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Trailblazing at Sun ‘n Lake Preserve
By Christy Swift
A Beacon in the Heart of the Heartland
By R. Michael Brown
October & November 2025 Volume 14 Issue 5
58 Where Our Ancestors Whisper: A Journey Through Ireland
By Caroline Maxcy Fox
By Richard & Colleen Paul-Hus
Heartland LIVING
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
Thank you for picking up our October & November Issue. Fall is here, and I’m sure everyone is ready for some cooler weather. Time to get outdoors, maybe light up a fire, do some BBQ grilling and most important to fans, it’s football season. Who doesn’t love some football parties and tailgating? Well, we have you covered with some ideas and recipes for your football gatherings in this issue.
Thank you, Bridgette, for the amazing design of this issue, really all our issues for the last 14 years, and also our cute football section in this issue. Bridgette and I have worked together 15 years in the publishing world, and we have some new publications coming soon for Heartland Publications & Marketing, Inc. We can’t wait to share them with you. Remember the saying, “be careful what you pray for because you just might get it”? Well, I’m feeling very blessed and admittedly a little overwhelmed, but we got this….
We were recently honored when Director of Cultural Programs Cynthia Garren with South Florida State College ask Heartland LIVING to exhibit some of our gorgeous photography in the Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts. I feel I have been gifted with amazing photographers all these years, and it is a privilege to showcase them at the gallery. The photography is on exhibit until December 12th, and some are available for purchase. Please visit the theatre and see our beautiful photos.
As we transition from summer into fall and start looking ahead to these final months of 2025, it feels like the perfect time for a refresh. Taking care of our physical, mental and spiritual health is always beneficial—I know I could use this. It’s my wish for each of you to be surrounded by the ones you love. and the ones who love you. In the hustle and bustle of this time of year, the greatest gift we can give ourselves is a little peace and the time to be present with the joys of the season.
As we grow, I want to welcome Michael Brown to our team as writer and photographer. I’m so honored to have him join us.
Now it’s time to start turning the pages and see what we have been working on behind the scenes for YOU!
After reading our features, please take time to look at what our advertisers have to offer you. I’m so thankful they choose Heartland LIVING to share their businesses with you. Supporting local is so important, so please shop with them and let them know you saw their ad in Heartland LIVING.
God Bless,
Cindy Sebring Adams
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Christy Swift is an author and editor with over 15 years’ experience as an awardwinning newspaper correspondent, magazine feature writer, and web content provider. She recently scored a 2-book deal with major publisher, Hachette Forever, and her debut romcom, Celebrity Crush, launched on Feb. 11th.. She also writes fantasy under the name C.P. Swift on www.royalroad.com. Find her at www. christyswift.com
Bridgette Waldau has been a graphic and fine artist for over 40 years. She received her A.A. from the Ft. Lauderdale Institute of Art and a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Stetson University. Bridgette has been creative director for several publications, working with Heartland Publications & Marketing as art director since 2011, winning 11 Florida Magazine Charlie Awards (2015- 2021). Bridgette is married to James, a retired firefighter from the City of Hialeah
Caroline Maxcy Fox was born and raised in Central Florida. She decided to be an artist at the age of five. After achieving her BSA from Florida State University, she has then received a Master's in Graphic Design from NC State University. She developed a "way of seeing" that fuels her work. Caroline is a full-time photographer and lives with her husband in Sebring. They run the day-to-day life at The Great Commission Bible Institute as the site coordinators and dorm parents.
Writer Photography
Frank Branca III is a professional videographer and photographer from Avon Park, FL. He holds a bachelor’s degree in film and leads creative production for Infinity Reflections Weddings & Events and Branca Media. Frank specializes in event storytelling, bringing a cinematic style to every project. He enjoys traveling, being involved in the skateboarding community and spending quality time with family. His career is rooted in passion and community engagement.
R. Michael Brown is an award-winning writer, multimedia producer, and marketing consultant with bylines in major market newspapers, national magazines, and credits with network broadcasting and Discovery Channel. His work earned a New York Film Festival Award. He is the author of e-book You Are the Media Now and teaches collegelevel communication. He helps brands, organizations, and communities tell stories that connect, inspire, and drive impact Writer Photography
Richard and Colleen Paul-Hus are the founders of The Academy at the PARC in Sebring, FL., Colleen, former co-chairman of the Waldorf School of Palm Beach, is an autodidact and lifelong learner with a background in psychology, leadership and sustainable farming, Richard, a seasoned entrepreneur, helped grow Hypower, the family business, into a national firm and later co-founded Quantum Loophole. Together, they are dedicated to empowering the next generation.
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The Photography of Heartland LIVING Magazine Exhibit
FEATURED
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Dustin Angell
Clyde Butcher
Caroline Maxcy Fox
Lisa Taylor Hall
Traci Newlin
Rafael Pacheco
Shawn Veach
Carlton Ward, Jr.
Bill Wight
The Photography of Heartland LIVING Magazine exhibit is at the Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts. South Florida State College invited Heartland LIVING to showcase the photography because the magazine’s interesting and educational stories are enhanced by excellent design and photographic images. The photographs displayed are a small selection of the award-winning photography that is found in the magazine. Many of the photos being showcased made our cover or were part of feature stories.
Nine photographers are featured showing 20 works of art hung in the theatre entrance lobby area and along the side entrance corridors..
The Heartland LIVING team is proud to be a part of this exhibit in the beautiful Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts.
The exhibit will be on display until December 12, 2025. The Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts is located at 600 W College Drive, Avon Park, FL. The exhibit may be viewed Monday - Friday, 11:30 - 2:30, and during shows.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the artwork for sale, please contact Cindy Sebring Adams at 863.781.0344. You can own a piece of a story.
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Restaurant and Event Venue on the Circle in the Historic Highland’s Bank Building
Private Event Venue
By Christy Swift
by Frank Branca III
If you’re an adventurer living in the Heartland, you might know Frank Branca III. He’s been a staple of the Sebring skateboard and adventure community since he was a kid, opening and running a successful skateboarding shop just out of high school. Frank is a community-builder at heart with a gift for bringing people together and getting things done. After attending film school in Lakeland, he came back to the area just after COVID and helped the City of Sebring rebuild the Sebring Skate Park. “That got me back into a community role,” Frank says.
Photography
Geli Alvarez
At 39, Frank was looking for ways to exercise and enjoy the outdoors that weren’t as hard on the body. He started a paddleboard group and hosted outings on Arbuckle Creek, Peace River and the local lakes. He built a following on Instagram with the handle @hi_c_adventures (Highlands County Adventures) where like-minded people could connect. When the rainy season hit, however, paddleboarding was less fun. Frank said, “We were like, what else can we do? What about mountain biking?”
The group began driving three times a month to either Alafia River State Park in Hillsborough County or the Carter Road trails (now called the Loyce Harpe Park Mountain Biking Trails) near Lakeland. It was fun, but there were two problems: a four-hour round-trip drive to go mountain biking wasn’t always feasible, and the trails were a bit too intense for novice riders. “Our stamina just wasn’t there,” Frank admits.
That’s when the group of mountain bikers decided to try the trails at the Sun ‘n Lake Preserve, located at 5510 Balboa Blvd. in Sebring. There, they met other mountain biking enthusiasts and grew their group, which includes Frank’s wife, Alyssa, their ten-year-old daughter, Piper, and her friends. The trail wasn’t built up like others they’d ridden, but Frank noted that someone, at some point, had built a small jump line—two ramps in a row. “It was just enough to spark curiosity,” he says.
(L-R): Alan Givens, Travis Cairnes, Sam Eriksen, Danny Flores and Stephen Sinclair
That spark became a flame when Natural Resources Specialist for Highlands County, Sam Eriksen, noticed photos from a recent biking trip to the preserve on the hi_c_adventures Instagram page. He had been thinking about doing something to bring more people out to the trails. He met with Frank in person, and the two got talking.
“The trails are multi-use between hiking and biking,” Sam explains. He and Frank talked about the potential to add some features to boost the fun factor for mountain bikers on the Lots O Logs trail at the preserve. “Just a couple of turns here or there, and we could make the trail really fun and get more people out here,” Sam says.
While natural resource scientists like Sam are there first and foremost to protect the environment, he also pointed out that his role includes protecting the environment for human use: “Recreation and conservation go hand in hand. We’re getting people to fall in love with nature.”
The two men made a plan and set a date. Frank brought volunteers and their expertise in designing the trail. Sam brought materials and heavy equipment. On April 13, 2025, 20 volunteers showed up with shovels ready to get their hands dirty and Sam rolled up... with a tractor. He used the tractor to move loads of marl and shell belonging to the Highlands County natural resources department to where Frank and his team could wheelbarrow and shovel it into place.
“We made some major progress on the mountain bike trails from that first volunteer day,” Frank says. “It really showed the power of community. Everybody was working simultaneously. There was one person spreading the shell rock, one person wheel-barreling, one person shoveling into the wheelbarrow.”
After the initial volunteer day, the hi_c_adventures group started riding it. “As you ride it, you start to figure out gravity and how things work and what could be a little taller, what could be a little shorter, what could be smoother. Sun ‘n Lake Preserve gave us permission that as long as we give them a heads up, we could work on it after hours,” Frank explains.
The group members who helped Frank design the trail included Avon Park firefighter Alan Givens, EMT Stephen Sinclair, muralist Geli Alvarez, Archbold Biological Station conservation partnerships coordinator Zach Franco, insurance agent Danny Flores and welder Travis Cairnes. “We’d go out and make tweaks and think about the best place to bring more material and what needed to be done,” Frank recalls.
A second volunteer day was organized on August 16 to build the jumps and clean up the trail for use. Frank rallied 15 volunteers, and Sam arranged for a bridge to be built so he could get the tractor closer to the trail site.
“We again made a huge showing of the power of community. We made leaps and bounds of progress on it, and it’s in a really good spot to share with the community to start having people come out and use it,” Frank says.
The trail includes both an easygoing beginners’ bike trail and an area on the berm that includes intermediate features. Sam, who does not consider himself a mountain biker, says he had to give it a try.
“I haven’t ridden a bike in probably 10 years, so it was terrifying, but it was a lot of fun,” he says with a laugh. “I helped build it, so I couldn’t just walk away without trying it. They’ve offered to sell me one of their old bikes. I may take them up on that.”
Sam says the new features made with the same materials used to build roads in Highlands County have held up well, even through torrential downpours. And while the trail is officially open and ready for use, Sam points out that the county is ready to meet its maintenance needs, and Frank and his mountain biking group have ideas to enhance it.
Sam points out that trail is in line with the goals of the Preserve, a 1,350-acre mostly pine, flatwood and oak hammock that also contains depression marshes. It is heavily trafficked by endangered species, including a Florida panther resident the preserve staff have named Limpy for the distinct limp on his right front leg. It is also home to some “really charismatic Florida black bears” that the staff loves catching on camera.
Sam says providing areas like the trails, geared for human use, helps to keep people from wandering into areas of the preserve that are best left undisturbed. The project also met the goal of maintaining the natural look of the preserve by not bringing in any outside materials that might create an eyesore.
(L-R): Piper Branca, Frank Branca III, Eleanor Jury, Dj Jury, Waylon Jury, Camilia Alvarez and Geli Alvarez
Frank is happy with the result and looks forward to continually improving the trails with more offerings for mountain bike enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. To volunteer or learn more about hi_c_adventures, follow them on Instagram at @hi_c_adventures.
To get to the Lots of Logs trail, pick up a map at Gate 1 in the Sun ‘n Lake Preserve and then park and enter through Gate 6. No hunting, overnight camping, open fires or vehicular access is allowed. There are no public facilities. Keep a leash on pets at all times. When using the property, please remember to stay hydrated and watch for signs of heat stress.
If you have an emergency, call 911. If you require law enforcement assistance and it is NOT an emergency, call (863) 402-7200.
s
Ayou ride it, you start to figure out gravity and how things work and what could be a little taller, what could be a little shorter, what could be smoother."
A Century of Learning, Community and Belonging in Lake Placid
By R. Michael Brown
In Highlands County, where fields of caladiums stretch in bold color, and murals splash stories across downtown walls, one building has quietly witnessed nearly every chapter of Lake Placid’s history. The red-brick structure Building 100, at 500 E. Interlake Blvd. has stood for a century—not just as a schoolhouse, but as a gathering place, a memory vault and a symbol of what happens when a small town pours its heart into education.
Photo by Ozzie Sweet
For generations, it was simply known as Lake Placid School, a place where children carried books under their arms, where parents and residents filled wooden bleachers for ball games and where the town itself seemed to grow up, one graduating class at a time. Today, it lives on as part of South Florida State College, carrying forward its mission of learning in new ways.
This fall, the building celebrates 100 years of stories, and Lake Placid is preparing to honor it the only way this town knows how—by bringing people together.
Beginnings in a Growing Town
The roots of the school stretch back to 1925 when it was first built and occupied in what was then known as the town of Lake Stearns. The town was renamed to Lake Placid in 1927 after Dr. Melvil Dewey, of Dewey Decimal fame, brought his Lake Placid, NY club south for the winter to take advantage of the weather and the frontier community of lakes, citrus groves, cattle pastures, and new families trying their luck in Florida’s heartland.
The town was small but ambitious. When the sturdy two-story brick school opened, it welcomed grades one through 12 all under one roof. In that single building, first graders shared hallways with seniors ready to face the world. Teachers became family, older students mentored younger ones and the school quickly became more than a place of learning—it was the heartbeat of the community.
“My grandparents, Swain and Francis Bowers, moved here from South Carolina in 1927,” recalls Sylvia Bowers Marine of the Lake Placid Historical Society. “My dad graduated from Lake Placid School and my grandfather was very generous, an entrepreneur with several businesses including the Chevrolet dealership, and a pioneer school board member.” Families like his believed the school was the foundation for everything that would follow in this town.
Sylvia Bowers Marine
From its earliest days, Lake Placid School emphasized English—not just reading and writing but the art of speaking well. In 1927, supervising principal William Ritchie told the Highlands County News: “Good English prepares us to meet the outside world.”
Within a year, reported the Polk County Record newspaper, “Good English Clubs” popped up in every classroom, where students practiced careful grammar and clear speech—even on the playground. In a small town aiming for big dreams, language was seen as a bridge to opportunity.
It worked. For many alumni, the lessons of expression and communication shaped not only careers but the way they carried themselves in life.
Brick, Mortar and Memories
The school’s architecture carried the weight of permanence: thick brick walls to withstand hurricanes, tall windows, hardwood floors polished by decades of footsteps. But no building is immune to hard times. When the Great Depression hit, banks closed, and some county schools shut their doors early. Lake Placid school’s graduation day was early that year on April 29, 1929.
Through the 1930s and ‘40s, the building became both classroom and community center. Expansion followed the town’s growth, with new wings, a gym and corridors stretching out as more families arrived.
Of course, schoolchild mischief was never far. “My dad, Bob Oxer, graduated in the early 1940s,” says Nancy Oxer Davis of Lake Placid Western Wear. “He once helped his buddies take apart a teacher’s car, haul it piece by piece up the fire escape and reassemble it on the second floor. Nobody knew who did it—but Dad finally confessed years later.”
Nancy Oxer Davis
Frank Hartzell
More Than a Schoolhouse
By the 1950s and ’60s, the school had become the hub of community life. Friday night football games filled the stands in Sebring until 1963, when Lake Placid finally got their own field. Proms decorated the gym with crepe paper streamers. School and civic clubs held fundraisers and did community projects under the lights. There was even “donkey basketball” in the gym.
“It was very much community-oriented,” says Davis. “I had some of the same teachers my dad had, and later, my kids had some of the same teachers I did. That kind of continuity gave us a sense of belonging.”
For Frank Hartzell of Hartzell’s Meat Market, the lessons of Lake Placid School stretched far beyond the classroom. “Coach Phillips taught me you don’t give up. When it’s hot, when it’s hard—you just keep going. That lesson has carried me through my whole life.”
After school, some kids wandered down the street for a freshly made cherry or vanilla Coke at Lake Placid Drugs, owned by Dee Dee Stidham’s family and eventually her pharmacist husband, Charlie. Dee Dee graduated in 1955 in a class of 13.
“Charlie would get calls at two or three in the morning to fill medicine for new mothers,” Hartzell recalls. “That was the kind of service—and the kind of community—we grew up in.”
Changing with the Times
By 1965, the growing town needed larger schools, and separate elementary, middle and high school campuses sprouted on the west side of town, with the current high school built in the late 1970s. But, the original building on Interlake refused to fade. That year, it found new life as a campus for South Florida Junior College, beginning a second career that continues today as part of South Florida State College.
For students like Randy Paeplow, who attended first grade there in 1960 and graduated from high school in 1972, the building holds two lifetimes of memories. “We didn’t have air conditioning—just open windows and plenty of gnats,” he laughs. “We had shop class, home economics, manual typewriters and a clay field out back with those hot metal jungle gyms and merry-go-rounds.”
Decades later in 1994, Paeplow returned as the college’s Lake Placid Center director, a position he held until retiring in 2024. “Between being a student and working here, it took me 42 years to finally leave this building,” he says with a grin.
Generations Tied Together
The building’s strength has never been just in its bricks, but in the people who passed through. Families like the Bowers, Oxers, Hartzells, Stidhams, and many more stitched their own stories into its walls.
Children learned not just algebra and grammar, but the value of hard work, community spirit and resilience. They carried those lessons home to citrus groves, cattle ranches, vegetable farms and family businesses that still anchor Lake Placid today.
“The school gave us confidence,” Davis reflects. “It made us believe we could do whatever we set out to do.”
A Celebration in Motion
This October, Lake Placid will celebrate the centennial of the 100 Building with all the joy and color the town can muster. The college is planning an afternoon of exhibits, storytelling, music and laughter. The Historical Society will be there. Toby the Clown will paint faces, a hot dog lunch will be served and a short documentary about the building will debut, produced by this writer and narrated by none other than alumnus and former director Randy Paeplow. Visitors will also be the first to explore Art Lab 27, a new creative space inside the historic building.
Centennial Celebration
Saturday, October 18, 2025
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
500 E. Interlake Blvd., Building 100
Lake Placid, FL 33852
The event isn’t just about bricks and mortar—it’s about honoring the generations who walked its halls, the teachers who poured their lives into their students and the town that rallies around education.
A Legacy That Lives On
One hundred years after its doors first opened, the 100 Building still stands tall, not as a relic, but as a living thread that ties Lake Placid’s past to its present. From first graders clutching lunch pails in 1925 to college students carrying laptops today, the building has been a constant companion in the story of this town.
It’s more than a school, more than a college center, more than a landmark. It’s a promise that in Lake Placid, education and community walk hand-in-hand.
As the town gathers this fall to celebrate a century of memories, one truth will echo through its brick walls: the 100 Building is, and always will be, a thriving heart of Lake Placid.
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Where Our Ancestors Whisper: A JOURNEY THROUGH
By Caroline Maxcy Fox
Our ancestors hide in family trees, delicate leaves on thin branches stretching further and further toward the heavens. We borrow their genes and names and, I’m sure, a handful of epigenetic characteristics. But, in my family, their hearts and stories remained unseen.
UNTIL IRELAND.
Kylemore Abbey
Blarney Castle & Gardens
Itwas the summer of 2020, and we were simultaneously deep in Ancestry DNA intrigue and hungry to dream of travel again. The Emerald Isle began looming large on our ancestry maps, and the “ex-travel agent” in my sister came out with a force. It was decided: we were going to visit the land of our ancestors, as soon as we could indeed hop on a plane again.
A handful of summers filled with planning and dreamy dinner meetings later, we were packing our bags with waterproof shoes, raincoats, printed itineraries and my collection of cameras to set off for Ireland in July 2023.
This trip would include two sets of Irish sisters: my sister, Caitlin, and me, along with my mom, Jacque, and her sister—our dear, travel-loving Aunt Cathy. Because we were only planning for a week on the Emerald Isle and wanted to see as much as possible, we opted out of that customized private ancestry tour my sister had first eyed and instead chose a whirlwind bus tour with EF Go Ahead Tours. It did not disappoint. They took care of us every step of the way—from planning to packing to all the best excursion offerings (we opted into all of them). Our guide, Alan, a native of Ireland, treated us not only to in-depth stories of the country’s rich (and often tragic) history, but also serenaded us with the occasional Irish song through the bus speaker system and shared tales of his family camping trips on the craggy cliff side fields of the Burren, “out the bus windows to the left.” We couldn’t have asked for a better guide for our journey through rugged landscapes and vibrant historical tales.
Above: Caroline with Cathy, Jacque and Caitlin
Gardens at Blarney Castle
Caroline at Blarney Castle
Trinity College Library
Cobh Heritage Center - Titanic Exhibit
Ourtour took us from the bustling capital city of Dublin—where we visited Trinity College to see the Long Hall Library and the Book of Kells, Phoenix Park and St. Patrick’s Cathedral—to wandering a peaceful valley dotted with ancient stone buildings in the monastic village of Glendalough. During our Dublin evening, we experienced a traditional Irish dinner followed by a charming, authentic Irish music and dance show. On the road on our one rainy day, we toured the Rock of Cashel, County Cork and the Cobh Heritage Museum at the port where the Titanic picked up its last passengers and where we could also tour the exhibits and research our ancestry in their genealogical records database. From there, we visited Blarney Castle, wandering through peaceful gardens before climbing the castle stairs to the “kissing stone.” That afternoon, we booked an excursion to the historic port and colorful, picturesque town of Kinsale, where we sat in the sun outside a pub and chatted with a local artist with a gallery around the corner famous for a photograph of a curious Irish cow.
Experiencing dinner and an authentic Irish dance in Dublin
Rock of Cashel
Cliffs of Moher
Notrip to Ireland would be complete without laying eyes on the truly breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, rising dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean. We were nearly swept away on the windy coastline as we hiked along its edge—cows and sheep grazing on grassy hills to our right, awe-inspiring views to our left. On the bus, we drove through the rocky landscape of The Burren in County Clare before arriving in Galway, brimming with youthful, bohemian college-town energy. Our last day took us through the rugged landscape of Connemara National Park to the 19th-century mansion, gardens, and neo-Gothic church of Kylemore Abbey before saying goodbye to the Emerald Isle.
The landscapes were breathtaking. We found the stories of the Irish people—our people—so often heartbreaking. The Irish, historically, suffered so much: from Viking raids to colonization to the Great Famine, when my own ancestors left its shores. Their story came to life with each turn along the path and stop along the way. They were never more real than the day we stood on the shores of a port city named Cobh, where so many years ago they boarded boats called “coffin ships” as immigrants fleeing famine for the New World. My ancestors risked much, much more than I had ever imagined to cross the Atlantic to the place we now call home. Their bravery, and the heartache I envisioned in their goodbyes, weighed heavy on me for the first time. They would never see Ireland, their homeland, again. A shimmering, rich history was overshadowed by ever-passing storms.
Kinsale
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey
Connemara National Park
Theday at the Cobh shore, where those ships set sail 150 years ago, was the only gray, rainy day we had on the tour, preventing us from lingering there. Maybe they didn’t want us to. We huddled under the cover of the Heritage Museum, researching sing-song Irish names we found in those outstretched branches of our tree, the dates of their stories ringing bells with the history we had just learned from our guide on the bus. Then we stepped into the damp, peering out from under our rain-drenched hoods toward the hazy shoreline before boarding the bus again and carrying on. There was, of course, more to be seen.
From rolling green hills dotted with white sheep and stone walls, to quiet monastic sites nestled in lush valleys, to soaring cliffs above a rough sea—in our whirlwind tour we laid eyes on so much of the Emerald Isle’s breathtaking landscape, each scene layered with tales for telling. But it was them, our ancestors, who lingered just outside every story with tales untold but felt deep within. Seeing this land, their land, now meant that, for the first time, I saw them, too.
Our Ancestors Hide in Family Trees, DELICATE
LEAVES ON THIN BRANCHES STRETCHING FURTHER AND FURTHER
Toward the Heavens.
Isaac Harrison
Photo by Frank Branca III
An American Dream
By Richard and Colleen Paul-Hus
In 2020, we had planned to “world school”—traveling the globe, learning through immersion, visiting museums and monuments and experiencing other cultures firsthand. But God had other plans. When COVID hit that March, the world shut down. Americans weren’t traveling anywhere.
So we left the city life of Palm Beach and began spending time on our property in Sebring. One idea led to another. We started building—and never stopped.
Out of that season came the Academy at the PARC, a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade private school unlike anything else. A living campus, set above saw palmettos and shaded by oak hammocks, with elevated walkways connecting it all. A place where “living thinking” comes alive in a living environment.
And eventually, we did get our time to travel. Beyond the campus, we believe travel and real-world experience open eyes to the richness of life, shaping not only our children’s future but the future of their communities. This past summer we finally stepped into the experiences we had once only dreamed of. We walked the streets of New York City. Stood in awe at the monuments of Washington, DC. Touched the rough skin of elephants in South Africa. Sat in the bamboo halls of Bali’s Green School.
Our Academy students traveled, too—heading to the Adirondacks for astronomy and bow-making. There, astronomy wasn’t just studied but lived, echoing how early peoples once relied on the stars and seasons for everyday life, such as planting, harvesting and hunting.
Adirondacks Adventure: Stars, Bows and Physics
In early June, our high schoolers flew from Orlando to Albany, leaving Florida’s flatlands behind as they stepped into the towering peaks and forests of New York’s Adirondacks. Driving down Highway 73 along Upper Cascade Lake, one student whispered, “The green—it’s so different here.” Their eyes were wide open, eager to learn and experience a life beyond home.
Together with our mentors Michael and Burcu D’Aleo and agriculture teacher Steven Bieber, we planned an unforgettable educational trip. We arrived at the D’Aleo’s mountainside property and “barndominium.” Michael and Burcu, longtime educators at schools like the School of the Peninsula in Palo Alto, brought depth and perspective.
Archery classes began at their hand-built log cabin in Keene Valley. No running water, no AC, just cold mountain air and a 43° brook. One cold morning began with a plunge into that icy stream. Epic, one of our students, lasted two full minutes. The others cheered. It was more than a swim—it was a lesson in grit, breath and pushing limits. The true highlight was venturing through the Adirondack woods with Mr. Steven to find the perfect hickory tree to cut down and craft their bows from scratch and with hand tools. The afternoons and evenings continued with astronomy classes taught by Mr. Michael. The lessons wove together physics, astronomy and craftsmanship. School turned into nothing short of an adventure. Learning became life.
New York City: ATaste of City Life
We spent two full days in New York City, not with a packed itinerary of museums and shows, but with the simple rhythm of walking our dogs through Central Park each morning, tasting incredible food and soaking in the city’s fast-paced energy. The experience reminded us of the importance of craftsmanship, quality, and depth—the very qualities we strive to cultivate in our students back home. It was a brief visit, but one that offered contrast to Florida’s quieter pace and reinforced why the Academy values both rootedness and exploration.
Landon Piet and Mr. Steven Bieber
(L-R): Duke, Colleen, Max, Paris, Richard and Lincoln Paul-Hus - Dogs Lightening, Sandy, O’Chien and Bolt
Washington DC: History and Civics in Action
With dogs in tow we ventured to Washington, D.C. to visit the sites and discuss the founding of our great country.
We strolled the National Mall, dogs at our heels, pausing before the U.S. Capitol to debate today’s pressing issues and policies that bridge divides. Amid its marble columns, we invoked the Founders’ vision, calling for a return to the constitutional principles that built America’s strength. We continued to the Lincoln Memorial, reflecting on his unyielding perseverance that preserved our nation through the Civil War. Wandering its paths, sights and sounds alive with promise, we learned: the past isn’t mere prologue—it’s the spark fueling our bolder tomorrow.
South Africa: Learning Beyond Borders
We flew through Qatar into Johannesburg, then drove two hours to an elephant excursion with rehabilitated elephants. To stand beside them, to run our hands across their rough skin—it was unforgettable. Our daughter Paris, age 12, said, “This is the best experience of my life.” Lincoln, our 14-year-old son, agreed.
From there, we continued to Hippo Lakes, a luxury safari lodge in South Africa’s Waterberg Biosphere. Ranger Shawn greeted us with a grin and said, “You all are going to have the best time of your life, and if you don’t, that’s okay, because I will.” His humor was the perfect antidote to our exhaustion after traveling a tiring 26 hours.
Our children kept journals—what we call Main Lesson Books at the Academy. We encouraged them to document their experiences and encounters from their own perspective, which included drawings and facts about the Big Five, the Little Five, and even the “Ugly Five.” (We’ll let you look those up for yourself.)
That’s the gift of travel—taking it all in, learning from other cultures and returning home with a deeper perspective and fresh inspiration for our own lives.
Bali: A Different World
Bali was a world apart from South Africa. The moment we left the airport, the streets were alive—loud, crowded and chaotic. But there was order in the chaos. Mopeds weaved through cars, crossing over solid lines like rules didn’t exist. On the way to our rented home, we passed a swarm of mopeds street racing down the main thoroughfare, weaving in and out of traffic. I asked our driver if that was legal. He laughed, “Absolutely not.”
We arrived in the dark, around 3 a.m., finally collapsing into bed after another 20 hours of travel. The twelvehour time change hit hard, but when the sun came up, we pushed ourselves to breakfast and then the beach. What shocked me most wasn’t the traffic or the crowds—it was the trash. Everywhere. Bali’s Bukit Peninsula is breathtakingly beautiful, yet scattered with waste, a sharp contrast to the spotless streets and kitchens of Cape Town, South Africa.
Still, there were treasures. The beaches, the waves for surfing, a charter boat to hidden snorkeling coves—all memorable. But the true highlight was visiting The Green School. Founded by husband and wife entrepreneurs, just like Richard and I, it showed me what happens when vision and courage reshape education. Its bamboo architecture has won global recognition, including The Arc—its breathtaking gymnasium—which received the Institution of Structural Engineers Supreme Award for Structural Excellence in 2022.
Yet what impressed me most was not the buildings but the curriculum. One fact worthy of noting was that The Green School doesn’t rely on standardized testing, which often captures narrow outcomes and fails to reflect broader capacities for intelligence or future success—the school emphasized capstone projects at the end of 5th, 8th and 12th grades—work that actually means something. Parents are deeply involved, and families from more than 40 nations have moved there just for this school. Today it enrolls over 600 students, from prekindergarten through 12th grade.
Their tagline? “Inspired by Nature.” Just like ours. Standing there, we felt like we were looking 10 years into the Academy’s future—so many similarities. It just made sense. After our summer travels, our vision now became more clear: we are creating a next step in the evolution of American education.
Austin Mann, Juniper Chong-Frisco and Sonia Moore
Photo by Frank Branca III
Beyond the campus, we believe travel and real-world experience open eyes to the richness of life, shaping not only our children’s future but the future of their communities."
-Richard and Colleen Paul-Hus
Max Paul-Hus
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Give the gift of poetry to readers who love the rhythm and musical qualities of language.
Share this gift with families and friends, members of book clubs, study groups and anyone who finds joy in exploring the power and unique qualities of human experience
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By Bridgette Waldau
A tailgate party is all about celebrating game day with friends and family before the big event. It usually happens in the parking lot of a stadium or arena, but if you can’t make it to the game, you can set one up at your home. The essence of a tailgate is to enjoy food, drinks and camaraderie while showing off your team spirit.
Typically, tailgates revolve around grilling up delicious food like burgers and hot dogs, mixing up refreshing drinks, and fun pre-game activities. It’s as much about the social experience as it is about the game itself. A tailgate party is the perfect way to get into the game-day spirit and make lasting memories.
Setting Up Your Tailgating Space
To get everyone pumped for the game, decorate your space with team colors and memorabilia. Think tablecloths in your team’s hues, banners flying in the breeze and maybe even some game-day-themed decorations like foam fingers or pennants. Tailgating in Florida can be a unique experience due to the heat and tropical vibe, but you can still make this fall event work around the sun and palm trees. Let your team spirit shine!
Whether the big screen TV is inside or out, make sure your guests have plenty of comfy spots to kick back and watch the game. Mix it up with a combination of folding chairs, bean bags or inflatable seats. Aim for a setup that encourages mingling and lounging, so everyone can relax and enjoy the game and the company.
Tailgating Theme Ideas
A tailgating party should be fun and simple, but if you want to add some spice, plan a theme. Here are a few ideas.
CLASSIC GAME-DAY VIBES: Embrace traditional tailgating using banners, tablecloths and napkins to show off your team spirit. This easy theme keeps things fun and focused on the game.
FIESTA TAILGATE : This colorful theme is perfect for a lively and festive tailgate. Use vibrant, colorful blankets and string up some party lights to create a festive atmosphere. Set up a taco bar with a variety of fillings and toppings. Offer a tequila cocktail station with different tequilas and mixers. A lively playlist with Latin music will get everyone in the mood to party.
RETRO SPORTS TAILGATE: Travel back in time with a vintage sports theme. Decorate with memorabilia from past decades and serve classic comfort foods. A vintage radio or jukebox playing hits from the past can set the nostalgic tone.
CAMPFIRE TAILGATE: Embrace a camping vibe with a campfirethemed tailgate. Set up portable fire pits or use a grill to mimic the campfire experience. Serve up s’mores, chili and hot dogs.
BEACH PARTY TAILGATE: A Florida favorite, bring a bit of summer fun to your tailgate with a beach-themed setup. Use beach chairs, umbrellas and tiki torches to create a relaxed atmosphere. Serve seafood, tropical fruits and refreshing cocktails for a taste of paradise.
Choose Your Menu
The best tailgates are all about food that’s easy to grab and enjoy. When planning your backyard tailgate menu, pick recipes that you can easily scale up (or down) depending on your crowd. You don’t need a fancy spread, just keep your tailgate food simple with dips, sliders, grab-andgo appetizers and self-serve dishes everyone can help themselves to. See our recipes on page 96 for some of our favorite tailgate party foods.
CLASSIC GAME DAY FAVORITES
APPETIZERS:
Bean Dip, Taco Dip
Hot Chili Cheese Dip, Jalapeño Poppers
Cheese Ball, Jarcuterie, Chips and Dip
MAIN DISHES:
Baby Back Ribs, Chicken Wings, Black and Blue Sliders, Hot Dogs, Pulled Pork
Side Dishes:
Creamy Broccoli Salad, Penne Pasta Salad, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
DESSERTS:
Keep Drinks Cold and Handy
No one wants a warm soda or watered-down drink on game day. Set up a few coolers around your backyard so guests don’t have to crowd around one spot. Fill them with a mix of canned drinks, bottled water and other favorites. Remember, not every guest will want alcohol, so make sure there are plenty of options for kids and non-drinkers.
Everybody loves a signature drink! It’s a fun way to help set the mood of your backyard tailgate and to tie into your theme. You could mix up a pitcher of tropical drinks, like margaritas, sangria or rum punch. Set up a DIY Bloody Mary bar.
Don’t forget a hydration station. The key to tailgating comfortably in Florida is staying hydrated. Offer an easily accessible hydration station with water, Gatorade and ice. Consider adding infused waters with cucumber, mint or citrus for a refreshing twist.
Mix in Some Game Day Fun
Of course, the football game is the main event, but it’s always fun to add a little extra entertainment. Set out yard games like cornhole, ladder toss or giant Jenga to keep kids (and adults) busy during halftime or commercial breaks.
Don’t Forget the Tunes
The game might provide most of the noise, but having a good playlist in the background before kickoff and during breaks sets the mood. Keep it light and fun with a mix of classic rock, country and a few crowd favorites. Music keeps the energy up.
I hope these tailgate party ideas inspire you to create your own unforgettable experiences. In the end, tailgating is about creating memorable experiences with your family and friends. It's about the anticipation, the communal spirit and, of course, the game. Go on, shake off the conventional, embrace the unexpected and make your tailgate party the main event. Gather your crew, fire up the grill and let the good times roll!
By Cindy Sebring Adams
Tailgate Menu
Classic Game Day Favorites
If you need some tasty tailgating food ideas, check out some of my favorites. These recipes are made for that special game-day and will keep everyone satisfied from kickoff to the final play.
The recipes are easy to make and partyfriendly. Many of them can be prepped ahead of time, making tailgating stress-free.
There’s something for everyone – appetizers, meaty main dishes, a sweet treat and a party rum punch recipe.
These recipes are proven favorites. You can count on the menu to be a hit, whether you’re feeding die-hard football fans or friends attending for the tailgating fun.
JARCUTERIE
Looking for an appetizer that shines when it comes to flavor and presentation? Then you need a jarcuterie. These single-serving charcuteries assembled in a small jar are perfect for tailgating.
INGREDIENTS
16 oz. assorted cheeses
24 slices/pieces cured meats
1 cup mixed berries
1/2 cup grapes
1/2 cup olives
1 cup nuts
16 long thin crackers
8 pieces fresh herbs
various toothpicks
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin by filling your jars with the smaller items.
Tuck in your crackers toward the back of the jar.
Using your toothpicks, skewer a few of your ingredients such as cheeses, meats, olives, etc.
Place the toothpick skewered items into your jar. Vary heights and colors to create interest.
Fill in with extra ingredients to hold things in place.
Garnish with a sprig of a fresh herb.
HOT CHILI CHEESE DIP
It is recommended to use only real cheese and fresh ingredients in this recipe, and you will taste the great flavors in it!
INGREDIENTS
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) chili without beans
2 cups salsa
1 1/2 blocks (12 ounces total) cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of pepper jack and sharp cheddar)
2 cans 2 1/2 ounces each sliced ripe/black olives, drained tortilla chips for serving sliced green onions to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until translucent and tender. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Transfer the cooked onions and garlic to a 3-quart slow cooker. Add in the chili, salsa, cream cheese, shredded cheese and olives.
Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Stir frequently while cooking.
Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with tortilla chips.
BLACK AND BLUE SLIDERS
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin by preparing the blackening spice. In a small bowl, whisk together the black pepper, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, chili powder and Kosher salt. Set aside.
Next, make the garlic butter. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic. Melt the butter and cook the garlic for about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and mix well. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Then, prepare the Donkey Sauce. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, roasted garlic, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until slider assembly.
To make the patties for the sliders, divide the ground beef (or black bean mixture) into 24 balls. Then, using your hands, form the balls into 2-inch round patties.
INGREDIENTS
Blackening Spice:
1 tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Garlic Butter:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
Donkey Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup roasted garlic, minced
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
4 pinches black pepper
Sliders:
32 ounces ground beef 80/20 blend*
12 ounces blue cheese crumbles
12 Hawaiian-style rolls, sliced in half
Toppings:
6 slices applewood bacon, cooked
24 dill pickle slices
1/2 onion, finely sliced
3 small tomatoes, finely sliced
2 cups mixed greens
Evenly top half of the patties with half (6 ounces) of the blue cheese. Place another patty on top, seal the edges and re-form into a patty. The final patty will be about 3 inches round. Repeat to make 12 patties. Then season both sides with the prepared blackening spice.
Grill or pan fry the patties until fully cooked. Just before removing from the heat, evenly divide the remaining 6 ounces of blue cheese to top each of the patties. Remove from the heat when the cheese begins to melt.
Next, brush the cut sides of the rolls with the garlic butter. Toast the rolls on the grill (or pan) until golden.
Finally, assemble the sliders. Smear a bit of the Donkey Sauce on both toasted sides of the roll. Add the patty, then layer with bacon, dill pickle, onion, tomatoes and greens. Top with the bun and secure with a wood skewer. Serve immediately.
BABY BACK RIBS
With Coffee-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
It’s not game-day without barbecue! Coffee and bourbon make for an ultra-rich barbecue sauce that’s sweet and tangy.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup brewed coffee, cooled
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup molasses or sorghum
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Chile powder
2 slabs baby back ribs
Coffee-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ small yellow onion, minced, about 1/3 cup
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup brewed coffee
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. bourbon
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and black pepper, as needed
Make the Coffee-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ketchup and brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, until sugar is dissolved.
Add the coffee, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently to make sure sauce doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together coffee, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic, and Chile powder. Place ribs in a gallonsized resealable bag or a large glass baking dish and pour the marinade over the ribs. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning the ribs over occasionally to make sure marinade makes contact on both sides.
Preheat the oven to 275˚F. Remove the ribs from the marinade. Wrap ribs in aluminum foil, crimping to seal the foil. Place foil packet on a baking sheet. Bake for 2 ½ hours. (Grilling on a grill is also an option.)
Remove ribs from the oven and turn oven temperature up to 350˚F. Open the foil packet and flatten foil on pan (or use a fresh piece of aluminum foil), removing excess liquid with a spoon or a turkey baster if needed. Brush the ribs on both sides with Coffee-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, flipping ribs over and brushing with more sauce every 15 minutes, until meat is very tender and pulls off the bone easily when checked with a fork. Cut ribs into individual pieces between each bone and serve with more barbecue sauce.
Note: Save a couple of cups of strong coffee from your morning pot-you'll need it for the marinade and sauce in this mouthwatering barbecue ribs recipe. Baby back ribs are a classic choice for this preparation, but you can also make this recipe using St. Louis ribs.
S'MORES COOKIE BARS
S'mores cookie bars are soft and chewy, made with a quick and easy graham cracker cookie dough that also doubles as the topping. The filling is made with chopped milk chocolate (like the classic Hershey's) and mini marshmallows. These dessert bars are perfect for tailgating parties!
INGREDIENTS
Graham crackers (1 sleeve/9 full crackers)
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
8 oz. milk chocolate bars, chopped
2 cups mini marshmallows*
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the edges. Set aside.
Add the graham crackers to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until only smaller pieces are left.
Then add the kosher salt, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cold and cubed butter and vanilla and blend until well combined and starting to clump together.
Finally, add the egg and blend until a soft dough forms.
Hold aside approximately 1 cup of the graham cracker base and press the remaining dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 12 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and spread the chopped milk chocolate bar over the crust, save aside about 1 ounce for garnish. Use caution as the pan is hot. Spread the mini marshmallows over the chopped chocolate. Then crumble the remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows. Return the pan to oven and bake an additional 12-18 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped chocolate you set aside (it will melt from the heat of the bars).
Allow to cool before cutting.
*If desired, you can add up to one more cup of mini marshmallows for a total of 3 cups. You can also substitute marshmallow fluff. You will need about 2 cups.
CITRUS RUM PUNCH
What’s a good party without punch? This Rum Punch recipe is refreshing and sweet, with a little spice and a boozy kick sure to pack a punch (pun intended). Toss your cares to the wayside and enjoy this tropical treat during the game and when celebrating your team's win!
Don’t let the ingredients list scare you away from this tasty punch. This is one recipe you don’t want to miss out on! Yield: 12 Drinks
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white rum
1 cup spiced rum
1 cup coconut rum (Malibu)
1 cup pineapple rum
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups mango orange juice - if hard to find you can just use orange juice
1/2 cup grenadine
1/4 cup lime juice
- fresh squeezed preferred
1 orange cut into slices
20 oz. pineapple chunks in pineapple juice or 2 cups cut up pineapple and another 1 cup pineapple juice
1 lemon cut into slices (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Once you have all of the ingredients, making Rum Punch is easy peasy.
Add all ingredients to a large pitcher, punch bowl or drink dispenser. Add slices of orange and lemon to the pitcher and stir.
How to Serve
Serve Rum Punch in glasses over ice to keep it cold and extra refreshing. Fresh fruit slices such as oranges, pineapple, and lemons make the perfect garnish. Freezing your fruit beforehand and then adding it to your rum punch can help keep your drinks cold without watering them down!
