AVON PARK — CareerSource Heartland’s Panther Youth Partners (PYP) program recently garnered an Adult and Community Educators of Florida (ACE) Award during the ACE of Florida Annual Conference in Orlando in October for its partnership with South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Adult Education Department. It was awarded Business Supporter of the Year. In addition, SFSC’s Adult Education volunteer, Laura Smutnick, was honored as Volunteer of the Year.

According to its website, “Adult and Community Educators of Florida, Inc. represents, promotes, and advocates for adult and community education professionals and volunteers through its commitment to improving and expanding adult and community education programs and services throughout the state.”

CareerSource Heartland and PYP have been youth service providers for approximately 30 years in Highlands, DeSoto, Hardee, and Okeechobee counties. The PYP Program supports youth between 16 and 24 years of age to assist in reducing youth unemployment rates in this region.

These programs support and encourage individuals in the SFSC Adult Education Department to complete high school and continue lifelong learning through career exploration activities, work experience, job shadowing, work readiness courses, and support through mentoring. Further, CareerSource Heartland supports students by offering a grant, “Workforce Innovation and Opportunities” to pay for training programs at SFSC. Some of those programs are Construction Trades, Nursing, Welding, Mechatronics, and Commercial Vehicle Driving.

“I am so thankful that we have such a strong and collaborative partnership with CareerSource Heartland because it can only help our students and the community,” said Courtney Green, SFSC director of Adult Education and Technical Dual Enrollment.

Laura Smutnick, who won the ACE Volunteer of the Year award, is a former math teacher. She came to SFSC in 2008 as a volunteer through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer network that is administered through SFSC.

“Based on General Educational Development tests (GED®) data, approximately 82% of all Adult Education students have difficulty in math,” Green said. “Laura volunteers, specifically, on math with individual students or small groups. Her knowledge of math concepts and her passion for students has reduced students’ fear of math. Even through the COVID-19 pandemic, personal injuries, and bad weather, Laura never wavered in her volunteer hours. She continued to serve students through Zoom.”