The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Local educator named a PBS ‘Digital Innovator All-Star’

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It’s no secret that educator Bobbi Starling knows her way around technology.

When she was a classroom teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills and at Centennial Middle School in Dade City, she was constantly introducing students to technical tools which could enhance their education and broaden their view of the world.

Bobbi Starling has recently been selected to the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Program. It’s a new program, and only 30 educators nationwide were selected, including just Starling from Florida. (B.C. Manion)

Now, as the magnet schools program coordinator for the Pasco County school district, she has the potential to have a positive impact on a greater number of students — albeit indirectly, she said.

Starling’s classroom teaching work was recognized by PBS in 2015, when she was selected as one of 100 educators across the nation to be named a PBS Digital Innovator. She went on to become one of 30 nationwide to be named a lead Digital Innovator.

More recently, Starling was chosen to take part in a new program called the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Program.

Thirty educators across the country were chosen for the program, including just Starling from Florida.

Gail Taylor, director of educational services for WEDU, nominated the Pasco County educator.

“She’s just perfect for this award. She’s just so innovative,” said Taylor, noting she wasn’t surprised Starling was selected.

“We thought she was a shoo-in. She’s amazing,” Taylor added.

“We’ve done a lot of work with her over the past few years.

“We did a great STEM fair when she was teaching at a middle school, before she became the magnet school coordinator.

“The kids were actually programming their own iPads to make robotic balls move around a paint tray, and they painted coasters and T-shirts, using those little robotic balls.

“They were playing games, using Gummy Worms as conductors and game pieces,” Taylor said.

As part of the All-Star program, Starling will have access to virtual and in-person events, including the PBS Digital Innovator All-Star Summit, and the International Society for Technology and Education Conference in Chicago, Illinois, in June.

She can’t wait.

This bus has been converted into a Mobile Aviation Lab, to provide more students a chance to get exposure to aviation and aeronautics lessons. (Courtesy of Bobbi Starling)

“At that summit, we’re going to be put on teams with people from other states, and we’re going to be developing some new curriculum — a three-part virtual learning series.

“There will be different focus areas for STEAM, social studies, language arts, digital arts, all sorts of different things. We’ll be developing some new content that will be offered.

“It will be housed on the PBS Learning Media.org website and that’s free for everybody in the state of Florida, including the premium resources,” Starling said.

The educator believes that technology is the great equalizer, when it comes to learning opportunities.

Technology helps children who come from impoverished families to have the same kind of experiences as those who come from affluent households, Starling said, noting that virtual reality and other technological tools can level the playing field.

Starling said she was delighted when she learned of her nomination, and “ecstatic and thrilled” when she found out she’d been selected.

“Reading the biographies of my peers that were also nominated, I was actually blown away by the people that are there,” Starling said. “I cannot wait to make some neat connections and share some interesting ideas, and I’m sure that I will be learning a lot, hearing a lot, and hopefully, I’ll be able to contribute, too.”

In her current district position, she works will all of Pasco schools, but more heavily with the Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School in Land O’ Lakes; the Centennial Middle School STEM Magnet School in Dade City; and, the Bayonet Point Middle STEM Magnet School in New Port Richey.

This student is getting a virtual reality experience on a school bus that the Pasco County school district has converted into a mobile aviation lab. (Courtesy of Bobbi Starling)

Starling also noted that the district has nine elementary schools that have aviation equipment. They are the elementary schools in the feeder patterns for Zephyrhills, Sunlake and Hudson high schools, which each have aviation and aeronautics academies.

But Terry Anchman, the director of career and technical education, came up with the idea of converting a school bus into a mobile Aviation STEM Lab, Starling said.

That way, fifth-graders from other district schools can get their hands on equipment such as flight simulators, 3D printing, virtual reality and drones, the educator said.

“I developed a curriculum for that. So, all of those students get a little bit of a taste for aviation and aeronautics,” Starling said.

She hopes that exposure will spark an interest in students, who can then consider attending one of the district’s magnet middle schools, which offers the curriculum.

She also hopes that parents will become more aware of the district’s educational options.

Taylor, herself a former classroom teacher, is confident that Starling will make a difference in the PBS program, just as she has as a classroom teacher.

“She’s just one of the best teachers I’ve ever been associated with,” Taylor said.

“She’s just what education ought to be,” Taylor added. “If all of our teachers could be Bobbi Starling, it would be a whole new world.”

Published April 11, 2018

Chalk Talk 04/11/2018

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(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Saint Leo aims to make a difference
Saint Leo University is focused on helping others and saving the planet – one plastic cap at a time. The school recently collected and shipped about 15,000 pounds of bottle caps for recycling, for the Caps of Love program.

The proceeds from the effort are used to purchase new and refurbished wheelchairs for children with mobility issues.

Students, faculty and staff were joined by local organizations, schools and businesses in the collection of plastic lids. The tops from bottles of soft drinks, laundry soap, shampoo, prescriptions, peanut butter jars, yogurt cups and more were among the boxes loaded onto a truck and shipped to Commercial Recycling in Tampa.

The Caps of Love organization, which will change its name to Chariots of Love, has presented 79 wheelchairs to children over the years.

Books by the Beach
Students from both River Ridge High School New Teacher Academy and Hudson Elementary School will take part in a “Books by the Beach” scavenger hunt and walk on April 13.

The walk to Hudson Beach and back, for a philanthropy project, will start at the Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando office and include multiple book breaks to collect books on the way to the beach. Each stop will be an adventure.

Along the walk, students will write questions about safety on the sidewalk, share signs to encourage students to read all summer, and create passport-type logs for the students to remember their stops.

Area groups, including Pasco Retired Educators, United Way Pasco, and On the Road for Safety, will join in the event to man the tables along the way.

Each Hudson Elementary student will leave with a backpack filled with summer reading materials.

Charter school information session
Union Park Charter Academy, set to open in August in Wesley Chapel, will have an information session April 17 at 6:30 p.m., at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

A team will walk through the plans for the academy and will answer questions.

The school will educate students in kindergarten through eighth grade, and will have only students in kindergarten through sixth grade for the 2018-2019 academic year.

For information, visit UnionParkAcademy.org.

Student art exhibit
Pasco-Hernando State College’s Rao Musunuru, M.D. Art Gallery will exhibit “A Student Showcase” April 18 to May 16, at its West Campus in New Port Richey.

The annual event highlights diverse talent achieved without influence from staff or faculty. Visitors can experience completed works of photography, drawing and mixed media, from past and present art students.

There will be an opening reception sponsored by the PHSC Student Government Association April 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the gallery.

For information, call (727) 816-3231, or visit PHSC.edu.

Teacher of the Year nominations
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is accepting nominations for his annual Teacher of the Year awards, to honor the outstanding educators of Florida’s 12th District.

Teachers and educators from all schools, and all grades, in District 12, are eligible.

Nominations should be emailed to , and include the name, school and contact information of the nominee.

The deadline is April 27.

An awards ceremony will take place in May.

Scholarship opportunity
Saint Leo University is offering an academic scholarship opportunity for students who are intent on starting an MBA program this summer, have the undergraduate grades to prove they can do serious work, and the commitment and discipline to study online all the way through to degree completion.

For those who qualify and apply by April 20 for admission to the summer semester starting April 30, the MBA tuition per credit hour will be reduced.

The per-credit scholarship represents a savings of $6,000 throughout the course of the 36-credit-hour program.

For information about the scholarship, visit SaintLeo.edu/mba-online-scholarship-form.

For additional details, email , or call (800) 707-8846.

 

Land O’ Lakes band trip to states a long time coming

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It’s been over a decade since the Land O’ Lakes High School band performed at states.

That wait is over.

The school’s symphonic band will join more than 40 other Florida high schools on April 23 at the State North High School Concert Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) at Flagler Palm Coast High School, in Palm Coast.

Mitchell High School is the only other public school in Pasco County performing at the meet.

The Land O’ Lakes High School band will perform at the state meet for the first time since 1994. The school’s symphonic band will join more than 40 other Florida high schools on April 23 at the State North High School Concert Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) at Flagler Palm Coast High School, in Palm Coast. (Courtesy of Johnathon Mulder)

Land O’ Lakes qualified for the state competition after earning straight superior ratings—the highest mark possible — at a district MPA meet in early March at Hernando High School.

The program has met state performance requirements for the meet in previous years, but hasn’t made the trip in 14 years, for a variety of reasons.

First-year Land O’ Lakes band director Johnathon Mulder said one of his main objectives heading into the school year was to take the band to states, if the ensemble qualified.

“This is a big deal to the program because they haven’t gone to the tournament in a really long time,” said Mulder, who previously served as a band teacher for six years at Lakeland’s Kathleen Middle School.

The Land O’ Lakes band consists of more than 70 students, including 19 seniors.

With such a large group, the school district’s fine arts program coordinator, Tom Viking recently helped offset the cost for a second school bus so each student could make the three-hour trip to Palm Coast.

But, the band director also wants to provide meals for each student for the daylong affair. He has set a fundraising goal of $1,100 by April 13.

Band students also have been given sponsorship sheets to raise money.

“We’re just looking for the community to kind of rally behind us and support us, and help those families that can’t fully afford meals,” Mulder said.

At the state competition, Land O’ Lakes will play three prepared pieces before a panel of judges made up of college professors and retired music directors.

With it being the band’s first trip to state since 2004, Mulder has set reasonable expectations, hoping students relish the experience and just try their best.

“While it would be wonderful to go and get straight superiors again at the state level, this is a new experience for all of us,” Mulder said. “For us, what’s going to be successful is going there, preparing the best we can, and putting on the best performance possible. If that results in straight superiors, awesome. And, if it doesn’t, then you know what…I just hope we walk off the stage happy with what we did.”

Besides reaching states, the band performed well throughout the year at events like Lion’s Pride Festival at King High School and Festival of Winds at the University of South Florida, Mulder said.

Individual students were named to all-state and all-county teams, too.

Mulder credited the students’ hard work and dedication, and faith in him as a bandleader, as some reasons for success.

“They blow my mind a lot,” the teacher said. “Since Day One, I’ve kind of had it in my head that this is one of those bands in Pasco County that should be phenomenal.”

Senior band captain Jacob Barber is excited for the group to be making its first trip to states.

“As seniors, the fact we get to go to state MPA is a pretty big deal; it feels pretty good,” said Barber, who has had three different band directors in four years.

“I feel like there’s been a lot more growth this year than there has been in previous years… so I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Junior saxophone leader Josh Mellin said, “It’s humbling because we haven’t been to a prestigious thing like this in a while.

“Mr. Mulder this year has introduced a lot of new opportunities to us to take as musicians,” added Mellin, whose father is Ric Mellin, principal at Land O’ Lakes High.

“The experience for this year has been unlike my freshman or sophomore year. I’ve had a lot more fun. I’ve seen a lot of people grow, and I hope that (Mulder) stays here for a long time,” he added.

For questions and to donate to the band trip, email .

Anonymous donations also can be mailed to the school, at 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, 34638.

Published April 5, 2018

Chalk Talk 04/04/2018

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(Courtesy of Leanne Starnes Ring Fuller)

Students move on to national competition
Land O’ Lakes Christian School’s high-school students participated in the Sunshine State Association of Christian Schools state fine arts competition in the categories of the Bible, art, music, academics and speech. There were 146 different entries, and Land O’ Lakes Christian placed first, second or third in 57 of those entries. The students pictured will be competing at the National Fine Arts Competition in Greenville, South Carolina. There will be a presentation of a selection of the winning entries and an art show April 20 at the school.

Proposed fee adjustment
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees will consider approving a proposed adjusted course-related fee at its meeting on April 17 at 6 p.m., at the West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for board consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs.

In this case, one course adjustment will be reviewed: a reduction of fees for Adult Nursing Clinical I for paramedic students from $34 to $0.

For information about proposed fee adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation dates, visit Policies.PHSC.edu.

Scholarship opportunity
Saint Leo University is offering an academic scholarship opportunity for students who are intent on starting an MBA program this summer, have the undergraduate grades to prove they can do serious work, and the commitment and discipline to study online all the way through to degree completion.

For those who qualify and apply by April 20 for admission to the summer semester starting April 30, the MBA tuition per credit hour will be reduced.

The per-credit scholarship represents a savings of $6,000 throughout the course of the 36-credit-hour program.

For information about the scholarship, visit SaintLeo.edu/mba-online-scholarship-form.

For additional details, email , or call (800) 707-8846.

Lutz Elementary gets extra help
Members from the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club worked at the Lutz Elementary Annual Olden Days Celebration.

Each year, the women have registered attendees and assisted the students with numerous crafting projects at the event.

Lutz Elementary is just one of the local schools that the woman’s club supports in various ways.

For information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

Leadership seminar
Registration is open until May 31 for the 2018 Florida Student-Athlete Leadership Seminar, which is slated for Aug. 1 at West Port High School in Ocala.

The event will include keynote addresses, breakout sessions, a student-athlete panel, and presentations in competition, leadership, social media and other topics.

The first session will begin at 8 a.m., and the seminar will last until 2:45 p.m.

All registrations take place through GoFan, FHSAA’s digital ticketing provider.

The cost is $30 per student, and includes a shirt, lunch and a commemorative gift.

The seminar is open to the first 100 student applicants.

Schools may register students at tinyurl.com/y82b42yr.

For information, visit tinyurl.com/yc4tgrvx.

Clean Tech Competition
The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) announced the launch of the 2018 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Clean Tech Competition, a worldwide research and design challenge for pre-college youth.

The competition encourages scientific understanding of real-world issues and the integration of environmentally responsible energy use. It also is designed to foster a deeper understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related concepts, recognize outstanding talent, and prepare the next generation of globally competitive innovators.

This year’s theme is “Solving Climate Change.”

Teams are challenged to identify and analyze specific problems associated with climate change in detail before designing a clean technology solution to mitigate the negative impacts, help reduce the carbon footprint, and create a solution for overcoming the challenge they identified.

Free applications are currently being accepted by CSTL from high schools representing teams of one to three students between the ages of 15 and 18, from the United States and abroad.

The final competition will take place July 12 at Stony Brook University in New York.

Monetary prizes will be awarded to a total of 10 finalists, with $10,000 to the winner, $7,000 to second place and $5,000 to third place.

For information, visit CleanTechCompetition.org, or call (516) 764-0045.

Chalk Talk 03/28/2018

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(Courtesy of Jennifer Craven)

Student-athletes are all-academic
Thirteen players of the Land O’ Lakes Lady Gators soccer team were awarded the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Academic Soccer Team at its year-end banquet. The award defines the title of student-athlete, with ‘student’ coming first. To earn the honor, a player must have a cumulative 3.5 GPA and have started in at least half of the games during the season. Back row from left: Kylie Denney (freshman), Morghan Craven (senior), RaeAnna Casler (junior), Avery Wild (sophomore), Emma Skantze (senior), Haley Terwilliger (senior), Kelly Hutson (senior) and Nisa Cahoon (sophomore). Front row from left: Taylor Denney (freshman), Brooke Hannigan (senior), Ashley Doers (sophomore) and Macie Harlan (senior). Roxy Miltenberger (senior) is not pictured.

Job Shadowing Day
Gulf Middle School student council members from seventh and eighth grade will participate in a Job Shadowing Day with city officials on March 29.

The students will work alongside various New Port Richey city leaders, including the city manager, and those from police and fire administration, to learn the ins and outs of local government service.

There will also be a luncheon where the council members can discuss what they learn.

For information, call Liz Kuhns at (727) 774-8018.

Campus open houses
Pasco-Hernando State College will host open houses at each of its five campuses. High school seniors and prospective students seeking higher education opportunities can attend.

  • April 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at North Campus, Building A, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Brooksville
  • April 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City, in A240
  • April 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel, Conference Center, B303
  • April 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey, Conference Center, R151
  • April 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Spring Hill Campus, 450 Beverly Court, Conference Center, B105

Participants can learn about certificate, associate and bachelor degree programs, as well as financial aid, scholarships and opportunities for involvement with more than 50 student clubs and organizations.

There will be campus tours.

For information, visit PHSC.edu/open-house.

Free prom dresses
The Belle of the Ball Project will once again offer free prom dresses to in-need high school girls April 7 and April 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1210 Holt Ave., in Clearwater.

Dresses will be available for prom, homecoming and military balls.

No appointment is needed.

Donations of dresses and accessories can also be made at the boutique.

For information, call (727) 386-4502, or visit BelleOfTheBallProject.com.

Saint Leo continues to offer aid
Saint Leo University again will offer assistance for college students in Puerto Rico who have had their education affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Saint Leo first offered assistance for the Spring semester.

For the Fall semester, starting in August, Saint Leo will provide these students with free room and board, as well as a discounted tuition rate.

While the students will be responsible for the cost of books, the school will waive the student fees to further aid in their ability to continue their educations.

Federal financial aid and other private scholarships may be used to help pay the discounted tuition rate.

For information, contact the Office of Admissions at , (352) 588-8283 or (800) 334-5532.

Foundation receives $10,000 gift
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation received a $10,000 gift in honor of the 75th birthday of Norman J. Pingley, the first intramural athletic director at PHSC.

The gift, donated by the family of Norman and Gretchen Pingley, established a new endowment scholarship fund, which will be available to graduates of Hernando High School who are pursuing a degree in a health and wellness field and/or are members of the PHSC athletic team.

Norman Pingley was an admission specialist at PHSC for nearly 30 years. He taught in the physical education department, started the intramural athletic program, and coached the North Campus basketball team and the first women’s softball team.

He retired from PHSC in 2005.

Wiregrass Ranch students join national walkout

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Students across the nation walked out of classrooms on March 14, in a protest against gun violence and a call for greater action by Congress to keep students safe.

In some cities, protests were marked by students leaving their school campuses, carrying signs and chanting for greater legislative action regulating the sale of guns, particularly assault-style rifles, such as the one used to kill 17 people in a Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

A large contingent of Wiregrass Ranch High School students walked out of their classrooms on the morning of March 14, as part of a national walkout to protest gun violence and demand greater action by Congress to address the problem. (B.C. Manion)

During the walkout at Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, the mood was subdued.

A large contingent of students gathered in the school’s courtyard, observing a minute of silence for each of the 17 people killed at the high school in Parkland.

At Wiregrass Ranch High, before reading the names, 16-year-old Bella Adams, who had organized the walkout, read a statement.

She recalled how Wiregrass Ranch High students celebrated Valentine’s Day that day.

At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, however, she said, “a former student opened fire with an AR-15, which had been legally obtained, and killed 14 students and three teachers.

“More were injured, and all were terrified,” she said.

Students who were lucky enough to get home from school that day “went shaking and crying,” she said.

Adams said the walkout at Wiregrass Ranch was intended to honor those who had died and also to express “outrage at the relative inaction of our state and federal governments regarding gun control.

“This year alone, nearly 2,800 people have died due to gun violence or gun-related violence,” she said.

“This is not a partisan issue, nor is it something limited to adult discussion. Our schools are targets. Our lives are at risk. Nobody will stand up for us, the students of America. Nobody will speak for us, the children with long lives ahead of us. It now falls to us, the youth that are too often pushed aside and overlooked, to bring attention to gun control until our government finally acts. Starting today, we will be the change, and we will not stop until this purpose is fulfilled,” Adams said.

While Adams read the names of the victims, those in the courtyard remained silent.

Some, including Taylor Horvath and Marisa Paul, bowed their heads, signaling their respect for the victims of the shooting rampage.

Adams wasn’t the only one with a message that day.

Wiregrass Ranch High School students Taylor Horvath, left, and Marisa Paul, bow their heads as a sign of respect, as the 17 names are read, of the students and faculty members killed during the Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

A group of several male students stood near the school’s flagpole, where two of them held a sign that read: “Why punish the responsible gun owner for the government’s failure to act?”

In another part of the crowd, Zachary Bosch held a sign that said “Disarming us will not protect us.”

Bosch said he thinks schools could prevent tragedies, such as the one in Parkland, by arming their teachers.

“Give them the option to be armed,” Bosch said, while noting that those who are armed should be properly trained.

Wiregrass Ranch High sanctioned the walkout.

“I believe that students should have a voice to express their concerns, their opinions,” said Wiregrass Ranch High Principal Robyn White.

Brenda Hodson, a school volunteer at Lacoochee Elementary in Dade City, made the trek from East Pasco to attend the Wiregrass Ranch High walkout.

“I’m here to support the students,” Hodson said.

In the aftermath of the Parkland shootings, Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for Pasco County Schools, said the district has asked principals to be sure their buildings are as secure as possible, and asks everyone on school campuses to be vigilant.

“If you see something, say something,” Cobbe said.

Zachary Bosch held a sign expressing his belief that disarming people will not resolve the problem of gun violence. He thinks teachers should have the option of arming themselves, as long as they’re properly trained.

The district also is working with local law enforcement to comply with Senate Bill 7026, signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott. That calls for having a school resource officer in every school.

The district now has 37 school resource officers and will need 47 more to meet that requirement, Cobbe said.

She noted the state did not adequately fund the mandate, so that will mean “taking funds from other parts of our education budget, from classroom funds, other operating funds.

“Finding those qualified people and getting them trained in time to be in schools next year is going to be a huge challenge for the sheriff’s office,” Cobbe said.

Senate Bill 7026 also gave local school districts the option of arming nonteaching personnel, who meet training requirements.

Pasco County Schools won’t exercise that option, Cobbe said.

“We don’t plan to arm any of our staff,” she said.

After the Wiregrass Ranch High walkout, Adams said she was happy that it drew a big crowd.

“I was very glad that they maintained their silence, and that it was respectful and peaceful,” she said, despite the media presence, which had the potential of changing the tone of the gathering.

“There were some students who came out to protest our protest,” Adams said, but that didn’t bother her.

“I understand that other people have different views, and they are entitled to those views,” she said.

On the other hand, she said she’s been somewhat taken aback by some of the comments she’s read by adults that have been posted on social media.

“It’s interesting to see how many of them believe that us, teenagers, only participated in that event to skip class,” she said.

One comment she saw described protesting youths as being “liberal sheep.”

“The backlash of some people … is honestly inspiring me to do more,” Adams said. “It’s not a discussion limited to adults. This is affecting us as much as anyone else.”

She said she and other students from Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and Wharton high schools all plan to participate in the March for Our Lives event planned for March 24.

Marches are planned in different locations, including Washington D.C.

The Tampa Bay version includes a rally and march beginning at 10 a.m., at Kiley Garden, the elevated section of Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, in downtown Tampa.

Published March 21, 2018

Statewide trek aims to support child safety

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Lauren Book is on a journey to show children how to be safe and feel safe.

She is a survivor of child abuse by a live-in nanny. In 2001, at age 16, she made the decision to disclose what happened to her.

As a state senator, and founder of the nonprofit Lauren’s Kids, Book is an advocate for child safety and child abuse prevention.

State Sen. Lauren Book gave high-fives to students at San Antonio Elementary School when they joined her for the ‘Walk in My Shoes’ tour. (Courtesy of Lauren’s Kids)

Now in its eighth year, Book’s “Walk in My Shoes” tour takes her 1,500 miles from Key West to Tallahassee, with zigzags along the way to meet as many students as possible.

On March 13, she stopped at San Antonio Elementary School, outside Dade City, to teach a lesson about “Safer, Smarter Schools.”

Her traveling companion is a floppy-eared blue dog, named Buddy. He is a celebrity among kindergarteners and elementary school students who recognize him from a Safer, Smarter video.

Pasco County Schools adopted Book’s Safer, Smarter Schools’ curriculum several years ago. It is available free of charge to all Florida schools.

Buddy’s appearance – his first at San Antonio – got whoops, high-fives and hugs. He led the students on a walk around their campus as part of Book’s Florida trek in support of child safety.

Book greeted the students with the high energy of a kindergarten teacher, which is what she once was before founding her nonprofit in 2007.

She since has written a memoir, “It’s OK to Tell.” And, she recently published a children’s book, “Lauren’s Kingdom,” about a young girl who is abused by a babysitter, and turns to a friend for help.

Buddy, a floppy eared, blue dog, is a mascot for State Sen. Lauren Book’s campaign for child safety. Book also wrote a children’s book, Lauren’s Kingdom. (Kathy Steele)

“We’re so excited to be here,” said Book, who spent about 20 minutes each with three groups of kindergartners and first-graders.

She drew a stick figure of what they think a stranger looks like. Each time was the same.

He was a man with messy hair and clothes, and mean, angry eyes. He had a gun or knife, or even a crowbar.

But, when she asked them if she was a stranger, they told her no.

And, that was the first lesson on safety.

“Guess what? I’m a stranger,” Book said. “Strangers are just people we don’t know well.”

The rest of the lesson moved on to the “buddies” in a student’s safety triangle. They can be grownups at school or home, and they must be able to drive a car.

Safety was taught with broad strokes, covering a variety of issues.

There was never a mention of child abuse.

Instead, Book asked the children how they would feel if a friend knocked them down. The response would be to tell a buddy.

And, it was another lesson learned.

“If something makes you feel uncomfortable, you’re going to go to someone in your trusted circle,” Book tells them. “You get to decide if a touch is safe or unsafe.”

Lorynn Gutierrez, the school’s guidance counselor, said San Antonio adopted the program about four years ago.

“It’s a safety curriculum, but it also empowers kids to listen to their inner voice,” Gutierrez said.

On average, about four students a year at San Antonio discloses situations of child abuse, she said.

The curriculum is meant to establish a relationship with the children, school staff and parents, said Book. “It’s done in a fun and safe way,” she said.

And, she added, “It’s not a one-and-done road show. So, when they do feel unsafe, kids know who they’ll disclose to and can trust.”

At the end of each session, Book awarded each class with a small, plush toy Buddy. Each student will be able to take Buddy home, but they must write a safety story in a journal that they also take home.

“It’s very important that kids use their voices and advocate for themselves,” Book said.

For information, visit LaurensKids.org.

Chalk Talk 03/21/2018

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Saint Leo names new military director
Saint Leo University has named Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Fanny Wright as its director of Military Affairs and Services.

Fanny Wright

Wright served 20 years on active duty in the Air Force in fields such as client systems support, information management, and knowledge/cyber operations; and has had positions as a professional military education instructor and executive administrative assistant.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Park University and is working on a Master of Arts in communication and leadership.

Wright also has an associate degree in information system technology and an associate degree in instruction of technology and military science, both from the Community College of Air Force.

 

Student vigil
Students and staff at Crews Lake Middle School in Spring Hill hosted a vigil March 14 to stand against school violence and honor the lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Students discussed why such events are needed to protest school violence, had a moment of silence, sang the song “Lean on Me,” and gave closing remarks.

Students were encouraged to wear orange to represent gun safety.

Crews Lake also is collecting donations for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School GoFundMe page at GoFundMe.com/cause/stoneman-douglas.

For information, call (727) 246-1600.

Trustees appointed by governor
Gov. Rick Scott announced the reappointment of Dr. Rao Musunuru, and the appointments of John Mitten, Raymond Gadd Jr., and David Garcia to the Pasco-Hernando State College District Board of Trustees.

Dr. Musunuru is the current chair and has been a member of the board since 1999. He is a practicing board-certified cardiologist affiliated with Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Pasco County since 1981, and serves as a member of its board.

Mitten has been the owner of Chik-fil-A of Hernando County since 2003. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University, and is a board member and past chair of The Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce; member of the board and past chair of United Way of Hernando County; and chair of Bible Basics International since 2002.

Gadd is deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools, and oversees administration, operations, teaching and learning, and student support services. Previously he served as president of CEO of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services. Gadd received his bachelor degree and master degree from the University of South Florida.

Garcia has been the lead pastor of Grace World Outreach Church in Brooksville since 1988. He is a missionary in New York City and Zimbabwe, Africa. Garcia received his bachelor degree from International Seminary, and his master degree and Doctor of Ministry from Life Christian University.

Scholarship applications
Hillsborough County Social Services has partnered with the Community Action Board to offer scholarships for up to $5,000 to eligible students who want to continue their education at an institution of higher learning.

Scholarship applications for the 2018-2019 school year will be accepted through March 30.

Recipients will be notified, in writing, prior to the start of the fall semester.

Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 24, and have a high school diploma or GED equivalent; reside in Hillsborough County; have a minimum GPA of 2.5; and, household income must fall within 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Additional criteria used to evaluate applicants will be community service and school involvement; application and letters of recommendation; academic record (transcript); essay response; and, panel interview participation.

Application materials and detailed instructions can be found at tinyurl.com/ybnr7fnd.

Fall VPK program
Primrose School at Collier Parkway, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’Lakes, will offer free summer and fall VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) programs for eligible families and their children.

Primrose has earned an accreditation with AdvancEd, a Balanced Learning curriculum, and enrichment programs for children to ready themselves for kindergarten.

Summer VPK will run Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 4 through Aug. 3.

There are various fall sessions to choose from, including classes that start Aug. 13 and Aug. 20.

For information, call Angella Hart, school director, at (813) 242-7800.

Honor society inductions
Nova Southeastern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has initiated Ariatna Gonzalez and Michelle Jackson, both of Lutz, into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most-selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

Membership is by invitation only, and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible to be members.

 

New school safety measures greeted by controversy

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In the aftermath of a Valentine’s Day shooting spree that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Gov. Rick Scott has signed into law new restrictions on firearms and increased funding for school safety and mental health care.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, also known as Senate Bill 7026:

  • Raises the minimum age for purchasing firearms from 18 to 21, with some exceptions detailed in the law
  • Requires a three-day waiting period for firearm purchases, with some exceptions
  • Bans the sale or possession of bump stocks, which allow a semiautomatic weapon to fire more like an automatic weapon
  • Gives law enforcement more authority to seize weapons and ammunition from those deemed mentally unfit, or who otherwise pose a threat
  • Creates the new Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program, named in memory of the assistant football coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who died protecting students from gunfire.
  • Includes $400 million to keep students safe and to enhance mental health treatment

The new gun regulations have drawn criticism for going too far and for not going far enough.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning (File)

The National Rifle Association announced on its Twitter account that it had “filed a lawsuit challenging Florida’s newly-enacted ban on the purchase of firearms by adults between the ages of 18-21.”

It characterized Florida’s action as “an affront” to the Second Amendment, and said it “totally eviscerates the Second Amendment ‘rights of law-abiding adults to keep and bear arms.’”

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said he’s glad the Legislature has begun to address school safety by funding some of the measures.

However, Browning added: “Although they are saying that we need to have a SRO (School Resource Officer) in every school, they did not give us the funding to accomplish that.

“So, once again, the school district is in a position to have a legislative mandate to do something, and yet we’re scrambling to find the dollars for it,” Browning said.

The district has SROs at its high schools and middle schools, but not at its elementary schools.

“Our hope was that they were going to take any Safe Schools dollars out of the rainy-day fund,” he said. “They did not do that.”

Browning said he and superintendents across the state are grappling with the state’s decision to establish the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program, which creates a new $67 million program for county sheriffs to train school personnel to neutralize an active school shooter.

Gov. Rick Scott

Most districts that he’s talked to have chosen not to pursue the program, which will put more guns on school campuses.

Browning said he would have preferred using those funds to help fund SROs, or for building modifications on campuses to improve school safety.

While critics attack the Florida Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott, national protests continue as well.

Students across the country are expected to take part in the National School Walkout on March 14. The event is supposed to last for 17 minutes — a minute for each life lost in the Parkland school shooting.

“I’m pretty confident, based on some conversations we’ve had with principals, that we will have some students who will do that,” Browning said

Browning said principals will make this “as educational as we possibly can, making the connection between public protest, civil disobedience and how that fits into our system of government.”

The National Walkout is planned for 10 a.m., but Browning said that principals have been working with students to minimize disruptions, and some of the walkouts may occur before or after school, or during lunch.

Published March 14, 2018

Chalk Talk 03/14/2018

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Sunlake High’s Grace Carter won first place overall with her recycling project, ‘In the Eyes of the Turtle.’ (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Students awarded for ‘going green’
Pasco County Schools’ Recycling Operations Department, and Pasco County Recycling and Education have named 13 “Art of Recycling” contest winners.

Grace Carter, Sunlake High School, placed first overall with her project entitled “In the Eyes of the Turtle.” Anna Scarone won second place with “Bee Green, Bee Pollution Free,” and Holly Denette placed third with “Bleached Life.” Both are from Ridgewood High.

The following students won special category awards:

  • Meagan Reiss, Sunlake High, Best Use of Materials for “Rainbow Fish”
  • Wesley Womack, Sunlake, Best Use of Plastic for “Waves of Plastic”
  • Sarah Wasley, J.W. Mitchell, Best Artist Expression for “Afghan Girl – Steve McCurry”
  • Alexys Armentrout, Wiregrass Ranch, Best Use of Aluminum for “We Can Save Our Birds”
  • Brittany Stumpf, Gulf High, Best Environmental Concept for “Turtle Trouble”
  • Felicitee Bly, Wiregrass Ranch, Most Innovative for “Worlds”
  • Kiersten Houck, Genesis Prep, Covanta Award for “Recycling is a Piece of Cake”
  • Faith Graves, Ridgewood, AOR Award for “Light the Way”
  • Hannah Farrell, J.W. Mitchell, People’s Choice Award for “Sisters in Solidarity”

The 13 winning pieces are on display inside the lobbies of Building 3 and Building 4 at the Pasco County Schools District Office Complex, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., through the end of March.

Students celebrate Catholic Schools Week
The students at Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School in Lutz celebrated Catholic Schools Week by taking part in a variety of enriching activities.

The “Serve Without a Cent” activity taught the students that kindness is priceless. Each student selected a kind act or deed to perform during the day, and learned that a simple smile can make a big difference.

The fifth-grade students headed up the “Penny Drive for Catholic Charities,” by placing penny jars in each class and managing the donations.

For information about the school, call (813) 933-4750, ext. 105.

Imagine School fundraiser
Imagine Land O’ Lakes Charter School will host the Imagine Marketplace Fundraiser Event on March 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Harvester United Methodist Church, 2432 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Local vendors and merchants will include hot air balloon rides, home, bakery, health and beauty, Tupperware, gourmet cookies, crochet items, and more.

The school’s eighth-grade students and their parents are hosting the event to help the students raise money to attend a school trip to Washington D.C.

For information, email Elisa Nieves at , Graciela Hernandez Ward at or Liska Garcia at .

Enrollment information
Pasco-Hernando State College will host information sessions for current and prospective dual-enrollment students and their parents.

  • March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd.
  • March 20 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., North Campus in Brooksville, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
  • March 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., East Campus in Dade City, 36727 Blanton Road
  • March 22 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Scholarships
The Rotary Club of Trinity is accepting applications for the organization’s Al Arzu Scholarship.

Applicants must be a high school senior, and reside in and attend school in Pasco County to be eligible.

Applications must be postmarked by March 31.

For information or to get a copy of the scholarship application, email Candace Glewen at .

Fall VPK program
Primrose School at Collier Parkway, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’Lakes, will offer free summer and fall VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) programs for eligible families and their children.

Primrose has earned an accreditation with AdvancEd, a Balanced Learning curriculum, and enrichment programs for children to ready themselves for kindergarten.

Summer VPK will run Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 4 through Aug. 3.

There are various fall sessions to choose from, including classes that start Aug. 13 and Aug. 20.

For information, call Angella Hart, school director, at (813) 242-7800.

Call for nominations
John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel is calling for nominations for the John Long Middle School Parents, Teacher, Students Association Executive Committee 2018-2019.

Positions available are president, treasurer and recording secretary.

Any persons willing and interested in serving should email .