Breeze Commentary: Commitment to the Cape
If our commitment to the Cape as its community newspaper could be summed up in a single snap in time, it would be the end of the school year.
Graduations.
Scholarship presentations.
Award ceremonies for young people who have accomplished an always amazing array of achievements.
These are news stories that are important to our city, that are important to our readers, and, as Cape Coral Coral’s newspaper of record, the Cape Coral Breeze understands our role and our responsibility. “Coverage” is a given.
Community newspapers, though, are more than newsrooms, more than reporters and “beats,” more than stories on a page and online and certainly more than city council meetings, police news and the latest Cape controversy.
Community newspapers like The Breeze not only report community news, we take a role as active members of the communities we serve.
And here at The Breeze, we take pride — great pride — that a spotlight focus of that role is on our city’s youth.
Last Saturday, The Breeze presented our fourth annual Breakfast of Champions.
The breakfast, which honors student-athletes from West Zone schools, is the culmination of our Athlete of the Week feature, which recognizes a male and female athlete through the school year.
Associate Sports Editor CJ Haddad summed up the program well at the breakfast hosted by Vineyard Community Church, one of the event’s sponsors and so a community partner in the event:
“Sport is not only a battle of fierce competitors, or a test of will and spirit… it is a tool that young men and women can harbor into a brighter future.
“Our mission each and every week as we reviewed each box score, compiled every stat, and made our selections, was to recognize the achievements of student-athletes that call this area home. And as we traveled all around the West Zone, including stops at Cape Coral High School, Mariner High School, Island Coast High School, North Fort Myers High School, Ida Baker High School, Oasis High School, and Bishop Verot High School, we wanted to make our readers and residents aware of the special moments and accomplishments that were taking place.
“From the gridiron, to the swimming pool, to the wrestling mat, basketball court, baseball and softball diamonds, bowling lanes, weight bench, and all other arenas of sport, we wanted to get to know the person behind the gaudy stat line as well.
“Each and every week from the beginning to end of the school year (minus a few holiday breaks), our sports staff, with the generous help of the coaches and athletic directors, were able to shine a light on the amazing feats happening on and in athletic fields and facilities in our readership area.
“The 2024-2025 season brought us five individual state champions, and state final-four appearances by teams, in wrestling, weightlifting, track & field, bowling, soccer, baseball and softball.
“As Cape Coral’s hometown newspaper, we really wanted to hone in on our athletes, in THEIR hometown publication.”
We congratulate all of the athletes recognized and we thank these youths for allowing us to be part of their lives.
We thank our community partners as well for making this program and recognition event possible — Title sponsor of The Breeze Athlete of the Week program Torched Bar & Grill and supporting sponsors Zak’s Jewelry, Gavin’s Hardware, Salad King, SP Designs and Cape Vineyard Church.
We thank, too, this year’s guest speaker, Jaylen Watkins, a Cape Coral High School graduate who was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, played seven seasons in the NFL, and was part of the winning Super Bowl LII team with the Eagles.
Mr. Watkins, now a member of the Seahawks’ football program coaching staff, not only spoke about how sports is not just chasing the glory but having the will to overcome adversity to get there, he brought his Breeze Football Player of the Week award from 2008 to share with us.
He explained his mom kept it along with the news stories of his high school career.
The Breeze also is humbly proud to long be a part of two of Cape Coral’s largest student and educator recognition programs — the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce’s Excellence in Education program, sponsored by the Breeze Newspapers with other organizations and businesses, and the Mayor’s Scholarship program, of which we are one of many community sponsors.
The Excellence in Education program culminates in an evening gala at Broadway Palm where students and teachers from the West Zone’s elementary, middle, high schools are recognized for exemplary accomplishments in and out of the classroom. The program also includes a number of scholarships. The annual effort, now in its 33rd year, is organized by the Chamber’s Education Committee.
Thank you to the Chamber for allowing us to be a small part of your stellar effort.
The Mayor’s Scholarship Fund Scholarship Awards Program is a 40-year-old program that has awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships benefiting more than 600 students through the years. The program is made possible through the dedicated efforts of Fund volunteers and local businesses and organizations.
Thank you to the Mayor’s Scholarship Fund for welcoming us as part of your community support.
Does our commitment to our city and its youth make us special?
It does not.
What is special is that we are not alone but are a part of a diverse range of volunteers, organizations and businesses that share a commitment to our community.
We thank you all.
Valarie Harring is the executive editor of the Breeze Newspapers.