Culpepper Construction donates $25K for FSU PC Collegiate School lunches

Culpepper Construction presented a $25,000 donation to The Collegiate School at Florida State University Panama City on Monday to support free and reduced-price lunches for qualifying students attending TCS.

The Collegiate School at FSU Panama City is a laboratory charter school focusing on college preparatory courses, dual enrollment, and career technical certification. TCS opened in 2023 in renovated facilities off St. Andrews Boulevard with 100 ninth grade students.

Having no full-service kitchen facilities, TCS contracted with Littles Lunches & Kitchen of Panama City to provide hot meals for students. However, some TCS students qualified for the federal free or reduced-price meal program, which the school was not equipped to support.

“We have students who want to come to the Collegiate School. They want to receive the college education we are able to give them—at no charge—through Florida State University, but sometimes finances can be a hindrance to those students,” said TCS Director Debbi Whitaker. “With this contribution from Culpepper Construction, we are going to be able to provide meals at no charge to many of our students who have that financial need.”

Costs of meals vary, based on the qualifying status of each student, but were estimated to be as much as $40 per week per student for both breakfast and lunch. Culpepper Construction’s donation will cover costs to supply meals to qualifying students.
“As a former school principal myself, I know how important proper nutrition is for students,” said Eddie Dixon, director of Client Success for Culpepper Construction, who previously served as schools superintendent of Holmes County.

“Culpepper is proud to be part of Florida State Collegiate School raising future leaders of this community because it is so important for all of our futures.”