SARASOTA, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis visited Sarasota’s Booker High School on October 17, 2024, to announce the distribution of $500,000 to education foundations in five counties affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This award, part of a broader $1.5 million relief effort, is aimed at supporting schools and teachers impacted by the recent storms.

During the event, Governor DeSantis highlighted the resilience of Florida schools, which faced significant challenges after Hurricane Milton. The Governor praised local officials and education staff for their swift recovery efforts, noting the critical role schools played in providing shelter and support to the community. “We are less than a week away from when the storm left the state, and all school districts in the state of Florida are back to normal operations today, so that's a very quick turnaround. That's a very good job here in Sarasota where you had the storm’s main landfall. I thank everybody that’s been involved with that—I know it’s not easy, but I know that the students are better off for it.”

Booker High School, which served as a shelter for over 2,000 residents during the storm, became the backdrop for the Governor’s announcement. Superintendent Terry Connor of Sarasota County Schools spoke about the importance of restoring normalcy for students and staff. “We served over 38,000 meals during that time. and so the contribution [of] our administrators, our custodial staff, our food and nutrition services, who have to sacrifice their personal challenges … is heroic in what they do,” Conner said. “I had the privilege to walk the schools yesterday … and as I walked those classes, I saw the smiles on the teacher’s faces, on the student’s faces; they wanted to be back.”

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. echoed the importance of getting students back into the classroom quickly. “School is obviously the best place for students, especially after hurricanes. We've dealt with three hurricanes already during the school year,” Diaz stated. “It's important to get students back not only because there's air conditioning and hot meals but also they have the ability to be with their teachers and have those conversations, and to get right back in academics so there's no academic loss.” He applauded the Governor’s leadership and the collaborative efforts of state agencies to reopen schools in record time.

Jennifer Vine, President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, discussed the immediate needs of teachers and school staff. “The first priority was making sure we can get teachers back to work and all of the essential school district personnel back to work,” she said. Vine explained that many educators are still dealing with personal losses, from damaged homes to childcare issues. The $100,000 grant from the Florida Disaster Fund will help address these challenges, providing essential relief to teachers and students alike. “I hate to say that we’ve become experts at relief and recovery,” Vine remarked, referencing past hurricanes.

State Senator Joe Gruters (District 22) praised the resilience of the Sarasota community and expressed gratitude for the Governor’s leadership. “We can't be more proud of the job that everybody did as a community coming together, and it shows you how resilient we are to be able to get the schools back opening and operating within seven days of when the last storm left the state. The governor deserves a lot of credit. I'm glad he's staying on top of this and bringing attention to so many different areas of need because we still have a long road ahead.”

Click for more information on the Florida Disaster Fund and how to contribute.