2025 High School High Tech Conference Highlights

We had an excellent turnout and many insightful discussions at the 2025 High School High Tech (HSHT) Annual Conference! This event is a time for HSHT program coordinators to come together for professional development, networking and sharing best practices. HSHT coordinators are invaluable to the success of our program and the annual conference provides an opportunity to focus on their HSHT programs and planning. This year, the conference was held in the Orlando area at the Margaritaville Resort.

Resources from the conference, including presentations, handouts, toolkits and more, are available on our HSHT Resources page.

Thank you to all our High School High Tech coordinators for your commitment to helping prepare students with disabilities for a successful future!

Congratulations to the High School High Tech Coordinators!

Using Guideposts for Success, the nationally recognized framework to support youth in transition to adulthood, The Able Trust recognizes High School High Tech coordinators each year for their success in working with High School High Tech students. The following coordinators were recognized during the 2024 conference for their efforts in each category listed.

Congratulations!

Nassau County High School High Tech, Career Preparatory Experiences
The Career Preparatory Experiences guidepost award for providing their students countless opportunities for experiences through mentoring, job shadowing and internships. This site sets up internships and career experiences with local manufactures.

Brevard County High School High Tech, School-Based Preparatory Experiences
The School–Based Preparatory Experiences guidepost award for utilizing a variety of career and personality assessments, helping their students meet their education goals. This site ensures that the students are placed in secondary courses and programs that will benefit their post-secondary goals.

Broward County High School High Tech, Family Involvement
The Family Involvement guidepost awards for helping their student’s families get connected to services in the community. This site meets on the weekends, nights and even holidays supporting the students and their families.

Gulf County High School High Tech, Youth Leadership and Development
The Youth Leadership and Development guidepost award for putting students into ongoing volunteer opportunities to build skills, responsibility, and soft skills. This site is engaged in student leadership activities throughout the county.

Duval County High School High Tech, Communications
The Communications guidepost award for working with their students on developing and honing their communication skills through written and verbal communication means getting the message across with less chance of misunderstanding.

Lake County High School High Tech, Connecting Activities
The Connecting Activities guidepost award for working to support their students’ need to be connected to programs, services, activities, and supports that help them gain access to chosen post-school options. This site connects the students to resources within the community.

Miranda Ray, Donna Mundy Award of Distinction
In memory of Donna Mundy, our founder, friend, and mentor, the recipient of this award is given to an individual and/or site that has established themselves as a leader among their peers and has demonstrated long-term success with the program. Many individuals and or sites fit this description, but none are more deserving than our recipient this year…an individual that has embraced the very core of the program and served hundreds of students over the years.

Ebru Snodgrass, High School High Tech Rookie of the Year
This award is presented to an individual who steps into their new role and keeps the program’s momentum going strong. They work with their students from day one to continue developing their confidence and skills to make them competitive in the future workforce.

Pinellas, Hillsborough & Pasco County High School High Tech with Abilities of Florida, 2024 Program of the Year
This HSHT site received the Program of the Year award for their programmatic successes that include supporting their students’ academic success, providing numerous and varied career experiences, participating in The Able Trust HSHT initiatives, supporting the families of their students, and engaging members of their community to create new opportunities. This site also successfully connected with area businesses and families to ensure a high quality program for their students.