Phoenix RISE

Yesterday, we celebrated and said farewell to Kim Taylor as she begins her well-earned retirement after 36 years of dedicated service with Pasco County Schools. We are incredibly grateful for the countless lives she has impacted and for her instrumental role in helping launch the Phoenix Rise Program. Ms. Kim’s kindness, commitment, and positive influence will be deeply missed. Wishing her all the best and much happiness as she begins this exciting new chapter!

Please join me in congratulating our inaugural Specialized Career Instruction – Comprehensive graduates! We are incredibly proud of the hard work, perseverance, and determination each of these students has shown throughout the year. We could not have asked for a better group of students to help launch our program and set such a strong foundation for future success.
I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the families and loved ones who supported our students and helped them get here each and every day. Thanks to everyone’s dedication and commitment, our inaugural class achieved an outstanding 98.6% attendance rate this school year!

Please join me in congratulating Stephen on earning his Customer Service Specialist through ETA International! Nice job Stephen!

Please join us in congratulating Aphrodite on being honored by the Rotary Club of New Port Richey after receiving the Award of Excellence from Fred K. Marchman Technical College.
We are incredibly proud of all the students recognized by Rotary and are confident they will leave FKMTC equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s workforce.

Please consider voting for Fred K. Marchman Technical College for the best Trade/Vocational School/College for this year’s Tampa Bay Best of the Best 2026!!!

Victoria and Joseph demonstrate their skills during their full day shadowing experience in the Professional Culinary Arts and Hospitality Program!

Mr. Byers had the pleasure of being hosted by the STEEL Program at Ridge Technical College, where he joined their monthly Lunch & Learn session. Attendees enjoyed a nacho bar while gaining valuable insights from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on how to protect themselves from identity theft, fraud, and scams. It was a great day!

We truly enjoyed our time at the 2026 FLDCDT Visions Conference this year in Gainesville, FL! This is a photo of how we were greeted at check-in! It was extremely beneficial to learn from, and collaborate with, transition educators across the state of Florida. We are already looking forward to next year!

Mr. Todd had the opportunity to learn more about the VERTICAL Program at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ). It was truly inspiring to hear young adults confidently share their experiences and celebrate their successes in postsecondary education in front of a large audience.

Ms. Kim and Mr. Todd had the opportunity to present alongside Fort Myers Technical College and Manatee Technical College at the FLDCDT Visions Conference in Gainesville, FL. Each program spoke about how each of us utilize the Specialized Career Education class a little differently to support students in their postsecondary pathways.