Central Florida News
Buccaneers to Induct Simeon Rice Into Ring of Honor During Week 13 Game vs. Cardinals
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will return to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 30 for a 1 p.m. ET matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, presented by GEICO. The Week 13 game will serve as the team’s Ring of Honor celebration, honoring former defensive end Simeon Rice as the 16th inductee during a halftime ceremony.
Simeon Rice to Be Inducted Into Ring of Honor
Rice, one of the most dominant defenders in Buccaneers history and a key member of the Super Bowl XXXVII championship team, will be honored throughout the game. He will lead the team through the pregame Hallway Walk, and former head coach Jon Gruden will present Rice with his Ring of Honor jacket during halftime. The ceremony will be hosted by Gene Deckerhoff and include members of the Glazer family, Rice family, and fellow Ring of Honor inductees.
The team will also release a Mitchell & Ness Simeon Rice throwback jersey, available at the Buccaneers Team Store.
My Cause My Cleats Spotlight
Nearly 60 Buccaneers players, coaches, and staff will participate in the NFL’s annual My Cause My Cleats campaign, which highlights charitable causes selected by each participant. More than 40 organizations will be represented by customized footwear created in partnership with Stadium Custom Kicks. Now in its tenth year, the league-wide initiative features more than 1,800 participants over a two-week span.
Glazer Family Small Business Fund and Tampa Bay Chef Series
On Sunday, the Buccaneers will continue recognizing recipients of the Glazer Family Small Business Fund. This week’s spotlight features Brian Seymour, owner of the Anna Maria General Store, the only grocery and convenience store on the north end of Anna Maria Island. Following recent storm damage, Seymour and his team supported residents and local law enforcement with donated supplies. Funding from the Glazer Family Small Business Fund helped maintain payroll and inventory during recovery. The program has awarded more than $1.2 million across nearly 300 small businesses in partnership with eight regional chambers of commerce.
As part of the Tampa Bay Chef Series presented by Corona, Week 13 will feature Chef Suz Lara of LARA. Known for her bold, Latin-inspired cuisine, she will prepare a Picadillo Tartar—raw beef tartare mixed with sofrito, smoked olives, capers, and golden raisin mostarda, served on a Cuban bread crostini. The dish will be available in the Hyundai Club (Section 212), Stadium Club (Section 237), and main concourse (Section 108).
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Central Florida News
Orlando City SC & Orlando Pride Launch New Pop-Up Bar for 2026 Kickoff to Soccer Events
Central Florida News
Lift Orlando and Valencia College Launch Free-Tuition Scholarship for Jones High Graduates
By Dr. Jessica Henlon | Education Contributor for Florida National News
On January 7, 2026, Valencia College and Lift Orlando announced the launch of the Lift Scholars program, offering full tuition and fee coverage at Valencia for every graduate of Jones High School’s Class of 2026 through 2029. Whether pursuing an associate degree or short-term technical certificate, students will now have the opportunity to earn credentials without the burden of tuition.
Lift Orlando CEO Eddy Moratin called the initiative a commitment to removing obstacles: “Cost should never stand in the way of a student’s future” (Valencia College, 2026). Valencia President, Dr. Kathleen Plinske, noted that the program builds on the success of Osceola County’s Prosper initiative and affirmed that “the lives of hundreds of Jones students and their families will be transformed by today’s news” (Valencia College, 2026). Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez described the scholarship as “an extraordinary gift” that “opens doors” for students who might have otherwise seen college as out of reach (Valencia College, 2026).
The announcement was met with tears, cheers, and celebration. Perhaps no moment captured the joy more vividly than when OCPS District 5 Board member and Jones High alumna Vicki-Elaine Felder took the mic, pointing to students proclaiming: “You get a scholarship, and you get a scholarship!” On social media, she shared her pride with fellow alumni, calling the news a “wonderful opportunity for my Alma Mater JHS🧡💚🐅🎉🥳🙌🏾.”
Building on Proven Promise Programs
The Lift Scholars model joins a national movement of place-based Promise scholarships. Since Michigan’s Kalamazoo Promise launched in 2005, more than 400 similar programs have emerged nationwide. These scholarships have shown powerful results: Bartik et al. (2021) found recipients were significantly more likely to enroll in and complete college compared to similar students without aid.
Closer to home, Osceola County’s Prosper program has enrolled over 10,000 students since its launch in 2022 and helped more than 1,100 earn associate degrees through Valencia (Mead, 2025). The initiative raised Osceola’s college-going rate from one of Florida’s lowest to among its highest, a compelling model for Lift Scholars’ potential (Valencia College, 2026).
Cost Is Still the Biggest Barrier
Research consistently affirms that financial strain is the top barrier to college enrollment. A Gallup–Lumina Foundation survey found that 85% of adults who never enrolled or who left college early cited tuition and fees as a major factor (Carrasco, 2024). Removing those costs measurably boosts participation.
Even modest scholarship programs have demonstrated impact. A multi-state study by Mayer et al. (2015) showed that performance-based aid increased both persistence and five-year graduation rates. More recently, Berlanga and Corti (2025) found that scholarship recipients earned higher GPAs and graduated at significantly greater rates than peers.
A Personal Lens: Support Must Follow Access
My doctoral research explored how financial support, when paired with meaningful engagement, drives student persistence. I interviewed first-generation online learners who described how virtual co-curricular experiences boosted their motivation, belonging, and academic follow-through (Henlon, 2025). Financial access opens the door, but relationships, visibility, and mentorship sustain the journey.
A Gift That Multiplies
For Jones High families, this is more than a scholarship. It’s a public affirmation that their children’s futures matter. It’s also a community investment with long-term dividends. As Dr. Vazquez noted, this program will empower students “to pursue their goals with confidence” (Valencia College, 2026).
When students are relieved of tuition burdens, they gain freedom to explore careers in healthcare, logistics, education, or advanced manufacturing. To dream, to plan, and to persist. And when communities like Orlando come together to send a bold message of hope, everyone benefits.
About the Author: Dr. Jessica Henlon holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Education. She is an Education Contributor for Florida National News. Dr. Henlon can be reached at Education@FloridaNationalNews.com or book.jessicahenlon@gmail.com.
