By NewsLine Staff
mail@floridanewsline.com
Students at Fruit Cove Middle School have successfully created and registered for a Florida Future Educators of America (FFEA) Chapter. Adrienne Hilts, assistant principal at Fruit Cove Middle School, applied for the chapter through the Department of Education. Fruit Cove Middle is the first middle school to have a Florida Future Educators of America Chapter in the St. Johns County School District.
“The goal of FFEA is to encourage students to get involved in the community, focus on leadership skills and foster an interest in teaching,” said Hilts. “We love that students are encouraged to be part of this club and get involved in supporting their community. We also love that there is an interest in teaching and hope that these students become our future educators and leaders.”
The chapter at Fruit Cove Middle School has been busy organizing leadership roles, committees, community service and recruiting new members this year. Leaders have been elected to positions in the school chapter and have run the meetings on their own with only the guidance of faculty sponsors.
“I love the idea of becoming a teacher and a leader. The Florida Future Educators of America Chapter at Fruit Cove Middle School provided an opportunity for me and my friends to explore what it’s like to be a teacher,” said Sandhya Kumar, president of the chapter. Kumar is a rising ninth grade student who attended Fruit Cove Middle from sixth through eighth grades.
Each year the Florida Department of Education awards schools with an FFEA Chapter that have met the criteria of outstanding chapter through their community service, recruitment and activities that support the teaching profession. Fruit Cove Middle School received the Outstanding Chapter Award on June 2, 2023. The school is recognized for exceptional service in education.
According to Kumar, the FFEA Chapter members at Fruit Cove Middle have inspired each other to pursue a career in teaching and have also inspired each other to apply to the Teaching Academy at their high school next year. Every month, they have tutored students at Durbin Creek Elementary and inspired younger students by providing academic support after school.
“I love interacting with the kids and how excited they get when we come. I also like how much we help the kids. Overall, I just love the experience,” Kumar said.
Students have also organized teacher recognition nights at the school after volleyball and basketball games.
“The FFEA Chapter at Fruit Cove Middle School has allowed me to make many friends, learn about becoming a teacher, learn about being a leader and helping others,” Kumar said. “I would recommend this opportunity to anyone.”
Photo courtesy Adrienne Hilts
Fruit Cove Middle School’s Florida Future Educators of America (FFEA) Chapter.
