SFSC Performing Arts Presents Curtain Up for the Community Raises Funds for Local Groups

May 20, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) Performing Arts is accepting applications from local nonprofits to participate in Curtain Up for the Community, a fundraising performance of Love Story: The Unofficial Tribute to Taylor Swift on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts at SFSC’s Highlands Campus in Avon Park. Previously known as Play Your Part, this is the seventh year that SFSC Performing Arts is helping local schools, nonprofits, and other organizations raise funds.

Selected nonprofits sell tickets to the performance and earn 100% of their ticket sales. The nonprofit must be located in Hardee, Highlands, and DeSoto counties and provide services within local communities. “It’s a wonderful and easy fundraiser for school PTOs, social service agencies, or churches,” explained Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC.

Since 2019, $30,000 has been raised for local organizations. Past participants include the Mason G. Smoak Foundation, the Children’s Museum of Highlands County, St. Catherine’s School, Hope Haven Transitional Housing, Sebring Historical Society, and Rotary Club of Hardee County. “This fundraiser allows school groups like the band boosters or PTOs, to partner with our 1,460-seat Performing Arts Center to provide entertainment and raise funds,” added Garren.

Applications are available by emailing culturalperformances@southflorida.edu, calling the SFSC Box Office at 863-784-7178, or visiting sfscARTS.org. Applications are due Tuesday, July 1 and selected organizations will be notified on Wednesday, July 2.

Starring Rikki Lee Wilson, Love Story: The Unofficial Tribute to Taylor Swift is known as the pinnacle of Taylor Swift tribute shows, captivating audiences across the U.S. and beyond, delivering a spectacular homage to the pop sensation. With meticulous attention to detail, Rikki Lee Wilson brings Taylor Swift to life on stage, channeling her look, sound, and charisma. Backed by an outstanding live band, the show features multiple costume changes and a dynamic stage presence, creating an unforgettable experience for fans of all ages.

Rikki not only sounds like Taylor—she looks the part too—mesmerizing Swifties and transporting them into the exhilarating world of a Taylor Swift concert. From chart-topping hits like “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Love Story” to fan favorites across every era, the performance is packed with energy, emotion, and authenticity.

Love Story Band is not endorsed by or in any way affiliated with TAS Rights Management, Taylor Swift, or their affiliated entities.

A $30 VIP Experience ticket is available only through SFSC Performing Arts. The VIP Experience includes reserved seating in the first two rows, a private Meet & Greet with Rikki Lee Wilson after the show, a backstage photo opportunity, light refreshments, and a souvenir gift. VIP Experience tickets are available online on Friday, Aug. 1 at sfscARTS.org.

The Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts is located on the Highlands Campus of South Florida State College at 600 West College Drive. Parking is free. Concessions are available, cash only. 

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 9, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) marked the end of the 2024-25 academic year with its spring Commencement held in two ceremonies on Thursday, May 8 in the SFSC Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

During the 2 p.m. ceremony, SFSC honored the recipients of the Associate in Science, Career Certificate, College Credit Certificate, and State of Florida High School Diploma.

Honored during the 5:30 p.m. ceremony were students who earned their Associate in Arts, Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Teacher Education, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Opening the ceremonies, Terry Atchley, chair of the SFSC District Board of Trustees, told the graduates, “Your achievement is not just a personal triumph. It is a beacon of hope and possibility for all who will follow in your footsteps. You are the future of this region, this state, and this nation.”

In her presentation to the graduates during the 2 p.m. ceremony, Chelsea Marvel-Brooks, who earned her Electrical Lineworker Career Certificate, reflected on an African proverb about the rose and its thorns. She said it means that “to appreciate the good things in life, we must also acknowledge and address the challenges and difficulties that come with them.”

She urged her fellow students, “When the time has come to be weak, then let yourself be weak. But don’t become still. Be yourself, be open to new ideas, and trust God’s timing, because the times and seasons belong to God. Your time to overcome and or prosper is determined by God, not you, not me, not your instructor, or your supervisor. As you continue on your journeys, I wish you the best and must remind you that sometimes you will lose, sometimes you will fail. But in those moments, I challenge you to reflect on the past. Do not dwell in it, however. Let your weaknesses remind you of your strengths because, as we all know, it’s the thorns that complement the beauty of the rose.”

The 5:30 p.m. ceremony featured speaker Melissa Garner, who earned her Associate in Arts (AA) and anticipates continuing her education at the University of South Florida. Addressing the graduates, she said, “I will never forget the wonderful experiences I’ve had with every one of you. All the people I have just mentioned have played a huge part in my success here at SFSC, which shows that kindness and inclusion go such a long way in making a difference in someone’s life. This Commencement ceremony tonight is proof that WE are smart enough, WE are good enough, and looking at all of us dressed up tonight, WE are sure pretty enough. As Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh once said, ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’ Thank you everyone, and congratulations to the graduating class of 2025. We did it y’all!”

When Fred Hawkins, SFSC president, spoke to the graduates, he said, “Soak every bit of this moment in. This is a rite of passage you have earned. Look around you at the friendships you have made, don’t forget to thank those who helped and supported you along the way. Crossing this stage and leaving here today, you will always be united forever as proud Panthers. Congratulations, graduates!”

During the ceremony, three faculty members who retire in the near future were honored for outstanding and dedicated service to SFSC. They were Cindy Kinser, Medical Administrative Specialist professor, who retires after 15 years with SFSC; Elizabeth Andrews, English professor, who retires after 19 years; and James McBride, Mathematics professor, who retires after 22 years.

Approximately 475 students will have met the SFSC requirements by spring 2025 Commencement. Of these, 13 will receive their BAS-SM, seven receive their BSN, eight receive their BSETE, 110 receive their AA, 58 receive their AS, 25 receive their State of Florida High School Diploma, one receives their College Credit Certificate, and 70 receive the Career Certificates. Students participating in the Commencement ceremonies will total 294.

Mace bearer and chief marshal for this year’s ceremony is Mlisa Manning, and marshals are Marlene Cruz, Kelly Fairfield Dec, Courtney Green, Robert Hampton, Candy Jones, Garrett Lee, Michelle Macbeth, Micah Montague, Sofia Ochoa, Michael Pate, Lena Phelps, Andrew Polk, and Megan Togno.

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 7, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) honored 45 Associate in Science in Nursing (ADN) students in a traditional pinning ceremony on Thursday, May 1 at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

The graduates are Kimberly Banegas-Escobar, Irish Becerra-Marin, Hannah Bedoya, Taylee Britt, Alexis Calderon, Rachel Caruso, Eliasar Cleto, Aneffer Collier, Taylor Day, Monrandel Depasupil, Uriel Estrada, Shareeka Ford, Jamilet Godinez, Diana Guzman-Gomez, Hanadi Haifa, Janelle Hamilton, Maria Hernandez, Lovely Hilton, Najeh Jones, Jamee Keller, Christian Lashley, Flor Leon, Shanice Lewis, Jenise Lopez, Patricia Lopez, Alexandra Mondragon, Katlyn Moody, Rowan Moulds, Samantha Muñiz, Marbelia Navarro, Vanessa Padilla-Lucatero, Tai-Yonna Phillips, Kaley Piggott, Paige Pilon, Norma Rivera, Ricky Rodriguez Villasana, M’Alee Sauvey, Alexis Sboto, Jennifer Serrano, Kimerly Smith, Wanda Suazo, Alanna Tilack, Savannah Valletutti, Samantha Vasquez-Camacho, and Macey Williams.

Each year, Nursing graduates award the Golden D.U.C.K. to someone who has served as a mentor to the students in the program. The D.U.C.K. acronym represents the foundational elements of the mentoring arrangement: Developing, Understanding, Compassion, and Knowledge. Nursing graduates presented the 2025 Golden D.U.C.K. Award to Peter Piotrowski, RN.

“Peter is an exceptional nurse, mentor, and guide,” said Nursing instructor Kayln Villalobos. “He once walked the halls of this program as a student, learning the same lessons, facing the same challenges. Today, he walks the [AdventHealth Sebring] hospital halls as a source of strength, comfort, and inspiration. For our students, he is a safe harbor. He has taken many of them under his wing, encouraging their growth, answering their questions with patience, and modeling what excellence in Nursing truly looks like.”

Guest speaker for the ceremony was Dr. Haadi Shuaib, SFSC Nursing instructor. During the ceremony, the graduates’ loved ones presented them with their individual nursing pins. The graduates, then, passed the flame of a lamp, one to another, before reciting the Nightingale Pledge.

The pinning we know today originated in the 1850s at the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas Hospital in London. Having been awarded the Red Cross of St. George for her selfless service to the injured and dying during the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale chose to extend this offer to her most outstanding graduating nurses by presenting each of them with a medal of excellence. The presentation of the lamp is a symbol of the caring devotion nurses administer to the sick and injured in the practice of nursing. After nurses were pinned, Nightingale would light a lamp and pass the flame to each nurse as they recited the pledge. The passing of the flame represents a formal welcoming of new nurses to the profession.

Graduates of the ADN program become registered nurses by passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). SFSC Nursing graduates are usually fully employed in nursing within a few months of graduation.

SFSC offers an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a two-year generic Associate in Science in Nursing, a 13-month transition licensed practical nurse to registered nurse Associate in Science in Nursing, and an 11-month Practical Nursing (PN) Career Certificate. For more information about SFSC’s Nursing programs, contact Danielle Ochoa, Health Sciences advisor, at 863-784-7027 or by email at healthsciences@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 7, 2025 – Melissa Garner wants to help others who struggle with self-esteem by becoming a psychologist. On Thursday, May 8, she will be the student speaker during South Florida State College’s (SFSC) 5:30 p.m. spring Commencement ceremony at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park. At the same time, the Highlands County resident will earn her Associate in Arts (AA). She will be the first in her family to earn a college degree.

Growing up, Garner lived in a small town outside of Detroit, Mich. Through much of her life, she struggled with ADHD and bipolar depression. “I was always on the outside, on the outskirts, and I never had the same style as everyone else,” she said. Throughout middle school, she would express herself by wearing chains and spikes, donning funky hairdos and hair colors.

“In high school, things got worse,” she said. “The insults I experienced got meaner. Cliques became more defined in high school. I wasn’t a jock or cheerleader. I wasn’t good in school, not because I wasn’t smart. It’s just that when your self-esteem is down to zero, you don’t have any motivation to do better or anything better with your life. The kids put me down so much that I had no will to do my homework. However, I tested out of this world on my ACT scores – I was in the top 10 in my class and top 25 in the state. As a student, I wasn’t in the popular crowd, so you instill yourself with negative thoughts instead of pushing them away and finding healthier coping mechanisms.”

As a teenager, she attempted suicide a few times and feels that if someone had been available during those years who she could talk to, she might never have tried to harm herself. Although a counselor was available to students at her high school, Garner felt it wasn’t enough. “A friend of mine had expressed thoughts of committing suicide and, instead of getting him help, the counselor suspended him for talking about violence,” she said. “Then, he killed himself. That’s one of my motivations to become a psychologist.”

She, eventually, wants to start a nonprofit where trained therapists can speak with children, maybe help to stop school shootings, and prevent suicides. She wants to earn a doctorate in Psychology in hope of making a change.

“I had so many absences from my high school in Michigan, because I just didn’t want to endure the nasty comments,” Garner said. “So, my dad suggested I go through a GED program to get my high school diploma. Which I did.”

 In 2009, when she was 19 years old, her family moved to Sebring. “I later got involved with someone I knew from my high school in Michigan,” Garner said. “I’d been back and forth from Florida to Michigan and reconnected with a high school friend. He had gone from this nerdy, awkward kid to being this gorgeous man. We began dating a bit and then I became pregnant and had my daughter at age 24. However, he decided he wasn’t ready to be a father and I came back to my parents’ home in Sebring. When my daughter was 18 months old, I received the news that her father had gotten hooked on heroin and died from heroin and cocaine toxicity.”

In the meantime, Garner worked for 15 years in the kitchens of local restaurants. “It got to a point where a lot of workplace hostility was going on,” she said. “It’s often a high stress work environment. One day, my daughter said to me, ‘I want to work in a restaurant when I grow up so that I can have a nice car.’”

That startled Garner. “No, Mom’s got to be a better role model,” she thought. Then said to her daughter, “Mommy’s going to college, so you won’t be working at a restaurant for the rest of your life. We’re going to have bigger goals.”

Garner was admitted to SFSC and began taking an art class with Professor Karla Respress. “Her son and my daughter go to the same school and had early release one day,” Garner said. “They both came to Karla’s pottery studio, and her son taught my daughter how to use different glazes for pottery. Not only did it make it easier for me to be able to continue with my class, but my daughter later said, ‘I’ve changed my mind, Mommy. I want to be an art teacher.”

Garner has been an active member of the College’s Brain Bowl team. “Because people in Brain Bowl come from all walks of life, it helps you connect with different cultures, backgrounds, and identities,” she said. “It opens your mind to a different crowd of people that you normally might not hang out with. But they’re all super smart and I got comfortable with them. Then, they became like a family that I’ve chosen for myself.”

Garner also became president of the College’s Theater Club. And she’s participated in undergraduate research while at the College. She did a presentation on how to throw a clay pot on a wheel and discussed how to choose the right clay for the right project. She was also involved in a project and presentation on biological art.

Garner aspires to continue her education at the University of South Florida shortly after graduation to major in Psychology and, eventually, work toward a doctorate.

Garner’s advice to others who are struggling in life: “Don’t let your minor failures or experiences in high school define what your future is going to be. High school is a totally different experience than college. In college, they celebrate your differences, cultures, and  identity. In college, you get outside the box, be yourself, try new things, experiment. Do the coursework and decide whether it’s for you or not. You can always stop, but don’t let an opportunity pass you by because you’re unsure of yourself.”

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 5, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) celebrates spring Commencement with two ceremonies on Thursday, May 8. The first ceremony is at 2 p.m. and the second is at 5:30 p.m.; both in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

The 2 p.m. ceremony features students who are earning their Associate in Science (AS), Career Certificate, College Credit Certificate, and State of Florida High School Diploma. Chelsea Marvel-Brooks, who earns her Electrical Lineworker Career Certificate, will be the student Commencement speaker at this ceremony.

The 5:30 p.m. ceremony features students who are earning their Associate in Arts (AA), Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management (BAS-SM), Bachelor of Science in Elementary Teacher Education (BSETE), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Melissa Garner, who earns her Associate in Arts (AA), will be the student Commencement speaker at this ceremony.

Live online streaming, accessed by clicking a website banner at southflorida.edu, will allow friends and relatives to see everything from the processional to the last graduate crossing the stage. The stream begins on May 8 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EDT.

Approximately 475 students will have met the SFSC requirements by spring 2025 Commencement. Of these, 13 will receive their BAS-SM, seven receive their BSN, eight receive their BSETE, 110 receive their AA, 58 receive their AS, 25 receive their State of Florida High School Diploma, one receives the College Credit Certificate, and 70 receive Career Certificates. Students participating in the Commencement ceremonies will total 294.

Mace bearer and chief marshal for this year’s ceremony is Mlisa Manning, and marshals are Marlene Cruz, Kelly Fairfield Dec, Courtney Green, Robert Hampton, Candy Jones, Garrett Lee, Michelle Macbeth, Micah Montague, Sofia Ochoa, Michael Pate, Lena Phelps, Andrew Polk, and Megan Togno.

The Commencement rehearsal takes place Thursday, May 8 at 9 a.m. in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus.

Commencement speaker, Chelsea Marvel-Brooks, was featured in a student spotlight story on the SFSC employee newsletter, Daily Connection, in August 2024. Read it at https://www.sfscdailyconnection.net/?p=30348.

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 1, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) honored 12 graduates of its Dental Hygiene program in a traditional pinning ceremony in the SFSC University Center Auditorium on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park on Tuesday, April 29. The graduates had just completed their Associate in Science in Dental Hygiene.

Receiving their pins were Riley Kate Albritton, Annetude Delhomme, Makayla Der, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Kendra Gonzalez, Chloe Goolsby, Jami Mercer, Veronica Molina, Sofia Monroy, Nora Ortiz, Handley Taylor, and Lilianna Waelbroeck.

Upon completing the Dental Hygiene program, graduates become dental hygienists by passing the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination and the Florida State Clinical Licensure Examination. They can, then, work alongside a dentist as a member of a dental health care team.

For more information about SFSC’s Associate in Science in Dental Hygiene, call Danielle Ochoa, Health Sciences advisor, at 863-784-7027 or email healthsciences@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 1, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) honored 10 Associate in Science (A.S.) in Surgical Services graduates in a traditional pinning ceremony on Tuesday, April 29 in the SFSC University Center Auditorium on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

The graduates are: Alexandra Arvea Carrillo, Coty Barnett, Nadiah Belmarez, Natalie Flores, Jaheim Hayles, Khadeja Jamison, Casey Mitchell, Jennifer Morales Salvador, Yareli Torres, and Anahi Villa Munoz.

During the pinning ceremony, the graduates’ loved ones and friends presented them with their individual pins.

Graduates of SFSC’s A.S. in Surgical Services are prepared for employment as surgical technologists. They prepare operating rooms for surgery, sterilize equipment, ready patients for surgery, and pass sterile instruments and supplies to surgeons during surgery. The program is offered on the SFSC Hardee Campus in Bowling Green, Fla., is 64 credit hours (15 months), and begins in January each year.

For more information about the associate degree in Surgical Services, contact Melinda Haygood, director of surgical services, at melinda.haygood@southflorida.edu or 863-784-7067.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 25, 2025 – South Florida State College (SFSC) is offering Panther Prep, a six-week program to help high school students learn about their world, fulfill their potential, and discover that a college degree is within reach. Panther Prep is funded by a $20,000 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Community College Fund at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

This summer bridge program prepares students for college by helping them improve their academic performance and life skills through classes in mathematics, English, 5G leadership training, financial literacy, and Foundations for College Success/Master Student.

“College can feel like an impossible goal for many who graduate from high school and don’t know how to get started with higher education,” said Asena Mott, SFSC dean of off-campus instructional sites. “Our goal with Panther Prep is to prepare our newest adult students for college success by providing a six-week summer session at no cost to them. Thank you to the Community Foundation of Sarasota and the Edward K. Roberts Community College Fund for making this scholarship opportunity possible. It is only through their generosity that SFSC is able to empower our newest high school graduates and fulfill their next steps of moving from impossible to ‘It’s Possible!’”

Panther Prep meets Monday through Thursday, June 23 through July 31, on the SFSC DeSoto Campus in Arcadia. Classes are held Monday through Wednesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and on Thursdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The program is open to 12 DeSoto County residents who graduate from high school this spring, whether they graduate from public or private schools, have been homeschooled, or have earned a diploma through a GED program. In addition, these are students who have not taken dual enrollment courses.

For qualified applicants, tuition and books are free and lunch is provided. Students will receive a Panther Prep kit that includes a backpack, lanyard, USB drive, notebook, calculator, and a Panther Prep t-shirt. Students who complete Panther Prep receive $450 toward the purchase of a laptop from the SFSC Bookstore when they enroll in fall classes at SFSC.

For more about the Panther Prep program, contact the SFSC DeSoto Campus at 863-993-1757 and ask for Irene Cerna, Gerri Lewis, or Cynthia Barrera.

About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $544 million in more than 1,590 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $56 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $500 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 18, 2025 – During a ceremony on Thursday, April 17, South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Basic Corrections Academy Class 113 graduated 10 new correctional officers at the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

From the SFSC University Center Auditorium stage, Michael Austin, coordinator of SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy, called up the 10 and handed each new officer a certificate. Those receiving a certificate were class leader Andres Figueroa, Briceida Anguiano, Jazmin A. Brown, Ariana L. Flowers, Kymberlie C. Johnson, Alyanna A. Morton, Arisbeth G. Moya, Cheyann N. Stadler, Margarita Williams, and Mason J. Worth.

Three cadets were singled out for their achievements during the program. Earning top honors for academic excellence was Alyanna A. Morton, Margarita Williams earned a Certificate of Valor, and Andres Figueroa was given special recognition as class leader.

Guest speaker for the ceremony was Julio Nieves, SFSC Criminal Justice Programs coordinator.

The Basic Correctional Officer Program is 420 contact hours or approximately 11 weeks. Upon successful completion of the program, students earn a Career Certificate and are eligible to take the state certification examination to become certified officers.

For more information about this program, visit southflorida.edu or call SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy at 863-784-7285.