As the school year begins to run its course,  students get lazier, teachers start easing up on work and activities become less demanding. However Miami Palmetto Senior High’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) keeps their drive alive and their fire burning all year long. From Drive 4 UR School to the new and improved school store, they have set the paramount standard for fundraising and devotion to Palmetto as a whole.

Although the PTSA comes up with the innovative elements behind  events, they need sponsors such as  Palmetto alumni Christopher Sanderson (Class of 2000) to make their visions become a reality. Sanderson donated $13,500 to the PTSA this school year to build a new testing center in the library – breaking the record for the biggest donation in PTSA history.

After Sanderson graduated from Palmetto, he decided to receive a higher education in Pre -Professional Studies at Norte Dame University and obtain a masters from Barry University in Biomedical Science. Following college, he taught students how to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) at Kaplan Test Prep. After working at Kaplan for four years, he decided to open up his own test prep center – and in 2011 Sanderson Test Prep was born. Today,  Sanderson’s company consists of 20 employees, depending on the time of year, and contains its own test preparation facility.

“I heard about Palmetto’s campaign for excellence and really appreciated how the PTSA was trying to revamp the school. In my opinion, Palmetto is one of, if not, the best public high school in the country. I received an amazing education from Palmetto so I was more than happy to make a donation,” Sanderson said. “With the money donated they are going to remodel and provide new computers for a testing suite in the back of the library. When the PTSA approached me with this idea it seemed almost too perfect for what Sanderson Test Prep stands for; I was all for it.”

Palmetto plans to feature a new Advanced Placement course entitled AP Computer Science next school year. Students need constant access to a fully equipped and advanced computer lab in order to excel in this course. Sanderson’s computer suite will assist students in this new technological class and will provide a positive and comfortable environment for online testing.

“I cannot emphasize how excited and gracious we are for Mr. Sanderson’s generous donation. The new testing center will be an amazing new addition to Palmetto,” Principal Allison Harley said. “We really appreciate the support of a Palmetto alumni local business leader – this is a great example of partnership between public education and the community in order to better our students.”

An unveiling and celebration of the donation will be held on April 6 right after school in the library. Students, teachers, faculty, parents and community members are welcomed for the ribbon cutting.

“As a graduate of the Miami-Dade public school system, I am a firm believer in not spending $ 30,000 per year for a quality education. The students at Palmetto are hardworking, responsible and dedicated and they should have access to facilities of this nature,” Sanderson said. “My donation was a message to emphasize the importance of giving back to education – these students are the future.”