The Compass Scholar Academy hosted an exciting hands‑on workshop this week! Students experimented with creating fruit caviar in a molecular‑gastronomy activity, built their own mini terrariums, sharpened their skills with SAT practice questions, and even dissected owl pellets to explore real‑world biology. It was a fun, engaging day of learning designed to spark curiosity and prepare scholars for success!

Freedom High School proudly participated in the OCPS Biomedical Challenge, where four teams—16 PLTW Biomedical Science students—competed against 10 other high schools. Students created a Community Awareness Campaign, selecting a health‑related issue, researching it, and developing an outreach plan to educate the public. Each team presented a professional portfolio and delivered their campaign to a panel of judges.

All of our Patriots delivered outstanding presentations, and we are thrilled to celebrate one of our sophomore teams, who won top honorsfor their campaign on Geriatric Innovations in Health Care!

We are so proud of these talented students and grateful for the continued support of our PLTW Biomedical program and Patriot community.

Freedom High School’s Robotics teams—Team 1: The Undying Flames and Team 2: The Water Weavers (inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender)—competed in the annual Lockheed Martin Robotics Competition against 12 other schools.

In the morning session, our Patriots dominated the leaderboard, with Team 1 finishing in 1st place and Team 2 in 4th, with Team 1 leading Dr. Phillips by nearly 200 points. The afternoon session tightened the race, with West Orange and Innovation narrowing Team 1’s lead and Team 2 shifting to 7th.

In a competitive championship round featuring Freedom, West Orange, Innovation, and Winter Park, Freedom Team 1 secured an impressive 2nd Place overall!

A huge congratulations to both teams—and especially our seniors—who have achieved an incredible four‑year run: 4th place, 1st place, and two 2nd place finishes. Even more impressive, Freedom accomplishes this as an after‑school program, while many competing schools offer robotics as a class.

Our Challenge Teams also excelled, earning two perfect scores in coding, math, and physics problem‑solving that unlocked key areas of the robot course. Outstanding work, Patriots!

Barbara Azevedo

Arnav Upadhyay

Brianna Diaz‑Cedillo

Christopher Stitzer

Dylan Lee

Gianni Chavannes

Jacques LeBel

Jaden Mohabir

Jaydon Santana

John Joiner

Joseph Moniz

Juliana Solano

Kevin Cunha

Kevin Hernandez

Leon Warren

Preston Vogel

Sandeep Upputuri

Ya Wang

We continue finalizing schedules through the use of Xello and our visits to see our counselors:

9th grade: COMPLETE

10th & 11th grade: through English

No English or World History class? Your counselor will email you.

Congratulations to our Top Readers for February! Your dedication and love for reading truly shine. 🏅

Top readers can stop by the Library Media Center to claim their prizes!

As we head into March, we want to see even MORE Patriot readers logging their minutes in Beanstack. This month’s prize will go to the students who show the greatest increase in reading minutes—so everyone has a chance to win, whether you read a little or a lot in February!

✨ Now’s the perfect time to jump in, pick up a great book, and start logging those minutes.

Let’s make March our strongest reading month yet, Patriots!

Keep reading, keep growing, and keep logging! 📖🔥

March is Arts in Our Schools Month, a time to celebrate the creativity, talent, and dedication of our Freedom High School student artists—and we’re thrilled to spotlight one of our shining Patriots!

Congrats to Freedom High School’s own Jordan Rivera! After winning our school-level Shakespeare competition, Jordan advanced to the Central Florida ESU Shakespeare Competition, where he performed a Romeo and Juliet monologue and a sonnet. He delivered an outstanding performance and represented Freedom with confidence, passion, and true Patriot pride.

A special thank‑you to his theatre teacher, Mr. Nash Brown, whose guidance and support help our students grow as performers and scholars of the arts.

As we celebrate Arts in Our Schools Month, we honor students like Jordan and the educators who inspire them for showcasing the power and importance of the arts within our Freedom community. 🎭✨

Don’t miss our upcoming encore production of Squirrel Girl Goes to College! This award-winning show earned top honors at the District Thespian Festival and will move on to represent Freedom High School at the State Thespian Festival in Tampa this March, making this your last chance to see this FHS production before it advances.

Tickets are available now at TeachTix.com/FHS. As an added bonus, audiences will enjoy an exclusive preview of the first 10 minutes of our upcoming spring musical, Disney’s Descendants, which will run April 9–11. Join us for an exciting night celebrating our talented theatre students!

This month, our Media Center has been transformed into a vibrant gallery thanks to the incredible work of Ms. Watson and her Paint 1 and 2 students. Throughout February, their artwork has brightened the space with color, creativity, and impressive technique.

Ms. Watson continues to inspire her students to explore their artistic voices, experiment with new mediums, and take pride in their craftsmanship. The beautiful display in our Media Center is a testament to her dedication and the growing talent within her classroom.

We are grateful for Ms. Watson’s passion for the arts and for helping our Patriot students shine through their creativity! 🎨✨

Our Ag Science teachers, Ms. Dodge and Ms. Westgate, made FFA Week unforgettable with a full lineup of creative, hands‑on activities that brought agriculture to life for our students!

The week kicked off with Blue and Gold Day, where students proudly wore FFA colors and had a blast competing in egg races. Next up was Barnyard Bling Day, featuring a fun round of FFA trivia that helped students deepen their knowledge of the organization’s history and impact.

Midweek, students showed off their agriculture best, crafting their own FFA friendship bracelets—a perfect blend of creativity and community. On Favorite Animal Day, the excitement continued as students dressed like their favorite animals and even enjoyed the chance to cuddle a pet.

The celebration wrapped up with Wear Green Day, where students showed their support for FFA through a vibrant plant sale hosted by our Ag Science team.

A huge thank‑you to Ms. Dodge and Ms. Westgate for planning such an amazing, engaging, and educational week. Their dedication continues to grow curiosity, leadership, and agricultural pride in our Patriot community! 🌱💙💛

On Saturday, February 21st, ten Freedom High School students attended the OCPS Resiliency Summit at Evans High School. They were inspired by the keynote speaker—the founder of Hi‑Lite Youth Programs—who encouraged them to take small, meaningful steps toward their future even when facing adversity.

Students also participated in three interactive workshops on topics such as healthy relationships, ending the silence around mental‑health struggles, grief support, and even experienced yoga for the first time. In addition, they explored more than 20 community resources and connected with peers from other high schools. It was a powerful day of learning, growth, and building resilience.

Our Patriots proudly celebrated Black History Month this week, led by our incredible Black Student Union (BSU)! Each day, BSU organized meaningful activities designed to honor, celebrate, and uplift Black history, culture, and excellence. Students enjoyed engaging, educational, and fun opportunities during throughout the week.

Our final Connectivity Day of the year—now officially transformed into FREEDOM FEST—will take place on Thursday, March 12th! Students can select their activities NOW!

Sign‑ups must be completed using the student’s OCPS email account, and each student may select one activity to celebrate the fest.

🌤 Indoor and outdoor Fest Activities

Planning to enjoy soccer, pickleball, basketball, or kickball? Be sure to come dressed for FEST fun with appropriate athletic clothing and proper footwear.

Don’t wait—spots fill up fast!

A group of our Freedom High School students had the incredible opportunity to attend Generation WOW—a powerful, girl‑focused leadership and mentorship event held on February 26 at East River High School.

Generation WOW brings together today’s leaders with tomorrow’s, creating life‑changing connections built on confidence, career exploration, and positive empowerment. Since 2013, thousands of girls ages 12–17 have participated in this high‑energy experience focused on discovering The Positive and The Possible.

One of the most memorable moments of the day was The Geraldine Mentor Walk, where each student paired with a professional woman for meaningful conversation, real‑world advice, and inspiring networking. Our Patriots represented Freedom with pride, curiosity, and leadership—embracing every opportunity to grow.

We are so proud of these young women for stepping into this experience and grateful to the mentors who invested in their futures.

The Boys Wrestling Team captured the Regional Championship this weekend and qualified 9 athletes for the FHSAA State Championships. What an incredible year it has been for the entire Freedom Wrestling program! 💪

This season’s accomplishments include:

Next week, 20 Freedom Wrestlers will compete at the FHSAA State Championships—the largest group in program history! Let’s go, Patriots! 🧡💙

As we begin Semester 2, we want to ensure all students and families are well‑prepared for upcoming exams. Please monitor your email regularly for important testing updates from Ms. Tarantino, including specific test dates, times, and testing locations.

To help testing run smoothly, please remember:

Thank you for partnering with us to support a successful and well‑organized testing season for all of our Patriots!

All students enrolled in AICE courses will be required to attend Part 1 and Part 2 of their exams to receive a complete AICE score. Families, please mark your calendars and plan accordingly. More details, including specific dates and times, will be shared as we get closer to the testing window. Thank you for supporting your student’s success!

AP testing is approaching, and we encourage all students and families to mark their calendars now. It is extremely important that students carefully follow all instructions provided by their AP teachers and regularly check their emails for updates from Ms. Tarantino, who will share important details about test dates, times, and locations.

Staying informed will help ensure a smooth and successful testing experience for everyone.

Consistent, on-time attendance is the single most important factor in your student's academic achievement. Every day at school offers crucial learning and social opportunities that cannot be fully replicated, and missing even a few days can significantly impact progress. We ask all families to prioritize regular attendance to ensure your student is present and engaged. Please familiarize yourself with our Attendance Policy for guidelines regarding excused absences and tardiness. Your partnership in making every school day count is key to a successful year!

March 2, 4, 6 | Grad Nite Ticket Sales (cash sales only)

       Tickets are $130 each; FHS seniors only; no guests allowed; and must not have any obligations.

 

May 1 | Senior Signing Day

       9:00 am in the FHS Performing Arts Center (PAC). Seniors and Parents will be invited to Senior Signing Day only if the Senior completes this form by April 22nd: Link to Senior Signing Day sign-up

 

May 1 | Grad Nite 2026 @ Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL

 

May 9 | Cap and Gown distribution/pick-up

 

May 9 | Prom "Once upon a Time"

 

May 14 | SENIORS' LAST DAY/Senior Walkout

 

May 15 | Senior Closeout in Media Center

 

May 15 | Senior Awards Night

 

May 29 | CLASS OF 2026 COMMENCEMENT

       7:30 pm at Addition Financial (UCF) Arena

Thank you for staying connected with us through our weekly newsletter. At Freedom High School, we are committed to creating a vibrant, supportive environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed—academically, socially, and personally. From classroom achievements to extracurricular milestones, there’s always something exciting happening on campus. We encourage our families and community members to stay engaged, celebrate our students’ growth, and continue partnering with us to ensure every Patriot thrives.

To stay updated with all our events, please connect with us through Skyward, Parent Square, Canvas, and our School Website. These platforms provide timely information and keep you informed about everything happening at Freedom High School. Let’s keep the momentum going!

At Freedom High School, we believe that strong schools are built through strong partnerships. Parents and families, your voice matters! We invite you to join our School Advisory Council (SAC) and Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) to help shape the future of our school.

These groups play a vital role in supporting academic programs, planning events, and ensuring that student and family perspectives are heard. Whether you’re new to Freedom or a longtime Patriot, your involvement makes a difference.

Come be part of the conversation and the community.

Together, we can make Freedom High School the best it can be for every Patriot!