The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Sunlake High School

Pasco County Schools honors high school coaching legends

By

Sunlake High School Principal Kara Merlin, left, and the school’s athletic director, Brett Hordos, right, are shown with retired head football coach Bill Browning. Pasco County Schools honored Browning on Sept. 10. Photo courtesy of Pasco County Schools

LAND O’ LAKES – Former high school coaches Bill Browning and Willie Broner Jr. were honored by the District School Board of Pasco County during its Sept. 10 meeting.

The field at Sunlake Stadium was named in honor of Browning who had been Sunlake High School’s first head football coach. The high school is located in Land O’ Lakes.

The request was made in an Aug. 27 letter to the board by Sunlake Principal Kara Merlin and the school’s athletic director, Brett Hodros.

“Coach Browning . . . led our Seahawks from 2007 to 2018,” according to the letter.

“Under Coach Browning’s leadership the Sunlake Seahawks made four playoff appearances, had seven straight winning seasons and an overall 73-53 record. 

“Coach Browning retired in 2020 after 41 years as a physical education teacher and a total of 29 seasons of coaching in the North Suncoast Region.  

“Coach Browning can often be seen on the Sunlake sidelines watching, reflecting on plays and cheering for the Seahawks. Once a Seahawk, always a Seahawk.

“In recognition of his service, dedication and commitment to the students, staff and the football program at Sunlake High School, we request that the field located inside Sunlake Stadium at Sunlake High School be named Bill Browning Field.”

Pasco High School Principal Kari Kadlub, left, is shown with retired head basketball coach and athletic director Willie Broner Jr. Pasco County Schools honored Broner on Sept. 10. Photo courtesy of Pasco County Schools

The gymnasium floor at Dr. Donald McBath Activity Center at Pasco High School in Dade City was named in honor of Broner.

The request was made in a June 18 letter to the board by Pasco Principal Kari Kadlub.

“Willie worked at Pasco High School for 18 years as a teacher, a basketball coach and athletic director,” Kadlub wrote in the letter.

Broner retired from Pasco High School as athletic director in January 2005, according to school district records.

“He is married to Doris and has two sons, Gary and Poncho, along with a daughter, Robin,” according to the letter. “Willie attended Saint Leo University from 1971 to 1974. Willie has always been a loyal fan of Pasco High School. He loved coming to the games and supporting both our coaches and athletes.

“While coaching basketball at Pasco High School, Willie had a record of 305-200. During the 1994-95 season, the Pirates were in the Final Four of the state championships.

“In recognition of his ongoing dedication and commitment to the students, staff and sports programs at Pasco High School and the community of Dade City in which he serves, we request the gymnasium floor at Dr. Donald McBath Activity Center at Pasco High School be named after Mr. Willie Broner Jr.”

Both requests, which were on the school board’s consent agenda, were unanimously approved.

 

Chalk Talk 07/31/2024

By

Two join leadership team
Daniel Powell, Ph.D., and Steven Wasilefsky officially have begun their tenure with Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) as part of the President’s Administrative Leadership Team, according to a news release.

Powell joins the college as vice president of academic affairs and chief academic officer, and Wasilefsky as the associate vice president of facilities administration.

Powell recently served as the vice president of academic success at Northwest Vista College since 2019, and led the college to be nationally recognized for its high-quality instruction and academic support, the release says.

Wasilefsky has served as a project manager for Manhattan Construction Company since 2019, where he managed construction projects up to $22 million in contract value. He also worked as a project manager in higher education at the University of South Florida, and the College of William and Mary.

Daniel Powell (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)
Steven Wasilefsky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drive Into the School Year
The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office will host “Drive Into the School Year” on Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., for Hillsborough County students, at 2030 N. Falkenburg Road in Tampa. Road tests, written tests and the issuance of driver licenses and learner’s permits will be available by appointment only. The event aims to prepare students and their families for the new school year with essential services, making the transition smoother. Students must meet requirements before taking a written or road skills test. There also will be free services offered including hearing exams, sports physicals, dental services, and more.

Limited walk-in services will be available for Hillsborough residents, including title and registration services, disabled parking permits, and certain driver license services such as renewals and address changes.

To determine eligibility or to make an appointment, visit HillsTax.org/student-Saturdays/.

2024-2025 school calendars
All Pasco and Hillsborough county students report back to school on Aug. 12, following Meet the Teacher days from Aug. 5 to Aug. 9. Pasco County Schools 2024-2025 Student/Teacher Calendar through the end of 2024 includes these days:

  • Sept. 2: no school (Labor Day); Sept. 20, progress reports
  • Oct. 14 and Oct. 15: no school (Teacher Planning Days); Oct. 23, report cards
  • Nov. 8, progress reports; Nov. 25 to Nov. 29, no school, Thanksgiving Break
  • Dec. 20: end of quarter; Dec. 23 to Dec. 31, no school, Winter Break

To view the school calendar in detail and for 2025 upcoming days, visit https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/library/home/calendar_24_25.pdf.

To see the Hillsborough County Schools calendar, visit https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/2#calendar1/20240712/month.

Band seeking sponsors
The Bands of Sunlake High School, dubbed the “Soaring Sound,” is looking for sponsors for the 2024-2025 season. The music and performance program offers students opportunities in Marching Band, Color Guard, Wind Ensemble & Concert Band, Jazz Band, Indoor Percussion, and Chorus.

There are four levels of sponsorship packages businesses can select, with donations ranging from $250 to $1,000. All sponsors receive premium home football game parking, listing in event programs and on social media and promotions of the business at a home football game. Higher levels receive business name/logo on show shirts, tickets to the band banquet, promotion at all home football games and logo on equipment trailer.

For information, email Alan Bonko, band director, at .

Hillsborough Schools Bash
The second annual Back 2 School Bash at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, 215 Sydney Washer Road in Dover, will take place Aug. 3 from noon to 4 p.m.

Hillsborough County Schools will be on hand to provide information about resources for students, including nutritional health tips, tutoring services, and more. Community organizations also will share information about after-school programs, 4H, FFA (Future Farmers of America), and more. The event also will feature yard games, inflatables, face painting, dodgeball, volleyball, hay rides and a cake walk. All games are free and food trucks will be available to purchase from.

Guests are encouraged to bring school supplies to donate to the public schools in the community.

Back-to-School Bash
Florida Penguin Productions will host a Back-to-School Bash on Aug. 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, in Lutz. The event will feature a free backpack giveaway, scavenger hunt for school supplies, community stage performances, games and activities, meet-and-greets with mascot and characters, and more. RSVP through Facebook.

Earn service hours
Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful is looking for high school seniors and college students to earn service hours and qualify for a scholarship worth up to $3,000. Sign up for one or more events online at EventBrite.com. Students also can organize their own clean-ups and beautification projects for extra qualification and points. Application runs from Aug. 12 to Sept. 21. 

Student achievements

  • Jackson Behuniak, Lutz: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Emily Bentley, Lutz: Dean’s List, Chancellor’s List, Western Carolina University, North Carolina
  • Alyssa Bongiovanni, Lutz: Honor Roll, Rhodes College, Tennessee
  • Taylor Borja, Lutz: President’s List, University of Maryland Global Campus
  • Kenza Brown, Lutz: President’s List, Kennesaw State University, Georgia
  • Sean Corcoran, Odessa: Provost’s List, Troy University, Alabama
  • Caitlyn Culpepper, Odessa: $1,000 Study Abroad Grant, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Liam Andrews, Lutz: Dean’s List, Washington University-St.Louis, Missouri
  • Madeline Griggs, Odessa: President’s List, The University of Alabama
  • Riley Hall, Wesley Chapel: President’s List, Mercer University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Georgia
  • Tanya Hallowell, Odessa: President’s List, Georgia State University
  • Logan Hinsberg, Odessa: President’s List, The University of Alabama
  • Danielle Kanas, Lutz: President’s List, The University of Alabama
  • JoAna Mucklow, Odessa: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Joseph Pesansky, Odessa: Dean’s List, College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts
  • Kaitlyn Ryan, Lutz: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
  • Emara Saez, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tufts University, Massachusetts
  • Josh Steele, Odessa: President’s List, Plymouth State University, New Hampshire
  • Chase Thurber, Odessa: Chancellor’s List, Western Carolina University, North Carolina
  • Jillian White, Lutz: Chancellor’s Honor Roll, University of Mississippi
Kevin Ramsay (Courtesy of Rick Burke/Navy Office of Community Outreach)

Serving the Navy
LTJG Kevin Ramsay is serving in the U.S. Navy assigned to Training Squadron (VT) 35 where naval aviators learn the skills they need to fly missions around the world. Ramsay earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of South Florida in 2017 and joined the Navy more than two years ago. Today, Ramsay serves as a student pilot assigned to VT 35, a U.S. Navy advanced flight training squadron located at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.

Distinguished principal named
The Florida Association of School Administrators (FASA) announced that Dr. Angela Murphy-Osborne has been named the 2023-2024 recipient of the Florida NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals) National Distinguished Principal of the Year, according to a news release. Murphy-Osborne has led Hamlin Elementary, in Winter Garden, for the past two years and has been a principal for the past 25 years. 

She has been honored as the Orange County Public Schools Principal of the Year in 2012 and 2015, as well as the Florida Principal of the Year in 2015. The educator believes that to run a successful school, the stakeholders must be included and invested in the success of the school, the release says.

Murphy-Osborne was honored at FSA’s Discover ’24 Annual Conference in June, as well as in Washington D.C., in October.

Business Digest 06/19/2024

By

Belmar Pharmacy ribbon-cutting (Courtesy of Pasco EDC)

Belmar Pharmacy opens
The Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) has welcomed Belmar Pharmacy to Pasco County, according to a news release.

The company has invested $15 million in a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art compounding facility within Asturia Corporate Center in Odessa, where it expects to add 150 new professional positions over the next three years.

Belmar is the largest national compounding pharmacy organization focused on hormone health and wellness, the release says.

NTBC Lunch and Learn
The North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) will host a “Lunch N Learn” session on “Navigating Advertising Trends in Today’s Market,” presented by Jessica Petroski, on June 20 at 11:30 a.m., at the NTBC Suncoast Office, 16703 Early Riser Ave., Land O’ Lakes. Attendance costs $15 and seating is limited. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

Women-n-Charge meeting
Women-n-Charge will meet on June 26, at Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Doors open for registration, early networking and vendor shopping at 11:15 a.m., followed by the meeting at noon. The cost for members is $21; guests are $25. Payment should be made by May 20. Register online at Women-n-Charge.com/meetings/. For more information and to RSVP (required), email .

NTBC Member Orientation
The North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) also will host a new member orientation with chamber president/CEO Hope Kennedy, on June 26 at 9 a.m., at the NTBC Suncoast Office, 16703 Early Riser Ave., Land O’ Lakes. Attendance is free and registration is required. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.

City of Zephyrhills Career Fair
The City of Zephyrhills will host a Career Fair on June 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St. Call 813-780-0064 for information.

SunLake High School bands seeks sponsors
The Bands of Sunlake High School, known as the “Soaring Sound,” are seeking sponsors for the 2024-2025 season, according to a news release. The Marching Band will be competing in the Bands of America in Orlando and Indoor Percussion and Winter Guard will compete in the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. There are four levels of sponsorship packages ranging from $250 to $1,000 offering various promotion opportunities. Interested businesses should contact Band Director Alan Bonko at .

Pasco County Farm Bureau visits Congress
Members of the Pasco County Farm Bureau visited with Florida’s Congressional delegation in Washington D.C., May 14 to May 16 to discuss various federal policies that affect farmers and ranchers, including priorities for the 2024 Farm Bill and agricultural labor reform, according to a news release.

The Pasco County Farm Bureau is headquartered in Dade City and serves over 3,000 member-families, the release says.

 

Leadership program graduates class of 2024

By

The Youth Leadership Pasco Class of 2024 celebrated its graduation in March, at Timber Greens Country Club. More than 100 sponsors, school officials, parents and Leadership Pasco board members attended.

The organization is a leadership development program that informs, motivates and increases the awareness of selected high school-aged students (sophomores and juniors) through issue-oriented seminars and interaction with community leaders, according to a news release.

Sessions include Orientation and Team Building, Law Enforcement, Health Care/Community Services, Government/Economic Development, and Education.

Youth Leadership Pasco Class of 2024 (Courtesy of J. David Wright)

The program’s graduating Class of 2024 included: Colt Blancher, Angeline Academy of Innovation; Katarina M. Boglino, Gulf High School; Isabella C. Bowling, River Ridge High; Thomas Celotto Jr., Hudson High; Noah J. Downey, Sunlake High; Vincent J. Farides, River Ridge; Dominic Fusco, Wesley Chapel High; William C. Gantt, J.W. Mitchell High; Jake Giber, Genesis Preparatory High; Nadama N. Gilkerson, Pasco High; Sophie M. Giri, Wiregrass Ranch High; Nathan M. Grimes, J.W. Mitchell; Luiza Guryeva, Wesley Chapel; Allan Guzman, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation; Elissa A. Hill, J.W. Mitchell; Liam C. Hornung, J.W. Mitchell; Melodi Kazazi, Sunlake; Calina M. Levy,Wiregrass Ranch; Alina Manadyel, Dayspring Early College Academy; Ethan A. Mendez, Cypress Creek High; Alyssa B. Mintrone, Land O’ Lakes High; Montana T. Montayre, Wendell Krinn Technical High; Morgan T. Montayre, Wendell Krinn Technical; Alfonso E. Nava, Dayspring Early College Academy; Victoria Ogundeyin, Cypress Creek; Xiomig N. Ozorio Matias, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation; Trinity Perry, Wesley Chapel; Justyce P. Rice, Anclote High; Ethan Rubin, Hudson; Lilliana E. St Aubin, Hudson; Paul L. Steele, Land O’ Lakes; Hailey J. Suggs, Anclote High; and Gianna Walsh, Fivay High.

“The Youth Leadership Pasco program is truly one of a kind. Throughout the program, I have made lifelong friendships, restored old ones, and got a much deeper grasp of what happens in Pasco County. My favorite part of the program was the sheriff’s department. We got to see just how big the department truly is and the amazing technology they are incorporating into their line of work. I used to only want to leave Pasco County, but throughout this program, I have found a new love for it and all of the amazing opportunities it has to offer…,” said Noah J. Downey, of Sunlake High School, in the release.

The student fee is kept at $35 due to the support from its sponsors.

Applications for the Class of 2025 will open for sophomores and juniors at the beginning of the school year.

For more information, visit LeadershipPasco.com/Youth_Leadership_Pasco_Program.

Published May 01, 2024

Chalk Talk 02/21/2024

By

Chris Dunning is Pasco’s Principal of the Year (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Principal of the Year named
Pasco County Schools has recognized Chris Dunning, principal of Wendell Krinn Technical High School, as its Principal of the Year.

Dunning has been an educator in Pasco County for more than 30 years. He started his career as an elementary school teacher and advanced to elementary assistant principal and then principal.

The honoree also spent time as the district’s chief negotiator in the Office for Employee Relations. He also was selected to open Paul R. Smith Middle School, where he led the team to become the highest-scoring Title I School in the district.

He then moved on to Seven Springs Middle School and also achieved the highest-scoring school in the district.

Dunning currently leads Wendell Krinn Technical, the district’s first magnet high school that has been recognized as a Demonstration Magnet School and provides opportunities for students in 14 career areas.

Throughout his professional life, Dunning has been an active volunteer in the community, has coached at the YMCA and was a leader of a cub scout pack. He also has served on multiple chamber boards as chairman and has been a member of multiple rotaries.

Dunning and his wife, Jeannie, are first responders in the foster care system and have hosted almost 40 children in the past three years.

Sunlake car wash fundraiser
The Sunlake High School boys and girls tennis teams will host a car wash on Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 7-Eleven, at the corner of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, in Land O’ Lakes. All proceeds will benefit the two teams.

College & Career Fair
Pasco County Schools will host its fourth annual Virtual College and Career Fair on Feb. 28 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., to provide information to middle and high school families as they plan for college entrance and/or careers after high school. Each session will have a live presentation accessible through the online event platform, Sched, with representatives from college, career and the Armed Forces.

Resources: ACT/SAT Support; College Admissions Process; Collegiate Athletics; Financial Aid, Bright Futures, and Scholarships; Naviance-College, Career & Life Readiness Resource; Resources for Students with Disabilities; International Universities

Participating colleges: University of South Florida; Florida Polytechnic; Florida Gulf Coast University; Pasco-Hernando State College; Florida A&M University; University of Central Florida; Grand Canyon University; Saint Leo University; Florida International University; Rasmussen University; University of Florida

Career information: Cross Air Ocean Flight School; AdventHealth; Human Resources and Educator Quality, Pasco County Schools; Marchman Technical College; Pasco County Sheriff’s Office

Armed Forces: United States Coast Guard; United States Air Force

To register to attend, visit https://collegeandcareerfair2024.sched.com/.

For additional support, email .

Books to ‘snuggle’ with
AdventHealth Heart of Florida accepted a donation of 720 new books titled “Snuggle” from the nonprofit Early Learning Coalition of Polk County. The book features loving and encouraging messages parents can read to their children. Reading to newborns offers an opportunity for bonding, provides babies with the building blocks for language, and gives them the tools for forming lifelong social and emotional skills.

University graduates
The University of Tampa honored 1,105 degree-seeking candidates at the school’s 157th commencement last December. Area students receiving degrees include:

  • Mackenzie Allen, Lutz: Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology
  • Sharron Canham, Lutz: Bachelor of Arts in Economics
  • Annael Julien, Lutz: Master of Business Administration in Business Administration
  • Joshua Luther, Odessa: Master of Business Administration in Business Administration
  • Aaron Molloy, Lutz: Master of Science in Marketing
  • Amy Waly Ndiaye, Lutz: Master of Science in Finance
  • Lindsey Reed, Lutz: Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
  • Daniel Riley, Odessa: Master of Arts in Professional Communication
  • Denis Sapogov, Lutz: Master of Science in Business Analytics
  • Joseph Vardakis, Odessa: Bachelor of Science in Marketing

The Georgia Institute of Technology presented degrees to approximately 6,300 undergraduate and graduate students during the school’s 265th commencement last December. Area students receiving degrees include:

  • Robert Bebeau, Lutz
  • Daniel Crane, Lutz

Student selected for Carnegie Hall
Cole Colhouer, a student at Land O’ Lakes High School (LOLHS), has been selected for the Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. Cole will perform the French horn with the Honors Symphony Orchestra. Participation in the Honors Ensembles is limited to the highest-rated young performers from around the world, according to a news release from Cheryl Colhouer.

Colhouer has studied music for seven years and is a member of the LOLHS Wind Ensemble, All County Band, Bay Area Youth Winds and the Universal Show Band. He has received dozens of awards and recognitions. 

The student auditioned for the Honors Performance Series and was recently accepted after a review of the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance to the group is a result of the talent, dedication and achievements demonstrated in a student’s application and audition recording.

The Honors Performance Series, presented by WorldStrides, was created to showcase accomplished individual student performers on an international level by allowing them to study under master conductors and perform in world-renowned venues.

To learn more, visit HonorsPerformance.org or WorldStrides.com.

Conservation poster contest
Hillsborough County kindergarten through 12th grade students are encouraged to enter the 2024 Drop Savers Water Conservation Poster Contest, sponsored by Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa.

Students who enter the contest must create an original idea for a poster depicting water conservation in slogan and/or drawing form. Each submission will be judged on the message, creativity, originality and artistic ability. The poster must be drawn on 8.5-inch by 11-inch white paper, vertically or horizontally. Students can use crayons, paint, colored pencils or markers. No highlighters, photos or computer graphics are allowed.

The contest has five age divisions. Each school will select one winner from each division for submission to the local level. A first-, second- and third-place local winner will be chosen for each division. The first-place local winners will advance to the statewide level.

The deadline for submissions is March 1. For more information, visit .

For additional details and list of prizes, visit HCFL.gov/residents/property-owners-and-renters/water-and-sewer/drop-savers-poster-contest.

Scholarship applications
Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian E. Corley is now accepting applications for the Florida Supervisor of Elections (FSE) Scholarship.

The association will award four $1,200 scholarships statewide to a political science, public administration, business administration or journalism/mass communication major and be at least a junior in college.

Students must be enrolled or accepted as a full-time student in a senior college or university in Florida and have at least a C average or above for the previous year. Additional requirements, guidelines and eligibility information can be found at PascoVotes.gov, by selecting the 2024 FSE Scholarship Application under the Noteworthy tab on the homepage. Applicants will be personally interviewed by Corley, who will then select one finalist from Pasco County for consideration.

Applications are due by March 8.

Scholarship opportunity
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer invites college students to apply for a scholarship provided by the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE). The FSE is offering three $1,200 scholarships to eligible Florida residents who are accepted or enrolled as full-time students in a senior college or university in Florida.

Students also must be at least a junior in college, or have enough credits for enrollment as a junior prior to the application date.

Hillsborough County residents must apply through the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office. Students who apply must be either a political science, public/business administration, or journalism/mass communications major.

The application deadline is March 8. To learn about the full list of requirements and how to apply, visit VoteHillsborough.gov/Scholarship, or email .

Chalk Talk 12/14/2022

By

Sunlake High School is now home to a squadron of Civil Air Patrol cadets. The unit was activated during a Dec. 6 ceremony. (Mike Camunas)

Civil Air Patrol activated at Sunlake
Following two postponements due to Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole, Sunlake High School is officially home to Florida’s high school-based squadron of Civil Air Patrol cadets. The unit was activated during a formal ceremony on Dec. 6.

The Civil Air Patrol first-time in-residence course is part of the aerospace program. Sunlake is now the Pasco School District’s Magnet Aviation Academy, which allows students to become pilots before graduating high school.

Students from 23 area high schools can attend the academy, and are dual-enrolled in Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, earning college credit while in the Aerospace Magnet Academy at Sunlake.

“We are extremely proud we are now able to celebrate this historic moment and the work that so many at Sunlake and within the Florida Wing have done to make this happen,” said Capt. Mark Aragon, Sunlake squadron unit commander, in a news release.

“With this activation, the cadets will learn aerospace, emergency services, military training and character development while working toward an aviation career,” said Aragon.

U.S. Air Force and other military personnel attended the unit activation ceremony.

Awards of excellence
Pasco County Schools has been honored with two prestigious awards for dedication to academic excellence and continuous improvement.

The first award designates Pasco County Schools as a System of Distinction, making Pasco County Schools one of 38 systems globally to receive this designation from Cognia, the accrediting organization recognized around the world for its high standards and rigorous accreditation process, according to a news release.

“Each of these systems demonstrated evidence of growth in learning, a healthy culture for learning, engaging and high-quality instructional environments, and effective leadership for learning,” said Dr. Mark Elgart, Cognia CEO, in the release.

The second award is the Values-Driven Award of Excellence. This is a state-level award presented in each state to one education organization that systematically models Cognia’s values through its day-to-day efforts to improve student achievement.

The Cognia values include: Dream Big; Stand for the Learner; Be Bold and Daring; Drive Potential; Be Tenacious; and Build Connections.

“This is extremely gratifying to receive this recognition on the state level and on the international level,” said Pasco Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning, in the release. “It supports our efforts to provide a world class education to all our students.”

Superintendent Browning was recognized during the annual Cognia Impact Conference Excellence in Education Award Ceremony on Dec. 6.

(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Unification garners school recognitions
Starkey Ranch K-8 and Cypress Creek High School both received national banner recognition as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School for demonstrating commitment to inclusion through meeting 10 standards of excellence. Starkey and Cypress Creek are two out of only 13 Florida schools to receive the honor.

School choice opening soon
The Pasco County Schools school choice application window will open on Jan. 9 at 8 a.m., and close on Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

At that time, the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application will be available for parents via the myStudent parent portal.

The application window will be for all school choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

Mark your calendar with these important dates:

Pasco Pathways Application Window – Jan. 9 to Jan. 20

Notification and Acceptance Window – Feb. 27 to March 8

To see more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit PascoSchools.org/schoolchoice.

Students soar, in this Sunlake High program

By

Talk about a different type of dual-enrollment program.

At the Aerospace Career Academy Program at Sunlake High, students can earn college credits, but they also learn about aviation and engineering — two very different careers that are very much intertwined.

Students learn how to pilot a plane and how to build an aircraft that works.

Cadet Technical Sgt. Brendon Riveria, a Sunlake High senior, left, flies an F-16 on a virtual reality (VR) flight simulator while Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor Mark Aragon, right, provides pointers for keeping it level. Aragon, the flight instructor at Sunlake, runs the school’s Aerospace Career Academy Program that allows students to get their pilot’s license and introduces them to aerospace and engineering careers. (Mike Camunas)

At the same time, they’re earning college credits from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

It’s possible to earn up to 30 college credits over four years — translating into the potential of $40,000 in tuition savings.

“We are building engineers who can fly and also pilots who know how a plane works from the engineering side,” said Joseph Fernandez, who teaches in Sunlake’s Robotics, Computer Science & Engineering Program.

“There’s one way to make a pilot: you put them in a plane, but we want to also have people who can repair a plane or who know how to design a plane from scratch. But engineers have to know that a person eventually has to sit down and fly the plane, and each pilot is going to come in all shapes and sizes.

“If you don’t fly a plane, you don’t think about where all the instruments and components go, and if you only fly a plane, you don’t think about all the work that goes into making sure it’s designed the most effective way,” the teacher said.

“Having both sides of the perspective help a pilot understand aeronautical engineering better and an aerospace engineer understand piloting better,” he added.

Students, as teenagers, go through this program, and they can earn their pilot’s license. However, it’s more than that — as a dual-enrollment program, they’ll be taking the same courses as a freshman or sophomore would at Embry-Riddle.

That’s where Mark Aragon, an Air Force veteran pilot and professor at the university, comes in. He took over the program three years ago and massively revamped it, knowing aviation and engineering had to go together for the program’s survival.

Sunlake High senior Isabella Eby works with a full hands-on flight simulator in the school’s Aerospace Career Academy Program. It offers students the opportunity to learn to pilot planes, as well as earn college credit through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

And, for the betterment of the students enrolled.

“The things we do, we get them through the pilot program. They take their FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) private pilot exam, so they can fly a plane. “They do it as a teenager — that’s unheard of in high school,” Aragon said.

He added: “Then, there’s the engineering side. They learn why a plane does this or how I can make a plane do that. When they’re using the (flight) simulators, we want them to be able to understand a plane better.”

The program has several simulators, including virtual reality (VR) headset apparatuses that put students in the cockpit of an F-16. The program also focuses on drone piloting and technology, as unmanned aircraft is a very sought-after career now.

Students use drones to do many things at the school. Such as, they were able to 3D map the parking lot by flying the droves over it, taking pictures and stitching them together. They also were able to assist in A/C repair when there was a leak and a drone was able to fly into the vent and find it.

“(The engineering side is about) problem-solving, thinking how to make things work and solve that problem. We want smart cars, then we want smart planes, smart rockets, everything to be able to control itself,” Fernandez said.

A very large flight crew checklist sits on the seat of a virtual reality (VR) flight simulator at Sunlake High and is used in the school’s Aerospace Career Academy Program.

“Everyone thinks it’s removing the pilot, but it still has to be taught how to fly. Not all drones are piloted with a remote control — they can be programmed to fly where they need to be. That’s where engineering, and programming come in.”

According to Aragon, this program can lead to careers, not just in aviation, aerospace or engineering, but also cyber intelligence and security, business administration and management, wildlife science, aviation maintenance, and meteorology.

Aragon also helps students prepare themselves for careers by having them create resumes.

In fact, with Aragon’s military background, he incorporated Sunlake’s Cadet Squadron into the program, as those students look to obtain their pilot’s licenses, too.

Not all plan on military careers; Aragon pointed out one student wants to become a commercial airline pilot.

“That’s a lot of fly time for a teenager to have,” he added.

That’s the case for seniors Isabella Eby and Matthew Santos, program students who are working toward becoming pilots, but learning as much as they can about aviation engineering, as well.

“I’ve been told by people that I’m better suited for engineering than aviation, but I do like the flying part, too,” Eby said. “A lot of these classes are hands-on, so seeing how the two go together and why they go together, it has allowed me to learn more on both sides of aerospace from the aviation and engineering aspects.”

“When I first got into (the program) as a freshman,” Santos added, “I took it because it looked like an elective that really interested me and could lead to a career. I’m very interested in aviation and started learning about the engineering side a lot more once in the program. I’m very interested in how those two work together and how it will help me as a pilot.”

Published November 02, 2022

IvyWarriors’ robotics team looks to reprogram the future

By

These future robotics engineers are a ‘prime’ example of where technology is headed.

IvyWarriors — an eight-member robotics team — is on its way to the Florida FTC State Championship, set for March 4 and March 5 at the AdventHealth Fieldhouse in Winter Haven.

There, they will face 48 other teams from across Florida in a quest to win a spot to compete in April, at the FIRST World Festival in Houston, Texas.

IvyWarriors teammates, from left, Nikhil Padi, Rohil Agarwal and Sahil Vaswani , watch and control their hand-built robot, Challenger. They and other members of their team will be competing this weekend at the FIRST® Tech Challenge: Freight Frenzy. Coach Abhay Vaswani, next to the wall on the left, watches as team members practice. (Mike Camunas)

The acronym FIRST is a shortened version of, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. It is the nonprofit that hosts the FTC, or First Tech Competition.

IvyWarriors advanced to the state tournament by winning first place among a field of 16 teams at the Tampa Bay ROBOT League Championship in early February in Lakeland.

The team is made up of Sahil Vaswani, Rohil Agarwal, Vineet Sharma, Nikhil Padi, Neil Babu, Ananth Kutuva, Joshua Selvan and Avaneesh Venkatesh.

Team coaches are Abhay Vaswani and Tamil Gurusamy, and there are other mentors, too.

IvyWarriors, based in Odessa, is made up of students from Berkeley Preparatory; Sunlake, Hillsborough and Strawberry Crest high schools; and the International Baccalaureate Program (IB) at Land O’ Lakes and Robinson high schools.

Rohil Argarwarl, the team’s lead programmer, described how the competition works.

“Moving on round to round is just like a soccer or football tournament,” said Argarwarl, a sophomore in the IB program at Land O’ Lakes High.

The difference, he explained, is that these teams work with other teams.

The teams are randomly paired, in a two versus two format, which encourages them to work with other teams, which FIRST calls ‘Co-opertiation.’

The teams taking part in designing, building and coding robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Teams work on developing an autonomous and driver-controllable robot to complete missions on a thematic playing field.

IvyWarriors robot, Challenger, unloads a package onto shelving. It will perform this and other tasks during the Freight Frenzy competition.

Each season has a different theme and this year it is Freight Frenzy. Simply put, it involves challenging the players to build a robot that eventually will be used to help shipping and supply chain warehouses, such as Amazon, to be more efficient in sorting and delivering packages.

“(FIRST) give(s) you the ways on how you score with your robot,” Land O’ Lakes IB junior Sahil Vaswani explained, “and then they leave you to build and code your robot and have enough driver practice in order to score.”

So, through painstaking trial and error and outside-the-box thinking, the IvyWarriors created their autonomous and remote-controlled bot, Challenger. Resembling a mix between Rector and Lego sets, Challenger is a fully functional delivery robot. It can lift scaled packages to put on shelves and can operate a conveyor belt to sort packages.

“This is the second version,” Vaswani said. “Challenger 2.0, really. We had to make modifications on frame and wheel size.”

In the competition, the robot must be completely programmed to do this for the first 30 seconds of the allotted time, meaning the IvyWarriors have to build a code to ensure Challenger does its job autonomously.

For the next two minutes, IvyWarriors can control it remotely with controllers that look like they were directly taken from a gaming system.

The IvyWarriors set about building their bot back in September through various brainstorming sessions, many involving pros-and-cons lists, until they were certain it was the right design.

“One of the biggest issues we had was going over barriers (that are in the competition area),” Agarwal said. “We had to keep things like that in mind, but also had to make sure our code is easy to read by basically anyone and you have to develop that from the roots up.”

Other obstacles that stood in the IvyWarriors’ way during the build process was making sure the motors were the right torque, especially on the crane and the wheel that would bring the box onto the crane, installing wheels that would make Challenger the most mobile — this lead to them installing mecanum wheels that allows Challenger to make 360-degree moves.

“And now,” Agarwal said, “almost all robots in warehouses will have those.”

“During our season, we try to find many solutions to make it more mobile and faster, especially with the barriers,” Sunlake sophomore Nikhil Padi added. “It was really about finding the right motors to go with the right wheels, that way it would move the way we wanted, especially in the autonomous section.”

Their teamwork and ingenuity paid off, and now it is time to be tested on a bigger stage.

“IvyWarriors are ready to fight like warriors and are extremely grateful for the opportunity and knowledge that they have gained by participating in FIRST,” coach Abhay, a software engineer, said. “It is organizations like FIRST that are driving STEM passions across the globe, and educating students on the world of engineering and robotics.”

Like their competitors, the IvyWarriors want their team’s robotic moves to take them to nationals.

But the value of being part of the team goes beyond competing, Agarwarl said.

“All of us have a passion for engineering and robotics, but we all also love driving (Challenger) around!” he said.

Published March 02, 2022

Area athletes shine at state golf championships

By

Simply qualifying for Florida’s high school state golf championship tournament is an achievement in itself.

The Cypress Creek High School varsity girls golf team took seventh place in the 2A state competition. (Courtesy of Cypress Creek High School athletics department)

It’s an opportunity reserved for just 48 teams of boys and 48 teams of girls across three classifications.

The championship tournament also is open to individual qualifiers.

Hundreds competed, out of thousands of prep golfers — in an opportunity to showcase their skills among the state’s elite.

Three teams and three individuals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area had the chance to show off their skills at the 2021 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state golf championships, from Nov. 9 through Nov. 17.

The event took place at Mission Inn Resort & Club, in Howey-in-the-Hills.

Boys competed at the Lake County resort’s 6,764-yard par-72 El Campeon course. Girls took on the 5,455-yard, par-72 Las Colinas course.

The Cypress Creek High School varsity boys golf team finished in sixth place in the 2A state finals.

The most notable showing came from Cypress Creek High School’s varsity golf program, in the Class 2A state tournament.

The boys squad finished sixth among 16 teams, while the girls program finished seventh, also among 16 teams.

The Coyotes boys are coached by Dennis Martin, while the girls are coached by Rob Patterson.

Cypress Creek sophomore Connor Newbold recorded the best score among all local golfers — carding a 5-over par across two rounds (74-75 — 149) to finish fifth out of 95 golfers in the 2A event.

The only golfers who topped Newbold in the 2A tournament were Broward American Heritage’s Luke Clanton (72-69—141), Tampa Jesuit’s Carter Dill (69-77 — 146) and Andrew Siffert (77-70 — 147) and Delray Beach American Heritage’s Jason Shwartz (71-77 — 148).

The Sunlake High School varsity girls golf team finished in 10th place in the 3A state finals. (Courtesy of Sunlake High School athletics department)

Other Cypress Creek boys golfers included Daniel Polce (tied 30th, +18), Trey Sasser (tied 66th, +32), Joaquin Parrilla (tied 70th, +34) and Levi Wade (93rd, +58).

Meantime, the Cypress Creek girls were paced by junior Carmen Phousirith, who shot a 16-over par across 36 holes (78-82 — 160) to finish 17th among 96 golfers in the 2A competition.

Her teammates included Tiffany Colin (tied 24th, +19), Annamarie Ratican (tied 37th, +27), Addison Noll (91st, +81) and Jillian Scott (94th, +89).

Carrollwood Day School seventh-grader Elyse Meerdink (Courtesy of Carrollwood Day School athletics department)

The state tournament otherwise wrapped up a strong season for both Cypress Creek squads, as the girls team won district and regional titles, and the boys won a district title and were regional runner-up.

The other area team that qualified for the state golf meet was the Sunlake High School varsity girls, who finished 10th(out of 16 schools) in the 3A event.

Sophomore Alyssa Mixon paced the Seahawks with a 7-over par across two rounds (72-79 — 151), earning her a tie for seventh place with Naples Gulf Coast freshman Ann-Sophie Bourgault.

Golfers who finished ahead of Mixon and Bourgault in 2A, in order, were, Lake Mary’s Izzy Pellot (64-71 — 135), Forest’s Haley Davis (69-72 — 141), Lake Mary’s Ryleigh Knaub (72-72 — 144), Niceville’s Gracie Grant (72-76 — 148), St. Cloud’s Morgan Beaulieu (73-75 — 148) and Niceville’s Peyton Maraman (72-77 — 149).

Sunlake High School senior Cody Williams, left, alongside coach Bob Kamps. (File)

Sunlake senior Taylor Zachary wasn’t far behind.

She shot a 9-over par (76-77 — 153), good enough for an 11th place tie with Orlando Dr. Phillips sophomore Elan Zhang.

Other Seahawks golfers included Hailey Stricker (tied 76th, +53), Helena Potter (tied 88th, +53) and Hannah Mathis (92nd, +61).

Besides team play, there were three individual qualifiers from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Carrollwood Day School seventh-grader Elyse Meerdink carded an 11-over par ( to finish tied for 40th in the 1A girls event.

She made headlines back in April when she won the National Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at Augusta National Golf Club (Augusta, Georgia) as a sixth-grader competing in the 10- to 11-year-old age group. She was one of 80 boys and girls from across the nation to qualify for the event held at the site of the Masters Tournament.

Academy at the Lakes junior Tristin Perkins carded a 14-over par (79-79 — 158) to finish 40th in the 1A boys event.

Sunlake senior Cody Williams shot an 18-over par (79-83 — 162) to finish 57th in the 3A boys competition.

Class 3A
Boys
Individual qualifier(s)
Cody Williams, Sunlake (57th) 79-83 — 162

Girls
Sunlake (10th place, out of 16 schools)
Alyssa Mixon (tied 7th) 72-79 — 151
Taylor Zachary (tied 11th) 76-77 — 153
Hailey Stricker (tied 76th) 94-90 — 184
Helena Potter (tied 88th) 94-103 — 197
Hannah Mathis (92nd) 101-104 — 205

Class 2A
Boys
Cypress Creek (sixth place, out of 16 schools)
Connor Newbold (fifth) 74-75 — 149
Daniel Polce (tied 30th) 82-81 — 163
Trey Sasser (tied 66th) 87-89 — 176
Joaquin Parrilla (tied 70th) 92-86 — 178
Levi Wade (93rd) 108-94 — 202

Girls
Cypress Creek (seventh place, out of 16 schools)
Carmen Phousirith (17th) 78-82 — 160
Tiffany Colin (tied 24th) 82-81 — 163
Annamarie Ratican (tied 37th) 79-92 — 171
Addison Noll (91st) 115-110 — 225
Jillian Scott (94th) 113-120 — 233

Class 1A
Boys
Individual qualifier(s)
Tristin Perkins, Academy at the Lakes (40th) 79-79 — 158

Girls
Individual qualifier(s)
Elyse Meerdink, Carrollwood Day School (tied 40th) 75-80 — 155

Published December 08, 2021

Sunlake boys finish third at state cross-country championships

By

The Sunlake High School varsity boys cross-country team continued to show itself as among the state’s elite distance running programs and tops in Pasco County, and in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Seahawks finished in third place out of 32 schools in Class 3A at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee.

The Sunlake High School varsity boys cross-country team finished third in the Class 3A state championship meet, representing the best finish among all local schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. From left: Nathan Lee, Cason Meyer, Cade Culpepper, Alex Pena, Colby Robbins, Maximillian Goserud and Cody Smith. (Courtesy of Randal Reeves)

The 3A team crown went to Miami’s Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, which tallied 42 points after its top five runners went second, ninth, 10th, 14th and 17th place, respectively. It represents that private school’s fifth-consecutive state title and 13th all-time.

Second place went to Fort Myers High School, who tallied 132 points after its top-five finished seventh, 22nd, 37th, 44th and 50th.

Sunlake wasn’t far behind.

They tallied 151 points, as its fleet went third, 16th, 23rd, 58th, and 76th in the 3.1-mile course on Nov. 12.

Rounding out the top five team finishers were Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School (201 points) and Naples High School (235 points), respectively.

Junior Alex Pena — who paced Sunlake with a third-place individual finish — broke the 16-minute mark by clocking a 15:46.8, a 5:04 per mile pace.

The lone runners in the 3A meet who finished ahead of Pena were Leon High School sophomore Patrick Koon (first place, 15:23.8) and Belen Jesuit sophomore Joshua Ruiz (second, 15:37.4).

Following Pena for Sunlake were seniors Colby Robbins (16:21.3) and Cason Meyer (16:21.3); freshman Cade Culpepper (17:03.1); and, senior Maximillian Goserud (17:16.9).

The Seahawks sixth and seventh varsity runners — whose scores aren’t tallied in the results — were junior Nathan Lee (17:47.7) and senior Cody Smith (18:16.7).
The timed average for the Sunlake boys was 16:36, equating to an average pace of 5:21 per mile. There was just a 1:31 gap between its No. 1 through No. 5 runners.

The Seahawks, coached by Randal Reeves, racked up a number of other accolades during the season — altogether sweeping conference, district and regional team titles.

Robbins took individual crowns at each of those three meets. This included recording the fastest time in county history (and setting a new Sunlake record) with a 15:14 mark on the school’s 5K home course at the Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) meet on Oct. 20.

The 2021 (FHSAA) Florida High School Athletic Association State Cross Country Championships was held Nov. 12 at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee.
(Courtesy of Florida High School Athletic Association)

Other individuals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area also fared well in the 3A boys meet.

Cypress Creek High School junior Zack Poekert finished sixth overall, timing 16:05.

Zephyrhills High School sophomore William Poe took 26th, clocking 16:35.

The meet featured 234 runners.

Several local teams and individuals exhibited solid showings at the state finals across other classifications, too.

The Wharton High School varsity girls yielded the next best local team showing — finishing 10th in the Class 4A meet.

The Wildcats were paced by senior Brooke Reif — a University of Richmond signee — who finished fourth among all individual 4A girls, after running an 18:49.2, an average pace of 6:03 per mile.

The Sunlake girls went 14th in the 3A meet, while the Land O’ Lakes High School girls collected a 26th place finish.
The Steinbrenner High School boys program went 24th in the 4A contest.F
Land O’ Lakes native Elli Black — a home-schooled seventh-grader who runs for Tampa Cambridge Christian School — finished state third overall in the 1A girls meet, posting 18:26.4. The other state qualifying girls individual was Wiregrass Ranch freshman Ava Schmitt (48th, 20:27.3, 4A girls).

Roundup of local teams and individuals at the 2021 FHSAA Cross Country State Championships:

Boys

4A
Steinbrenner (24th)

Ronald Aeschleman, senior (57th, 16:52)

Sawyer Raveling, senior (111th, 17:37.1)

Jaden Simpson, senior (124th, 17:46.0)

Jacob Smith, junior (169th, 18:25.4)

Joaquin Abanses, freshman (170th, 18:26.3)

Brady Peifer, freshman (172nd, 18:28.3)

Eion McDarby, senior (212th, 19:49.7)

3A
Sunlake (third)
Alex Pena, junior (third, 15:46.8)

Colby Robbins, senior (16th, 16:21.3)

Cason Meyer, senior (23rd, 16:31.8)

Cade Culpepper, freshman (58th, 17:03.1)

Maximillian Goserud, senior (76th, 17:16.9)

Nathan Lee, junior (110th, 17:47.7)

Cody Smith, senior (148th, 18:16.7)

Indvidual(s)

Cypress Creek: Zack Poekert, junior (sixth, 16:05)

Zephyrhills: William Poe, sophomore (26th, 16:35.5)

 2A

No local teams or individual runners

 1A
No local teams or individual runners

 Girls

Class 4A
Wharton (10th)

Brooke Reif, senior (fourth, 18:49.2)

Alexi Amer, senior (51st, 20:30.8)

Alexandria Frye, senior (81st, 20:56.5)

Olivia Hammill, junior (109th, 21:18.3)

Aubrey Raile, junior (127th, 21:46.6)

Keira Moody, freshman (191st, 23:27.7)

Dana Robinson, senior (209th, 24:22.9)

 Individual(s)

Wiregrass Ranch: Ava Schmitt, freshman (48th, 20:27.3)

3A
Sunlake (14th)

Sara Ellingson, senior (54th, 20:15.7)

Shelby Viseur, senior (77th, 20:39.9)

Avery Pham, sophomore (78th, 20:41.1)

Abigail Williams, sophomore (89th, 20:49.8)

Jaiden Wickert, junior (128th, 21:35.8)

Emma Burleson, senior (145th, 21:57.8)

Ally Moyer, sophomore (165th, 22:22.6)

Land O’ Lakes (26th)

Maranda Hildebrand, senior (88th, 20:48.9)

Sara Ashley, senior (133th, 21:39.2)

Aileen Castillo, sophomore (152nd, 22:04.0)

Dixie Blessing, freshman (169th, 22:43.5)

Ava Adriana, sophomore (171st, 22:47.0)

Grace Connoy, sophomore (200th, 23:38.6)

Alli Laffler, freshman (202nd, 23:40.9)

 1A
Individual (s)

Elli Black, Cambridge Christian (Land O’ Lakes resident), eighth grade (third, 18:26.4)

Published Nov. 24, 2021