Mary Rathman

IB programme info sessions
The Land O’ Lakes High School International Baccalaureate Programme will host three community information nights for prospective applicants seeking ninth grade admission in the 2106-2017 school year.

Parents and guardians of current eighth-grade public, charter and private school students can attend. All sessions are at 6:30 p.m.

• Nov. 9 at Land O’ Lakes High, 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes
• Nov. 12 at John Long Middle School, 2025 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
• Nov. 17 Weightman Middle, 30649 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel

For information, contact Jeff Morgenstein at (813) 794-9429, (352) 524-9429 or .

Veterans Day at Heritage Elementary
Heritage Elementary School, 18201 E. Meadows Road in New Tampa, will host a Veterans Day program on Nov. 9.

The school will serve breakfast for veterans and their families starting at 8 a.m. At 8:45 a.m., there will be a veterans program with the Wharton High School band, Wharton’s NJROTC, veterans from the Gunn Highway Memorial American Legion Post, guest speaker Colonel Jeremy Schroeder, and the Heritage chorus.

For information, call Debbie Wheeler at (813) 740-4580, ext. 240.

PHSC book drive
The Pasco-Hernando State College Synergy Sociology Club will host its annual “Plant a Seed Book Drive” through Nov. 13. The club is looking for new and gently used books for ages 3 to young adult, with appropriate content. Collected books will be donated to local Title I schools, youth shelters, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters throughout Hernando and Pasco counties.

Donation boxes will be located in the student activities office, library and student lounge on each of the campuses:

• East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City
• West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey
• Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel
• Spring Hill Campus, 450 Beverly Court

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Perry Outreach Program
The Medical Center of Trinity is collaborating with the Perry Initiative to present the Perry Outreach Program on Nov. 14 at the Medical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road 54.

The program is a free, one-day, hands-on experience for high school and college-age women who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine and engineering. Students will hear from women leaders in these fields and try it for themselves by performing mock orthopedic surgeries and biomechanics experiments.

Participants should be in grades 10 and higher with an interest in science, medicine and/or engineering.

Applicants should fill out an online application in advance of the Nov. 14 program. Applications can be found at PerryInitiative.org/programs/student-online-application.

For information about the Perry Initiative, visit PerryInitiative.org.

Middle school math contest
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will host the American Mathematics Contest 8 for middle school students Nov. 17 at 5:30 p.m., in TECO Hall in the School of Business.

The test lasts 40 minutes and has 25. It encourages students to maintain an interest in mathematics.

Parents, teachers and students interested in this opportunity should contact Monika Kiss of the Department of Mathematics and Science. She can be reached at (352) 588-8836 or .

‘Made in Florida’ tours a success
CareerSource Pasco Hernando, Pasco-Hernando State College and the Florida TRADE Grant announced that more than 500 students from 16 schools in Pasco and Hernando counties participated in 25 “Made in Florida” industry tours. The tours included several high-tech manufacturing sites. Local site tours included companies such as Adam Arms, Pharmaworks Inc., American Aviation, Alumi-Guard, and CEMEX USA.

Pasco County Schools and Hernando buses provided transportation for the tours. Participating manufacturers provided lunches and T-shirts.

Florida hosted more registered events than any other state during the 2014 National Manufacturing Day. This year, Pasco and Hernando counties had three times the participation from last year.

Winter Art Showcase and Book Fair
Wiregrass Ranch High School will have a “Winter Art Showcase and Book Fair” at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass on Dec. 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be a jazz quartet, carolers and drama performances, “Artist in Action,” storytelling, face painting, art exhibits, free gift wrapping and more. Come and show your support and win prizes like a GlowLight Nook, PTSA gift bag and original paintings.

If you cannot make the event, shop online from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7, using voucher code 11704327 at BN.com/bookfairs, and a percentage of your Barnes & Noble purchases will benefit the fine arts department at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

New Phi Kappa Phi member
Leah Harmon, of Odessa, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She was initiated at University of Florida. She is among approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year.
Membership is by invitation, and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff, and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Mock debate and election
Students and residents interested in national electoral politics are invited to see a mock presidential debate Nov. 13 at 7 p.m., in the Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms of the Student Community Center, Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo. Two student debaters are playing the roles of fictitious Republican and Democratic presidential candidates.

This debate culminates a semester project shared among nine different college classes involving students in realistic roles, including campaign strategists, media representatives, and debate moderators. The audience gets to vote at the end.

To find out more, contact Greg Kunzweiler at (352) 588-6578 or .