LEARN Plant City

Each year, the Leadership Plant City class is required to create a project that positively impacts our local community.
This year, the Leadership Plant City Class of 2023 is taking on the task of assisting with increasing third-grade
reading level scores through a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club Tampa Bay and local high school groups. We
are seeking to raise money to provide an entire reading resource center at our local Boys & Girls Club campus! This
resource center will provide students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade with Chromebooks, digital subscriptions to
learning platforms, literacy books, and fun educational games to help support the Florida Chamber's initiative to
have 3rd graders at a 100% passing rate on their reading tests by 2030!

According to Florida Politics, Hillsborough County had 23% of all 3rd-grade students score a 4 or 5 on their reading
comprehension exam in 2022, showing proficiency. This is 2% lower than the state average sitting at 25%. The
Florida Chamber sites that 47% of Hillsborough County students need to be reading on level. Meaning they scored a
1 or 2 on said exam. This is a systemic problem in our community. Our team would like to help solve this problem
through fundraising via direct ask from local businesses and individuals to purchase Chromebooks and a phonetic
learning software program (I.e. ABC Mouse) for the Boys & Girls Club of Plant City. Additionally, we will work
with the B&G Club and local businesses to implement a reward system for students once milestones are
accomplished (I.e. Pizza Hut coupons from the '90s). This project will enhance the learning capabilities of at least
100 local students who need improved reading comprehension.

We hope, with our generous sponsors' help, we will leave a lasting legacy not only in our local community but
county and state-wide one day.