Pasco Education Foundation makes an impact
LAND O’ LAKES – School board member Al Hernandez shared some highlights of how the Pasco Education Foundation is working on behalf of students and the community.
Hernandez expressed gratitude for these recent accomplishments:
- The foundation provided nearly $25,000 this year to support the Energy & Marine Center, helping more than 540 Title I students attend PEACE Camp this summer.
- The foundation’s Wise Supplies center gave out free supplies, impacting 1,600 teachers and 32,000 students at 97 schools during the 2024-25 school year.
- The foundation awarded $428,000 in scholarships to nearly 200 graduating seniors.
Tax offices accept supplies
TAMPA – The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office is supporting the Hillsborough Education Foundation by hosting a school supply drive throughout July.
All Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s offices will serve as donation drop-off locations, collecting school supplies that will be distributed through the foundation’s Teaching Tools Store. The store provides free supplies to teachers.
“Every student deserves to walk into their classroom on the first day of school feeling prepared and confident,” said Nancy Millan, tax collector.
Last year’s drive resulted in over 27,000 donated items.
Most needed items include pencils, pens, crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, scissors, hand sanitizer, tissues, notebooks, composition books, folders, binders and backpacks.
Visit hillstaxfl.gov for locations.
36 excel on Cambridge exam
LAND O’ LAKES – Pasco County Schools recognized 36 students July 8 from Anclote, Hudson and Pasco high schools that received Cambridge Learner Awards from Cambridge International Education and Cambridge University Press and Assessment.
Students earned the honor for how well they did in the June 2024 Cambridge exams, according to Sarah Dufresne, supervisor of magnet schools and programs
Natalia Mouton, of Hudson High School, scored an A on three Cambridge exams to earn the Cambridge Scholar Award for Distinction.
Another seven students earned the Cambridge Scholar Award with Merit by scoring a B or higher on three exams. Twenty-eight students won the Cambridge Scholar Award by scoring a C or higher on three exams.
Tutors receive kudos
LAND O’ LAKES – Pasco County Schools recognized high school tutors from the RAISE High School Tutoring Program.
Heather Rulison, coordinator for advanced and enriched programs, said RAISE “pairs high school juniors and seniors with kindergarten through third grade students to improve literacy skills and foster a love for reading.”
Tutors not only earn high school credits but also earn a paycheck.
The district recognized several students July 8 for earning New World Scholar designation for dedicating at least 75 hours to tutoring. Rulison said many of them exceed 200 hours.
USEP boss: ‘We are united’
LAND O’ LAKES – Instructional employees voted to continue having the United School Employees of Pasco represent their interests as a bargaining agent.
Votes were tallied June 27, revealing 98.2% favored USEP, according to President Jeff Larsen.
“We are certainly pleased but honestly not that surprised by this result,” Larsen said. “We are united. This result simply means that we’ll continue to do what we do. As a united group, we will continue to collectively advocate for better working conditions, benefits and compensation.”
School-related personnel will go through their own voting process.
Student achievements
- David Alejandro Jr., of Land O’ Lakes, made the spring dean’s list at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, for earning a 3.5 GPA or higher. This is the second consecutive semester that the football player has made the list.
- Kalani Martin, of Wesley Chapel, graduated with a Doctor of Medical Science degree from the College of Health Professions at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
- Jett Ellen Odom, of Land O’ Lakes, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.
