Fish art contest
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with Wildlife Forever, will host the Florida State Fish Art Contest.
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade can compete in the free contest for a chance to win state and national honors, and prizes. The program is designed to inspire creativity, while encouraging the next generation of anglers and conservationists.
Florida winners will be selected by the FWC in four grade categories: kindergarten through third grade; fourth through sixth grade; seventh through ninth grade; and 10th through 12th grade.
State winners will advance to the national competition to be judged for top prizes, such as Best of Show.
To enter, students should submit their entry consisting of the following:
- An original horizontal 9-inch by 12-inch piece of artwork featuring any fish from the Official Fish List
- A piece of creative writing, no longer than one page, about the chosen species (required for grades four to 12)
- A Florida State Fish Art Contest entry form
The deadline to enter is March 31.
Participants can mail entries to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Attn: Laura Rambo, Florida Fish Art Contest, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL 32301.
Entrants also can submit photos or a scanned copy of the entry to .
For complete contest information, entry forms and the Fish On! Lesson Plan, visit StateFishArt.org.
Virtual Choice Expo
Hillsborough County Public Schools will host a virtual session entitled “Magnet: Vision 2020 Exploration Nights” on Nov. 19 and Dec. 3.
The Magnet Choice application period runs through Dec. 11.
Students and families can watch live demonstrations, through Zoom, as current students showcase in-demand programs including robotics, performing arts, medical, International Baccalaureate and more.
Students also can learn about the Magnet and Choice Program options.
For a list of Magnet, CTE and Choice options, as well as the application, visit HillsboroughSchools.org/Choice.
School grants awarded
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) awarded $97,640.28 in grants to 43 educators within the District as part of the Splash! School grant program.
The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources, in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities, as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns.
Each school district allocates a portion of its annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.
The District awarded grants to these schools/teachers in Pasco County:
- Deer Park Elementary School – Jamie Thornton
- James Irvin Education Center – Dr. Jose Olmo
- Pasco eSchools – Shamsher Lamba
- Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel – Rachael Robinson
- River Ridge High School – Laine Smith
- Sunlake High School – Kathryn Bylsma/Michelle Hock
Grants are available for freshwater resources field studies, water-conserving garden projects, community or school awareness campaigns, and on-site workshops.
Last year’s Splash! grants brought water resources education to 5,478 students throughout the District.
For information, visit WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.
Essay contest
The Pasco County Library Cooperative is sponsoring a 2020 “Type Capsule” Essay Contest through Dec. 31, for grades three to five.
Because 2020 has been a historic year, students are asked to answer this question: “If you made a time capsule, what would you want to share about the year with future generations?”
The essay can discuss something the child experienced during 2020 and explain why it is worth remembering.
Submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., on Dec. 31.
Third-graders should write at least three paragraphs; fourth-graders, four paragraphs; and fifth-graders, five paragraphs.
Essays should not be more than three pages of writing. The student also can include images, but the images must be on separate pages from the writing itself.
For more details and guidelines, visit PascoLibraries.evanced.info/signup.
New financial aid programs
Saint Leo University has created new financial aid programs with the goal to make private university education accessible and affordable during challenging times.
The school’s new Tuition Advantage Program will recognize high-achieving students throughout the state of Florida who demonstrate financial need.
For students with a 3.5 GPA or higher, whose families make an Adjusted Gross Income of less than $50,000 a year (based on 2019 tax return), the program will cover the student’s full tuition after institutional, state and federal funds are applied.
To qualify, students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and be determined to be Florida residents by Saint Leo’s Student Financial Services Office.
Students who participate in the tuition program are eligible to attend University Campus, the school’s residential campus, for a bachelor degree program at no tuition cost.
The four-year estimated value of a Tuition Advantage financial aid package exceeds $100,000.
The program will help students from lower income families pursue and complete their degrees.
Saint Leo also is offering a new program to provide students with a high school GPA of 2.00 to 2.39 the opportunity to succeed in a private university academic experience.
Through the D2R Associate Degree Program, students can earn an associate degree on their way to obtaining a bachelor degree.
For less than $10,000 in tuition per year, students can earn a degree in one of four programs: Associates of Arts in Liberal Arts, Associate of Arts in Business Administration, Associate of Arts in Information Technology, and Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice.
Saint Leo also has expanded and updated its Catholic Promise Award, and added a new offering — the Global Citizen Award — for international students.
Applications are being accepted for the fall 2021 semester.
For information, email , call (352) 588-8283, or visit SaintLeo.edu/daretoroar.
