Student Citizens honored
The East Pasco Chamber Foundation in partnership with The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has recognized 10 students as Student Citizens of the Month for January. Students are chosen by their teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. Back row, from left: Kristin Jones, Chick-fil-A marketing executive director; Chick-fil-A Mini-Moo; Kenneth Davis (Stewart Middle School); Nakiah Walton (Academy of Spectrum Diversity); Saffron Stone (Zephyrhills High); Dr. Ed Goolsby (Zephyrhills Chamber board president), and guest speaker Billy Poe (Zephyrhills city manager). Front row, from left: Brayden White-Baldwin (The Broach School); Payton Leab (Chester W. Taylor Elementary); Dilianys Fernandez (Heritage Academy); Max Bartalon (East Pasco Adventist Academy); and Ashley Jablonski (AdventHealth Dade City/Zephyrhills marketing coordinator). Not pictured: J.C. Smith (The Broach School); Caleb Sanchez (West Zephyrhills Elementary); and Giovany Soler (Woodland Elementary).
A Florida first
Throughout his more than 20 years of experience in helping individuals with mental health issues, Eddie Williams, Ed.D., MSW, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, MCAP, HS-BCP, LMFT has amassed quite the list of post-nominal letters surpassing the length of the alphabet, and with his most recent accomplishment, he will be adding four more — LCSW, according to a Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) news release.
Williams passed the National Association of Social Work Board Exam on Dec. 29. As an associate professor at PHSC, Williams is the first person in Florida to become a licensed mental health counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, and licensed clinical social worker.
Williams teaches a variety of courses at PHSC and is the social and human services program director.
“My number one goal is to help my students and others, so I’m really acquiring the licenses and accolades according to my belief that if I’m teaching a curriculum, I should continue to make an effort to know as much as possible in all areas of the field,” said Williams in the release.
“99% of my students go into one of these three areas of study, so this accomplishment is very meaningful,” said Williams.
During his educational journey, Williams has worked in numerous settings, including residential, outpatient, inpatient hospitalization and home visits, private practice, and instructional where he has provided individual, couples, family and group counseling for patients with mental health disorders and addiction disorders.
Williams is a board member for the Alliance for Healthy Communities and Hernando County Community Health Improvement Plan Partnership.
He currently is working on his dissertation for a Ph.D., in social work.
Student achievements
- Rebecca Bach, Lutz: Dean’s List, Missouri State University
- Derek Baxter, Odessa: Arizona State University Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa
- Aidan Bitter and Angelica Gonzalez, of Lutz, and Anthony Becht and Macy Duregger, of Wesley Chapel: Dean’s List, Iowa State University
- Andrew Bowden and Timothy Hicks, of Lutz, and Jennifer Nalley and Sarah Shortridge, of Odessa: President’s List, Southern New Hampshire University.
- Landon Carter, Lutz: Dean’s List, Valdosta State University, Georgia
- Hannah Drielick, Lutz: Dean’s List, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
- Abigail Flanagan, Lutz: Dean’s List, Nazareth College, Rochester, New York
- Jenna Freligh, Lutz: Dean’s List, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Jaeden Lowther, Odessa: President’s List, Kennesaw State University, Georgia
- Allison Trask, Lutz: Dean’s List, Harding University, Searcy, Arkansas
Five for Five Dinner
The Republican Party of Pasco will host its third annual Five for Five Dinner (a five-course meal to benefit the club’s $5,000 scholarship fund) on March 2 at the Timber Greens Golf & Country Club, 6333 Timber Greens Blvd., in New Port Richey.
The fundraiser will help a high school student go to a college or trade school of their choice in Florida, with a $1,000 scholarship award.
Check-in and cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6 p.m.
The event will feature Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, Chef Adam, and celebrity sous-chefs Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Sen. Ed Hooper, Rep. Randy Maggard, Commissioner Seth Weightman, and school board member Cynthia Armstrong.
For tickets and sponsorship levels, call Sandy Graves at 813-817-3011, or the Republican Party of Pasco office at 727-863-5400.
Stick bridge competition
Saint Leo University’s Department of Natural Sciences will host its annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition on March 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in Selby Auditorium in Lewis Hall, at the campus at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.
Saint Leo University and Pasco County high school students are invited to design and build bridges to compete in the contest.
The winners will be selected in two categories: the strongest bridge that can hold the most weight and the most aesthetically pleasing bridge that receives the most votes from the audience.
Teams of one to three students may compete, and members should come up with a name for their bridge.
The goal of the contest is to build the strongest bridge using only Elmer’s glue and no more than 200 standard Popsicle sticks. Entries must bridge a 1.2-meter span as described in the contest rules.
Last year’s winner was “Bridge to the Starz” that held 66 pounds.
High school faculty who would like to enter their students, as well as interested students, may participate by emailing by Feb. 18, then pick up a kit, design a bridge build (test if you want to) and then join in the competition on March 9.
The public is invited to attend the event to watch the teams compete.
