Pasco County Schools cheers on student historians
LAND O’ LAKES – Pasco County Schools recognized students that won Florida History Day and National History Day competitions during the July 22 school board meeting.
Tina Stavrou-Klem, senior instructional specialist, at Pasco County Schools, credited county coordinators, community partners and Pasco Education Foundation for helping these history programs flourish.
“Pasco County Schools is well known and is respected both at the state and national competition,” she said. “The students’ hard work and dedication, along with the support of their families, teachers and school administrators, have led them to be recognized not only at the district level but at the state level where they competed alongside 902 students in the theme of ‘rights and responsibilities in history.’”
Some of the Florida History Day winners recognized during the July 22 meeting were as follows:
- Devansh Dhavale, of Wiregrass Ranch High School, won first place in the Senior Individual Documentary category with the entry, “The Geneva Conventions: Rights and Responsibilities to Protect Vulnerable Soldiers, Innocent Civilians and Selfless Aid Workers.”
- Liam Scanlan, of Starkey Ranch K-8 School, placed second in the Junior Individual Exhibit category with the entry, “Protecting Life at Sea: How the SOLAS Treaty Became an International Life Preserver.”
- Breanna Hewitt and Aleisa Swing, of Pine View Middle School, placed second in the Junior Group Exhibit category with the entry “The Dakota people’s rights during the 1826 Dakota war and the responsibilities of the U.S government when dealing with the Dakota people.”
- Aiden Haston and Nhi Le, of Springs Middle School, won first place in the Junior Group Website category with the entry, “A Silence Heard Across America: Tinker v. Des Moines and the Fight for 1st Amendment Rights in Schools.”
Pasco-Hernando State College board elects new leaders
DADE CITY – The Pasco-Hernando State College District Board of Trustees elected new board leaders July 15 at the college’s East Campus.
Nicole Newlon, partner at Johnson, Newlon and DeCort, P.A. in Tampa, succeeds Marilyn Pearson-Adams as board chair. Newlon served as a Dade City commissioner and attended PHSC (formerly known as Pasco-Hernando Community College) as a dual enrollment student in 1990-1991. Newlon served as vice chair in 2024-25.
John Allocco Jr., a Realtor for Home-Land Real Estate Inc., will take over as vice chair. Allocco is a member of the Hernando County Board of Commissioners, CareerSource Pasco-Hernando Executive Board, National and Florida Associations of Realtors, and the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce.
“Their leadership and dedication to our college’s mission will be invaluable as we continue to focus on student success and serve the community,” said Eric Hall, PHSC president. “I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Marilyn Pearson-Adams for her outstanding service and steadfast leadership during her term as board chair.”
The board recognized Pearson-Adams, for her leadership through her 2024-2025 term. She has served as a trustee since 2014.
BBB Theatres throwing Back to School Bash
WESLEY CHAPEL – BBB Theatres Wesley Chapel is hosting The Fantastic Back to School Bash & Food Truck Rally from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 2 at the movie theater.
Families can get free school supplies, resources, games, activities and a food truck rally to benefit the Mahogany Arts Foundation.
BBB Theatres Wesley Chapel features a Grand Screen, Screen X and Marquee Suites, as well as a Backstage Pass program, where tickets cost $6 on Tuesdays.
Student Achievements
- Robby S. Burton, of Lutz, was named to first honors on the Clark University dean’s list. Burton earned a GPA of 3.8 or above at the Worcester, Massachusetts-based college.
- Colton Ash, of Lutz, made the spring dean’s list at Youngstown State University in Ohio for earning a GPA of 3.4 or higher.