Aiming to protect animal species
Pine View Elementary School is the first International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program Candidate School in the district. A focus of the Primary Years Program (PYP) is to empower and encourage students to take action with their learning.
Fourth-graders Ella Allen and Aubrie Badalament did just that.
The class was learning how the human experience is dependent on relationships within the environment. The fourth-graders started to wonder about the relationship between the students at school and the school environment. They noticed that Pine View had a lot of gopher tortoise burrows. One, in particular, was right by the recess field, where students travel and often leave lunchboxes.
The girls researched gopher tortoises to find out about their habitat. They shared with the class how these tortoises are extremely important as a keystone species because it digs burrows that shelter at least 360 other animal species.
The girls were encouraged to think of what they could do with this new information, and designed a sign that they wanted to hang near the burrow to educate the other students.
After presenting their idea to Pine View Principal Kathryn Moore, Ella and Aubrie asked if the school would be able to provide funding to have the signs produced. The proposal was approved and three signs were made for the burrows around campus.
The fourth-graders take pride in having educated the students of Pine View, and having helped more than 360 species of animals stay protected.
Friendship Ball
Dr. John Long Middle School Best Buddies Chapter took part in its third annual Best Buddies Friendship Ball on Feb. 24 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Tampa Airport – Westshore.
The event celebrated one-to-one friendships between students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and typical students.
Twenty-three typical students accompanied seven IDD students.
For more information, visit BestBuddies.org.
Life Station Campaign
During the month of March, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco’s “Stop the Bleed – Life Station Campaign” will be the featured charity at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Offices.
The campaign is an effort to install Life Stations in every school, providing needed lifesaving materials in the event of school-related violence.
For information on “Stop the Bleed,” visit PascoSheriffCharities.org.
For information on how to donate, visit PascoTaxes.com.
Strength Team appearance
The Strength Team will be at Zephyrhills Christian Academy, 34927 Eiland Blvd., March 15 to March 17 at 7 p.m., each day, in the gym.
The team assembles former professional athletes to combing amazing demonstrations of strength and motivational speaking.
Admission is free.
For information, call (813) 782-7115.
Local student achievements
The following area students were named to the Dean’s List at their respective schools:
- Madalyn Alston, of Dade City, Anderson University, South Carolina
- Gerry Chambers-Skinner, of Lutz, Springfield College, Massachusetts
- Natalie Dambrosio, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
- Emily M. Gerber, of Odessa, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York
- Samuel Goetz, of Odessa, Tallahassee Community College
- Kenneth Leikam, of Odessa, Tallahassee Community College
- Em Ovalle, of Lutz, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky
- Amber Pedregal, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
- Vinayak Ruia, of Lutz, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
- Jack Schluchter, of Odessa, Tallahassee Community College
- Christopher Smart, of Odessa, Tallahassee Community College
- Zane Thomas Tarrance, of Odessa, Newberry College, South Carolina
These students were recognized on the President’s List at Tallahassee Community College:
- Cristina Filippone, of Odessa
- Zafer Jesri, of Lutz
- Rachael Martin, of Odessa
- Kevin Nguyen, of Lutz
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi initiated Paige Napolitano, of Odessa. Napolitano is working toward a degree in exercise science at Nova Southeastern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
