Student citizens honored
Ten students from across the community where honored as The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Students of the Month. Students are chosen by the teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. These students received recognition: Caleb Lare, The Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Alexander Vaughn, The Broach School; Jasen White, Chester Taylor Elementary School; Julian Martinez, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Grace Murphy, Heritage Academy; Angel Wansor, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School; Ansh Patel, West Zephyrhills Elementary School; Mackenzie Selvaggio, Woodland Elementary School; Tayler Stanley, Zephyrhills Christian Academy; and, Austin Linville, Zephyrhills High School.
Cyber crime & safety
The Rushe Middle School PTSA will host a Cyber Crime/Cyber Safety parent information night on March 5 at 6:30 p.m., in the cafeteria, 18654 Mentmore Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.
The guest speaker will be Deputy Bryan Banner, from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, presenting tips and apps to keep kids safe. Pizza and drink will be served.
For information and to RSVP, call (813) 346-1200.
EpiPens now in schools
Pasco County Schools has partnered with the Florida Department of Health-Pasco County to implement an EpiPen in Schools Program.
Effective Feb. 14, two-dose regular and junior EpiPens were placed in each Pasco County public school to provide emergency anaphylaxis response during the school day.
Within days of the program’s launch, the student health team at Land O’ Lakes High School used the lifesaving device on a student with a peanut allergy.
At least three staff members on each campus will receive a 30-minute training from the school nurse, to prepare them to respond if a student or adult has an anaphylactic reaction.
The program is optional for charter schools.
Belle of the Ball
The Belle of the Ball Project will provide free prom dresses and accessories to in-need high school girls on March 7, March 28, April 4 and April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at its boutique, at 1210 Holt Ave., in Clearwater.
Dresses are available to all in-need high school girls for their high school dances, such as prom, homecoming and military balls. No appointment is needed.
For information, visit BelleOfTheProject.com.
Early release day
Pasco County Schools has implemented a monthly, two-hour-early release time to allow for staff to engage in professional development aligned with student needs, and district and school priorities.
Early release days will take place on the second Wednesday of each month, with the exception of January and May.
The next early release day is March 11.
Prom Drive & Shop
Kids Helping Kids Pasco County will host a Prom Drive & Shop on March 14, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Donations will be accepted from noon to 1 p.m. Items needed include formal dresses, suits, dress shirts, ties, women’s and men’s dress shoes, dress socks, jewelry, hair accessories, and gift cards for hair and nail salons.
Items will be collected and then in-need teens will be able to shop for free from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For more information, visit Facebook.com/KidsHelpingKidsPasco/.
YEA! Awards
Hillsborough County recognizes positive contributions by young people through the Youth Excellence and Achievement Awards (YEA! Awards). Nominations are now being accepted through 5 p.m., March 16.
Nominations can be submitted for both Hillsborough County middle and high school students in these categories: Leadership; Success Despite Difficult Odds; and Volunteer or Community Service.
For details and nomination forms, visit HCFLGov.net/YEA.
Hunger Walk charity
During the month of March, One Community Now’s annual Hunger Walk on behalf of the Pack-a-Sack 4 Kids Program will be the featured charity at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s five office locations.
Children who live in danger of not having food on their dining room table are given a backpack full of healthy meals each Friday, to ensure that they have food to eat over the weekend. The students return the empty backpack to their school the following Monday, which is then refilled for the next weekend.
For information, call Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector for communications and special projects, at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.
For details about the food program, call Patti Templeton at (727) 900-6280, or visit OneCommunityNow.com.
History Day winners
These students from Rushe Middle School in Land O’ Lakes will represent #RusheNation at the state National History Day competition.
- Arman Kumaraswamy: Individual Documentary
- Rohil Agarwal: Individual Documentary
- Liam Infanger: Historical Paper
- Maggie Clohessy, Wade Clohessy and Lauren Hallauer: Group Exhibit
- Reese Van Brocklin: Individual Exhibit
Scholarship dinner/dance
The African-American Club of Pasco County will host its seventh annual Scholarship Dinner Dance on March 21 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club, 3535 Trophy Blvd., in Trinity.
The event will help to raise funds for $20,000 in scholarships in 2020.
Tickets are $65 per person. Reservations must be made by March 14.
For information and tickets, visit AACPascoFL.org, or call Trish Stevenson at (727) 495-3207.
Cursive contest
According to the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation, the annual Cursive is Cool® contests kicked off on National Handwriting Day, in honor of John Hancock’s birthday.
Campaign for Cursive® offers three contests: one in the United States and two in Canada (one for English writers and one for French writers).
Students in grades one to six have a chance to test their cursive skills and their creativity in answering one of the questions presented.
The deadline for the U.S. contest is March 15.
For information, visit CursiveIsCool.com or Facebook.com/CampaignForCursive/.
For questions, email Lauren Mooney Bear, contest organizer, at .
Great Outdoors contest
The TurfMutt Foundation announced The (Really) Great Outdoors Contest 2020, focused on encouraging kids to use their imaginations around the many uses and benefits of green space and the outdoors.
The contest is open to students in grades six to eight.
Created in partnership with Scholastic, the contest asks students to write about and/or draw a nature space their community could use.
Students are asked to include text to describe the space, discuss what elements are needed, and how the space will be used to benefit the community. Each entry can be no more than three pages.
The grand prize for a student is $2,500, with teachers and the school each receiving a $750 prize.
The first place student will receive $2,000, and teachers and the school will get $500 each.
Second place will garner the student $1,500, and teachers and the school will receive $250 each.
The third place student will get $750, and the teachers and the school will each get $125.
Teachers can download lesson plans and contest entry information at Scholastic.com/turfmutt.
Entries can be accepted online and uploaded by teachers, or mailed in by teachers and students alike.
The deadline for entries is March 16.
