B.C. Manion

High school graduations evoke feelings of accomplishment

May 29, 2014 By B.C. Manion

It’s that time of year again, when young men and women dress in caps and gowns and march into their futures.

In many ways, it’s a rite of passage that doesn’t change much from year to year.

There’ll be music, speeches, and of course, the reading of the graduates’ names.

Hundreds of diplomas will be conferred at some ceremonies, while others will have fewer than 10. The events will be held in places as varied as W.F. Edwards Stadium to the First Baptist Church sanctuary, and from the Florida State Fairgrounds to the University of South Florida Sun Dome.

Whether it’s Freedom, Steinbrenner, Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake, Pasco, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel or Wiregrass Ranch high schools, or Academy at the Lakes, Bishop McLaughlin, Land O’ Lakes Christian or Zephyrhills Christian Academy — these ceremonies have special meaning to the graduates, their families and friends, and their teachers and administrators.

Commencement exercises tend to have a familiar feel, but each class is unique.

The Class of 2014 is filled with members of a generation when Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and Obamacare became household words.

They carry smartphones, which they use to text — not talk — to their friends and to snap selfies in every conceivable place.

This is a crop of students who have repeatedly been forced to prove what they know on standardized tests.

They’ve been witnesses to history: The beginning of a new millennium, the election of the nation’s first African-American president, the legalization of same-sex marriages in some places, and the legal sale of marijuana in others.

They’ve seen increasing conflicts abroad, rising concerns about cybersecurity and the effects that the recession has had on their family’s personal wealth.

But none of this is likely to be on their minds, as they march to the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance.”

Many graduates have gone far beyond the call of duty, demonstrating their commitment to learning by achieving GPAs well beyond the 4.0 that comes from getting straight As in traditional courses. Those students tackled a more rigorous curriculum, including Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses that can earn them college credit during high school.

Marc Berson, for instance, from Freedom High, is graduating with an 8.12 GPA.

As they wrap up their high school academic career, some are planning careers in medicine, finance, pharmacy or aerospace engineering. Others aren’t sure of what path they’ll pursue, and some will wind up in careers that have not even yet been invented.

Some plan to attend exclusive colleges in faraway places, while others will attend classes closer to home at the University of South Florida, Pasco-Hernando State College, Hillsborough Community College, Saint Leo University, Rasmussen College and other local institutions.

For students living in Wesley Chapel, this will be the first graduating class to have the option of remaining in their community to attend college classes. Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a satellite of PHSC, opened in January.

For now, though, it’s time to savor the moment, for graduates to pose for photographs with friends and families, and to enjoy celebrations, before finding a path to call their own.

Published May 28, 2014

If you want to share the graduation section with family and friends through the Internet, we put together a handy guide that will take you directly to the e-edition related to your graduate. Just click which school you’re looking for below, and we’ll get you where you need to go.
Academy at the Lakes
Bishop McLaughlin High School
Freedom High School
Land O’ Lakes Christian School
Land O’ Lakes High School
Pasco High School
Steinbrenner High School
Sunlake High School
Wesley Chapel High School
Wiregrass Ranch High School
Zephyrhills Christian Academy
Zephyrhills High School

Bok Tower Gardens: A place of tranquility and beauty

May 23, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Long before Interstate 4 sliced through a swath of Florida, and Disney theme parks put Kissimmee on the map, there was an attraction in Lake Wales that beckoned to visitors to partake of its beauty.

Bok Tower Gardens, deemed one of America’s finest gardens, offers visitors the chance to step away from the world’s cares and savor the handiwork of nature.

The 205-foot Singing Tower is the architectural centerpiece of Bok Tower Gardens. Those who enjoy fine craftsmanship will find plenty to appreciate, and those who enjoy carillon music can enjoy two half-hour concerts daily. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — The 205-foot Singing Tower is the architectural centerpiece of Bok Tower Gardens. Those who enjoy fine craftsmanship will find plenty to appreciate, and those who enjoy carillon music can enjoy two half-hour concerts daily.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The National Historic Landmark is worth a visit for people who enjoy music, architecture, history, wildlife, plants and flowers.

This is a place that offers a feeling of serenity, as you walk along the mulched paths that meander through spacious grounds of oaks, palms, azaleas, irises and camellias.

The garden was a gift to the American people from Edward W. Bok, a Dutch immigrant who became editor of The Ladies Home Journal and won a Pulitzer Prize for his autobiography.

“He wanted to make a place where people could just relax and get away from the grind of the world,” said David Price, president of Bok Tower Gardens. “Bok wanted a quiet place where people could come and sit and enjoy the sounds of birds and kind of find themselves.”

An estimated 75,000 people attended the formal dedication on Feb. 1, 1929, where President Calvin Coolidge delivered an address. The National Broadcasting Company, which would later become known as NBC, provided national coverage through a hookup with a Gainesville radio station.

Before Bok decided to transform the spot into a place of beauty, not everyone was sold on his vision.

“There were a lot of naysayers who said you couldn’t plant on a sand hill and it would be hard to keep things alive,” Price said.

But Bok commissioned famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., to design the garden. After Olmsted’s work was well on its way, Bok revealed his plans for a carillon tower, inspired by the carillon towers of his childhood in the Netherlands.

He hired Milton B. Medary of Philadelphia to design the 205-foot tower that became the architectural centerpiece of the garden.

Constructed of pink and gray marble and tan coquina stone, the tower houses 60 bells, ranging in weight from 16 pounds to 12 tons. A carillonneur plays the bells by striking wooden keys that tug on a wire that activates the clapper of the corresponding bells.

“The tower complements the serenity of the garden,” Price said. “It’s a neo-gothic style. It has almost sort of a spiritual quality.”

Nearly 150,000 visitors drop by Bok Tower Gardens each year, with about 60 percent of those guests traveling more than 50 miles to get there, Price said.

Some visitors sign a guest book in a small building called Window by the Pond, where they can sit to gaze through a picture window to observe wildlife. The visitors come from diverse places, but seem to share a common appreciation of the Lake Wales gem.

“Came here for an hour, will spend the day here,” jotted a visitor from California.

“Best day in Florida,” scribbled a New Yorker.

“Beautiful, tranquil, spiritual,” wrote a visitor from Rhode Island.

“Peaceful, lovely and a real treat to visit,” opined a New Mexico guest.

Attendance fluctuates throughout the year, with January through April drawing the biggest crowds.

No matter when visitors drop in, though, there’s plenty to see.

“We plan for year-round color and interest,” Price said.

The camellias, for instance, bloom in fall and winter, while azaleas blossom in spring. A table outside the visitor center displays a collection of vases holding cuttings to let guests know what’s in bloom.

There’s an interesting display inside the visitor center detailing Bok’s life, there’s a film that tells the attraction’s story, and there are numerous displays about the garden, area wildlife and the carillon.

Pinewood Estate, a 20-room Mediterranean-style mansion, also is open for self-guided tours for an additional charge.

From its beginning, Bok Tower Gardens has sought to be someplace special. Besides bringing in Olmsted and Medary, Bok also hired Lee Lawrie of New York, Samuel Yellin of Philadelphia, and J.H. Dulles-Allen of the Enfield Pottery and Tile Works in Pennsylvania to work on the project.

Lawrie designed sculptures to be executed in marble. Yellin made wrought-iron pieces for the tower’s interior and bridge. He also created a series of panels on the tower’s massive brass door, recounting the biblical story of creation.

Dulles-Allen did the tile work on eight grilles enclosing the bell chamber.

While enjoying its rich history, Bok Tower Gardens is mindful of a need to remain relevant during changing times, Price said. Along those lines, it has completed a 20-year master plan, and will begin work on the first phase this summer. Initial changes will include additional gardens, work to restore a sand hill and new surfacing on key paths to make it easier to get around.

Some things, however, will not change.

When Bok Tower Gardens opened, Price said, “peace and tranquility was our theme.”

Some things, it seems, never go out style.

If you go
WHERE: Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., in Lake Wales
WHEN: 365 days a year from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily carillon concerts are presented at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
COST: Admission to the garden is $12 for adults and $3 for children. Combo tickets, which include self-guided tours of Pinewood Estate, is $18 for adults and $8 for children
INFO: BokTowerGardens.org

Published May 21, 2014

Technology helps people hear the word of God

May 23, 2014 By B.C. Manion

At some point in life, most people know how it feels to be out of the loop.

They’re sitting at a table in a restaurant, but they’re too far away to hear what is causing the laughter erupting at the other end of the table.

St. Timothy Catholic Church’s architectural design is acoustically challenging because of its high ceilings, hard surfaces and glass. A hearing loop has been installed to enable people with hearing difficulties to be full participants in the liturgy. (Courtesy of St. Timothy Catholic Church) — St. Timothy Catholic Church’s architectural design is acoustically challenging because of its high ceilings, hard surfaces and glass. A hearing loop has been installed to enable people with hearing difficulties to be full participants in the liturgy.
(Courtesy of St. Timothy Catholic Church)

They’re at the edge of a crowd and can’t hear what the speaker is saying.

Someone is singing on stage, but they can’t make out the words.

Imagine if that was an everyday experience.

That’s the kind of social isolation that people with hearing difficulties often face. Even with hearing aids, it can be difficult for them to hear in acoustically challenging places, such as a restaurant, a concert hall or a church.

But technology is available to help change that scenario in places where sound systems are used. And recently, St. Timothy Catholic Church installed a hearing loop to help parishioners who have hearing difficulties become full participants in the liturgy.

Charlie and Judith Reese of JC Audiology contributed the system components, which cost about $8,000. The Reeses are parishioners, and Judith is an audiologist with an office at 1541 Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 201, in Lutz.

Keith Thal and his friend, James Weeks, volunteered their time and expertise to install and fine-tune the system. They both are professionals in the electronics field and knowledgeable in the science of sound, Judith said.

Chase White, the director of music at St. Timothy, also played a key role.

“St. Timothy is the first and only Catholic church in Hillsborough (County) that has this technology,” Charlie said. “I doubt that there are more than three other churches of any denomination in Hillsborough that has this.”

A hearing loop, for lack of a better description, is an antenna that is based around the perimeter of a room or a building, Judith said. The antenna is linked to the sound system, and a person with a hearing aid that has an active telecoil — or T-coil — can pick up the signal.

“The person puts their hearing aid in the reception mode, and whoever is speaking on the microphone, it comes right into their ears,” she said. “Also, it’s appropriately set for them because it goes through their hearing aid, so it compensates for their problem areas for hearing.”

Hearing aids cannot be retrofitted to include a T-coil, but many hearing aids have them already, and their wearers simply are unaware of that fact, Judith said.

Those purchasing new hearing aids may want to ask about the T-coil, she added, so they can be activated in large spaces that are acoustically challenging.

“The audiologist would set it at the level that’s going to work best for that person,” she said. “They may have a knob or a switch or button on that device, to turn it on to the hearing loop channel, as it were.”

The technology has been around for decades.

“I think it’s about half of the hearing aids that are fit that have telecoils in them,” Judith said

It’s not a cost issue, she said. People just need to know to ask about it when they get their hearing aids.

“The hearing loop technology is just one more tool in our box to help people who have hearing impairments to live, full active lives,” Judith said.

At St. Timothy, there are two hearing loops. One goes around the chapel, on a ledge. The other, in the main sanctuary, was put in the conduit holding other sound system wiring.

“St. Timothy, in particular, is a very acoustically challenging structure because of the architecture,” Judith said. “It’s kind of a basilica style with a big high-rounded ceiling, all hard surfaces, terrazzo tile, hard walls, lots of windows and metal. Even for people who have good hearing, it can be tough.”

“There’s no carpet, no anything to absorb the sound,” Charlie said. “It’s all glass, marble and metal. So, that makes everything bounce off.”

Hearing loss, in some ways, is worse than other disabilities that are visible, because it takes people away from society, Judith said.

“You can’t engage,” she said.

And, at church — where people come for spiritual refreshment and guidance — they can feel left out.

“It’s very frustrating,” Judith said. They’ll say, “Everybody else is laughing at what the pastor said, but I didn’t hear it. They sang this beautiful song, but I couldn’t hear the words. Everybody else is crying.”

In large spaces, such as church, it can be especially difficult to hear because of background noises, the Reeses said.

“The music overwhelms the talking, or the people talking behind them, or children crying or laughing, or whatever,” Judith said.

That noise competes with the liturgy of the Mass.

“There are all kinds of accommodations they make for other disabilities, but very few accommodations for hearing loss,” Charlie said.

As the American population ages, the Reeses expect hearing loops to become more common, much like wheelchair ramps, hand rails and handicapped parking spaces.

“This really has taken root in Europe,” Charlie said, noting Westminster Abbey has a hearing loop.

The hearing loop project at St. Timothy took the better part of two years, Judith said. It took time to get the equipment installed and to fine-tune it, so it’s an effective way of helping people hear.

Rev. Kenneth Malley, pastor at St. Timothy, said he knows the project is appreciated by people of all ages who have hearing difficulties. He recalled one older woman telling him about a hearing loop system at Our Lady of Lourdes church in Dunedin.

She had tears in her eyes, Malley said. She told the priest, “I could finally hear what was going on.”

St. Timothy and Our Lady of Lourdes have hearing loops, and Our Lady of Fatima in Citrus County is investigating the possibility of adding one. The Diocese of St. Petersburg is unaware of any other church within the diocese that has the technology, but some churches may have installed one without informing the diocese.

The project at St. Timothy took some time, the Reeses said, but they think it’s worth the effort because it will help open people’s ears to the word of God.

Published May 21, 2014

Private schools nurture a love of reading in children

May 23, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Karen Green began her private school five years ago with two children — her daughter, Addison, and another little girl.

She knew leaving the security of her job with Hillsborough County School District to launch her own preschool was a leap of faith. But she felt compelled to do it.

Karen Green, left and Jackie Petersen are co-owners of The Reading Corner and TRC Academy, both in Lutz. Both schools emphasize nurturing a love of reading among children. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Karen Green, left and Jackie Petersen are co-owners of The Reading Corner and TRC Academy, both in Lutz. Both schools emphasize nurturing a love of reading among children.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I had to put my children in daycare,” Green said. “They weren’t getting early literacy lessons. I wanted a place where the love of reading and learning to read meet.”

She wasn’t interested in using a boxed reading program, or being limited to materials approved by a large school district. Her goal isn’t to merely teach children how to read, but help them develop a love for it.

So, Green decided to take the plunge and launch her own school.

“The Reading Corner really started on my couch with a computer,” said Green, a former reading coach and first-grade public school teacher.

It was slow going at first. But as word spread, Green found out that she wasn’t the only one who wanted early literacy opportunities for her children.

By April 2010, she had 40 children coming to her in some capacity, and she leased out a 1,500-square-foot space in Seven Oaks. But The Reading Corner quickly outgrew that space, too.

Last year, Green and co-owner Jackie Petersen decided to take another giant leap of faith and added an academy for kindergarten through fifth-grade. They call that school TRC Academy.

The Reading Corner is at 1800 Collier Parkway. TRC Academy and The Reading Corner is at 19215 Livingston Ave. The total enrollment for both schools is 289, which includes 64 kindergarten through fifth-graders in TRC Academy.

“We have a lot of teachers that have been teachers before that maybe stayed home once they had babies,” Green said. “They stayed home for a couple of years and maybe didn’t want to go back to the grind of full-time.”

The school offers flexible schedules for its staff, which has resulted in many part-time teachers.

“We are all moms first,” Green said.

There’s also an effort to keep tuition affordable, she added.

“Parents know that we could easily increase tuition, but we don’t,” Green said. “We don’t have teachers that leave and we have very few families leave, so we create that culture of consistency.

“We are small and we are going to remain small. We want to ensure that we know our kids personally,” she added.

Along those lines, the teacher-student ratio is low, with a ratio 2-to-20 for kindergarten through third grade, and a ratio of 1-to-15 for grades three through five. In voluntary pre-kindergarten, the ratio is 2-to-16 at the Collier Parkway campus, and 1-to-11 at the Livingston campus.

Programs for younger children have ratios ranging from 1-to-8 to 1-to-6, depending on the age.

Delivering personalized instruction is a critical part of Green and Petersen’s philosophy. Each child, teacher and classroom is unique, Green explained.

“For our reading … we do individual reading conferences for all of the kids,” she said.

The teacher gives them a book, and from there try to figure out their area of weakness.

“We focus on what that child needs helps in, and then we do individual reading conferences twice a week,” Green said.

And it’s made a difference.

“We have found that that program has completely changed the way these kids are reading,” Green said. “They’re having more conversations about the books they’re reading. They’re understanding them better. Their fluency is better.”

In essence, they get help exactly when and where they need it.

“We’re very big into active literacy, which means you’re communicating, you’re talking, you’re thinking about what you’re reading,” Green added.

A walk through the campus on Livingston reveals welcoming teachers and young children who are engaged in lessons or activities.

Petersen, who was a teacher at Carrollwood Day School before she joined the staff, said she, too took a leap of faith when she left her previous job.

“Something was just drawing me,” Petersen said.

She began as a teacher, and has gone on to become a co-owner. Petersen has a degree in finance, so she focuses on financial issues, while Green focuses on academics.

Besides offering classes during the academic year, there are summer programs and afternoon programs, too. Someday, the school may extend into higher grades, but for now it is focusing on ensuring excellence in the existing preschool and academy, Green said.

Both schools also will remain rooted in the mission of nurturing a joy of reading in children.

“I love seeing kids getting immersed in reading,” Green said.

Published May 21, 2014

Aquaponics a growing venture for Odessa family

May 23, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When the Holzbergers began learning about aquaponics five years ago, they didn’t realize their interest would blossom into a full-fledged business.

But that’s exactly what happened.

Colin Holzberger stands with a mini system produced by The Urban Food Forest, an Odessa-based company that manufactures aquaponics systems. (Courtesy of Michele Holzberger) — Colin Holzberger stands with a mini system produced by The Urban Food Forest, an Odessa-based company that manufactures aquaponics systems.
(Courtesy of Michele Holzberger)

After attending a training session on aquaponics at MorningStar Fisherman in Dade City about four years ago, they began devising their own system at their Lutz home.

“We never stopped building and changing and fixing and growing and learning,” said Dustin Holzberger, who now operates The Urban Food Forest Inc., a business that manufactures and assembles aquaponic systems at 13219 Byrd Drive in Odessa.

The family was aware there was a market for an aquaponic system that was simple and attractive, said Michele Holzberger, his wife and the company’s co-owner. The family experimented with several variations before coming up with systems they decided to manufacture and sell.

“The company then began building systems for people,” Dustin Holzberger said. That’s where their son, Colin, comes in. He installs the systems.

In essence, aquaponics is the marriage of aquaculture — raising fish and hydroponics, growing plants without soil.

When the systems are tied together, the fish waste becomes a food source for the plants, which in turn provide a natural filter for the water where the fish live.

The Holzbergers have developed different kinds of aquaponic systems. One, called a mini system, is the shape of the barrel. It has fish on the bottom tier and plants on the top.

Another, called the Green Thumb System, has larger containers, which look more like tubs.

Another variation, which is the largest, is a trough system connected to a fish tank. The company calls this one the Aquaponics Victory Garden, which they say is like having a farmer’s market in your backyard.

“The Urban Food Forest’s vision is to integrate aquaponics into classrooms and backyards of our society, where we can build a food forest, one aquaponic farm at a time,” according to the company’s website.

The Holzbergers, who have three children, grow their own vegetables. They want others to be able to do so as well.

“What we wanted was for every person to have the confidence and the ability to grow some of their own food that is healthy,” Michele Holzberger said.

The systems they manufacture have been appealing, in particular, to schools, she said.

“It’s something they can keep indoors,” she said. “And, it’s something that by incorporating aquaponics in a science class, they can actually forego expensive labs and other teaching materials because this is so rich. It can be plants and roots for younger kids. It can be water chemistry and pH for older students.

“It can be just teaching children where food comes from and how to begin to think about food as something, that normally, throughout history people have grown themselves.”

The systems include graphics that provide information about aquaponics and maintenance instructions for the system.

Word is getting out about the Odessa company.

“We just go an order yesterday from Virginia Tech. They want to put one in their lobby,” Dustin Holzberger said.

The trend toward sustainable practices is growing, and people are interested in growing their own foods, Michele Holzberger said.

“Organic vegetables are so expensive,” she said. “And now, people are eating kale, Swiss chard and greens, instead of vitamins,” she said. “They’re growing their healthy food right in their backyard, and they’re putting it in their salads and smoothies, and they can feel confident that it’s clean and good for them.”

Colin Holzberger, who delivers and sets up the systems, said people want to know what they can grow and how to care for the fish. They also have questions about water chemistry.

Aquaponics offers many advantages, Dustin Holzberger said.

“You’re gardening without weeding, without tilling, without watering. Basically, you took a lot of work out of gardening,” he said. “Yet, you still get the same produce, if not more.”

Besides having the location in Odessa, the company also has an affiliation with Holloway Farm Supply at 3036 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

For more information about aquaponics and The Urban Food Forest, go to TheUrbanFoodForest.com.

WHAT: Aquaponics open house at The Urban Food Forest, 13219 Byrd Drive in Odessa
WHEN: May 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
COST: Free

Published May 21, 2014

Area Odyssey of the Mind teams qualify for world competition

May 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

An Odyssey of the Mind team from Pine View Middle School will head to the OM World competition in Ames, Iowa, at the end of May.

This Odyssey of the Mind team from Land O’ Lakes High placed second at a state competition to qualify for the World OM competition, but they won’t be attending because of scheduling conflicts. Shown here, from left to right are Blake Lash, Raelynn Lewis, Jenny Huynh, Taylore Presta, Victoria Arriaga, and Rachel Granruth. Dalton Sihite is kneeling on the ground in front of the group. (Courtesy of Jenny Huynh) — This Odyssey of the Mind team from Land O’ Lakes High placed second at a state competition to qualify for the World OM competition, but they won’t be attending because of scheduling conflicts. Shown here, from left to right are Blake Lash, Raelynn Lewis, Jenny Huynh, Taylore Presta, Victoria Arriaga, and Rachel Granruth. Dalton Sihite is kneeling on the ground in front of the group.
(Courtesy of Jenny Huynh)

Another OM team from Land O’ Lakes High School also qualified for the international competition, but is not going because of the competition’s timing. All of the members on that team are graduating seniors and are busy with senior year activities.

A total of six of the 57 Pasco County teams that competed at the state level qualified for the international contest. The other qualifying teams are Mitchell and Gulf high schools, Deer Park Elementary and Seven Springs Middle schools.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international program that encourages youths to work together as teams to use their creative and analytical skills to solve problems.

The Pine View team, which placed second in its division, tackled a problem called “Not So Haunted House.”

The Pine View team — made up of Cameron Mitchell, Zachery Dahm, Tristan Wiles, Cody Schwartz, Caleb Leeb and Timmy Heuser — is psyched about competing at worlds. They’ll battle 67 teams from such places as Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, India, Russia and Great Britain.

Some team members think they have a pretty good shot for a good showing at worlds. Others aren’t so sure. “It’s not necessarily about if we’re in the top or in the bottom. We made it to worlds. That says something,” said Tristan Wiles, whose mother, Stacy Wiles, coaches the team.

Schwartz is looking forward to the experience, no matter how the team does.

“I get to meet people from around the world,” he said.

When it came to solving the problem at state, the team had no trouble figuring out their theme, Heuser said. But agreeing to the approach to use was more challenging.

“Everybody wanted to do their own thing, and then nobody understood what the other person was saying,” Heuser said.

Leeb agreed, joking: “Success is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration and 100 percent bickering.”

But they worked through it, Stacy Wiles noted.

“It was not an easy process and that’s what makes it so cool,” the coach said.

It’s a balancing act, Tristan Wiles said.

“We all have to come together to create a solution,” Tristan Wiles said. “We all have to be one team, in order to solve the problem. That’s the whole point of this. You need to learn how to work well with each other. You need to learn to listen to each other.”

The coach has confidence in them because they are funny, creative, resourceful and kind, Stacy Wiles said.

Each team member brings different strengths. Mitchell and Dahm are good at tackling logistics and engineering. Tristan Wiles is artistic. Schwartz places a key role in writing the script. Heuser helps keep things rolling and does considerable backstage work.

The team must cover its own expenses for the trip, but Pine View’s PTSA and Pasco County Schools both contributed $1,000 each to help cover the costs, the coach said.

Although the Land O’ Lakes team isn’t traveling to worlds, team members — Rachel Granruth, Victoria Arriaga, Dalton Sihite, Blake Lash, Raelynn Lewis, Taylore Presta, and Jenny Huynh — are delighted that they qualified.

They used an out-of-this-world approach to tackling their challenge, which was called “Driver’s Test.” The vehicle they made traveled through space, in their imaginary world.

Their skit included alien beings that worshipped Beyoncé and channeled Justin Bieber. They adapted songs from stage musicals such as “The Book of Mormon” and “Hairspray,” and they incorporated solar flares and shooting stars in their story line.

In short, they had a blast coming up with ideas and executing them.

They also spent a lot of time working together to prepare for the state competition.

“You learn some practical skills. I know how to sew now,” Sihite said.

“I know how to use power tools,” Huynh said.

“Everyone is good at something,” Arriaga said. “You build on each other’s ideas.”

Lewis thinks more students should get involved in OM.

“It’s a really interesting mix of sciences and arts,” she said.

Many members of the team have been doing OM for years, Lash said. He was even coached by Stacy Wiles when he attended Pine View.

Lash has been involved, he said, because it’s fun. Other teammates agreed.

Andrew Southwick, the OM sponsor for the Land O’ Lakes team, is a former OM competitor. He was impressed by the team’s performance.

“Their personalities are a little bit intense,” Southwick said, but they worked well together. “It’s good to see that creativity isn’t dead.”

Published May 14, 2014

Land O’ Lakes art student wins a trip to Washington

May 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

There’s a lot more to the portrait of Kris Keppel than meets the eye.

No doubt the pencil drawing is an excellent likeness of the Land O’ Lakes coach, who has led the high school’s track and cross-country teams for more than two decades.

Trevor Nichols won Best of Show in Gus Bilirakis’ Congressional Art Competition for this pencil drawing of Land O’ Lakes High School coach Kris Keppel. (Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis) — Trevor Nichols won Best of Show in Gus Bilirakis’ Congressional Art Competition for this pencil drawing of Land O’ Lakes High School coach Kris Keppel.
(Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis)

The quality of the work is so good that a professional artist judging U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ Congressional Art Competition deemed it best of show.

By winning the competition, Nichols will get to travel to Washington, D.C., with one of his parents. They’ll get a tour of the White House and Capitol building, and will get to have lunch in the Congressional dining room. His art will be in the Capitol building for the next year.

Nichols, who is a senior at Land O’ Lakes High, is pleased by the recognition, and excited about getting to see Washington. When he began drawing the portrait, however, he had another goal in mind.

“I really wanted to give my coach something as a gift, something he could have to remind him of me,” said Nichols, who, along with his twin brother Travis, has been on Keppel’s track team for four years and his cross-country team almost as long.

The coach also is a neighbor of the Nichols, and a family friend.

The gesture is particularly poignant because Keppel has been battling pancreatic cancer, a fact that has inspired athletes and friends to rally behind him.

“After everything he’s been going through with the cancer, I thought it was something I should do,” said Nichols, who based his portrait on a photograph that his mom took at the state track meet in Tallahassee.

Trevor-coach keppel image

Nichols credits his art teacher, Cynthia Smith, for helping him develop his ideas and pushing him to keep him on track.

Keppel was flattered by the portrait and impressed by the amount of detail. He said it’s not the first time that Nichols has used his artistic talents on behalf of others, noting the youth has designed two T-shirts used by the team.

Keppel is recovering from a surgery known as the Whipple procedure, which involved cutting into his stomach, taking out his gallbladder, and removing about one-third of his pancreas.

He knows the survival statistics are grim for patients with pancreatic cancer, but he’s keeping an optimistic attitude.

“Remaining positive is the most important thing,” Keppel said.

Nichols is the son of Lynn and Penny Nichols. He plans to attend the University of South Florida and pursue a degree in architecture.

Published May 14, 2014

Pepin Academies expands into Pasco County

May 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Pepin Academies, an institution that educates students with learning disabilities, is accepting applications for its new charter school location in Pasco County.

The school, which will begin classes Aug. 18, serves students who have learning or learning-related disabilities.

The Pepin Academies Inc. of Pasco County has been receiving applications from all over Pasco County, and is open to students from outside Pasco County as well, if the parents receive the necessary “out-of-county” paperwork from the district where their child lives.

The school, which was founded in 1999, already has two locations in Hillsborough County — one on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, and the other in Riverview.

Principal Celeste Keller, an educator with decades of experience, will lead the school. She’s been at Pepin for more than nine years, serving as director of the school’s elementary school in Hillsborough, director of its transition school for 18-to-22 year-olds, and most recently, as director of student services.

The Pasco County School Board approved a 15-year charter contract with Pepin Academies, based on its nonprofit status, its track record in Hillsborough, and its intention to secure funding for a permanent building. If substantial progress isn’t made to secure the funding for the school building, the school board could reduce the term of the charter to a maximum of five years, according to a board action taken Feb. 18.

Patty O’ Brien of Zephyrhills said her daughter Paige, 14, has attended Pepin’s school in Hillsborough, but will make the switch to the Pasco location.

“I’m looking forward to this for her because she’s very excited about this new school,” O’Brien said. “I’m very happy with Pepin.”

O’ Brien noted the school concentrates on what her daughter is able to do and builds on that. That wasn’t true in St. Louis, where the family used to live, she added.

By acknowledging her daughter’s strengths, the school has helped her daughter build a sense of self-confidence, O’Brien said, noting her daughter has many challenges. She’s hearing impaired, has autism and has attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity.

The tuition-free charter school in Pasco initially will operate out of a leased space at 9750 Little Road in New Port Richey. That building has a maximum capacity for 325 students. The school will serve students in third through 10th grade. It will add additional years as it continues operations, but has no current plans to teach children younger than third grade.

The school does not provide transportation, but it will help parents arrange carpools.

In Hillsborough, the school works with Ozzie Saez with Kids Door to Door. Saez currently provides pick-up and drop-off services for some parents. There is a fee, and the family contacts Saez directly to set it up.

Students attending Pepin must have a learning disability which may include: Asperger syndrome, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, educable mentally handicapped, pervasive development delay, or a medical condition that affects learning, such as Tourette syndrome.

Pepin offers students an opportunity to seek a standard or special diploma.

The school’s philosophy focuses education not only on students’ academic needs, but also on their social and emotional needs. Besides accepting student applications, it also is accepting for teaching and staff positions.

To find out more about those positions, check Pepin’s website at PepinAcademies.com.

Published May 14, 2014

New surgery option eases recovery for hysterectomy patients

May 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Dr. Pamela Twitty made history on April 30 at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North by becoming the first surgeon in Tampa to perform a single-site robotics-assisted hysterectomy.

The type of surgery had been performed previously in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, but not in Tampa, Twitty said.

She used a da Vinci robotic system to perform the surgery, controlling instruments from a console in the operating room.

In traditional hysterectomy surgery, doctors make a five- to seven-inch incision in the woman’s abdomen and remove the uterus through the laceration. That approach leaves noticeable scars and requires a month or two of recovery, Twitty said.

But with robotics-assisted surgery, recovery is quicker with less post-operative pain because it’s less invasive, and it reduces scarring as well.

Twitty performed the surgery on Land O’ Lakes resident Hollie Morris.

“I was pretty excited about it,” the 35-year-old said.

Morris didn’t have any misgivings about being Twitty’s first patient for this procedure because she had an established relationship with the doctor.

“I love Dr. Twitty. I trust her completely,” Morris said.

When Twitty explained the procedure, Morris said she could sense the doctor’s excitement about performing a surgery such as this. At the same time, Twitty wanted to make sure Morris was completely comfortable with the approach.

Morris found the prospect appealing for numerous reasons, she said. For one thing, since she has children, it was important for her to recover quickly and get back to the business of daily life. Secondly, she’d prefer not to have a large scar.

The surgery is done with a small cut in the naval.

“You can’t even see it,” Morris said.

Although she has felt some soreness, Morris said she’s sure she would have felt more pain if she’d had additional cuts.

“The day after surgery, I was up walking around,” Morris said.

In traditional hysterectomies, the size of the scar can vary based upon the surgical procedure that is used, the patient’s anatomy, and what needs to be done, Twitty said. The single-site option may be especially appealing to women in Florida, where swimming and going to the beach are popular pastimes.

“A lot of our patients in this area and in surrounding areas are interested in still being able to wear their swimsuits and their bikinis,” Twitty said. They want to be able to be out in the sun without any sign of their surgery.

The less invasive procedure also typically means less time in the hospital, Twitty said.

With a traditional hysterectomy, the hospital stay is two to four days. With the new surgery, it is often an overnight stay, or in some cases, they can leave the same day.

“And, healing and post-operative pain is typically less,” Twitty said. “You have a much smaller incision. It’s in a location where there’s less tension on the incision. There’s an expedited return to daily life because there’s less recuperation time, less pain.”

Twitty believes this type of surgery will become more commonly used as doctors are trained in using the technology and more patients become aware of it.

“I’ve already started talking to a number of my patients about this technology and being able to offer it,” Twitty said. “They are absolutely excited about it.”

Although robotic surgery itself has been around for about a decade, single-site technology — where one incision is made through the belly button — is a process that’s only been around for the past couple years or so, Twitty said.

“Initially, it was available for general surgeons,” she said. But there has been an expansion of the use by doctors in various specialties and more procedures have been approved.

Published May 14, 2014

New building signals bright future at Saint Leo University

May 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Imagine, if you will, a place where students learning how to become teachers could work with avatars, to simulate real-life teaching challenges.

Sound far-fetched and futuristic?

Saint Leo University had a ceremony May 2 to mark the beginning of construction of a four-story building that will greatly expand the university’s academic space. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University) — Saint Leo University had a ceremony May 2 to mark the beginning of construction of a four-story building that will greatly expand the university’s academic space.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Well, that’s exactly the scenario that will begin playing out when a new $14 million academic building on the campus of Saint Leo University is completed.

The avatars are actually created by actors in a program developed by the University of Central Florida. The avatars are used to help prepare teachers for situations that may arise in classrooms, said Maribeth Durst, vice president of academic affairs at Saint Leo University.

It’s a great way to practice dealing with situations in an entirely safe environment, Durst noted.

And, that’s just one example of the new ways the university believes its new academic building will broaden opportunities for its students to prepare for their professional lives.

The university had a celebration May 2 to mark the official groundbreaking on the four-story, 48,000-square-foot building. It will have 16 classrooms and 24 faculty offices.

The larger quarters will house liberal arts, education, criminal justice and social work classes, as well as graduate-level classes for continuing professional education. It was designed to foster greater opportunities for students to work together and mingle, Durst said. For instance, instead of long, narrow corridors that tend to separate people, there are gathering spaces to bring them together.

Some highlights include an area to allow simulations of classroom situations and a 21st century classroom for kindergarten through 12th grade education students and others to use.

The fourth floor of the building will be a shell, initially, until there’s a need to build it out.

Creative Contractors Inc., is constructing the structure, with an expected completion date of July 2015. Gould Evans of Tampa is the building’s architect.

Beverly Frank, the project architect, said the design seeks to embody Saint Leo’s core values of excellence, community, respect, personal development, responsible stewardship and integrity.

“The culture at Saint Leo is very inspirational,” Frank said.

The entire design, from how the building was sited to its color palette, drew on the university’s desire to create a welcoming environment, and to create a sense of connection. That connection applies both to people within the building and to the building’s relationship with other places on campus.

The building uses energy-efficient systems and follows the standards of the U.S. Green Building Council, Frank said.

Saint Leo University is a regionally accredited, liberal arts institution at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Published May 14, 2014