LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL AND FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE PARTNER TO LAUNCH INAUGURAL EDUCATOR ACADEMY

LAKELAND, Fla., Oct. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Polk County Public Schools is excited to announce the launch of the Educator Academy, an innovative partnership between Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College that will inspire and prepare future educators. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held to celebrate the launch of the inaugural Educator Academy, which serves 55 students in grades 9–12 and provides a unique, hands-on pathway into the teaching profession. 

Under the SAIL (Serious About Innovative Learning) and CTE (Career and Technical Education) umbrella, students at Lakeland High School select the Educator Academy as their elective each spring. Students who live outside the school's attendance zone can apply during the School Choice Priority Window, which typically runs from mid-January to mid-February. 

"This partnership between Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College will inspire our students and provide them with a pathway to pursue a career within education," said Alain Douge, principal of Lakeland High School. "As a Florida Southern graduate, I can confirm that our students will receive a first-class opportunity to be career ready from both Polk County Public Schools and Florida Southern College. Our students are learning from exceptional educators while developing the skills and passion needed to make a lasting difference in their own communities." 

From their first year in high school, Educator Academy students gain immersive classroom experiences through Florida Southern College's renowned School of Education. Their work includes time at Roberts Academy, FSC's on-campus school for children with dyslexia, as well as placements in Polk County public schools. 

Through a combination of articulated credit and dual enrollment opportunities, students can complete the equivalent of five college-level education courses by the time they graduate high school. Throughout the program, participants collaborate with Florida Southern faculty, complete authentic education coursework, and build the professional skills necessary to become classroom leaders. 

"The Educator Academy at Lakeland High School exemplifies Florida Southern College's commitment to innovative and collaborative approaches in teacher preparation," said Dr. Tracey Tedder, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Florida Southern College. "By connecting high school students with college faculty and real-world classroom experiences, the Academy fosters early development of confidence, competence, and a strong sense of purpose in pursuing a career in education." 

The Educator Academy marks an exciting new collaboration between Lakeland High School and Florida Southern College, one that provides students with an early, authentic introduction to the teaching profession while strengthening the pipeline of future educators in Polk County and beyond. 

SOURCE Florida Southern College