Mary Rathman

Helping students in need
Sharpline Investigations hosted a school supply drive and delivered 20 backpacks to Weightman Middle School in Wesley Chapel, for at-risk and underprivileged students. With a few of the donations are, from left, Albert Verile and Kirby Lavallee of Sharpline; Brandon Bracciale, Weightman Middle principal; and Jennifer Roberts, a Weightman teacher.

AP scores show growth for Pasco students
The number of Pasco County Schools students who scored a 3 or higher on AP exams in 2015 increased 22 percent over the previous year, from 2,267 to 2,904.District-wide, 68 percent of students scored a 3 or above on at least one exam, and 51 percent of exams taken district-wide resulted in a score of 3 or above. Scores of 3, 4 or 5 are considered to reflect proficiency at the college level.

The increase in the number of students achieving proficient scores increased at the same time that the number of students taking exams and the total number of exams taken both increased by 4 percent.

Eleven of Pasco’s 13 high schools showed growth in the number of students taking one or more exams (85 percent), and 21 percent of the high school student population in the district took at least one AP exam.

Schools with the highest percentage of exams scoring a 3 or above were Gulf High, 68 percent; Wiregrass Ranch High, 64 percent; and Sunlake High, 63 percent.

The schools with the highest percentage of AP students scoring at 3 or above on at least one AP exam were Gulf High, 92 percent; J.W. Mitchell High, 89 percent; and Wiregrass Ranch High, 88 percent.

Schools significantly increasing the number of students taking at least one AP exam were Pasco High, 24 percent increase; Hudson High, 19 percent; and Fivay High, 16 percent.

The schools with the highest percentage of total school population taking at least one exam were Land O’ Lakes High, 31.3 percent; and J.W. Mitchell, 30.7 percent.

English language class
Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church, 19911 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Tampa, will host an English as a Second Language (ESL) class on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The class uses several ESL and Bible study resources. The only fee is $40 for books.

Participants can practice conversational English in a fun and relaxed environment.

For information, call Heather Tomasello at (813) 753-8567.

Open House at Denham Oaks

Denham Oaks Elementary School, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz, will host an Open House on Sept. 8 for students and parents as follows:

• 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., for pre-kindergarten through second grade
• 6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for grade three through grade five

Pizza will be served in the cafeteria. PTA members and their children get a free slice of pizza and a drink. The cost for non-members is $3 per person.

For information, call (813) 794-1600.

Pasco High reunion
The 2015 Reunion of the Decades hosted by Pasco High School Alumni will take place Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $40 per person and includes a buffet, live band, 50/50 and a silent auction. Attendance is by paid reservation only, by Sept. 4. The event will benefit The Pasco Education Foundation Scholarship and the Pasco High School Band.

For information, call Cindy Newgent at (813) 713-3110.

Saint Leo ‘Coming Home to You Tour’
Join Saint Leo University alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends at a reception Sept. 14 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Coppertail Brewing Co., 2601 E. Second Ave., in Tampa.

The cost is $10 per person, and includes food and unlimited drinks.

For information and to register, visit SaintLeo.edu/alumni.

PHSC College Nights
Pasco-Hernando State College will host several College Nights for prospective students in the Pasco County area.

• Sept. 15 at the Dade City campus, 36727 Blanton Road, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Sept. 16 at the New Port Richey campus, 10230 Ridge Road, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Sept. 17 at Nature Coast Technical High School in Brooksville, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Representatives from PHSC and other public and private colleges, universities and other educational institutions, and the military, will participate.

Admission is free. For information, call (855) 669-7472.

Constitutional essay contest
Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’ Neil’s office is seeking entries for its annual Constitutional Essay Contest.

All Pasco County fifth-graders are eligible. Students may be enrolled in a public or private school. Homeschoolers are also invited to participate.

Each essay should be no longer than 300 words, responding to the question “Why is the United State Constitution important?”

Submissions will be judged on the understanding of the issue, clarity, presentation, grammar and spelling.

Submissions must include the writers name, age, grade, school, school address, contact telephone, and parent email address. The winner will be notified by telephone.

Each essay should be the sole product of the student’s work. Only one entry per student.

Students should submit the essay to . MS-Word and PDF documents will be accepted.

The deadline for submissions is Sept. 25. The winner will be announced on Oct. 16.

AMIkids opens new location
AMIkids Pasco has unveiled a new location at 18950 Michigan Lane in Spring Hill, five miles north of Land O’ Lakes High School. The property was acquired through a partnership between AMIkids, Pasco Schools and Pasco-Hernando State College.

AMIkids is a nonprofit organization that helps kids discover their full potential, and has partnered with schools and local communities to help more than 125,000 young people break the cycle and make a lasting impact on their future.

The organization was founded in 1969 after Frank Orlando, the chief juvenile court judge in Fort Lauderdale, became frustrated after repeatedly seeing the same young people in his courtroom. AMIkids now has more than 40 programs around the country to help kids succeed.

For information, visit AMIkids.org.

Local students make honor lists
The following students were named to the Dean’s List for the 2015 spring semester, at their respective schools:

• Jennifer Majcher, of Lutz, University of Delaware
• Andrea Rodriguez Delgado, of Lutz, Saint Joseph’s University
• Elizabeth Gwilt, of Odessa, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Rebecca Cohen, of Lutz, University of Iowa

Earning honor roll distinction at the University of Kansas were Amanda Maser, of Trinity, and Sydney Power, of Tampa.

Jason Getreu, of Odessa, was named to the summer 2015 Dean’s List at Georgia Southwestern State University.

Morgan Eddy, of Lutz, was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Eddy was initiated at the University of Florida.

Youth art contest
The Medical Center of Trinity is hosting its annual Expression of Thanks youth art contest for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The contest runs through Sept. 30.

Students are invited to celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans through artwork, poetry or an essay.

Each participant will receive a certificate of recognition. First place winners in each grade level will receive a $25 gift card. The grand prize winner will get a choice of either a bicycle or an iPod Nano.

All work can either be submitted in person or via mail.

For complete rules and information, call (727) 834-4868, or email .