Nature Coast Investment Practicum Students tour Raymond James HQ

It was an exciting day for the students of Citrus High School’s Nature Coast Investment Practicum (NCIP) class as they, along with their teacher Ms. Paige Zollo, toured the Raymond James international headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida. The tour, which was made possible by the efforts of Amy Barbieri of Raymond James Crystal River office, was a great opportunity for the students to learn about the company’s operations and gain valuable insights into the financial industry.

Raymond James is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company that provides financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities. The company’s reputation for excellence in the financial industry is well-known, and the NCIP students were thrilled to visit the Raymond James headquarters and witness the inner workings of a major financial services company.

During the tour, the students got to see firsthand the company’s trading floor and observe the brokers and traders as they conducted transactions. They were also given a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s cyber threat center and learned about the measures taken to protect the sensitive financial data of their clients. The students even got a chance to share with some of the Raymond James presenters about some of the stocks they have researched and purchased as part of the NCIP.

The Nature Coast Investment Practicum project, in partnership with the Citrus County Education Foundation and Citrus High School, provides students with real-world financial experience. In addition to learning about investing and managing an equity portfolio fund, the students also learn about double-entry accounting, methods and principles of recording business transactions, the preparation of various financial documents, and the preparation of financial statements. The NCIP program also helps students develop important skills such as teamwork, public speaking, and writing.

We are looking to expand the NCIP in the near future to include Crystal River High School. So stay tuned!

The visit to Raymond James was made possible by the efforts of Amy Barbieri. Big thanks to Paige Zollo, Shaunda Burdette, Scott Lee, the Raymond James team, and of course the Citrus County Education Foundation. Their support of this great initiative provided the students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge they’ve learned in the NCIP program in a real-world setting.

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First Library Reading at CRE

The students thoroughly enjoyed this funny and entertaining tale, and their laughter and giggles filled the room.

I had the privilege of reading “The Night before Kindergarten Graduation” to the students in Ms. Leslie Wade’s Kindergarten class at Central Ridge Elementary School. Today’s reading was part of the Citrus County Education Foundation‘s First Library program, which is a wonderful initiative that provides each Pre-K and Kindergarten student in Citrus County Schools with a set of four books to take home and start building their own personal library.

The students were so engaged and attentive throughout the reading, and it was delightful to see their excitement and enthusiasm as we turned the pages of the book. They asked thoughtful questions and made insightful observations about the illustrations, which was a clear indication of their eagerness to learn.

After we finished reading “The Night before Kindergarten Graduation”, I had the pleasure of reading another favorite story of mine, “Coco and Cavendish: Circus Dogs“. The students thoroughly enjoyed this funny and entertaining tale, and their laughter and giggles filled the room.

I would like to express my gratitude to Debbie Reilly, a CCEF Board member, who coordinates all the activities of the First Library program and ensures that every classroom has access to the books. Her dedication and hard work are truly commendable, and the positive impact that she is making on the lives of these young learners is remarkable.

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Veterans in the Classroom Appreciation

Citrus County Schools’ Veterans in the Classroom program is an initiative that brings former military servicemen and women to schools to speak to students about their military experiences. The program is in its 20th year and has impacted over 100,000 students over the years. Today, the district held an appreciation luncheon to honor the veterans who volunteer their time and efforts to the program.

Over 4,000 students in all of the district’s elementary, middle, and high schools have had the opportunity to hear from one of the 53 veterans involved in the program this year. They share stories about their military service and how it has shaped them into the people they are today. The program is one of the largest of its kind in the nation, and its impact on the students is clear.

At the appreciation luncheon, the veterans were treated to a lunch prepared by the Withlacoochee Technical College Culinary students. The Citrus High School AJROTC Honor Guard presented the colors, and the CHS Chorale’s “Category 5” provided some wonderful entertainment. But the most moving part of the event was when each attending veteran was given the opportunity to introduce themselves, talk about their military service, and share their experience teaching in the Veterans in the Classroom program. It was a touching moment that highlighted the bond between these men and women who had served our country.

One of the Veterans in the Classroom participants was Alex Hebert, son of Citrus County School Chief Academic Officer, Scott Hebert, and School Psychologist Sarah Hebert. Alex, a former U.S. Army infantryman, was one of the youngest veterans to participate in the program this year. Interestingly, Alex also happened to be one of our former church youth kids. It’s heartening to see young veterans like Alex participating in this program and sharing their experiences with the next generation.

The Veterans in the Classroom program is coordinated by Al Balk, District Instructional Specialist for Social Studies K-12, in partnership with the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).

The Veterans in the Classroom program in Citrus County Schools is a wonderful initiative that provides students with a unique opportunity to learn from those who have served our country. The appreciation luncheon held today was a touching event that recognized the dedication and hard work of the veterans involved in the program. We thank them for their service and for sharing their stories with our students.

If you are a Veteran interested in becoming a participant in the next Veterans in the Classroom program, please contact Mr. Balk at 352-726-1931 ext. 2490 or balka@citrusschools.org or contact Citrus County MOAA – https://moaafl.org/chapters/citruscounty/.

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