- April 19, 2024
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by: Christy Chong
Last month, I had the opportunity to visit Flagler Palm Coast High School on a tour for its Classroom-to-Careers program. I was truly impressed to see all the wonderful opportunities our children have today right here in our county.
These programs are made possible thanks to our half-cent sales tax, which will be on the ballot this November. The half-cent renewal is not a new tax and will continue to allow us to increase technology, safety and security, and prepare our students to join the workforce.
A few positives that I would like to highlight are that 100% of the funds stay right here in our own county and support Flagler students. While our tax dollars may be used for many things, we can know that this small contribution stays right here in our own county and benefits our students and community.
Another great positive is that through our Classroom-to-Careers program, our young people can graduate high school ready to join the workforce right here in our own community. It also gives them the opportunity to see how they might want to further their careers in the future. For example, through the firefighter/medical program, students have the opportunity to learn medical skills that could lead them into future careers of nursing, pre-med, or many other avenues in the medical field.
But what if you don’t have children in school? How does this benefit you? Maintaining quality schools means living in a safe community and increased property values. It also allows us to prepare and meet the needs of the future with graduates who are ready to enter the workforce and serve Flagler County.
I’m thankful to live in a community with such a wonderful quality of life, with many opportunities for our children and the future of Flagler County. I hope you will join me in this commitment to improve our schools and our whole community, and vote to renew the half-cent sales tax this Nov. 8.
Christy Chong, APRN, FNP-BC, is a member-elect of the Flagler County School Board.
