Twanna Monroe was born and raised in St. Petersburg, and as a teacher for Pinellas County Schools she quickly learned that many students within the community were consistently being underserved.
“The same children, when entering the public school system, were lacking some of the early childhood development skills necessary to thrive,” she noted.
Twanna Monroe, Principal
After years of witnessing African American students struggling and often “slipping through the cracks,” she decided to take action to better prepare the children — and in 2010 Infinite Potential Learning Center was opened on the Southside of St. Pete.
“IPLA was born from a void that needed to be filled within the African-American community, and through the dedication of those who wanted to better serve the students in the city,” shared Monroe.
She said the primary problem her organization seeks to address is the lack of opportunities and support for young people in the community to reach their full potential. “Many of the youth face barriers such as limited access to mentorship, resources, and guidance, which prevents them from building the confidence and skills needed to pursue their goals.”
Monroe noted that without the necessary support, these students often struggle to envision a successful future for themselves and, as a result, miss out on opportunities for personal and academic achievement.
She also believes this situation in turn not only impacts the youth directly but also affects the broader community. “A lack of leadership development leaves young people unprepared to contribute meaningfully to the community, perpetuating cycles of underachievement and disconnection. The absence of a strong foundation for growth diminishes the community’s ability to nurture future leaders, ultimately holding back both individual and collective potential.”
The Center’s mission was initially to provide a place for underserved children from infancy through the age of five, where the students would have access to developmentally appropriate materials and experiences to better prepare them to enter the public school system in kindergarten.
The center opened and has continued to thrive — until, after a decade of success, Monroe noticed an interesting phenomenon. The students who were graduating from the Center were far ahead of their peers — and going into kindergarten “they were often growing bored in their public school classes.”
She realized parents were now wanting a place for their children to continue to thrive — in an environment that challenged them academically, and where they would be with teachers who had a greater understanding of their social-emotional development.
Once again Monroe was called to take action — and on April 1st, 2020, she bought what was once a school her parents weren’t even allowed to attend: the vacant building on 12th Street that used to be Oak Grove Elementary.
On August 10th, 2022, Infinite Potential Learning Academy opened as a Black-owned and operated private school serving students from ages three to twelve. The inaugural school body consisted of thirty students and eleven faculty and staff – and it has consistently grown in the short time it has existed.
Read more about IPLA’s growth in part two of our article, coming soon!
Visit Infinite Potential Learning Academy at https://www.iplakids.org.
