ORLANDO — The Florida Parent Teacher Association (Florida PTA) celebrated a historic milestone during its 2026 Leadership Convention with the installation of Jude Bruno as the organization’s incoming president, making him the first Haitian-American male to serve as president in Florida PTA’s 103-year history. Held July 9 –12 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, the convention welcomed more than 1,500 parents, educators, students, community leaders, technology partners and elected officials for four days of collaboration, learning and advocacy focused on improving the lives of Florida’s children.

Bruno’s installation marked the beginning of a new chapter for Florida PTA as the organization continues its mission of empowering families, strengthening public education and ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

“As I begin this journey as president of Florida PTA, I am deeply honored to serve an organization that has spent more than a century putting children first,” said Incoming Florida PTA President Jude Bruno. “While this moment is personally significant as the first Haitian-American man to lead Florida PTA, it is ultimately about what we can accomplish together. Every child deserves a strong public education, engaged families, and opportunities to thrive. Over the next two years, I look forward to building stronger partnerships with parents, students, educators, community leaders, and innovators to ensure every child has the support they need to succeed.”

Throughout the convention, attendees participated in workshops, leadership development sessions and panel discussions addressing topics including equitable school funding, family engagement, online safety, responsible use of artificial intelligence, PTA leadership development and strategies to strengthen partnerships between schools, families and communities.

“This convention reflects the very best of Florida PTA. We brought together families, students, educators, policymakers, and technology leaders to have meaningful conversations about the future of education and the well-being of Florida’s children,” said Outgoing Florida PTA President Maxine Ann-Marie Lewers. “I am incredibly proud of what our volunteers, members, and partners have accomplished together, and I have complete confidence that Florida PTA will continue to grow and thrive as we remain united in our mission to make every child’s potential a reality.”

One of the convention’s signature events was the Florida PTA Gubernatorial and Senate Candidate Forum, where U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, James Fishback, entrepreneur and investor David Jolly, former U.S. representative, Paul Renner, former Speaker of the Florida House discussed the future of public education in Florida. The forum gave parents, educators and students the opportunity to hear directly from candidates on issues including education funding, student achievement, teacher support and the future of Florida’s schools.

Recognizing the growing role technology plays in education and family life, Florida PTA welcomed OpenAI to lead a practical AI literacy sessions for parents, caregivers, educators, and PTA leaders. The programming included ChatGPT 101 sessions, and a Building with ChatGPT hands-on session for educators and PTA leaders. Participants explored practical, responsible uses of ChatGPT for planning, communications, classroom and school support, volunteer coordination, and PTA administrative workflows—skills they can apply at work, at home, and in their communities.

“Technology and AI literacy are increasingly important for the adults helping young people learn, grow, and navigate a rapidly changing world. We’re grateful for Florida PTA’s invitation to join its Leadership Convention and offer practical AI literacy sessions for parents, caregivers, educators, and PTA leaders. Strong safeguards and accessible parental controls are essential. Just as important is helping adults support young people as they engage with AI thoughtfully and responsibly, in ways that promote learning, creativity, and healthy development,” said Viviana Jordan, U.S. Partnerships Lead, OpenAI.

Meta also partnered with Florida PTA to provide training on strengthening PTA leadership communications using creative best practices across Meta’s family of apps. Sessions also walked attendees through Instagram Teen Accounts — including the protections that are on by default and the supervision tools available to parents and caregivers — and provided resources to help families support their teens’ as they navigate the digital age.

“We’re always working to help parents understand the tools we’ve built to support them when it comes to raising teens online today. That’s why we’re at the Florida PTA Convention - to walk families through Instagram Teen Accounts, show them the protections that are on by default, and give them practical tools and resources they can use at home to support their teens’ time on social media,” explained Jennifer Hanley, Head of Global Safety Policy.

Students remained at the center of the convention’s programming, reinforcing Florida PTA’s belief that young people should have a meaningful voice in conversations that shape their future.

During the convention, Florida PTA awarded over $15,000 in scholarships recognizing students for their academic achievement, leadership and commitment to serving their communities.

Student voices also took center stage during a youth-led mental health panel, where students shared their perspectives on the challenges facing today’s youth and discussed ways parents, educators, policymakers and communities can better support student mental health and overall well-being. The discussion encouraged honest dialogue across generations while highlighting the importance of listening to students as partners in creating healthier learning environments.

The convention also welcomed Clint John of Virtutem Populo, who challenged attendees to embrace civic engagement and youth leadership while encouraging students to become active participants in shaping their schools and communities. His message reinforced the importance of empowering the next generation of leaders and ensuring young people have a seat at the table in conversations that impact their future.

From discussions on education policy and emerging technologies to student leadership, mental health and family engagement, the 2026 Florida PTA Leadership Convention served as a statewide forum where parents, students, educators, community partners, technology leaders and elected officials exchanged ideas, built new partnerships and explored innovative solutions to support the success and well-being of every child in Florida.

The 2026 Florida PTA Leadership Convention was made possible through the support of community partners, including EdFed Credit Union, Meta, Lysol, Roblox, Walmart, and Townchest.