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Trio Talent Search outlines college and career supports for Flagler County students
Summary
Trio Talent Search leaders described how the program recruits Flagler County students beginning in 6th grade, provides tutoring, FAFSA and financial‑literacy help, runs college and vocational tours, and operates summer camps; the federally funded grant supports up to 500 students.
Michelle Emdin, project director of the Trio Talent Search program serving Flagler County, said Trio began as a federal effort in the 1960s to expand access to higher education and now includes multiple strands that meet students from middle school to college. “Trio is a program that came around in the 1960s,” Emdin said, describing Talent Search alongside Upward Bound and Student Support Services.
Emdin said Talent Search focuses on students who want postsecondary education but may lack family experience navigating the process. “We start in 6th grade, and we work all the way through 12th grade,” she said, describing mentoring, recruitment at school events and one‑on‑one help with applications and financial aid paperwork.
Quentin Davis, a Trio manager who works on campus at Buddy Taylor Middle School and Flagler Palm Coast High School, described the program’s in‑school presence: managers and program staff are in classrooms and lunches to meet students, offer tutoring and help them advocate with teachers. “We’re in the classrooms. We’re on campus nearly every day,” Davis said.
Michael Desco, who oversees program partnerships and the team’s digital outreach, described summer programming and camps that keep students engaged out of the school year, including a digital media camp, STEM and art enrichment weeks and a weeklong college‑and‑career residential camp at Daytona State College. He also credited local partners such as AdventHealth and County Public Affairs for contributing industry perspective and guest speakers.
The team recounted early enrollment that began small, grew quickly and now includes seniors who have graduated and matriculated to institutions across Florida and beyond. The staff said the grant funds service for up to 500 students annually; an early program year served far fewer than that as the team recruited and expanded. “Our grant is so, we’re funded to serve 500 students, and we very easily have met 500 students year after year,” Emdin said.
Staff highlighted college and vocational tours as a key way students can picture themselves on campus or in a career training program. Guests named several colleges students have visited or attended, including the University of North Florida, University of Florida, Stetson, FIU, FAU, Bethune‑Cookman and, in one instance, a student headed to Brown University.
Beyond academics, Trio offers SAT/ACT prep, financial‑literacy sessions and FAFSA workshops for first‑generation families who may not know how to complete aid forms. The program also includes volunteer opportunities — high school students help at local summer camps and volunteer monthly at the Grace Food Pantry, which can help students meet service‑hour requirements for scholarships such as Bright Futures.
Interested families or partners can find the program on Instagram and Facebook under Flagler Trio or visit the Daytona State College website and search "Trio Talent Search" for application links and contact information. “You can find us on Instagram, Flagler Trio,” Desco said.
The hosts closed the episode after the team urged businesses, parents and schools to reach out to expand student opportunities.
