Opening Doors: Escambia Families Empowered Through First-Generation Support Workshop

FLP Achieve and the Escambia County School District recently partnered to host a highly engaging virtual workshop, Support for First-Generation Post-Secondary Applicants, facilitated by Dr. Sherell Wilson, Regional Manager of Student Achievement at Palm Beach State College. The session drew strong community interest with more than 153 registrants and 51 live attendees.

Designed for parents, families, and community members navigating college and career pathways for the first time, the workshop provided practical guidance on college applications, financial aid, and actionable strategies to support student success.

Dr. Wilson opened the session by sharing, “I’m also a first-generation college graduate, an educator, and a parent—and I bring all of those perspectives into this conversation today.” She also praised the district’s outreach efforts, stating, “I’m excited and very pleased with the promotion and the potential engagement from families. Kudos to you and your team.”

Escambia County School District High School Director Lesa Morgan reflected on the collaborative effort behind the event, sharing, “I am very pleased with the number of families participating. I owe all the credit to Jeff Elliott, Student Data Systems Coordinator, and Holly Busse, School Counseling Subject Area Specialist. They are awesome.”

Participants remained actively engaged throughout the evening, beginning with an interactive poll where attendees described feeling “curious,” “hopeful,” “overwhelmed,” and “unsure”—highlighting the real emotions many first-generation families experience during the college planning process. By the conclusion of the session, participants shared that they felt more clear and confident, flooding the chat with gratitude and the collective phrase, “Opening Doors.”

Families also departed with a curated collection of college access and readiness resources published on the FLP website. As promised, Dr. Wilson shared trusted college planning tools, financial aid information, scholarship search sites, and first-generation support organizations available through Florida’s Partnership Parent Resources. She encouraged families by reminding them, “You don’t have to use everything at once—just start with what you need most.”

Families expressed appreciation with comments including:

• “Thank you! You are a great presenter and we learned a lot!”

• “You did a great job!!”

• “Thank you very much! I appreciate you.”

• “Thank you! Much appreciated.”

  
  

The workshop reflected a shared commitment between the FLP Achieve Program and Escambia County School District to increase college access, strengthen family engagement, and empower first-generation students and families with the knowledge and confidence to pursue post-secondary success.