Fourteen students from The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) were awarded scholarships during the famous Hemingway Look-Alike Contest over the weekend. For 26 years, the “Papas” of the Hemingway Look-Alike Society (HLAS), have been “putting the ‘fun’ in scholarship fundraising” supporting the dreams of over 300 CFK students to date and ensuring their celebration of Hemingway’s spirit also leaves a lasting, positive impact on the community.

Recent high school graduates in the Middle and Upper Keys can now attend college free through the new NextGen Opportunity Workforce (NOW) Scholarship, which covers tuition, fees, books, and more. The NOW Scholarship at The College of the Florida Keys removes financial barriers for students enrolled in career programs and who plan to build their careers in the Keys.

The College of the Florida Keys will hold “Fast Track to Fall” on Wednesday, July 30, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Key West Campus and at the Upper Keys Center in Key Largo to help prospective students quickly get on a path toward their academic and career training goals this upcoming fall semester. New student applications are due August 1 and classes begin August 19. New students who participate in Fast Track to Fall will have their application fee waived, a savings of $30, and receive a $100 Kick-Starter Scholarship.

Four diving students at The College of the Florida Keys have advanced from the role of student to instructor. Each successfully passed the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Instructor Examination (IE) on June 25, certifying them as open water scuba instructors. The PADI IE is a two-day evaluative program conducted by a visiting PADI employee who tests an instructor candidate’s teaching ability, dive theory knowledge, skill level, understanding of the PADI System, and attitude and professionalism. With PADI certification, widely considered the gold standard in the diving industry, these diving instructors will be qualified for attractive diving professional jobs around the world—teaching individuals how to scuba dive.

The College of the Florida Keys’s (CFK) recently received a donation of life jackets for infants and small children from the Florida Keys Health Start Coalition for use in swim lessons and the Water Safety Days program at the CFK Pool.

The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) is holding an Academic Info Week for prospective students to learn about academic and Career Technical Education (CTE) opportunities via eight virtual events, to be held June 23-26. The events will showcase information about the credentials (certificates, associate and baccalaureate degrees) available within each program, curriculum, career opportunities, and student experiences. Attendees will hear directly from faculty, academic leaders, current students, and/or recent alumni. CFK will waive the $30 admissions application fee for participants who have not yet applied to the College. Registration for the events is required. Visit the College’s website at www.cfk.edu/events to learn more and to register.

The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites prospective students to learn about career training opportunities at two upcoming virtual events. A session focusing on the Engineering Technology- Renewable Energy Technician program will be held on Wednesday, June 25 at 5:30 p.m. and a session focusing on the Culinary Management and Hospitality and Ecotourism Management programs will be held on Thursday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m. The events will feature information about the curriculum, career opportunities, and student experiences for each program. Attendees will hear directly from faculty, academic leaders, current students, and/or recent alumni. A code to waive the $30 application fee will be provided. Registration for the events is required. Visit the College’s website at www.cfk.edu/futurestudents to learn more and to register.

The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) Foundation received $32,500 from the Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation to establish a scholarship in memory of Arcenio John “AJ” Hally. This scholarship supports students who, like Hally, demonstrate a deep appreciation for the ocean, a commitment to environmental stewardship, and a drive to make a meaningful impact in their communities. By endowing the scholarship, a portion of the donation is invested, and its earnings will provide scholarship awards to students in perpetuity—forever memorializing Hally and supporting marine education and training

The College of the Florida Keys celebrated the first graduation of the CFK Academy on May 29 in the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West Campus. The event was a milestone for the College’s tuition-free public charter high school, which opened in August 2023 and subsequently earned an “A” grade from the Department of Education in its first year.

The College of the Florida Keys honors veterans and military service men and women each Memorial Day and Veterans Day through a “salute” from CFK President and CEO Dr. Jonathan Gueverra.