The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Finding new ways to celebrate, amid COVID-19

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It may not have been the graduation ceremony he envisioned, but 17-year-old Carl Scavino seems to be enjoying himself, as he took advantage of the sunroof to wave to the crowd. His mother, Judy Scavino, appeared to be having a good time, too. (Randy Underhill)

COVID-19 may have delayed graduations for the Class 2020, but it couldn’t curb the enthusiasm of graduates, and their loved ones, to celebrate their achievements.

Drive-by celebrations were held at The Grove in Wesley Chapel for members of the Class of 2020 from Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Cypress Creek high schools. Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore read the list of graduates’ names. Family and friends applauded and cheered, as vehicles drove by with the graduates.

There also was a celebration at Idlewild Baptist Church, in Lutz, for graduates from the church, as well as for graduates of various Pasco and Hillsborough County schools.

Kristen Engasser, 17, of Lutz, waits patiently for the 2020 Land O’ Lakes High School senior graduation parade to begin at The Grove shopping complex, Wesley Grove Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. The parade is a celebration of Land O’ Lakes seniors unable to have a formal graduation ceremony due to the COVID-19 school closures.
Minister Kelly Knouse, of Idlewild Baptist Church, greets Travis Shelby, a member of the Sunlake High Class of 2020.
Katheryn Munger, a member of Wesley Chapel High’s Class of 2020, gets ready to take part in the June 1 drive-by celebration for graduating seniors held at The Grove in Wesley Chapel. She plans to attend the University of South Florida.
Graduate Ashley Bischof is in the driver’s seat, as she takes part in the celebratory parade. She plans to attend Pasco-Hernando State College.
This group helped graduating seniors from Cypress Creek Middle High, during festivities at The Grove. From left, Jennifer Yingling, Mark Gold, DJ Night Mixer Makayla Gulash, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, Troy Stevenson, Cypress Creek Middle/High School Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles, Jennifer Welling, and Tami Baker, along with the school’s Coyote mascot. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

Schools end unusual year on high note

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Normal end-of-the-school year traditions were out this year, due to COVID-19, so schools put on their thinking caps to find new ways to honor and celebrate the students.

Sand Pine Elementary School, in Wesley Chapel, held its Fifth Grade Moving Up Ceremony, in the school’s parking lot.

Names of fifth-graders from Sand Pine Elementary were written in chalk in the school’s parking lot, to treat the children like royalty during the school’s Fifth Grade Moving Up ceremony. (Courtesy of Sand Pine Elementary)

After a parade through the school’s parking loop, each fifth-grader’s name was written in chalk on a parking spot.

Then, their belongings were loaded into the trunk of their car, along with a balloon and a middle school T-shirt, according to Sue Urban, the principal’s secretary.

“Everyone had a great time, even while social distancing,” she said, via email.

At Academy at the Lakes, an independent school in Land O’ Lakes, students drove by in a parade — and picked up their yearbooks, locker stuff, art projects and science projects — all packed in an Academy tote bag with personalized notes from their teachers.

Voluntary prekindergarten graduates from Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church were honored, too.

To bring a special ending to the year, staff from the school did an individual “graduation” ceremony at each child’s house, according to Corrine Ertl, center director.

From left, members of the Stoppa family: Anne (mom), Jeeho (Mary’s House graduate), Jackson and Michael (dad). (Courtesy of Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)

“First, we gathered all their addresses, divided by subdivision, and mapped out all the addresses, Ertl said, via email.

“Well, we started on Monday and after four days and 489 miles we finished.

“Every child was full of joy. Most of the children had dressed up in their cap and gown, we placed their sign in the yard, played pomp and circumstance through our mobile Bluetooth speaker,” she wrote.

Every child and his or her siblings received cupcakes, and the graduates received their candy class ring, just like they would at graduation, Ertl wrote.

Meanwhile, Pasco and Hillsborough county high schools had to push off their traditional ceremonies because of COVID-19, so other ways were found to honor the seniors until those formal commencement exercises can be held.

In Pasco County, the school district had virtual ceremonies, complete with pomp and circumstance, performed remotely, by students from several bands from across Pasco County.

Drive-by celebrations were held for the Class of 2020 at The Grove in Wesley Chapel and at SunWest Park in Hudson. The city of Zephyrhills had a parade for seniors, too.

Published June 10, 2020

Academy at the Lakes seniors Jordan Whit, left, and Kate Erin McCormick (in car) swing by to pick up their stuff. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)
From left, members of the Sievert family: Carmen, Kimberley (mom), Tony (dad), Alicia (Mary’s House graduate) and Dominic. (Courtesy of Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)
All four children of the Iglesias family attended Mary’s House, and Rosie, the youngest of those children, was the last one to graduate from the VPK program. From left, Isabella, Dennis (dad), Cecilia, Nicholas, Jaclyn (mom) and Rosalia. (Courtesy of Mary’s House at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church)

Performing arts center takes the stage in Wesley Chapel

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Construction crews are down to the last details on the new Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC).

Some of those details, including sound locks to reduce noise inside the music studio, are awaiting shipments from California, New York and Michigan.

All of those states have been hit hard by COVID-19.

“COVID-19 is what has caused so much delay in production,” explained Kevin O’Farrell, provost at Pasco-Hernando State College. But, the performing arts center anticipates a grand opening in the fall, likely in September or October.

Meanwhile, certain areas of the center will open in phases.

The Instructional Performing Arts Center in Wesley Chapel will have its grand opening in early fall. (File)

A certificate of occupancy for administrative offices is expected in July or August, O’Farrell said.

The IPAC is the culmination of years of planning that brought together the state college and Pasco County’s school district in what O’Farrell characterizes as a unique educational partnership.

“There’s nothing like this,” the college official said.

Pasco County Schools donated the center’s site. The state college paid construction costs and will manage the center’s use.

The nearly 36,000-square-foot performing arts center is at 8657 Old Pasco Road, next to the campus of Cypress Creek High School, and the soon-to-open Cypress Creek Middle School.

The performing arts center has a 444-seat auditorium and stage, a large lobby, a general-purpose classroom, computer laboratories, a video production studio, faculty and staff offices, and a conference room.

State-of-the-art technology, with Apple and Microsoft products for computers, are intended to support first-class learning and performance opportunities.

“The technology there is going to be phenomenal,” said O’ Farrell. “We can envision some great performances there. We know this is such a big desire of our community.”

The state college anticipates hosting regional and national festivals, workshops and performances. Many will be open to the community, as well as students.

Pasco school officials designed the middle school – set to open in August – to complement IPAC. Among the middle school’s amenities is a 150-seat black box theater, which school officials anticipate could be a venue for local theater groups. The middle school also will offer dance, orchestra and chorus instruction.

The state college will offer four Associate of Arts degrees for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college for a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance, theater or music. Dual enrollment and community students also will participate in classes.

The center provides more than an arts curriculum, O’Farrell said.

There are programs for students interested in digital media and multimedia technology. The science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum can prepare students for many careers, including video engineer, lighting technician, and web designer and developer.

O’Farrell perhaps is most excited by the synergy created by a holistic design that brings the theater and faculty offices in proximity — for engaging and interactive learning experiences.

“You see the whole collaborative enterprise coming together before your very eyes,” he said. “I think we have a really bright future ahead of us.”

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Published June 10, 2020

Chalk Talk 06/10/2020

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Maddison Rametta

Students ready for college careers
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club announced $5,000 scholarships awarded to each of these students: Steinbrenner High School graduates Maddison Rametta (University of Central Florida), Noah Morrow (University of Florida) and Crystal Nwokoye (Florida A&M University). The scholarships came from the (decommissioned) Lutz Volunteer Fire Department Endowment Fund, administered by the woman’s club.

 

 

 

Noah Morrow
Crystal Nwokoye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fee adjustment review
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at its June 16 board meeting, at 6 p.m., at the school’s North Campus in Brooksville.

Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for DBOT consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs, a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty and staff.

Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing.

Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarships and grants.

For details regarding the proposed fee adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit tinyurl.com/y8u7wxzy.

Student achievements

  • Abigail Akers and Jacob Goetz, both of Odessa: spring President’s List at Tallahassee Community College
  • Madalyn Alston, of Dade City: spring Dean’s List at Anderson University in South Carolina
  • Roland Anthony Chacon, of Lutz: spring Dean’s List at Mars Hill University, North Carolina
  • Madeleine Hendron, of Odessa: spring President’s List at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Mississippi
  • Andrews James, of Lutz: spring Dean’s List at Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia
  • John Martinez, of Wesley Chapel: spring Dean’s List at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee
  • Mary Moran, of Lutz: fall Dean’s List at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia
  • Diana Perez, of Lutz, and Joseph Johnston, of Odessa: spring Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College
  • Amy Stanton, of Odessa: President’s List at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia

Degrees awarded

  • Jordan Kendall, of Odessa: Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas
  • Emily Lange, of Lutz: Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Berry College in Rome, Georgia
  • Renee A. La Sala, of Land O’ Lakes: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Brescia University in Owensboro, Kentucky
  • Jacob Leuthold, of Odessa: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta
  • Joseph McCandrew, of Land O’ Lakes: Bachelor of Science in Integrative Studies from Clarion University in Pennsylvania
  • Kartheeka Pothumarthi, of Odessa: Master of Science in Information Systems Security from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky

Saint Leo wins grant
Saint Leo University has received a $1.2 million grant to prepare high school math and science teachers for area districts.

The school will award scholarships to help as many as 18 undergraduates prepare to become biology or mathematics teachers in Pasco and Hernando county schools over the next several years.

The new scholarship program was made possible by the grant money received from the National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

Noyce (1927-1990) helped to change industry and technology worldwide with his inventions and discoveries, and co-founded Intel Corp., a major supplier of computer processors.

The Noyce program will help biology or mathematics majors with financial need earn the credentials required to become secondary teachers in their subject areas.

The scholarships will average more than $18,000 a year, and will be applicable to the students’ junior and senior years at Saint Leo.

Saint Leo offers a Bachelor of Science in biology and a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics.

Graduation schedules
Traditional graduations for Pasco County seniors have been rescheduled to August.

The listed ceremonies are contingent on developments regarding COVID-19 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirements.

  • Aug. 5: Marchman Technical College at River Ridge High School (time to be determined)
  • Aug. 6: Pasco High School at Pasco High Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
  • Aug. 10: Pasco eSchool at River Ridge High School, 6 p.m.
  • Aug. 11: Wendell Krinn Technical High School at Wendell Krinn, 6 p.m.
  • Aug. 12: Cypress Creek High School at Yuengling Center, 7 p.m.
  • Aug. 13: Zephyrhills High School (3 p.m.) and Wiregrass High (7 p.m.), at Yuengling Center
  • Aug. 14: Land O’ Lakes High (3 p.m.) and Wesley Chapel High (7 p.m.), at Yuengling Center
  • Aug. 15 Sunlake High at Yuengling Center, 1 p.m.

Pasco Schools wins national honor

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Pasco County Schools has been named the best Advanced Placement school district among large districts in the nation.

The school district was among 250 districts across the United States and Canada that were named to the annual AP District Honor Roll, according to a school district news release.

From those, three districts were singled out — one large, one medium and one small, based on an analysis of three years of AP data, the release says.

Pasco was honored in the category of large districts, as defined by those with 50,000 students or more.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning shared the news with district staff in a May 29 video posted on YouTube

“The top district, in the nation — this is a big deal,” Browning said. “There are more than 13,000 school districts in the United States, and our school district — our students and our teachers — earned this award.

“This honor is shared by all of you,” the superintendent continued.

Even though AP classes are taken in high school, the success that occurs at high school, builds upon the successes achieved in middle and elementary schools, he said.

“So, when Taija McCullough, at Zephyrhills High School, does well on an AP exam — the staff at Woodland Elementary should be very proud.

“That’s why this is such a big deal. This honor truly is a reflection on  what goes on in all our classrooms,” Browning added.

“Over a three-year period, we increased the number of students taking rigorous AP courses. We increased the number of underrepresented and minority students taking AP classes. And, at the same time, we improved our Pass Rate — those scoring a 3 or above,” the superintendent added.

The College Board’s AP courses offer high school students a chance to get a taste of the rigor of college-level work.

The College Board says that research has shown that AP classes help students be better prepared for college, be more likely to enroll in college and be more likely to graduate in four years.

Students must earn a 3 or higher on the AP Exam to earn college credit, which, in turn, can reduce their future college tuition costs.

Sixty percent of all AP students in Pasco scored a 3 or higher on at least one exam in 2019, according to district figures.

“Over the last three years, our students earned the equivalent of $3 million in tuition costs,” Browning said.

Trevor Packer, head of the College Board AP Program, explained the significance of the honor, in a district news release. “This award shows that Pasco County Schools is challenging many students to achieve at the highest levels,” Packer said.

“Pasco is ensuring that a more diverse population of students is earning college credit in a wide variety of AP subjects. Congratulations to all the educators and students whose dedication and hard work garnered this well-deserved recognition.”

Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran also weighed in on the district’s success.

“This is a remarkable accomplishment that shows the nation what can happen when great teachers believe in and push students to handle the most rigorous courses. Students will always exceed our expectations,” Corcoran said, in the district’s release.

“Superintendent Browning and his team are preparing a large and diverse group of students for success, and the entire State of Florida is proud of what Pasco has accomplished,” Corcoran added.

The district also released another video, sharing the perspectives of Phillip Ellis, a teacher at Zephyrhills High, and Zephyrhills High student Taija McCullough.

Ellis teaches AP Chemistry and AP Physics 1.

He’s pleased to see more students taking AP courses and more passing the exams, as well.

“I’m seeing a lot of students who otherwise may not have opted to take the class, go and get out there and try a really tough class. That’s what I’m really most proud of — that we have more students willing to try, and willing to put themselves out there to accomplish things they didn’t know they were capable of,” he said.

Taking AP courses “is challenging, but it is worth it in the end,” McCullough said.

It helps students to build study skills, time management and the ability to balance the demands of studying with other aspects of their lives.

Taking the courses helps build confidence, too, she said.

“You know you’ll do well in college,” McCullough said.

Browning was obviously elated, as he announced the district’s accomplishment.

“We don’t do this to get recognition. We do it because it creates opportunities for our students. It brings out the best in students,” he said.

At the same time, though, the recognition is well-deserved.

“I could not be more proud of what our team has accomplished, and that includes everyone. Our staff came up with an ambitious, but viable plan. Our school board saw the value and potential in the plan. Our principals bought into it. Then, in classrooms across Pasco County, our teachers and students made it happen,” the superintendent said.

Published June 03, 2020

Cypress Creek Middle set to open this fall

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When a new school year opens, Cypress Creek Middle students will finally have school buildings to call their own.

Middle and high school students have been sharing the campus, formerly known as Cypress Creek Middle High, since 2017.

Beginning this fall, however, there will be a middle school for grades six through eight, and a high school for grades nine through 12.

Construction on the middle school began in 2019.

Cypress Creek Middle School is ready to open on its new campus.(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“It’s more than on track,” said Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco Schools. “It’s as ahead of schedule as we’ve ever been.”

Like all public schools in Pasco County, a regular school day likely will be very different from any previous school years.

Planning sessions are ongoing for the fall start of school, with keen attention on how the COVID-19 pandemic will dictate changes in school operations.

Gadd said he anticipates an announcement on what to expect for district schools by July 1.

Cypress Middle School has a student capacity of about 1,600 students. Gadd surmises the first year enrollment will be somewhat lower.

Construction for the school building is estimated at about $43.5 million.

It shares the same campus as the high school, but is about 15 acres north of it.

With a curriculum focus on performing arts, the building design includes a black box theater, chorus, dance and orchestra rooms.

Also, Pasco-Hernando State College is expected to open its Instructional Performing Arts Center on the same campus this fall.

The district initially planned to open both a high school and a middle school on the Cypress Creek campus at the same time, but a lack of funding forced it to use the campus for both middle and high school students.

The campus opened in 2017, for students in grades six through 11, with a senior class added the following year. Care was taken to keep the younger students and older students separated, and to provide middle school and high school programs.

Opening of the middle school in the fall also required a realignment of school boundaries affecting primarily students living in the Seven Oaks subdivision of Wesley Chapel, who attended John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Ranch High School.

While the district gears up to open a new school, it’s preparing for how it will operate safely amidst COVID-19 concerns.

Gadd noted there’s no precedence to follow.

“We look at everything the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) does, but CDC has not provided us with any pragmatic, practical information,” Gadd said.

Figuring out how to do social distancing isn’t easy, especially with kindergarten and elementary students, he said.

“How do you keep kindergartners from interacting?” Gadd asked.

One option to keep younger students safe would be to keep them together as one classroom group, he said. There would be no intermingling with students in other classrooms. And, activities with each group, including recess, would be done as a unit.

Middle school and high school students are more mature, and more likely to handle social distancing, Gadd said.

But, there are many more issues to resolve — even something as simple as getting students to and from school.

“How do we get kids on the bus and off the bus?” Gadd said.

Work sessions are ongoing.

“Our intent is to open all schools,” Gadd said. “Right now, we haven’t received any guidance from the state suggesting otherwise.”

Revised June 09, 2020

Wiregrass Ranch High student wins honor for civil rights video

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Aimee Johnson is on track to become a nurse, a profession she loves.

But, this 18-year-old senior at Wiregrass Ranch High School also is an award-winning videographer.

Her 10-minute video on the St. Augustine civil rights movement won a first-place regional award in an annual competition that celebrates National History Day.

Aimee Johnson, who is graduating from Wiregrass Ranch High School, won a first-place regional award in a competition about civil rights history. (Courtesy of Aimee Johnson)

It is featured at the ACCORD Civil Rights Museum in St. Augustine.

Even though it was “a very prominent movement and had one of the most violent histories,” Johnson said, it also “was a hidden history people didn’t know about.”

She compiled archival photographs and interviewed St. Augustine civil rights activists to tell the story of racial tension and hatred in the mid-1960s.

She started her video journey with a visit to the ACCORD Civil Rights Museum, which holds artifacts from that period, including the fingerprints of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Police arrested the civil rights icon in June 1964 for trespassing when he and others tried to dine at a whites-only restaurant.

It was King’s only arrest in Florida.

Johnson held the document and touched King’s fingerprints.

“It was very eye-opening, and I’m grateful that I got to do something like that,” she said. “It’s become something more to me. I’m very happy about that.”

The museum is at the former office of dentist and civil rights activist Robert B. Hayling, who is considered the “father” of the St. Augustine civil rights movement.

He headed the St. Augustine NAACP Youth Council before joining with King’s Southern Christian Leadership Council.

In addition to her museum visit, Johnson interviewed Janie Price, 98, who first met King at Morehouse College in Atlanta. When King came to St. Augustine in the summer of 1964, he stayed at her house.

Because of the threats from the Klu Klux Klan, King had to frequently move from one house to another.

Price is remembered as the “house mother” of the St. Augustine civil rights movement.

Robert Batie, who grew up in St. Augustine, recounted an attack on his family.

Someone, believed to be a Klan member, hurled a hub cap through a living room window. Later a soda bottle crashed through another window. The shattered glass wounded Batie, who was just 9 at the time.

He later was among the first blacks to integrate schools in St. Augustine.

The video highlights several historical events, including the sit-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter by 16 teenagers. Four teenagers later arrested and sent to reform school became known as the St. Augustine Four.

In another confrontation, whites and blacks held a “wade-in” at a local motel pool to the dismay of the Klan. The white motel owner threw acid into the pool.

The demonstrations played a pivotal role in the national movement which led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“I actually was always interested in the civil rights movement especially my being a black woman,” Johnson said. But, Florida often is left out because historians take a more national view of events, she said.

Her interest in history is matched by her passion for creating videos. That seemed a perfect match for her civil rights project.

Still, she wasn’t sure where to start.

However, her mother did. She posted a message on Facebook explaining her daughter’s plan and got a response that led Johnson to Gwendolyn Duncan.

Duncan is a long-time activist who led efforts to found the ACCORD museum, and served as its museum project manager. The name stands for Anniversary to Commemorate the Civil Rights Demonstrations Inc.

Duncan helped introduce Johnson to Price and Batie. She also provided a video clip of former Gov. Charlie Crist issuing a resolution to expunge the records of hundreds of civil rights activists arrested in St. Augustine during the demonstrations.

Johnson felt pressure to create a special video.

The night before turning it in, she felt overwhelmed with schoolwork and worried that the video wouldn’t be good enough.

Her Mom set her straight. Just do your best, she said.

“My Mom is always there to support me,” Johnson said.

Winning regionally against about 300 other entries was her reward.

Now, Johnson is focused on her nursing career. She has been a dual enrollment student since ninth grade when she started in the school’s nursing program.

Johnson is vice president of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), and is a member of Best Buddies, SADD, Key Club and Bulls Nation.

She is one of seven children from a family that immigrated from Jamaica. It’s also a family with many doctors.

She jokes that the medical show, “Grey’s Anatomy,” showed her that nursing was “cool.”

“I was so interested in it,” she said. But, she is certain nursing is her calling. “It’s become more to me,” she said. “I was able to sink into it.”

She will begin online classes with the University of Central Florida in June, and hopefully will transition to on-campus life in fall.

Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she is steadfast.

“I understand the dangers,” Johnson said. “I fully understand and truly love the nursing field. I love just being able to help other people.”

To view the video, visit YouTube and search The Civil Rights Act: St. Augustine 1964 NHD/Aimee Johnson.

Published June 03, 2020

Chalk Talk 06/03/2020

By

(Courtesy of Barbara Gilmore)

A strong finish for Denham Oaks
On the last day of school, Denham Oaks Elementary organized a ‘Finish Strong’ staff parade through 14 neighborhoods to show the students that even if the last months were full of change, nothing would dampen the dragon school spirit. Students lined the streets with signs saying good-bye to their teachers, as the teachers paraded by with signs on their own cars saying good-bye to their students. From left: Isadora Burge (first grade), Harvey Burge, (third grade), Vincent Gilmore (first grade), Nate Gilmore (fourth grade), Jamie Neiubauer (first grade), Gabe Neiubauer (friend), Nykolus Di Roma (first grade) and Ayden Cawthon (kindergarten).

Honors medallions awarded
Florida State University (FSU) awarded honors medallions to 383 high-achieving graduates — the university’s largest class to date — during a virtual ceremony on April 30.

The FSU Honors Program supports the efforts and talents of the university’s most intellectually curious students who have the potential, dedication and drive for creating change.

Designations are: HON – University Honors; HITM — Honors in the Major; DUAL — dual honors; and, OSS – dual honors with a 3.9 GPA or higher.

The following students in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area received honors medallions:

  • Alannah Cranwell, of Lutz: Social Work, HON
  • Alexander Dabbs, of Lutz: Psychology, HITM
  • Riley Garrison, of Lutz: Applied/Computational Mathematics, HON
  • Emily Geraghty, of Land O’ Lakes: Finance, HON
  • Isiah Parfait, of Land O’ Lakes: Spanish, HON
  • Kimberly Ward, of Odessa: Biological Science, HON

Scholarship winners
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners.

The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 outstanding finalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

These local students were awarded the National Merit Scholarship:

  • Jonathan E. Barbara, George M. Steinbrenner High School, Lutz
  • Aidan J. Persaud, Wiregrass Ranch High School, Wesley Chapel
  • Amber L. Seaberg, J.W. Mitchell High School, Trinity
  • Jennifer R. Zartman, Land O’ Lakes High School

Western Governors graduates
These area students have earned a degree from Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah:

  • Courtney Jack, of Trinity: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management
  • Holly Montgomery, of Lutz: Bachelor of Science, Nursing
  • Richard Pearson, of Odessa: Bachelor of Science, Nursing
  • Crystal Pla, of Trinity: Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management
  • Donna Reid, of Odessa: Bachelor of Science, Nursing

Top high schools
According to U.S. News & World Report, these are the top five high schools in Pasco County:

Land O’ Lakes High School: No. 1 in Pasco rankings (No. 84 in Florida rankings); 94% graduation rate; 49.9% college readiness; 1,846 enrollment grades nine to 12

Sunlake High School: No. 2 in Pasco (No. 133 in Florida); 94% graduation rate; 39% college readiness; 1,942 enrollment grades nine to 12

James W. Mitchell High School: No. 3 in Pasco (No. 137 in Florida); 94% graduation rate; 42.2% college readiness; 2,189 enrollment grades nine to 12

Wiregrass Ranch High School: No. 4 in Pasco (No. 152 in Florida); 95% graduation rate; 31.2% college readiness; 2,253 enrollment grades nine to 12

Wesley Chapel High School: No. 5 in Pasco (No. 239 in Florida); 93% graduation rate; 25.6% college readiness; 1,497 enrollment grades nine to 12

Zephyrhills High School ranked No. 12 and Pasco High was ranked No. 13.

In Hillsborough County, Steinbrenner High School ranked No. 4 in Tampa Metro Area Rankings (No. 1,023 in National Rankings); 96% graduation rate; 54.4% college readiness; 2,432 enrollment grades nine to 12.

For a complete list, visit USNews.com/education.

Glitz & Gala prom
Barrington Hill, 16117 Lake Iola Road in Dade City, invites all Pasco County seniors, from public and private schools, to a Glitz & Gala prom on June 20 from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Tickets are available online.

For information, contact Alicia Trias at (727) 642-6128 or

Best metros for college grads
Apartment List has issued its list of Best Metros for 2020 College Graduates.

Instead of considering its usual social and lifestyle factors, metros were ranked on the stability and resilience of the local job markets, as circumstance has dictated.

Graduates are participating in digital commencements, hitting the job market as unemployment spikes, and many cities are under some form of lockdown.

According to its latest report, Tampa ranks No. 41 out of 50 for college graduates.

Apartment List found that:

  • The average wage for recent college grads in Tampa is $38,504, ranking No. 42 in the nation.
  • 72% of recent college grads in Tampa work in a remote-friendly occupation, making it easier to find and secure a job during lockdown.
  • Recent college grads are likely to be renters. And, in Tampa, 42% are cost-burdened, spending more than one-third of their income on rent.

To view the full report, visit tinyurl.com/yc4wdo56.

Student money tips
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) offers tips to save money on intangible costs when comparing the costs of various colleges.

Tangible costs include tuition and fees, and room and board.

Intangible costs include everything else: textbooks and supplies; computers; and personal items, such as shampoo, clothes, entertainment, laundry, and other expenses.

Students can save money by controlling the discretionary costs of their lifestyle, by finding sales or using coupons, and looking out for buy one, get one free deals.

Cutting back on treats, like entertainment and dining out, also can save quite a bit of money. Or, students can do these things less often.

The less spent on intangibles, the less is needed to take out in student loans.

KHEAA is a public, nonprofit agency established to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy, for free, to students and parents.

For more about KHEAA services, visit KHEAA.com.

Pasco School District adjusting amid COVID-19 pandemic

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Whether its drive-thru feeding sites or widespread distance learning, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created myriad logistical challenges for school districts nationwide.

Pasco County Schools is no different — operating as the state’s ninth-largest school district, and 49th largest in the nation.

Even so, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is maintaining an upbeat outlook in what has otherwise been a trying situation over the last two months or so.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning was the guest speaker during an East Pasco Networking Group virtual meeting on May 12. (File)

Speaking to the East Pasco Networking Group at a May 12 virtual meeting, Browning acknowledged the pandemic “really stretched the school district,” but credited district leaders and administration for “very quickly” pulling together a large-scale distance learning education program once it became apparent the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year would be remote.

Pasco Schools was more prepared than other surrounding counties, Browning said.

That’s because the district already had “a very robust virtual education program” known as Pasco eSchool, which typically serves more than 3,000 students in a normal year.

“It wasn’t easy, but we were better positioned than a lot of districts even surrounding us,” the superintendent said.

Unlike other districts, too, Browning added Pasco School instantly pushed out lesson plans for most courses to the virtual learning platform, rather than requiring teachers to develop a curriculum to post online, on the fly. “I think the teachers were appreciative of that because that was less on their plate that they had to work with,” he said.

As for how and when brick-and-mortar schools will open back up, Browning said district staff is having ongoing meetings to brainstorm various scenarios and possibilities, keeping in mind recommended social distancing health and safety protocols. Virtual learning will continue through summer school, he said.

At least one thing’s for sure — traditional schooling will “look different” compared to how things were before the pandemic, Browning said.

The superintendent observed, “Normally, you would have had 45 kids on a school bus, you can’t put 45 kids on a school bus anymore, if you’re going to social distance. How are you going to feed a school of 700 kids in a cafeteria, if you’re going to social distance? …We’re going to have to move and move pretty quickly, so we can let moms and dads know.”

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced Pasco Schools to adjust on the fly by providing virtual learning accommodations, feeding sites and so on. (Courtesy of Pasco County School District)

If there’s one positive result from the coronavirus pandemic, parents and families now have “a greater appreciation” for educators overall, Browning said.

Said Browning, “I think the teaching profession, over time, has been diminished and just had a rough go, but I do believe that parents will have a better idea what teachers have to put up with and deal with on a daily basis to ensure that their children are learning.”

With that, Browning noted Pasco School teachers have done a solid job engaging and interacting with students on Zoom calls throughout the pandemic. “I am so, so proud and pleased where our teachers and where our administrators have taken us,” he said.

However, the superintendent later acknowledged the virtual learning setup has proved tough for servicing the district’s special needs population.

“It is an area we’re really going to have to spend some time in to make sure those kids do not get shortchanged,” he said. “We’ve been getting through it but, I do think going forward, we’ve got to have a more sustainable process to deal with kids with special needs.”

Providing devices, Wi-Fi, meals and more
Maybe the largest hurdle to implementing distance learning to all schools was ensuring all students had access to computers and tablets.

Browning said the county loaned roughly 20,000 electronic devices to students districtwide, which were distributed curbside at various schools.

The superintendent admitted he initially felt uneasy on the thought of loaning expensive electronic devices to grade school students.

Said Browning, “I cringe every time I think of this, because we’re giving an $800 device to a student, and we’re hoping and praying it comes back to us in one piece. But, we knew we had to do it. Personally, I had to get beyond that because I knew that if we wanted to get kids to continue to learn, we had to provide them the device.”

Ensuring all students had a viable Internet connection at home created another obstacle, Browning said.

Even in this technological day and age, the superintendent came away “surprised at the number of our kids that don’t have Wi-Fi” at their home.

To resolve that, the district has issued home hotspots to families and organized a handful of community hotspot hubs in remote areas, such as Crystal Springs. Here’s how it works: The school district positions a mobile hotspot vehicle at a local church or community center, allowing parents to drive up and have their children do complete online schoolwork and lessons from inside their parked car, during predetermined dates and times.

“We know it’s not easy, but nothing about COVID-19 has been easy for us,” Browning said. “The fact is we want our kids to continue to learn, so at least by providing those hotspots in those community hubs, at least we’re giving them the opportunity to have them get their lessons done, get their studying done and be caught up as best they can during this really weird time we find ourselves.”

Besides technology offerings, ready-to-go, prepackaged meals is another service the school district has been offering amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The district hit the 1-million meal mark last week.

The district’s food nutrition services department initially offered meals for pickup five days a week, but since transitioned to distributing all 10 meals (breakfast and lunch covering five days) per student, picked up once per week. As an example, a family with four school-age children could swing by a particular curbside feeding site and pick up 40 free meals for the week.

Browning mentioned even under normal circumstances school-provided meals might be the only opportunity for many students to eat, particularly those coming from the county’s Title I schools (whereby a large percentage of a particular school’s student population is eligible for free or reduced lunch).

“It’s been a lot of work on the school district, but that’s what we do. We care for people, in addition to educating people,” said Browning.

Elsewhere, the superintendent also touched on a number of other district-related matters:

  • Pasco Schools graduation rate sits at 88.7 percent, “the highest they’ve ever been,” said Browning. “It’s not where I want them, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
  • Pasco Schools is one of two school districts in Florida named to the College Board’s AP (Advanced Placement) District Honor Roll, for increasing access to AP for underrepresented students while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher. DeSoto County was the other recognized school district in the state.
  • Browning said the district will make “a huge College Board announcement regarding the opportunities we’re providing our kids,” sometime after Memorial Day weekend.
  • The Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation technical high school in East Pasco will break ground this fall and will open in August 2022. Browning added the district also is building a K-8 school nearby that’ll feed into the technical high school, which is being built at the corner of Curley and Kiefer roads, in Wesley Chapel. “It’s going to be easy to get to from Zephyrhills, Dade City, Wesley Chapel,” Browning said of the forthcoming technical school. “Not only is it a pretty cool building, but there’s going to be some great programs in there that are going to be able to prepare our kids for jobs.”

Published May 27, 2020

Chalk Talk 05/27/2020

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Dade City essay winner
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano announced the winning student chosen for the annual Middle School Essay Contest.

Julia Alcocer, Torchbearers’ Christian Academy (Courtesy of the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office)

Essays were submitted by students, grades six to eight, from public, private, parochial, charter, online and home-schools throughout Pasco County. Participants had to answer the question, “If you could spend tax dollars to fund any program, what would it be and why?”

A panel of judges, not knowing the age, gender, grade or school of each entrant, chose the essay written by Julia Alcocer, an eighth-grader at Torchbearers’ Christian Academy in Dade City, as the winner.

Alcocer wrote that she would fund a program that “would aid elderly people with day to day living and provide lifesaving practices to the vulnerable citizens,” which would include nutritional needs, temperature control in living spaces, and affordable medications.

The judges noted that her essay best communicated her response to the topic question, and met the contest criteria of overall structure, appearance and readability.

This annual essay contest is just one of the community related events the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office participates in throughout the year.

Glitz & Gala prom
Barrington Hill, 16117 Lake Iola Road in Dade City, invites all Pasco County seniors, from public and private schools, to a Glitz & Gala prom on June 20 from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Tickets are available online.

For information, contact Alicia Trias at (727) 642-6128 or ">

University of Tampa graduates
The University of Tampa (UT) virtually hosted its 150th commencement on May 9

The Class of 2020 included these students in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

  • Allison Barthel, of Odessa, Bachelor of Science in Public Health
  • Amy Clement, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Writing
  • Samuel Collins, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
  • Michael Dailey, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
  • Bernard Deysson, of Odessa, Master of Business Administration
  • Courey France, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Allied Health
  • Madison Ghodsi, of Lutz, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
  • Talia Goldenberg, of Odessa, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  • Jordan High, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  • Jean Labossiere, of Lutz, Master of Science in Exercise and Nutrition Science
  • Michaela Lewis, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Education–Elementary
  • Ashley Martin, of Odessa, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
  • Amanda Mencia, of Odessa, Bachelor of Science in Allied Health
  • Trent Puleo, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science in Management
  • Nina Sennott, of Odessa, Bachelor of Science in International Business-Marketing
  • Ashlee Stormer, of Odessa, Master of Business Administration
  • Gianna Taravella, of Lutz, Bachelor of Arts in Communication
  • Nikea Veney, of Lutz, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
  • Derian Yeretzian, of Odessa, Master of Science in Accounting

The event was viewed online by the students, their family members and friends, UT faculty and staff members, and the general public. The ceremony included remarks by Ronald Vaughn, the school’s president, and special messages from the academic deans and student challenge speakers.

Each graduate also received a personalized video commemorating their achievement.

Black Hills commencement
More than 300 graduates were recognized during the 179th Black Hills State University (Spearfish, South Dakota) virtual commencement ceremony, which took place on May 8.

Local student Conor Heaney, of Land O’ Lakes, was part of the Class of 2020 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services.

A total of 27 master degrees, 282 bachelor degrees and 20 associate degrees were awarded.

Student procrastination
The online homework help website, Brainly.com, surveyed 17,000 United States high school students, ages 14 to 18, to find out about the types of school assignments they procrastinate the most on, how often they procrastinate, and which states have the students that are the biggest procrastinators.

Nationwide, 82% of high school students admitted they procrastinate on homework at least some of the time. Louisiana high schoolers take the lead for the top procrastinators, with 19% saying they always procrastinate on schoolwork.

Top 5 states where students procrastinate the most:

  • Louisiana, 19%
  • California and Florida, 15%
  • Idaho, 13%
  • Pennsylvania, 11%
  • North Carolina, 10%

How often high schoolers said they procrastinate (compared to national average):

  • Always, 4%
  • Somewhat Often, 35%
  • Every now and then, 43%
  • Never, 18%

Causes of procrastination:

  • There are other things they would rather be doing, 74%
  • They don’t know how to do the work or where to start, 26%

More interesting statistics:

  • 32% say that math is the school subject they most procrastinate on, while 45% say it is English curriculum
  • 43% of students say they procrastinate more on homework that requires writing or research
  • 49% admit that procrastinating on schoolwork is their biggest academic hurdle