The auditorium at Sherwood Elementary School was filled with cheers, applause, and a giant check on Wednesday morning as students and staff celebrated a major classroom upgrade.
Three area science classrooms are about to get $50,000 makeovers, thanks to a donation from Florida Power & Light. The funding comes at a time when federal support for low-income schools remains uncertain.
Sherwood, Pensacola's Bellevue Elementary and Milton's Avalon Middle School were among 20 schools across Florida awarded the STEM Classroom Makeover Grant. The program—expanded this year as part of FPL’s centennial celebration—has committed $1 million to boost hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education statewide.
For fifth grader Joe-Kaydon Cannon, the 3D printer and other tools coming to his classroom are more than just exciting—they’re a step toward his dream of becoming an astronaut.
"Yeah, it's my favorite subject. Best subject. I got an A- in it," he said.
Classmate Zoe Parris agreed, saying science is where she really shines.
"I have the best science teacher in the world," she said. "She is so nice, and we get to do hands-on experiments."
That teacher is Juliana Pearce, Sherwood’s fifth-grade science instructor and the author of the winning grant application. Pearce said many of her students show an early passion for STEM, but they don’t always have the tools to explore it.
"They don't always have the resources available to them that other kids might have," she said. "But they are so smart and they're so dedicated and so creative."
Sherwood is a Title I school, meaning a high percentage of its students come from low-income households. It receives federal funding to help meet their educational needs.
"A lot of my science funding is Title I science funding," Pierce explained. "So the hands-on experiments that we already try to implement, I personally wouldn't have the funds for myself."
But the future of that funding is now uncertain. The Trump administration has announced plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, raising questions about the fate of Title I support.
Denny Wilson, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Escambia County Public Schools, said the district is watching closely.
"My hope and prayer is that however the money is distributed in the future, that we're still going to have the funding to support what Title I's real purpose is, which is to really level the playing field," Wilson said.
He noted that nearly every public school in Escambia County relies on Title I funding to some extent.
In the meantime, community organizations and donors are stepping up to fill in the gaps.
Jo McArthur, executive director of the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, said schools are increasingly dependent on foundation and private support.
"As we move through this uncertain climate, schools are going to be more and more reliant on foundation and private donations to keep public schools alive," she said.
One of those donors is Florida Power & Light. Speaking at the rally, FPL External Affairs Manager Rick Byars shared why the company’s investment in education is personal to him.
"It was education that helped me in life," he said. "I grew up in a very poor family. I worked hard in school, and that opened the door to a wonderful career. And each and every one of you have that opportunity too."
For now, Sherwood students are simply eager to put their imaginations—and that new 3D printer—to work.
"I'm going to 3D print an astronaut helmet," Cannon said.
