The Laker/Lutz News

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Lutz News

Youth ministry uses puppets to spread gospel message

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The music is cranked and the kids are clapping, jumping and gliding around in a second-floor room in the education building at Van Dyke Church in Lutz.

The members of the 2013 Puppets for Christ touring team are, in front, kneeling from left, Madison Welch, Preston Keleher, Allison Tsay, Jessica Grimes, Alex Whittington. Standing in back, Sarah Brennan, Sandy Graves, Zoe Wallace, A.J. Collado, Cody Coates, Meaghan Heveran, Conner Berg, Jaelin Brigner, Becky Bonanno, Lindsey Proulx, Jordan Reineke, Sarah Lucker. (Courtesy of Sandy Graves)
The members of the 2013 Puppets for Christ touring team are, in front, kneeling from left, Madison Welch, Preston Keleher, Allison Tsay, Jessica Grimes, Alex Whittington. Standing in back, Sarah Brennan, Sandy Graves, Zoe Wallace, A.J. Collado, Cody Coates, Meaghan Heveran, Conner Berg, Jaelin Brigner, Becky Bonanno, Lindsey Proulx, Jordan Reineke, Sarah Lucker.
(Courtesy of Sandy Graves)

They are waving flags, raving poi balls and making dance moves, as they practice a routine for a future performance.

The middle and high school youths are part of a group called PfC, which stands for Puppets for Christ. If the name implies some kind of sedate puppet presentation laced with staid Bible lessons, think again.

This group has a groove on, and the kids are using music and props they created to help share a gospel message through performances that both they and their audiences enjoy.

Normally, they perform under black lights, wearing black costumes with mesh or cloth hoods that cover their faces. They use neon puppets, signs and other props to get across their message.

The ministry has won a fair number of awards at competitions, and recently was one of the ministries showcased at the 2014 Real Ideas Conference at Van Dyke Church, which attracted about 650 people from 177 churches to learn practical ways to enliven their churches.

At the recent practice, PfC volunteer director Becky Bonanno recalled that the ministry began about 15 years ago, with two little green puppets that came in a curriculum kit, when she used to teach children’s church.

She and her husband used the puppets in the ministry, and their son Nick later asked if he could put together a puppet team.

Initially, it was intended to just put on puppet shows at the church. But PfC kept growing and has evolved into an ongoing ministry that now has 21 members, from various middle schools and high schools.

Beyond performing locally, the group hits the road once a year on a tour, where they perform primarily at other churches in the Southeast, said Sandy Graves, the other co-director. They perform in such places as Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston and Jacksonville, but they’ve also been as far away as Chicago and Washington, D.C.

They also perform locally, generally for vacation Bible schools, inner-city ministries, children’s homes, domestic abuse shelters and other churches.

The troupe meets for an hour and a half weekly, gathering on Wednesday nights to work on routines and plan out future performances. Sometimes they have prop parties.

There’s a storage room at the church that is chock full of puppets of all shapes and sizes. There are huge elephant puppets and strap-on flamingo puppets. There are all sorts of neon signs and decorations.

“It’s so much fun,” Bonanno said, noting she had no idea the direction that PfC would take when it began.

There are stories of parents who did not come to church, but began attending after bringing their children to a puppet show, Bonanno said. There are stories of kids who were on the puppet team that wound up getting married when they became adults.

Many of PfC’s members are siblings of former members or were invited by friends to give it a try.

“My brother was in it, and I started watching it when I was in third grade,” said Cody Coates, 17, who was so eager to join he persuaded Bonanno to let him join in sixth grade.

“It’s a blast,” said the Steinbrenner High School student said. “This is the only thing I’ll cancel my friends for. I’ve missed birthday parties.

“I like that I can be a Christian while still having fun. You’re spreading God’s word,” Coates added.

If the audience hasn’t heard of them, they’re in for a surprise, he said.

“No one expects to see a fun, black-light puppet show,” Coates said.

Emily Keleher, another PfC member, was surprised the first time she saw a show.

“I thought it was going to be a little puppet show, and then I saw it,” the Martinez Middle School student said.

She enjoys performing, but she thinks the best part of being involved is hanging out with other members of the group.

Jerry Grimes, 13, who is new to the group this year, said he wanted to join after seeing a performance when he was young.

“I would come to these puppet shows, and I was like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s really fun.’ Now, I’m doing it,” said the Walker Middle Magnet School student.

He gets a kick out of watching children react. “It’s been very fun, just to see the smiles on kids.”

As they run through their routines at practice, the kids are clearly enjoying themselves. They seem to have an easy rapport with Bonanno and Graves.

As they talk about their upcoming tour, for instance, one kid tosses out an idea: “We could do a flash mob on the metro,” he said.

It’s an idea, Bonanno said, that’s worth considering.

Published April 2, 2014

Unfinished mansion finally demolished in Lutz

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In just a one-mile stretch of Crenshaw Lake Road, eight higher-end homes are under construction, a testament to the return of the housing market.

An 8,700-square-foot home on Crenshaw Lake Road in Lutz was never meant to be, apparently, as Hillsborough County-contracted work crews bring the structure down. It had been in a half-built state for six years, and had fines of more than $254,000. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
An 8,700-square-foot home on Crenshaw Lake Road in Lutz was never meant to be, apparently, as Hillsborough County-contracted work crews bring the structure down. It had been in a half-built state for six years, and had fines of more than $254,000.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

But one fossil from the housing boom-gone-bust had cast a shadow over this growing neighborhood for years. On Monday, the unfinished 8,700-square-foot home on an overgrown lot came crashing down — one of the largest single-family homes to ever be demolished by the Hillsborough County Code Enforcement department.

Construction for the three-story home at 3319 Crenshaw Lake Road began in 2008, but a construction permit for it expired in 2009, according to county officials. Construction itself likely stopped at around the same time, leaving concrete block walls, and wood, insulation and unfinished windows to simply rot under the Florida sun.

Country Squire Estate Custom Homes LLC bought the lakeside lot and two others like it in late 2006 for $756,000, according to county property records. It used a $605,000 mortgage from Capital City Bank to fund it.

Construction began in February 2008, but the first liens against the property started in May when Stock Building Supply said it was owed just under $4,000. Route 41 Manufacturing followed a month later with a $25,500 claim against the home.

Later, three other companies would file liens totaling $50,000 for the property, and construction would completely stop.

Code enforcement stepped to the plate in 2010 and found the home in violation of nuisance ordinances, and maintaining a construction site without permits. It’s been accruing daily fines since July 2010, which now total $254,000.

The land is still owned by Country Squire Estate, which is no longer in business, according to the Better Business Bureau. The company, which listed John Whitehead of Masaryktown and Kenneth Rosenbaum of Odessa as managers, became inactive last September, according to Florida’s Division of Corporations.

Selling the land will be tricky even beyond that, as the liens for construction and demolition would have to be cleared first. But once the county’s work is complete, the million-dollar-home that never was will be no more.

Published March 26, 2014

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Jo Van Bebber’s nurturing ways left an imprint on Lutz

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When people talk about Alice Joan “Jo” Van Bebber, they’re quick to mention her nurturing ways, her zest for life, her culinary skills, and the fact that she was the first person to win the honorary title of Lutz Guv’na.

Jo Van Bebber was a fixture at community events in Lutz, including this holiday event where she joins Marilyn Wannamaker, right. (Courtesy of Cheryl Benton)
Jo Van Bebber was a fixture at community events in Lutz, including this holiday event where she joins Marilyn Wannamaker, right.
(Courtesy of Cheryl Benton)

Van Bebber, who was laid to rest on March 8, spent decades of her life serving her community.

She was a vital member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, serving the organization as its president and in nearly other capacity, said Cheryl Benton, one of Van Bebber’s dear friends. She always made newcomers feel welcome, quickly taking them under her wing and teaching them the ins and outs of the club, other members said.

“I was a walk-in to the club,” Pat Serio said, noting she was attracted to the organization by its work to help survivors of spouse abuse.

Serio recalled that as soon as she arrived, Van Bebber greeted her and began introducing her around. By the end of the meeting, Van Bebber already had figured out how to put Serio’s talents to work to help the club and the community.

Beyond serving the local club, Van Bebber also was involved at the district, state, national and international levels.

When Van Bebber took ill, it was an “egregious blow” to the community, said Edwina Kraemer, another former woman’s club president and former Guv’na. Kraemer credited Van Bebber as being among a trio of women who recruited her to join the woman’s club.

“Jo was my mentor,” Kraemer said.

Van Bebber was vivacious and enjoyed entertaining, but she could be a stickler for details, club members said.

“She could be a general,” Kraemer said. “She knew parliamentary procedure, our bylaws and standing rules. She could quote the page and paragraph,” Kraemer said.

Besides her dedication to the woman’s club and to Lutz, Van Bebber was a devoted mother and grandmother, said Marilyn Wannamaker, another one of Van Bebber’s close friends. Van Bebber also was involved at the First United Methodist Church of Lutz.

Both women were widows and often dined together on the weekend, Wannamaker said. “To me, we lost a truly great lady.”

Van Bebber died March 5. Her husband Bill preceded her in death, and she is survived by three sons: Bill, Greg and Wynn, and a daughter Pam.

Van Bebber also is survived by nine grandchildren.

Published March 26, 2014

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Family feed business finds new home in Lutz

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When the Feed Depot was forced to leave its longtime home on Nebraska Avenue, the Keith family began the search for a new location.

Shayne Keith and the Feed Depot’s official bird, Jo Jo, are on hand to welcome customers to the business’s new location at 19002 First St. S.W., just off of North U.S. 41 in Lutz. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Shayne Keith and the Feed Depot’s official bird, Jo Jo, are on hand to welcome customers to the business’s new location at 19002 First St. S.W., just off of North U.S. 41 in Lutz.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

And when they settled on 19002 First St. S.W., near Lutz Lake Fern Road and North U.S. 41, it was the location, size and affordability that made it a good fit.

But it was really a color that first attracted their eye.

“We started looking, but didn’t get anything solid,” said Shayne Keith, whose mother Deborah owns the business. “Mom hopped in her Jeep, headed down this way and this was the first building she saw because it was painted barn red.”

The Feed Depot officially opened the doors of its new location March 1, but had its official grand opening last weekend.

The business, Keith said, has been in the family since the 1970s and was started by his paternal grandfather. About 12 years ago, his mother took over as owner.

The Feed Depot remained on Nebraska, but its landlord had been looking to sell its property for several years. And when a Walmart opened in the area, the land became attractive enough to finally sell.

Moving after such a long tenure in one location has required some important adjustments, Keith said. The business is acclimating to one-third less space — from approximately 6,000 square feet to around 4,000 — and is trying to get a feel for what Lutz customers want. Keith wants to make sure the business is able to meet their specific needs.

“We’re trying to shift our inventory to the likes of the area,” he said. Plus, just getting used to new working space after so much time at their previous address is a challenge in and of itself.

But the transition has been a smooth one in part thanks to the warm reception Keith and his store received and the friendly attitude of the locals they’ve encountered.

“The community around here is amazing. They’ve been so welcoming,” he said.

In addition to selling feed for agricultural animals, the business also sells traditional pet food, and even some animals, such as guinea pigs, rabbits and reptiles. They also plan to reinstate their bird business, for which they were widely known when they operated at the previous location.

And while the area is a perfect fit for the business with a strong community and low crime rate, Keith said the decision to move to Lutz was more of a gut feeling than the result of intense research. From the initial drive that spotted the red building to the final decision to move, there was a sense among the family that they had found the right place to continue their business.

“We had a good feeling about it. We looked other places and we didn’t really get a good feeling about anything,” he said. “But coming down (here), it just snapped on like a light bulb. We had to get this place, we talked to the landlord and it ended up being perfect. And the next thing you know we’re in here.”

Published March 26, 2014

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It’s time to clean up the Old Lutz School

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The Guv’na wants to see you in school on March 22.

The Old Lutz School, a Lutz staple for more than 80 years, needs volunteers for its spring cleaning March 22. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
The Old Lutz School, a Lutz staple for more than 80 years, needs volunteers for its spring cleaning March 22.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Suzin Carr holds the honorary title this year. And the school she’s talking about is the Old Lutz School, located at 18819 N. U.S. 41, which is in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

And on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., Carr is looking for volunteers who will donate some time to the school’s upkeep.

There’s plenty of work to do.

“That’s our spring cleanup day,” Carr said. “It’s dusting, it’s moving desks, it’s weeding. Any kind of work is available. So if people have an hour, or if they can stay the whole five hours, that’s great. But it’s really something that we do to get the schoolhouse back in shape.”

The Old Lutz School isn’t open very often. In fact, it had been dormant since December until the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club had its annual flea market there earlier this month. But Carr would like to see more events there and give people more of an opportunity to experience an important piece of Lutz history.

The Old Lutz School is actually the third school built in Lutz, back around 1929. It featured what were considered “modern” conveniences like indoor plumbing, and a water tower replaced the hand pump found in previous schoolhouses.

It was used as a school for nearly 50 years, and was listed in the National Register in 1996.

Citizens For the Old Lutz School Building is the group officially in charge of its maintenance and upkeep, and relies on area organizations to help with the normal duties required to keep it looking nice. But Carr said she’d like to see residents take part in the cleaning event as well, and help maintain a community treasure. “Typically it’s been the same core group of people who have done it year after year,” she said. “We’re trying to get more people to come out and take an interest, because it’s smack there in the middle of downtown Lutz, and we’d like people to know it’s there.”

Carr had a yoga event there during her run for Guv’na (she’s nearing the end of her time in office) and the Guv’na debate between the new crop of candidates will be there in May.

The spring cleaning is a good way for people who might drive by it regularly or just recognize it as an interesting building to help maintain a symbol of the area’s history, Carr said.

“It represents so many generations of kids and area residents who have gone through that school at one time or another as students,” she said. “It’s the heart of Lutz.”

Cleaning supplies and tools will be provided. Volunteers need only bring something to drink, and any amount of volunteer time is appreciated.

For information, call Carr at (813) 453-5256.

Published March 19, 2014

Local man offers spiritual help at Sochi Olympics

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The 2014 Olympics in Sochi may have been half a world away, but a chaplain from Lutz was there, offering spiritual support to athletes.

Scott Hamilton autographed a sign that Asif Shaikh held up at the ‘Today Show’ set at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Shaikh’s wife Leaha saw the sign on television. (Courtesy of Asif Shaikh)
Scott Hamilton autographed a sign that Asif Shaikh held up at the ‘Today Show’ set at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Shaikh’s wife Leaha saw the sign on television. (Courtesy of Asif Shaikh)

Asif Shaikh, who pronounces his name “Ah-sif Shake,” traveled more than 30 hours, with stops in Chicago, Dusselfdorf, Germany, and Moscow before flying over the opening ceremonies to land in Sochi.

But it wasn’t his first Olympic experience. He and his wife Leaha tended to the spiritual needs of athletes at the Olympic games in London in 2012 as well.

This time, however, Shaikh traveled alone to Sochi and said his ministry work there involved prayer and Bible studies with hockey players and speed skaters. One of the athletes he prayed with was Jessica Lutz, a hockey player who was born in the United States, but because her father was born in Switzerland, was able to play on the Swiss team.

Lutz — who pronounces her name the same way as the northern Hillsborough County community — already was familiar to Shaikh.

He and his wife met the hockey player during a summer program they worked at in Colorado in 2009. Shaikh’s wife was Lutz’s advisor.

As it turns out, Shaikh was able to watch Lutz’s Swiss team play against the American team in a contest where the Swiss were soundly defeated. But he also saw Switzerland defeat Sweden in the bronze medal game, where Lutz scored the winning goal.

The idea of interacting with world-class athletes is nothing new for Shaikh. Besides providing spiritual guidance in London, he also had daily chapel gatherings for athletes competing to be part of the American team during the 2012 U.S. Olympic track team trials in Eugene, Ore.

Before that, he was a chaplain to the U.S. soccer team at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and served in the same capacity at the track and field International Association of Athletics Federations World Championship in Daegu, South Korea and the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Because of those experiences, Shaikh is familiar with the types of security precautions taken at international events. Despite reports of potential security threats leading up to the games, Shaikh said he felt completely safe while there. He rated the quality of the security as “off the charts.”

“There was no issue. They were ready,” Shaikh said.

The hotels, however, were another matter. Although he stayed in a private home, Shaikh said media reports about some of the hotels not being ready were true.

The trains, on the other hand, were fantastic and they were beautiful, he said.

While he was able to pray with some athletes, Shaikh said the most important part of his trip this year was making connections for future Olympics. He got to know people involved with the U.S. Olympics Committee and with people within the Procter & Gamble Co., who sponsored the P&G Family Home in Sochi.

There the company offered moms, Olympians and their families a home away from home during the Olympics. It served as a place to hang out and be pampered, he said.

The USA House also served as a gathering place for members of the U.S. Olympics Committee, for Team USA, for corporate partners, sponsors, suppliers and licensees.

Shaikh hopes the connections he made during his time in Sochi will lay the groundwork for him to volunteer his spiritual help at the USA House, the P&G house or both during a future Olympics.

“I’m trying to get established. I think the next step would be, ‘How can I help, in the sense of volunteering my time,’” Shaikh said. “They don’t have any spiritual leaders. They don’t recognize that as something that’s important.”

The chaplain said he’s found that athletes often welcome spiritual support. Many of them travel to the competitions by themselves and some of them are facing personal crises, even as they prepare to compete on a world stage.

Besides praying with athletes in Sochi, Shaikh said he was lucky enough to get free tickets from Procter & Gamble for several events. He was able to watch American skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White win the gold medal in ice dancing. He also watched bobsled, ski jumping, speed skating, curling and the half-pipe.

While there, Shaikh also had his own fleeting taste of fame. On Valentine’s Day, he went down to the set for NBC’s “Today Show” onsite at the Olympics carrying a sign that Lutz had made for him to hold, wishing his wife a happy Valentine’s Day.

“Scott Hamilton signed an autograph on it and it was on TV,” Shaikh said. “Leaha saw it, so it was really neat.”

Torch arrives in Wesley Chapel for Special Olympics

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The Winter Games in Sochi have ended, but a different set of Olympic athletes are gearing up for opening ceremonies in Wesley Chapel this week.

There are many activities those who participate in Special Olympics can take part in every year, like bowling. Sam Whitacre, left, Stephanie Varnes and Andy Faulk from Wesley Chapel High School are among those students who compete at the lanes. (Photo courtesy of Bridget White)
There are many activities those who participate in Special Olympics can take part in every year, like bowling. Sam Whitacre, left, Stephanie Varnes and Andy Faulk from Wesley Chapel High School are among those students who compete at the lanes. (Photo courtesy of Bridget White)

Special Olympics competitors in a variety of sports are expected to participate in the Pasco County Summer Games on Friday at Wesley Chapel High School. The games are affiliated with Special Olympics Florida, the state’s chapter of Special Olympics Inc., which organizes athletic competitions for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Florida’s counties and regions host local games, with winners advancing to state, national or even international competitions.

Wesley Chapel will host athletes from Central and East Pasco County. West Pasco athletes will participate in games at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.

Wesley Chapel High is ready for the games to begin, said Bridget White, a special education teacher and one of the school’s coordinators for the Special Olympics.

“We feel very honored to host this type of event, and we just love that it keeps getting bigger and bigger every year,” she said. The school has hosted the Summer Games for at least the past four years, and it expects around 475 athletes to participate this year.

That’s a big jump from when the Special Olympics first started in Pasco County decades ago, according to county co-director Valerie Lundin. In 1975, the local Special Olympics had just 175 athletes.

Between the two locations for the Summer Games this year, more than 1,100 athletes are expected to participate, and total attendance at Wesley Chapel High alone could top 1,000 when factoring in family, volunteers and other spectators. The high school was chosen to host the games due to its ability to accommodate the crowds and the buses, which bring students in from different schools.

After the opening ceremonies, athletes will start competing in the different sports represented in the Summer Games: track and field, bocce, soccer skills, cycling and tennis. There also will be an Olympic Village, with games and activities for the athletes and their friends to enjoy while they wait to compete.

While event winners will earn ribbons, it’s not necessarily the end of the competition for any of the athletes, regardless of their finish. Each competitor in the county games is allowed to participate in the area games, which includes athletes from Pasco, Pinellas, Citrus, Sumter and Hernando counties. From there, only qualifiers will move on to state competition.

The Special Olympics always has a great turnout of volunteers and supporters to help the event succeed and cheer on the participants, White said. And for the athletes, it’s a chance for them to enjoy the spotlight and showcase their skills.

“It’s an opportunity for our kids with disabilities to have something that’s all about them and that’s catered to them,” she said. “So instead of going to their brothers and sisters’ events all the time, they get to come to their events and they get to be the superstar.”

While the Special Olympics is able to consistently promote awareness and celebrate the skills of their student-athletes, Lundin would like to see the organization attract more adult participants as well. Athletes of any age are welcome.

“I know there are a lot of adults in Pasco County who qualify but are not participating at this time, and we’d love to really focus on that population and getting them more involved,” she said.

The opening ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m., Friday at the school, located at 30651 Wells Road. The event is free and open to the public, with concessions available. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics.

For more information regarding the Summer Games or to inquire about participation, visit SpecialOlympicsFlorida.org, or call (352) 243-9536.

Published Feb. 26, 2014.

Why I write this column

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As regular readers of this paper know, I write an occasional column on topics that I hope you will relate to.

There have been columns about my children as they graduate from high school and college, fall in love and marry. Columns about brothers and sisters whose bonds grow stronger the older we get. Columns about dogs, why we love them and how hard it is to say goodbye.

I write these musing not to impart on you my personal history, but because I hope that sharing my stories give you a bridge to reflect on something similar in your life that allow my words to touch your heart.

While I mostly write about matters of the heart, at times I comment on my role as publisher of The Laker/Lutz News. Writing a column gives me a forum to congratulate and recognize my staff when they receive awards for writing and design, to thank employees for years of service, and to boast when our annual audit reports that our readership scores are better than the year before and top industry norms.

A few weeks back, I deviated from these themes and used my column to explain why we did not cover the shooting at Cobb Theatres/Grove 16 & CineBistro in Wesley Chapel — the story everyone was talking about in our community and across the country.

I wrote that it was not our role to regurgitate news that had been covered by other news outlets 24/7. I said there was little we could add to the discussion of what happened and why, that we all felt horrible that this shooting happened in our community, and because it did, it felt especially personal and haunting.

This column must have resonated with readers because I have received more feedback from it than I have any other column. People still stop me weeks later while I’m out to lunch and at chamber of commerce events to tell me how much they agreed with our decision not to add to the chatter.

And we even got some written response. One reader emailed a few days after the column published with this message:

“Put me down for agreeing with you to give limited coverage to the Cobb shooting.  You are entirely correct in stating everything that could be said has already been said.  While I don’t say that we should keep our heads in the sand regarding local ‘problems,’ I prefer to read basically all the good and local events happening in my backyard.”

This past week I received a handwritten note from a reader in Lutz.

“Please know how much it meant to our family that you and your staff elected not to run a story on the horrible tragedy that occurred at the Cobb theater. On behalf of our family, who has also been greatly impacted by this tragedy, we thank you. It is not only the Oulson family that is suffering; many families were impacted by this. I just appreciate the fact that you all let other stories take the place of this incident.”

Just as I try to touch readers’ hearts with my column, you touched my heart that you care so much about how we cover (and apparently don’t cover) the news to reach out to me with personal notes and comments.

It gives me confidence about the direction we take with our news coverage. Some days I wonder if our focus on mostly positive stories about people in our community who do amazing things pursuing their hobbies and helping their neighbors is really what you want to read.

Some days I wonder if we’re disappointing you by not reporting more on fatal traffic accidents and who was arrested over the weekend. But then I write a column like the one on the Cobb shooting, and I only hear positive comments.  And I check out our news rack at the Publix close to my home on Saturday morning and see that the 200 papers we dropped there Wednesday are all gone.

And I feel good and confident that we are doing a lot of things right, and that you value and appreciate what we do.

Published Feb. 26, 2014.

School district uses surveys to gauge progress

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Superintendent Kurt Browning plans to use annual surveys by the Gallup organization to help gauge the progress of Pasco County Schools.

The district’s school board in February heard a review of the Gallup Student Poll and the employee engagement survey findings in February, and according to the Gallup report, the district’s results were in the same ballpark as national findings.

Since the surveys had not been taken before, they will serve as a baseline.

Browning said he expects next year’s results to be interesting, because the district will be using the same survey tools. But even this year’s results are helpful, Browning said. They help the district to see, “Where are we doing well? Where are we not doing so well?”

It’s important to have an outside party take an objective look at the district, using statistically valid survey tools, Browning said.

School board member Joanne Hurley agrees. She said the surveys can help the district address areas needing improvement with the goal of helping students perform better academically and be better prepared for life beyond school.

Gallup is an internationally respected company, Browning said. The district’s contract with the company runs through September. The cost of the student and school-based surveys and analyses was $125,000. The district spent $19,000 more on a district office staff survey.

Browning anticipates an extension of the district’s contract with Gallup, but those details have not yet been worked out.

Gallup’s student poll measures indicators of future success, the superintendent said.

“I keep saying that we’re concerned about the success of our kids not only through high school, but after high school,” Browning said.

The Gallup Student Poll is a 20-question survey that measures the hope, engagement, and well-being of students in grades five through 12. Gallup defines hope as ideas and energy for the future; engagement as involvement with and enthusiasm for school; and well-being as how people think about and experience their lives.

The survey company said hope, engagement and well-being can be measured and are linked to student achievement, retention and future employment.

The Gallup Student Poll was conducted online in Pasco County Schools during the school day from Oct. 15 through Oct 31, with 31,740 students completing the survey.

District students’ results showed scores of 52 percent in the hope category; 53 percent in engagement; and 63 percent in well-being.

That compares to average results nationwide of 54 percent for hope; 55 for engagement; and, 66 percent for well-being.

“When you look at district overall results (for students), they look very similar to U.S. overall data,” Tim Hodges, director of research for Gallup, told school board members, according to a district release.

The staff survey measures factors that are critical to creating an environment that serves students, said assistant superintendent Amelia Larson.

The employee engagement survey measured attitudes that correspond with the most successful work places, based on more than four decades of research by Gallup.

The survey measured employee engagement, which Gallup defines as involvement with and enthusiasm for work.

Gallup used a 12-question employee survey to measure employee engagement.

The research company says an employee’s level of engagement links to employee retention, parent engagement, student retention, student achievement and other outcomes.

The employee engagement survey was conducted online in Pasco County Schools, from Nov. 15 through Nov. 22 and also Jan. 13 through Jan. 17 of this year, with 3,896 employees taking part. That represents a 79 percent response rate.

The results show that 26 percent of the school district’s employees are engaged in their jobs, compared to 30 percent of U.S. workers. Fifty-three district employees are not engaged, compared to 52 percent of workers nationally; and 21 percent of district employees are actively disengaged, compared to 18 percent of U.S. workers.

Looking only at district-level staff, 33 percent are engaged; 56 percent are not engaged and 11 percent are disengaged.

During the school board workshop, Hodges told the board, “to look at the rest of the U.S. working population, this is what we tend to see as a starting point.”

“This is a valuable tool for our administration,” Hurley said. “I think there is just a treasure trove of information contained within the Gallup results.”

School board member Steve Luikart agreed that the survey will be useful.

“Any feedback is always good. I do congratulate them on doing that,” he said. “I know it’s going to be used to get the temperature in different areas – how people feel and what people think.”

Teachers are facing huge challenges, Larson said.

“We want to keep track of student engagement,” Larson said. “We really are facing a crisis in education. Now, kids have every type of information available to them 24/7. The kids are not willing to wait (for instruction), so the teachers cannot wait” to deliver it, she said.

The district already has made some leadership changes at places such as Connerton Elementary and Sunlake High schools, which apparently are making a difference, Larson said.

New River Elementary School also is on an upswing, she said.

“That is like a well-oiled machine,” Larson said. “It scored a 65 percent engagement rating. You can really tell when you walk in there.”

Strategies that are being used at schools with high engagement ratings may be shared with schools that do not fare as well, Larson said. There also may be some coaching to help schools perform better, she said.

Published Feb. 26, 2014.

Landmark theater turns to Internet for help

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A few years after moving to Lutz, Wayne and Cindy Valenti decided to start a business on North Dale Mabry Highway. The concept of a movie theater with nightclub-style seating serving a wide variety of food and alcohol sounded like one with potential, and offered a change of pace from traditional movie-going.

They named it Tampa Pitcher Show.

Wayne Valenti of Lutz, who opened the Tampa Pitcher Show in 1982, loads up the film projector that has served his North Dale Mabry Highway business since the beginning. He is now raising money to replace it with a digital projector — an upgrade that could cost $60,000.
Wayne Valenti of Lutz, who opened the Tampa Pitcher Show in 1982, loads up the film projector that has served his North Dale Mabry Highway business since the beginning. He is now raising money to replace it with a digital projector — an upgrade that could cost $60,000.

That was back in 1982. More than three decades years later, some things haven’t changed much.

“We’ve lived in the same place and worked in the same place for over 30 years,” Wayne Valenti said with a laugh.

Unfortunately, the business climate for Tampa Pitcher Show is no laughing matter. Entertainment competition and technology have made success more difficult, and the venue is now in danger of closing. The 220-seat theater that used to have frequent sellouts looks empty many nights, and getting prints for their 35mm projector (the same one they opened with) is getting more and more difficult. Some movies, like last year’s “Gravity,” aren’t released on 35mm film at all. It was a digital-only release, and Tampa Pitcher Show isn’t equipped to show movies in that format.

To turn things around, the business has turned to the Internet for help. A Kickstarter program has been launched in order to raise $30,000 — roughly half the cost of the digital upgrade. Kickstarter is a crowdsourcing platform where someone can pitch an idea, and convince everyday people to pledge donations for that idea from their computer or cell phone. The amounts can be as little as $1 and go up to several thousand dollars.

Kickstarter launched in 2009, practically redefining how ideas can be financed. Those who contribute money, however, are considered donors and not investors. That’s because they don’t actually get any ownership or product in return for that pledge, except incentives offered by the group looking for pledges based on how much is contributed.

Valenti is offering incentives to those who contribute to the Tampa Picture Show Kickstarter. They range from a movie ticket and website recognition for a $10 contribution, up to a private movie screening for 75 people with a $2,000 donation — with food and soft drinks included.

“We need to let people know that they’re not just donating. They’re getting something for their money,” Valenti said.

One person has already taken them up on the private movie screening. Tom Mitchell, also a small business owner with a location not far from Tampa Pitcher Show, wanted to demonstrate his support of the Valentis, especially since he is a longtime patron and fan of the theater.

“It’s a great theater,” Mitchell said. “We’ve enjoyed going there for a long time.”

He finds the ticket prices to be cheaper than a traditional multiplex, with a wide variety of food and drink available, and the opportunity to support a local business. He plans to treat some of his employees at Actsoft to a movie with the perk he earned for the donation.

While Tampa Pitcher Show has raised more than $5,000 so far, the theater might not see a penny of it. If a project doesn’t meet its fundraising goal in the specified time — in this case, by Feb. 1 — all donations are returned and the company gets no money.

While they hope to meet that goal, Valenti said he can’t afford to wait for it, either. Tampa Picture Show already is beginning the digital upgrade process, with the understanding that the equipment will have to be returned if they don’t have the money to pay it off.

Installing the system will allow customers to enjoy better picture and sound, and have access to movies that aren’t distributed in the old format. But failing to make the digital conversion permanent would be devastating to a business that’s already struggling to keep up with the times, and make it harder for the Valentis to keep the small business they’ve had for more than three decades.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed,” Valenti said. “We need it to work.”

Tampa Pitcher Show is located at 14416 N. Dale Mabry Highway. For more information about the company’s Kickstarter project, visit SaveTampaPitcherShow.com.