Looking skyward
Students of the Classical Conversations homeschool group in Lutz look skyward, with eye protection of course, at the solar eclipse on April 8. Classical Conversations was started in 1997 and has campuses all over the world; the Lutz campus has been around since 2018. Students range from preschool to 10th grade. The group has community day once a week to learn new material, do art and music projects, and science experiments. Field trips correspond to study material and have included The Ringling museum, Bok Tower park, Medieval Times, various Straz Center orchestra and theater productions, and the Edgecomb Courthouse in Tampa for a mock trial competition. Visit info.classicalconversations.com for more information.
Student achievements
- Ella Langiotti, Odessa: Dean’s List, Ohio University College of Fine Arts
- Marissa Schabes, Lutz: Dean’s List, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina
- Kit VanNort, Lutz: Cast member for Marietta College’s performances of “The Rising of the Moon,” a play being showcased during the school’s annual One Act Festival. VanNort is majoring in theater-directing and will perform as Sergeant.
Florida Bar competition winners
The final rounds of the 2023-2024 Florida Bar High School Appellate Brief Writing & Moot Court Competition took place in Tallahassee earlier this month.
The two-part program offered an opportunity for students to learn about the appellate process and what it is like to present a case in a true-to-life court experience. Participants wrote briefs on a fictitious case involving student discipline and evidence, which were graded by practicing attorneys. Six teams were invited to present oral arguments before appellate judges of the First District Court of Appeal. The two top teams took part in a final round at the Florida Supreme Court.
The state champion was the team of Matthew Rodriguez (also named best oralist) and Jacob Zeng. The team from American Heritage School in Broward County was judged best in Florida. Locally, Bell Creek Academy in Hillsborough County competed in the preliminary rounds.
For more information, visit https://www.floridabar.org/about/cmtes/cmte-cm470/high-school-appellate-moot-court-program/.
A furry meet-and-greet
Students got a break from school at Dayspring Academy in Pasco County when, during a teacher workshop session, the classroom had “gone to the dogs.”
Tampa EdTech startup Scholar Education brought two Bernedoodles that inspired the company’s avatar dogs — BaxterBot and Professor Bruce — for a visit.
The visit was part of a workshop day to help teachers “fill their cups” with self-care and knowledge to finish out the school year strong.
The teachers enjoyed a little puppy love and learned about Scholar Education’s artificial intelligence platform.
The Scholar program rolled out in Dayspring’s sixth and seventh grades this school year.
With the help of the virtual versions of the dogs, the program serves as a personalized tutor — answering students’ questions and providing teachers with suggestions for lesson planning.
Scholar Education plans to expand to more locations next school year.
Imaginary Friend contest
B&B Theatres – Wesley Chapel The Grove 16 invites students to submit original artwork for its “Imaginary Friend” illustrative contest, for Pasco elementary-level students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Artwork is limited to 11-inches by 14-inches in size and should be submitted by May 4. Any art medium is welcome.
Submissions will be featured in the theater. Winners will receive a popcorn party for their class and a movie pack for two.
Entries should be submitted with the student’s name, school and grade level and delivered to the theater at 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
Dayspring team headed to world competition
Pasco County charter school Dayspring Academy’s Odyssey of the Mind team from its Jazz campus (a Title I school) took first place in the state competition in Orlando in March. The team’s head coach is kindergarten teacher Jennifer Garie.
This first-place team will go on to the world Odyssey of the Mind competition in Iowa, in May. Dayspring’s team also qualified and competed at world’s last year.
The charter school is expected to open a Land O’ Lakes campus this fall, located in the Angeline development, 2 miles north of Land O’ Lakes High School, on U.S. 41.
