The Leadership Sarasota County class of 2020 recently expanded the Florida Center for Early Childhood’s outside play space into a sensory garden. The garden was inspired by the word "transformation," and includes caterpillars and butterflies as prominent features throughout. The space includes a new fence, concrete walkway with landscaping, an irrigation system, fiberglass animals, musical instruments, an herb garden, a calming area, and a hand painted rock river.

The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been a leading provider of therapeutic services, early education and healthy development for children in southwest Florida. Its programs focus on infants and children through fifth grade who are at-risk academically, socially, or economically. Leadership Sarasota County's  project was made possible by grants from Annie Yu, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Ken and Peggy Abt and a fundraising campaign organized by the leadership class, as well as in-kind donations from Willis Smith Construction, Plant Parents and Gecko’s Grill & Pub. Leadership Sarasota County is a program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.