Elementary student wins award
Kayden Pennington, a student at Centennial Elementary School in Dade City, was awarded Pasco County’s Dade City Center for the Arts Georgia O’Keeffe award at the County Fair, which took place Feb. 20 through Feb. 26. Pennington, holding her award-winning art piece, stands alongside Centennial art teacher Katie Sutton.
New forensics program
Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) Explorer Post 916 now offers an innovative new forensics branch, according to a PSO Facebook post. The program will provide those ages 14 to 21 with the opportunity to learn about the world unmanned aerial systems (or drones) and forensics from experienced professionals at the PSO. The new branch will meet at Safety Town, 15362 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills. To learn more, visit PascoExplorers.pascosheriff.com/drones-forensics-program/.
Transition Services Night
Cypress Creek High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, will host an ESE Transition Services Night on March 22 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the school cafeteria. The event is for all Pasco County Schools students and their families to learn about agencies and services for children and young adults with special needs. Dinner will be provided. Reservations must be made by March 20 online at EventBrite.com or by email to . Registrants must include the total number of people attending.
Math hotline
Hillsborough County Public Schools offers a free Math Homework Hotline/Show on select Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., for students who need help with math. On Spectrum Channel 635 and Frontier Channel 32, tutors start taking calls at 5:30 p.m. (call 813-840-7260), followed by a live broadcast at 6 p.m., featuring a variety of topics.
Upcoming shows are: March 23, Pythagorean Theorem; March 30, Transformations; April 13, Statistical Measures; April 20, Data Displays; April 27, Semester 2 Review; and May 4, Algebra Review.
Phone lines are only available during the live shows. For more information, visit MathHomeworkHotline.com.
School officially named
A new school for kindergarteners through eighth-graders, being constructed off Curley Road, has been named Kirkland Ranch K-8.
The Pasco County School Board selected the name from a list of 60 suggestions, during the board’s March 7 meeting.
The new magnet school, scheduled to open in the fall of 2024, will be on the same campus as Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation and a charter school operated by Pepin Academies, through a unique partnership between the school district and Pepin.
Kirkland K-8 is expected to attract middle school students primarily living within the boundaries of Thomas Weightman, John Long and Centennial middle schools and its elementary-aged students primarily from Watergrass, Wesley Chapel and San Antonio, and even farther out, Double Branch, Seven Oaks and Wiregrass elementary schools.
Other names suggested for the new school included DeSantis, Epperson, Boyette, Kelly Boyd K-8, Creo, Dick Butkus School of Knowledge, Discovery Ranch Academy, Double Branch Academy of Innovation, Elon Musk Magnet School, Barack Obama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Independence, W.E.B. Dubois Academy, Wonders and World’s Best School.
Hillsborough scholarships
The Hillsborough County Community Action Board Scholarships, worth up to $5,000, are available to eligible Hillsborough County students who want to continue their post-secondary education.
The scholarships can be used at trade schools, community colleges or for university programs, and are awarded to students to help alleviate some of the financial burden of tuition. The scholarships are for the 2023 fall semester.
Read the full 2023 application package online, at tinyurl.com/225tdxjx, to ensure all documents are complete and requirements are met. Eligibility guidelines are subject to change based on grant requirements. Applications are due by March 24.
For questions, call 813-272-5220.
Republican Party scholarship
The Republican Party of Pasco will award a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior.
Student requirements are:
- Must be a registered (or pre-registered) Republican
- Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA
- Be a current senior of any Pasco County high school (public, private, charter, vocational or home-school)
- Must attend an accredited community college, university or vocational school in Florida
Applicants are required to write an essay and answer the question, “What is the importance of conservative values for young people in today’s world?” The deadline to apply is March 24.
For information, visit PascoGOP.com/rpop-scholarship/.
Bounce Party benefit
The Union Park Charter Academy, 32775 Oldwoods Ave., in Wesley Chapel, will host a Pasco Kids Bounce Party on March 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to benefit the academy, hosted by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel.
The event will include 16 inflatables for kids with obstacle courses, bounce houses, slides, games and more. Food also will be for sale. The cost is $20 per child for a play-all-day wristband. Parents are free and must supervise their children and be present at all times.
To buy tickets, visit Pasco Kids Bounce Party on Facebook. For information, call 813-358-7306.
Easter breakfast
The East Pasco Education Academy, 35830 State Road 52 in Dade City, will host Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on April 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. There will be a pancake breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., followed by an Easter Egg Hunt, games and a petting zoo area for children ages 12 and younger, who will receive an Easter bag.
The pre-purchase ticket price is $10 per person. Free cinnamon rolls to the first 50 people who register. For information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/4ek3a4n3.
Woman’s club scholarships
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club will award $5,000 Lutz Volunteer Firefighter Endowment scholarships to two Lutz resident students and three additional $2,000 awards, for a total of $16,000 in scholarship grants. The club is accepting applications from high school seniors with a Lutz or Land O’ Lakes home address.
Applications can be found online at GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org. The deadline to submit is April 3.
For questions, email Lucy Albury at .
Celebrating educators
Irish 31 Pub House and Eatery, its iCare Foundation, and community partners are celebrating the I.R.I.S.H. (influential, reliable, impassioned, selfless, humble) in those who have an undeniable impact on youth.
The sixth annual iCare Foundation Cheers to Public Service Awards will reward 25 extraordinary local educators — teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade in Hillsborough, Pasco or Pinellas counties. Those chosen will receive $1,000 plus other gifts from friends of the program.
For more information and to nominate someone, visit Irish31.com/cheers. The deadline is April 7.
Student achievements
- Scott Abramson, Odessa: Dean’s List, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington
- Chelsea Aquino, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Jaime Arredondo, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Camryn Bliss, Lutz: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
- Charles Clerc, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Maryland Global Campus
- Mikayla Croissant, Lutz: President’s List, Flagler College, St. Augustine
- Caitlyn Culpepper, Odessa: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
- Jackie Figueredo, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
- Daniel Higgins, Odessa: Dean’s List, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinoi
- Zoe Howell, Dade City: Dean’s Academic Honor List, Baylor University, Robbins College of Health & Human Services, Waco, Texas
- Olivia Jablonski, Odessa: Dean’s List, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
- Natalia Kaminski, Wesley Chapel: Honor List, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla
- Brady Lindauer, Land O’ Lakes: Dean’s List, Saint Mary’s University, Winona, Minnesota
- Brycen Lowe, Lutz: Dean’s List, Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Max Martino, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
- Kelsey Mitchell, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Cassidy Mizzi, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Aaron Molloy, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Holly On, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Carly Price, Odessa: President’s List, Husson University, Bangor, Maine
- Vasant Ramnarine, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
- Victor Reyes, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Maryland Global Campus
- Madeline Rodriguez, Lutz: President’s List, Flagler College
- Emily Rogers, Lutz: Dean’s Academic Honor List, Baylor University, Robbins College of Health & Human Services, Waco, Texas
- Kaitlyn Ryan, Lutz: Dean’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
- Emara Saez, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
- Angelo Sardegna, Lutz: Dean’s List, Curry College, Milton, Massachusetts
- Julie Stevens, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
- Savanah Tribbe, Odessa: Presidents, List, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina
- Thea Wangsness, Dade City: Dean’s List, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- Laura Watford, Odessa: Dean’s List, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
