Media Center

James Stephens Elementary Media Center

James Stephens Elementary has a fully equipped library with age appropriate books for Pre-K through 5th Grade. Students attend media weekly where they engage in projects surrounding around literature. Our Media Center is facilitated by Ms. McGinley and our Grandma volunteers through the Dr. Piper Center. 

Media Staff 23-24

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Kids Tag Art Logo

 

What is Tag Art?

Lee County Kids Tag Art is an educational fundraising project created in partnership with the Lee County Tax Collector's Office and designed to benefit the art classrooms in the School District of Lee County. The program is offered annually to each elementary schools' fifth-grade students. The students a have an opportunity to create a unique design that is then made in to a front-end license place that can be purchased.

The program is designed to teach children how art is used in commerce, exhibited by 120+ specialty license plates in Florida. 5,600 fifth grade students within 49 public schools will have the opportunity to create a design that will become their very own front-end decorative license plate!

 

 The program is fun and easy – here’s how it works:

  • Students develop their own theme and create a design on the template provided.
  • Student designs are made available for purchase by family and friends upon completion.
  • Classroom teachers select finalist designs.
  • Finalists are submitted for blind judging by a panel of judges and two students from each school receive an Award of Distinction.
    • Tax Collector's Choice Award: The Lee County Tax Collector personally selects one Award of Distinction recipient to be honored with the “Tax Collector Choice Award.” This award is presented to the student whose design is well-developed with bold, colorful art (no graphic lettering allowed), and portrays the character of the Kids Tag Art initiative. This tag will be displayed on the front bumper of the Honorable Noelle Branning’s personal vehicle and in the Tax Collector Downtown Service Center.
    • The Foundation for Lee County Public School's Design Excellence Award: The FLCPS “Design Excellence Award” is presented to one student whose design best represents giving back to the community and what community means to the student. The winning design will be displayed at the Foundation office for 12 months.
    • The School District of Lee County's Educational Excellence Award: The Superintendent of Schools will honor one student whose creative design best illustrates the power of education. The honoree will have their tag displayed at the Lee County Public Education Center for 12 months.
    • Suncoast Credit Union's Sunny Future Award: The Suncoast Credit Union’s Sunny Future Award will honor one student whose creative expression best illustrates an idea of what the school of the future will look like.
  • Winning plates from each school are made available for sale to the public.

FL Black History Projects

 

About the Student Art Contest 
The Black History Month Student Art Contest is open to all Kindergarten through third-grade students in Florida. Each student will submit original, two-dimensional artwork based on this year’s theme. Four statewide winners will be selected for the month, and each winner will receive a $100 school supplies gift card and a one-year pass to Florida State Parks.

About the Student Essay Contest
The Black History Month Student Essay Contest is open to all fourth through twelfth-grade students in Florida. Each student will submit one essay no longer than 500 words based on this year’s theme. Six winners will be selected: two elementary school students (grades 4–5), two middle school students (grades 6–8), and two high school students (grades 9–12). Each winner will receive a 2–Year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation and a $100 school supplies gift card.

Students are encouraged to write about the African American heroes who fought for freedom across our state. The subject of the essay should be a Floridian. Examples include:

  • Secretary John Davis – Secretary John Davis is from the small town of Pahokee, Florida. His humble beginnings did not deter him from chasing his dream of playing collegiate football; he earned a spot on the Florida State University football team under Coach Bobby Bowden. Secretary Davis then spent the next 25 years of his career in the private and public sectors working tirelessly to champion freedom and support the pursuit of the American Dream. Now as Florida’s Secretary of the Lottery, he has been passionate about providing opportunities for students to achieve their goals through the Bright Futures Scholarships and is an advocate for freedom throughout our state.
  • Mary McLeod Bethune – Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune was the founder of a school that became Bethune-Cookman University which provided educational freedom for African Americans in Florida during the 1900s. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune played a crucial role in the early civil rights movement and was a key advocate for African American women’s rights and education. Her legacy continues to be celebrated today as a trailblazer for African American rights and opportunities in the nation.
  • Ray Charles – Ray Charles grew up in Greenville Florida, attended the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, and began his music career in Florida. Despite being blinded at a young age and facing adversities throughout his life, Ray Charles overcame these challenges with strong will and refused to allow any circumstance to take away his freedom. His determination to pursue his dreams made him one of the most iconic and respected musicians of the 20th century.
  • Representative Kiyan Michael – Representative Kiyan Michael was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2022 to serve District 16, which is a part of Duval County. One of her passions is to provide a voice to Angel Families, including her own, who have experienced the damaging impacts of the open border policies. Her tireless efforts and contributions to preserving freedom and protecting constitutional rights make her an essential figure in her community.

About the Excellence in Education Award 
The Black History Month Excellence in Education Award Contest is open to all full-time educators in an elementary, middle, or high school in Florida. Four winners will be selected, and a principal, teacher, parent/guardian, or student may submit nominations. Excellence in Education award winners will receive a $2,500 monetary prize from Volunteer Florida.

Contest Entries and Nominating Forms and Guidelines 
Student contest forms and educator nomination forms must be mailed to Volunteer Florida or submitted online at floridablackhistory.com