Girls Can! offers hands-on learning
For the fourth year, Saint Leo University hosted the Girls Can! Robotics Camp, aimed at increasing the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, in the hopes of opening young girls’ eyes to the opportunities in the STEM fields. The campers learned to build Lego Mindstorm robots and spent time learning programming. Destiny Sommer and Lydia Nystrom, students at Saint Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio, work on programming their robot to move.
Share-A-Haircut
Hair Cuttery will support underprivileged children with its Back-to-School Share-A-Haircut program.
For every children’s haircut (up to age 18) purchased between Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, a haircut certificate will be donated to a child in need.
For locations, visit HairCuttery.com.
Sales Tax Holiday
The annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday will run from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5.
Items exempt from sales tax include most school supplies that cost $15 or less, and clothing, footwear and accessories that cost $60 or less.
For more information, visit FloridaRevenue.com/backtoschool.
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.
Life after high school
The Hope Ranch Learning Academy will offer “Finding Your Future: A Game Plan for Life After High School” Aug. 6 to Aug. 11, at First Assembly of God, 36322 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills.
This is a summer camp for students with IEPs or 504 plans, and includes classroom modules and community experiences on topics such as confidence building, communication, decision making, goal setting and problem solving.
For information and to register, visit HopeServicesOnline.com.
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.
Students demonstrate skill sets
Career and technical students in Florida won one of the nation’s highest awards at the annual SkillsUSA Championships in June. The event is for students in middle school, high school or college/postsecondary programs.
More than 6,300 students competed at the national showcase, demonstrating their technical skills, workplace skills and personal skills in 102 hands-on occupational and leadership competitions. Areas of competition included robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance, public speaking and more.
Industry leaders from 600 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated the contestants against their standards for entry-level workers.
Skill Point Certificates were awarded in 72 occupational and leadership areas to students who met a predetermined threshold score in their competition, as defined by industry.
The certificate is a component of SkillsUSA’s assessment program for career and technical education.
William Isham, of New Port Richey and a student at Marchman Technical College, was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in electrical construction wiring.
Riley Klingensmith, of Hudson and a student at Marchman Technical College, received a Skill Point Certificate in cosmetology.
Help us share your ‘First Day of School’ photos
We know that you take them, so why don’t you share them?
“First Day of School” photos are an annual tradition for many families, and we’d love to share your priceless moments with our readers.
So, whether your school is big or small, and whether your child’s in kindergarten, college or home-schooled, please send us your photos.
The number we will be able to publish depends how many we receive, the quality of the photos and whether we have enough information.
If you would like your submission to be considered, please email us a digital copy. Include the name or names of the student, the grade of the student or students, and the name of the school. If there is more than one student, please identify them from left to right.
Also, please include your contact information, in case we need to get back to you for additional details.
Finally, feel free to send us your photos whether you took them at home before leaving for school, or whether you took them at the school itself.
Please submit the photos by Aug. 17 by emailing them to .
