On the Brighton reservation, northwest of Lake Okeechobee, is Pemayetv Emahakv (“Our Way”) Charter School. Established in 2007, it seeks to instill in tribal students their language and culture. Where these students once stayed on the reservation every Friday when they attended schools in Okeechobee and Glades counties, they now have their own school. It fills a need that a traditional public school could not and has earned an “A” rating from the state.
According to Principal Brian Greseth, the high school graduation rate is roughly 86 percent, which is several points higher than the statewide rate. Last May, Pemayetv Emahakv’s lead fourth-grade teacher, Joy Prescott, was named Florida Teacher of the Year.
See more scenes from the charter school, a part of our coverage of the Seminole Tribe’s success.
This story comes from our February 2019 issue of Boca magazine. For more content like this, subscribe to the magazine.
