Florence Falcon Launch Program

10/12/2026

09/28/2026

WE ARE ACHIEVERS: Communications Intern Carson Brooks is helping keep our Falcon community informed! In the September 2026 edition of the Falcons Connect: Board Meeting Update, Carson shares key information from the board meeting in a clear, engaging format.

Through this hands-on experience, Carson is building valuable communication and storytelling skills while helping families and staff stay connected to what’s happening across our schools.

After high school, Carson plans on majoring in communications with a marketing minor.

Florence City Schools Florence City Schools Career, Technical, & Specialized Education Florence High School

09/25/2026

WE ARE ACHIEVERS: Florence High School senior Justin Xie is excelling in his LAUNCH placement at Elite Medical, where he is gaining valuable experience in a professional setting.

After graduation, Justin plans to attend a four-year college and major in engineering or robotics. His LAUNCH experience is helping him build skills and confidence as he prepares for the future! Florence City Schools Career, Technical, & Specialized Education Florence High School Florence City Schools

09/25/2026

WE ARE ACHIEVERS: Florence High School senior Jack Robbins is gaining hands-on media production experience through his LAUNCH placement at Christ Chapel Church.

Working alongside the media team, Jack helps prepare the cameras, sound, and lighting during the week so everything is ready for Sunday services. The placement gives Jack a chance to see how careful planning and teamwork bring a live production together.

After graduation, he plans to major in Media Production in college, and the skills he is developing at Christ Chapel are helping him take the next step toward that goal. We are proud to see Jack exploring his passion and building experience for his future career! Florence City Schools Career, Technical, & Specialized Education Florence City Schools Florence High School

09/21/2026

WE ARE ACHIEVERS: Senior Jake Hovater is completing his second year in the LAUNCH Career-Based Learning program at Elite Medical.

Through this valuable placement, Jake continues to develop essential professional skills, gain meaningful hands-on experience, and build a strong foundation for his future.

After graduating from Florence High School, Jake plans to attend Auburn University and major in engineering. His continued dedication and experience through LAUNCH are preparing him to approach college and his future career with confidence, knowledge, and a strong work ethic.

Florence City Schools Florence City Schools Career, Technical, & Specialized Education Florence High School

09/21/2026

WE ARE ACHIEVERS: We are excited to highlight Sam Irons, a LAUNCH Career-Based Learning student gaining valuable real-world experience as a Technology Intern!

As part of his placement, Sam recently put his skills to work by providing the Falcons Connect: Board Meeting Update, sharing important information and highlights from the September 2026 meeting.

Opportunities like this allow our LAUNCH students to experience the professional world firsthand while developing communication, technology, organization, and workplace skills that extend far beyond the classroom. Sam is building confidence and gaining meaningful experience that will help prepare him for success in his future career pathway.

We are proud to see our students learning, contributing, and growing as young professionals through Career-Based Learning!

Florence City Schools Florence City Schools Career, Technical, & Specialized Education Florence High School

09/17/2026

WE ARE ACH ACHIEVERS: Senior Lily Holder is sharpening her photography and visual storytelling skills through her internship with the FCS Communications Department. As part of her hands-on learning experience, Lily is mastering how to adjust camera settings for a variety of lighting conditions and environments.

Moving from an indoor location to bright sunlight requires a photographer to think quickly and make precise adjustments. Whether increasing the shutter speed, changing the aperture, or lowering the ISO, Lily is learning how each camera control works together to create the perfect shot. These real-world experiences are preparing FCS Communications interns to confidently capture high-quality images and video for any project or assignment.

Lily’s creativity, resourcefulness, and strong eye for compelling content are already producing impressive results. While working on an assignment, she quickly recognized an engaging social media opportunity and captured content that earned more than 56,300 views and nearly 1,000 engagements from a single reel shared on the FCS Facebook and Instagram pages.

After graduation, Lily plans to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she intends to major in filmmaking. With her creative vision, technical abilities, and willingness to seize every opportunity, Lily is already building a strong foundation for an exciting future in film and digital media.
Florence City Schools Career, Technical, & Specialized Education Florence City Schools

09/11/2026

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Florence City Schools is catching up with former Falcons to see where life has taken them since graduation.

For Sarah Anderson, the journey has brought her full circle.

As a Florence High School senior, Anderson participated in the Launch Program, completing her placement as a lab intern at the Cypress Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Today, she is the youngest engineer ever hired by the City of Florence, and is pursuing her master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering.

In this edition of “Where Are They Now?,” Anderson looks back on the experiences that helped shape her career and shares her advice for today’s students as they begin discovering where their own paths may lead.