Florida Poly spent its first decade building an identity around STEM. Now, as the university enters its next stage of growth, it’s adding intercollegiate athletics.
Category: Education
Posted inEducation
Southeastern University’s Record Growth Bucks Private College Enrollment Trends
Leaders attribute SEU’s growth to expansion strategies, local industry partnerships, and its conservative Christian identity.
Posted inPolitics
School Board Elections: District 3 Heads to Run-Off; Fields and Sharpless Cruise to Victory
Two of the three contested seats on the Polk County School Board were decided by Tuesday’s election while District 3 candidates Wallace and Sims head to a run-off in November.
Posted inEducation
Dixieland Elementary School Earns a B
School grades in Lakeland increased by an average of five percentage points in 2025-26 — but with an improvement of 24%, Dixieland jumped from a D to a B in a single year.
Posted inCity Hall / Local Gov't
School Board Candidates Meet at LkldNow Public Forum
On July 16, Voters got their first opportunity to hear from all seven candidates seeking seats in District 3, District 5, and District 6 on the Polk County School Board.
Posted inSports
Florida Poly’s Fledgling Athletics Program Secures Use of Auburndale Sports Facilities
The Phoenix will use the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, Auburndale Softball Complex, and Auburndale Community Center for three years, beginning with the inaugural men’s soccer match next month.
Posted inPolitics
DeSantis Vetoes Three of Lakeland’s Four Budget Requests
The city’s projects took a hit — but higher education, the Sixth District Court of Appeal, and local nonprofits secured millions.
Posted inArts & Culture
Polk Students Celebrate 50 Years of Poetry
The 50th Annual Polk County Schools Poetry Contest Awards ceremony took place May 11 where students and teachers were presented with the 2026 Poetry Anthology.
Posted inPeople
LCS Mock Trial Team Secures National Championship
Lakeland Christian School’s Mock Trial team won first place at the National High School Mock Trial Championship held May 7-9, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Posted inEducation
Search Committee Recommends Kamoutsas for Polk State President
The Polk State College Presidential Search Committee has recommended a single finalist in its search for the college’s sixth president — Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas, Florida’s current commissioner of education.
