Learning new skills to help students
Twenty teachers from Pasco County attended the fifth Teacher Technology Summit Institute at Saint Leo University in June. The event helps teachers gain new skills in working with classroom technology to improve students’ learning. This year, educational tools were added to expose young students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. From left: Jessica Heck, Chester Taylor Elementary School, Zephyrhills; Pamela Peters and Carla Torres, Pine View Middle, Land O’ Lakes, look at a small robot called ‘Dash’ that children can learn to program.
Hearing screenings
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida screened more than 17,000 students at more than 60 schools last year and is looking for volunteers to do the same this year when school begins in August.
No previous training is required. The screening process is simple and a brief demonstration is provided. The average screening time is two hours to three hours.
Volunteers are free to choose which schools they would prefer.
All volunteers must pass a background check.
Prospective volunteers can fill in an application at Pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the Volunteer Application at the bottom of the page. Under ‘Preferences,’ choose Sertoma Speech & Hearing.
Hopefest
The Freedom Center will present Hopefest on July 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road.
There will be free backpacks, school supplies, music, food, carnival games and more.
In order to receive a free backpack, each child must present a ticket.
To register, visit FreedomIsHere.org.
For information, call (813) 414-1664.
Back to School Bash
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation will host a Back to School Bash, presented by the Standing Strong Outreach Ministry, on July 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Centro De La Restaurancion, 6541 Orchid Lake Road in New Port Richey.
There will be music, face painting, bounce houses, school supplies raffles and more.
For information, call (727) 505-0108.
School supply drive
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes and the Kiwanis Club of Greater West Pasco are partnering for a Back to School Supply Drive through July 31.
Items needed include backpacks, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil cases, pens, scissors and yellow pencils.
Donations will be distributed to students in need in Pasco County elementary schools at the start of the school year.
Shoppers who donate new school supplies will receive a voucher for 25 percent off a single item in the store.
For shop locations, visit GHPPC.org. For information about the drive, call Kirsty Churchill at (727) 845-5707.
Hillel offers preschool
Hillel Academy, Tampa’s accredited Jewish day school, and the Tampa JCCs and Federation, have announced that Tampa JCC Preschool will be offered at Hillel, beginning in the fall, for children ages 3 and 4.
Hillel’s location in Carrollwood will be the third for Tampa JCC Preschool.
The preschool will follow the same curriculum and philosophical approach as the other locations in Citrus Park and South Tampa, but it will mirror the Hillel Academy schedule, August through May, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., weekdays.
For information, contact Jen Goldberg, executive director for education at the Tampa JCCs and Federation, at or (813) 769-4738.
For information about Hillel Academy’s offerings, financial aid and touring schedule, call (813) 963-2242, or email .
Stamps scholar
The 13th class of Stamps Scholars includes 230 top students from across the country attending 30 partner universities. Selected from almost 300,000 applications, the scholars have diverse academic interests such as medicine, education, engineering, history, public policy, and visual and performing arts.
Stutee Acharya, of Land O’ Lakes, was awarded a Stamps Scholarship and will attend the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall. She plans to study neuroscience.
Stamps Scholars are chosen for academic excellence, leadership experience and exceptional character.
At many partner universities, the scholarship covers the total estimated cost of attendance for four years of undergraduate study, and also includes an enrichment fund that scholars can use for academic and professional development, ranging from study abroad to internships to independent research.
Stamps Scholars are known for their significant contributions to their local campuses and communities around the world and, for many, the scholarship allows them to study at the top colleges for their career path.
To meet the other scholars, visit StampsFoundation.org/yearbook.
Student achievements
- Alexia Faith Acebo, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama.
- Rachel Carlson, of Lutz, was named to the spring Dean’s List at the University of Maine.
- Lyra Joy Francisca Escobar, of Lutz, graduated from The College of St. Scholastica, in Minnesota, with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
- Paige Manjrawala, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Administration-Management from Berkeley College, New Jersey.
- Clare O’ Keefe, of Lutz, was named to the spring Dean’s List at Endicott College in Massachusetts, where she is majoring in sports management.
- Russell Ludwig Perciavalle Jr., of Lutz, a graduate of Washington and Lee University in Virginia earned a place on the Presidents List.
- Summer Solovitch, of Dade City, was named a 2018 Presidential Scholar at Missouri Valley College for the fall and spring semesters.
Back to school haircuts
My Salon Suite of New Tampa, 20707 Center Oak Drive, will provide free haircuts, in exchange for school supplies, Aug. 5 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For every $5 to $10 of donated school supplies, a child will receive a free haircut. The donated supplies will be given to Quail Hollow Elementary and Metropolitan Ministries.
There also will be free food, face painting and more.
For information, call (813) 501-0600.
Donate new supplies
David Weekley Homes will host its fourth School Supplies Drive through Aug. 6.
Donations can be dropped off at the Design Center, 9006 Brittany Way in Tampa, or at any David Weekley model home in the Tampa area.
For a complete list of supplies needed, visit tinyurl.com/y7bhpk3w.
Eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers
United Way of Pasco County is conducting its eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers. The campaign is set for Aug. 3, Aug. 4 and Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Supplies that are collected will be distributed by Pasco County Schools.
A school bus will be stationed at Walmart shopping centers to collect donations at the following locations:
- Walmart-Port Richey, 8701 U.S. 19
- Walmart-New Port Richey, 8745 State Road 54
- Walmart-Lutz 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
- Walmart-Wesley Chapel 28500 State Road 54
Volunteers at all locations will hand out shopping lists and collect the donations.
On Aug. 6, volunteers will gather at the The Mike Fasano Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson, to sort and pack the supplies.
Volunteers are needed at the donation sites and at the packing sites.
For information, contact Melinda Velez at or (727) 835-2028.
