On Monday, January 26, 2026, the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce joined communities across Florida to participate in All In for Early Learning Day: a statewide initiative powered by The Children’s Movement of Florida, convening parents, educators, business leaders, local officials, and community partners to highlight the importance of high-quality early learning programs for all Florida children.

“The first five years build the foundation for school success, career readiness, and lifelong health,” said Madeleine Thakur, President & CEO of The Children’s Movement of Florida, in a recorded statement. “Early learning strengthens families, supports today’s workforce, and builds tomorrow’s talent pipeline.”

90% of the brain develops before age five, providing a foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health (Center, n.d.). “What children experience during this time shapes everything that comes next—their confidence, their curiosity, their language development, their ability to form relationships, and their readiness for school,” said Sarah Vespa, General Counsel for GMF Steel Group and a Vice Chair of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “Early learning also strengthens our community. It helps parents work, supports local employers, and builds the future workforce our businesses will rely on… when communities invest in early learning, they see returns in health, education, workforce stability, and long-term economic growth.”

Strong early learning experiences help children show up to kindergarten ready to learn, confident, curious, and on track. In Polk County, only 38% of students are considered “kindergarten ready” by state standards, falling below the state average of 44% (Florida Department of Education, n.d.). Readiness is currently measured by the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) Star Early Literacy assessment, a 20-minute, 27-question exam administered within the first 30 days of kindergarten for all kindergarten students (Florida Department of Education, 2025). Yet research by the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County uncovered additional definitions of kindergarten readiness: self-readiness, the ability to follow directions, and kindness. “If children walk into the classroom ready to treat each other with care and empathy, everything else becomes teachable,” according to ELC CEO, Dr. Marc Hutek (Reynolds, 2025).

Citations
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (n.d.). Brain architecture. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture/

Florida Chamber Foundation & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. (2023). Untapped Potential in FL: How Florida’s childcare crisis is impacting early learning, workforce productivity, and Florida’s economy [Online flipbook]. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.flipsnack.com/flchamber/untapped-potential-in-fl/full-view.html

Florida Department of Education. (2025). 2025–26 Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) K–2 fact sheet [PDF]. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.fldoe.org/file/20102/2526FASTK2FS.pdf

Florida Department of Education. (n.d.). Kindergarten Readiness. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/assessments/k-12-studen0074-assessment/best/k-ready.stml

Reynolds, L. (2025, November 26). Planting seeds of kindness: A new chapter of kindergarten readiness for the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County, FL. Highlights Early Learning. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://earlylearning.highlights.com/blogs/the-confident-classroom/planting-seeds-of-kindness-floridas-elc-polk-county-begins-a-new-chapter-in-kindergarten-readiness?srsltid=AfmBOoo6VxS1Mf1_615SkqL3Xc0eIHt3a5FjR_3l0l_G-OSPSGqbEwF

The Florida Chamber of Commerce (Florida Chamber) recently announced the release of 2026 Where We Stand, its annual jobs and competitiveness agenda developed in collaboration with job creators, local chambers of commerce, key policymakers, leading business trade groups and industry leaders across Florida. The agenda unites the business community around priorities for the 2026 legislative session and reflects the Florida Chamber’s long-term focus on continued national leadership, job creation, economic growth, and global competitiveness.

The 2026 Where We Stand was released during day one of the Florida Chamber’s 2026 Legislative Fly-In held in Tallahassee in conjunction with the start of the legislative session and aligns state policy priorities with the Florida 2030 Blueprint. Together, these priorities provide a roadmap to continue strengthening Florida’s economy while benefiting communities, families and local businesses in every community in Florida. The agenda also reinforces the Florida Chamber’s commitment to making Florida’s tax climate the best in the nation while advocating for further tax reductions and guarding against tax increases or shifts onto local businesses.

“Florida’s continued success is driven by a unified business community that believes in free enterprise and has a long-term vision for Florida’s economic competitiveness,” said David Sweeney, Chairman of the board for RS&H and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The Florida Chamber’s 2026 Where We Stand agenda keeps Florida on the path where businesses can continue to grow, families can prosper and opportunity reaches every zip code.”

The agenda draws on data-driven research from the Florida Chamber Foundation and direct input from businesses of every size in every industry from Pensacola to Key West. It focuses on policies that support a strong business climate, prepare Florida’s current and future workforce and position the state for sustained economic success and growth.

“Florida’s growth did not happen by chance, and maintaining our competitive edge requires thoughtful policy choices that put the long-term ahead of the short-term and ensuring we don’t take any steps backward,” said Mark Wilson, President & CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “With 2026 Where We Stand, the Florida Chamber remains laser-focused on the Florida 2030 Blueprint goal of becoming a top‑10 global economy.”

​Top priorities outlined in the 2026 Where We Stand that advance the Florida 2030 Blueprint goals include:

• Strengthening Florida’s Free Enterprise System: Advancing policies that support job creation, economic growth, and long‑term competitiveness and limit government intrusion in the marketplace.
• Continued Lawsuit Abuse Reforms and Protecting the 2023 Reforms: Continuing Florida’s progress in 2023 by advancing further lawsuit abuse reforms and reducing cost drivers that impact families and businesses.
• Insuring Florida’s Future: Continuing the stabilization of Florida’s insurance markets by protecting the significant reforms already made and encouraging additional competition in the market.
• Expanding Affordable Workforce Housing Options: Supporting policies that continue to increase affordable, attainable workforce housing options at all income levels across Florida.
• Building Florida’s Talent Pipeline: Strengthening Pre-K-post-secondary education, skills training, and work‑based career and technical learning to meet Florida’s current and future workforce demand.
• Investing in Infrastructure for a Growing State: Supporting infrastructure investments that keep pace with the next 2.5 million Floridians, 40 million additional visitors, and 2.1 million new drivers expected by 2030.
• Advancing Wellness and Mental Health Outcomes: Improving outcomes and access to quality healthcare and behavioral health services to support a healthy, productive workforce.
• Protecting Florida’s Long‑Term Competitiveness: Promoting responsible fiscal policy, regulatory certainty, and a stable and competitive business climate.

Through the 2026 Where We Stand, the Florida Chamber continues its work to unite the business community around policies that support job growth, strengthen communities and expand economic opportunity across Florida.

Read 2026 Where We Stand below. (Source: Florida Chamber of Commerce)

Watson Clinic board-certified Podiatric Surgeon Zully A. Calvo, DPM is pleased to offer a new procedure called Arthrex Minimally Invasive Bunionectomy, an advanced surgical approach to treating a common foot deformity that afflicts millions of adults in the United States.
 
A bunion occurs when the first metatarsal in the big toe rotates out of alignment.  This causes the big toe to turn inward against the other toes. The metatarsal at the base of the big toe protrudes outward as a result. This deformity can cause stabbing pain, redness, swelling and difficulty walking and wearing shoes. It’s unlikely that many bunions will reverse on their own without surgical intervention. 

Traditional surgical treatments have involved long incisions, intrusive realignment efforts, and a lengthy period of recovery. “The Arthrex Minimally Invasive Bunionectomy offers a wealth of benefits to patients who wish to reclaim their mobility and quality of life,” Dr. Calvo explains. “These benefits include a much smaller incision that leaves only a tiny, oftentimes imperceptible scar, a correction of the bunion deformity through highly advanced, pin-sized instrumentation, significantly less postoperative pain, swelling and stiffness, and a recovery period that’s up to 8 weeks faster than traditional bunion surgery.”

Dr. Calvo treats patients from Watson Clinic South at 1033 N. Parkway Frontage Rd. in Lakeland. Appointments with Dr. Calvo may be scheduled by calling 863-680-7214 or visiting WatsonClinic.com/Calvo.