More than 100 Gulf Coast teens got their first taste of college life in late July when Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County partnered with New College of Florida to host the 2026 Teen Summit at the college's Sarasota campus.
The full-day event, themed T.U.F.F. (Transforming Under Fire and Flourishing), put teens through breakout sessions on conflict resolution, leadership after high school, and navigating dating and relationships in today's financial world, according to a press release from New College. For many attendees, it was their first time setting foot on a college campus.
John Agnelli, director of advocacy and strategic initiatives for Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, praised the collaboration in a formal letter to the college after the event. "It was, without exaggeration, one of the finest examples of community collaboration I have witnessed in my career," Agnelli wrote, crediting Dr. Mitchel Ruzek, who led the Career Center's involvement, and Tracy Papp for her coordination of logistics, Florida Politics reported.
The New College Career Center provided professional support, educational programming, and lunch for the students. A campus immersion activity called "Design Your Future" challenged teens to sketch out custom college degrees based on their personal passions, then sent them on a scavenger hunt across campus led by New College staff.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County serves youth countywide, including the Lakewood Ranch area, through afterschool and summer programs. The organization is now building ongoing mentorship and internship pipelines with New College that could benefit area teens beyond a single event.
Agnelli wrote that New College "demonstrated a meaningful commitment to serving the local community by opening its campus, sharing its expertise, and investing in partnerships that expand opportunities for children and families."
The two organizations have not announced a date for a future summit, but the mentorship and internship partnership is active and growing. Families interested in Boys & Girls Clubs programming can visit bgcmanatee.org.
Upcoming community events
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County afterschool and summer programs are open for enrollment at bgcmanatee.org.
