• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Chalk Talk 03/15/2023

March 14, 2023 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Centennial Elementary School)

Elementary student wins award
Kayden Pennington, a student at Centennial Elementary School in Dade City, was awarded Pasco County’s Dade City Center for the Arts Georgia O’Keeffe award at the County Fair, which took place Feb. 20 through Feb. 26. Pennington, holding her award-winning art piece, stands alongside Centennial art teacher Katie Sutton.

New forensics program
Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) Explorer Post 916 now offers an innovative new forensics branch, according to a PSO Facebook post. The program will provide those ages 14 to 21 with the opportunity to learn about the world unmanned aerial systems (or drones) and forensics from experienced professionals at the PSO. The new branch will meet at Safety Town, 15362 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills. To learn more, visit PascoExplorers.pascosheriff.com/drones-forensics-program/.

Transition Services Night
Cypress Creek High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, will host an ESE Transition Services Night on March 22 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the school cafeteria. The event is for all Pasco County Schools students and their families to learn about agencies and services for children and young adults with special needs. Dinner will be provided. Reservations must be made by March 20 online at EventBrite.com or by email to . Registrants must include the total number of people attending.

Math hotline
Hillsborough County Public Schools offers a free Math Homework Hotline/Show on select Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., for students who need help with math. On Spectrum Channel 635 and Frontier Channel 32, tutors start taking calls at 5:30 p.m. (call 813-840-7260), followed by a live broadcast at 6 p.m., featuring a variety of topics.

Upcoming shows are: March 23, Pythagorean Theorem; March 30, Transformations; April 13, Statistical Measures; April 20, Data Displays; April 27, Semester 2 Review; and May 4, Algebra Review.

Phone lines are only available during the live shows. For more information, visit MathHomeworkHotline.com.

School officially named
A new school for kindergarteners through eighth-graders, being constructed off Curley Road, has been named Kirkland Ranch K-8.

The Pasco County School Board selected the name from a list of 60 suggestions, during the board’s March 7 meeting.

The new magnet school, scheduled to open in the fall of 2024, will be on the same campus as Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation and a charter school operated by Pepin Academies, through a unique partnership between the school district and Pepin.

Kirkland K-8 is expected to attract middle school students primarily living within the boundaries of Thomas Weightman, John Long and Centennial middle schools and its elementary-aged students primarily from Watergrass, Wesley Chapel and San Antonio, and even farther out, Double Branch, Seven Oaks and Wiregrass elementary schools.

Other names suggested for the new school included DeSantis, Epperson, Boyette, Kelly Boyd K-8, Creo, Dick Butkus School of Knowledge, Discovery Ranch Academy, Double Branch Academy of Innovation, Elon Musk Magnet School, Barack Obama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Independence, W.E.B. Dubois Academy, Wonders and World’s Best School.

Hillsborough scholarships
The Hillsborough County Community Action Board Scholarships, worth up to $5,000, are available to eligible Hillsborough County students who want to continue their post-secondary education.

The scholarships can be used at trade schools, community colleges or for university programs, and are awarded to students to help alleviate some of the financial burden of tuition. The scholarships are for the 2023 fall semester.

Read the full 2023 application package online, at tinyurl.com/225tdxjx, to ensure all documents are complete and requirements are met. Eligibility guidelines are subject to change based on grant requirements. Applications are due by March 24.

For questions, call 813-272-5220.

Republican Party scholarship
The Republican Party of Pasco will award a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior.

Student requirements are: 

  • Must be a registered (or pre-registered) Republican
  • Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA
  • Be a current senior of any Pasco County high school (public, private, charter, vocational or home-school)
  • Must attend an accredited community college, university or vocational school in Florida

Applicants are required to write an essay and answer the question, “What is the importance of conservative values for young people in today’s world?” The deadline to apply is March 24.

For information, visit PascoGOP.com/rpop-scholarship/.

Bounce Party benefit
The Union Park Charter Academy, 32775 Oldwoods Ave., in Wesley Chapel, will host a Pasco Kids Bounce Party on March 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to benefit the academy, hosted by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel.

The event will include 16 inflatables for kids with obstacle courses, bounce houses, slides, games and more. Food also will be for sale. The cost is $20 per child for a play-all-day wristband. Parents are free and must supervise their children and be present at all times.

To buy tickets, visit Pasco Kids Bounce Party on Facebook. For information, call 813-358-7306.

Easter breakfast
The East Pasco Education Academy, 35830 State Road 52 in Dade City, will host Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on April 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. There will be a pancake breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., followed by an Easter Egg Hunt, games and a petting zoo area for children ages 12 and younger, who will receive an Easter bag.

The pre-purchase ticket price is $10 per person. Free cinnamon rolls to the first 50 people who register. For information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/4ek3a4n3.

Woman’s club scholarships
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club will award $5,000 Lutz Volunteer Firefighter Endowment scholarships to two Lutz resident students and three additional $2,000 awards, for a total of $16,000 in scholarship grants. The club is accepting applications from high school seniors with a Lutz or Land O’ Lakes home address.

Applications can be found online at GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org. The deadline to submit is April 3.

For questions, email Lucy Albury at .

Celebrating educators
Irish 31 Pub House and Eatery, its iCare Foundation, and community partners are celebrating the I.R.I.S.H. (influential, reliable, impassioned, selfless, humble) in those who have an undeniable impact on youth. 

The sixth annual iCare Foundation Cheers to Public Service Awards will reward 25 extraordinary local educators — teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade in Hillsborough, Pasco or Pinellas counties. Those chosen will receive $1,000 plus other gifts from friends of the program.

For more information and to nominate someone, visit Irish31.com/cheers. The deadline is April 7.

Student achievements

  • Scott Abramson, Odessa: Dean’s List, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington
  • Chelsea Aquino, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Jaime Arredondo, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Camryn Bliss, Lutz: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Charles Clerc, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Maryland Global Campus
  • Mikayla Croissant, Lutz: President’s List, Flagler College, St. Augustine
  • Caitlyn Culpepper, Odessa: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Jackie Figueredo, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
  • Daniel Higgins, Odessa: Dean’s List, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinoi
  • Zoe Howell, Dade City: Dean’s Academic Honor List, Baylor University, Robbins College of Health & Human Services, Waco, Texas
  • Olivia Jablonski, Odessa: Dean’s List, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Natalia Kaminski, Wesley Chapel: Honor List, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla
  • Brady Lindauer, Land O’ Lakes: Dean’s List, Saint Mary’s University, Winona, Minnesota
  • Brycen Lowe, Lutz: Dean’s List, Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin
  • Max Martino, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
  • Kelsey Mitchell, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Cassidy Mizzi, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Aaron Molloy, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Holly On, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Carly Price, Odessa: President’s List, Husson University, Bangor, Maine
  • Vasant Ramnarine, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
  • Victor Reyes, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Maryland Global Campus
  • Madeline Rodriguez, Lutz: President’s List, Flagler College
  • Emily Rogers, Lutz: Dean’s Academic Honor List, Baylor University, Robbins College of Health & Human Services, Waco, Texas
  • Kaitlyn Ryan, Lutz: Dean’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Emara Saez, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
  • Angelo Sardegna, Lutz: Dean’s List, Curry College, Milton, Massachusetts
  • Julie Stevens, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Savanah Tribbe, Odessa: Presidents, List, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina
  • Thea Wangsness, Dade City: Dean’s List, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • Laura Watford, Odessa: Dean’s List, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

Avalon Applauds African American Club of Pasco

March 7, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

One of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s main missions is being a champion for culture. “Celebrating culture is a vital … [Read More...] about Avalon Applauds African American Club of Pasco

CMK Construction: Expertise Guaranteed

March 3, 2023 By Trevor Lloyd

When creativity strikes, it’s only natural to want to get the job done ourselves, and quickly, too. However, some … [Read More...] about CMK Construction: Expertise Guaranteed

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

03/21/2023 – Chess Club

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host a Chess Club on March 21 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for all ages and abilities, in Adult Multipurpose Room C. Participants can use the chess sets provided or bring their own. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/21/2023 – Chess Club

03/21/2023 – Teen Advisory Board

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host the Teen Advisory Board on March 21 at 6 p.m., for teens who would like to discuss ideas and recommendations for programming at the library. Call 813-929-1214 for information. … [Read More...] about 03/21/2023 – Teen Advisory Board

03/22/2023 – Florida Landscaping

The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will host “Florida-Friendly Landscaping 101” on March 22 at 2 p.m. Participants can learn how to create a successful home landscape by following the nine Florida-Friendly program principles. Register online at PascoLibraries.org. … [Read More...] about 03/22/2023 – Florida Landscaping

03/23/2023 – Betmar Chorus

The Betmar Chorus will perform its annual Spring Concert on March 22 at 2 p.m., and on March 23 and March 24 at 7 p.m., at Betmar Acres, 37145 Lakewood Drive, Clubhouse 2, in Zephyrhills. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The choir will perform a variety of show tunes, hymns, spirituals and classics. Tickets will be available at the door for $5. For information, all 810-837-0520. … [Read More...] about 03/23/2023 – Betmar Chorus

03/23/2023 – Free Food Distribution

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Farm Share, Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Gentlemen’s Course, Samaritan Corporation of Pasco County Inc., and the Pasco County NAACP will team up for a free community food distribution on March 23 at Veterans Memorial Park, 14333 Hicks Road in Hudson. The food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m., until the items run out. … [Read More...] about 03/23/2023 – Free Food Distribution

03/23/2023 – Paint with Puppies

B Creative Painting Studio, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 103, in Wesley Chapel will host “Paint with Puppies” on March 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in support of the Mercy Full Project. Guests can get creative and cuddle with puppies. Only 50 spots available. An RSVP and $5 deposit is required online at tinyurl.com/PaintWithPuppy. Balance will be due at the event. The total cost of $50 includes a dog bowl, paint, glaze and fire of the bowl. … [Read More...] about 03/23/2023 – Paint with Puppies

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: