ST. CLOUD, Fla. — A new K-8 school wrapped up its first day in Osceola County. Voyager K-8 is an extension of the Sunbridge community, focusing some of its academics on the environment.

Not only is it bringing in a beautiful new campus, but inside the school is where the magic happens. One program Voyager K-8 offers these students is the opportunity to be environmental leaders in action. School officials said it’s the first of its kind in Central Florida.

What You Need To Know

  • Voyager K-8 has unique theming, an environmental STEM school cultivating a community of sustainably conscious leaders

  • In the new AVID program, middle-schoolers will get to visit colleges, in and out of Florida

“The sky is the limit, and it all starts in middle school,” said Kelly Childs, the Voyager K-8 teacher and coordinator of AVID, or Advancement Via Individual Determination program.

The new program is all about leadership and getting kids excited to further their education.

“In middle school, that’s where they begin their love of learning. I think sometimes they lose it as they’re coming out of middle school and into high school. And they just don’t see a reason why we do this. AVID provides them the why,” Childs said.

Voyager K-8 is an environmental STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) school, cultivating a community full of sustainably conscious leaders, creating partnerships with the Florida Headwaters Foundation and the Sunbridge Stewardship Plan.

“The Sunbridge community and their initiatives that they have going on with environmental sustainability, we took the vision of that and thought how our students can be involved in those initiatives," said Dustin Sassic, the principal at Voyager. "And really create leaders in the community and teach them about the environment and the sustainability efforts going on here.” 

As for Childs, she’s excited about teaching middle-schoolers and said she hopes to inspire them beyond the classroom.

“For me, I’m a little nervous because I’ve never taught middle school," Childs said. "This is a huge jump for me from high school to middle school. But I think this is where it starts. And it’s probably where I belong.” 

One unique thing about this AVID program is middle-schoolers will get to visit colleges, in and out of Florida.