SAT prep workshop
Pasco County will host an educational SAT Prep workshop on Jan. 17 through Feb. 7, every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Wesley Chapel District Park, for high-school age youth.
The program is limited to 25 students. The cost of the eight-session workshop is $350.
Register now or online at Secure.rec1.com/FL/pasco-county-fl/catalog.
For information and questions, call 813-345-3145.
Open house
Tampa Fine Arts Academy, 17886 U.S. 41 in Lutz, will host these upcoming events:
• Jan. 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Ribbon-cutting and Open House. Light refreshments will be provided.
• Jan. 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Open House and Lesson Giveaway. Participants can visit the school’s new location (there also is one in Wesley Chapel) and meet the teachers. There will be refreshments and kid-friendly activities, as well as prizes such as a free ukulele and lessons.
For information about either event, call 813-591-3004.
New course offered
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of South Florida will offer a new course entitled, “Imprisoned Without Trial: Japanese Internment in WWII,” presented by Denny Kato, starting on Jan. 26 and ending on Feb. 16.
There will be four classes each Thursday, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Unisen Senior Living, 12401 N. 22nd St., in Tampa.
The course will discuss the fear, hatred and racism toward the Chinese and Japanese that began in the mid-1800s, culminating with the incarceration of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent in designated camps throughout the country during WWII.
Thirteen members of Kato’s family were sent to those camps.
The cost of the course is $40 for OLLI members.
For more information, contact Denny Kato at or 727-215-5345.
Stick bridge competition
Saint Leo University’s Department of Natural Sciences will host its annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition on March 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in Selby Auditorium in Lewis Hall, at the campus at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.
Saint Leo University and Pasco County high school students are invited to design and build bridges to compete in the contest.
The winners will be selected in two categories: the strongest bridge that can hold the most weight and the most aesthetically pleasing bridge that receives the most votes from the audience.
Teams of one to three students may compete, and members should come up with a name for their bridge.
The goal of the contest is to build the strongest bridge using only Elmer’s glue and no more than 200 standard Popsicle sticks. Entries must bridge a 1.2-meter span as described in the contest rules.
Last year’s winner was “Bridge to the Starz” that held 66 pounds.
High school faculty who would like to enter their students, as well as interested students, may participate by emailing by Feb. 18, then pick up a kit, design a bridge build (test if you want to) and then join in the competition on March 9.
The public is invited to attend the event to watch the teams compete.
