Lido Key resident Jacob Kalua made a pledge in elementary school that he would do everything necessary to keep up with his schoolwork. Even when hurricanes Helene and Milton displaced him and his family from their home for nearly four months during his senior year, he stayed focused on his goal.
He reaped the rewards of that dedication during his recent graduation from Sarasota High School, when he also received a scholarship from a Florida-based nonprofit that awards scholarships to students who maintain a continuous standard GPA — even when storms come barreling in and temporarily shutter schools.
“For the first one (Helene), we actually stayed on the island during the storm,” he said. “There’s a two-story building next to us, so we went on the top floor.”…