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July 15, 2026 – The Roberts Community Foundation through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has granted South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation $26,000 for Panther Prep, a six-week program that helps high school students learn about their world, fulfill their potential, and discover that a college degree is within reach.
This is the second year that Panther Prep has received funding and this year, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County supported each student with $2,200, allowing 15 students to attend.
This summer bridge program prepares students for college by helping them improve their academic performance and life skills. They participate in mathematics immersion and develop teamwork, communication, time management, and financial literacy skills through 5G Power Skills Certification and Panther Power Hour. Additionally, students will be able to earn college credits in Master Student/College Success and Freshman English I. To further support success, they’ll be assisted in navigating college systems, career planning, and financial aid.
“This unique and special opportunity for our graduating high schoolers is made possible by The Community Foundation of Sarasota, because they care about seeing young adults in Florida’s Heartland reach their potential,” said Asena Mott, SFSC dean of off-campus instructional sites. “The small window of time between high school and a traditional fall start for college is often overlooked. In actuality, it’s a space where students can improve their foundational learning and study practices to set them up for success.”
Panther Prep meets Monday through Thursday, June 25 through Aug. 3, on the SFSC DeSoto Campus in Arcadia. Classes are held Monday through Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is provided daily.
The program is open to DeSoto County residents who graduated from high school this spring, whether they graduated from public or private schools, have been homeschooled, or have earned a diploma through a GED program.
Tuition and books are free and lunch is provided. Students received a Panther Prep kit that included 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, or call DeSoto High School at 863-494-3434 and ask for counselor Gerri Lewis or the graduation coach.
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 $605 million in more than 1,600 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $44.7 million 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 $542 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit cfsarasota.org or call 941-955-3000.
