The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco Education Foundation

Chalk Talk 04/13/2022

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Kevin D. O’ Farrell (File)

Provost leaves position
Kevin D. O’ Farrell, provost, Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, announced his upcoming departure from Pasco-Hernando State College, in an email letter.

O’ Farrell has served PHSC for the past 12 years, and has been serving as provost for the last 5 1/2 years.

In his new role as chancellor for Career and Adult Education at the Florida Department of Education, he will provide leadership to the Career and Technical Education Programs, Workforce Education, and Adult Education throughout the state.

O’ Farrell’s last day with PHSC will be April 22, and he and his family will relocate to Tallahassee.

Financial literacy
Pasco County Schools in collaboration with community partners is recognizing Financial Literacy Month by offering virtual experiences and opportunities.

Visit Pasco County Schools on Facebook for student, home/community, and teacher workshops, contests, and more.

Student news

  • Hope Lelekacs and Joshua Luther, both of Odessa, have been initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, at the University of Tampa.
  • Payton VanNort, of Lutz, worked behind the scenes as an assistant stage manager in Marietta College’s (Ohio) production of “Reefer Madness.” VanNort is majoring in theater (BFA) directing track.

Kindergarten & VPK
Kindergarten registration for the 2022-2023 school year is on April 18, at all Pasco County elementary schools.

Requirements include:

  • The child must be 5 years of age by Sept. 1
  • Birth Certificate or other proof of birth date
  • Health Examination – HRS Form 3040
  • HRS Certificate of Immunization
  • Three different proofs of residency including deed or property tax assessment or lease, current utility bill, and an additional document supporting stated address such as auto registration, driver’s license, voter registration.

For more information on registration, visit tinyurl.com/p7txr4j4.

Pasco County Schools also offers free VPK (voluntary prekindergarten).

Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, to be eligible.

For information and instructions on how to apply, visit pasco.k12.fl.us, click on “News” and search for “VPK.”

Duke Energy grants
The Duke Energy Foundation and Duke Energy Florida have awarded more than $641,000 in grants to support a wide range of kindergarten through 12th grade initiatives focused on energy and engineering education, as well as programs serving underrepresented, low-income and diverse students, according to a news release.

This year’s grant recipients range from local education foundations to community organizations that provide unique learning opportunities for students, especially those with diverse backgrounds and abilities, to explore STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts.

In The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, the Pasco Education Foundation Inc., was the recipient of $25,000. This foundation partners with Pasco County Schools, and the Energy and Marine Science Center (EMC) to help improve STEM curriculum and enhance its reach in providing the opportunity for underrepresented, low-income Title I students to visit the EMC.

Statewide, the Consortium of Florida Education Foundation received $50,000, to support local education foundations in Duke Energy Florida’s footprint in understanding the local landscape of career/technical education, college/career readiness and STEM education needs, and increase knowledge of capacity building tools for organizational stability, the release says.

In total, six organizations in the Tampa Bay area received grants; in the Greater Orlando area, nine; and in the Greater Tallahassee/Gainesville area, six.

Financial aid tip
As college students register for classes this fall, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) encourages students to consider taking more classes.

A heavier course load helps to cut the total cost of college, because students will finish their technical or degree program more quickly, a KHEAA news release says.

A full-time load for undergraduates usually is 12 credit hours per semester.

Associate degrees usually require 60 credit hours to finish; bachelor degrees, 120 hours.

At 12 hours each semester, students will need five semesters to finish an associate degree and 10 semesters to finish a bachelor degree.

By taking 15 hours per semester, a student can finish an associate degree in four semesters and a bachelor degree in eight semesters, the release says.

Many colleges do not charge students more for 15 hours than they do for 12 hours.

The expanded course load may save students thousands of dollas in tuition and fees.

KHEAA is a public, nonprofit agency that helps to improve student access to college, and provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents.

For more information, visit KHEAA.com.

No such thing as a typical day for this award-winning leader

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Melissa Musselwhite, the director of student support programs and services, often begins her day around 6 a.m., and wraps it up around 7 p.m.

But those are on days when there’s not some sort of crisis going on, because in her role in Pasco County Schools, she’s on the front-end of dealing with crises.

During the midst of COVID-19, for instance, she’s been immersed in Pasco County Schools’ efforts to deal with the disruptive virus.

Beyond that, she leads a department that has roughly 400 employees.

Melissa Musselwhite is Pasco County Schools’ District Administrator of the Year. She oversees a department of about 400 staffers and has been the point person in the system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (B.C. Manion)

Her performance recently led to her recognition as Pasco County Schools’ District Administrator of the Year.

She received word of the honor last month during a visit by the district’s “Surprise Patrol” made up of Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco School Board members and Stacey Capogrosso, the executive director of the Pasco Education Foundation.

The nomination submitted on Musselwhite’s behalf, reads in part: “Melissa has been the face of the COVID response for our district. She has been professional, thorough and endlessly patient. Melissa leads a large department that has continued to move forward in spite of her being tasked with all things COVID.

“Melissa has been unwavering in her dedication to this school district,” the nomination adds.

It also notes her exceptional efforts in coordinating testing sites and vaccine clinics, while leading her department.

The nomination also lists other attributes, including “leadership, positivity, dedication, kindness, decision-making skills, optimism and (a) constant effort to support every single person around her.”

Not only has the administrator carried the district through challenging times, the nomination said, “she has modeled for us all what it means to be the calm in the storm and the thoughtful leader everyone needs during such intense times.”

Musselwhite is gratified by the honor, but is quick to point out that any accolades she receives are a reflection of the dedicated work of the employees in the department she leads.

“I couldn’t do this job without them,” she said. “I feel like I’m kind of the conductor of keeping the work moving.”

Her responsibilities are extensive.

She describes her department as a four-legged stool that includes special programs; school services (including school nurse, school psychologists and school counseling); state and federal programs; and, compliance and discipline.

Being valued and valuing others
Besides the support she receives from her staff, Musselwhite also credits the assistant superintendents and the superintendent for giving her the freedom to do her job.

“They have such respect for me and really value my decision-making and my input, that I feel blessed to have that, as a part of my work,” she said.

“They give me autonomy because they trust that we’re going to do what’s right.

“They allowed us to work collaboratively with the community, like the department of health, different agencies.

“They also allow that flexibility and for us to have a voice.

“I think that’s what makes me energetic. I feel like the department is valued in our system and that we continue to have the ability to make a difference for kids in so many aspects in our district,” she said.

“I’m allowed to disagree. We can have a healthy debate,” she said, adding she hasn’t always been in a position where it felt safe to do that.

She wants her staff to feel equally empowered.

“I don’t want them (staff) to agree with me because I don’t know everything. So, I want to pushback. I want you to tell me you think this should look differently,” she said.

As a leader, she said, she tries to make sure “that people feel that they’re a part of, and valued in, what we’re doing.”

She said she leads a staff that plays an invaluable role in the district.

“The work we do every day to support children — whether it’s with their health needs, whether it’s because they’re English language learners, whether it’s because parents have concerns about the services; or, it’s discipline — everybody works collectively for the same purpose of making sure that students receive a great education here in Pasco,” Musselwhite said

Her profile, she acknowledged, has been raised through her role during COVID.

“I have been the lead communicator of that. I am probably more forward-facing than I had been in previous years. I’ve been communicating the good and the bad, for families, for staff, for the community,” she said.

No doubt, COVID’s impacts have been widespread.

“It’s been tough,” the district administrator said. “You can definitely see the stressors on the families. People lost jobs. Some of them lost a family member or multiple family members, or a combination of those.”

A career path with varied roles
Musselwhite began her career in Pasco County Schools in 1996 as a teacher of specific learning disabilities. She next taught children with autism, then became a behavioral specialist at the school level before becoming a district-based behavioral specialist.

Next, she became the supervisor for programs for children with autism.

After that, she was director of human resources for one year before becoming the director of exceptional student education in 2012. That department was combined with student services, she said.

“From there, it kind of morphed. We also absorbed state and federal programs; and that includes Title 1, Charter Schools, private schools, home education, grants and we had school choice for a little bit, but that has now gone to leading and learning.”

She said one of her favorite parts of her job involves attending a Special Olympics competition and watching the interaction between athletes, and seeing the joy on the faces of athletes, families and coaches.

The worst part of her job, she said, is “when we expel a kid for a year or a year and a half. It’s really hard.”

Her days are unpredictable.

“There’s no set schedule. It truly can be a 24-hour job, unfortunately. But I know that and I’m committed to that,” she said.

The state has implemented a plan called Fortify Florida, which means calls come in whenever there’s a viable threat.

She’s one of the receivers of those calls, which also go to law enforcement and the school.

“If it’s something we need to respond to, we get up and respond to it,” she said.

“Sadly, if there’s a student that passes away or an employee, and we get notified in the night, we will work on setting up the crisis team for the morning.

“Regularly, I’m either up at 5 a.m. working on things, or I’m up at midnight because there’s a missing student.

“There’s not a day I don’t take a call before I leave the house — I’m on the phone in the car,” she said.

Despite that busy schedule, though, Musselwhite said she prioritizes time with her two sons, 15-year-old Landon and 13-year-old Nolan, who attend district schools.

She also prizes the close relationships she shares with her sister Astrid Willard, with her twin brother Scott Eaton, and with a group of close-knit friends.

Musselwhite understands the impact that educators can have on others.

She still recalls the kindness of her music teacher, Miss Jewel, at Town ‘N Country Elementary School, and the support she received from her drama teacher, Miss Gaudian, at Leto High School.

“The two of them, forever, made me know what a difference teachers could make,” Musselwhite said.

Published December 22, 2021

Serving up food — to sustain, comfort

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Concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has flattened the economy, causing many to seek out help for the first time to put food on their tables.

Here is a look at some efforts, to help feed others, across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Collecting food to feed the hungry
The woman pulls up and pops open her trunk, so volunteers could gather the bags of food that she had brought to donate.

Among those volunteering at a weekend food drive were Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco School Board member Allen Altman and State Rep. Ardian Zika. They took their masks off for the photo, and kept socially distanced. (B.C. Manion)

As they unloaded her donations, she became emotional — thanking the volunteers for what they are doing to help people struggling through the pandemic.

She was obviously touched by the effort.

Pasco County leaders have held food drives for the past two weekends to collect donations. The first drive was in the parking lot of the former Super Target store, off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Expressway, and the second at Sam’s Club of Wesley Chapel, off State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel.

State Rep. Ardian Zika carries a box of donations to tables, where they are sorted

High-ranking officials from Pasco County Schools, the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office, the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office, state legislators, and candidates for office, were there to help. Pasco Fire Rescue employees, Pasco Sheriff’s Office employees and others volunteered, too.

The community responded, bringing bags and boxes of food — loaded with pasta, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, soups, rice, canned goods and more.

Monetary donations are still welcome and can be made through the Pasco Education Foundation at PascoEducationFoundation.org. Checks can be made payable to Pasco Education Foundation and mailed to P.O. Box 1248, Land O’ Lakes, Florida, 34639.

Farm-Fresh Pop-ups
When Pasco County Schools receives donated fruits or vegetables, it holds Farm Fresh Pop-ups, and the free fresh produce goes fast.

At its first Pop-Up, the district gave away more than 30,000 ears of corn in about 2 hours.

It took less than 45 minutes to give away a truck filled with 10-pound variety boxes of vegetables, during a Farm Fresh Pop-up at the school district headquarters in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Stephen P. Hegarty)

At its second one, on May 8, it handed out 10-pound variety boxes of vegetables containing such veggies as cucumbers, potatoes, radishes, collards, broccoli, peppers, squash, and eggplant.

Those were gone in 45 minutes.

At the pop-ups, which are held in different locations, school district officials are practicing safe social distancing and wearing masks.

Those picking up the free foods are asked to stay in their vehicles and to pop their trunks, so the food can be placed in their trunks.

Feeding Florida and L&M donated the variety boxes.

The district also continues to provide five breakfasts and five lunches, once a week, to students 18 and under, at specific locations. As of May, it had served more than 820,000 meals.

To find out more about the district’s meal program, and to keep abreast of future Farm Fresh Pop-Ups, check the district’s website, Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Outdoor dining allowed to expand
Pasco County officials are providing more flexibility to restaurants to expand their outdoor dining space by allowing them to set up tables in parking areas and other outdoor areas — without a county permit.

The move was made to give restaurant operators more options, as they contend with decreased business due to COVID-19.

Leslie Gruber, of Land O’ Lakes, receives her meal from Savannah Walker, manager of The Box Kitchen Restaurant, at 6464 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes. The restaurant placed several tables in its parking lot to accommodate more diners, taking advantage of relaxed rules in Pasco County. (Randy Underhill)

Under phase one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan, restaurants were allowed to operate indoor dining rooms at 25% capacity and to have dining outdoors, with the proviso that tables be kept 6 feet apart from each other.

To help expand restaurant capacity, Tampa officials have closed streets in some areas, so restaurants could set up tables there.

In Pasco, officials allowed restaurateurs to expand outdoor dining on their own properties.

The expanded seating may be used during the restaurant’s normal business hours, and the allowance will expire when full-capacity indoor dining returns, according to a county news release.

The Box Kitchen Restaurant in Land O’ Lakes appeared to be one of the few restaurants within The Laker/Lutz coverage area taking advantage of the county’s relaxed rules.

Providing hot meals in hard times
Three initiatives in Pasco County are aimed at providing hot meals, while supporting restaurants at the same time.

In the “Dining Out at Home” program, Pasco County has partnered with the Area Agency on Aging to have restaurant meals delivered to eligible senior citizens.

In “Operation Feed Pasco,” local restaurants are helping to supply meals at local food pantries and soup kitchens. The county is partnering with United Way of Pasco County on that effort.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and State Rep. Ardian Zika were on hand when meals were delivered to workers at the Medical Center of Trinity. (Courtesy of Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s office)

Restaurants that would like to participate in Operation Feed Pasco should call United Way at (727) 359-7999, to see if there are any slots left.

In Pasco FLAG2020, meals are being purchased from local restaurants and then provided to people working on the front lines of the pandemic.

The program is being championed by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who was inspired after seeing coverage of two women in New Jersey who launched the national program.

So far, 64 meals have been delivered through that program to AdventHealth Dade City, 41 have been delivered to BayCare’s North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey and 106 meals to Medical Center of Trinity.

In addition to Starkey, other local elected leaders who have been involved in raising money, include Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, former Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’Neil and State Rep. Ardian Zika.

To help, send donations to:

Venmo: @FLAG2020Pasco; PayPal: PayPal.me/FLAG2020Pasco

Published May 13, 2020

Remembering Pete ‘Hutch’ Brock II, a community servant

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Pete Hutchinson “Hutch” Brock II, a former Dade City mayor who was active in community life — passed away on Jan. 26, at age 54.

Brock served on the Dade City Commission from 2000 to 2004, then as Dade City’s mayor from 2004 to 2008, according to an obituary posted on the Hodges Family Funeral Home website.

“While he was mayor, we had an unprecedented period of annexations – undeveloped property coming into the city of Dade City,” current Commissioner Scott Black told The Laker/Lutz News. “He was looking out for the future sustainability of the city.”

Besides his work as an attorney, involvement in civic life and community service, Pete Hutchison ‘Hutch’ Brock II enjoyed outdoor activities and leisure time with family. (Courtesy of Hodges Family Funeral Home)

Brock also was involved in efforts to revitalize Dade City’s downtown and preserve its historic character, according to current Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez.

He “brought enthusiasm to the office of mayor” and his leadership left a distinct impression, she said.

“His focus on maintaining the historic charm of Dade City will not be forgotten,” Hernandez added.

Details of his public service were noted on the funeral home’s website and circulated by The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

Brock was an advocate for youth.

He served on the board of the Pasco Education Foundation, and he supported the work of the Boys & Girls Club in Lacoochee.

He gave of his time and talents for 20 years to Sunrise of Pasco County, an organization that provides shelter and services for survivors of domestic violence.

He maintained memberships with Rotary Clubs in Dade City and Wesley Chapel, and was named a Paul Harris Fellow. He served on the administrative council at his church, too.

Other areas of involvement included advocating for the renewal of Penny for Pasco, a tax initiative that increases Pasco County revenue; and, supporting the efforts of East and Central Pasco Habitat for Humanity, which helps families and individuals obtain affordable housing.

He was a sports enthusiast.

He played baseball and football in his youth, and coached youth baseball, flag football and soccer. He enjoyed outdoor activities, such as boating and fishing.

As a graduate of the University of Florida, he was an unabashed Gator fan.

Born on April 5, 1965, Brock grew up in Dade City. He attended Pasco High School before transferring to Jesuit High School, in Tampa, where he graduated.

After high school, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, before transferring in 1984 to the University of Florida, where he met his wife, Natalie.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science and Business Administration degree in 1987, then a law degree in 1990.

He was hired by Fowler White, a legal firm in Tampa, where he remained four years before moving back to his hometown and becoming a legal partner at Dade City’s Johnson, Auvil, Brock & Pratico, P.A. He remained there for over 17 years.

He launched his own practice, Brock Law LLC, in Wesley Chapel, in 2012. His legal work focused on personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect and employment disputes.

He and his wife, Natalie, had three sons, Carson, Coleman and Connor Mack, and a daughter, Ashton. Besides his wife and children, he is survived by his father Pete, and two sisters, Nancy and Haley.

Tributes on the funeral home’s website describe Brock as a great man, whose death is a loss for the community.

Commissioner Black seems to share that opinion.

“He’s always going to be revered, that’s for sure. He’ll have that legacy,” Black said.

Published February 05, 2020

Pasco County Farm Bureau advocates for agriculture

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Protecting the lush farmland in and near towns, such as Dade City and Zephyrhills, has been the focal point, for decades, of the Pasco County Farm Bureau.

The grassroots organization supports the needs of farmers and their produce.

The agency is just one within 60 statewide counties that fall under the Florida Farm Bureau – an organization that began more than 75 years ago.

During routine maintenance, Allen Altman of Dade City, checks one of his Bingo variety tangerine trees for any pests that may potentially harm the tree. This block of trees, designed to be resistant to the citrus greening disease, is one of only two blocks currently planted in Pasco County. Altman is agency manager for the Pasco County Farm Bureau, and a member of the Pasco County School Board. (Christine Holtzman)

Allen Altman is an agency manager for the Pasco County branch and has been with the bureau for almost 40 years.

“[The] Farm Bureau is out there making sure that farmers have the opportunity to remain viable economically,” Altman said. “We’re a membership organization that embraces all agriculture producers and the values that they stand for.”

In doing so, the bureau offers coverage policies to farmers for their equipment and buildings, as well as automobile, homeowners and life insurance.

This coverage is not exclusive to only farmers, but open to everyday consumers who are Farm Bureau members.

And, while the organization is independent of government, it does work with legislators in helping pass measures beneficial to agriculture.

In the past, it has been successful in helping to implement a statewide agricultural sales tax exemption.

This has saved Florida farmers and ranchers more than $2.3 million in annual tax exemptions for health and medical products used for livestock.

An additional $13 million has been spared in taxes for farm equipment, as well.

In its efforts to preserve the Everglades, the bureau was instrumental in reducing the cost to build a water storage reservoir, and has advocated for access to proper water distribution to maintain healthy crops.

Last year, the federal government had signed into law the Agriculture Improvement Act, which allocated $867 billion to help sustain farmers nationwide.

The bipartisan measure was in response to the United States trade tensions with China, which had a negative economic impact for U.S. farm producers.

A Hamlin orange tree damaged by the citrus greening disease.

The financial aid has benefited Pasco farmers, but not to the same extent as those in Midwestern states that tend to have more farmland, Altman said.

While there are issues that the Farm Bureau can readily address, others aren’t as simple.
Throughout the early to late 1980s, harsh winter conditions devastated Florida’s citrus crops – especially in Pasco County.

“The entire economy revolved around citrus production,” Altman said. “Two freezes combined killed 98 percent of the producing citrus in Pasco County. It has never been the same since.”
During the aftermath, the Pasco agency has tried to produce alternative crops that could bolster the farm market to the levels that citrus once did.

Farmers have turned to Florida peaches as a viable commodity. While they are plentiful within the county, there are economic obstacles, such as shipping and sales, that have yet to be worked out, Altman noted.

In 2012, Pasco County’s market value for crop and livestock products sold, amounted to more than $73.8 million – representing a 34 percent decline from 2007, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Also, the citrus greening disease has plagued many crops, both locally and nationally.

This disease infects the trees of this fruit family when exposed to the Asian insect, citrus psyllid.

Although the infected citrus pose no threat to humans, they are not suitable for consumption because the oranges remain green and taste bitter. This in turn, hurts the citrus market in the county, which has struggled to recover since the winter freezes decades back.

This is a matter of concern for many farmers, including Altman himself, who owns 6 acres of tangerine trees.

While there is no known cure, scientists are striving to find solutions to eradicate this disease.
One successful method of helping stabilize the market has been collaborating with other farm bureaus in different states.

John Blommel plants a high quality Tifton 44 hay on his Dade City field, where citrus once grew. Many farmers are planting hay to protect the soil and minimize erosion of their land.

Upon entering the Dade City bureau office, a refrigerator and shelves stocked with various edibles can be spotted.

Many of these foods come from other states, including jams, jellies, sauces and cheeses.
Florida’s Best is a name brand company that distributes products that the Sunshine State is known for – including orange blossom honey.

Currently the largest production distributed out of Pasco County is live cattle, Altman said.
The Farm Bureau also tries to bring awareness to the public and emphasize the importance of agriculture.

The agency’s members attest to its efficiency by word of mouth – as does its county board of directors.

“We try to find people from a diverse background of agriculture to represent that board and help develop policy,” Altman explained.

One such person on the board is State Sen. Wilton Simpson, of Trilby, who also is a poultry farmer.
As a legislator, Simpson articulates the needs of Pasco County farmers to implement policies in their favor within Tallahassee, Altman said.

The agency also has a presence at the annual Pasco County Fair, taking advantage of the venue in its quest to educate the public about the farm industry.

The Farm Bureau puts a heavy emphasis on educating youth, in particular.

“We focus most of our efforts on young people and trying to make sure that those students [who] want to go into agriculture have our support,” Altman stated.

The agency educates kids through youth programs, such as the local Head, Heart, Hands and Health (4H) club and Future Farmers of America (FFA).

It also goes into Pasco County classrooms to introduce teaching and reading sessions for the students, said Altman, who also sits on the Pasco County School Board.

In collaboration with the Pasco Education Foundation, the bureau also offers scholarships to high school seniors who have an interest in pursuing a degree in an agriculture-related field.

Whether buying from a farmer’s market or a commercial grocery story, Altman said he wants the average consumer to understand the effort that goes into making produce or poultry available.

“Don’t take it for granted,” the agency manager said. “Somebody somewhere has worked extremely hard to produce that commodity and put it on the shelf for your convenience.”

The Farm Bureau isn’t the only organization that encourages youths to become involved in the agricultural industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently launched a Youth and Agriculture website to connect young people and youth-serving organizations with department-wide resources that engage, empower and educate the next generation of agricultural leaders.
The website’s three key components include: classroom studies, experiential learning and leadership training.
Visit: USDA.gov/youth.

Published June 26, 2019

Attend a Kentucky Derby party, and help local groups

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Celebrate the Kentucky Derby and raise money for area rotary clubs and the Pasco Education Foundation.

The event, which is open to the public, is set for May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Guests will have a chance to roll cigars and dance to music by the Strictly Bizness band.

Those who enjoy donning fancy attire can also compete for awards for the best hat or best dressed contests.

Among many fun activities at the Kentucky Derby Party, guests can try their luck at the casino table. This year’s event will be on May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Courtesy of Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel)

Winners will be able to take home bragging rights, and prizes.

“The nice thing is everybody can get dressed up in their derby finest,” said Rebecca Smith, member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel.

There will be a southern cuisine buffet, and drinks available at the bar.

Two auctions will be offered as well. Commemorative items, such as sports memorabilia, will be sold at the live auction, while the silent auction will offer an array of items donated by the community.

And, of course, those attending can cheer on their favorite horses and jockeys, as the Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on numerous television screens.

The function is being hosted jointly by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel and the Rotary Club of Dade City.

It will be held at the Waller Ranch, at 17307 Powerline Road in Dade City.

Proceeds will help raise money for both rotary clubs, and will benefit the Pasco Education Foundation.

Tickets can be purchased online for $75 or at the door for $100.

For additional information or tickets, visit HatsAndHorses2019.eventbrite.com.

Rebecca Smith may also be contacted at (307) 851-4312 or at .

Hats and Horses – Kentucky Derby Party
Where: Waller Ranch, 17307 Powerline Road, Dade City
When: May 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: $75 online or $100 at the door
Details: Come celebrate the Kentucky Derby with a buffet, contests for the best dressed and best hats, and auctions.
Info: For tickets, visit HatsAndHorses2019.eventbrite.com. For further inquiries, contact Rebecca Smith at (307) 851-4312 or at .

Published May 01, 2019

Atmosphere is upbeat on teacher move-in day

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Volunteers and teachers were busy on teacher move-in day last week at Cypress Creek Middle High School.

Pasco County School Board members, the superintendent of schools, Rotary Club members, members of The Greater Wesley Chamber of Commerce, the Pasco Education Foundation and other community volunteers joined in with teachers to help them get ready for Day 1 at the new school at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

They hauled boxes from the parking lot.

Cypress Creek teacher Jenny Burton was busy last week, unpacking and storing supplies for her middle school art classes. She is thrilled with both the size of her classroom and the supplies she has to work with. (B.C. Manion)

They pushed carts down corridors filled with classroom stuff.

They stood in line, awaiting the elevator to carry their load to the second floor.

They unpacked boxes. Put together bookcases. They stamped books and put away supplies.

Some teachers began decorating the walls in their classrooms, adding their personal touch.

They were working, but there was a friendly banter. The atmosphere was upbeat, with an undeniable sense of excitement in the air.

Jenny Burton, a middle school art teacher, is thrilled to be teaching at Cypress Creek.

“This is like absolute heaven,” Burton said, as she organized her art supplies.

“I’ve never worked in a space like this before. I’ve worked in rooms that were a quarter of this size,” she said.

She’s also impressed by the supplies that have been provided for her class and can’t wait to begin working with her students to find out which materials they’ve used before, and which ones will be new to them.

Her next-door neighbor is Sara Connolly, a middle school social studies teacher.

First-year teacher Sara Connolly wants to bring her social studies lessons to life for her students. She’s already chosen a playlist for the first day of school, featuring music from different eras of American life.

“I want kids to realize that history is not just a book, and it’s not just someone standing up and lecturing to you, and memorizing a bunch of dates,” said Connolly, a first-year teacher, whose mother is a retired teacher and whose father teaches at Land O’ Lakes High School.

She’s been preparing for that first day.

“I already have a playlist set up of American historical music through the ages,” she said, noting the students will hear snippets of American Colonial music, the Civil War, the jazz age and other eras.

She’s also planning to have students break into teams on that day, to do a scavenger hunt in the classroom.

Burton and Connolly are already thinking about ways the two of them can collaborate to do cross-curricular lessons.

Meanwhile, down the hall, Dani Sauerwein who teaches sixth-grade language arts is equally enthusiastic about the new school year.

“It’s always exciting for a new school year to start, but this is just a whole new level of excitement,” she said, noting she’s thrilled to be part of the team opening a new school.

“We’re trying to create a community,” Sauerwein said.

She also expressed gratitude for the volunteers who were at the school, helping teachers get set up for the new year.

“Honestly, I could not do it without them. This would have taken 10 times longer if it weren’t for everyone who came out to help,” she said.

The value of such volunteer efforts goes beyond the benefit of providing help with the physical labor, said Colleen Beaudoin, a school board member.

The interactions can help build community spirit and foster greater understanding, she said.

“A lot of community members want to help, but they don’t really know what’s needed,” said Beaudoin, who was there volunteering alongside her 14-year-old son, Bryce.

When members of the community spend time inside schools, they gain greater insights into what’s needed or desired, and they can help school personnel connect with resources available through businesses or organizations, Beaudoin said.

“Sometimes, I think, that is that missing link — that connection,” the school board member said.

Published August 2, 2017

Students vie in entrepreneurial competition

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Timothy Hernandez noticed a problem, and he set about to solve it.

Not too long ago, the 17-year-old Zephyrhills High School senior was undergoing safety training as a YMCA pool lifeguard.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) masks kept falling off during tutorials.

“It was a real inconvenience,” he said.

Timothy Hernandez, center, won first place and $2,500 in Pasco’s Young Entrepreneur Finals. His business concept is CPRGo, a mask with an automatic seal, via suction cup features. Also pictured: Kelly Castro, youth coordinator for the Pasco Hernando Workforce Board, and Stacey Capogrosso, executive director of the Pasco Education Foundation. 
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Strap-based CPR masks didn’t fare much better, said Hernandez, who currently works at the East Pasco YMCA and the New Tampa YMCA.

His solution: CPRGo, a mask with an automatic seal, via suction cup features.

“It makes CPR a simple and more efficient process,” Hernandez said. “It also ensures the victim is getting a sufficient amount of air. “

In short, “Saving lives has never been so easy.”

For the concept — yet to be prototyped and patented — Hernandez won first place and $2,500 in Pasco’s Young Entrepreneur Finals, held April 25 at the Land O’ Lakes High School Culinary Arts.

The inaugural competition showcased seven students from Pasco County Schools’ business and entrepreneurship principles program.

It gave contestants an opportunity to present their unique business idea in a traditional slideshow format to a live audience and panel of judges — startup experts representing Pasco County and the Tampa Bay region.

Hannah White, a Pasco High School senior, earned second place and $1,000 for Organized Design, which refers to planners that can be customized entirely.

Jackson Rossi, a senior at Mitchell High School, received third place and $500 for Brij, an app for social media marketing.

Other finalists were Justin Hall and Katelyn Ortiz, of Sunlake High; Taylor Townsend, of River Ridge High; and, Alex Violini, of Ridgewood High; each were winners at school-level competitions, held April 3 through April 10.

Those attending the competition included representatives from Pasco County Schools, CareerSource Pasco/Hernando, the Pasco Education Foundation, the Pasco Economic Development Council, the USF Stavros Center, and Pasco SCORE. The name SCORE is based on an acronym for Service Corps of Retired Executives.

Loosely based off ABC’s hit TV show “Shark Tank,” each student had 10 minutes to present his or her startup.

Judges then lobbed critiques, criticisms and suggestions, for all the audience to hear.

The finalists later were evaluated on a 10-point scale on 10 factors, including professionalism, the viability of their enterprise, and their ability to back it with research on startup costs, revenue, distribution, customer base, competitors and the business and/or social impact of their venture.

Hernandez received high marks for his revenue and cost projections model, and his ability to identify a target market — lifeguards and other emergency responders.

For the judges, choosing just three winners wasn’t easy.

“The kids that did this — great job,” said Steven Hickman, president/CEO of First National Bank of Pasco. “I’m just thrilled to see the quality and the poise.”

Fellow judge Mike Lewis, chairman of SCORE Chapter 439, was likewise impressed with each presentation, praising students’ thought process, concepts and business plans.

“They are absolutely to be commended,” he said.

About 200 Pasco County high school students participated in the entrepreneurship curriculum during the 2016-2017 school year, said Terry Aunchman, director of career and technical education for Pasco County.

That figure, along with the Young Entrepreneurs event, is expected to grow, as the program will be introduced in five more high schools next school year — Cypress Creek, Gulf, Fivay, Land O’ Lakes and Wiregrass Ranch.

“The competition is going to be amped up just a little bit,” Aunchman said. “We built so much excitement around this that the other schools are like, ‘We want to get in on the action.’”

Aunchman also plans to introduce the program to several middle and elementary schools in the district, hoping to “get kids engaged, thinking outside of the box and solving problems.”

Meanwhile, Hernandez — like other finalists — appears to have a bright future ahead of him.

He plans to attend Saint Leo University this fall, majoring in criminal justice.

His minor? Business.

Published May 3, 2017

Rubber ducks create a splashing success

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The crowd cheered.

The loudspeaker broadcast a quacking-good tune – “Disco, Disco Duck.”

And, with a quick dumping of about 2,000 rubber ducks into Lake Padgett, the flock of ducks floated off, with a push from a high-pressure fire hose squirted into the water.

The rubber ducks, numbered on their underside, were adopted through donations. The owner of the duck that floated to first-place also won a bonus of $2,500. Some 68 prizes were awarded to the first ducks that floated to the finish line, out of a field of more than 2,000. (Fred Bellet/Photos)
The rubber ducks, numbered on their underside, were adopted through donations. The owner of the duck that floated to first-place also won a bonus of $2,500. Some 68 prizes were awarded to the first ducks that floated to the finish line, out of a field of more than 2,000.
(Fred Bellet/Photos)

Prizes went to donors whose ducks were among the first 68 to hit the finish line. But, the true winners were the community organizations that will receive donations from the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

More than 100 people came to the service club’s Duck Derby on May 21. Held for the first time this year, it is intended to become an annual event.

The all-day affair brought out families that shared shady spots on the lawn behind Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

They enjoyed live music and dined from a buffet of Hungry Harry’s barbecue, beans, chicken, and macaroni and cheese.

Ducks could be adopted at prices ranging from $5 for a single duck to $100 for a flock of 25.

The inflatable Rotary International sign is reflected in the sunglasses of Geoff Kranich, a member of the Rotary Club of Trinity. Kranich helped Erin Meyer, president of the Wesley Chapel Rotary, install the inflatable sign at the entrance to the Duck Derby.
The inflatable Rotary International sign is reflected in the sunglasses of Geoff Kranich, a member of the Rotary Club of Trinity. Kranich helped Erin Meyer, president of the Wesley Chapel Rotary, install the inflatable sign at the entrance to the Duck Derby.

Marcey Knight, 16, and Abri Woods, 17, worked at a drink table, taking tickets and handing out cool refreshments.

The Wiregrass Ranch High School students are members of Interact, a school-sponsored club that provides opportunities for community service.

Children bounced in the bouncy house, slid down an inflated slide or played carnival-like games for prizes.

Sales of the rubber ducks, barbecue and drinks went toward community projects, organizations or student scholarships.

“We support a variety of charities every year,” said Erin Meyer, club president.

Local and international projects and groups that receive the club’s donations include Pasco Education Foundation, Everyday Blessings, Farmworkers Self-Help, Habitat for Humanity, Sunrise Women’s Shelter and installation of water filters in third-world countries.

Jimmy Mason, in the foreground, of the Wesley Chapel Rotary goes after an errant rubber duck that jumped the floating lane during the Duck Derby.
Jimmy Mason, in the foreground, of the Wesley Chapel Rotary goes after an errant rubber duck that jumped the floating lane during the Duck Derby.

In all, 68 prizes were handed out including a $2,500 grand prize to Brian and Isabelle Dunleavy. Other prizes included a fishing trip for five with a charter boat captain, two nights at Saddlebrook Resort, a $250 certificate for automobile repairs from TWA Firestone, a wine basket, pet grooming, and bowling games from Royal Lanes.

Derby sponsors included Fun Services of Land O’ Lakes, Sam’s Club, Cash 4 Gold, The Laker/Lutz News, and Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que.

The Wesley Chapel Rotary Club Noon hosts fundraising events annually to aid local community organizations or projects. The duck derby is expected to become a yearly tradition.

“Things like this allow us to have fellowship as a club and also to give back to the community,” said Kelly Mothershead, past president of the club.

Mike McDonald, of Trinity, was one of the performers at the Duck Derby held behind Hungry Harry’s Bar Family Bar-B-Que on U.S. 41. Held for the first time in Land O’ Lakes, it is expected to be an annual event.
Mike McDonald, of Trinity, was one of the performers at the Duck Derby held behind Hungry Harry’s Bar Family Bar-B-Que on U.S. 41. Held for the first time in Land O’ Lakes, it is expected to be an annual event.

Events like the duck derby create a presence in the community, said Rebecca Smith, chairwoman of the club’s foundation.

“We kind of touch everybody, and the more the merrier,” Smith said.

The Webelos of Cub Scout Pack No. 149 in Wesley Chapel helped build the duck derby course. They practiced their skills in tying square knots to link together the colorful noodles that marked the course’s boundaries.

“It was fun,” said 6-year-old Andrew Holliday.

His family bought a few ducks the day of the race, and enjoyed a picnic lunch.

“We just wanted to see what it was like,” said Brian Holliday, Andrew’s father.

Brother Connor, 5, sat in a lawn chair, with a plate piled high with his favorite food – mac n’ cheese.

At the shoreline, children waded into the lake, splashing and tossing small pebbles into the water. Or, they wandered over to climb inside the cab of the fire truck parked nearby. Pasco County Fire Rescue provided the hose and water to get the duck derby moving along.

At the derby’s finish line, club members plucked the winning ducks from the water and popped them into plastic bags for identification. Each duck had a number printed on its belly.

The disco dance tune “Disco, Disco, Duck” kept the festivities bouncing along.

“Wasn’t that adorable?” said Smith, who is already ready to join in the fun next year.

Published May 25, 2016