It was “education night” at the Royal Palm Beach Village Council meeting on Thursday, March 20, during an evening that started with a celebration.
All five members of the council took the oath of office to officially begin their new council terms, including newly elected Councilwoman Sylvia Sharps, who took her seat on the dais for the first time.
The evening continued with presentations from two education experts — Ralph Aiello from Xello, a college and career readiness platform, and Jaime Akkusu, director of programs at Path To College, a nonprofit that works with high-performing but underserved students.
“Florida needs to have a plan to meet the talent and workforce needs of our new economy,” Aiello said, noting that if Florida was a country, it would currently be the 15th largest economy in the world. “We need to start as early as possible to build a ‘cradle to career pipeline.’”
He explained that the Florida Chamber Foundation has created the Florida 2030 plan, and among its goals is to get K-12 students more work experience in the real world, including industry certifications.
“So, when they graduate, they come out with the knowledge, skills and abilities to enter the workforce,” Aiello said.
This smooths the transition from high school, to college, to career.
The state recently passed SB 240, which requires a middle school career and education planning course, high school career fairs and more work-based learning. It also requires students to take a financial literacy course to learn real life financial skills.
“So, the state provided Xello to help with students being able to understand how to manage their money,” Aiello said.
It is Xello’s first full year being used in school districts all across the state with 830,000 unique users. It is all available for free, paid for by the state.
Xello starts in elementary schools with fun, computer-based games that teach economic lessons and about different industries.
In middle schools, Xello turns more to career and education planning, helping students match their personalities and interests to possible career choices, and how to go about getting started in those careers through higher education opportunities.
Moving forward, Xello offers a “lifestyle simulator,” which gives students a glimpse of what they might earn in different careers and the lifestyle choices that would give them.
“When they finish middle school, they have a four-year plan, with a goal, that they are working toward as they enter high school,” Aiello explained.
In high school, Xello helps students put together a résumé and portfolio that they can send out to employers.
Aiello asked the village to work with Xello to help find business partners to create profiles on the platform and offer opportunities to students.
“We always hear that we don’t have enough talent, and the talent we do have doesn’t have the skills we need for the jobs,” Aiello said. “This is an opportunity for local businesses to discover and grow their own talent.”
He asked that village officials help promote awareness of Xello and sign up as guest speakers at schools.
Councilman Adam Miller was impressed by the program.
“I wish that when I was a kid, I had something that I could put in and figure out how much I would make if I got a particular job,” he said.
Learn more at www.xello.world/floridawbl.
Akkusu then came to the podium to discuss Path to College, a local nonprofit based in Palm Beach County.
“We envision a world where genius, leadership and excellence are cultivated in the most overlooked and underestimated students in our community,” Akkusu said.
The program was founded in 2017 with 10 students at Lake Worth High School, and it now serves hundreds of students in its various programs, including its flagship program, which is a three-year fellowship.
Its focus is on ending generational poverty by getting more students to apply to college and be successful in college.
Path to College provides academic enrichment opportunities for these students to increase the competitiveness of low-income students in college admissions. Each student is also provided with a mentor. They also offer a college prep workshop series for students, as well as free SAT prep services.
“We are very proud of the impact we have made in the community, and we hope to be able to serve more students here in Royal Palm Beach,” Akkusu said.
Miller asked about how students could get into the fellowship program. Akkusu said the application process opened up online on April 1. Students can apply online and will then be invited to the second phase, which is an interview process. Learn more at www.pathtocollege.org.
Mayor Jeff Hmara noted that both educational presentations stressed the need for community volunteers.
“There are plenty of volunteer opportunities,” he said. “People are often asking how they can serve and make a difference. For us to know about these organizations is a win-win to bring people together.”
In other business:
- During the council’s annual reorganizational meeting, Richard Valuntas was tapped to serve as vice mayor over the next year.
Councilwoman Jan Rodusky was appointed liaison to the Recreation Advisory Board, Sharps was appointed liaison to the Planning & Zoning Commission and Hmara will stay as liaison to the Education Advisory Board.
Sharps was also appointed liaison to the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, and Miller was tapped as liaison to the Western Communities Council. Rodusky will serve as the primary voting delegate to the Palm Beach County League of Cities.
- The council agreed to enter into a “supplemental state funded grant agreement” with the Florida Department of Transportation on a project related to the roadway underdrain in the La Mancha neighborhood. The grant is for $500,000.
- The council heard a presentation from Branden Lopez, a partner with the village’s auditing firm CBIZ CPAs, on the village’s annual audit for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024. Lopez said that his firm has given the village an unmodified, clean opinion, showing that the village’s finances are healthy and in order. Finance Director Sharon Almeida also noted that the village has produced a new, easy-to-read annual financial report, which is available to the public.
- The council also authorized the village to enter into the first phase of a contract with Kaufman Lynn Construction for the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center expansion and renovations. The amount not to exceed $901,824 will be primarily for the design, planning and permitting phase of the project, which is currently projected to be completed in January 2027.
- Two local businesses were given council authorization to continue with their planned expansions. Royal Palm Auto Spa on Southern Blvd. was given approval to add a 923-square-foot addition as part of a project that will also improve cross-access in the Royal Plaza area. Also, the NRI Institute of Health Sciences was given approval to operate an academic institution at an existing building in an office park at 1402 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Building 600.
- Finally, developer K Hovnanian received architectural approval for five model homes at its planned Parkside at Tuttle Royale community, which is in Pod 4 of the larger Tuttle Royale development off Southern Blvd.
