Seminole Middle School earns prestigious national recognition for character education Pinellas County students receive national recognition at Carnegie Hall Four Pinellas students and their art teachers were honored at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in June.
Seminole Middle was presented with the Promising Practices Award this past month at the Florida Character Education Conference. The recognition showcases innovative best practices that are having an impact across the nation and abroad. The school’s award specifically recognizes the practice of Character Circles, which allow students to apply the school’s core character traits through rich and reflective conversations.
Seminole Middle School will be invited to the National Conference on Character Education through Character. org to be recognized and share the school’s work. Seminole Middle School is the only Pinellas district school to receive this distinction for the 2018-2019 school year. The school plans to pursue the state and national character education awards. Character education plays an integral role at Seminole Middle School, where it helps the school develop a positive school-wide culture across the diverse student body. The circles are student-led with the teacher assuming the role as a facilitator. Common discussion topics for circles include solving school problems, supporting the local community, support systems for all students, academic performance and enhancing school culture.
Yoko Nogami, Art Teacher, PCCA, Gibbs HS, Molly Carlson, PCCA, Gibbs HS, Robert Elliott, Tyrone MS, Angela Finkbeiner, Art Teacher, Tyrone, Alexia Intravichit, PCCA, Gibbs HS, Steve Beverage, Art Teacher, PCCA, Gibbs HS, Aaliyah Jackson, Osceola HS, and Brianne Gates, Art Teacher, Osceola HS.
All of the winners received Scholastic Art gold medals: Molly Carlson and Alexia Intravichit of the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School, Aaliyah Jackson of Osceola High School and Robert Elliott of Tyrone Middle School. Their artwork was on display at Parsons New School and Pratt Art School in New York City. Emmy Award-winning actress Tina Fey, fashion designer Zac Posen and actress Rose Byrne took the stage at the ceremony, speaking to students about the importance of their creative expression. “Having the experience and achievement of what you’ve already done, the great thing is that no matter what you end up doing, you’ve already accessed the creative part of your life and of yourself. You have all had the experience of making something where there once was nothing, so you know that anything is possible,” said Tina Fey who opened the ceremonious night. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12.
SRO awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award Pinellas County Schools Officer Michael Hawkins has been awarded the Florida Association of School Resource Officers (FASRO) Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented to those who demonstrate extraordinary accomplishments while serving their school and communities. The recipient exemplifies service above and beyond what is expected in areas of skill, significant contribution to the community, agency and school safety. Hawkins has committed 30 of his 37 ½-year career in law enforcement to the district’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program. Looking back over the course of the program, Officer Hawkins has served longer than any other officer in Pinellas County. During his time as a school resource officer, Officer Hawkins created a chapter of SADD, started a youth crime watch, and continues to be active in the community as a mentor, advisor and role model.
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Officer Hawkins currently serves as an instructor for the SRO Training Program in Pinellas County and an Active Assailant Trainer at St. Petersburg College. In addition to helping establish the SRO program in Pinellas, he is also recognized as a pioneer in School Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) practice. Officer Hawkins is considered one of the most respected SROs in our area and provides leadership statewide.
Pictured left to right: Schools Police Chief Luke Williams, Stacey Hawkins (wife) and Officer Michael Hawkins.
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July 2019 • 21