Learn more about Academy at the Lakes
Academy at the Lakes, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, is hosting ‘coffee and conversation’ groups for anyone interested in learning more about the school.
All sessions are from 10:30 a.m. to noon at these locations:
• Oct. 27, Seven Oaks Community Center, 2910 Sports Core Circle, in Wesley Chapel
• Nov. 3, The Lodge at Wilderness Lake Preserve, 21320 Wilderness Lake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes
• Nov. 10, Grand Hampton Clubhouse, 8301 Dunham Station Drive in Tampa
For information, call Luci Ward at (813) 909-7919.
HCPS information sessions
Hillsborough County Public Schools will offer information sessions for its PATH program for teaching students with disabilities, and its SMART program for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Both sessions are Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., at CareerSource Tampa Bay, 9215 N. Florida Ave., Suite 101, in Tampa.
For information, call (813) 840-7032, or visit Path.mysdhc.org or Smart.mysdhc.org.
Bright Ideas STEM contest
Bright House Networks is looking for students in the Tampa Bay area who are at least 14 years old by Oct. 31, to enter its Bright Ideas STEM contest.
Using STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — students must dream up the coolest inventions to make life, the community, or even the world, a better place.
The contest ends at 9 p.m., Oct. 31. Online voting is Nov. 3-13, and judging will be Nov. 14-Dec. 5. Finalists will be announced Dec. 15.
The best ideas from each of six Bright House Networks service areas nationwide will compete head-to-head on TV in front of a studio audience in Orlando.
The winner will have a chance to work with a leading innovation firm to make his or her idea a reality.
Registration is free.
For details, visit BrightHouse.com/brightideas.
Bishop McLaughlin open house
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill, will host an open house Nov. 2 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
There will be family tours, and individuals can sign up for shadow dates.
Step-Up scholarships are accepted.
For information, call (727) 857-2600, or visit BMCHS.org.
Rigberg named Chef of the Year
Land O’ Lakes High School has announced that Chef Michael Rigberg was named Chapter Chef of the Year by the local ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association.
The American Culinary Federation promotes the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to certified master chefs.
Rigberg has also been elected to chapter president with a two-year term beginning Oct. 15, 2014.
Rigberg’s local honor follows his July induction into the American Academy of Chefs. That ceremony took place at the American Culinary Federation National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. It’s an honor bestowed to men and women who have distinguished themselves in the culinary arts.
September Citizens of the Month
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has congratulated the September Citizens of the Month.
The students selected were Gabriel Sabella, Academy at the Farm; Amiliah Isaac, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Catherine Beard, Saint Anthony School; Jesssenia Mahamud, Centennial Elementary; Stephanie Alejo, Lacoochee Elementary; Jayden Parsons, Pasco Elementary; Esmeralda Nunez, Cox Elementary; Michael Coats, San Antonio Elementary; Paige Miller, Centennial Middle; Rosa Cruz Madrid, Pasco Middle; Christopher Brand, James Irvin Education Center; Julian Lopez, Moore-Mickens Education Center; and Conner Harm, Pasco High.
ZHS class reunion
The Zephyrhills High School Class of 1974 will have its 40th reunion Oct. 17-18. For information, call Brenda Kendrick Downie at (863) 816-4798, or visit ZHSCLassof1974.weebly.com.
PHSC receives Special Contribution Award
Pasco-Hernando State College was honored with a Special Contribution Award at the Pasco Economic Development Council’s 28th Annual Industry of the Year Awards Banquet.
Pasco EDC recognizes local companies that exhibit exemplary growth in technology, innovation, job creation, capital investment and community service.
PHSC celebrated a record year in 2014 with the completion of construction of the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch totaling $59.3 million in capital investment, and the announcement of offering four-year degrees.
National Manufacturing Day observed
As part of National Manufacturing Day, 3,000 students from 35 counties toured 95 high-tech manufacturing facilities across the state on Oct. 3.
Students in Pasco and Hernando counties toured 11 high-tech facilities in the region, including Accuform Signs, Aircraft Tooling and Design, Alumi-Guard, Cal-Maine Foods, Intrepid Machine, Mary Lame Wrought Iron, PharmaWorks, Seaway Plastics, Southeast Bottling Company, Topline Energy Systems and Huff Carbide Tools.
The tours offer students a chance to expand their knowledge about and learn about high-tech careers and opportunities associated with manufacturing.
Bikes serve as reading incentives
Gary Cucchi, owner of Horance Mann Insurance Agency, delivered bicycles to a number of schools, including Chester Taylor Elementary School in Zephyrhills, as part of a reading incentive program.
One boy and one girl from the school will be selected to receive a new bicycle in the second semester.
Taylor Elementary is just one of 15 Pasco County schools Cucchi delivered bikes to.
Library of Congress offers free interactive e-books
The Library of Congress is offering students a set of free interactive e-books for tablets.
The new Library of Congress Student Discovery Sets bring together historical artifacts and one-of-a-kind documents in a range of topics from history to science to literature.
Interactive tools let students zoom in for close examination, draw to highlight interesting details, and make notes about what they discover.
The first six Student Discovery Sets are available now for iPad, and can be downloaded for free on iBooks. These sets cover the U.S. Constitution, Symbols of the United States, Immigration, the Dust Bowl, the Harlem Renaissance, and Understanding the Cosmos.
For information, visit LOC.gov/teachers/student-discovery-sets/.
