46 FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
College of Medicine SSTRIDE Program opens doors for promising students, thanks to support from Naples Children Foundation
By Patrick Crowley FSU College of Medicine
Walking the main streets of Immokalee, Florida, it’ s plain to see this is a hard-working community, built on agriculture and the rich traditions of its seasonal farm workers. Open-windowed, repurposed school buses rumble down the dusty road, filled with workers after a long, hot day harvesting food destined for our refrigerators, pantries and restaurants.
Located in Collier County about 40 miles northwest of the Everglades and 45 miles northeast of Naples, Immokalee is often called“ Florida’ s farm.” No beaches here. Just acres and acres of prime cropland and the hardworking people who work it.
Practically smack-dab in the middle of town are Immokalee’ s middle and high schools— just a couple blocks from Main Street. The student demographics: 80 % Hispanic, 17 % Black and slightly more than 1 % white with the remaining 2 % a mix of Native American and Asian. Both schools are doing all the right things, as they each earned a B grade from the Florida Department of Education in 2025.
It’ s within the walls of those schools that, thanks to longstanding philanthropic support of the Naples Children Foundation, the SSTRIDE Program of Florida State University’ s College of Medicine works.
Photo: Immokalee SSTRIDE students take part in chemistry class. Pictured are, from left, Cynthia Encarnacion Vera, Mia Valdez, Mileyda Lopez-Figueroa and Marisol Jasso, all seniors who will graduate in 2026.