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Tag: APP Latest Education Stories

  • 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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Grant funds revoked for UNC Charlotte researchers

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A research team supporting LGBTQ+ people is facing uncertainty after funding awarded by the National Institutes of Health was revoked.

    Annelise Mennicke is an associate professor of social work at UNC Charlotte.

    She’s also the co-founder of the Violence Prevention Center.

    What You Need To Know

    •  A UNC Charlotte research team learned grant funding awarded by the National Institutes of Health was canceled

    • The funds were expected to last through 2027

    • The NIH’s letter stated the researchers work was not a priority for the agency 

    • The research team was supporing sexual violence survivors in the LGBTQ+ community 


    “As a faculty member who gets to do research, I really value the creativity we have,” Mennicke said. “In the tenure track position, we get to think deeply about plaguing societal problems and come up with creative solutions. Especially at UNC Charlotte, we get the pleasure of doing that with students.”

    Mennicke is part of a grant research team relying on federal funds supporting LGBTQ+ people. Her group consists of a principal investigator, one grad student and five undergraduates.

    “The goal of this program was to help sexual violence survivors who are LGBTQ+,” Mennicke said.

    Since 2018, Mennicke said they’d tried securing grant funds to advance their efforts, but had little success.

    Then in April 2024, the NIH awarded them $469,000. The grant was budgeted from May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2027.

    However, things recently changed, after Mennicke’s group received a letter from the NIH stating the remaining funds were being canceled.

    “It was abruptly and unexpectedly terminated,” Mennicke said. “[It’s] a real loss.”

    “The Charlotte area is really a hub for the LGBTQ community. [They] are contributing members of our society [and] are experiencing sexual violence at much higher rates. The recension of this grant undermines our ability to increase that safety and provide the supportive services folks need,” Mennicke said.

    The NIH letter stated: “This award no longer effectuates agency priorities. Research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific, have little identifiable return on investment and do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans. Many such strategies ignore rather then seriously examine biological realities.”

    Mennicke said the NIH’s reasoning for canceling the grant isn’t adding up.

    “The NIH has established strategic plans, and our grant [was] issued as part of those priorities,” Mennicke said. “It is incompliant for them to change their research priorities without going through established policies and procedures.”

    The federal agency provided this statement in response to questions about why the grant was canceled:

    “NIH is taking action to terminate research funding that is not aligned with NIH and HHS priorities. We remain dedicated to restoring our agency to its tradition of upholding gold-standard, evidence-based science. As we begin to Make America Healthy Again, it’s important to prioritize research that directly affects the health of Americans. We will leave no stone unturned in identifying the root causes of the chronic disease epidemic as part of our mission to Make America Healthy Again.” 

    UNC Charlotte associate professor Jessamyn Moxie is principal investigator on the grant project. She’s also a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

    Jessamyn Moxie, a principal investigator on a grant project supporting LGBTQ+ sexual abuse survivors, says she’s concerned about the NIH revoking funding already promised. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Moxie said the revocation of federal funds sends a troubling message.

    “I think part of this is a larger signaling that we don’t matter, and we don’t need to address specific issues of subpopulations,” Moxie said. “Things that work for one population have not historically for decades worked for other populations.”

    “As a queer person, a lot of it is two-fold for me,” Moxie said. “It’s the work — but outside of work, we’re all battling what this looks like [moving forward]. Our advocacy doesn’t stop, it just signals they refuse to put money behind something we know is important.”

    The NIH has been cutting research funding on universities nationwide as the administration calls on campuses to end diversity, equity and inclusion and practices unaligned with President Donald Trump’s polices.

    Most recently, the Trump administration instructed Harvard University to meet certain conditions or risk losing billions in federal funds, raising questions about how far the government can go with stopping universities cash flows.

    Susan Roberts, a professor of political science at Davidson College, said some universities are heavily dependent on federal dollars for medical research.

    “I’m not sure the extent to which they would freeze certain programs, and not the vast majority,” Roberts said. “I think Harvard is saying we’re not going to yield to your demands about the funding and what you’re going to collect from the university.”  

    When it comes to the legality of revoking approved federal dollars, experts differ.

    Either way, Roberts said some of the questions and concerns posed could be decided in litigation.  

    “[Campuses] may be joining other universities in lawsuits,” she said. “This may open a Pandora’s box for Trump.”

    “I think colleges and universities have to be careful about whether or not they yield too broadly,” Roberts said. “I think the colleges are trying to figure out how to get a unified front. I think in a week we’ll have more of an idea of what universities are doing.” 

    As for Mennicke, her research team is exploring next steps.

    “The university is working with us to issue an appeal of this in the hopes [of reissuing] the grant,” Mennicke said.

    Mennicke said there’s still over $300,000 remaining grant dollars unused. A big portion of the money was supporting the researchers’ salaries.

    “The undergraduate students were planning to work another two years on the project,” Mennicke said. “The university is going to cover them through the rest of the semester, but they were planning on working much longer.”

    “To finally have achieved [this] and went through the most rigorous peer review process in the country and to have that taken away represents an emotional loss,” Mennicke said. “It’s a difficult time.”

     

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    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Pinellas Schools teacher apprenticeship program helping to fill vacant positions

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County Schools became the first district in the state to offer a teacher apprenticeship program.

    Now, those apprentices are halfway through the two-year program. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County Schools became the first district in the state to offer a teacher apprenticeship program

    • The program is helping people like Tiffany Reilly reach their dreams and helps the school district fill critical teaching positions

    • It’s a two-year apprenticeship that allows employees to earn their bachelor’s degree in education while working in schools with veteran teachers as mentors full time

    • All tuition, books, and fees are fully covered, and apprentices receive a salary increase in while in the program


    Spectrum News Bay News 9 first introduced Tiffany Reilly last spring. She’s a teacher apprentice at the Nina Harris ESE Center, and she says this unique program is helping her reach her dreams and helps the school district fill critical teaching positions.

    Reilly has worked as a paraprofessional for six years. Last spring, she became one of the first teacher apprentices in Pinellas County.

    “I’m doing my paraprofessional work, I’m also being an online student, and I’m also a teacher apprentice. It’s a lot, it’s a lot,” she said.

    It’s a two-year apprenticeship that allows employees to earn their bachelor’s degree in education while working in schools with veteran teachers as mentors full time. There are 25 in this cohort, and Dr. Nicole Gallucci-Landis, who oversees the program, says it’s proving to be a success.

    “We have some apprentices when we look at their data, when they work directly with students, they’re excelling, and students’ achievement levels are going up, and so it is, we’re really seeing a great return,” she said.

    Reilly says this apprenticeship is allowing her to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, and she says working with her mentor, “Ms. Fitzpatrick”, helps her learn more about teaching than she ever could, sitting in a traditional college classroom.

    “As we work together, it’s incredible because we are so alike — it’s funny. We feed off each other, but I just enjoy watching her because I’m like, I would do that too, and then she sometimes gets things from me, and I just couldn’t ask for a better mentor,” said Reilly.

    While Reilly admits it can be challenging juggling work and school, she says her faith and her love for her students keep her going, and in the end, she knows it will all be worth it. 

    The teacher apprenticeship program is a partnership between Pinellas County Schools and St. Petersburg College. All tuition, books, and fees are fully covered, and apprentices receive a salary increase in while in the program. 

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Local electrical company sparks bright future for students

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Earn and learn: that’s the mission for one local electrical company with the growing trend of young adults entering the trade industry.

    New Dawn Electric in Manatee County is hiring high school graduates and paying for their education.

    What You Need To Know

    • New Dawn Electric in Manatee County is hiring high school graduates and paying for their education
    • Manatee Technical College says their overall enrollment has increased by more than 25 percent from 2024 to 2025. And those enrolled in the electrician apprenticeship program increased by 140 percent

    • New Dawn Electric hires three high school graduates for their apprenticeship program each year and hopes to expand that number

    Joseph Berloni is an eager student.

    “What I like about this job is just being able to learn,” Joseph Berloni, New Dawn Electric employee, said.

    For the past nine months, Berloni has been in an apprenticeship program with New Dawn Electric.

    “I like working around it, it’s a good opportunity. Everyone needs electricians in the world,” Berloni said.

    He is working full time at job sites like this one, getting paid and trained to become an electrician.

    “Right now, we’re securing the transformer to the wall just to make sure that’s all secure,” Berloni said.

    He graduated last May from Braden River High School.

    “I never had the ambition to go to college. I thought maybe that wasn’t for me,” Berloni said. “I didn’t know anything about this trade coming out of high school. Alan and Kelly really took a chance on me.”

    A chance Berloni isn’t taking for granted. He’s been taking night classes twice a week at Manatee Technical College since the fall. He’ll graduate from the electrician registered apprenticeship program in 2028.

    “We are learning about electrical theory right now, which is basically a very advanced physics class,” Berloni said.

    New Dawn Electric doesn’t just provide him with a paycheck — the company also pays for his education.

    “I feel like it’s a very good opportunity for me to kind of prove that they’re paying for something, that they’re going to get a good return on,” Berloni said.

    Manatee Technical College says their overall enrollment has increased by more than 25 percent from 2024 to 2025. And those enrolled in the electrician apprenticeship program increased by 140 percent.

    “Eventually, I want to own my own electrical company and kind of do the same thing that the company that I’m at right now is doing — helping apprentices,” Berloni said.

    Berloni is staying wired for success, using his apprenticeship role to power his future.

    New Dawn Electric hires three high school graduates for their apprenticeship program each year and hopes to expand that number.

    The company just received its commercial license last fall.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Controlled burn smoke cancels classes at River Ridge High School

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — River Ridge High School and Middle School canceled classes Wednesday due to excessive smoke from a controlled burn in Starkey Park near the New Port Richey school.

    What You Need To Know

    • Classes at both River Ridge Middle and High School were canceled due to heavy smoke from a controlled burn nearby

    • The Southwest Florida Water Management District said they had a controlled burn at Starkey Wilderness Preserve Tuesday to prevent future wildfires

    • They said it took longer than expected because of a large number of dead trees from a 2017 wildfire and hurricane debris leading to lingering smoke
    • Pasco County School District officials are confident that students will return to class Thursday


    According to Pasco County school officials, it was determined it was not safe to host classes on campus due to smoke in classrooms. 

    School officials advised students and parents that all campus activities and students should remain home Wednesday. When the first school staff members arrived a little before 6 a.m., they immediately noticed the smoke.


    “Our plant manager at River Ridge High School arrived around 5:45 and saw there was a dense smoke around the campus, but also, that smoke had gotten into the classrooms,” said Pasco County Schools spokesperson Toni Zetzsche.

    Officials said students who were picked up by bus transportation were returned to their bus stop.

    Student Ashton Adams was expecting a short school week thanks to a planned day off on Friday, but when his mom woke him up and told him about the smoke, it took him a second to realize what was happening.

    “She was saying that there is a controlled wildfire, and that smoke got into the school, into the classrooms,” Adams said. “She said no school, so turned my alarm off, went to the bathroom, went right back to bed.”

    The Southwest Florida Water Management District said they had a controlled burn at Starkey Wilderness Preserve Tuesday to prevent future wildfires. The burn was close to the school. They said it took longer than expected because of a large number of dead trees from a 2017 wildfire and hurricane debris leading to lingering smoke.

    Adams lives close to the school, and by the time he went outside later that morning, he says there wasn’t much to see.

    “I didn’t see anything, no, but if I tried hard, I guess you could say you could smell a little smoke, but barely,” he said.

    With little to no lingering smoke around the school by the afternoon, the school district is confident that students will return to class Thursday.

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    Matt Lackritz, Spectrum News Staff

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  • Lakewood Ranch High School student heads to D.C. for national competition

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    LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — From the classroom to the national stage.

    Lakewood Ranch High School senior Addison Shea is heading to Washington, D.C., on Thursday after earning a spot in the nation’s top science competition.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Lakewood Ranch senior submitted her research project, and it landed her a spot in the top 40 of the Regeneron Science Talent Search — the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors

    • According to the National Science Foundation, from 2011 to 2021, women in the STEM workforce grew by 31%

    • The winner of the competition will receive $250,000 in scholarship money

    When it comes to finding information, you can find Shea at her computer.

    “The Arctic is warming at least twice as fast as other biomes on Earth, according to recent climatology reports,” she said.

    She was reading her research paper, part of a project she completed during her AP Research class last year titled “Bowhead Whale Migration Amid Changing Circulation Patterns in the Beaufort Gyre.”

    “The Beaufort Gyre is a sea current located in the Arctic,” Shea said. “During the 1900s, it was really interesting because it used to switch direction every five to seven years.”

    But in the past 21 years, Shea says, that current has not changed direction — leading to changes for the whales.

    Photo of Addison Shea from Society of Science website.

    “The whales’ migration has changed. The scope of my study cannot derive an exact cause for this change. What could be happening is that perhaps the bowhead whales have begun migrating earlier, or their summer location has shifted,” she said.

    This project landed her a spot in the top 40 of the Regeneron Science Talent Search — the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.

    She applied in the fall and got the news in January.

    “I’m just incredibly honored to have gotten this far,” she said.

    More women like Shea are going further in STEM. According to the National Science Foundation, from 2011 to 2021, women in the STEM workforce grew by 31%.

    Meantime, 54% of applicants for the Regeneron competition this year were women.

    The Society for Science says that since 2006, more than half of all entries have been female.

    “I think it’s really incredibly important to encourage women to enter STEM fields,” Shea said. “I am actually president of my school’s Girl Up club, which is a female empowerment organization here at Lakewood Ranch High School. And it’s really important for young girls to be able to see that there are girls in STEM and that it’s possible.”

    According to the organization, whoever wins first place in this competition will receive a $250,000 scholarship.

    “That would be life-changing — being able to go to a top-tier university and graduate without student debt,” Shea said.

    She’s already been accepted to several schools, including Yale, but hasn’t made a decision yet.

    “I intend to double major in environmental science and computer science in college, because I really want to be able to use programming skills to analyze large datasets in the environmental science discipline. My overarching objective is to analyze and help mitigate climate change,” Shea said.

    She is ready to share her findings — but also use this competition as a stepping stone for her future.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Manatee County students tour cancer treatment center

    Manatee County students tour cancer treatment center

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — As part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, students around Manatee County got firsthand experience with treating cancer patients using medical devices at HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton.

    What You Need To Know

    • November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and students in Manatee County got the chance to learn more about patient treatment

    • According to HCA Florida Blake Hospital officials, more than 127,000 Americans losing their lives to lung cancer each year

    • Emma Harlow, a senior at Parrish Community High School, hopes to go to college and enter into the medical field 

    The hospital is among the leading institutions for general thoracic surgery in the United States and Canada, according to HCA Florida Blake Hospital officials.

    Dr. Robert Ferguson, a thoracic surgeon, explains that devices like the Da Vinci robot have helped lung cancer patients recover faster.

    “Traditionally, we used to have to completely open the chest, and people would stay in the hospital for upwards of a week. Nowadays, we’re doing some procedures with the robot where people are going home on the exact same day,” he said.

    Emma Harlow, a senior at Parrish Community High School, sees herself using this kind of medical device one day.

    She has wanted to be in the medical field since she was a kid.

    “I just want people to feel better. I’ve always had this empathetic streak, and seeing people suffer really hurts me,” said Harlow.

    Coming from a family of nurses, Harlow wants to take things up a notch and hopes to become a surgeon specializing in pediatric oncology.

    “It’s a calling,” she said. “With oncology, which is something I really enjoy and want to do, I know I won’t be able to bring everybody home, but at least I can help parents have more time with their children and make kids feel better.”

    She has even had the opportunity to volunteer at the hospital.

    “In the ER, which will be my next shift, I’ll be working with stretchers, getting them ready for when patients come in, responding to call lights, stocking supplies, and bringing items to patients in the ICU,” said Harlow.

    Harlow is gaining as much experience as she can now to set herself up for the future.

    Next month she’ll be applying to colleges, with plans to major in pre-med.

    HCA Florida Blake Hospital awarded $5,000 to two schools—Nolan Middle School and Parrish Community High School—each receiving $2,500.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Northern Kentucky University students get immersed in vampire lore

    Northern Kentucky University students get immersed in vampire lore

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    HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Everyone knows the classic vampire tropes: they come out at night and want to suck your blood, etc. But you might not know the real life folklore that influence these stories.

    What You Need To Know

    • After spending some time in Romania, Northern Kentucky University English Professor Kelly Moffett wanted to share that experience with her students

    • So she came up with the idea for “Creative writing in Transylvania,”  a class that culminated with a trip to Romania

    • Students traveled through Transylvania where vampire folklore is steeped in the culture

    • Students went to the Dracula castle, studied the rituals, history and folklore of vampires and how the two are intimately intertwined


    A group of Northern Kentucky University students now do after a trip to Transylvania.

    After spending some time in Romania, NKU English Professor Kelly Moffett wanted to share that experience with her students. So she came up with the idea for “Creative writing in Transylvania,” a class that culminated with a trip to Romania. Students traveled through Transylvania, where vampire folklore is steeped in the culture.

    “Their main job was to go to Romania, and soak everything in,” Moffett said. “And they wrote some of the best writing I’ve seen in ages.”

    Upon learning about the class, Lily Hotkewicz couldn’t sign up fast enough.

    “I’ve always loved folklore and especially vampires. When I told friends and family that I was going to be going on this trip, they were like, yeah that makes sense for you,” she said. “You’re in this country that has such a rich history, and you feel the weight of that and all the stories they tell for every second that you’re there.”

    Students went to the Dracula castle, studied the rituals, history and folklore of vampires and how the two are intimately intertwined. Folklore specialist Sara Moore Wagner came to help Moffett after immersing herself in vampire folklore for a year.

    “It turned from this sort of peasant monster who represents the plague or disease, who kind of prays on families, prays on the villages, into this grand sexy, rich vampire that we have now,” Wagner said.

    While the popular Bram Stoker Dracula story is highly influential and would have people think Dracula and Vlad the Impaler are one in the same, Wagner came to learn that’s not the case, and that Vlad has plenty of his own lore in Romania.

    “He’s a very heroic figure to the Romanians. And he is and isn’t Dracula. It’s very strange that those things kind of evolve,” she said. “Bram Stoker himself had never actually been to Romania.”

    Vlad was also vicious in his own right, as Ezra Knapp, an English major who signed up for the class, learned.

    “The field of stakes. And it’s talking about how all of his enemies, he would impale on these stakes, and then not only would leave them out there as a display of power, but would have a dinner table in the middle of this field, where he would invite adversaries or people who wanted to try to ally with him,” Knapp said.

    Knapp, who wants to be a writer, said the experience was so influential, they’re applying for a scholarship to go back to Romania to teach. Knapp learned the most from just talking to Romanian students.

    “What’s their country like? What’s the political climate? What their interests? What do they like to do? It was good to just get to know someone,” Knapp said. “My writing changed when I was in the Romania trip for the better, and it now reflects that.”

    From haunted forests to ancient architecture, it was an experience not many people at their age get to have. 

    “Supposedly sometimes people go there and they never return, but luckily all of our students came back,” Moffett joked.

    And for this particular fan of vampire lore, it only enhanced her appreciation.

    “Getting to live and using that as inspiration is so much more impactful than just being told write this about this,” Hotkewicz said.

    Moffett said she just returned from another trip to Romania. Her hope is to return with another group of students.

     

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    Sam Knef

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  • Pinellas County School Board to vote on updated calendar following storms

    Pinellas County School Board to vote on updated calendar following storms

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Another piece of the recovery puzzles is figuring out how to make up time missed at school.

    Pinellas County’s school boards will try to figure that out at a meeting this Tuesday.

    Students missed nearly 50 hours of class time between hurricanes Helene and Milton.

    Superintendent Kevin Hendrick proposed a new calendar earlier this week. It includes adding a handful of days that were previously scheduled as early release or teacher planning days.

    Middle and high schoolers would also have their first semester exams waived. That would give them another full week of classes.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • N.C. campuses educating young people about voting

    N.C. campuses educating young people about voting

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Millions of Gen Z-ers could end up shaping this presidential election, particularly in swing states like North Carolina. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Millions of young people ages 18-27 could be casting their votes during this presidential election

    •  History shows the youngest ages 18-19 aren’t voting at higher rates 

    •  N.C. campuses are taking the initiative to educate more young people about voting 


    Data from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement shows over 40 million members of Gen Z, ages 18-27, are eligible to vote. Nearly 8.3 million of them are newly eligible since the 2022 midterm election. 

    But history shows the youngest ages, 18-19, don’t show up to the polls at high rates.  

    In 2022, CIRCLE reports just 18% of that age range voted in the midterms. This was only 6% higher than voters ages 20-29.

    But as election day gets closer and the polls remain close, these young voters could be the deciding factor in tight races. 

    N.C. colleges and universities are taking steps to ensure more young people are educated and informed about the voting process. 

    In partnership with WFAE, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement at Queens University of Charlotte hosted Beauty and Barbershop: A Conversation About the 2024 Elections.

    The nonpartisan event aimed to engage young people, specifically those of color, in discussions about the election.

    Local businesses like barbers and estheticians provided free services to students, creating a safe and open environment to talk about the elections. 

    The director of initiatives for academic excellence and engagement at Queens University, LaDarius Thompson, says the event was in response to the needs of the students. 

    “We got a lot of feedback from our first-year students that they were not sure where to get their information, not sure where to ask questions,” Thompson said. “So we wanted to create a space, particularly for our BIPOC community, to come in and ask those questions and share their thoughts.”

    “That’s where the concept of this beauty and barbershop came from, a space that is unique to the BIPOC community to come and gather and build community among themselves,” he said, referring to an acronym for Black, Indigenous and people of color.


    Student Jazzie Lee is a civic and community engagement fellow at Queens University.

    A Gen Z-er herself, Lee is ensuring young people know the power of their vote. 

    “Through hosting events, to encouraging voter registration, helping a lot of students that are possibly first-time voters get informed and know what’s going on in this 2024 election,” Lee said. “Young voters may not feel as though their voice is seen in this election. Gen Z is here and we have a voice and our voice is powerful.”

    Less than an hour’s drive away, students at Davidson College are working to ensure Gen Z is able to vote. 

    Senior Sophia Ludt is president of the Center for Political Engagement at Davidson College. 

    Davidson College student Sophia Ludt is helping other students register to vote. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Her team helped dozens of students get registered ahead of the elections.  

    Ludt says she’s dedicated to this cause and making sure her classmates are ready to cast a ballot. 

    “We want to have a say in what happens in our government,” Ludt said. “It’s really important for young people to be aware of what’s going on and hopefully be inspired to go out and vote your values and let your local politicians know what you want.”

    Lyric Bailey, 20, a junior at Davidson College, just registered to vote at the campus. 

    “I think it relieves a lot of anxiety and stress we have as students around all these pressing issues, like we can’t do anything,” Bailey said. “The school just brought an oppotunity straight to us to get involved and make a change, and that’s very liberating.”

    “I think my generation is going to be the change that affects generations to come,” she said. “We’re going to be the change.”


    Early voting is underway now in North Carolina through Nov. 2.

    Election Day is Nov. 5.

     

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    Jennifer Roberts

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  • Tampa Bay area school closures due to Helene

    Tampa Bay area school closures due to Helene

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As a tropical disturbance is set to rapidly intensify in the Gulf of Mexico, school districts in the Tampa Bay area are beginning to announce the cancellation of classes due to forecast impacts.

    Hillsborough County

    Hillsborough County Public Schools will close all schools Wednesday and Thursday, September 25 and 26, in anticipation of the storm. In addition, all after-school programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities are canceled for this Wednesday and Thursday. No decision about Friday has been made at this time.

    Pasco County

    In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the school system said: “All Pasco County schools are open on Wednesday, September 24. All after-school activities and events are canceled to prepare for the storm and shelter setup. All Pasco County schools and offices will be closed on Thursday, September 25.”

    Hernando County

    The Hernando County School District was the first to announce closures Monday night, stating in a Facebook post:

    “Hernando Schools will close schools and district offices Wednesday and Thursday of this week. All afterschool activities for Wednesday and Thursday will be cancelled. Before and aftercare programs (YMCA and Boys & Girls Club) will not operate on those days.

    After we know more about the storm’s potential impact to our community, we will make a determination as to reopening schools on Friday.”

    Pinellas County

    The school system posted the following on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: “All PCS and offices will be CLOSED on Wednesday, September 25 through Thursday, September 26. All sports and school activities scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, through Thursday, September 26, are canceled. Sports and activities are scheduled for today as planned.”

    Citrus County

    Citrus County Schools announced Tuesday that schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27.

    The school district said some of its schools will be used as hurricane shelters, and in preparation of the storm, all of its schools will be closed after its scheduled half-day on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

    After-school programs and extra-curricular activities are cancelled Sept. 25 – 27. The YMCA before and after-school programs will follow this schedule as well. 

    Manatee County

    Manatee County Schools will be closed Wednesday, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Sept. 26. All school activities, including athletics, are cancelled for Wednesday and Thursday. 

    A decision regarding Friday will not be made until after the storm passes, shelter operations conclude and teams have had an opportunity to assess the condition of district campuses, the school district said. Get the latest from Manatee County Schools.

    Polk County

    In a statement, the school system said: “As the storm progresses, we anticipate that Polk County will begin experiencing rain bands and winds between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The current forecast indicates that our county may face tropical storm conditions from Thursday morning through 2 a.m. on Friday.

    “As a precaution, we have made the decision to close all PCPS schools and offices on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27.

    “This decision is driven by our commitment to the safety of our students and staff. The uncertainty surrounding the storm’s trajectory necessitates that we allow our teams adequate time to assess the condition of our campuses and facilities, ensuring they are safe for reopening.

    “We plan to resume normal operations on Monday, Sept. 30.”

    To read the entire statement, click here.

    COLLEGES

    Florida State University

    Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus will close on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, due to Tropical Storm Helene, which is projected to be upgraded to hurricane by tomorrow.

    The closure begins at 7 a.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 25, and will continue until 11 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 29. The university expects to resume normal business operations at 12:00 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. The Marine Lab at Turkey Point will also be closed on these dates. If changes to operations are needed at other campus locations, targeted communications will follow.

    University of South Florida

    The University of South Florida is continuing to closely monitor Tropical Storm Helene. Based on the latest weather information, the university today announced that all classes are canceled beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and will not resume until Monday, Sept. 30.   

    In addition, all USF campuses will be closed beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and will remain closed through at least Friday, Sept. 27.  As of now, the university expects to reopen campuses and return to normal business operations (without classes) on Saturday, Sept. 28. A final decision on the operating status for Saturday, Sept. 28, will be shared with the university community on Friday, Sept. 27.  

    Residence halls on the Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campuses remain open. Residence halls in St. Petersburg will close beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 25. USF St. Petersburg residential students without a place to stay will be transported to the Tampa campus. 

    USF Health clinical facilities will be open on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26. A decision about Friday, Sept. 27, has not been made at this time. USF Health patients may call the USF Health appointments hotline at 813-821-8038 to reschedule. 

    Students, faculty and staff are urged to plan carefully, follow local weather reports and monitor updates from county and state emergency management officials.

    Florida A&M University 

    Florida A&M University (FAMU) says: “Out of an abundance of caution, classes will be canceled beginning today at 12:15 p.m. through Friday, Sept. 27. All academic operations will be suspended to accommodate any potential disruptions caused by the storm. All academic deans and faculty members are asked to work closely with students and provide maximum flexibility during this time.”

    FAMU Athletics announced Tuesday that the football team’s upcoming game against Alabama A&M, initially scheduled for this weekend, has been rescheduled due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Helene. The game will occur on Friday, November 29, at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

    Hillsborough Community College

    HCC announced its campuses will be closing at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Sept. 26. All afternoon and evening classes are cancelled.
     

    University of Tampa

    University of Tampa officials announced Tuesday that all school activities, events, non-essential operations and classes will be cancelled from Wednesday, Sept. 25 through Friday, Sept. 27. Limited activities and services will be available beginning Saturday, Sept. 28 with the expectation of resuming full campus operations on Monday, Sept. 30, officials said.

    This story will be updated with any other announcements from other school districts or colleges.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Pinellas school leaders field feedback on 2026 start time requirements

    Pinellas school leaders field feedback on 2026 start time requirements

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    LARGO, Fla. — Wednesday, members of the Pinellas County School Board met for their ‘Listen & Learn’ session.

    One topic for discussion was the changes coming to school start times beginning in fall 2026.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County Schools is asking for public feedback on school schedule changes coming in fall 2026

    • The changes are statewide under a new Florida state law, requiring all Florida schools to change their schedules beginning that school year

    • Under the law, middle schools cannot start before 8 a.m. and high schools before 8:30 a.m.

    • Pinellas is still taking feedback from parents, who can offer their suggestions online here


    Under Florida state law, all Florida schools will have to change their schedules beginning that school year. Middle schools cannot start before 8 a.m. and high schools before 8:30 a.m.

    During the session, parents were allowed to ask questions. One question pertained to school bus routes and transportation. Something the school board says they will have to take into consideration when making changes to school start times.

    “We have our high schools first because those runs just start early in the morning and we’re able to complete that and then do our middle school and elementary schools,” said Kevin Hendrick, Superintendent of Pinellas County Schools. “But if we put high school in the middle or last, that poses a big challenge and so we’re out asking the public how do we help solve those problems before we’re forced to do so in 2026.”

    Hearing from parents, Hendrick says, is key to what the district will do. Hendrick says he anticipates to have a finalized plan by next fall.

    In the meantime, Pinellas is still taking feedback and suggestions from parents.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • State University board to discuss the extension of LINE funding at USF

    State University board to discuss the extension of LINE funding at USF

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Board of Governors for the State University System will meet at the University of South Florida on Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • LINE Funding was introduced in 2022 to help Florida combat a projected nursing shortage

    • The Florida Board of Governors will meet at USF on Wednesday afternoon to consider LINE funding for a third year

    • USF officials says it primarly uses LINE funding to provide scholarships to nursing studetnts that wouldn’t qualify for a scholarship otherwise

    • USF prioritizes students receiving LINE funding for clinicals at the same hospitals that donate to the university, with the state matching the funding dollar for dollar


    Among the agenda items, the board plans to discuss the extension of LINE (Linking Industry to Nursing Education) funding for a third year.

    The Florida legislature first approved LINE funding in 2022, and provides a dollar for dollar match of funds donated to state universities from partner hospitals.

    Over the past two years, the USF College of Nursing has primarily used LINE funding to provide scholarships to students who do not qualify for other forms of financial aid or assistance. 

    USF College of Nursing Dean Usha Menon notes that LINE funding has allowed more students to gain their nursing degrees, while alleviating the statewide nursing shortage.

    “Their passage through nursing school becomes very difficult because they are trying to work,” said Menon. “Nursing school is challenging, and we really want our students to be focused — really focused on their clinical and their didactic so they can get through and pass the exam. The critical things is that if these students aren’t passing the NCLEX exam, then we haven’t helped with the nursing shortage.”

    USF prioritizes students who receive scholarships funded by LINE for clinical placements at the hospitals that donate.

    That provides an incentive to hospitals donating, as well as an opportunity for students to stay at the hospital where they perform their clinical after they graduate.

    The state reviews line funding proposals annually and approves funds based on set criteria that colleges are required to follow in order to receive the dollar for dollar match.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • Former Pinellas High students celebrate name and sign change

    Former Pinellas High students celebrate name and sign change

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Graduates from a Pinellas County school, that was once the only place Black students from the northern part of the county could attend, are getting a piece of history back.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas High School was once an all-Black school for students who lived in the northern part of the county

    • Students say Pinellas High School went from grades 8-12

    • Clearwater Intermediate School was changed to Pinellas High Innovation


    The school has gone by different names since school integration moved students to neighboring schools. Now, students have the opportunity to bring back part of the past that they say should never be forgotten.

    James Feazell Sr. is one of those Pinellas High School graduates.

    “We had a lot to be proud of. Our band was exceptional. Not second to any. Our choir, our academic performance and requirements exceeded what people thought a Black school should be able to perform,” Feazell Sr. said. “I thank God for all of my days at dear old Pinellas High School and that was from eighth grade through twelfth grade.”

    Pictures of former students who kept in touch over the years and the memories Feazell Sr. and his former classmates have are really all they had left of the school they once knew.

    “I believe it was class of ‘68 or ‘69. That was the last year they kept Pinellas High School open,” said Feazell Sr. “Then they allowed the students from Pinellas High School to go to their neighboring school, which would mean go to the predominantly white school in their neighborhood.”

    This was after desegregation.

    “Throughout the state of Florida and the United States when they closed down predominately Black high schools, they then changed the name of that high school to a middle school,” he said. “They lost part of the community. They say you got what you wanted, but you lost what you had,” he said.

    But a group of graduates was determined to get back some of what they lost.

    First, by getting the school district to change the name of the school from Clearwater Intermediate School back to Pinellas High, adding the word “innovations.” The only thing they were waiting for was the name change on the sign.

    Recently, after some mix ups, a few technical difficulties and the weather, the sign was finally changed to reflect the name change.

    Donald Keene, a 1965 graduate, described how he felt when he first saw it.

    “When I drove by the other day, I almost stopped in the middle of the road. And I said, ‘Well look at that. Now we’re talking,’” Keene said.

    The new school sign means so much to so many. For Feazell Sr., it serves as a beacon of hope.

    “We’ve got to keep hope alive. And this sign let us know that hope is alive,” he said.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • Why college students should consider renters insurance

    Why college students should consider renters insurance

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    RALEIGH, N.C. – As college students get settled into campus housing across North Carolina this week, the state insurance commissioner is sharing advice to protect them and their property: Get renters insurance.

    What You Need To Know

    • A recent report from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows 35% of Generation Z adults have cellphone protection plans, but only 21% have renters’ insurance

    •  North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey says insurance can protect property, provide medical benefits and more

    •  Causey says renters insurance is one of the most affordable types of coverage, costing $10-$25 per month



    According to North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, this type of insurance is not a luxury but a necessity for students living away from home.

    He says renters insurance covers more than just personal belongings in the event of fire or theft. It offers protection against a range of issues that students might not initially consider.

    “If you don’t have it, you’re going to have to pay for it out of your pocket,” Causey said. “It has medical expenses, some liabilities. If you have to leave because a pipe breaks or something like that, you have to get out of the housing. It will pay for additional housing costs, restaurant meals, hotel bills, all sorts of things that we don’t think about.”

    In addition to covering the cost of damaged or stolen items, renter’s insurance can be a lifesaver in emergencies.

    “If you have somebody that comes to visit you in your room and they’ve been partying a little too much and they hit their head on the cabinet and they have to have stitches, these things will actually pay for a trip to urgent care, pay for minor medical expenses,” Causey said.

    He says it can also provide liability coverage if accidents occur, such as breaking a window or causing other damage that leads to a legal dispute.

    “This is the most inexpensive insurance there is,” Causey said. “For a basic policy, you’re looking at maybe $10 to $12 a month. Even if you have a top-notch $300,000 coverage, it would be in the neighborhood of maybe $20 to $25 a month.”

    A recent survey from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners found 35% of Generation Z adults have cellphone protection plans, but only 21% have renters insurance.

    For students worried about the cost, Causey reassures that the benefits far outweigh the minimal expense. “It’s a bargain,” he said. “I would highly recommend renter’s insurance because your landlord’s policy won’t cover your stuff.”

    Causey suggests taking a simple inventory of your belongings to understand the value of what you have.

    “Just go around the room with your cellphone and take a picture or video of everything you own,” he said. “It will add up much quicker than you think if you try to put a dollar value on that.”

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    Sarah Rudlang

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