Candidate: Gwendolyn Patrick Griffiths

Gwendolyn Patrick Griffiths is a retired 6th grade science teacher who has not taken the time to get tired enough to retire.  She profoundly believes that there are no children in the world smarter than the students who were planted and grown in Hendry County.

She matriculated at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida and Howard University in Washington, D.C. She knows how it feels to need money for a higher education.  We all need help.  

After leaving Howard U. she and her sons Cyrus and Anthony returned to the “Sugar Town” of Clewiston, Florida. She knows the struggle of raising new generation children into a life of excellency on one income.  The boys are grown and doing well, thanks to the Harlem community.

 When they returned she founded the Harlem Academy Alumni Association and the very popular Brown Sugar Festival which has been growing strong for 42 years. The association at present has given out over $400,000.00 dollars to needy students.  Gwen believes in supporting students financially for higher learning institutions.  She is also a strong fundraiser who manages by objectives.  The Hendry County school system is in dire need of money and we must have an aggressive attitude toward fundraising.

From 1977 to 1989 Gwen worked as a Social Worker for the state of Florida.  Her assignments were social and protective services to the aged and adults, and protective services to children.  Gwen has been trained to provide services and protect our elderly and our children from neglect and abuse.  Gwen’s motto is; “Education should be from the nursery to the nursing home.”

She worked at Clewiston Middle School for twenty-five years teaching science.  In addition to teaching students how to research, gather data and form conclusions she found that students are the best teachers to their own peer group. They tend to disseminate information to each other much easier than adults.  Let’s empower our students, once taught, they know what they’re doing.

  The greatest thing she has ever done is to stop being a good church member and fall in love with the Lord.  When she changed her whole life changed.  She became a real producing church member.  The spirit of pride left and the spirit of fear left, leaving her with a determination to fight for wisdom at any cost.   

Her greatest desire now is to serve the people of Hendry County in the superintendent’s position.  One of her utmost milestones in her educational walk is to empower the students, parents, teachers and communities.  Our Hendry county communities should not be defunct they should be the broad umbrella that our children can walk under with protection and care.

She founded in 2000 the Greater Harvest A.M.E. Church in LaBelle, Florida and she is the pastor along with her husband, Everton Griffiths. They are beginning their lives together in Clewiston. 

When elected, Gwen will be the first woman to hold the position and the first person of color.  While the past Superintendents have done a great job in leading us into education, she feels that it’s time for a change from tradition.  She will not just present a “new face,” but a new normal for us to grow strong from.