Students to battle at Brain Bowl
ST. LEO, FL – Students from the area’s Catholic high schools along with one private school will compete March 26 in Saint Leo University’s annual Brain Bowl.
The trivia-type contest will test their knowledge of languages, arts, popular culture, physics, math, biology, history, and more.
The final round begins at 12:30 p.m. and is open to the public. It takes place at Saint Leo University’s Wellness Center gym, located on the lower level, 33701 County Road 52 (the address often comes up as Priory Circle in Google).
Jesuit High School won last year’s Brain Bowl. First-time competitor Academy of the Lakes was runner-up.
Teams competing include Academy at the Lakes (Land O’ Lakes), Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (Shady Hills), Clearwater Central Catholic High School (Clearwater), Jesuit High School (Tampa), Santa Fe Catholic High School (Lakeland), St. Petersburg Catholic High School (St. Petersburg) and Tampa Catholic High School (Tampa).
Primrose Schools donate books
TAMPA – Students, families and staff at more than 500 Primrose schools collectively donated over 95,000 new and gently used books to promote childhood literacy and make a difference in local communities across the country.
Concluding on Read Across America Day each year to recognize the importance of reading and promote literacy in young children, schools host Og’s Bountiful Book Drive during February.
The charitable giving effort is part of the Primrose Promise Corporate Social Responsibility program, which is driven by the brand’s mission to forge a path that leads to a brighter future for all children.
Smoke from controlled burn disrupts classes
NEW PORT RICHEY – The Southwest Florida Water Management District apologized for unexpected conditions from a 107-acre controlled burn March 11 at Starkey Wilderness Preserve that prompted schools to close.
“The area burned had a large amount of dead trees from the 2017 wildfire in addition to hurricane debris,” according to a spokesperson for the district. “As a result this debris has taken longer to clean up than usual.”
Staff was on site mopping up smoldering debris.
River Ridge High cancelled classes March 12 due to “excessive smoke on campus today and in classrooms,” the school wrote on its Facebook page.
“Prescribed fires such as this one are critical to help protect the community from the spread of uncontrolled wildfires like the ones recently experienced in California,” said the spokeswoman for the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Campers to hunt for microbes
ST. LEO – Saint Leo University will host a Microbe Hunters Summer Camp in which students bring soil samples from home to test using lab techniques.
The camp is offered 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays June 2 to 6, 9 to 13, 16 to 20 and 23 to 27 for high school juniors and seniors. Weekly sessions cost $450.
Students may possibly find viruses of bacteria [non-infectious to humans] never seen before and will be able to give the virus an official and permanent name.
Students will be provided with lunch each day, safety glasses, disposable lab coat, and a T-shirt.
Register at microbehunterssummercamp.totalcamps.com
