ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – June 20, 2019, Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg announced they will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to reveal the new school garden donated by Leadership St. Pete® (LSP) Class of 2019. The event will be held at the school campus located at 2301 22nd Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712 at 7:30 A.M. on Monday, June 24, 2019. The mayor will be in attendance.
As a class project and commitment to the community, Leadership St. Pete® (LSP) Class of 2019, took on creating a garden for Academy Prep. As a united team, the leaders held fundraising events, asked for donations, solicited grants, and secured in-kind donations from marketing, engineering and construction professionals. After months of planning and countless hours of their time and physical labor, LSP 2019 left a legacy. A weed-filled area on the school property transformed into an extraordinary teaching garden with pavers, a covered Pavilion, custom planter boxes, irrigation, fruit trees, a storage shed, and a pergola, all surrounded by a new fence. A huge mural by Zulupainter depicting students in a garden with the inspirational words, “Watch Us Grow” has added to the transformation of the space.
Gina Tanase Burkett, Head of School at Academy Prep of St. Petersburg said, “Leadership St. Pete Class of 2019 exceeded our wildest expectations and have given our school community so much more than just an upgraded garden. The space they’ve created is one of beauty, tranquility, and great purpose. Not only will our students and their families have access to organic fruits and vegetables, but they’ll also gain valuable skills and be exposed to agricultural concepts that will integrate with core subject areas. Best of all, they’ll have first-hand exposure to the power of working together as a community. The leaders who comprise the LSP Class of 2019 are role models and examples for our students, and they are so proud and grateful to have been selected for this special project. LSP has reinforced for our students how much they matter and how much our community believes in their success, which is incredibly motivational.”
Members of the community are invited to the celebration as many local leaders will be present. You can also participate in the Academy Prep “Watch Us Grow” garden initiative by being an advocate or by supporting Academy Prep with a monetary donation.
As one of the oldest leadership programs in America and a division of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce® and its 501(c)(3) Foundation, LSP makes a difference in the community by working with a local nonprofit organization to further its mission. The project generally takes the form of a physical facility improvement for the beneficiary organization. Class members provide planning, fundraising and physical labor to execute the project. The Class was proud to support Academy Prep of St. Petersburg this year.
ABOUT ACADEMY PREP CENTER FOR ST. PETERSBURG
The vision of Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg is to be a Beacon of Excellence by guiding all students to: achieve academic excellence from middle school through college; foster personal integrity and commit to a lifelong service to their communities.
ABOUT LEADERSHIP ST. PETE®
Leadership St. Pete® (LSP), a division of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019. As the second oldest leadership program in America, its humble beginning started with a handful of local businessmen in 1979. Today the program has more than 1450 graduates throughout our community.
Leadership St. Pete® (LSP) graduates include mayors, congressmen, senators, governors, CEO’s, CFO’s and founders of their own businesses and/or non-profits. These results illustrate the mission of LSP—to identify, recruit, and develop leaders who represent the diversity of our community and who will assume future leadership roles in the Chamber and other community organizations.
LSP is a dynamic, intensive, interactive six-month experience designed to promote and enhance community leadership through an in-depth introduction to social, economic, business and political issues in the St. Petersburg area.
ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE®
The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce®, originally founded in 1899, now serves almost 1,000 member businesses. Finding ways to create and enhance opportunities to do business in St. Petersburg, the Chamber works to improve the local economic climate and to build a thriving business environment. The Chamber is the voice of local business in St. Petersburg, providing leadership on important business and community issues.
Please direct media inquiries regarding Leadership St. Pete® to one of the following Media Relations Contacts:
Matt Dieter
LSP Marketing Committee Chair
matt@klcapitalpartners.com
727-641-7978
Lindsay Petty
LSP Marketing Committee Chair
lindsay@pyperinc.com
727-688-5071
Tee Grizzard
Chair, LSP Class of 2019
teeg@lassiterware.com
352-250-1094