Criminal Justice Academy Graduates New Corrections Officers

AVON PARK, Fla. – Nov. 17, 2020 – South Florida State College (SFSC) graduated 45 new correctional officers on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Highlands Campus in Avon Park. Recognized at the ceremony were four graduates of Class 199, 23 graduates of Class 101, and 18 graduates of Class 102.

Michael Austin, coordinator of SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy, called the cadets to the stage and handed each new corrections officer a certificate.

Class 199 graduates who received certificates were Elizabeth Uriarte (executive officer), Caleb Doolin, Christopher J. Foreman Sr., and Destin Fox.

Class 101 graduates who received certificates were Jennifer Morrison (class leader), William Swisher (executive officer), Christopher Wilkins (first squad leader), Shanekia Jones, Bradley Smeal, Rebecca Hester, Jamelia Gunter, Michael Hansen, Andrew Foard, Raquel Earle (second squad leader), Sara Decker, Jore Stanberry, Lelandra Smith, Rute Macedo, Samantha Mendoza-Lopez (third squad leader), Bobby Guffey Jr., Earl Johnson, Shamice S. Porteous, Bryan Taylor (fourth squad leader), Albree Johnson, Carol Allison, Elizabeth Walwood, and Nicole Peana.

Class 102 graduates who received certificates were Alisha Tuten (class leader), Blake Smith (executive officer), Mathew Sidor (guidon), Joshua Mercer (first squad leader), Teresita Ugarte, Terrance Davis, JaMar Jackson (second squad leader), Michelle Meyers, Alex Jaramillo, Hector Cintron-Colon, James Peach (third squad leader), Monique Johnson, Wesley Roberts, Alissa Durham, Gabe Greseth (fourth squad leader), Melissa Knutson, Hannah Ellis, and Dakota Stevens.

During the ceremony, special awards were presented to the graduates: from Class 199, Elizabeth Uriarte for executive officer; from Class 101, Jennifer Morrison for class leader, William Swisher for executive officer, Shamice Porteus for top academics, and Rute Macedo for top firearms scores; from Class 102, Alisha Tuten for class leader and top firearms scores, Blake Smith for executive officer, and Hannah Ellis for top academics.

To commemorate Veterans Day and the 245th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps, guest speaker Major Ryan Thomas of the Hardee Correctional Institution, opened his presentation with a special recognition of those in the audience who served in the armed services. He then offered the graduates words of wisdom: “Everyone leaves behind a legacy, but only a few leave behind a legacy that is worth talking about. A legacy is the story of someone’s life, the things that they did, the places they went, the goals they accomplished, and their failures. Legacies are pathways that guide people in making decisions about what to do and what not to do. Legacies can be positive or negative. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left behind his legacy for positivity and selfless service. Whereas, Adolf Hitler left behind his legacy of negativity and destruction. Both are equally important in serving as examples for the future. Leaving behind a legacy is important no matter who you are. I want to challenge each and every one of you today to leave behind the best legacy you can—a positive path for the coming officers to follow. How will you be remembered? What will your legacy or story say about you?”

Upon successful completion of the SFSC 420 contact-hour Basic Correctional Officer Program, students earn a Career Certificate and are eligible to take the state certification examination to become a certified officer. For more information about this program or any other program offered through the SFSC Criminal Justice Academy, call Austin at 863-784-7282 or email Michael.Austin@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Nov. 13, 2020 – During the South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation Showcase and Fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 24, Joan Hartt was inducted into the 2020 Legacy Society for her service to the Foundation and to the College. Jamie Bateman, SFSC executive director of institutional advancement, and Darrell Jensen, SFSC Foundation vice president, made the presentation.

“Because of our donors, we have been able to provide countless student scholarships and other means to support SFSC,” said Bateman. “The Legacy Society was established to recognize those donors who have gone above and beyond in supporting SFSC and our Foundation.”

This is the second year that such an honor has taken place. Joe Davis Jr. and his wife, Gloria Davis, were inducted into The Legacy Society in 2019.

Hartt has served the Foundation and the College for several years. In 1999, she was appointed to the SFSC District Board of Trustees, a position that she held until 2011. She currently serves on the SFSC Foundation Board of Directors.

“I can’t think of anybody more deserving for this wonderful recognition than my dear friend Joan Hartt,” said Dr. Catherine P. Cornelius, SFSC president emerita. “She’s been such a stalwart supporter of our College for 35 years or so. She gives of her time, she gives of her talent, she gives of her wonderful advice, and also, of course, her financial contributions have been a great asset to the College. Joanie also provides all the decorations for the SFSC Foundation Christmas Luncheons and the Galas and the other activities that benefit the College, the students, and the Foundation. In addition to all her other wonderful donations, she has established a scholarship in memory of her son, Ralph.”

But Hartt’s most visible contribution has been the time and care she has taken in decorating the Hotel Jacaranda in Avon Park. Since 2007, Hartt, her daughters-in-law, and a team of volunteers have transformed the hotel into a holiday wonderland at Christmastime and continued that labor of love into the fall and spring. In 2015, Hartt and her daughters-in-law began re-decorating 20 guest rooms on the second and third floors of the hotel. Each room has been decorated with its own theme.

“At Christmastime, it takes us about 10 days to decorate the hotel,” said Sheila Hartt, who assists in decorating the Jacaranda. “My mother-in-law loves this hotel and she loves Highlands County. When she was growing up, her father was a hotel manager in Sebring. I think this has just always been in her blood. And she just loves it. It brings her a lot of joy in making people smile.”

“We’re blessed to have Joan Hartt come to the Hotel Jacaranda and decorate,” said David Brunns, Hotel Jacaranda general manager. “We have tons of guests that come by and want to see the different changes of season. Soon we’ll be decorating for Christmas. Everyone comes in and takes holiday pictures with their families. It’s all because of Joan and her helpers.”

AVON PARK, Fla. – Nov. 4, 2020 – Eric Bautista was the first person in his family to graduate from college. Although an excellent student throughout high school and college, he understood, firsthand, the struggle that students sometimes face at home and financially. As an alumnus of South Florida State College (SFSC), he wants to change people’s lives and build leaders. Because of his passion for education and sense of community, Bautista has helped dual enrollment students in DeSoto County continue their education and intends to do much more in the future.

During summer 2020, 12 dual enrollment students from DeSoto High School wanted to continue their college courses at SFSC. SFSC’s dual enrollment program allows eligible students in grades 6 through 12 the ability to simultaneously earn high school and college credit toward a degree or certificate. The students receive free college tuition and free textbooks.

Asena Mott, director of the SFSC DeSoto Campus, said, “We have a conundrum regarding our high school seniors whenever they want to finish their education. All through their dual enrollment experience, their classes have been paid for — books, tuition, fees, everything. But they may need to take summer classes to finish up their degree, whether it’s vocational or credit classes.”

In 2020, the SFSC summer session began on May 4 and the dual enrollment students wouldn’t graduate from high school until May 26. Because their summer college classes continued beyond their high school graduation date, the students were classified as “traditional” students and were no longer eligible for monies available to dual enrollment students. Financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is only available to students who have earned a high school diploma.

So, Mott approached the DeSoto County Education Foundation (DCEF) to see if it could assist the 12 students in their efforts to obtain financial aid. Sarah Walker, DCEF director, sent out requests to donors for assistance, and the positive response was overwhelming. The money donated and disbursed to the students for summer classes totaled $6,281.52. Of that amount, approximately $3,500 came through a personal donation from SFSC alumnus Bautista.

“I was introduced to the dual enrollment program when I was in high school,” Bautista said. “So I know how beneficial it is for high school students.”

Bautista, born and raised in Arcadia, had been a dual enrollment student from DeSoto High School and graduated from SFSC with an Associate in Arts in 2012. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in economics from the University of South Florida (USF) in December 2014. Currently, he is the vice chair of the SFSC Alumni Association.

Bautista originally wanted to study to become a lawyer, but changed course and turned to accounting and, eventually, wants to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). “Accounting is the language of business, so I felt that it was the best place for me to get my foot in the door,” he said. Upon graduation, he was offered a position with the international accounting firm, Ernst & Young, in its Tampa office. “I was at Ernst & Young for about four years working as a risk advisory consultant. Then, two years ago, I came back to Arcadia.”

Bautista is currently the vice president of a local roofing company. He said that he wants to do more for the community, such as provide more jobs. “Each job that’s provided is a local family that’s being taken care of,” he said. “And the money stays in the community.”

His concerns for the community extend to educating young people. “I know the benefits of an education and the job opportunities I got. I want to let them know that ‘you can get the degree, you can get a better job if you aspire to it and stay motivated. Let me encourage you, let me walk you through it. If you need someone to listen to, I’ll be that person. I’ll help bounce back ideas.’ I want to be a role model, if possible, and a friend to them. If they come to me with questions, I’m available and I can help them.”

A program that Bautista recently became involved with is Take Stock in Children, a statewide program that provides at-risk children with a mentor and a college scholarship. In return, Take Stock scholars sign contracts in which they promise to remain drug-free, to avoid behavior that would get them into trouble with law enforcement, to attend school regularly, and to earn satisfactory grades. The SFSC Foundation serves as the lead agency for Take Stock in DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties.

Besides the donation for the 12 dual enrollment students, Bautista has personally provided four scholarships of $500 each to students in the last two years. His passion for education is so deep that he convinced the company he works for to partner with the DCEF in providing young people with educational scholarships. “Between myself and my employer, we’ve sponsored 19 kids,” he said. “So, that’s about $10,000 in scholarships in the last two years.”

“We have to make a better environment for all of our kids,” Bautista said. “I have a son and I believe that education is important. I believe it gives you the opportunity to exchange ideas, learn, and grow. I’m a first generation college graduate and my education has helped my family tremendously.”