Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Thurs., Feb. 8, Florida TaxWatch will proudly announce that GRASP Academy Principal Annessia Powell and W.E. Cherry Elementary School Principal Angela Whiddon are among the 15 winners of the Florida TaxWatch 2023-24 Principal Leadership Awards (PLA). Through the program, Principals Powell and Whiddon have also each identified one deserving student to receive a full two-year Florida Prepaid College Scholarship.
The awards and scholarships will be presented during two separate ceremonies today. The first ceremony will be held on the campus of GRASP Academy at 10 a.m. EST, and the second will be held on the campus of W.E. Cherry Elementary School at 1 p.m. EST. Media are invited to attend and asked to RSVP to Aly Coleman Raschid via email at aly@on3pr.com or by phone at 850.391.5040.
Florida TaxWatch Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and Acting President and CEO, Jeff Kottkamp said, “Principals are the lifeblood of Florida’s schools – as leaders in their schools, they support and motivate hard-working teachers and ensure students of all ages are provided ample opportunities to succeed. That’s why Florida TaxWatch established this one-of-a-kind Principal Leadership Awards program, now in its 11th year, which uses comprehensive data to determine the most effective principals in our state and reward them for the transformational impact they are having both in their schools and in their communities. And this year, we have the privilege of honoring 15 deserving principals, the most in the history of the program, so that is extremely exciting. Congratulations to all the winners!”
Florida Prepaid College Foundation Director Cindy O’Connell said, “Every day, the work of these dedicated principals dictates which opportunities for success will be available to our children and how their educational experience will mold them into productive adults for our world. The Florida Prepaid College Foundation is proud to sponsor the Principal Leadership Awards with the Foundation’s Academic A+ Challenge Match Scholarship Program. We look forward to helping these 15 students realize their potential. We are grateful to organizations like Florida TaxWatch for its staunch commitment to highlighting the good works of these public servants and unyielding dedication to education in Florida.”
Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis said, “The Florida Lottery is proud to partner with Florida TaxWatch in support of the Principal Leadership Awards and commends each of the award recipients for their outstanding dedication and commitment to students and schools; these diligent efforts are making a difference each and every day. At the Florida Lottery, we believe that the path to a