Citizens of the Month
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has named the September Citizens of the Month. The students recognized were: Sara Newsome, Academy at the Farm; Carys Johnson, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Catherine McCaughey, Saint Anthony Catholic School; Lykin Stephens, Centennial Elementary School; Carmen Estrada Miranda, Lacoochee Elementary School; Alexia Perez, Pasco Elementary School; Chloe Slone, San Antonio Elementary School; Richard O’ Dette, Centennial Middle School; Harland Brackin, Pasco Middle School; Reynah Carriera, James Irvin Education Center; and, Sarah Welbourn, Pasco High School.
Crusader for a day
Tampa Catholic High School, 4630 N. Rome Ave., in Tampa, will offer “Crusader for a Day,” an eighth-grade shadow program, Oct. 18, Oct. 25 and Nov. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The program provides a child the opportunity to learn about the Tampa Catholic student experience.
For information, call (813) 870-0860, ext. 232, or visit TampaCatholic.org.
Berkeley Prep open house
Berkeley Preparatory School, an independent Episcopal day school for boys and girls, will host two open houses, at 4811 Kelly Road in Tampa.
- Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., for grades six to 12. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by a program at 2 p.m., in the Lykes Center for the Performing Arts.
- Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., for prekindergarten through fifth grade. Registrations begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by a program at 9 a.m., in the Seivold Center for Early Childhood Education, Casper Family Piazza.
For information, visit BerkeleyPrep.org/openhouse.
Poster and poem contest
Paralyzed Veterans of America has launched its 15th annual Veterans Day National Poster and Poem Contest, to showcase the artistic talents and patriotic pride of young students for disabled veterans in their communities.
The theme for this year’s contest is “Help Our Veterans Be UnstoppABLE in Your Community.”
Participants are asked to draw a poster or write a poem showing or telling how they can help make their community more accessible for veterans who use wheelchairs.
The poster contest is open to students in first grade to fourth grade. The poem contest is open to students in grades five to eight.
Entries must be received by 5 p.m., on Oct. 29.
For information, including guidelines and how to enter, visit PVA.org/posterpoem.
Library system offers new diploma program
The Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will offer scholarships to Career Online High School, a vocation-based high school completion program for adults.
In addition to earning an accredited high school diploma, students have the added bonus of career training – whether it’s a continuing education, or landing a job after completing the program.
Students can graduate with career certificates in a wide variety of high-growth, high-demand areas, ranging from child care, to food and hospitality, to commercial driving.
Scholarship recipients have up to 18 months to complete their education.
A limited number of scholarships are available for Hillsborough County residents, age 19 and older.
Applicants must have a library card or sign up for one, be able to dedicate about eight hours a week to coursework, and have access to a computer and the internet.
Students who don’t have a computer at home can use one for free at a library.
For information about the scholarship program, call (813) 273-3652, or visit HCPLC.org/hsdiploma.
Merit scholarship semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has named approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 64th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
To be considered for the Merit Scholarship award, students must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.
Merit Scholar designees are selected based on their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or religious preference.
Local area students who have been named as semifinalists include:
- Academy at the Lakes: Roshan Warman
- Carrollwood Day School: Ammar S. Ali
- Gaither High School: Olivia C. Ratliff and Alani M. Seaman
- Land O’ Lakes High School: Armen Brotgandel, Edward Brotgandel, Komal Handoo and Summer R. Wylie
- Wharton High School: Victoria C. Bell
- Wiregrass Ranch High School: Chin-Chin Choi, Nalin Mehra and Neil Rupani
National Merit Scholarship winners of 2019 will be announced in four nationwide news releases next spring.
These recipients will join 338,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.
Saint Leo named best value
Saint Leo University was named as one of the best regional universities and best values in higher education in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges, released in September.
The university was No. 14 among Best Value Schools in the South. U.S. News takes into account both academic quality and cost.
This year, Saint Leo claimed its spot in the top 50 Best Regional Universities and ranked 47th among Southern universities, up from last year’s 61st ranking.
Regional universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and provide graduate education at the master level. Saint Leo also offers three doctoral programs.
In addition, the school also was named one of the Best Colleges for Veterans among regional universities in the South, ranking 31st.
Schools named to the list participate in federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty service members pay for their degrees.
For information about Best Colleges 2019, visit USNews.com/best-colleges.
