Latest news with #FrankCerabino
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
5 Palm Beach Post staffers win first place awards in Florida Press Club competition
Five staffers at The Palm Beach Post won first place awards at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism competition announced Feb. 1. The Palm Beach Post's first-place winning entries included work by Frank Cerabino for commentary writing (Class A-B), Katherine Kokal for education writing (Class A-B); Kimberly Miller for environmental writing (Class A); Wayne Washington for minority-news coverage (Class A); and Tom D'Angelo for sports writing (Class A). Cerabino won the commentary category on the strength of his columns about the ancestry of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the surgeon general going "AntiChrist" on the COVID vaccine and new teachings on slavery. Frank Cerabino: DeSantis' own immigration story conflicts with his opposition to "birthright citizenship" Katherine Kokal's entries for the education beat award included the FHSAA removing menstrual questions on form after talking to DeSantis' office, the FHSAA board OKing form asking athletes for sex at birth and the schools chief apologizing for pulling AP Psych, says he can't risk teachers being arrested. Kimberly Miller took first place in the environmental writing category with these stories: the weather patterns that caused a tornado in Palm Beach Gardens, oddball weather patterns that are worrisome this hurricane season and Rare Super El Niño possible this dry season. Wayne Washington took the top prize for reporting on minority news coverage with stories about honoring rapper Kodak Black sparks tiff between Palm Beach County commission candidates and the revival of the Sunset Lounge, West Palm Beach's 1920s era dinner club. Tom D'Angelo's sports writing included Brooks Koepka taking shots at LIV teammate Matthew Wood, Bernhard Langer and retiring from golf and Cognizant expected to become new title sponsor for old Honda Classic. Post staff writer Mike Diamond won a second place award for government news (Class A). Third place winners at The Post in the Class A category include photo journalist Thomas Cordy in the feature photo essay category and Hannah Phillips for public safety writing. Two Palm Beach Daily News writers also won top writing awards. Staff writer Darrell Hofheinz, who regularly covers real estate and business, took home three first place honors in the statewide contest for community news writing, general news writing and business writing in the Class B circulation category. M.M. Cloutier, a freelance writer who frequently contributes stories to the Daily News about island restaurants, hotels and history, won the first-place award in the Class B category for 'serious features.' The press club is marking its 75th anniversary this year, having been founded as the Florida Women's Press Club. Since the 1950s, the press club has honored journalists with prizes in photography, writing and design. The latest awards were presented Feb. 1 during a dinner at a Hilton hotel in Ocala. Eligible entries were published or produced in Florida or transmitted from the state by a wire service between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. The contest was open to traditional print media as well as online outlets. The full list of winners is available at This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 5 Palm Beach Post staffers earn first place Florida Press Club awards
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Yes, Disney trips can be educational for students, even if you don't get it
Frank Cerabino in his Jan. 23 column ('Garsh! That's Goofy: Florida tax dollars pay for voucher students' Disney trips') unfairly mocked families who use Florida's education choice scholarships to provide learning environments tailored to meet their children's individual needs. While using theme parks and TVs as learning tools might seem ridiculous at first, it ignores the very real challenges families face in finding education that meets their kids' needs — challenges that traditional schools often can't solve. Instead of casually dismissing their choices as being frivolous and unwarranted based on media reports, I wish he had talked to some of those parents who struggle to find the right fit for their kids. These are the square pegs that don't fit into any system's round holes. Parents are increasingly seeking a more individualized educational environment for their children, with tailored instruction to meet each learner's distinct needs. Fortunately, Florida provides these families with options. Just because they appear unconventional (at least right now) does not mean they are unworthy. Learning can happen anywhere outside a traditional classroom and can come from multiple providers. It can — and does — happen in museums, on nature hikes, at aquariums, and even at places like Disney's Animal Kingdom, where zoology lessons come to life. Indeed, Florida's theme parks market educational programs to public schools. For many students with unique educational and emotional needs, these experiences ignite curiosity and make learning more hands-on. Dismissing these opportunities as frivolous is a disservice to families seeking better options for their children. School news: PBC kids attending private schools with taxpayer-funded vouchers doubled this year. Why? Florida turning scholarships into education savings accounts (ESAs) has expanded the possibilities of learning. No longer confined to just brick and mortar schools (public or private) or even homeschooling, students can combine different settings into hybrid opportunities. In addition, educators are using these opportunities to innovate in ways they couldn't before. They are creating schools that allow them to teach what they want and how they want to. South Florida, in particular, has become a hub for educational innovation, with microschools emerging as nurturing spaces where students thrive with personalized instruction and creative learning methods. Many of these programs are founded by former public school educators who wanted the freedom to teach in meaningful, impactful ways. Editorial: Inspiring teachers harder to find in Florida schools At Microschool Florida, a community for parents and educators I founded, we've seen students who struggled with anxiety or fell years behind in traditional schools find renewed confidence and success. These microschools and other learning providers conduct marine science classes in public parks along the coastline, or teach physics and engineering concepts using surfboards and skateboards. Many of our small, supportive environments allow students to learn at their own pace, explore nature, and develop lifelong skills through hands-on experiences. Parents aren't looking for a day of fun; they're looking for a chance to help their children succeed when other approaches have failed them. Cerabino's column reads as clickbait designed to stir outrage rather than foster understanding. If he spoke with parents who rely on these scholarships and the options they provide, he'd hear stories of perseverance and transformation. Mocking their choices only underscores a lack of awareness about the challenges they face and the courage it takes to forge a new path for their children's education. Candace Lehenbauer is the founder of Tapestry Academy in Boca Raton and Microschool Florida. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Disney can be good for FL students. Voucher use is legit | Opinion
