Pictured: REACH planning group. Provided photo.

It’s that time of year again - we can feel the collective exhale of teachers, and there’s a flurry of graduation announcements. Can you believe another school year is now behind us? I’m encouraged to see how Manatee County schools made remarkable strides in 2025-2026, moving up the Florida school district ranking 26 spots, and elevating 3rd-grade reading levels by 5 percentage points. Our Early Learning Coalition and MCF’s Manatee Childcare Alliance have reason to be proud as well. Manatee County public school VPK sites continue to outperform the state, with 74% earning an Excellent rating compared with 45% statewide. Increased enrollment in centers with quality programming is also helping ensure our little ones are ready to learn by the time they enter school.

Those successes span very different stages of a child's educational experience, but they are connected. The graduates we celebrate today have spent years working toward this milestone, and many did it despite navigating circumstances that would challenge most adults. And while earning a diploma is a significant achievement, the weeks after graduation can be when the hardest decisions begin.

I’ve always believed a community does better when its citizens view education as a shared responsibility. Schools remain at the center, but there is a role for employers, nonprofits, donors, mentors, and community partners to create more opportunities for the next generation. Several years ago, MCF launched REACH Manatee in partnership with the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the Manatee Education Foundation, and Unidos Now. REACH Manatee is a local college access network that endeavors to help more students see higher education and career training as realistic options after high school, graduate with a plan, and then access the path they chose. Community leaders recognized that too many students seemed to lose momentum after graduation; many lacked financial guidance, mentorship, or clear information about college and career pathways, while others simply didn’t consider higher education a possibility in their circumstances.

Today, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce leads REACH Manatee in continued partnership with MCF and others, and newly appointed Director of Education and Workforce Partnerships, Debra Perry, is helping guide the network's next chapter. MCF recently hosted a Vision Council meeting focused on priorities for the coming school year, and I left encouraged by the commitment and energy in the room.

REACH partners are working toward Florida's SAIL To 60 goal, which aims for 60% of working-age adults to hold a high-value degree, credential, or training experience by 2030. And we have much to celebrate. Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) among Manatee County seniors increased by 6.6% this year, a good sign that more graduates are exploring higher education and training opportunities. Because FAFSA is often the gateway to scholarships, grants, and other financial aid, higher completion rates can open doors that might otherwise remain closed.

Kimberly Krupa from the Florida College Access Network offered a helpful perspective. “What's happening in Manatee County reflects exactly what research tells us works,” she said, and pointed out that “the most successful college access networks have this in common: their communities take ownership of helping students succeed after high school.”

Lately, local conversations have also turned toward affordability. The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners recently voted unanimously to pursue Suncoast Prosper, a proposed initiative connected to State College of Florida that would help students cover remaining tuition costs after other aid is exhausted. It’s easy to underestimate how often a few thousand dollars, or sometimes even a few hundred, can determine whether a student continues their education. Meanwhile, many families are understandably anxious about what shifting education policies and funding decisions at the state level could mean for students in the future. While many of those discussions happen far from Manatee County, they have real consequences for students and families here at home. I encourage readers to stay informed about the education rules currently under review and to make their voices heard as those decisions are considered.

As I look back on this school year, my thoughts land on the students who walked across stages and whose names appeared in graduation announcements across our community. But their stories do not end at graduation, and neither should our commitment to them. Our region will thrive when more students can see a hopeful future for themselves here and have the support they need to pursue it.

Veronica Thames is the CEO of Manatee Community Foundation.

Pictured: REACH planning group. Provided photo.