Students receive citizen honors
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has awarded its December Citizens of the Month. Students are chosen by teachers and administration of their schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. Students receiving the recognition were: Griffin Buchanan, The Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Cody Ramsey, The Broach School; Riley Flanary, Chester Taylor Elementary School; Ethan Joseph, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Isaiah Denison, Heritage Academy; Tatiana Torres-Marquez, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School; Elizabeth Light, West Zephyrhills Elementary School; Lanaiya Vega, Woodland Elementary School; and Peyton Lebron, Zephyrhills High School.
Student achievements
- Jonathan K. Doyon, of Lutz, graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Doctor of Philosophy
- Erin Louise Hale, of Lutz, was named to the fall Dean’s List at Missouri Valley College, in the studies of criminal justice
- Adriana Matallana, of Lutz, received a Master of Arts from the Office of Graduate Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Alwina Mohammadali, of Lutz, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee
- Summer Renee Solovitch, of Dade City, was named to the fall Dean’s List at Missouri Valley College, in the studies of exercise science
Fine arts grant recipients
The First National Bank of Pasco and the Pasco County School Board announced the first fine arts grant recipients as a result of a public-private collaboration between the board and the bank, in a program called ArtsFirst.
The ArtsFirst grant applications were submitted by Pasco fine arts teachers, and awarded by FNBP based upon the grant’s likelihood of improving student achievement and opportunity.
The schools that received ArtsFirst grants in the first quarter include Centennial Elementary, Countryside Montessori, Odessa Elementary, San Antonio Elementary and Thomas Weightman Middle School.
The ArtsFirst initiative will assist fine arts classroom teachers with much-needed supplies, training and tools to help ensure a successful fine arts experience for students.
Recipients can use the grant to purchase anything from instruments to technology to art supplies.
Donald Scott, band director for Thomas Weightman Middle School, will use grant dollars to purchase a new instrument, as well as bolster the jazz band.
Employee of the Year
Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning announced that Mike Witfoth, maintenance area specialist, is the Pasco County Schools Non-Instructional Non-Bargaining (NNB) Employee of the Year.
Witfoth was recognized with 20 of his Maintenance Services Department colleagues for volunteering to spend a week in Bay County helping Bay District Schools recover from Hurricane Michael. The group was recognized with the Superintendent’s Teamwork Award.
Witfoth has lived in Pasco County all his life and graduated from River Ridge High School.
After graduation, he started his 17-year career with Pasco County Schools as a maintenance assistant at the Northwest Bus Garage.
He then went on to work in maintenance, learning the trades of fencing, flooring and welding.
After earning his certification as a master custodian, he was hired as assistant plant manager at Pine View Elementary School.
A year later, Witfoth was promoted to plant manager and helped open Connor Elementary.
Six years later, within the Maintenance Services Department, he was promoted to his current position of custodial area specialist.
He oversees 25 elementary school plant managers.
Witfoth will be honored with other employees of the year at a dinner in February.
The district also will nominate him for Florida NNB of the Year.
Best college cities
The personal finance website, WalletHub, released its report on 2019’s Best & Worst College Towns & Cities in America.
To help college-bound high school seniors determine their future home for the next several years, WalletHub compared more than 400 U.S. cities, also group by city size, based on 30 key indicators of academic, social and economic growth potential.
The data set ranges from cost of living to quality of higher education to crime rate.
According to the reports, the top five Best Large College Cities are: No. 1-Austin, Texas; No. 2- Tampa; No. 3-Las Vegas, Nevada; No. 4-Seattle, Washington; and No. 5-Los Angeles, California.
The top five Best Midsize College Cities are: No. 1-Orlando; No. 2-Scottsdale, Arizona; No. 3-Gainesville; No. 4-Salt Lake City, Utah; and No. 5-Madison, Wisconsin.
Florida was not listed in the top 10 for Best Small College Cities.
To view a full report of the top 10, visit WalletHub.com/edu.
