Mary Rathman

Scholarship winners
For the past 12 years, San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union has awarded two of their high school seniors with a $2,500 scholarship. Patty Sarne, executive vice president of  SACFCU, presented Megan Partain and Megan Simonelli as this year’s winners at Pasco High School’s award ceremony. Seniors from five different high schools in Pasco County applied for the scholarships.

 

 

Outstanding students
The Republican Party of Pasco recognized the recipients of its executive committee’s scholarship program at a barbecue hosted by Congressman Gus Bilirakis. Each student was awarded a $1,000 scholarship at their respective school’s award ceremony. From left: Brendan Jarrell, Genesis Preparatory; Daniel Sterben, Fivay High School; RaeAnna Castler, home-schooled; Congressman Gus Bilirakis; Megan Simonelli, Pasco High; Josie Wedge, Zephyrhills High; and Representative Amber Mariano.

Babysitter camp
Pasco County Schools will offer a summer camp for boys and girls in grades 6 to 12 who want to learn to babysit and have an interest in early childhood education.

The camp will be hosted at Land O’ Lakes High School, 20235 Gator Lane, June 24 to July 5 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Campers can learn how to care for, interact with, and plan activities for toddlers and preschool-age children.

All participants can earn a certification in babysitting, first aid, CPR and AED, and will receive a drawstring backpack full of resources, a pocket first aid kit, flashlight and DVD.

For fee information and to register, call the Office for After School Enrichment Programs at (813) 794-2298.

Stuff the Backpack
The First National Bank of Pasco and the Thomas Promise Foundation have partnered for a “Stuff the Backpack” Drive, through July 26.

Collected items will be distributed to participating Pasco County Schools.

Donations needed include: pencils, pens, scissors, index cards, notebooks, folders, paper, glue sticks, colored pencils, liquid soap, Ziploc bags, crayons, Kleenex, highlighters, erasers, pencil boxes, rulers and hand sanitizers.

Monetary donations will be used to purchase additional school supplies.

Items can be dropped off at any of the four First National Bank of Pasco branches.

Grad writes mathematical formula
 A 2015 graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Land O’ Lakes High School has earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Leo University with multiple distinctions, and has accepted a position with Amgen Inc., a biotechnology corporation.

Amanda Luce was one of only 22 members of the Class of 2019 at Saint Leo to complete the rigorous Honors Program.

Luce majored in mathematics and was jointly awarded by the Honors Program and the Department of Mathematics and Science a departmental distinction for her work in the math major.

She conducted a numerical analysis of the opioid epidemic for her senior research project. Luce minored in economics.

She also was honored by the College of Arts and Sciences with its annual Excellence in Academic Leadership Award, recognizing her part-time work on campus as a tutor for mathematics classes, her initiative to spend a semester abroad at the National University of Ireland in Galway, and her grades.

Transfer-student scholarships
Saint Leo University is offering a new scholarship to ease the transition for transfer students pursuing a four-year bachelor degree.

The Study Florida Transfer Scholarship, which awards students who have earned an associate degree a 50-percent tuition discount, is available for students transferring to Saint Leo for the fall 2019 semester.

Classes begin Aug. 20.

Transfer students and their families can learn more about the scholarship, complete an on-the-spot transfer credit evaluation, receive instant admission, and register for fall courses.

For information, visit SaintLeo.edu/transfer-students-admissions.

Area schools among the top
Twelve Tampa Bay area schools were ranked among the top 100 public high schools in Florida, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best High Schools rankings.

The highest-ranked area school was Plant High, which finished 36th in the state and 582nd in the nation.

In addition to Plant High, the other Hillsborough County schools in the top 100 were: Steinbrenner (43), Newsome (46), Sickles (53) Brooks Debartolo Collegiate (59), Robinson (68) and Tampa Bay Tech (95).

Pasco County’s Land O’ Lakes High School was ranked 54th.

Four high schools in Pinellas County also made the cut: East Lake (76), St. Petersburg (97), Palm Harbor University High (98) and Osceola Fundamental High (100).

Certification pass rates
Pasco County Schools Professional Development Certification Program teachers had the highest pass rate on teacher certification exams in more program areas than any other Florida school district.

Pasco’s pass rate led the state on the following exams:

• Elementary Ed K-6 Subtest 2: Social Science (100 percent pass rate)
• Elementary Ed K-6 Subtest 3: Science (100 percent pass rate)
• English 6-12 Multiple Choice Section (80 percent pass rate)
• English 6-12 Written Performance Section (90 percent pass rate)

Pasco teachers made the list of Top Performers in a total of seven of 20 reported sections of Florida teacher certification exams.

Pasco ranked third and was one of five districts achieving a 100 percent pass rate on Exceptional Student Education K-12; ranked second on the Elementary Ed K-6 Subtest 1: Language Arts and Reading (80 percent pass rate); and, ranked sixth on Elementary Ed K-6 Subtest 4: Mathematics certification exams (70 percent pass rate).

The Professional Development Certification Programs (PDCP) provide educator training for public school instructional staff who are non-education baccalaureate or higher degree holders.

Those who complete the PDCP program are awarded a Florida Professional Educator Certificate.

 

Students immerse themselves in Jewish culture
Hillel Academy’s eighth-grade students arrived at their ultimate destination — Israel — in May, after studying Israel, Hebrew and Judaism for years.

From an early age, the students learn the geographic location of Israel, cities and important facts about the country, including Jewish beliefs, traditions, history, prayers and rituals.

While in Israel, the students were able to ride camels, watch the sun set over a crater, swim in the Dead Sea, volunteer at Leket Nahalal, hike the Arbel mountain, and attend evening celebrations for Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) on Ben Yehuda Street, and more.

They also walked the streets of Tel Aviv, spoke Hebrew with the residents, visited the Nachalat Binyamin (arts & crafts market) and the Rabin Museum.

While in Jerusalem, the students prayed and left notes from other Hillel students, teachers and parents at the Western Wall.

New academy owners
All Aboard Christian Academy, 36233 Clinton Ave., in Dade City, has new owners who are lifetime residents of the community, and who have extensive experience in education and child care, according to a release.

The academy’s mission is to provide a loving, supportive, safe and educational environment for families who need infant, toddler, preschool, school-age care and education for their children.

For more information, call (352) 567-0032, or visit AllAboardChristianAcademy.com.

Teacher appreciation
As part of its Summer of Appreciation, ZooTampa at Lowry Park is offering kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers free admission with one full-price, single-day paid admission, through Aug. 31.

Proof of employment must be presented at the ticket window to receive offer.

For information, visit ZooTampa.org.

Teen academics
Saint Leo University will offer two new academic summer camps — a social justice camp for high school juniors and seniors, and an environmental science and sustainability camp for ages 14 to 18.

The social justice program is an overnight camp for students to work with community partners on projects related to freedom, justice, equality, sustainability, peace and fairness.

The camp will be from June 23 to June 29.

For information, call (352) 588-7324.

The environmental camp is planned for June 24 to June 28. Students can experience the field and the laboratory in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, along with instruction in collecting, analyzing and interpreting samples, and identifying organisms.

For information, call (352) 588-8365.

For details on both camps, visit SaintLeoCamps.com.

Stuff the Backpack
The First National Bank of Pasco and the Thomas Promise Foundation have partnered for a “Stuff the Backpack” Drive, through July 26.

Collected items will be distributed to participating Pasco County Schools.

Donations needed include: pencils, pens, scissors, index cards, notebooks, folders, paper, glue sticks, colored pencils, liquid soap, Ziploc bags, crayons, Kleenex, highlighters, erasers, pencil boxes, rulers and hand sanitizers.

Monetary donations will be used to purchase additional school supplies.

Items can be dropped off at any of the four First National Bank of Pasco branches.

Free HART rides for students
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) again will offer its Summer Blast Pass through Aug. 31 for Hillsborough County students ages 5 to 18. Proof of age is required.

The Blast Pass provides unlimited rides on HART Local, Limited Express, MetroRapid and HARTFlex services.

The pass can be picked up at any of HART’s three Tampa locations.

For office locations and information, visit GoHART.org.

Dual enrollment graduates
Pasco County students from 14 high schools graduated from Pasco-Hernando State College before their 2019 high school graduation, through dual enrollment courses and collegiate high school.

Dual enrollment and collegiate classes are offered at no cost while a student is in high school, which can save families thousands of dollars in college tuition and textbook costs.

The schools and number of students who earned AA degrees are: Anclote High School, 1; Dayspring Academy, 9; Fivay High, 7; Gulf High, 1; Hudson High, 4; Land O’ Lakes High, 6; Mitchell High, 4; Pasco eSchool, 1; Pasco High, 8; River Ridge High, 4; Sunlake High, 2; Wesley Chapel High, 3; Wiregrass Ranch High, 8; and Zephyrhills High, 3.

CNA Program
The United Way of Pasco County, Life Church and CNA Training & Testing Center will offer a Work Ready CNA Program.

Candidates will receive a CNA course and manual; CPR 2-year certification; electronic fingerprinting; state exam; and scrubs and a stethoscope.

Candidates must be able to attend all program dates, expectations and processes.

Preference will be given to those living in Pasco County, attend Life Church and Life Community Center events.

Applications are online and must be submitted no later than June 17 at midnight.

For information, call (813) 994-0985.

To apply, visit form.jotform.com/Granger_Robin/CNA-Work-Ready.

Special scholarship awarded
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club announced the addition of a special scholarship award, the 2019 Marilyn Wannamaker Memorial Scholarship, in honor of the past president of the club. Wannamaker also served on the Lutz Volunteer Fire Department Board.

Since 2012, the club has awarded two scholarships annually from the Lutz Volunteer Fireman’s Scholarship Endowment Fund. However, the club found it appropriate to expand the awards to include three Lutz resident students, in view of Mark Fisher’s outstanding resume as husband, dad to four teenage sons, a fulltime firefighter with 14-plus years of service, and a student at St. Petersburg College. Fisher is completing his undergraduate studies in public administration/fire administration.

The woman’s club saluted firefighter Mark Fisher with the Marilyn Wannamaker scholarship, in the amount of $5,000.

This year, the club awarded a record-breaking total of $25,000 in scholarship grants.

In addition to recipient Mark Fisher, monetary awards of $5,000 each also were given to Classical Preparatory School senior Zachary Brown and Sunlake High School senior Jillian Gordy, both of Lutz.

Students receiving a $2,500 award from the woman’s club scholarship fund included:

• Rochelle Brito, of Lutz, Steinbrenner High senior
• Alexa Scalchunes, of Land O’ Lakes, Sunlake High senior
• Ian Michael Spurza, of Lutz, Middleton Magnet High School senior
• Taylor Tarver, of Lutz, Steinbrenner High senior

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club is proud of its decades of commitment to and support of education in the community, and congratulates its 2019 scholarship recipients.

Applications being accepted for teaching prizes
The 2019 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence will award cash prizes totaling $1 million to 18 of America’s best public high school skilled trades teachers or teacher teams and their programs.

According to a release, the prize was started in 2017 by Harbor Freight’s founder, Eric Smidt, to recognize outstanding instruction in the skilled trades in U.S. public high schools and the valuable work of teachers who inspire students to learn a trade that prepares them for life after graduation.

The application process and the prize are designed to give teachers access to ideas and practices through a network of likeminded educators and leaders.

Applicants are asked to review and respond to a series of online expert-led video learning modules.

Deadline to apply for teachers and teacher teams is June 17.

Visit HFTForSchoolsPrize.org.

Turnaround awards
Pasco County Schools recognized 35 middle and high school students with a Turnaround Achievement Award.

These students were honored for “taking control of their learning, and their lives, to get back on-track,” according to Superintendent Kurt Browning, in a statement.

• Dylan Holland-Wright, Achieve Center of Pasco
• Nilda Delgado, Anclote High School
• Zachariah Germann, Bayonet Point Middle
• Fatima Morales, Centennial Middle
• Ken Cobbs, Charles S. Rushe Middle
• Jaheim Ellenwood, Chasco Middle
• Thomas Fatolitis, Crews Lake Middle
• Stewart Garcia, Cypress Creek Middle High
• Gabriella Rios, Cypress Creek Middle High
• Caleb Poston, Dr. John Long Middle
• Dakota Hatch, Fivay High
• Leslie Lara, Gulf High
• David McDaniel, Gulf Middle
• Brodie Haith, Harry Schwettman Education Center
• Heather Seitz, Hudson High
• Brooke Beck, Hudson Middle
• Nicole Schroeder, J.W. Mitchell High
• Stevie McKnight, James Irvin Education Center
• Jacob Cloutier, Land O’ Lakes High
• Ezekiel Gross, Pasco eSchool-Middle
• Matthew Behrle, Pasco eSchool-High
• Benancio Valdez, Pasco High
• C’andre Brown, Pasco Middle
• David Bidigare, Paul R. Smith Middle
• Sigure Oneal, Pine View Middle
• David Jaramillo, R. B. Stewart Middle
• Kaden Winchell, River Ridge High
• Shelby Lopata, River Ridge Middle
• Marissa Ellis, Seven Springs Middle
• Kristian Garza, Sunlake High
• Javionah Davis, Thomas E. Weightman Middle
• Dimytri Gassler, Wendell Krinn Technical High
• Sophie Keller, Wesley Chapel High
• Jackson Francis, Wiregrass Ranch High
• Jack Seymour, Zephyrhills High

Best online college
Pasco-Hernando State College is one of 18 schools in the SR Education Group that was selected as a 2019 best online community college in Florida.

The school ranked 11th on the list, with an annual tuition of $3,155; accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; two online associate degrees, two online bachelor degrees, and five online certificate programs; and campuses in Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Spring Hill, New Port Richey and Brooksville.

The SR Education Group is a leading education research publisher founded in 2004.

To develop the 2019 rankings, SR only considered states with at least three regionally accredited schools offering at least one fully online associate degree.

Each community college on the list received a score based on factors, including retention rate, graduation rate and percentage of online enrollment data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

The number of online associate degrees offered was collected from school websites and considered in the ranking score as well.

For information, visit SREducationGroup.org.