Local student is tops as safety patrol
Oakstead Elementary School fifth-grader Sophie Cuviello has been named Florida’s AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year, according to a news release.
She is one of thousands of students who participated in the AAA School Safety Patrol program.
Every year, AAA recognizes one outstanding patroller from each state. Nominees must submit an essay demonstrating how they have gone above and beyond to keep themselves and others safe and improve the well-being of peers. Judges review each applicant’s leadership qualities, safety skills, school improvement, and dedication to citizenship and volunteerism, the release says.
In addition to her patrol duties, Cuviello served as a reading buddy to kindergarten students, donated her time to local volunteer agencies, and is active in other school-related activities such as a chorus member and ball hockey team member.
“Sophie Cuviello is a tremendous representative of the AAA School Safety Patrol program and very deserving of this award,” said Michele Harris, Florida public affairs director, AAA – The Auto Club Group, in the release.
“She exemplifies the leadership qualities and safety skills of a great safety patroller. We are proud of Sophie’s contributions and are thrilled to have her represent the program,” said Harris.
Montessori camp
Blazing Stars Montessori’s camp is tailored to kids ages 3 to 10 and starts on June 24 through July 19. The school is at 12212 Fort King Road in Dade City.
The four-week immersive, Montessori-driven activity program is designed to cultivate curiosity and fun, according to a news release.
- Morning sessions are from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Montessori Bootcamp to prepare a child for the new school year
- Afternoon sessions are from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Students bring a lunch and have quiet/rest time followed by STEAM activities and outdoor play.
Contest winners revealed
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with Wildlife Forever, announced this year’s winners of the Florida State Fish Art Contest. The program inspires creativity while encouraging the next generation of anglers and conservationists.
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade submitted artwork in this free contest for a chance to win state and national honors, and prizes.
The top two Florida student artists, selected by the FWC, per category (freshwater and saltwater), in four grade brackets advance to the National Competition to be judged for top prizes, including Best of Show.
The selected winners are:
Grades 10-12
Winners: Charlie Sasso and Jessica Neef
Runners-Up: Louisa Elena Elias-Sowers and Isabella Jimenez
Grades 7-9
Winners: Georgia Hunnewell and Emma Nemes
Runners-Up: Grace Wang and Emily Ganee
Grades 4-6
Winners: Divya Patel and Sebastian Romo
Runners-Up: Hannah Wang and Hailey Chen
Grades K-3
Winners: Anika Goyal and Yimo Wu
Runners-Up: Vanessa Wesbur and Alessa Alger
“The creativity of these young artists truly shines through with this remarkable competition, a fantastic way to involve young individuals in fishing and conservation,” said FWC Commissioner Sonya Rood, in the release.
To learn more about next year’s contest and how to participate, visit MyFWC.com/FishArt.
Mitchell High wins grand prize
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) School Fishing Club Program recognizes the J.W. Mitchell High School fishing team as its grand prize winner of the School Fishing Conservation Project Competition. Mitchell High is in New Port Richey. The students completed various conservation projects, including cleaning up their local waterways and working to restore vital aquatic habitat, according to a news release.
All student anglers who participated in the program were required to plan at least one conservation project to qualify for funding associated with the program. The FWC’s Conservation Project Competition awarded points per club participation in a variety of conservation-minded activities aimed at reducing the impacts of plastic pollution.
Mitchell High won the grand prize, a set of sunglasses provided by Hobie Eyewear and a private in-person custom rod building class with Mud Hole Custom Tackle.
The FWC School Fishing Club Program welcomed 23 new and 15 returning student angling clubs in Florida to the program in 2023.
For more information, visit MyFWC.com/SFC.
Collegiate scholarships awarded
The Gasparilla Festival of the Arts awarded collegiate scholarships in a ceremony presented by HCI Group. Five budding artists each received a $3,000 scholarship, according to a news release.
“We have both been very pleased to participate in the 2024 Gasparilla Scholarship selection process. As early participants in the Gasparilla Festival years ago, who have both spent our careers as artists and educators in this region, we have been so glad to see the festival develop the scholarship program and other community-based initiatives to directly support our area students and emerging artists,” said jurors Dolores Coe and Bruce Marsh, in a joint statement about their jurying process.
“We hope in addition to the very tangible scholarship funds, these awards are also a source of encouragement in their pursuit to the recipients,” said Coe and Marsh.
The five scholarship winners are: My Thi Nguyen, University of Tampa; Victoria Mercado-Lues, University of South Florida; Alissa Pradera, University of Tampa; Gianna Ritornaro, University of Tampa; and Natasha Rivera-Alvarez, Hillsborough Community College.
To see more about the winners and view examples of their work, visit https://gasparillaarts.com/community/#collegiatescholarships.
