On competition day, the halls of Suncoast Technical College’s North Port campus are filled with steady momentum as Sarasota County Schools middle schoolers gather for the Career Skills Challenge, a STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics — based initiative. Teams cluster around worktables, refining ideas, testing designs, and preparing to present, while teachers circulate with guidance and encouragement. Across the campus, students are applying classroom learning in real time — collaborating under pressure, making adjustments on the fly, and translating concepts into action. Through hands-on activities connected to fields such as robotics, culinary arts, and environmental engineering, the Career Skills Challenge gives students a clearer sense of how STEM learning applies beyond the classroom and transforms into future opportunities.

With support from Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast), the Challenge ensures students county-wide can take part, providing transportation and resources that might otherwise be out of reach. Together, Sarasota County Schools (SCS) and Gulf Coast are helping students build practical skills early – nurturing curiosity and capability that will shape Florida’s future workforce.

The Challenge traces its roots to the STEM Smart Student Summit, launched in 2013 with Gulf Coast’s support. During the 2019–2020 school year, the school district evolved the program into the Career Skills Challenge, aligning it more intentionally with Career and Technical Education (CTE) practices. Today, the Challenge reaches approximately 400 students each year across seven high schools and ten middle schools, with high school competitions held in the fall and middle school events in the spring. 

This year’s theme, “Sustainability for Florida’s Skilled Future,” encouraged students to think about innovation and environmental responsibility. Technology quiz bowls, water tower engineering assignments, and Shark Tank–style pitch sessions pushed students to articulate ideas, respond to feedback, and work collaboratively. 

For SCS, the Challenge reinforces a broader approach to learning that values revision and growth. “It is impressive to see all of these innovative creative minds in action," says Michele Groves, Program Manager for the district’s College, Career, & Life Readiness department. “... To see these kids active and learning and connecting these soft skills, it’s building on [things] that are going to help them down the road.”

For North Port High School junior Dominik DiBenedetto, the annual Challenge has offered a glimpse into how complex ideas take shape in practice. A recent competition winner, he plans to major in electrical engineering with a minor in computer science and has a growing interest in brain-computer interfaces. “Personally, I value the full program style that the Career Skills Challenge offers because it showcases greater knowledge in a variety of software engineering skills like system design,” he says. DiBenedetto's North Port High team ended up placing first overall in this year’s Challenge, with the school also earning top honors in individual events including Model Water Tower building, On-Site Video creating, and Coding. (Brookside Middle took home this year’s top honors for their competition, scoring high in the Model Water Tower building and Problem-Solving challenges.)

Ken Jakoby, DiBenedetto’s teacher and an Applied Engineering and Computer Science Foundation of Programming instructor at North Port High, has coached the high school team to multiple Career Skills Challenge championships while also participating as a Problem Solving judge for the middle school Challenge. “I know how much this means to my students by their excitement to compete and the work they put into preparing,” Jakoby says. “I watch these experiences help students take on new challenges, interact with peers and adults, and ultimately succeed in college, the workforce, or whatever path they choose.”

Through sustained collaboration, Sarasota County Schools and Gulf Coast Community Foundation continue to bring the Career Skills Challenge to life — opening doors to opportunities beyond the classroom and giving students the space to discover what they’re capable of. These experiences extend well beyond a single competition, helping shape the next generation of students and strengthening the future of the region they will one day lead.