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Tag: APP Education

  • Florida Poly students create possible solution for spacewalks

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Spacewalk repairs are no small task for NASA astronauts, but thanks to students at Florida Polytechnic University, the process could soon get a lot easier.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Polytechnic University students created a tool to assist astronauts with spacewalk repairs

    • Their invention was part of NASA’s Micro-g NExT Challenge, a national competition

    • Students say NASA tested their designed tool in underwater simulations and praised it


    Each piece of the tool that they created is part of a spacewalk tool that David Chazbani and Eduardo Jirau helped create.

    The purpose is to make it easier for astronauts to secure two overlapping pieces of fabric while outside the International Space Station.

    “There’s a lot of insulation out there around every single capsule that they have, so that way they’re able to protect any type of electronics or any type of device they have from radiation from the sun,” Jirau said. “Whenever they have to go out on space repairs, they have to cut out a piece of the fabric so they can access the electronics on the backside of that fabric. So currently they don’t have a way to put a Band-Aid over that hole they’ve created.”

    The two mechanical engineering students were tasked last August with developing a solution as part of NASA’s Micro-g NExT Challenge. They were one of 17 college teams across the country selected to participate.

    The Florida Polytechnic University’s AlbertX team is made up of Dr. Alexander Murphy, team mentor and assistant professor of mechanical engineering; seniors Jirau, Chazbani, and Katelyn Godell; and Dr. Apurva Patel, team mentor and assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

    Jirau said it took them roughly nine months to develop the final product. Once it was complete, he said he knew they had created something special.

    “We did a lot of testing, and every time, we wanted to make sure it worked before we actually took it out there, and so we were pretty confident in that what we did would work,” Jirau said.

    The fastening device works by holding the new piece of material in place with a consumable.

    Chazbani and Jirau said NASA tested the tool in a lab underwater to simulate conditions in space at the U.S. space agency’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

    The result? Nothing short of amazing.

    “They said our device looked like something that NASA would’ve made,” Chazbani said.

    The project could simplify future spacewalks and push Chazbani and Jirau’s limits beyond the sky.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Florida Poly students create possible solution for spacewalks

    [ad_1]

    LAKELAND, Fla. — Spacewalk repairs are no small task for NASA astronauts, but thanks to students at Florida Polytechnic University, the process could soon get a lot easier.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Polytechnic University students created a tool to assist astronauts with spacewalk repairs

    • Their invention was part of NASA’s Micro-g NExT Challenge, a national competition

    • Students say NASA tested their designed tool in underwater simulations and praised it


    Each piece of the tool that they created is part of a spacewalk tool that David Chazbani and Eduardo Jirau helped create.

    The purpose is to make it easier for astronauts to secure two overlapping pieces of fabric while outside the International Space Station.

    “There’s a lot of insulation out there around every single capsule that they have, so that way they’re able to protect any type of electronics or any type of device they have from radiation from the sun,” Jirau said. “Whenever they have to go out on space repairs, they have to cut out a piece of the fabric so they can access the electronics on the backside of that fabric. So currently they don’t have a way to put a Band-Aid over that hole they’ve created.”

    The two mechanical engineering students were tasked last August with developing a solution as part of NASA’s Micro-g NExT Challenge. They were one of 17 college teams across the country selected to participate.

    The Florida Polytechnic University’s AlbertX team is made up of Dr. Alexander Murphy, team mentor and assistant professor of mechanical engineering; seniors Jirau, Chazbani, and Katelyn Godell; and Dr. Apurva Patel, team mentor and assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

    Jirau said it took them roughly nine months to develop the final product. Once it was complete, he said he knew they had created something special.

    “We did a lot of testing, and every time, we wanted to make sure it worked before we actually took it out there, and so we were pretty confident in that what we did would work,” Jirau said.

    The fastening device works by holding the new piece of material in place with a consumable.

    Chazbani and Jirau said NASA tested the tool in a lab underwater to simulate conditions in space at the U.S. space agency’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

    The result? Nothing short of amazing.

    “They said our device looked like something that NASA would’ve made,” Chazbani said.

    The project could simplify future spacewalks and push Chazbani and Jirau’s limits beyond the sky.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Polk County pauses school bus camera program; changes underway

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County’s school bus camera program is on hold as district leaders work to make changes.

    What You Need To Know

    • Officials say nearly 13,000 violations have been issued since the Safe Stop initiative started. But some drivers claim many of those tickets were unfair

    • Cleo Davis said he tried to appeal the citation he received, but there were no instructions on how to do so, despite state law requiring them to be included

    • BELOW: Statement from Polk County Public Schools


    The Safe Stop initiative officially launched in August of last year. Since then, officials say nearly 13,000 violations have been issued. But some drivers, like resident Cleo Davis, claim many of those tickets were unfair.

    Davis says he was driving home from work in November when he saw a school bus stop at the railroad tracks on the opposite side of the road near Recker Parkway. Not thinking much of it, he said he kept driving, since buses are required to stop before crossing.

    “Common sense just said to me… you know, me thinking that it’s no way that they’re letting children off at that location, so that’s why I proceeded to go forward,” Davis said.

    To his surprise, he received a $225 notice of violation in the mail weeks later. The violation was for failing to stop for a school bus with its stop signal deployed, and it included photos of the incident. But Davis felt he did nothing wrong, saying there were no children being picked up or dropped off.

    He said he tried to appeal the citation, but there were no instructions on how to do so, despite state law requiring them to be included.

    “I got the statuette and everything, and it clearly says that the violation is supposed to have that, but it doesn’t exist. Now where it does exist is once you get the uniform citation,” he said.

    Up until recently, drivers in Polk County who were fined for passing a stopped school bus couldn’t appeal the violation until 30 days later — when it automatically became a $329 uniform citation.

    Thanks to a new law that went into effect July 1, drivers now have the right to immediately contest a violation.

    In a statement, Polk County Public Schools said:

    “Polk County Public Schools and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will continue to follow state law regarding the use of our Safe Stop program. At this time, we are working with local authorities to develop and implement an appeal process for motorists who receive a violation from our school bus cameras. Beginning July 1, no violations will be issued until the local appeal process is in place.” 

    However, Davis says an appeal process should have been in place from the start. Now, he’s calling on the county to issue reimbursements.

    “I want my money back. I want my money back,” he said. “I, at least, would like to be reimbursed for the cost. Although I know they can’t reimburse me for the time it took going down there, but the least they can do is reimburse the money for the citation.”

    The school district didn’t mention the possibility of reimbursement. However, it reiterated:

    “The PCPS Safe Stop program has always complied with state law, and student safety remains our top priority.”

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Union County High instructor, bus driver awarded $50K as Florida Teacher of Year

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Mark Harrison, an economics and American government teacher at Union County High School who also serves as a school bus driver there, won the Florida Teacher of the Year at a gala on Thursday night in Orlando.

    He will receive a $50,000 bonus for the achievement.

    Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with newly appointed Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas, awarded five Teacher of the Year finalists with a $20,000 bonus on Thursday in Orlando.

    The other finalists were Brandy Nicole Anderson, a civics teacher and head of the social studies department at Indian Trails Middle School in Flagler County; Autumn Crabtree, a culinary arts teacher at Crystal River High School in Citrus County who also is certified in mathematics and family and consumer science; Shelly Teel, a third-grade teacher at Westside Elementary in Columbia County; and Katy Jo Harrison, a first-grade teacher at Hosford Elementary and Junior High School in Liberty County.

    “I had the honor of meeting some of the outstanding educators who have helped make our state the national leader in education,” DeSantis stated in a post on X.

    All 76 district Teachers of the Year, nominated by their colleagues for exceptional service to students, will receive a $10,000 bonus, according to DeSantis. They were selected from among 175,000 public school teachers in the state.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Taggart Family Foundation announces partnership with Manatee County Schools

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    PALMETTO, Fla. — Manatee County Schools announced a new partnership Tuesday with the Taggart Family Foundation, started by Willie Taggart, who is now one of the coaches for the Baltimore Ravens.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County School District partnered with the Taggart Family Foundation, founded by Willie Taggart, a graduate of Manatee Schools and current NFL coach

    • The foundation is launching a free before- and after-school program for students at Lincoln Memorial Middle School

    • Lincoln Memorial Middle School is a Title I School and federal funds for some programs are frozen, so the district says this partnership is filling a gap

    • Taggart also plans on building a community center near Lincoln Memorial Middle in Palmetto 


    Taggart grew up in Manatee County, and on Tuesday, he visited Lincoln Memorial Middle School where he attended, to announce not only the partnership, but how he plans on helping people in Palmetto.

    Taggart says he knew he wanted to give back in a big way, starting with a before and after school academy focusing on teaching students leadership.

    “This is something I can do for our community, and you can feel the excitement in here today, and that’s the goal, to bring some life back into Palmetto and give them something they can be proud of,” said Taggart.

    Willie Taggart meets with students and faculty at Lincoln Memorial Middle School. (Spectrum News)

    He plans to build a community center, too, which will likely sit on the southwest side of Lincoln Middle. Taggart’s vision is a place for all people in Palmetto—from young to old.

    “I want our kids to be able to learn things they don’t necessarily learn in school, you know, I want it to be a fun learning experience for them, too, but also have a workforce development for our young adults,” he said.

    Chad Choate is the Chair of the School Board. He said Lincoln Middle is a Title I school, and it relied on the 21st Century Grant, which provides free before- and after-school programs for students who attend high-poverty, low-performing schools. The federal grant is currently frozen.

    “This is kind of our answer to it,” said Choate. “This is definitely a way if the 21st Century funding stays frozen, hopefully it doesn’t and this is just supplemental on top of it, which would be fantastic for the kids here at Lincoln Middle School,” said Choate.

    The Taggart Family Foundation before- and after-school program will start this school year. They’re still working out the details on the community center.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Private music academy in Bradenton thrives amid arts funding cuts

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis made huge cuts to Florida’s arts funding, leading many public school districts to place uncertainty on many programs.

    As a result, one music academy in Manatee County says they’re seeing a spike in enrollment as parents sought options.

    • Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis made huge cuts to Florida’s arts funding

    • With some school districts seeing a decrease in funding for arts programs, Premier Music Academy owner Whitney Lopez says she’s seeing an increase in students seeking private and group lessons

    • She says they’ve seen a 51% increase in enrollment between 2022 and 2025, which led to them expanding and opening a second location recently

    • Public arts and culture funding did see some reversals in Florida’s budget for 2025-26, as the state restored millions of dollars in grants

    “We had people driving from North Manatee, from South Manatee,” Premier Music Academy owner Whitney Lopez said. “I do believe that it has to do with the school systems slashing funding for the arts.”

    She says they’ve seen a 51% increase in enrollment between 2022 and 2025. That led to them expanding and opening a second location recently.

    “The funding being so low for the arts — we’re ready for the boom,” she said.

    Lily Woodruff, a student at the academy, has been attending for six years and plans to continue.

    She found her talent at a young age. Now at 14 years old, Lily plays six instruments. She says she’s refined her skills over the years, and that her musical passion is driven by faith.

    “I love playing piano. Because it gives me an opportunity to just, like, do what I want and just to, like, glorify God through music,” she said. “I want to get better so I can be a worship singer.”

    She says the arts are a critical part of her life and supports keeping them in education. Lily will be a freshman in high school this fall where she hopes to learn more about music.

    Public arts and culture funding did see some reversals in Florida’s budget for 2025-26, as the state restored millions of dollars in grants.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Polk State secures $10 million for Haines City-Davenport campus

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk State College is one step closer to making its Haines City-Davenport campus a reality.

    What You Need To Know

    • Polk State College received $10 million from the state budget to help fund construction of its new Haines City-Davenport campus

    • The campus will house health sciences programs, feature an interdisciplinary simulation hospital, and offer general education classes

    • Although construction is underway, the college still needs $7.5 million to complete the project


    The college recently secured $10 million from the state’s budget to help fund construction costs.

    Polk State President Angela Falconetti calls the Haines City-Davenport campus a dream come true. It will house the school’s health sciences programs, offer general education classes and feature an interdisciplinary simulation hospital.

    Beth Luckett, dean of health sciences at Polk State College, said she has witnessed the department grow tremendously — so much so that they’ve outgrown their labs at each of the college’s campuses.

    “So, by having the campus that all of our health science programs could be in at one time is just beyond imagination for all of us,” Luckett said.

    Falconetti said construction is already underway on the nearly $51 million project. Thanks to the recent $10 million from the Florida Legislature, she said they are much closer to completion. She added that this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her staff.

    “I’m very grateful to the leadership of our health sciences and nursing programs because they are making this very specific need across our country, but more importantly, our state and Polk County come to fruition,” Falconetti said.

    As for Luckett, she credits Falconetti for the project’s success. Now, she s looking forward to continuing her life’s work — preparing the next generation of graduates for success.

    “We’re growing, and we’re ready for them to come in,” she said.

    Falconetti said the school still needs $7.5 million to complete the campus. If approved by the legislature next year, she expects to have it open by fall 2026.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Polk State College trustee raises concerns over enrollment, transparency

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. —  Tension between leaders at Polk State College is growing as some criticize the school for a lack of transparency.

    What You Need To Know

    • Polk State College trustee Ashley Bell Barnett raised concerns about a reported 13.6% enrollment decline, saying the college ranked among the lowest in the state

    • The college says recent preliminary data shows a 2% increase in enrollment and that graduation rates have remained steady

    • Tensions rose during a recent board meeting, where Barnett was both praised and criticized for speaking out; she maintains her only goal is transparency


    In May, board trustee Ashley Bell Barnett raised questions about the college’s enrollment and graduation rates. While Polk County’s population continues to grow, Barnett says that growth isn’t being reflected on the college’s campuses.

    “In March, there was FTE enrollment numbers. We were in decline by 13.6%,” she said.

    Barnett says that number put the college among the lowest in the state for enrollment during the 2023–2024 academic year. She says she and other trustees were unaware until a colleague from another school notified her. This prompted her to bring her concerns to the board and Polk State President Dr. Angela Falconetti.

    “May 6 was the first/last time I spoke with her. May 19 was our last board meeting to where I presented these concerns. I haven’t had any answers until now, which has been over a month,” Barnett said.

    According to Polk State, the 13.6% decline came from a report designed to project future fundable full-time equivalent (FTE) students. But preliminary data from the college’s submission to the Florida Department of Education shows the school’s enrollment rose just over 2% in the past year. Officials also say graduation rates have remained consistent.

    In a statement, spokesperson Madison Fantozzi said:

    “Increasing completion rates is a top priority, and efforts are underway across the institution. These include strengthening instructional excellence through ongoing innovation, supporting faculty and staff with meaningful professional development opportunities, enhancing student support services, and implementing a comprehensive, data-informed enrollment management strategy.”

    However, Barnett says progress can’t be made without full transparency — and feels the figure provided by the school isn’t much of an increase.

    “That still puts us flat. That still puts us at an 18% systemic issue of having low FTE and graduation rates and it also still means that we are still 24 out 28 so even if that number is verified, which it won’t be until July 2nd, there’s some tremendous issues within the accountability system of this college and if I didn’t speak up, I would not be doing my fiduciary responsibility,” she said.

    During Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting, some residents and faculty members thanked Barnett for bringing this information to light — while others questioned her motives. But as a donor to the school, Barnett assures she has nothing to gain.

    “I only want to see what’s best for the students,” she said. “This is not about me and the administration. This is about me and what’s best for the college.”

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    Alexis Jones

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  • SCF expands artificial intelligence mannequin skills lab program

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Health education is getting a boost from artificial intelligence.

    The State College of Florida (SCF) is expanding its Artificial Intelligence Sim Lab Program to two other campuses in the Tampa Bay area. The new technology will be available to students starting this fall at its Venice and Bradenton locations.

    What You Need To Know

    • The State College of Florida (SCF) is expanding its Artificial Intelligence Sim Lab Program to two other campuses in the Tampa Bay area

    • The new technology will be available to students starting this fall

    • SCF’s Venice and Bradenton locations will start offering the AI technology in skills labs starting this fall.

    Stephen Brelsford has been the Simulation & Nursing Communication Coordinator for SCF at its Manatee-Sarasota location for the past four years. Recently, the program started using AI technology in its mannequins to help teach nursing students.

    “He can sweat, he can cry, he can do all sorts of things,” Brelsford said. “Between the verbal communication skills and the hands-on experiential training, I think it gives them a full perspective of what they would see in the hospital,” he said.

    The program is proving popular. This semester saw a nearly 20% increase in students compared to the previous fall semester.

    Director of Simulation Debbie Allish says the goal is to enhance students’ knowledge.

    “AI is so important for our students — especially with these mannequins — because it allows them to interact with a patient that’s more realistic and looks more like a real person than some of the other mannequins we have. The nice thing about this, too, is he is programmed with answers. They can have a conversation with him,” she explained.

    The mannequin can replicate different scenarios, such as seizures, and it moves its eyes, mouth, face and body. While it’s programmed to react on its own, it can also be controlled manually.

    “The faculty sit here. Faculty kind of operate the simulators during the scenario. They evaluate the students with our camera system here,” Brelsford said.

    Brelsford says the more comfortable students become with this new technology, the more comfortable he hopes they will be interacting with actual patients when they graduate.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Construction on new Skybrooke Elementary School nearing completion

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    LUTZ, Fla. — Construction on a brand-new Pasco County school is nearing completion.

    What You Need To Know

    • Skybrooke Elementary will be Pasco County Schools’ newest K-8 school located in Lutz

    • The school is designed to occupy a full capacity of 1,800 students with ten classrooms per grade level, making Skybrooke one of the largest schools in the county

    • There will be an emphasis on STEM courses with an aerospace aviation pathway being laid out for middle schoolers

    • Seats are still available for K-7th grade school-of-choice students to sign-up, with the last window opening on Monday


    Skybrooke Elementary will serve as Pasco County Schools’ newest K-8 school starting next school year. The goal is to ease overcrowding with this new school that’s “designed” to be different.

    Serving as the school’s principal will be Michele Boylan, who is coming from Bexley Elementary with years of experience as a teacher and administrator.

    “We’re excited to see this space come to life,” said Boylan. “I’m super excited to lead this school and provide opportunities for students starting in VPK all the way through 8th grade.”

    The school is designed to occupy a full capacity of 1,800 students, with ten classrooms per grade level. That makes Skybrooke one of the largest schools for K-8 in Pasco County.

    The hallways of Skybrooke are also without a usual feature.

    “There’s no more lockers!” said Boylan. “Kids are carrying their materials, but not all, because we also understand that can be a lot. Teachers strategically set up storage areas to keep curriculum in the classroom and in an organized way so students have their books with them.”

    The school is taking a fresh, modern approach to education in the district thanks to recommendations from parents and staff. That includes a concentration on STEM courses and athletics.

    “We are starting with an aerospace aviation pathway for middle schoolers,” said Boylan. “We’re also working, over the summer, with a group of teachers to plan ‘what does that look like starting in kindergarten? How do we embed the skills and the knowledge that these kids will need for aerospace and aviation?’”

    It’s an ambitious plan, helping shape the minds of tomorrow’s critical thinkers.

    “We want to start kids off with their school experience just loving coming to school,” said Boylan.

    Boylan says there are still seats available for those school-of-choice students to sign-up. Seats are available for K-7th grade.

    The last school of choice window opens on Monday.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Manatee County leaders to lay groundwork for superintendent search

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — Manatee County School Board members hope to make crucial steps Tuesday in the search for the district’s next superintendent.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Manatee County School District is home to 42,000 students and continues to grow

    • In May, the board voted 3-2 to terminate the contract of former Superintendent Dr. Jason Wysong

    • The district has had four superintendents in less than 12 years 


    Board members plan to pick a consulting firm that will help facilitate the search and then set the timeline that the search and interview process should follow.

    Charlie Kennedy, who represents District 3, says the board is working towards having a new superintendent selected and contract signed by the start of school on Aug. 11.

    Kennedy says his top priority is to the find the highest quality person for the job that they can.

    “It would be nice to have somebody in by the start of the year because that way you’re kicking off the school year with new leadership,” he said. “But the most important thing is getting it right.”

    This is what Kennedy called a “compressed” timeline — given the search two years ago that netted Dr. Jason Wysong as the superintendent — took between seven to eight months.

    Wysong kept the top spot for just shy of two school years, before the school board voted 3-2 to terminate his contract last month.

    His termination agreement states he will be employed with the district through mid-August but only as an “Administrative Transitional Consultant.”

    Manatee County has struggled to find stability with superintendents over the last 12 years. Between 2013 through 2018, both Rick Mills and Diana Greene only stayed for a few years each. In 2018, the district decided to forgo a nationwide search instead hiring Deputy Superintendent Cynthia Saunders to take the spot. Saunders was serving as interim superintendent at the time and soon after she took over was accused of inflating graduation rates.

    She then announced her retirement in 2022, and the most recent exhaustive superintendent search kicked off.

    Kennedy says it’s important to him that the new superintendent has experience within the state of Florida, but it doesn’t need to be experience within the Manatee County School District itself.

    “The Florida education landscape is just such rocky terrain with finance and education law and the culture war stuff that’s still bubbling out there,” he said. “So you need someone who can handle all of that. I’m going to keep an open mind. I just want to see us cast the widest net we can.”

    There’s at least three consulting firms that have submitted proposals to head up the superintendent search.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Land O’ Lakes teacher reflects on school year

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    LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — Christine Gomez finished an exciting school year at Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes. She was awarded Teacher of the Year there. Gomez has been teaching civic education for 12 years.

    What You Need To Know

    • Christine Gomez teaches at Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes, where she earned a Teacher of the Year honor

    • Gomez has been teaching civic education for 12 years, the last four at Land O’ Lakes

    • She started a program called TeaCHEERS to support students 
    • Would you like to nominate an A+ Teacher? Click here

    “I’ve had a passion for civics and American history, law pretty much from the age of these students that I teach,” said Gomez.

    She’s been teaching at Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes for four years.

    ”Knowing the impact that I can have on the next generation, being a part of their lives, not just seeing them grow academically but also developing their character, is truly important to me. And I do see teaching as a service to my country,” said Gomez.

    Gomez wants her to students to feel supported in her classroom and when they’re pursing their passions. She started a program called TeaCHEERS.

    “We have teachers writing handwritten notes that the students would get on game day that say, ‘Great job out there. We’re supporting you. We believe in you. And remember what it means to be an ‘Imagine Dragon,’” said Gomez.

    Those notes are written for students doing any activity outside of school. That’s one way Gomez connects with her students.

    “If I can build up confidence in these students and also I can build that relationship with students, they start to see that they start to excel in all areas of their life,” said Gomez.

    She says she is already looking forward to having an impact on another group of students next school year.

    “To know that the impact that I can have on these students, I don’t take that lightly at all. It’s really an honor so when I have new students come in, I know for whatever reason I’m meant to be their teacher for that year, and it’s very exciting for me.”

    Over the summer, Gomez says she’ll be working on a presentation for a forum in August with other Imagine Schools.

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    Jorja Roman

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  • Lacoochee Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team makes school history

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    LACOOCHEE, Fla. — Lacoochee Elementary made history last week when the school’s Odyssey of the Mind team competed in the World Finals for the first time ever, and placed in the top third of teams.

    What You Need To Know

    • Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition, but there’s not one right answer to the problem; students must work together to create the solution

    • Students from Lacoochee Elementary School compete in the World Finals in Michigan 

    • Lacoochee Elementary’s team placed in the top third of teams, taking 20th place in the world


    Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition, but there’s no one right answer to the problem as students must work together to create the solution.

    The World Finals were hosted in Lansing, Michigan, this year, and students raised enough money to pay for the whole team to go thanks to generosity from the community.

    “Welcome to NASA gym located on the Planet of Fitness where you can get jacked and muscular, just like me,” said one of the students as they rehearsed their performance for the World Finals.

    The students of Lacoochee Elementary School’s Odyssey of the Mind team are taking you on an intergalactic trip to the Planet of Fitness, and these students had to plan, and create, every aspect of how to get here, solving various problems along the way.

    “Odyssey of the Mind is a teamwork and problem solving creativity program that’s national where students can learn skills that they’re going to need later in life that may help them in their careers,” said Kyara Prezmorales, who just finished fifth grade.

    While some larger schools have nearly a dozen teams, Lacoochee Elementary School has just this one, and this is the first team that’s ever made it worlds.

    “Lacoochee is a little school that is majority poverty but we like to say here, our staff and our principal especially who grew up here in Lacoochee, is that doesn’t define who we are as a school,” said Sadi Avants, who is one of the coach’s for the Odyssey of the Mind team.

    Coaches Avants and Ryah Taggerty say Prezmorales and the team worked hard on their performance since October, competing, and winning, at both regionals and the state competition, never letting their demographics define them, like their principal teaches them.

    “Having everything come together, I could not be more proud of them. We definitely were emotional,” said Taggerty.

    Prezmorales says she’s proud to be a part of the team that made it all the way, hopefully setting a new precedent for the Odyssey of the Mind teams here at Lacoochee Elementary, that you don’t have to be large to be mighty.   

    More than 750 teams from all over the world, ranging from elementary to college age, competed at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals this year.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Pasco County Schools to offer flexible education classes for homeschool families

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County Schools will launch a new flexible education program next school year aimed at students who are homeschooled or attend private schools.

    The Flexible Education program will allow students to take up to three classes at a Pasco County Public School in addition to their homeschooling using the Step Up for Students Scholarship.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pasco County Schools is launching a flexible education program, allowing homeschool students to take up to three classes at a public school using the Step Up for Students Scholarship

    • Superintendent Dr. John Legg said, “It’s not a money maker, but it allows us to break even and bring in some of that revenue in order to offer more courses to more families”

    • Pasco County Schools surveyed over 6,000 homeschool families to gauge interest in the program


    Angela Sarabia’s family has always done homeschool. She says they love the freedom and flexibility homeschooling provides, allowing her to tailor each of her kids education.

    “We ended up doing a lot of stuff like organizing our legos, and learning math concepts through hands on stuff, and that really worked for him. I think had he been in the school environment, he really would’ve had a tough time,” Sarabia said.

    Around 6,000 Pasco County homeschool families received a survey from Pasco County Schools gauging interest in taking classes at a public school for the new Flexible Education program.

    “We’ve seen historically here in Pasco and also throughout the state of Florida over the past three years the number of homeschool students is growing exponentially and we want to provide those services, the coursework, that would interest them in a traditional school environment,” said Superintendent Dr. John Legg.

    Dr. Legg says Pasco Schools will be part of a small handful of districts offering flex-ed next school year, utilizing the Step Up for Students Scholarships, which most homeschool families receive.

    “It’s not a moneymaker, but it allows us to break even and bring in some of that revenue in order to offer more courses to more families,” he said.

    Denise Mestanza-Taylor also homeschools her 15-year-old son, Liam. They are recipients of the Step Up for Students Scholarships, and she says she has concerns about flex-ed.   

    “That money is going to be taken from recipients and put back into our public school in some way, that’s why I’m concerned. I want to know what are the stakes here, for me, for my son. I don’t want to lose that money and it not serve my son in the capacity that he needs,” she said.

    Mestanza-Taylor and Sarabia say they provided their feedback and are interested to see what the district offers, although, they say it’s important to stay true to their homeschool roots. 

    Dr. Legg says they’ll be reviewing the data from the surveys over the summer and plan to offer a dozen or so classes to homeschool families, based on interest. They expect to see a lot of interest in higher-level classes and electives like ROTC. He says they’ll expand the program as interest grows. 

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Saint Leo University celebrates first graduating class of nurses

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    ST. LEO, Fla. — Saint Leo University is celebrating its first graduating class from its new nursing program on Wednesday.

    Twelve students will walk the stage and receive their diplomas, and most will quickly begin work in local hospitals after passing the State Board NCLEX exam.

    What You Need To Know

    • Saint Leo University is celebrating it’s first graduating class from its new nursing program

    • Twelve students will walk the stage and receive their diplomas

    • Most will quickly begin work in local hospitals after passing the State Board NCLEX exam  
    • Saint Leo University nursing

    Nathanael Allen will be the first of 12 to receive his diploma, and says he decided to get in to nursing because of his family.

    His mother is a teacher, and he was raised to help others.

    “Being a part of a program that just is going to grow and grow as the years go by, and to be remembered as the first class is really special,” said Allen.

    Associate Professor of Nursing Paige Porter said Saint Leo began its nursing program because of the statewide shortage of nurses.

    She said Saint Leo partnered with AdventHealth in order to give nursing students hands on experience in local hospitals, and also help them develop contacts that could lead to jobs in the Tampa area.

    “A lot of the nursing students have chosen to stay local and work at Advent Health,” Porter said. “And they’ll be working right alongside their preceptors, and at the same time addressing our mission to help impact the nursing shortage locally.”

    Saint Leo University plans to expand its nursing program in the coming years with more instructors as well as more classroom space on campus.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • New literacy tutoring program proving to be a success at Dayspring Academy

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    PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The first school in the state to test out a new literacy tutoring program is right here in Pasco County.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dayspring Academy is the first school in the state to test out a new literacy tutoring program that is part of legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year

    • The law establishes a statewide tutoring program administered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning

    • The Ignite Reading Tutoring program provides 1:1 tutoring to students virtually 


    Dayspring Academy on Tuesday released results from the first few months of using the Ignite Reading program, which is part of an initiative Gov. Ron Desantis signed into law last year. It establishes a statewide tutoring program administered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning.

    Students in kindergarten at the Dayspring Academy have one teacher physically in the classroom with them, and they essentially have four more on their laptop screens.

    “It’s one on one. Learners get 15 minutes each day with a virtual tutor, and they work specifically. It’s differentiated for each learner, which is great, and that way they’re able to work on reading skills specific to what’s needed for them,” said Wendy Finlay, the principal of Dayspring Academy’s Harmony campus. 

    She says they started using Ignite Reading in February, and even in this short amount of time, students have shown tremendous gains in reading.

    “According to the state standards, we’ve had learners who have moved from well below grade level to on grade level and even above grade level,” Finlay said.

    The Ignite Reading Tutoring Program provides 1:1 tutoring to students virtually. (Spectrum Bay News 9/Fallon Silcox)

    Each day, during their literacy block at school, students meet with their tutor virtually.

    “They get the same tutor each day, so they’ve built relationships with these tutors just like they’ve built relationships with their classroom teachers,” she said.

    Thanks to all of the tutors in the classroom each day, students are receiving even more one-on-one attention, with the goal being to take students from learning to read, to reading to learn.

    Finlay says since implementing the Ignite Reading tutoring program, students who had previously scored the lowest in reading in state testing are now reading at, or above grade level. She says they offer a similar tutoring program for math.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • University of Toledo recognizes 6 students with inaugural awards

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    TOLEDO — Six upcoming graduates from the University of Toledo were recognized by the university for their impact on campus. 

    The university recognized them for their leadership, academic excellence and community service with the inaugural Tower of Excellence Awards last week.

    “The Tower of Excellence Awards celebrate students who embody the core values of UToledo,” said Scott Molitor, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “This year’s awardees have excelled in and out of the classroom, and have made a positive impact on our campus community.”

    Tower of Excellence awardees are:

    • Amala Babu Thomas, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering
    • Matt Bell, graduating with a master’s degree in social work
    • Isabelle Fahey, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in communication
    • Ishan Manandhar, graduating with a doctoral degree in biomedical science
    • Emma Simons, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences
    • Carter Wheaton Rodriguez, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

    The nominations were solicited in January and February. Students who qualified had a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and planned to graduate in 2025 were then invited to complete an application.

    A committee of faculty and staff selected the winners who received their awards on April 15. The university also announced the recipients of the Donald S. Parks Student Organization Awards, which recognizes student organizations and student-organized events that have contributed to the campus community.

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • What to know as federal government resumes collections of student loan debt

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The U.S. Department of Education will resume collections of defaulted federal student loans.

    Beginning May 5, the department’s Office of Federal Student Aid will restart involuntary collections. The move comes five years after collections were paused amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Collections of defaulted students loans will resume on Monday, May 5

    •  More than 1.3 million North Carolinians have student loans

    •  North Carolinians owe an average of $38,770 in student loans


    According to the Department of Education, more than 1.3 million North Carolinians have student loans and owe an average of $38,770.

    As the deadline looms, the federal government warns borrowers need to make their payments or be at risk of having their wages garnished. 

    “They could take some of your paycheck and access your bank account,” said Stephen Boatman, the owner of Flat Fee Financial. “They could take some of your tax refund. Once you’re 90 days late, they start to report it to the credit agencies, saying that you have a knock against your credit score, which could impact your lending ability. Once you get 270 days, they’ll become more aggressive with their collection efforts and will start garnishing wages and things like that.”

    Boatman, who is a certified financial planner and certified student loan specialist, suggests borrowers take a look at their financial situation and decide if their payment plan is still the best plan for them.

    “You may be married now,” he said. “You may have a higher income or lower income, and all of those variables come into play when deciding what the best payment plan is for your student loans.” 

    Boatman said some people will have to adjust their budgets to make their payments each month, but there are ways to reduce payments.

    “401(k) contributions, HSA contributions, tax loss harvesting, whatever lowers your AGI [adjusted gross income] can in turn lower your monthly student loan payment and help with some of that,” he said.

    Borrowers can also consider refinancing their debt privately or choose to continue a federal program.

    “There’s a basic rule of thumb that says if your student loans are equal to or greater than your income, then you should consider looking at a federal program,” Boatman said. “If your income is greater than your student loans, it may be worth looking at privatizing them, refinancing them and paying them off as fast as possible.”

    Boatman notes “this is not financial advice,” and borrowers “should consult with a financial adviser before making any decisions.”

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    Chloe Salsameda

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  • Youngstown State University professors aiming to repeal Senate Bill 1

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    YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Senate Bill 1 will go into effect at the end of June and reshape higher education in Ohio.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, Senate Bill 1, was signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine on March 28, and the law will go into effect 90 days after the signing
    • Several Youngstown State University professors are aiming to add a state referendum to the ballot this November to repeal the bill

    • The petition received the required 1,000 initial signatures. If the certifications are approved, it will need 250,000 signatures from 44 counties for further consideration

    Some of the key measures of the legislation include eliminating DEI activities and programs on college campuses, banning faculty strikes and aligning college curriculum with the state’s workforce needs. Some educators say the bill represents overreach by state legislators. 

    “The reality is we have to do something,” Youngstown State Universtiy Professor Dr. Cryshanna Jackson Leftwich said. 

    Jackson Leftwich is in her 17th year as a professor at Youngstown State University. She, like many college educators around the state, opposes the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, or Senate Bill 1.

    “We know that the state of Ohio and the Republican legislature are content to do what they want to do,” Jackson Leftwich said. 

    Jackson Leftwich and two other YSU professors are taking steps towards a repeal, drafting a petition to have Senate Bill 1 added as a state referendum to the ballot this November. 

    “We needed 1,000 signatures. We were able to secure 5,000 signatures that we submitted to the attorney general and the Secretary of State,” Jackson Leftwich said. 

    State Senator Jerry Cirino, who represents the 18th district in the Ohio Senate, authored the bill and says he believes it is necessary to keep the Ohio economy and workforce strong.

    “I believe we’re clearly at an inflection point,” Cirino said. “If we don’t make these necessary changes in Ohio, we’re going to find ourselves in a bad economic position. By that, I mean our institutions will not be producing the kinds of students in the kinds of programs that are going to be attractive to companies that we’re trying to attract here.”

    Jackson-Leftwich said the law hurts college students and faculty across the state.

    “They put in the bill they’re not going to provide money for trainings like we don’t need to be trained so that we can help students that might have a disability, are a racial minority, or are an immigrant,” Jackson Leftwich said. “When people say it’s divisive and that this is something they don’t want in higher education, it really gives me pause.” 

    Banning faculty strikes at public colleges and universities is another point of divide between Cirino and opponents of the law.

    “They use the threat of a strike in the middle of a semester, sometimes a month before graduation,” Cirino said. “They use that to get concessions from the university or the community college. That’s wrong. They’re using students as pawns.”

    Senate Bill 1 will go into effect near the end of June, 90 days after it was signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Cirino said the state will withhold funding to ensure compliance by state schools.

    “There will be some significant funds that will be tied to compliance with the letter and spirit of Senate Bill 1,” Cirino said. 

    Jackson Leftwich and other supporters of the petition will have until that 90-day mark to gather more signatures to get the referendum on the state ballot this November.

    “If we get the certifications, we’ll have another round in which we will have to collect 250,000 signatures throughout the state from at least 44 counties,” Jackson Leftwich said. “It is a longshot, but I was shocked we were able to collect the amount of signatures and that people are fired up and ready to go fight this bill.”

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    Jack Berney

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  • DEI rollbacks hit campus support systems for students of color

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    WASHINGTON — Campus mentors. Move-in events. Scholarships. Diversity offices that made them feel welcome on predominantly white campuses.

    What You Need To Know

    • As U.S. colleges are pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, students of color say they are starting to lose campus mentors, move-in events, scholarships and diversity offices where they always have felt welcome on predominately white campuses

    • The full scope of campus DEI rollbacks is still emerging as colleges respond to the Trump administration’s orders against diversity practices

    • But students at some schools say early cuts are chipping away at the sense of community that has helped open the door to higher education

    • The retreat from DEI has accelerated under President Donald Trump and his threats to cut federal funding

    As U.S. colleges pull back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, students of color say they are starting to lose all of these things and more.

    The full scope of campus DEI rollbacks is still emerging as colleges respond to the Trump administration’s orders against diversity practices. But students at some schools said early cuts are chipping away at the sense of community that helped open the door to higher education.

    “It feels like we’re going back. I don’t know how else to describe it,” said Breeana-Iris Rosario, a junior at the University of Michigan, which is closing its DEI office and scrapping a campus-wide inclusion plan. “It’s like our voices aren’t being heard.”

    The retreat from DEI has been building for years, driven by Republican-led states that have ordered public colleges to close DEI offices and eliminate programs. But it has accelerated under President Donald Trump and his threats to cut federal funding.

    Trump’s administration escalated the battle when it suggested in a letter to Harvard University that the school should lose its nonprofit status for defying federal orders, including a demand to eliminate DEI “to the satisfaction of the federal government.”

    At Michigan, students have been told the casualties include the LEAD Scholars program, a financial aid award for Black, Latino and Native American students, along with orientation events for new Latino, Arab and Asian American students. The university said Tuesday it has not decided whether to eliminate or restructure the orientation programs.

    Coming from a low-income part of Detroit, Rosario said winning the LEAD scholarship cemented her decision to attend Michigan. She later met some of her best friends at a move-in event for Latino students called Alma. Losing those programs, she fears, could reinforce a sense of isolation among Hispanic students, who make up 6% of the school’s undergraduates.

    “It would be hard to find my community if I didn’t have access to these resources,” she said.

    Colleges respond to federal orders

    A February memo from the Education Department directed schools and colleges to eliminate race from any decision-making around hiring, admissions, housing, financial aid and student life. It warned violators could lose access to federal money.

    Dozens of universities have since come under investigation, all while the Trump administration freezes billions of dollars at Harvard and other colleges accused of defying orders on campus antisemitism and transgender athletes.

    Michigan was among the first to make major DEI rollbacks, and others have followed to avoid federal scrutiny. Others have rebranded DEI offices and scrubbed the term from websites, and others still are standing firm in support of DEI.

    At Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, officials cited the federal orders when they moved to close the campus DEI office last month.

    “It is clear we must be in compliance with them to receive the federal funding that is critical to our present and future,” said Eric Kaler, Case’s president, in a campus message.

    Kaler said the office will be replaced by an Office for Campus Enrichment and Engagement, though it’s unclear what that will entail. The private university receives about $250 million a year in federal research funding, 16% of its total revenue, according to university data.

    Justen Pippens said the DEI office was like a second home on campus. The junior called it a “stress-free zone” where he could get personal and academic guidance. He grew so close with one staff member that he came to know her as Auntie. He said it’s unclear whether those employees will have jobs at the new office.

    Case also is halting its Envision Weekend, an orientation event for underrepresented students. Pippens said it’s a setback for him and other Black students, who make up just 6% of undergraduates at Case.

    “Now,” he said, “we no longer have our central support systems on campus.”

    A victory for DEI opponents

    In Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin celebrated when the University of Virginia’s governing board voted to end DEI programs in March.

    “DEI is done at the University of Virginia,” Youngkin said in a statement, calling it a shift toward “merit-based opportunity.”

    Tyler English, a senior at UVA, said students have been told scholarships and graduate programs focused on minority students are being scaled back or eliminated. Among other changes, a student group called Men of Color, Honor and Ambition is replacing the word “color” with “character,” he said.

    “For a portion of us, we now question whether our identities and voices are truly valued in this space,” said English, a member of the campus’ Black Student Alliance.

    University spokesperson Brian Coy wouldn’t provide details on DEI rollbacks and said he couldn’t confirm changes to scholarships.

    The government’s anti-DEI campaign is being challenged in court by opponents who say it offers little clarity on exactly which practices are outlawed, leaving schools to weed out anything that could be construed as DEI.

    As a result of the vague directives, “those who are advocating against this work are getting a higher return on their investment than they should,” said Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

    Yet opponents are pressing the White House to go further. Christopher Rufo, a conservative strategist who has fought DEI, said the government should root out DEI using tools that forced desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement.

    “DEI is a violation of the Civil Rights Act,” Rufo said on X. “Any publicly funded institution that continues to practice DEI should face a federal investigation, consent decree, termination of funds, and loss of nonprofit status. If that doesn’t work, send in the 101st Airborne.”

    Some fear diversity setbacks

    In Michigan, the rollbacks are targeting programs that aimed to preserve racial diversity after the state banned affirmative action in 2006, including the LEAD program.

    University of Michigan officials declined to discuss changes, but a campus message from President Santa Ono said the school will find other ways to support students, including an expansion of scholarships for low-income students.

    Rosario and other LEAD scholarship winners received an email saying there would be “no adverse financial impact” to their financial aid, with no further explanation.

    Rosario doesn’t entirely blame the university for the cuts, but she wonders why Michigan moved quickly to make changes while some colleges held firm. The first in her family to attend college, she fears what it means for the next generation of students.

    “They’ve taken away our sense of community,” she said. “It just makes it that much harder for people of color to feel comfortable pursuing higher education.”

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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