The LAKER
ee r F
WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
Browning talks about school safety
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
More than a year since the Parkland school shooting claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members, ensuring school safety remains a forefront priority for Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning. Browning discussed that, and a number of other school issues, as the featured guest
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS
MARCH 20, 2019
speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce March breakfast meeting at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. “Parkland kind of rocked our world,” Browning said, during the breakfast meeting.“It really shook everybody’s core about the magnitude of what our responsibility is about making sure that our kids are safe in our schools.” Browning said Pasco Schools have made
a number of sweeping changes to enhance school safety, in the wake of the February 2018 tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida. Among the most noteworthy, Browning said, was the district hiring around 60 armed school safety guards to place in elementary schools — in addition to school resource officers at all middle and high See BROWNING, page 11A
LAW FIRM, P.L. HelpingInjuredPeople.com Call Attorney
JIM HOLLIDAY 813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights” 18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 101 Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)
Walk-Ins Welcome
Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Electrical
CHRISTINE HOLTZMAN
$30 OFF
LK/LZ
Lucky ducks race for causes at Duck Fest SERVICE REPAIR A/C, Plumbing or Electrical
LK/LZ
Must present coupon. cannot be coMbined.one per visit. exp 3/31/19.
$39.95 SERVICE CALL
Hundreds attended the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon’s fourth annual Duck Fest at FOP Pasco Lodge 29, 21735 YMCA Camp Road in Land O’Lakes. The free family event, on March 10, featured a bounce house, games, a classic car show and the musical entertainment of Mr. Tommy. There was a duck derby where guests could ‘adopt’ a rubber duck to race in Bell Lake for a chance to win cash and prizes. Proceeds from the event will benefit Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and The Pasco Sheriff’s K-9 Association. Above, eleven-year-old Nayeli Navarro, of Dade City, left, and 12-year-old Sai Mahati, of New Tampa, react as their Jenga tower collapses. The girls removed a block of wood with each turn, until the tower was too unstable to stand.
Mon-Fri 7am-6pm Must present coupon. cannot be coMbined.one per visit. exp 3/31/19.
Same-Day Service Free 2nd Opinion* Free Estimates** 24/7 Emergency
2012-2018
**Free estimates for new A/C, water heater, water treatment, whole home generators, whole home repipe and electrical panel upgrade. *Free second opinion with written diagnosis from another company.
CAC1816647 CFC1428982 EC0001103
CORNERSTONEPROS.COM
813-990-0561
Taking political action through social work By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
When it comes to social work, the job responsibility should go beyond addressing baseline issues of clients and patients, according to Dr. Ruth Brandwein, one of the nation’s most accomplished and recognizable social work educators. Social work should also identify solutions and take action for meaningful and impactful change for all individuals, families and communities, said Brandwein, the keynote speaker of Saint Leo University’s fifth annual social work conference on March 8. The daylong event drew dozens of social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, human service, criminal justice system professionals and students in Saint Leo’s bachelor and master social work programs. Those attending the conference participated in workshops that covered topics on school violence, transgender youth, subSee SOCIAL, page 11A
B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
The ‘Queen Duck,’ Duck Fest Chairman Jodie Sullivan, stands in the shallow water’s edge of Bell Lake as the first of the ducks make their way to the finish line. Sullivan will pluck several prize winners out of the water. The lucky first-place duck won $1,000.
Eighteen-month-old Olivia Manzur, of Wesley Chapel, holds on to the duck that she adopted for a chance to win a prize during the duck derby. The youngster was at the event with her father, Danny, and her uncle, Alex.
High school fair offers diverse career paths By Brian Fernandes bfernandes@lakerlutznews.com
While parents and students had an opportunity to learn about post-high school options — representatives from colleges, technical schools, military branches and other programs had a chance to make their pitch at the College and Career Fair recently at Wesley Chapel High School. Those attending the March 11 event could pose questions to representatives from more than 40 organizations, and could take home brochures and other handouts. Wesley Chapel High had the program in its gym, but the fair was open to students from other high schools, too. “They (students) really like that it’s all in one place,” said Kelly Faysash, college and career specialist at Wesley Chapel High.“It’s a good opportunity to come one night with a parent and be able to [hear from] a lot of different colleges and universities.” Keiser University, a private, nonprofit institution, was among those participating. Pauline Hardy, admissions counselor from the New Port Richey Campus, was there to represent the Florida-based university, which offers services internationally, including programs in business, health care, criminal justice and psychology. Hardy noted that Keiser offers programs that are convenient for students who have children, or full-time jobs. “Some of the unique points are that you
can take classes one at a time, and each class lasts four weeks,” the counselor explained. Many of the university’s most coveted programs are medical – especially nursing. Health care is an ever-expanding field, with numerous opportunities, Hardy said. Across the gym, Michelle Turner was representing another school offering medical programs – Florida Career College. One common question asked about the school is how it will help transition students into the workforce,Turner said. To that end, the college’s career service department stages mock sessions to help students prepare. “They start working with them (students) one month in, to start grooming them with interview skills, their resume and how to present [themselves],” she said. Some schools, however, including the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, focus on the world of arts. The school is located in both New York and Los Angeles, offering courses in acting, as well as musical and dance theater. The academy’s faculty attend various high schools across the nation to hold workshops. Students get an idea of what the school is about and have the chance to perform auditions. Lauren Paha is a faculty member of the academy and will be hosting an audition at Wesley Chapel High in April. She noted that financial assistance is a
common area of concern for students and parents. “Not only do we give away talent-based scholarships, we also do merit-based scholarships,” Paha stated. The school is also receptive to financial aid coming from outside the academy. All of the instructors at the academy are still active in the industry - whether on Broadway, directing or singing, Paha remarked. The bar is also set high for instructors at Full Sail University, requiring at least four years of industry experience. “What we focus on is entertainment, media, arts and technology,” said Jolie Parris, outreach representative for the school. The university logo was recognizable as several of its alumni have gone on to do artwork for big-budget projects. Such projects include the Fortnite video game and films like The Incredibles and the Marvel comic series. They, too, offer scholarship programs and have workshops at high schools, where student can create music beats and learn about animation. Rebecca Maher attended the fair with her two daughters – students at Cypress Creek Middle High School. Tuition was at the top of her mind, when visiting the booths. She wanted to know: “First and foreSee CAREER, page 11A