St. Lucie County's branch doesn't just care about it, they're starting a conversation about education here, hoping to join community leaders, educators and parents at a forum on April 14.

Phyllis Nicholas, 71, a member of the St. Lucie County branch, attended a Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast and learned about lagging minority test scores. Hearing that prompted her small group, which heralds equity issues, to take action.

"That is what we're looking at, 'Why is it and what is it?'" Nicholas said. "We're not bashing anybody but I'm saying 'What can we do to turn this around.'"

Nicholas thinks any effort to talk about the county's education issues may become an assault on lagging improvement and turn into a boost for the area hoping to redefine itself as a biotechnology hub.

In 2006, 58 percent of St. Lucie County children were reading at or above grade level. Math results were slightly better overall but as children get older progress slips, state results show. This year's results are not yet available.

Black children and students speaking languages other than English at home consistently fail federal progress standards measured by the same test.

In the past year, Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon has reached out to local clergy leaders, seeking additional support and resources from the community as some schools face sliding test scores.

In addition to the various groups Nicholas wants joined together at the forum, she knows the most important people to have attend are students-hopefully those that can add their voice to the conversation.

"They probably could tell us what we do not know," Nicholas said. "After all, they are the future. The future lawyers, doctors, presidents, and we will be dependent on them."

A slow-talking nurse who retired to Port St. Lucie, Nicholas raised two children. Her son is a Michigan police officer and her daughter is pursuing a doctorate in education.

For 11 years, Nicholas with other branch members have volunteered at Morningside Elementary in Port St. Lucie with a program called "Girls Can." She described the volunteer effort as a chance to serve as positive female role models to young girls.

But in recent years, Nicholas has seen the chance to mentor eclipsed by pressures to cram for FCAT material. Mix that with kids tuned in to various technologies and oftentimes tuned out of family life and Nicholas suspects all are having an effect on schools here.

Nicholas, with the 16 other members of the local branch, have no funds to put toward initiatives, but believes her words and hopes are enough to build support and involvement.

"We want to talk and from there we can develop what can we do," Nicholas said. "I want more parents to be involved in their children's educational growth. There's got to be something wrong. There must be a breakdown somewhere."

The public is welcome to a community meeting from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 14 at the St. Lucie County Health Department, 5150 N.W. Milner Drive in Port St. Lucie to discuss the state of education in St. Lucie County.

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