Florida TaxWatch to Honor 2024-25 Principal Leadership Awards Winners at a May 14 Luncheon During Spring Board Meeting in Sarasota, Fla.
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch will be honoring their 2024-25 Principal Leadership Awards (PLA) winners at a luncheon being held Wednesday, May 14 during its Spring Board Meeting at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota. Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis and Florida Prepaid College Foundation Director Cindy O'Connell will address the 15 winners, followed by a Principal Leadership Award Winners Roundtable Discussion of best practices.
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 applauds each of the award recipients for their outstanding dedication to students and schools. Their diligent efforts make a real difference each and every day. At the Florida Lottery, we believe the path to a brighter future begins with a quality education—and that education starts with exceptional educators. We look forward to continuing this partnership in support of Florida’s students, schools, and future.”
Florida Prepaid College Foundation Director Cindy O’Connell said, “The Florida Prepaid College Foundation is a proud, longstanding partner of the Principal Leadership Awards Program, which creates statewide opportunities and policies that benefit Florida’s students. This program recognizes and rewards 15 effective principals across the state and provides each principal with an opportunity to award a deserving student with an Academic A+ Challenge Match Scholarship. We look forward to the future development of this program and continued partnership with Florida TaxWatch.”
The PLA program, established in 2013, recognizes educational leaders who are creating meaningful changes in their students’ lives, while also promoting their uniquely effective practices among their peers. PLA winners were previously honored in individual ceremonies held on their schools’ campuses in Bay, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Duval, Highlands, Hillsborough, Leon, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, and Putnam counties.
Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “Florida TaxWatch established this one-of-a-kind and the only evidence-based Principal Leadership Awards program, which uses comprehensive data to determine the most effective principals in our state, to reward these outstanding principals for the transformational impact they are having both in their schools and in their communities. Congratulations to all of the winners!”
Florida TaxWatch Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jeff Kottkamp said, “Principals are the backbone of Florida’s schools – as leaders in their schools, they support and motivate hard-working teachers and ensure students at all grade levels are provided ample opportunities to succeed. Thank you to the 15 amazing principals we are recognizing for all you do to inspire and support the students in your schools.”
The 2024-25 Principal Leadership Award (PLA) winners are as follows:
Elementary School
- Carmen Conner, Pineview Elementary School (Leon County)
- Dawn Wolfe, Lakeside Elementary School (Clay County)
- Dr. Dawna M. O’Brien, Mila Elementary School (Brevard County)
- Anthony Montoto, Thonotosassa Elementary School (Hillsborough County)
- Robert Gibson, Palmview Elementary (Broward County)
Middle School
- Dr. Benny Bolden, Jr., former principal, R. Frank Nims Middle School (Leon County)
- Joshua Bing, Conway Middle School (Orange County)
- Leon Mungin, Jr., Highlands Middle School (Duval County)
- Dr. Henrissa Berry, Young Middle Magnet School (Hillsborough County)
- Walter C. Hall, Leisure City K-8 Center (Miami-Dade County)
High School
- Jeremy Knapp, Central High School (Bay County)
- Tracy Taylor, Mellon Learning Center (Putnam County)
- George Morse, Acceleration West (Orange County)
- Kevin Tunning, Lake Placid High School (Highlands County)
- Reginald Jeudy, South Area Secondary Intensive Transition (Palm Beach County)
The PLA program would not be possible without the support of Florida TaxWatch’s generous sponsors, including 4Rivers, Charter Communications, Dominic and Debbie Calabro, Every Child A Swimmer, FBMC, First Horizon Bank, Florida Lottery, Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Florida Power and Light, Helios Education Foundation, JM Rubin Foundation, Keswick Partners/Step up for Students, Kyra Solutions, MAXIMUS, On 3 Public Relations, Steve and Linda Evans, Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits, Suffolk Construction, Team Horner, Tampa Electric Company, Verizon, and Walmart.
More information about the PLA program and the 2024-25 winners may be found here.
About Florida TaxWatch
As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute, and the trusted “eyes and ears” of Florida taxpayers for more than 45 years, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on taxpayers and businesses. FTW is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled FTW to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the taxpayers it has served since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.