In 1994, the Florida Legislature approved the construction of Adam Paine Academy, a 30 million dollar project named after a Seminole Indian who won the Medal of Honor. Adam Paine Academy was to be constructed on 359 acres near Sun City Center and was designed to house 500 to 800 serious juvenile offenders. The school was to be modeled after Pennsylvania’s reform school that has no bars but uses peer pressure to teach troubled males responsible behavior. Community and citizen concerns bought the project to a halt in 1997.

In June 15 of 1999, Governor Jeb Bush deeded the property and partially constructed buildings, intended for the Adam Paine Academy, over to the School District of Hillsborough County and the H. Lee Moffit Cancer Center. Under the agreement with the state, the School District of Hillsborough County was to assume ownership of approximately half of the 359-acre site and build a career center. Superintendent Earl Lennard and State Senator Tom Lee R-Brandon both deserve praise as they were key players in securing the rights to the property on behalf of the school system. The construction of the Career Center began in preparation for the opening of school in August of 2002.

The Hillsborough County School Board named the school South County Career Center (SCCC). It is believed to have been named after the location in which the center is located, which is the southern most point of Hillsborough county. The school is designed to operate on a regular school year calendar and the primary goal is to provide ALL the students with the opportunity to earn a high school diploma while learning a trade. At the same time, students prepare to enter the local workforce or post secondary technical training.

The Career training programs currently offered include: Automotive and Agriculture. The colors are black, gold and white and Bobcat is the mascot. The school is located on approximately 160 acres of land seven miles south of Ruskin, Florida on the east of U.S. Highway 41.