The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Creativity wins local kids trip to Washington, D.C.

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The trio jetted to Washington, D.C., to meet with a member of Congress, to hear remarks from the chief executive of an international company, and to take part in television interviews. And they are all still in elementary school.

Sophia Nobles, left, Catie Tomasello and Joey Santana have their picture taken with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson while visiting the nation’s capital. The kids won the trip by placing second nationally in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition. (Courtesy of Heather Tomasello)
Sophia Nobles, left, Catie Tomasello and Joey Santana have their picture taken with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson while visiting the nation’s capital. The kids won the trip by placing second nationally in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition.
(Courtesy of Heather Tomasello)

Joey Santana, Sophia Nobles and Catie Tomasello recently returned from a trip to the nation’s capital, and a whirlwind of appearances there. The Countryside Montessori Charter School students took the trip to receive their second-place honors in their age division in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition, provided by the electronics company and the National Science Teachers Association. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The team, coached by Lorna Cohen, finished among the top eight in the country. The contest itself drew more than 4,900 entries, representing nearly 15,300 students and 550 schools across the United States and Canada, according to the contest website.

It is the world’s largest science and technology competition for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It encourages them to develop problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills.

Contestants are asked to imagine what technology might be like in 20 years. They work in teams to propose ideas for innovative future technology based on what already exists. They simulate scientific research to outline how they plan to test their idea, and they build websites to further illustrate and communicate their concepts.

For their entry, the Countryside Montessori students envisioned WateRenew, a concept that uses the technology of Wave Wings  — which are wings that sway back and forth in the ocean, creating mechanical energy that can be converted to electricity. That electricity would then be used to power a leading edge desalination plant, which in turn creates clean drinking water for homes and businesses.

Florida’s water shortages inspired the team to search for a solution, Nobles and Tomasello said. The team began meeting in September, and team members spent at least a couple of hours each week working on the project.

The team worked well together because they are friends and they respect each other, the girls said. The team divided the project into pieces, and each team member became an “expert” on one part of the project.

Nobles also noted that the team benefited from the help of Lee Marcum, of Clean and Green Enterprises, who took the time to talk to the team about his invention, the Wave Wing.

While in Washington D.C., team members met with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, and went a tour of the Capitol Building led by staff members of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Santana’s family also dropped by the office of U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, where they posed for photos.

The kids also took part in two television interviews with Bill Nye the Science Guy, and they participated in a science showcase. Other highlights included hearing remarks from Atsutoshi Nishida, chairman of Toshiba Corp., and doing some sightseeing.

Other winners in the competition also proposed creative solutions to challenging issues, according to the competition website. Third-grade students from Merion Station, Pennsylvania, developed a system designed to save people who are stuck in rip currents.

An entry from second-graders from Edmond, Oklahoma, aimed to save lives of babies, toddlers and animals left accidentally in a car. A team of fifth-graders from Locust Valley, New York, created an innovative plant power de-icing system for planes, while 10th graders from Toronto created a new technology that uses light signals to boost optical computing.

Besides the expenses-paid trip, the young students also each received a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond.

Since its inception in 1992, more than 330,000 students have participated in the ExploraVision program.

Published June 25, 2014

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Pasco and Hillsborough students improve test scores

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Students across Florida, as well as in Pasco and Hillsborough counties posted gains on statewide end-of-course, or EOC, exams.

Scores improved in all of the assessment areas in Florida, with the biggest gain being a 10 percent improvement in U.S. History.

Pasco has one of 13 school districts in the state that posted gains in all four EOC assessments, with its biggest improvement being an 8-point increase on the U.S. History assessment, Florida Education commissioner Pam Stewart reported.

The passing rate for Pasco students taking the test for the first time improved on all four assessments, improving by 2 percent in Algebra I; 2 percent in biology; 3 percent in geometry and 8 percent in U.S. History.

Hillsborough’s scores improved in two of the four assessment areas, with a 14 percent percentage gain in U.S. History and a 4 percent gain in Algebra I.

Pasco students outperformed the state in the percentage of students achieving a passing score or higher in 2014, except for Algebra I.

Some notable scores from Pasco schools include a 5-percent bump in the passing rate on the Algebra I assessment at Land O’ Lakes High School, a 7-percent gain by Wiregrass Ranch High School students on the Biology I assessment, and an 8-percent improvement on the same assessment at Zephyrhills High School.

Both Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass also posted big improvements in the passing rate on the geometry assessment. Wesley Chapel’s passing rate improved by 22 percent. Wiregrass Ranch boosted its passing rate by 13 percent. Students at both Zephyrhills and Sunlake high schools improved their passing rate by 6 percent, with Sunlake achieving a 73 percent passing rate and Zephyrhills boosting its passing rate to 60 percent.

Wesley Chapel principal Carin Nettles was delighted with her school’s results.

“I am thrilled about our scores,” she said. “We are very proud of the work our math department has done.”

The principal credits collaboration among faculty members during professional learning community meetings. Teachers are sharing “the best common lessons and assessments for our students,” she said.  Teachers also have provided tutoring to help their students succeed.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said in a release that because the scores “reflect what we are teaching in the classroom, end-of-course exams present a much more accurate picture of our students’ learning during this time of transition than do high-stakes tests” like the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Published June 25, 2014

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Chef Rigberg is on the kitchen’s cutting edge

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Around the Academy of Culinary Arts at Land O’ Lakes High School, Michael Rigberg is known as Chef Rigberg.

In July, he’ll be known as an inductee into the American Academy of Chefs.

Chef Michael Rigberg, who leads the Academy of Culinary Arts at Land O’ Lakes High School, will be inducted this summer into the American Academy of Chefs. (Courtesy of Michael Rigberg)
Chef Michael Rigberg, who leads the Academy of Culinary Arts at Land O’ Lakes High School, will be inducted this summer into the American Academy of Chefs.
(Courtesy of Michael Rigberg)

The induction will take place at the American Culinary Federation National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, where Rigberg will be included in a group of men and women who have distinguished themselves in the culinary arts.

It’s an honor that requires recipients to meet rigorous requirements, and those attaining it are considered to represent the highest standards of professionalism in the organization, society and industry.

That honor will follow another distinction that Rigberg received in April at the American Culinary Federation’s Southeastern Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. He was among four chefs receiving Cutting Edge awards from the federation.

Those awards, bestowed by regional vice president Michael Diehl, recognize leadership and service to the culinary profession.

Rigberg, who is president of the Tampa Bay Culinary Association, said he had no idea he was being considered for that award. So, when he heard the phrase, “This chef resides in Land O’ Lakes, Florida,” his ears perked up.

“I was shocked,” Rigberg said.

Hundreds of chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals were at the conference in Charleston, and thousands will be at the national convention. Rigberg said he’s not sure what he did to merit the award, but it was nice to receive recognition.

Performing well is important to Rigberg, and he strives to pass that ethic along to his students in the culinary program at Land O’ Lakes High. His goal is to give students a solid foundation for a career in the culinary arts. He also wants them to have a good idea of what they will face in the field.

Along those lines, students have a chance to compete with students in other programs. They also have a chance to gain practical experience in the field, and they occasionally get to take part in special events.

When the Republican National Convention was in Tampa, for example, Rigberg worked out a deal to become part of the catering crew. He joined his teaching colleague, Jessica Cooper, at the Tampa Bay Times Forum while 26 students from their culinary arts program were there preparing food for the convention’s hungry masses.

“That is something they will never forget,” said Rigberg, who was influenced by his son to become an instructor.

When his son graduated from high school in Hillsborough County, he was interested in becoming an architect. So, he enrolled at Tulane University, where he quickly became discouraged, Rigberg said.

During orientation, a dean told the incoming crop of 90 freshmen that if five made it, they’d be lucky.

“After one semester, he came back home,” Rigberg said.

Instead of pursuing architecture, he went to Hillsborough Community College, then on to get a business degree at the University of South Florida. Rigberg’s son would eventually earn a master’s degree in mental health counseling.

Rigberg had already wanted to become a teacher, but after his son’s experience, he decided to teach at the high school level rather than at a college. He wanted a chance to help shape a life, and he figured high school would be a better place to do that.

Rigberg tells his students that people with culinary skills are always in demand.

“Whether you’re a mechanic, whether you’re an electrician, whether you’re a plumber, or whether you are a cook — you will always, in a trade, always have a job,” he said.

In his program, Rigberg said he tries to instill a sense of devotion, a desire to succeed and a sense of urgency. When students graduate, he wants them to understand that “what they have gained or learned here is just the beginning.”

Published June 25, 2014

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Chalk Talk 06-11-14

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(Courtesy of Rasmussen College)
(Courtesy of Rasmussen College)

Students face off in first high school challenge
The Land O’ Lakes campus of Rasmussen College hosted its first High School Challenge in May, pitting students from Sunlake, Wesley Chapel and Mitchell high schools against each other. Koehler Macklus of Mitchell came back from a 2,400-point deficit, beating out his opponents to take home a $500 school donation and a Visa gift card.

Eighth-grader wins essay contest
Madeline Jones of Land O’ Lakes Christian School won the American Association of Christian Schools essay contest.

Students submitted entries on the topic “Life is Made Up of Moments.” Entries were judged on content, originality and communication of the piece.

Sarah Collins graduates magna cum laude
Sara Collins, a 2011 graduate of Sunlake High School, has graduated from the University of Tampa magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

At UT, Collins was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Theta Tau honor societies, as well as a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success.

She is the daughter of Martin and Linda Collins.

PHSC career camps
Pasco-Hernando State College is offering two academic career-themed summer camps designed for middle and early high school students beginning in June.

The camps will be at the school’s New Port Richey campus, 10230 Ridge Road, and will run four half days from Monday through Thursday.

  • Business and Technology Careers — Participants can create a new business plan, participate in a mock trial from the viewpoint of a paralegal, and expand the virtual world by creating a miniature version of the Internet, among other activities.

Sessions run from June 23-26 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., or July 14-17 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $90.

  • Health Careers — Participants can take on simulations and other hands-on activities related to the school’s paramedic, nursing, dental and radiography programs. They also can become CPR-certified.

Sessions run from June 16-19 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or July 21-24 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $100.

Each session is limited to the first 12 students to register.

For information, visit PHSC.edu/summercamp, or call (727) 816-3256.

(Courtesy of Marcus Price)
(Courtesy of Marcus Price)

Field trip leaps youngsters into new school year
Great Start Learning Center’s voluntary pre-kindergarten class toured the campus of West Zephyrhills Elementary School May 5. The youngsters will enter kindergarten in August. The field trip gave the students a sense of what to expect in the coming year, and to familiarize themselves with the layout of the school. Great Start Learning Center is located at 5314 First Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Students bowled over with fun
The more than 900 students of Woodland Elementary School participated in special field trips to go bowling at Pin Chasers, 6816 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Chamber honors student citizens
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized Student Citizens at a May ceremony in their honor.

Students are selected from 10 area schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community.

Students recognized included Hayden Oley of East Pasco Adventist Academy, Mariana Chavez of Woodland Elementary School, Regan Yake of Stewart Middle School, Tabria James of Zephyrhills High School, Dashawn Walden of Stewart Middle, Karly Crews of Heritage Academy, Gideon Castorena of West Zephyrhills Elementary School, Tyler Brooks of The Broach School, Danny Pomorisac of Taylor Elementary School, and Caleb Salings of Florida Autism Center of Excellence.

Legislature votes to grant in-state tuition for undocumented students

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Legislation adopted by the Florida Legislature — and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott on June 9  — will make college more affordable for undocumented workers.

The governor’s signature signals the end of an 11-year effort to allow undocumented workers who have completed at least three years in a Florida high school the opportunity to attend Florida state colleges at the in-state tuition rate.

The students, however, must enroll in the postsecondary school within 24 months of graduation.

Margarita Romo, executive director of Farmworkers Self-Help Inc., is pleased that the state legislature has passed a bill that will allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition at Florida colleges. (File Photo)
Margarita Romo, executive director of Farmworkers Self-Help Inc., is pleased that the state legislature has passed a bill that will allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition at Florida colleges.
(File Photo)

Margarita Romo, executive director of Farmworkers Self-Help Inc., in Dade City, played a major role in advocating for the change, and is pleased by the Legislature’s action.

“We’re very happy that we got what we got. It’s been a long time coming,” Romo said.

For years, she’s been taking undocumented students to Tallahassee to meet with lawmakers to explain why it is so important to allow them to attend Florida colleges without paying out-of-state tuition. Throughout that effort, Romo has repeated this refrain: “You can pick enough oranges to pay in-state tuition, but you cannot pick enough oranges to pay out-of-state tuition.”

With the adoption of this legislation, Florida will become the 20th state to offer some sort of in-state tuition to students brought to the United States illegally, according to The New York Times. Romo credited state House Speaker Will Weatherford’s support for playing a key role in gaining the legislation’s passage.

“The speaker of the house really knocked himself out,” said Romo, who was inducted last year into the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame for her work in advocating for the needs of migrant farmworkers and immigrants.

Romo took three young men in to meet the Wesley Chapel Republican to discuss the issue, and Weatherford told her that made an impression.

“I was actually in the hospital when the speaker of the house called me,” she said. “Of course, I didn’t answer the phone because I was in the hospital. I just had my fourth heart attack. He called and left a message saying he had a surprise.

“He said, ‘I just want you to know that I am really going to support in-state tuition.’ That certainly gave my heart a lift. And, he kept his word.”

When the legislation passed, Weatherford issued a statement that said lawmakers were making history.

“For many years, children who are here through no fault of their own have waited for the opportunity to fully realizing their dreams,” Weatherford said in the statement. “Today, the Florida Legislature put those dreams into reach.”

While pleased with the legislation, Romo would like to see an amendment in the future that would remove the provision that limits the in-state tuition to those who have graduated from a Florida high school within the past two years. The battle to make this change began more than a decade ago and the two-year limit leaves out too many people who simply will never be able to attend college, without the lower rate, Romo said.

Published June 11, 2014

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Liberty eighth-grader earns ‘primer lugar’ at Spanish spelling bee

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An eighth-grader at Liberty Middle School tied for first place in a recent spelling bee. To get there, however, she had to spell words like “piel” — that’s “skin” in Spanish.

From left are students Jack Richardson, Tania Sexauer and Catherine Weng, with their teacher Katie Smith. The students vied with competitors from 16 schools at the May 15 Spanish spelling bee. Weng won in the Spanish I category for non-native speakers. (Courtesy of Liberty Middle School)
From left are students Jack Richardson, Tania Sexauer and Catherine Weng, with their teacher Katie Smith. The students vied with competitors from 16 schools at the May 15 Spanish spelling bee. Weng won in the Spanish I category for non-native speakers.
(Courtesy of Liberty Middle School)

Catherine Weng shared top honors at the Spanish spelling bee held May 15 at the Roland Park magnet school. Roland Park was one of 16 Hillsborough County schools that participated in the event, which featured categories for beginners and second-tier Spanish speakers in both native and non-native divisions.

But this isn’t the first time Weng has found success in the spelling bee. She won first place last year while taking introductory Spanish classes.

Weng competed in the Spanish I category for non-native speakers this year, and earned the tie when she and another student exhausted all the words prepared for the bee.

“It’s really great getting to go back to school and say, ‘Hey guys, I won first!’” Weng said.

Weng’s first language is English, but she also speaks a little Mandarin at home. Being familiar with another language helps her acclimate to learning a new one, she said. And because Spanish words often are spelled the way they sound, Weng found success easier in the Spanish spelling bee.

But that doesn’t mean it’s a matter of just sounding out words and collecting a trophy. To spell Spanish words in the competition correctly, Weng also had to mention a letter’s accent mark by declaring “con acento” — or “with accent” — after that particular letter. Failing to designate the proper accents meant the spelling would be considered incorrect.

And, like all languages, some words don’t follow the expected protocol. For a non-native speaker, the challenge is knowing the foreign words well enough to recognize when to go with how the word sounds, and when the spelling is somewhat different.

According to Katie Smith, one of the Spanish teachers at Liberty Middle School, the Spanish spelling bee benefits students who are trying to grasp Spanish for the first time.

“The spelling bee itself helps the kids really recognize some of the nuances of the language,” she said.

By understanding where the words have accents, for example, they can improve their pronunciation and speak the language properly.

But it also helps those students who are native speakers, Smith said. Many children who come from Spanish-speaking households don’t necessarily get to write it. They grow up learning both Spanish words and English spelling rules, which can be confusing. The competition allows them to recognize the spelling protocol for Spanish, and helps keep the rules for both languages separate.

Weng joined fellow schoolmates Tania Sexauer and Jack Richardson, who competed in the beginning Spanish category. And while they didn’t finish as high as Weng, Smith said they should be very proud to have advanced through Liberty’s difficult internal competition to compete at the final event.

“That’s the thing I kept stressing to them,” she said. “Even though you may not have made it to the top five (in the spelling bee at Roland Park), it’s really OK, because the fact that you were able to go and represent the school is a big accomplishment in and of itself.”

The beginning Spanish classes are particularly large, with Weng, who has only been learning Spanish for a couple of years, plans to continue studying the language when she enters high school. But for now she’s excited that her studying paid off with another first-place finish, and the Spanish spelling bee has helped her learn a new language.

“I had done it last year so I knew it was coming up again this year, so I really made sure I knew how to spell the words correctly when we were learning them,” Weng said. “I think it’s a great experience. I think it really helps me focus on Spanish.”

Published June 4, 2014

School sends eighth-graders out to discover the world

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A dozen eighth-graders at Countryside Montessori Charter School have experienced something few, if any, of their peers have in the Land O’ Lakes area.

The soon-to-be-graduates were among the first to take on the task of interning at local businesses throughout the week of May 19. They spent several hours of their day at a variety of businesses in the local area, from schools to pet day care centers.

Ashley Schrader, an eighth-grader at Countryside Montessori Charter School in Land O’ Lakes, chats with The Laker/Lutz News senior account manager Terri Williamson, during her recent internship at the paper. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Ashley Schrader, an eighth-grader at Countryside Montessori Charter School in Land O’ Lakes, chats with The Laker/Lutz News senior account manager Terri Williamson, during her recent internship at the paper.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

The students developed their own internship preparation while their teacher, Bobbianne Grant, implemented the idea of gaining real-world experience in a range of professional settings.

This particular program was the first time the school has allowed students to participate in internships with a goal of achieving a better feel for their future professions.

Based on its success this year, Countryside plans to continue the internship program next year for seventh and eighth graders.

“The internships give the eighth-grade students the opportunity to experience the work force before going into high school,” said Grant, the Countryside teacher leading the project.

Grant gave these students, including this writer, the ability to successfully experience different work atmospheres and assist in each company’s needs.

Many students said they had a positive experience and learned a great deal of work skills. Their feedback has given the school valuable input to help its students in future internship programs in high school and college.

The students who participated in the program said they appreciated the opportunity that was given to them, and hope they will be able to engage in a similar task in their futures.

“Internships are like an opportunity for us to see the real world,” said Devyn Dacus, 13, one of a dozen students that participated in the internships. “Since we are not yet adults, internships are one of the few chances we have to see the work force.”

Dacus interned at Countryside Montessori Academy, one of two preschool and kindergarten divisions related to the Montessori program. It’s located on Carson Drive, a few miles from the main charter school campus at Ehren Cutoff.

“At the preschool I was interning at, I had a great experience,” Dacus added. “It made me realize how tedious it actually is to care for toddlers.”

Her classmate, Abby Kuskin, did her internship at Grace Family Church in Lutz and Black Saddle Stables in Odessa and Land O’ Lakes. She said the experiences were cool and interesting, and it could help her achieve a dream of owning her own nonprofit children’s ministry home.

The school’s seventh graders also were allowed to participate in internships by shadowing the elementary school teachers at Countryside and experiencing a school day from the teacher’s point of view.

“The shadowing was a great experience,” said Julia Leck, one of the participating seventh graders in the project.

The program — led by Grant and her colleagues at Countryside — allowed the interns to gain experiences and memories they can apply to their own future careers.

Ashley Schrader spent a week as an intern at The Laker/Lutz News as part of Countryside Montessori Charter School’s careers project.

The businesses that participated in the Countryside Montessori Charter School internship program, and the students who interned, included:

• A Perfect Smile, Natalia Estrada
• Victory Lane Motorcars, Dinah Miranda
• Central Bark Doggie Day Care, Jayden Trenchik and Katie Champion
• Countryside Montessori Academy, Devyn Dacus
• On Your Toes, Brianna Lusk
• MediTech Medical Center, Sam Talero
• Grace Family Church and Black Saddle Stables, Abby Kuskin
• Quality Pet, Owen Robison
• The Laker/Lutz News, Ashley Schrader

By Ashley Schrader

Published June 4, 2014

Pasco County Schools expands summer programs

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Pasco County Schools’ $1.3 million summer school program this year will serve 6,580 students. That’s an increase of 1,820 over last summer’s rolls, according to district officials.

This year’s programs also will reach younger children, and will give older students more time to work on recovering course credits.

School board member Steve Luikart applauded the expanded program.

“The need is there,” Luikart said. “We’re doing everything we can to help more kids.”

The district is piloting new programs for kindergarteners and first graders focusing on literacy, and for second graders emphasizing mathematics.

The literacy pilot will serve about 390 students, and the mathematics pilot will serve about 400 children. The students will come from Title 1 schools, which are schools that qualify for federal funding because they have a large percentage of children from poor families.

Another pilot will focus on science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM. It will serve approximately 45 third- and fourth-grade students from Fox Hollow, Schrader, and Gulf Highlands elementary schools, and will be held at Gulf Highlands.

The district’s summer reading camp will continue to target third graders. About 700 children are expected to receive the additional help. The media centers at each of the summer camp locations will be open to all students on those days.

The district also will be using migrant camps for kindergarten through 12th-graders at eight east Pasco schools, to help close the achievement gap.

The program will serve about 45 students, an increase of 15 from last year.

A program aimed at giving children a chance to learn through a variety of environmental experiences also is being offered to students from Title 1 schools. About 600 students from Title 1 schools will visit Safety Town, Energy Marine Center, Starkey Ranch, caves, and The Florida Aquarium through the Pasco Environmental Adventure Camp Experience.

The district also is providing additional help to middle school students who have not met the requirements to be promoted to the next grade. The district’s course recovery programs have been extended from half-days to full-days to give students more time to master essential content.

The district is providing this opportunity for students to get back on track to up to 100 students per Title 1 school, and up to 50 students at other schools.

Courses also will be available for high school students needing to recover credits, with seniors being given the highest priority for those opportunities.

The district also will offer summer school for exceptional student education programs for students who have individual education plans that call for summer instruction.

The district will serve summer meals at locations where more than 50 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the regular school year. District staff members will serve breakfast, lunch and a snack to children through age 18.

Transportation also will be provided to summer programs for students who meet the district’s requirements.

Teachers can upgrade their skills in the district’s Secondary Literacy Symposium for sixth- through 12th-grade teachers. Teachers will work in collaborative groups to deepen their learning related to the English Language Arts instructional shifts of the newly adopted Florida Standards.

Other teachers also will have a chance to strengthen their content knowledge of the standards at the 2014 K-8 Mathematics Institute and at the High School Mathematics Institute.

Published June 4, 2014

High school graduations evoke feelings of accomplishment

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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

Chalk Talk 05-28-14

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(Courtesy of Long Middle School)
(Courtesy of Long Middle School)

Round Up provides school break
Long Middle School students and faculty, along with family members and friends, took part in the school’s PTSA’s Round Up Carnival April 25. The event included mechanical bull rides, bungee jumping, hamster ball, laser tag, jousting, dancing, performances, dunk tank, games with prizes, and food.

 

 

 

(Courtesy of Mary Hanchar)
(Courtesy of Mary Hanchar)

Bergstrand receives women’s club merit award
Lexington Oaks Women’s Club president Susan Bergstrand, left, recently awarded Alexis Daubney, a Lexington Oaks resident and Land O’ Lakes High School student, a merit award of $500 for college. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students ‘Go for the Gold’ at WCES
Wesley Chapel Elementary School recently rewarded students for meeting their “Go for the Gold” challenge with an i-Ready celebration May 16.

i-Ready is an online instructional program that delivers lessons at each student’s learning level. The eight-week challenge was for students to dedicate time to completing lessons at their i-Ready level.

The entire third grade won overall with a total of 1,510 reading lessons completed in eight weeks.

Christian homeschool education
Classical Conversations will host a parent practicum for those considering homeschooling and classical Christian education.

The three-day practicum is May 28-30 at Idlewild Church of Odessa, 1234 Gunn Highway.

Sessions run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests should bring a picnic lunch.

For information, email .

Teacher appreciation
The Tampa Museum of Art hosted an appreciation event for teachers of at-risk students May 7 during National Teacher Appreciation Week.

More than 65 teachers and support staff with Project PROMISE — Programs Offering Mentoring, Intervention Services, and Educational support — were recognized.

The program supports approximately 1,800 neglected, delinquent or at-risk youth, as well as students with at-risk characteristics enrolled in traditional and alternative schools.

Shrewsbury chosen for education summit
Christopher Shrewsbury, a sophomore at Sunlake High School, has been selected to participate in the National Rifle Association’s annual National Youth Education Summit in Washington, D.C., for outstanding high school sophomores and juniors.

Shrewsbury is a member of the National Honor Society, the incoming treasurer of the Sunlake High School Key Club, and the captain of the varsity cross-country team.

He is an active member of the NRA, the National Sporting Clays Association, and has qualified as an expert rifleman on the U.S. Army Marksmanship rifle course.

The youth summit was launched in 1996 as an effort to encourage young people to become active and knowledgeable at both national and local levels.

CPA students sought for scholarship
The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation is looking for minority accounting students across the state to apply for the Clay Ford scholarship.

It is awarded each year to minority students looking to become certified public accountants. The program has awarded more than $1 million since it was first implemented in 1999.

A $10 portion from each individual and firm license fee funds the scholarship. Applicants may be eligible for scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 per semester, awarded for a maximum of two semesters.

Applications must be postmarked by June 1.

For information, visit MyFloridaLicense.com/CPAScholarship.

Kindergarten camp
Double Branch Elementary School, 31500 Chancey Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a kindergarten camp July 29-31 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Incoming kindergarteners will have an opportunity to meet teachers and become familiar with the school.

Cost is $40.

For information, call (813) 346-0402.

Tampa Catholic reunion
The Tampa Catholic High School Class of 1974 will celebrate its 40th reunion Aug. 22-24 at Tradewinds Island Resort in St. Pete Beach.

For information, call Robin Rogers Nasco at (813) 390-0257, or email .