Pine View takes seventh
The Future Farmers of America (FFA) livestock judging team from Pine View Middle placed seventh out of 56 middle school teams from across the state at a March 9 competition. This was the first competition the Pine View team had entered.
The 2013 Middle School Livestock Career Development Event was at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Seen are Tieranni Johnson, Abby Gimson, Rebecca Urbanos, Madison Noble and Brandi Padgett, who is the school’s FFA administrator.
Livestock evaluation requires students to know about all aspects of the pig, lamb and beef industry, with a focus on how to evaluate livestock based on current industry standards and market values.
Avalon Theisen captures two awards
Avalon Theisen, who lives in Lutz, is one of 80 semifinalists in the 2013 search for Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes.
Theisen founded Conserve it Forward, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the challenges certain amphibians face and encourages adults, as well as kids, to help. She has run environmental booths, led hikes and field trips, gave presentations and planned educational events, such as Tampa Save the Frogs Days. Her goal is to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to take action.
The semifinalists were selected from a field of 1,000 applicants. Ten Huggable Heroes will be named this summer.
Theisen is also a recipient of one of Hillsborough County’s Youth Excellence and Achievement awards. She was one of six Hillsborough County youths singled out for the awards.
Wells Fargo grant to PHCC
The Wells Fargo Foundation has given the Pasco-Hernando Community College Foundation (PHCC) a $10,000 to fund the Concept College Program.
Concept College is an outreach program for middle and high school students who have little or no expectation of attending college. The program is coordinated with the school districts of Pasco and Hernando counties.
The community college implemented Concept College to encourage high-risk youth to envision career options and contemplate college as a path to success.
For more information on the PHCC Foundation, call (727) 816-3410 or visit www.phcc.edu/foundation.
Lutz student makes dean’s list
David Francois, of Lutz, has achieved the Dean’s List at Azusa Pacific University, by achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Francois is majoring in physics at the California school.
Making progress on AP tests
Students from Hillsborough County public schools helped Florida gain ground among the nation’s leaders in the percentage of students scoring 3 or above on Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
The ninth annual AP Report to the Nation released by the College Board showed Florida jumped from sixth to fourth in the nation in the percentage of students scoring 3 or higher on AP exams. Florida also leads the nation in the percentage of students taking AP exams while in high school.
Hillsborough’s overall participation has doubled during the past five years.
For its accomplishments in increasing access and opportunity, the Hillsborough district has also been one of the nation’s AP Districts of the Year.
The AP Report to the Nation and state supplement for Florida are available at apreport.collegeboard.org.
Steinbrenner golf tournament
Steinbrenner High School’s football team will have its fourth annual golf tournament on May 11 at the Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club, with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m.
There also will be a silent and live auction at the event.
Golf registration and sponsorship information are available by calling (813) 504-7440 or by visiting www.tournevents.com/warriorfootball.
Land O’ Lakes High celebrates scholars
Twenty-four Land O’ Lakes High students were honored at the Senior Academic Celebration Breakfast.
Top students honored in the traditional school program were: Brooke Gonzalez, valedictorian; Madison Parks, salutatorian; Savannah Long, Morgan Maguire, Katherine Dennis, Chandler Miller, Tiffany Simmermeyer, Olivia Kabat, Maria Niznik and Jordan Glogowski.
Top students honored in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme:
Grace Chow, valedictorian; Priyanshi Patel, salutatorian; Konrad Thorner, salutatorian; Colin Defant, Dana Lawson, Roshni Patel, Rohit Iyer, Priya Solanki, Bryce Maldonado, Hannah Bazick, Corey Diamond, Stephanie Snow, Meghan Mapes and Emily Macon.
Invent Now summer camp
Invent Now will offer its Camp Invention summer program at Academy at the Lakes June 10 through June 14.
This year’s Camp Invention program is Geo-Quest, which features the I Can Invent: Launchitude module, where children combine physics and re-engineered household items to create the ultimate Duck Chucking Device.
To register or learn more about Invent Now programming, visit www.campinvention.org or call (800) 968-4332.
Free online homework help
The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative offers free online homework help for children, teenagers and adult learners through Tutor.com.
Hillsborough County library cardholders have free access to the website’s test prep, study and job resources to suit their needs.
In addition, live one-on-one homework help can be obtained through the library’s website from 2 p.m. to midnight, seven days a week, with no appointment necessary.
For more information call (813) 273-3652 or visit hcplc.org.
