Heidi LoCicero, a founding governing board member at Destin High School, has received a Charter School Champion of the Year Award for 2025 from the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS).

• LoCicero is one of three charter school governing board members named Charter School Champions from public charter schools throughout Florida. The award period covers the 2024/2025 school year calendar.

Champion charter school governing board members “are those, who, through their service on their boards, have contributed significantly to the success of their charter schools,” according to Champions of the Year Award nomination materials.

For the twelfth year, FCPCS received nominations in several categories, including charter school leaders, charter school teachers, charter school governing board members, charter school innovators and charter school pioneers.

The 2025 Charter School Champions of the Year come from all parts of Florida and represent schools at grade levels ranging from kindergarten through high school. Nine Champions of the Year are teachers, three are school leaders, three are governing board members, two are charter school pioneers and one is a charter school innovator.

Dr. Diane Kelley, principal at Destin High School, praised LoCicero’s long-standing commitment to education in the community.

• “I have known Heidi LoCicero since I was the principal at Destin Middle School. She was an excellent parent supporter when her children attended and an early & ardent proponent of the need for a high school in the Destin community. She was, and remains, a force for positive change for students,” Kelley said.

Donald Williams Jr., executive director of Destin High School, highlighted LoCicero’s leadership qualities and dedication to the school community.

“Governing Board President Heidi LoCicero serves with humility, heart, and an unwavering commitment to the students and staff at Destin High School,” Williams said. “Her recognition as a Charter School Champion Board Member of the Year is well deserved and is emblematic of the spirit that drives the entire Destin High School community. Ms. LoCicero gives selflessly at all times and this award honors her service as well as what’s possible when people lead with purpose and passion.”