Improved Media Center Opens at Coconut Creek Education Center

by David Volz April 3, 2025

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Nora Rupert – School Board Member, District 7, Todd LaPace – BCPS, North Region Dir. of School Performance and Accountability, Debra Hixon – School Board Chair, Countywide At-Large, Seat 9, Synithia Crawford – Principal of Dave Thomas Education Center and Charles Drew Family Resource Center, Dr. Howard Hepburn – Superintendent, Stephanie Horne – Dave Thomas Education Center, Media Specialist, and John Brodie – City of Coconut Creek Commissioner
{David Volz}

The Dave Thomas Education Center students in Coconut Creek have an improved media center.

The Dave Thomas community celebrated the grand opening of the renovated media center at the Charles Drew Family Resource Center with a ribbon cutting on April 2.

“A media center should be a second home for students. The new furniture is designed to be comfortable, according to Synithia Crawford, principal of Dave Thomas. “My vision is to make this media center a hub for the school. I want this to be a place where people are comfortable and enjoy learning and doing research,” she said.

The renovation cost about $1.3 million and included deep carpet cleaning, fresh paint, new furniture, and a campus-wide re-roofing.

Broward Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn attended and spoke about the importance of the media center, thanking the community for its support. “This is a more comfortable media center and will be a place for students to learn,” he said.

Dr Howard Hepburn {David Volz}

Coconut Creek commissioner John Brodie participated and encouraged the students who were present to use the media center and look for opportunities to learn. Brodie said he knows what it is like to struggle in school but overcame the difficulties. “You are smarter than you think; use books to feed your brain,” he said.

Broward School Board member Nora Rupert also attended. “This is a wonderful 21st century media center and is visually pleasing,” she said.

The Dave Thomas Educational Center offers an additional opportunity for students who have struggled in traditional schools. Crawford is proud of the effort students and teachers are making there.

The Center is located at 4690 Coconut Creek Parkway.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.