Partnership supplies fresh food for communities
Hillel Academy of Tampa has partnered with Tampa Urban Benefit Farms, a local nonprofit organization that delivers fresh produce to communities that lack affordable, nutritious food, to supply food pantries with fruits and vegetables grown hydroponically. Hillel’s hydroponic garden is capable of growing almost 400 plants at a time, and represents an addition to the container gardening program that has been part of the middle school science program for years.
School breakfast week
Various schools took part in the School Breakfast Challenge March 6 through March 10, to promote starting the day with a healthy breakfast.
Students took part in activities such as photo booths, chorus performances, giveaways, raffles, coloring sheets and bingo.
Area schools that participated were Connerton Elementary School, Rushe Middle, Pine View Middle and Sunlake High in Land O’ Lakes; Denham Oaks Elementary in Lutz; Watergrass Elementary, Double Branch Elementary and Wiregrass Elementary in Wesley Chapel; Woodland Elementary in Zephyrhills; and, Pasco High School in Dade City.
All the schools also had a kiwi fruit taste test during the week.
Students help pet hospital
Students at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School wanted to do something useful with the school’s new 3-D printers, so they approached a pet hospital and asked how to help.
After weeks of planning and design, the students visited BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa with models and other devices fabricated on the printers for possible use in the hospital.
Some of the devices the students made included:
- plastic models of cat and dog skulls, which can be helpful as visual aids so veterinarians can explain medical procedures to pet owners
- a small container that can be attached to an anesthesia machine as a handy way to hold items that will be needed during procedures
- small plastic wedges, which can help make sure dogs or cats are in the correct position when undergoing X-rays.
Students who collaborated on the project are members of Bishop McLaughlin’s STREAM Club, which stands for science, technology, religion, art and mathematics.
The students raised money to buy the school’s 3-D printers and then looked for projects to build and benefit the community.
Another area the students are working on is printing prosthetic hands for children in need.
Christian school info meeting
Tampa Christian Community School, at First United Methodist Church of Lutz, 960 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road, will host an informational meeting March 23 at 9:15 a.m.
This hybrid school model combines private school (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) and homeschool (Monday and Wednesday) for prekindergarten four-year-olds through 12th grade.
For information, visit TampaCCS.org, or call (813) 949-2144.
Citizens of the Month
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has recognized its February Citizens of the Month.
The local students who were honored included: Shalyn Carter, Academy at the Farm; Adam Rosales, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Madeline Beard, Saint Anthony Catholic School; Khamani Stafford, Centennial Elementary; Keishun Earl, Lacoochee Elementary; Brisa Procopio, Pasco Elementary; Kevin Hernandez, Rodney B. Cox Elementary; Gabbriella Tull, San Antonio Elementary; Brooke Thomas, Centennial Middle; Sarah Thayer, Pasco Middle; Abdul Kareem Assadi, James Irvin Education Center; and, Sydney Kaylor, Pasco High.
Bus drivers needed
Pasco County Schools is looking for experienced bus drivers or anyone interested in becoming a bus driver.
There will be an information meeting March 15 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Marchman Technical College, 7825 Campus Drive, Building 1, Room 01-036, in New Port Richey.
Guests should bring a driver’s license, social security card or permanent resident card. Those who have worked in a CDL-required (commercial driver’s license) position in the last two years should provide employer’s name, address and fax number.
Prospective drivers must attend an information meeting before being approved for a certification class.
For information, call Pasco County Schools’ Transportation Department at (813) 794-1862.
Scholarship applications
Hillsborough County Social Services and the Community Action Board offer scholarships up to $5,000 to eligible students who want to continue education at an institution of higher learning.
Scholarship applications for the 2017-2018 school year will be accepted through March 31.
Recipients will be notified in writing prior to the the start of the fall semester.
Applications can be downloaded at tinyurl.com/zxvwatv.
Students may submit completed applications online, via email, or hand deliver to any County Community Resource Center.
Home-schooling ministry
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, offers a Home-schooling Ministry, with weekly co-op at the church, social events and more.
For information, email Linda Holt at .
Middle school essay contest
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office is accepting entries to Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’ Neill’s Constitutional Officers Essay Contest. The contest runs through March 31.
Middle school students in Pasco County, grades six to eight, in public/charter, private, non-public and home-schools can participate.
In 500 words or less, students must answer the question: “How do you, as a middle school student, benefit from taxes your family, friends and neighbors pay?”
Each entry must include the student’s name, school, grade and contact information.
Entries will be judged by a panel of directors from the tax collector’s office, and will be reviewed on how well the student communicates a response to the question, as well as overall essay structure, appearance and readability.
Students in public/charter schools should submit essays to the school’s principal, who will forward the essay to the tax collector’s office.
Students in private, nonpublic or home-schools should send essays to Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector, Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, 8731 Citizens Drive, Room 120, New Port Richey, FL 34654, or by email to .
The deadline is 5 p.m., March 31.
The winning entry will be notified by telephone by April 17.
For information, call Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179.
