Students compete in Brain Bowl
ST. LEO – Clearwater Catholic High School won the Brain Bowl on March 26 at Saint Leo University.
The competition tested the students’ knowledge of languages, the arts, popular culture, sports, physics, math, biology, history, food and more in a trivia-type contest.
Political science instructor Frank Orlando served as the “chief question writer.”
Topics ran the gamut, from the most popular flavor of ice cream (mint chocolate chip) to what vice president replaced Spiro Agnew when he resigned (Gerald Ford). They included a quick quiz on homophones, the names of playwrights and questions about the 13 original states.
Orlando, who competed in quiz bowls when he was in high school, said the teams were made up of students who love trivia.
“And it’s great to see these students committed to scholarship,” he added.
Academy at the Lakes, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Jesuit High School, Santa Fe Catholic High School, St. Petersburg Catholic High School and Tampa Catholic High School also fielded teams.
Saint Leo University will host a Brain Bowl Boot Camp in the fall for high school teams interested in sharpening their skills for future competitions.
Students take on seagrass restoration
TAMPA – Project Focus announced a new partnership with Aquatech Eco Consultants and Aquaticus Plants, providing hands-on environmental job training for students with developmental disabilities at Focus Academy.
This program empowers students while contributing to seagrass restoration efforts.
Project Focus aims to equip students and young adults with developmental disabilities with essential life skills, job training and opportunities for independence.
Through this partnership with Aquatech, students in the Focus Academy Transition Program (ages 18 to 22) will develop and create the plaster weights used in seagrass restoration efforts. These weights will anchor seagrass in underwater ecosystems, helping to clean water, support marine life and maintain habitats vital to Florida’s environment.
Libraries offers new library card for kids
PASCO COUNTY – Pasco County Libraries is offering parents and guardians a new type of library card for children.
The library encourages parents to visit the library to choose one of the cards listed below that best fits their family:
- Full Access Child Library Card: Full access to the complete collection of library materials, including online databases and downloadable services.
- Child Library Card: Juvenile collection and school-required reading materials only. No access to online databases/downloadable services.
Cards need to be updated before April 30 or they will expire.
“Our goal is to connect customers with what is most important to them,” Pasco County Libraries Director Sean McGarvey said. “The new library card gives parents, who prefer more direct control over their child’s library use, an option that aligns with their preferences, while still offering flexibility for those who prefer a different level of control.”
You may renew your child’s card for up to a year after the April 30 deadline.
Visit bit.ly/PascoLibraryCards for details about library cards.
PHSC trustees consider adjusting fees
BROOKSVILLE – Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at its April 15 board meeting.
The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. at the North Campus, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Brooksville.
Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for board consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs, a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty and staff.
Visit policies.phsc.edu/policies-and-procedures/public-disclosure for details regarding proposed fees adjustments, justification for the fees and implementation details
Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories and program testing. Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarships and grants. All fees charged by vendors are negotiated by the college, with additional fee increases and decreases expected in the coming academic year.
PHSC has not raised tuition since the 2012-13 academic year.
