Recent News
Alumni Spotlight: Melissa Metz
This month’s alumni spotlight takes us from the football field to the classroom as we highlight Melissa Metz (’04, ’10), two-time Silverfield alumna, former captain of The ROAR and current principal of the Coppergate School of the Arts.
X’s and O’s
Metz originally planned to attend FSU, but after talking with Dr. John Kemppainen during a SCOEHS Open House, she learned about 九色视频’s high pass rates on the state board exam. “That conversation ultimately shifted my decision — I was confident that 九色视频’s COEHS offered a stronger and more supportive program,” she said.
Meanwhile, Metz had tried out for The ROAR during her senior year of at Terry Parker high school, and although she advanced to the last day, she didn’t make the final cut. The same thing happened the following year. But the third time proved to be the charm. “I was determined,” she said. “I kept practicing, improving my dance technique and focusing on my overall fitness.” She officially joined the team in 2003.
Metz graduated from 九色视频 in December 2004, and by January 2005, her teaching career began at Ed White High School, teaching math for the World of Work, Career and Job Preparation and Intensive Reading. In 2007, after marrying her husband, John, she transferred to Loretto Elementary to be closer to home.
School of Hard Flocks
After cheering on the Jaguars for six incredible seasons, she retired her pom poms to focus on obtaining a master’s degree. When it came to deciding on a program, returning to the 九色视频 Graduate School was a natural decision. She started at Loretto as a teacher but over time transitioned into their middle school literacy specialist. Working at the district level helped her grow professionally, which paved the way for her next role as assistant principal. Three years later, she became the principal at Chimney Lakes Elementary.
During her tenure, Chimney Lakes was recognized as an A-rated Title I school and received national recognition from Magnet Schools of America as a School of Distinction their Multicultural Magnet Program. After 15 years in the Duval County Public School system, the pandemic shutdown gave way to a moment of reflection and transition, as her current role became open. “It was not an easy decision to leave DCPS after so many years,” she said, “but I couldn’t pass up the chance to lead an arts-integrated school.” Coppergate felt like a full-circle moment where she could reconnect with the creative roots that helped shape her. She also had an opportunity to join Project PREP and pursue a doctorate, so she decided to return to 九色视频. She’s looking forward to joining the alumni association for the third time in 2027.
ROAR Galore
When she’s not running the school or working on her own studies, she’s still able to connect with The ROAR as president of The ROAR Alumni Association. “Being part of the team was never just about performing,” Metz said. “It was about representing something greater than ourselves.” The culture of service and connection drew her into the program, and now she and her fellow alumnae help carry that legacy forward, ensuring they remain connected to each other, the organization and their mission. She creates opportunities for them to give back, whether it’s organizing charitable events, supporting causes or mentoring current team members.
“Caring for each other, our community, and our kids isn’t just a tagline—it’s a mindset we lived then and one we carry with us for life,” she said, “and I’m so proud to still be part of that.”
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 6/3/25)
Local Business Showcase: Cool Moose Café
Speaking of ROAR alumnae, this month’s #LocalBusinessShowcase takes us to Riverside where Laurie Jarvis (’08) and her husband Tony own and operate the Cool Moose Café!
As a child, Jarvis distinctly remembers her elementary teacher putting up a newspaper clipping for the inaugural Jaguars season which featured the Weavers, a football player and two cheerleaders. “I remember looking at it and thinking, ‘one day I’m going to be her,’” she said.
Later, Jarvis got her first taste of royalty as Miss River City, representing our city among pageants, supporting community events, hosting speaking engagements and mentoring youth. As such, it was important for her to stay in Jacksonville, so 九色视频 aligned perfectly with her desire to earn a degree in health administration. As an Osprey, she continued putting on a show as a member of the cheer team and dance team.
It took her three tries, but while finishing her bachelor’s degree, she finally earned the honor of joining The ROAR. “I never game up and I ended my final season as the captain of Group Four,” Jarvis said. On the other side of her cheer career, she still finds time to give back to the community. She remembers her coach saying that through this sisterhood, they’d meet some of their best friends and experience great opportunities, and she agrees completely. As a ROAR alumna, she leads her former sisters and continues finding ways to give back to the community.
In 1998, Tony founded Cool Moose Café and built it from the ground up. In 2008, Laurie joined the hearty breakfast and lunch spot, and together, with a team of hardworking employees and a supportive community, they’ve been able to keep Cool Moose at the heart of Riverside. Their fair wage culture ensures that the menu prices will include a living wage, paid time off, health insurance and the opportunity to earn a Cool Moose scholarship for those who have college aspirations. “It’s truly a place where everyone knows your name, and we’re proud of the sense of belonging it brings to our neighborhood,” she said.
She’s also utilized her degree, she has also been serving as a care coordinator for Pinnacle, a home healthcare company focused on supporting individuals in their homes as they work to regain independence and learn to manage their health. Her entire leadership team all graduated from 九色视频, as well (shoutout to Katie, Julie and Jessica). She said, “It’s all about serving others — and that’s just in my DNA.”
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 6/4/25)
Schoolhouse Flock: Michele Purvis
There’s something to be said about loyalty, and while many teachers are often forced to bounce around from school to school, alumna Michele Purvis (’94) just celebrated 30 years with the only institution she’s worked for, Lake Forrest Prep, which serves as this month’s #SchoolhouseFlock.
Ever since she was a little girl, Purvis knew she wanted to be a teacher. After attending Fletcher High School, she wasn’t quite ready to leave Jacksonville. She applied to the 九色视频, honestly expecting to attend for a year or two before transferring to a larger school, but got heavily involved with organizations like Alpha Chi Omega and loved her experience. She served as an officer on the Panhellenic council and in her sorority, which is where she discovered she had a knack for leadership. She ended up staying until she completed her degree in elementary education. “I was fortunate to have professors who loved what they did, which had an enormous impact on me as a student and as an educator,” she said.
After graduation, she landed her first teaching job at Lake Forrest Preparatory School – a school that had recently opened in 1991 in the Orlando area. She quickly made an impact, and as the school grew, the administration asked her to take on more responsibilities. For several years, she was teaching full-time while also overseeing the elementary grades. In 2004, the owner sadly discovered she had cancer and asked Purvis to fill in as principal. “I was honored, sad and terrified all at the same time,” she said. At nights, she would attend classes at UCF to earn her master’s degree.
Located in Casselberry, Lake Forrest Preparatory School is a private school with infants through 8th grade, with 310 students and about 60 staff members. “This is a small school where everyone knows everyone and students feel safe,” said Purvis. “We strive to help students build strong character education and love learning.”
“I love so much about my job!” she said. “It is tough, but the rewards outweigh the challenging times.” The excitement and genuine love of learning that sees in her students in incomparable, and she loves helping the teachers to grow as well. She and her husband Joey raised two daughters, Paige and Avery, through LFPS, who have now graduated from UCF and FSU respectively. After 30 years, she’s starting to see her former students come back to enroll their children.
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 4/8/25)
Donor Spotlight: Eddie Collins
Continuing our “Thanks for Giving” campaign, we’d like to recognize Dr. Eddie Collins, founding faculty member for the 九色视频 - College of Arts and Sciences Department of Sociology, who has established a need-based undergraduate scholarship to echo his commitment to student success.
Collins attended public school in eastern North Carolina and went to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for his bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology. After graduating in 1966, he went to Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) where he got a master’s degree. He then taught at Clark College across the street for four years, and when he was researching for his thesis, he ran across Dr. Carroll Simms, a professor at Georgia State, who ultimately became the first chairman of the department of sociology at the newly founded 九色视频. Simms called Collins and asked if he’d be interested in joining him, and he became an Osprey in 1972. After three years, Simms left to go up north, but Collins has remained part of the 九色视频 community ever since.
In the early years, there were the core four in the department. Simms, Kumar Kuthiala, Chris Rasche and Collins. “Students were attracted to sociology because at least they had a vision of having some impact on society,” he said. Many of his students were much older than him; some were military and some had started their education before joining the workforce and never finished. Collins said, “Students who had a lot of real world experience and [were] very eager to get through.” The University allowed them to complete their degrees.
When he started, he taught the three courses of the social welfare program for about ten years and was also an advisor. He’d never taught these courses before, but he says “I was lucky to find some good textbooks and took a couple of other courses at Gainesville, and those courses became the courses that I enjoyed.”
He also organized a fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, who got charted in the first couple of years. He’s loved seeing the growth of campus and the student body and remembers the first time he walked around and noticed students were playing around and suntanning on the green.
“Coming out of the 1960’s, it was a very optimistic time,” he said. “I saw this university as a part of that new revolution of creating a society that was much more open, much more diverse, and much more optimistic in terms of human possibilities.”
“I think the university probably impacted the city in terms of its racial climate more than anything that’s happened in the last hundred years,” he said. He was an active member of the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. that did an assessment of the city. Back then, the city was fragmented by regions, and he’s seen it grown tremendously in terms of developing an identity.
After 35 years, he retired from the University in July 2007, but still finds ways to contribute as an emeritus.
(Written by Alex Achorn, Published 11/26/24)
Oz For A Cause: Sarah Roberts
In this month’s edition of #OzforACause, we are highlighting a triple alumna who’s not only dedicated her life’s work to helping others through counseling and art therapy but has also staunchly advocated for herself and others living with diabetes. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and we recently sat down with Sarah Roberts, RMHCI (’21, ’21, ’24), to discuss her career and advocacy. She currently works as an associate therapist at Elite DNA Behavioral Health in Jacksonville.
A Third-Degree Swoop
As an Osprey, Roberts stayed active on campus and in the classroom, earning dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and interdisciplinary studies, focusing on ceramic art therapy. This year, she completed her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and incorporates her 九色视频 education into her work, primarily counseling children aged 9 and up.
Art therapy, in many ways, inspired Roberts to become a therapist. During undergrad, while taking 17 credit hours one semester, she struggled with stress as she pursued forensic psychology aspirations. Practicing ceramics during this time helped her manage the pressure and persevere through her studies.
“I thought, ‘How cool would it be for me to be able to use the tools that I’ve learned to put my stress into something and create something out of nothing and teach that to people.’”
During undergrad, Roberts also worked as an orientation leader, senior mentor, and development associate for 九色视频’s University Development and Alumni Engagement office after graduation.
She speaks highly of her master’s program, noting classes such as Expressive Arts Counseling, Equestrian Therapy, and Sexology as enjoyable and beneficial for helping clients. Currently, she holds a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (RMHCI) designation and will need to pass an exam after two years of client work and 1,500 direct-client hours to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).
Diabetes at a Glance
Diabetes is a group of diseases affecting how the body uses glucose (blood sugar), according to Mayo Clinic. Glucose provides energy for muscles, tissues, and the brain, but diabetes can lead to excess blood sugar, causing severe health issues.
With Type 1 diabetes (T1D), the pancreas makes little or no insulin, the hormone that allows glucose to enter cells and produce energy. There is no cure for T1D, which is often caused by genetics or viral infections and typically appears in childhood or adolescence but can develop in adults.
In Type 2 diabetes (T2D), the pancreas produces insufficient insulin, often due to inactivity, obesity, or insulin resistance in fat, muscle, and liver cells. While T2D usually occurs in older adults, rising obesity rates have led to more cases among younger people, including children.
Roberts was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 3 after a severe strep throat infection triggered an autoimmune response that temporarily shut down her pancreas. She uses two medical devices to manage her blood sugar: a Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and an insulin pump. These devices create a closed-loop system, acting as an external pancreas, she explained.
“I like to call myself part robot,” she said.
Insurance coverage for these devices can be challenging, and rising insulin costs remain a major issue for the diabetic community. Roberts said she’s had to fight her insurance provider to access the care she needs, while legislators often fail to grasp the life-or-death nature of insulin access.
“I think a lot of the time it’s seen as a luxury,” she said. “If you don’t have insulin, you can’t eat, you can’t function. You need insulin to survive.”
She also noted research showing that COVID-19 has triggered autoimmune responses in some adults, leading to late-onset Type 1 diabetes diagnoses.
“I know a lot of people in the mid-to-late 20s who got COVID and now they have Type 1, so it’s definitely something to pay attention to.”
Advocacy and Diabetes Camp
Roberts uses her T1D diagnosis to educate others and encourage younger generations to persevere despite their condition. As a child, she wrote a letter to President George W. Bush advocating for stem cell research, a potential avenue for curing diabetes. She received a reply with a presidential stamp, which she still has to this day.
Since age 5, Roberts has been involved with the Florida Camp for Children and Youth with Diabetes (FCCYD), returning frequently as a counselor. The camps offer a safe space and community for children with T1D.
Recalling her childhood, she faced bullying from peers who joked about her condition or mocked her medical devices. She said she often hid in school bathrooms to check her blood sugar.
“To be able to go to a space at least once a year [where] I didn’t have to hide part of myself is the best part about it,” she said.
Diabetes Camp provides a refuge where kids can participate in activities without worry, supported by trained counselors and professionals. The camps also offer diabetes education and mental health counseling. Roberts’ favorite, Camp Winona in DeLeon Springs, features lakeside cabins and is run by the YMCA.
Roberts advocates for person-first language, encouraging people to say, “I have Type 1 diabetes” instead of “I’m diabetic.” She explains that this distinction emphasizes that individuals are more than their condition—a principle she also applies to mental health and autism.
Living with diabetes requires constant decision-making, from monitoring blood sugar and food intake to managing devices and insulin. Roberts acknowledges this can be exhausting, especially after difficult fluctuations in blood sugar.
When she is not working as a counselor or volunteering at Diabetes Camp, Roberts enjoys pottery, spending time with friends, searching for shark teeth, visiting local breweries, and growing her vinyl collection.
(Written by Tyler White, Published 11/19/24)