce inequities in college attainment rates across Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties.   Our thanks to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for your generous support of this episode.

In this episode, Jennifer talks about “strength in numbers” and how partners in our community come together to work collectively for students. Thomas Williams, Chief Collaboration Officer and Director for PLANit Sarasota, and Lordana Guillaume, Student Success Coach for the Education Foundation and PLANit Program Coordinator discuss how the local college access network collaborates with community partners to help students navigate their education and career planning. The Education Foundation of Sarasota County is proud to serve as the backbone for PLANit Sarasota. We’d like to thank this week’s sponsor, Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Their support helps us bring you the […]

In this episode, Jennifer is joined by Dr. Larry Thompson, President of Ringling College of Art & Design. They discuss Ringling’s application process, how to prepare, what is required, and how their process differs from other college applications. Dr. Thompson talks about shattering the myth of the starving artist through its innovative programs and majors, and the impressive lineup of recruiters who come to campus in hopes of recruiting Ringling College graduates for employment—General Motors, Disney, and Hasbro, to name a just a few. We’d also like to thank Suncoast Credit Union for being the sponsor of this week’s podcast. […]

This special edition explores the Sarasota County Schools Referendum. Superintendent Terry Connor, now in his second year and known for his strategic planning and A-rating streak, discusses the upcoming November 5th election. He will cover the history and impact of the Millage Referendum for 2026-2030, which seeks to continue the 1-mill ad valorem tax. This funding supports teacher salaries, workforce training, school safety, arts programs, and technology upgrades, and is crucial for the future of education in Sarasota County.

In any profession we all strive to stay current and informed. It’s no different with teachers. We know education is evolving so how do we, as educators, keep ourselves not only up to date and knowledgeable, but also engaged in the subjects we teach? Nicole Light, director of educator programs at the Education Foundation, goes in depth with Jennifer on what she has learned about herself and from other teachers as she launches energizing new programs for Sarasota County teachers.