Gov. Rick Scott visits SWFL, announces technical school funding

Author: Nicole Papageorge
Published: Updated:

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- Governor Rick Scott made a visit to Southwest Florida Friday.

He was at the Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology (LWIT) to detail his plans to provide more education funding. The governor announced he’s allocating $20 million for technical schools across the state.

“These technology centers help our kids get jobs,” said Scott.

The grant money will go towards 48 technical colleges and high schools in Florida.

The governor says these are the schools where students can learn a trade in high demand such as being an emergency room technician, working in aviation maintenance, or becoming a dental assistant.

Scott says he’s committed to funding education, to help attract more people and better jobs to the Sunshine State.

“If we want our families to live here, what do they want? They want a job, they want a great education system, and they want a safe environment. That’s what we’re going to work on.”

The Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology is one of two technical schools in the county.

Darchelle Excellent says being a student at LWIT has been life-changing.

“It helps me put me on a path where I want to go,” said Excellent.

She wants to eventually be a neonatal nurse practitioner, all because her baby sister was born prematurely.

“I was always watching her from the little window, and watching what the nurses were doing, and they looked so passionate.”

Like many students, Excellent’s family can’t afford to finance her way through school. At just 17 years old, she’s getting a head start on her career thanks to LWIT.

Governor Scott says the funding for technical schools will help make sure students will have better jobs when they graduate. He says this year the state will have the highest per student funding ever for kindergarten through 12th grade.

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