Residence hall transforms for Halloween
Saint Leo University hosted its annual Haunted Marmion in Marmion-Snyder Hall, with game, crafts, snacks and trick-or-treating. All floors of the residence were transformed into the Haunted Marmion Mad House. Donations were accepted for a local food bank. Little ones, including this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, did some trick-or-treating at Saint Leo’s residence halls during the event.
Schools host Veterans Day ceremonies
Students and schools throughout Pasco County will participate in Veterans Day ceremonies at their schools in the community.
The following is a list of local events:
- Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.: Bexley Elementary School, 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., Land O’ Lakes — Second-graders will perform during the school’s Veterans Day concert. Call (813) 346-4300.
- Nov. 10 at 7 a.m.: Zephyrhills High School, 6335 12th St. — the school’s ROTC and chorus will salute and honor staff veterans before school. Call (813) 794-6100.
- Nov. 10 at 9 a.m.: Lacoochee Elementary School, 38815 Cummer Road in Dade City — Veterans will visit classrooms, and talk about the holiday and their service. Students will talk about family members who have served and hang photos of them on a Wall of Heroes. Call (352) 524-5600.
- Nov. 10 at 10 a.m.: Denham Oaks Elementary School, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz — The school will recognize more than 75 veterans from all branches of the military. Fourth and fifth-graders will perform songs; student council members will speak; the PTA will provide breakfast; student art will be displayed; and a local Boy Scouts troop will present the flag. Call (813) 794-1600.
- Nov. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Veterans Elementary School, 26940 Progress Parkway in Wesley Chapel — A barbecue will be hosted in honor of veterans. All community members who have served in the military can attend. RSVP at (813) 346-1400, or email .
- Nov. 10 at 11:30 a.m. — Odessa Elementary School, 12810 Interlaken Road, New Port Richey — Anyone related to Odessa Elementary can attend the celebration. The school’s chorus and Seven Springs Middle School chorus will sing, and the Mitchell High School Color Guard will perform. There also will be lunch, a parade and live music. Call (727) 246-3700.
- Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.: Chester W. Taylor Elementary School, 3638 Morris Bridge Road in Zephyrhills — The school’s chorus and the Zephyrhills High School JROTC, jazz band and chorus will perform. The guest speaker will be Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning. Call (813) 794-6900.
- Nov. 10 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.: West Zephyrhills Elementary School, 37900 14th Ave. — There will be live music, and students and staff will wear red, white and blue. Community members should bring chairs. Event is on the basketball courts. Call (813) 794-6300.
- Nov. 11 at 10:30 a.m.: Quail Hollow Elementary School, 7050 Quail Hollow Blvd., in Wesley Chapel — The school will host a Fall Festival Veterans Day Celebration with a musical performance and the students will honor veterans and our country. Call (813) 794-1100.
Holocaust scholar to speak
Victoria Barnett, a scholar at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, will present “Theologian against the Nazis: New Questions, New Findings about Dietrich Bonhoeffer” Nov. 9 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.
Admission is free, and the public is invited.
Parties of 15 people or more, and guests who need assistance, are asked to RSVP to .
PHSC community seminar
Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch will host a community seminar Nov. 15 at 11 a.m., on “Driving Under the Influence Awareness,” at the school’s conference center, Building B, Room 303, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
The seminar is open to students, teachers, staff and the community.
Free opera program for home-schoolers
Patel Conservatory will offer a free Homeschool Assembly with Opera Tampa Nov. 15 at 8:30 a.m., at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Opera Tampa singers will perform for home-schooled students in this introduction to opera. Students can learn about the art form, opera etiquette and various types of operatic voices.
To register, call (813) 222-1040.
Bully prevention assembly
Gulfside Elementary School will host “Lizzie Sider’s Bully Prevention Assembly” Nov. 17 at 2:30 p.m., for students and staff.
Anti-bullying speaker Lizzie Sider will give a presentation on her personal experiences with elementary and middle school students.
For information, call (727) 774-6000.
Short story contest
The third annual Stair Prize in Writing contest is open for Hillsborough County students in seventh and eighth grades.
Students can submit a short story based on the theme “An Act of Kindness.”
A $500 cash prize will be awarded to a single winner.
The deadline for entry is Nov. 17.
The prize winner will be notified Dec. 8 and awarded the prize Dec. 20.
For information and details, visit HCPLC.org.
Student toy drive
Pasco County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mike Moore and the Pasco County District School Board will collect new toys for Pasco County children through its inaugural Holiday Toy Drive, through Nov. 27.
All toys will be donated to students through Pasco County District Schools.
Donations of new, unwrapped toys for children ages 5 to 13 can be dropped off at any of these locations:
- Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
- Pasco County Historic Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., Dade City
- New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills
- West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey
Several Pasco County community partners also will accept toy donations.
For information, visit bit.ly/2gEK4lz.
