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HIGH FIVES

Land O' Lakes Students Take Honors in Math

The following Land O'Lakes High School students took top honors at last month's Pasco County School District's Math Contest:

Calculus: Charlie Bonsall - third place

Pre-Calculus: Amethyst Auza - first place

Honors Algebra II: Susie Lai - second place

Honors Geometry: Advaith Rao - first place

Pre-Calculus and Honors Geometry teams won first place in the competition. Honors Algebra II team took second place.

Land O' Lakes High School Students of the Month

Each month of the school year, an outstanding Land O' Lakes High School senior was chosen as Student of the Month. The seniors who were chosen this past school year were: Jessica Denig, September; Kaci Ressler, October; Lindsay Nordlum, November; Jessica Cross, December; Jennifer Wright, January; Andy Babij, February; Mike Plumley, March; Lauren Patton, April; and Billee Fisher, May.

The program is sponsored by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce and honors outstanding students throughout Pasco County. Land O' Lakes High School thanks Meredith Tire and Auto Care for being the Gators' business sponsors.

Glenda Hutchison, reading specialist at Lake Myrtle Elementary School for the past 20 years retired on May 27. Hutchison came to Lake Myrtle as a reading specialist when the school first opened, after four years of teaching at Quail Hollow Elementary in Wesley Chapel and a year of teaching at Rodney B. Cox Elementary in Dade City.

Hutchison says she has seen many changes in education in 20 years, particularly in the role of reading specialist. She thinks the recent mandates by the Florida Legislature, particularly in regards to elementary school students, have had the most effect on educators.

Regarding students, Hutchison says, "My job has been very, very rewarding. This is what I love - encouraging children. Reading is what it is all about."

Christina Schafer, daughter of Kenneth and Shirley Schafer of Hudson, has been awarded a J. Ollie Edmunds Distinguished Scholarship to attend Stetson University. The award, about $140,000, covers tuition and expenses for four years at Stetson. Also included is the opportunity to study abroad. Schafer plans to study biochemistry toward a career in medicine or medical research.

A 2004 graduate of Land O'Lakes High School, Schafer was International Baccalaureate class valedictorian. She was president of the International Baccalaureate Club, co-secretary of the Young Republicans Club, secretary of her youth group leadership team, first chair oboe of the All County Band and a member of two district championship Brain Bowl and Odyssey of the Mind teams. Also, she was a National Merit Finalist and achieved a 4.7 grade point average.

Schafer volunteers with students on the special education wing at Northwest Elementary School in Hudson and at Bayonet Point Regional Medical Center. Her additional activities include participating in a NASA research project and belonging to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and foreign language theater night.

The J. Ollie Edmunds Distinguished Scholarship Program is a nationally competitive merit-based college scholarship program designed to attract top student scholars with leadership potential to Stetson University. Scholars are selected based on a combination of their intellectual excellence, personality and leadership. Established in 1996, the program is supported by the Gualala Foundation to honor the character, charismatic personality, integrity, vision and leadership of its founder, the late J. Ollie Edmunds.

Edmunds was associated with Stetson for 60 years, from 1921 when he enrolled as an undergraduate student until the day he retired as chancellor. He served Stetson for more than 50 years in the capacities of trustee, president and chancellor.

U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite joined local veterans and Veteran's Administration officials on May 24 for a ceremony and dedication celebrating the expansion of the VA clinic in Brooksville. Brown-Waite has been working with VA officials to expand the clinic since her early days in Congress.

The Brooksville expansion comes after the announcement of a brand new facility in the Villages, and an expansion and upgrade at the Leesburg Clinic. Brown-Waite continues to work with the VA to expand a facility in Citrus County.

Located in Pinebrook Regional Medical Center, the clinic opened in March 1998. The size of the facility has increased from 2,770 to 8,285 square feet.

The clinic provides primary care, nutrition counseling, mental health, audiology, social work services, podiatry and an on-site pharmacist for medication counseling.

Brown-Waite commented on the need for the expansion saying, "Of the 435 member of Congress, I represent the third highest concentration of veterans. Improving veterans' health care has been my priority in Congress. Central Florida attracts more and more of our nation's heroes every day, and this critical expansion will bring them better service in a more timely fashion. I'm honored to have played a role in helping those who have defended our nation."

Robert Honold, communications director for Rep. Brown-Waite, explained further the benefits of this new clinic for Pasco residents, saying "Whenever a nearby VA clinic is created or expanded, it dilutes the waiting line at very other clinic. That means that even if veterans in Pasco don't go to the Brooksville clinic, the wait time at their own clinic will be shortened because more vets will now to to the expanded Brooksville clinic."

Students at Lake Myrtle Elementary School took top honors in the Triathlon School Challenge, sponsored by Athletes Who Care Inc. The award was given for the schools' efforts to sign up the most children and families for the first annual Land O'Lakes Sprint Triathlon for adults, and Tri-Fever mini-triathlons for children and novice adults, scheduled for Aug. 7. All central Pasco Schools were invited to enter the challenge as a way to further community involvement in the August event.

As winners of the challenge, Lake Myrtle principal John Abernathy accepted a check for $250 from Athletes Who Care director Val Thomopalos. Abernathy, who is a triathlete said, "I know this will be a wonderful community event that we will look forward to every year."

Then, in a surprise move, Abernathy returned the check to Thomopalos saying, "Our feelings at Lake Myrtle are so strong about the community we would like to donate this money back to Athletes Who Care for their fundraising efforts. We know that getting families together will make for a more close-knit community."

Abernathy, however, did not return the schools' winning right to sing the national anthem at the triathlon's opening ceremony. The event will be held at the Land O'Lakes Recreation Center on Collier Parkway. Proceeds from the races will benefit the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and the Pasco Parks and Recreation Department for the purchase of a pool cover for the recreation center pool, allowing the pool to be heated and kept open to the community year round.

Events included in the Triathlon are:

Sprint - Run 3.1 miles, bike 9.3 miles, swim 1/8 mile

Mimi (11+

Kids (ages 7-10) - Run l mile, bike 3 miles, swim 50 yards

Contact Val Thomopalos via e-mail at Val@tri-babe.com

John Holzaepfel of Natural Resources Planning Services Inc., San Antonio, recently earned a certificate in natural areas management after completing a series of five workshops through the Natural Areas Training Academy.

The certificate program is designed to provide training to be an effective natural areas manager in Florida. All of the workshops include classroom work and field practices. Also, the academy implements other training based on state needs.

Workshop participants include representatives from government land management agencies, private consulting firms, universities, non-profit agencies and the private sector. The academy is managed by the Nature Conservancy, with major support from the University of Florida.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, non-profit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The Conservancy has helped protect more than 1.1-million acres in Florida since 1961. For information visit www.nature.org/florida

As of March 23, the Land O' Lakes High School Gator Athletic program is ranked 13th overall in class 5A by the Florida High School Athletic Association in the Floyd Lay All Sunshine Sports Cup standings. The high school's boys' and girls' divisions were ranked 10th and 28th respectively, out of about 96 schools in class 5A in the state of Florida.

The fall sport athletes (football, swimming/diving, golf) had 52 percent achieving a grade point average of 3.2 or higher and 75 percent attaining a 3.0 or higher. Winter sport athlete s (basketball,wresting, soccer) had 37 percent earning a grade point average o f 3.2 or higher and 50 percent making a 3.0 or higher. Spring sport athletes (baseball, softball, tennis, weight lifting ) had 50 percent achieving a 3.2 or higher and 100 percent earnin g a 3.0 or higher.

Sharon Cimato has brought her years of child care experience to Wesley Chapel, opening Lil' Camper's Academy in April. The new facility, located at 30126 State Road 54, offers hands on learning through play and personal attention. The school is licensed for 69 children, ages six weeks through 13 years, and has an enrollment of 21. Three staff members supervise and teach the children in classroom type settings.

Lil' Campers Academy has set up a personally funded assistance program for Wesley Chapel families that are in need but do not qualify for Title 20 or other government programs.

Cimato is fluent in sign language and uses that with the children to learn simple songs and phrases. Other staff members are bilingual and, when appropriate, use those skills with children. Cimato and her staff are also trained to work with special needs children. Lil' Camper's learning program is designed for all faiths and has a strong emphasis on the arts.

During the summer, student activities are planned around a camp theme. The book The Jester Has Lost His Jingle by David Saltzman is a focused literary piece. Cimato is currently reworking the story into a play and has plans for the children to perform it for their families.

With expanded hours to suit the needs of working parents, Lil' Campers Academy is open from 6:30 a.m to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Special care on Saturdays is available by request.

While raising her own two children, ages 5 and 10, Cimato has volunteered at Claywell, Shore and Essrig elementary schools, all in Hillsborough County.

"Our curriculum addresses how to build a partnership with families, ways of communicating and sharing information and offers positive ideas for involving the family in our program," said Cimato, emphasizing her belief that family members are the child's first and lifelong teachers.

With plans to be very involved in the Wesley Chapel community and with its children, Cimato said, "My goal is to educate while making my children feel happy, secure and self-confident."

Blackwoods Dance Studio will hold its annual recital at 7 p.m Friday and Saturday at the Wesley Chapel Fine Arts Center. Tickets will be available at the door or can be obtained by calling the studio at (352) 567-5919.

In an effort to rid Pasco County of ugly ties, David Hevia announced that Kiefer Village Jewels will offer a 15 percent discount off any watch for any "ugly tie" traded in before Father's Day. In addition, the jewelry store will hold its 5th annual Ugly Tie Contest for those who bring in an ugly tie along with a short story about the tie. The contest, which began Monday in the Dade City and Land O' Lakes locations, will reward the winners with a Citizen watch. The winners will be announced Saturday, so prizes can be wrapped and ready for Father's Day.

"This contest is a lot of fun for us and for our customers," Hevia said. "It's a great time to honor our fathers and take a lighthearted look at the special role they've played in our lives."

Kiefer Village Jewels is at 37850 Meridian Avenue in Dade City and in the Willow Bend Towne Centre at State Road 54 and Collier Parkway in Land O' Lakes. For information on the contest, call 352 567-2378 or (813) 909-2393 or visit the Web site at www.kvjewels.com

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