LAKE WALES, Fla. — Hurricane Irma ripped through Polk County about a year and seven months ago.
- Edward W. Bok Academy in Lake Wales is still recovering.
- Administration building had to be torn down, rebuilt
- Charter school maintained "A" grade from state
- New building should be complete by June
- More Polk County stories
The storm did so much damage to the roof of the school’s administration building that the entire building had to be torn down due water seeping into the building’s offices, art classrooms, and music classrooms.
“It has been a huge challenge," said Dr. Damien Moses, the charter school’s principal. "But I’ll be honest with you, students and the staff persevered and showed their grit and got through it.”
Construction on the new administration building is almost complete. Moses said they were trying to save the old building initially.
“It got to the point that months later, that the insurance company decided that it’d be better if we went on and just leveled it and start anew,” Moses explained.
None of that, however, delayed learning at the academy. In fact, the charter school maintained its "A" letter grade from the state.
Eight other classrooms that were under construction prior to the storm opened last August. Those new rooms included a new STEM learning lab, where students dabble with artificial intelligence, virtual reality and making music on iPads.
“We’re really learning about how to code and robots,” said Tiyana Ponds, a 6th grade student at the school
“By giving them access and the opportunity to participate in different projects, they can further their knowledge and they can say, 'hey, this might be a career I might want to go into,'” said David Lockett, a STEM teacher at the school.
Donors paid for the new classrooms. State funds, insurance money, and the Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation paid for the new administration building.
“I can tell you the new building, you’re probably not going to find a happier principal in the state of Florida than myself when it’s done," said Moses.
The new administration building is expected to be move-in ready by June.