Republican scholarships
The Republican Party of Pasco Scholarship Committee is now accepting applications for Pasco County Schools’ graduating seniors, including pubic, home-schools, charter and private schools.
Graduating seniors from any Pasco County high school are eligible if they meet this criteria:
- Must be a registered or preregistered Republican
- Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA
- Complete a 650-word minimum essay on the topic: “What is the importance of conservative values for young people in today’s world?”
- Extra points will be given for club and social activities, volunteer hours and campaign participation
- Must be planning to attend an accredited community college/university or accredited vocational school in Florida
Applications can be found online at PascoGOP.org, at the individual’s high school career counselor’s office, or at the Pasco Republican Party office in Hudson.
Applications and essays must be emailed to , or to RPOP, 12043 Cobblestone Drive, Hudson, FL 34667, Attention: Sandy Graves, scholarship chair.
For information and questions, call 727-863-5400, or email .
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., April 30.
Five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in May.
Water safety program
The Rotary Club of Trinity will visit the Tanglewood Learning Center in New Port Richey on March 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., to present the Josh the Otter Water Safety and Literacy Project to 60 preschoolers. The program promotes water safety and drowning prevention through the “Josh The Baby Otter” book.
The club partners with the drowning prevention nonprofit that created the program, the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation, which was established in honor of 2-year-old Joshua who died in 2008 after falling into the family pool.
The Trinity Rotary is looking to expand its awareness of drowning prevention with the Josh the Otter program to other schools and groups serving children.
For information, contact Becky Bennett at 727-967-7509 or .
Student degrees
These local, Odessa students recently earned degrees from Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Utah:
- Kea Allen: Master of Business Administration
- Aneta Budzinski: Master of Science, Nursing – Leadership and Management
- Rachel Morrell: Bachelor of Science, Nursing
Saint Leo receives honors
Saint Leo University earned honors in three categories for providing the best online education bachelor’s programs in the United States, according to the 2021 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs edition, released earlier this year.
The school received honors in the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Business (tied for 65th), Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans (ranked 75th), and Best Online Bachelor’s Programs (tied for 93rd) categories.
Launched in December 1998, Saint Leo was one of the first institutions to embrace online education with the creation of the Center for Online Learning, according to a news release.
U.S. News assessed universities and colleges based on four categories:
- Engagement, which ranked bachelor’s degree programs based on promoting student participation and interaction with faculty members
- Services and technologies, which looked at how well institutions support technology, learning assistance, career guidance and financial aid
- Faculty credentials and training, which ensures that online instructors’ credentials mirror those of campus-based bachelor’s programs and makes sure faculty have proper training to teach distance learners
- Expert opinion, which enlists a survey of high-ranking academic officials who look at tangible factors affecting program quality
To view all the rankings, data and methodologies for the 2021 Best Online Programs, visit USNews.com/online.
Need-based scholarships
Take Stock in Children, a need-based scholarship program with the Pasco Education Foundation, has announced that its application period for the 2021-2022 school year is now open to students currently in eighth grade attending Pasco County Schools.
The program is statewide, and provides scholarships, mentoring and hope, to help break the cycle of generational poverty through education.
Eligibility requirements and online applications are posted at TakeStockPasco.org or PascoEducationFoundation.org. The deadline to apply is April 15.
Selected students will be provided with a college readiness coach, a mentor, and College & Career Readiness Services.
How educated is Florida?
WalletHub has released its report on 2021’s Most & Least Educated States in America.
In order to determine the most educated states, WalletHub compared all 50 states across 18 metrics that examined the key factors of a well-education population: educational attainment, school quality, and achievement gaps between genders and races.
Florida’s rankings are (1=Most; 25=Average):
- First: Gender Gap in Educational Attainment
- Fifth: Average University Quality
- 29th: Percentage of Bachelor Degree Holders
- 29th: Percentage of Graduate or Professional Degree Holders
- 31st: Racial Gap in Educational Attainment
- 32nd: Percentage of Associate Degree Holders or College-Experienced Adults
- 33rd: Percentage of High School Diploma Holders
For a full report, visit WalletHub.com/edu/e/most-educated-states/31075.
Child care courses
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) is offering a course for child care directors to become credentialed and a course for those seeking a child care professional credential.
The Operation of an Early Childhood Center course will be offered as a remote, online class via Zoom, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., from May 17 to July 16.
The Childcare Professional Credential course will be offered as a hybrid course meeting via Zoom for 48 of the 120 class hours, on Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., from May 13 to Aug. 3. The remaining course hours will be delivered through online assignments.
Both courses are T.E.A.C.H. scholarship eligible (visit Teach-fl.org.) and Rapid Credential scholarship eligible (visit PHSC.edu/academics/job-training/scholarship).
Students need to apply as soon as possible, as T.E.A.C.H. takes six weeks to eight weeks to process, and Rapid Credential is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
To learn more about these courses, or to enroll, visit PHSC.edu/academics/continuing-education, or email .
Host an exchange student
The nonprofit organization International Student Exchange (ISE) is looking for volunteer families to host international high school students in the coming academic year.
Host families can expect to gain a new family member, experience a new culture, create lifelong friendships, and make a positive impact, locally and globally.
The exchange students are between the ages of 15 and 18, and come from countries such as Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Thailand, Brazil, Italy, Norway and more.
The deadline to match students with families is Aug. 31.
Families can select a student based on shared interests, hobbies, gender, etc.
Family screenings include a background check, an in-home interview, and a verification of personal references.
International students are English-speaking and have their own spending money.
Families will provide a caring environment, a room and daily meals.
Those who host ISE students are eligible to claim a $50 charitable contribution deduction on their itemized tax returns for each month they host a student.
For information, call 727-237-1885, or visit ISEusa.org.
