Kicking off the 2021-22 school year, students at Hungerford Elementary walked the “red carpet” as an excited school staff welcomed them back. Special guests from Travel + Leisure, including president and CEO Michael Brown, and Eatonville Mayor Eddie Cole also greeted the students.
“It’s great to see the excitement on kids’ faces and their parents dropping them off. It feels a little bit normal, despite everything going on today. It’s just great to see the kids’ excited to be back with one another,” Brown said.
Once in classrooms students received a surprise. Travel + Leisure Charitable Foundation provided each student with a backpack full of school supplies, such as notebooks, paper, pencils, crayons and hand sanitizer. “Oohs,” “Aahs” and “Thank yous” could be heard throughout classrooms as students surveyed their gifts. Superintendent Barbara Jenkins joined in on the celebration and kicked off the first day of school wishing students a successful school year.
“I am very thankful for Travel + Leisure’s philanthropic donations to our school. You can never do too much for children. It was very exciting for them to come in and show the love they have for our children, and for the future of our children,” Angie Gardner, a second grade teacher, said.
In June, Travel + Leisure announced a scholarship program for students who attend Hungerford ES and then graduate from Edgewater, Evans or Wekiva high school.
“Travel + Leisure Charitable Foundation is centered on making a difference in the communities where we vacation, or where we live,” Brown said. “As the work of Harris Rosen has demonstrated, real change is possible when corporations work hand-in-hand with local communities to engage citizens in programs driven by a shared purpose. We look forward to working with the Town of Eatonville and Orange County Public Schools to deliver on our shared commitment to enable the next generation of Eatonville citizens to accomplish their academic and professional goals.”
The program provides 200 scholarships, annually, for graduating students to attend a Florida public college or university, a Florida community college or a Florida technical school.