Sea of Strengths Academy receives grant for new playground

Kelly Gonzalez and her 10-year-old son Andrew Gonzalez, who has dyslexia, drive daily for 57 miles each way from Lithia to attend the Sea of Strengths Academy, a private school in Lakewood Ranch that focuses on helping children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. 

Gonzalez has attended the school since October 2023, and his mother said he could not read at all when starting and can now read fluently aloud. She described it as life-changing. 

“I love attending school at Sea of Strengths,” said Andrew Gonzalez. “I am proud that I had straight A’s last report card.”

Kelly Gonzalez started volunteering at the school and when she noticed the playground was starting to deteriorate, she jumped into action. She researched how to apply for grants and began the process in January 2024.

Photo by Madison Bierl 

“I wrote probably 30 (applications) and by the end of the school year, nothing came of it,” Gonzalez said. “I was feeling a little defeated.”

But in August, Gonzalez got a phone call while she was in a carpool lane that they had received a grant for $8,700 from the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation. 

“It’s a huge win for the school, as the school doesn’t have the support that the larger schools do with the finances, so I was really proud that we accomplished that,” Gonzalez said.

A total of $9,900 was spent including the money from the grant. $1,200 were donations from the parents at the school who chose to replace other things that were needed or wanted, such as picnic tables, pressure washers and a tug-of-war rope. 

“These kids for many years to come will be able to enjoy this playground because of the people in the community that donated to the foundation to make this happen,” said Kate Mulligan, executive director of the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation.

John Hettler, principal and founder of SOSA, said the timing of replacing the playground couldn’t have been better. After Hurricane Milton, fencing and sheds needed replacing.

It wasn’t until after the hurricane that they began the work to replace and have a safe space for the children to play. There is also a new garden where they are growing tomatoes, onions and cilantro with the goal of making homemade salsa.

Lisa Lawler, a member of the grant committee for the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation said they give out a lot of grants, but don’t always get to see how the money ultimately helps. 

“We get to hear about it but to physically see how excited the kids were to run up there [on the playground] was amazing,” Lawler said. 

Kelly Gilliland, chair of the grants committee at the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, was also moved by seeing where the money went up close and even said she wanted to cry. 

“It feels really good and it’s the heart of what we do, so to actually see in person how the grant affects these children is huge,” Gilliland said.

Photo by Madison Bierl

Sawyer Dadgar, a seventh-grade student with dyslexia, can now read at ninth-grade levels. He said the best time of day is when they are outside and loves coming to play with his friends and learn from his teachers, which he described as the best he has ever had.

Dadgar said the old playground equipment would move every time it was used and is excited for the new slides and climbing bars.

The school averages about 32 students enrolled, and only 10% of current students are girls. 

“I think it just varies a little bit like what we know about dyslexia is that it's pretty equal in terms of boys and girls,” Hettler said. “Boys tend to get identified in greater numbers and faster.”

Olivia Wells, a 9-year-old student who commutes from Apollo Beach, enrolled and began attending in August 2024. She went into Randi Sofman’s class as one of the few girls not saying a word.

“Little by little that little girl began to decode words, and once she got started, there was no stopping her,” said Randi Sofman, lead teacher at Sea of Strengths. 

Sofman said she went from being a nonreader to being fluent in a lot of different skills. Sofman also said that Amanda Wells, Olivia’s mother, told her Olivia doesn’t like weekends because she is not in school.

“Who gets disappointed on a Friday night?” Amanda Wells said with a laugh. She is grateful for the financial support into the school as a parent as well. 

“We now have a safe and inspiring playground where our students can develop critical social skills, strengthen their confidence and enjoy the simple joy of playing in an environment designed with their needs in mind,” Wells said.

The Sea of Strengths Academy was founded in 2006 and they keep a small school so kids are able to get a lot of individual attention. 

“The skill and training and compassionate teachers are a big piece of it, but also just being able to individualize,” Hettler said.

“SOSA is truly a special place, a school dedicated to helping students with unique abilities not only succeed but thrive,” said Amanda Wells, Olivia’s mother.