“Peace.” For millennia, it’s what countries, organizations and individuals have said they wanted. Yet wars, conflicts, attacks and upheavals continue, making the concept of “Peace on Earth” seem out of reach and nearly impossible to attain. 

It’s no wonder we often feel the opposite of peaceful when we are beset by turbulence and chaos created by natural disasters, political and corporate upheavals, global health threats and economic uncertainty. 

Close to home, harsh winds and high floods of recent hurricanes turned homes and lives upside down for many of our neighbors. An abrupt change in Sarasota County Schools’ superintendent position increased rancor and unease in our schools and overall community. 

We  see people, including those we know personally, who are discouraged and suffering. It is evident the turbulent world has left its damaging mark—scabs for some, open wounds still for many others. It’s visible we are worn, tired, downtrodden and, for many, close to despair.

“Peace on Earth” in a global sense can seem more elusive than ever. While we often can’t control external factors that cause turmoil, I believe we can achieve a measure of personal peace and hope through individual deliberate acts that convey kindness, generous giving and goodwill. 

It’s a concept Kari Johnson, 2021 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year and a finalist for Florida Teacher of the Year, considered essential to her kindergarteners’ development. 

“The world can be turbulent,” she told us. “I strive to help my kindergarten students develop confidence to create a more positive world by showing kindness and encouragement to one another.” 

It’s a habit we adults would be wise to cultivate.

Twenty-first century medical and psychological research corroborate what we experience when we give from the kindness of our hearts: Serotonin levels go up, blood pressure levels go down. Think about the afterglow, the warm flow of happiness that spreads throughout your body and psyche when you give a gift to someone.

Better yet, it doesn’t have to be a purchased gift as long as it’s presented from our hearts.  

With this in mind, can we shift our viewpoint to think about gift gifting in a different way? Could this be a way we instill peace, find hope and begin healing? Instead of a wrapped box, what can happen if we are alert to opportunities to give of ourselves, not just on a holiday but on a daily basis? 

Here are a few gift ideas that don’t have price tags and are within everyone’s budgets: 

• Be gentlehearted—Show kindness and compassion even when you feel grouchy.  
• Be patient—Lend an ear to listen even when you might feel rushed.
• Give a smile to encourage even a stranger. 
• Say a sincere ‘thank you’ to your child’s teacher, the grocery store clerk, the overworked waiter. 
• Open the door for someone even if you were there first. 
• Yield to the impatient driver and add a smile instead of a rude gesture.
• Seek to understand another’s perspective by getting to know them first.

Let’s remember a seemingly small but thoughtful act on our part could be the only kindness the recipient experiences that day. And maybe, just maybe, the recipient will be inspired to pay it forward. 

On average, it takes 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic, according to behavioral psychologists. I hope you join me in seizing or creating an opportunity every day to give a meaningful gift to someone. 

Together, we can help to make things better and bring peace to our corner of Earth. Just as we learned as children, the song still rings true today: “Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me . . .” 

(Excerpt from “Let There be Peace on Earth” by songwriters Jill Jackson and Sy Miller.)

I wish you a joyous holiday season filled with peace, hope and healing.   

Jennifer Vigne is president and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. 

Image courtesy Pixabay

Among the first photos of graduates here at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota is a black-and-white photo featuring our first four nursing graduates. Today, that number exceeds the thousands through our Associate in Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. It is no surprise nurses are in high demand, given we live in a state and community where the need for nurses has only continued to grow.

Consequently, this has led to a 65-year pursuit to fulfill the constant need within our region. Growing our nursing programs has been a priority since I joined SCF. Upon becoming President, I committed to doubling the number of nurses we can graduate each year. This requires additional capacity and investment: faculty, staffing, facilities and equipment. Nursing is one of our most expensive workforce programs and requires a lower-than-usual faculty-to-student ratio, modern and costly simulators, doctoral faculty, and a flexible but well-structured two- or 4-year degree pathway. 

The quality of SCF’s nursing programs is why local hospitals and healthcare providers seek our students who pass the National Council Licensure Examination on their first attempt and at a higher rate than other institutions. It is also why students choose our program over others. Additionally, SCF’s tuition is among the lowest in Florida, with its faculty highly revered by students and alums. 

Just recently, and again, as part of an annual evaluation, SCF's ASN program was recognized as the number four program in all of Florida by RegisteredNursing.org. In one of the most detail-oriented and thorough ranking assessments conducted each year, the scoring placed SCF firmly in the top five against all other nursing programs in Florida, including both public and private colleges and universities. Our BSN degree has also been ranked number one by RegisteredNursing.org on the website’s list of “Best Online RN to BSN Programs in Florida.”

We are proud of the high regard for our nursing programs; however, as one of the best programs in the state, SCF has garnered the reputation of being highly competitive and challenging in which to gain admission. I’ve heard it myself. Eligible students fear non-acceptance or that we cannot accept more applicants. In addition, community members are so used to us being at capacity that they warn potential students to consider all their options.

Recognizing this challenge, local and state legislators and community foundations have provided the beginning of what we hope to become recurring funding of more than $2.5 million. Through generous foundation grants, and the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) program and Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) funding, SCF can double its annual nursing graduates and accept every qualified student who applies to our nursing program.

With this rewarding news, I am excited to share that we are now accepting and enrolling many more nursing students in our ASN and BSN degree programs, including new evening and weekend cohorts and fast-track programs. Our skilled nursing coaches can help students navigate these admission options.  

Our commitment and pursuit of graduating more nurses is ongoing. We will continue to seek recurring financial support and expand and create admissions options for students to flexibly enroll in our ASN and BSN degree programs while proudly boasting that SCF nursing programs are continuously rated within the top five programs in the state.

Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld is president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. 

Photo courtesy SCF: 2022 Spring graduates of SCF Nursing program.

December is a time to reflect on the preceding 11 months. Looking back on 2022, one theme emerges: a collective determination to make this area better for all who call it home is key to creating a vibrant, more equitable community. No doubt we are living in a time of tension and division, but our best achievements are made possible by working together towards a common good. 

Throughout the year, I crisscross our area visiting with people who care, from individuals and families to government agencies, nonprofits, schools and businesses who are all working together in their own ways to achieve a brighter tomorrow. A few examples of collaboration and innovation stand out. Some you may be familiar with. Others may not have made headlines but are certainly notable. 

On Nov. 3, I was fortunate to witness an adult graduation ceremony of our 2Gen cohort at Alta Vista Elementary. These parents have worked hard for years, juggling work, raising their children, and attending college and certificate programs to gain the credentials required to attain careers that elevate their incomes, provide advancement opportunities, and improve prospects for their families. At that graduation, watching those mothers—this time it was all women at the ceremony—claim graduation gifts as their children beamed from the audience, I was reminded there are many terrific strategies for supporting overall community prosperity and stability. 

One mother offered her testimony at the graduation: “I’ve gone from public housing to home ownership.” 

I am so grateful for all those who recognize the promise of a 2Gen approach, which offers reinforcement to both children and their adult caretakers. The investments made in these talented, hardworking people improves their lives and the lives of their families, and the strength of our community, as talented people equipped with expertise enter the workforce in high-demand areas like healthcare and construction. 

On the creative front, this past summer brought our first-ever Diversity in Arts Leadership (DIAL) internship program, which helps connect up-and-coming arts leaders with internship opportunities. The program, managed through Americans for the Arts, stands to advance the collective narrative, as it supports voices of underrepresented people in positions of arts influence. While different from the 2Gen approach, it does consider the role of education as a building block of a healthy, vibrant, creative society, and I am grateful for those whose vision, passion and financial contributions made it possible to bring strong new voices to the realm of arts leadership that will shape our community in the future. 

Other initiatives new and old provide opportunities for everyone to help our community. Tried and trusted, Season of Sharing is now in its 23^rd year and continues to be a safety net for our neighbors living on the economic edge. When Hurricane Ian struck, we drew upon this initiative to quickly respond and help students, families and seniors with immediate needs. While those efforts continue (and have been a source to respond to other crises like Red Tide, the initial surge of the pandemic or personal emergencies), I am also incredibly moved by the community’s generosity to the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund. 

This special fund has garnered $5 million in the two months or so since the storm hit Southwest Florida. Different from Season of Sharing, these generous gifts will be vital to implementing longer-term solutions to challenges that resulted from the storm. This includes areas like mental health, legal aid and disaster planning, among others. You will hear more about the progress of this fund in the weeks and months ahead and can find ongoing updates on our website.  

All these initiatives and more have relied on the notion that “all of us are smarter than one of us,” that when we work together towards a shared vision of a bright future, we can achieve so much more than any one person or group could. I hope the spirit of collaboration carries us into 2023, and I imagine the possibilities of continued teamwork to bring about a more promising tomorrow. 

Roxie Jerde is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. 

Photo courtesy Community Foundation: 2Gen graduation ceremony.