We are excited to announce a new collaboration between the School District of Manatee County and the Taggart Family Foundation. A plan set in motion on Tuesday is meant to enhance the lives of students at Lincoln Memorial Middle School and positively impact the entire Palmetto community.
We had the honor of welcoming Willie Taggart, the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens, during a special media event at Lincoln on Tuesday. He was joined by executives from the Taggart Family Foundation, which was founded by Willie and his wife, Taneshia, to empower underserved youth and families through access to high-quality educational, developmental, and enrichment opportunities.
In front of a crowd which included family, friends, community leaders, and residents, many of whom were students wearing fluorescent camp t-shirts, Willie Taggart shared his inspiring mission to bring much-needed services to the Palmetto community. “Let’s DO something,” he said.
Willie Taggart outlined his vision for the first phase of a collaborative effort with the school district, which includes offering before and after-school programs for Lincoln students. These programs may encompass tutoring, financial literacy, STEM and technology, workforce development, mentorship, wellness, and more. Their goal is to improve academic performance, provide a safe space for students, and build stronger connections between the school, families, and the community.
On Tuesday, he expressed his desire to be part of the solution to make Palmetto a better place. “I want to build something for all of us, young and the adults in the community,” said Willie Taggart. “My goal is to have a beautiful, new community center for all to be proud of.”
Willie Taggart has deep roots in our community. A 1994 graduate of Manatee High School and a former student of Lincoln Memorial Middle School, he has always held a special place in his heart for his hometown. The feeling was reciprocated. A line of youth with bright smiles patiently waited for their turn to ask him for an autograph.
After an outstanding career as a quarterback at Western Kentucky University, Coach Taggart went on to build an impressive coaching career, including head coaching roles at Florida State University, the University of Oregon, the University of South Florida, and more.
It was famed coach Jim Harbaugh who recruited Taggart from high school years ago. While standing on a stage in his former school's cafeteria on Tuesday, Willie Taggart left students with a quote that inspired him from Harbaugh himself and repeated it in front of the School Board during a special meeting: “If people aren’t laughing at your dreams, they’re not big enough.”
School Board members voted unanimously to continue working with the Taggart Family Foundation to finalize an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) and establish an agreement to offer programs at Lincoln Memorial Middle School starting the 2025-2026 school year.
“As a native of this region and champion for youth, I am proud to bring our vision to Palmetto," said Willie Taggart. "This is about building futures—one student, one program, one community at a time.”