🎉 National Merit Scholar Semifinalist Spotlight — Part 3 of 3

We are thrilled to continue our celebration of the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists with Benjamin Barr, a standout student from Palmetto High School!

He is among the top students in the nation and part of a select group representing less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors who earned this prestigious honor based on their exceptional PSAT scores.

Benjamin has big dreams of studying Mechanical Engineering and with his drive and determination, the sky’s the limit.

👏 Congratulations, Benjamin. We can’t wait to see what your future holds. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

We kicked off the week at Palmetto High School, not realizing our photos would spark one of the biggest responses yet—nearly 96,000 views and counting! The Tigers’ love and admiration for Ms. Renae, a PHS grad who has been serving students for 31 years, and the entire Food & Nutrition Services team brought us back to the cafeteria today to say THANK YOU and encourage them to keep up the amazing work. Go Tigers! 🐅 #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

The Tigers roared into the new school year with a mix of new faces and cherished traditions! 🐅☀️ On Monday, Palmetto High seniors came together for one last sunrise, marking the start of their final year. Faculty and staff were all smiles as they welcomed students back for another amazing year at PHS! #GoodNewsBackToSchool

Security Screening at Secondary Schools – Beginning Monday, August 11, 2025, all students and visitors at district middle and high schools will be screened each school day using a high-tech security scanner system. For more information on this enhanced security screening procedure, visit https://www.manateeschools.net/securityscreening.

School Board Seeks Civic-Minded Citizens to Join Audit Committee – The School Board of Manatee County is seeking civic-minded citizens to serve as members of the Audit Committee. The Committee, which meets six times a year, recommends the appointment of the internal and external auditors; reviews the scope, plan and reports of the internal and external auditors; and assists in maintaining open communications between the selected auditors, the School Board and the District’s financial management. The Committee also reviews the collection and proper use of the funds raised through the one-half cent sales surtax for school capital outlay expenditures. Membership on the Committee requires an average of five-to-eight hours per month, with meetings scheduled every other month for three hours. The term is approximately three years. Those interested in serving must: • Live in Manatee County. • Be a CPA (active or retired) or had employment experience in school district financial operations. • Submit a letter expressing interest, provide contact information and provide a brief summary of their work experience. Responses must be sent to the Manatee County School District, Attention: School Board Agency Clerk, P.O. Box 9069, Bradenton, Florida 34206-9069. Interested individuals may obtain additional information about the Committee by emailing the School Board Agency Administrative Associate at cox3l@manateeschools.net.

Family Empowerment Scholarship – Parents interested in applying for either FES-EO or FES-UA may review the eligibility requirements and application instructions at https://www.manateeschools.net/FES.