In the heart of the University Area, Mort Elementary, a Community Partnership School, is celebrating a milestone three decades in the making: its first-ever B grade from the state.

The achievement comes after an especially difficult year marked by the devastating effects of Hurricane Milton, which left many families in the neighborhood struggling to recover.

Students need to just come and be to focus on learning and not worry about things like where theyre sleeping, Mort Principal Kelly Snellgrove said. We got our first B with two hurricanes, changes in government, and families who were afraid to send their kids to school. That speaks to the resilience of these kids."

Located in a part of Tampa that was hit hard by Hurricane Milton, Mort Elementary faced significant obstacles. Many stud

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