On Thursday, January 12, 2023, Evans High School celebrated its 10th-year milestone as a Community Partnership School. The model involves forming a long-term partnership among four core partners — a school district, a university or college, a community-based nonprofit, a healthcare provider, and others. Evans, which has the unique distinction of being the first Community Partnership School in Florida, has a core partnership team that includes Orange County Public Schools, Children's Home Society of Florida, Orange Blossom Family Health Center, and Children's Home Society of Florida.
The objective of the model is to meet the social, emotional, mental, physical, nutritional, and sometimes financial needs of students, so they are ready and able to fully engage in the rigorous academic opportunities offered by their school. Since implementing the Community Partnership Schoolsâ„¢ model, grad rates have risen from 64% to over 90%.
Additionally, attendance and parental involvement improved, while disciplinary actions were reduced.
Joined by the leaders of its core partners, Alexander N. Cartwright from the University of Central Florida, Bakari F. Burns, MPH, MBA from Orange Blossom Family Health Center, Maria Vazquez from Orange County Public Schools, and Andry Sweet from Children's Home Society of Florida, whom all shared their reflections of their respective organization's contributions and support of the model.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Buddy Dyer, Mayor of the City of Orlando, both issued proclamations declaring the day as Evans Community Partnership School Anniversary Day. According to Kelly Astro, the Community Partnership School Director, it was an exceptional evening.