ConnectED Polk

We've been busy behind the scenes, you might have noticed our new look and name! We’re thrilled to announce that Lakeland Leads has evolved to ConnectED Polk to serve our community better and amplify our mission! Over the years, we've grown, learned, and expanded our impact. It’s time for our brand to reflect who we are today and where we’re headed tomorrow! Special thanks to MADE Brands for bringing our mission and vision to life, reflecting our expanded impact across Polk County, and our commitment to connecting education, business, and community for the benefit of all. We can’t wait to share this new chapter with you!

Today is an exciting day for Lakeland Leads as we gather at Catapult for our Annual Meeting! We’re looking forward to bringing together community leaders, educators, and business partners to discuss future opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and continue our mission of preparing Polk County students for success. Stay tuned for updates on the incredible work happening in our community! #LakelandLeads #CommunityImpact #EducationAndIndustry #AnnualMeeting #BuildingTheFuture

This week, we're excited to highlight our a Member Ryan DelliVeniri, President of IDX - Headquartered In Lakeland, Florida. He is a valued partner of Lakeland Leads -he has shown incredible dedication in support of our mission of preparing Polk County students for success. "We support Polk County Public Schools through our membership in Lakeland Leads. We have been longtime advocates for the public school system in our hometown but didn’t have a clear way to get involved and drive impact prior to aligning with Lakeland Leads, who works locally to bridge the gap between business leaders and educators, for the betterment of our students. Not only have we been able to drive greater impact with our time and resources, but we have been further educated on the pressing issues our school system faces, creating new opportunities to leverage our resources to impact areas we were previously not aware of. If you are an organizational leader hearing this, I would encourage you to get involved as a member of Lakeland Leads. Together we can make greater impact." #LakelandLEADS #polkcountypublicschools #EducationExcellence Thank you Ryan, from the bottom of hearts for your support and dedication.

?? Exciting News: Lakeland Leads Launches First Career Exploration Day!?? We are thrilled to announce the successful launch of our first-ever Career Exploration Day! Spanning across 7 High Schools, partnering with 21 industry companies, featuring 79 professionals, and impacting 850 students—this event marks a significant step in connecting students with real-world opportunities! ???? Thank you to all the businesses, educators, and professionals who made this day possible. Together, we’re shaping the future workforce! #LakelandLeads #CareerExploration #StudentOpportunities #IndustryCollaboration #BuildingTheFuture

We’re excited to welcome Jeremy Voss as our newest Advisory Board member at Lakeland Leads! With over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, Jeremy has built an impressive career with top General Contractors like Haskell, Hardin (now DPR), and PCL Construction. In 2019, he took the entrepreneurial leap by co-purchasing Springer Construction now Springer Voss Construction A proud University of Florida alum with a Bachelor's Degree in Building Construction, Jeremy is passionate about advancing education in the construction industry. He joins Lakeland Leads with a commitment to creating awareness and educating students about the vast opportunities in construction. We’re thrilled to have his expertise and leadership on board as we continue to build stronger connections between education and industry. Welcome, Jeremy! #LakelandLeads #ConstructionIndustry #Education #CommunityLeadership #BuildingTheFuture

At Lakeland Leads, we believe that community engagement goes beyond our own mission. We’re proud to support other local non-profits, partner with our members, and celebrate collective successes. Recently, Melody & Stephanie were in attendance with the Lakeland Rotary Club to share in their support of Southwest Elementary and Southwest Middle Schools by presenting a $10,000 check to each school. and highlight the importance of working together to strengthen our community. Whether it's through collaboration, supporting educational initiatives, or uplifting those making a difference, we remain committed to fostering meaningful relationships that create lasting change. Together, we’re building a stronger future for all! #CommunityEngagement #LakelandLeads #Collaboration #Rotary

?? Engaging with Our Local Leaders! ?? This week, Lakeland Leads had the privilege of meeting with Joe G. Tedder, Polk County Tax Collector to share the impactful work we're doing across Polk County. It was an incredible opportunity to discuss how we're bridging the gap between education and industry to prepare our students for successful futures. By fostering strong relationships with our local leaders, we're ensuring that the voices of our community, educators, and industry partners are heard and supported. Together, we’re making strides towards a brighter future for Polk County! Thank you to our elected officials for their time and commitment to supporting our mission. We look forward to continued collaboration in building a stronger, more educated community. #LakelandLeads #CommunityEngagement #Education #IndustryCollaboration #PolkCounty #BuildingBridges

Strengthening Collaboration and Connection! At Lakeland Leads, we believe that the future of our community lies in the powerful collaboration between industry and educators. By working together, we can create meaningful connections that prepare our students for the workforce and ensure a thriving local economy. Recent highlights include: ??Engaging sessions with educators to understand the needs and opportunities within our schools ??Productive meetings with industry leaders to align educational programs with workforce demands ?? Collaborative projects that provide students with hands-on experience and real-world skills Together, we are building bridges that empower students, support educators, and drive economic growth in Polk County. Thank you to all our partners for your dedication and support! #LakelandLeads #IndustryEducationCollaboration #WorkforceDevelopment #CommunityEngagement #BuildingBridges #Education #PCPS

Last week our President, Melody, joined the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce on an inspiring city trip to New Haven, Connecticut! ??? using Lakeland’s newest airline Avelo. During this trip, Melody visited MATCH, a renowned non-profit training facility with a focus on manufacturing. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about innovative training programs and explore new ways to support our local workforce development initiatives. Exploring and finding ways to implement new opportunities for our workforce enhances and strengthens our community to build a well equipped workforce. #LakelandLeads #WorkforceDevelopment #Manufacturing #CommunityEngagement #LakelandChamber #Innovation #Education

?? Summer is heating up, and so is our work at Lakeland Leads! ?? As the season kicks off, we’re diving into building partnerships and exploring exciting opportunities related to trade skills. We’re thrilled to announce the start of our summer jobs camp, hosted by the local police and managed by Lt. Joe Parker of the Lakeland Police Dept. This 10-day camp is set to provide invaluable experiences for our youth! We’ve also been actively meeting with Polk County Public Schools Workforce to develop stronger relationships and gain insight into the needs within the PCPS school system. Additionally, we attended MSCA meeting held Saddle Creek Logistics Services has provided us with deeper insights into logistics and manufacturing—sectors that make up 21% of Polk County’s workforce. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to forge strong partnerships and support our community's growth and development! #LakelandLeads #SummerInitiatives #CommunityEngagement #WorkforceDevelopment #TradeSkills #Logistics #Manufacturing #YouthOpportunities #bettertogether