Polk State Educational Talent Search to use grant to expand reach and initiatives

Posted on by Polk Newsroom

Polk State College’s Educational Talent Search Program will increase the number of students it serves by 23% over the next five years, thanks to a Talent Search Grant administered through the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor.

Polk State will receive more than $346,000 for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year and is expected to receive $1.7 million over a five-year period. Polk State received one of just 15 grant awards statewide this cycle and was among nine in the State College System to receive funding.

“ETS is a longstanding program here at Polk State,” said Kara Minnifield, Program Director for Educational Talent Search (ETS). “We’re really proud and grateful to get this award.”

Founded in 1998, Polk State’s ETS Program serves students from sixth through 12th grades at 16 public middle and high schools across Polk County. ETS provides information and resources relevant to grade-to-grade promotion, overall success and high school graduation. It also expands access to other services offered in the area and helps students explore pathways to postsecondary education, trade schools and apprenticeships. With the grant, ETS will expand from 565 to 693 students served annually.

“Education has the power to change the trajectory of a student’s life, opening doors to opportunities that can have a lasting impact on families and communities,” President Anastasios Kamoutsas said. “Polk State is proud to expand the reach of Educational Talent Search and help even more young people throughout Polk County access the guidance, resources, and encouragement needed to pursue their goals.”

With the grant funding, ETS will enhance existing programs and create new ones. ETS will increase its emphasis on distance learning, which will include hosting skill-building workshops in person and virtually. ETS will also partner with the Polk State Education Program to create more opportunities for high-impact tutoring.

Also included in the grant will be the introduction of Learning and Employment Records (LERs). The LERs will serve as an online portfolio for students, creating a digital record of their accomplishments, including service projects, programs completed, skills learned and standardized test scores. LERs are expected to improve students’ career readiness and digital literacy, equipping them with a platform by which to connect with talent marketplaces after graduation.

“This is very exciting,” Minnifield added. “We’re going to be able to cater to new schools. We have a lot of recruiting to do.”

In addition to the existing schools that ETS serves, it will now serve students at Crystal Lake Middle School, Southwest Middle School and Tenoroc High School in Lakeland, Denison and Westwood middle schools in Winter Haven, Ridge Community High School in Davenport and Lake Region High School in Eagle Lake. A full list of target schools can be found here.

“I am very proud of the work done by the grants and Talent Search teams on this grant proposal,” said Mary Clark, Polk State Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Accreditation and Research. “Their hard work is reflected in the success of the proposal and supports the College’s commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities for the residents of Polk County.”