(Courtesy of AT&T)
Board of Trustees member named
Edwin “Ed” Narain has been appointed to the Saint Leo University 2016-2017 Board of Trustees. Narain is a regional director for AT&T and serves as state representative for Florida House District 61. He is a member of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and has served on the Hillsborough County Head Start Policy Council and the Hillsborough County Community Action Board.
Narain earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and a Master’s Degree in business administration from Saint Leo University. In 2013, he completed a Leadership Certificate and earned a Jurist Doctorate degree from Stetson University College of Law.
Win school supplies
The Dixie Belle Paint Company is sponsoring a contest to win $500 for school supplies. Those interested can paint a favorite piece of furniture (no smaller than a stepstool) in your school’s colors with Dixie Belle paint.
Photos can be submitted to Facebook.com/DixieBellePaint along with these two hashtags: #DixieBellePaint and #PaintYourFutureBrightDBP. Submissions (limit three per person) must state the school colors used.
The deadline is Aug. 31. The winner will be announced on Sept. 15.
For information, call (813) 909-1962.
Woodland Elementary orientation
Woodland Elementary School will host a Meet the Teacher/Orientation Day on Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school is currently registering new students.
Due to construction on the Woodland campus, registration will take place at West Zephyrhills Elementary, 37900 14th Ave., in Zephyrhills, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Students entering kindergarten for the first time must be 5 years of age on or before Sept. 1. Prekindergarten and Head Start/Early Start programs are available to students who will not make the deadline.
For information about Woodland Elementary, call (813) 794-6400.
For information on students entering a Florida school for the first time, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us.
Back-to-school drive
Lisette Fernandez, local Allstate agency owner; Sunrise of Pasco County; and, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence have teamed up for a Back-to-School Drive through Aug. 12, to provide school supplies, uniforms and backpacks to children currently living in domestic violence centers. Donations can be dropped off at Fernandez’s office at 4935 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.
For a full list of participating certified domestic violence centers, Allstate agents, drop-off locations and needed supplies, visit FCADV.org/fcadv-allstate, or email .
Donate school supplies
Great Clips at Arbor Square, 7818 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will collect back-to-school items, such as pencils, notebooks and erasers, through August. All donors will receive $1 off any haircut at Great Clips. Supplies will be donated to Land O’ Lakes schools.
For information, call (813) 693-4247.
Analysis of school systems
WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of “2016’s States with the Best & Worst School Systems.” Analysts compared the quality of education in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on 17 key metrics. The data set ranges from pupil-teacher ratio to dropout rate to average SAT and ACT scores.
The quality of schools in Florida (1=Best, 25=Average) was rated as follows:
- Bullying-Incidents Rate: second
- Math Test Score: 28th
- Reading Test Score: 24th
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: 29th
- School Safety: 22nd
For a full report, visit tinyurl.com/jprtu98.
Kiddie Academy garners award
Educational childcare provider Kiddie Academy recognized “the best of the best” in its franchise system at an award ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Kiddie Academy of Carrollwood, 15320 Casey Road in Tampa, was recognized for “Best Practices in Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum” and “Best Practices in Health & Fitness.”
For information on the Carrollwood school and its curriculum, call Linda McDonough at (813) 264-2378.
Scientist of Year at MOSI
The Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa, will host the 2016 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year, Adrianna Ocampo, on Oct. 21 during “Meet the Scientist Day.” More than 1,000 middle school students who live in low-income areas will take part in a mentoring experience with Ocampo.
Ocampo is a planetary geologist and Space Program Manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C.
There also will be an induction and award gala on Oct. 22 to showcase Ocampo’s achievements, while celebrating the Hispanic community and the role diversity plays in new ideas.
Proceeds from the gala will go to MOSI’s YES! Team (Youth Enriched by STEAM), a teen service-learning program to connect community service experience with STEAM learning.
For information, visit MOSInhsoy.org.
Inauguration raises $100,000
Pasco-Hernando State College’s presidential inauguration of Timothy L. Beard, the college’s fourth president, raised more than $100,000 for endowed scholarships and the President’s Fund for Excellence. The theme of the inauguration ceremony and reception was “Defeating the Odds…Achieving the Dream.”
In addition, the event book drive resulted in the collection of more than 1,500 new and gently used books to benefit local schools in Pasco and Hernando counties.
Cox Elementary 90th
R.B. Cox Elementary School, in Dade City, is preparing for its 90th year celebration for alumni, current students, current and former staff, families, and the Dade City community, and is asking for photos and memories. The school also will create a montage video, and are looking for alumni interested in being interviewed.
The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.
If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .
For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.
Chamberlain High 50th
The Chamberlain High School Class of 1966 is planning a 50-year class reunion on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The committee needs help locating the Class of 1966 graduates.
If you graduated in 1966 and would like to have your name included for future updates and information, send your name (including maiden name), email, current address, home and/or cellphone number, and spouse’s name to
If you know anyone else in the class who has not yet been contacted, email their name and contact information to the same email address.
