Lake County Schools recognizes its top scholars

Lake County Schools honored the top 3 percent of its 2013 graduating class at the Top Scholars Luncheon hosted by the Educational Foundation of Lake County and sponsored by CenturyLink at Lake Receptions in Mount Dora.

Aurelia Cole, Chief of Administration for Lake County Schools, addresses students at the Top Scholar Luncheon.

The luncheon featured remarks from Scott Blankenship, President of Educational Foundation Board of Directors; Dr. Susan Moxley, Superintendent of Lake County Schools; Aurelia Cole, Chief of Administration for Lake County Schools.

“Parents, families and friends of these young men and women that we are recognizing today, your sons and daughters are successful because of each and every one of you in this room,” said Dr. Susan Moxley to the audience. “Your love, support and guidance is what guided them here today. I want to thank you for sharing them with us over the years. Thank you for partnering with us so we could provide the best educational opportunity for them to excel.”

• EAST RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL — Mohammad Ali, Tyler Lawrence Bruener, Alexander Martin Dyon, Rebecca Nell Ferris, Lissamarie Gonzalez, Greylynn Parks Hall, Christopher Ryan Horn, Abigail L. Jackson, Mashaim Khalid, Lara Rose Krakowiecki, Kaitlin Antonia Lyttle, Saeed Asaad Rahaman, Joshua Coronelius Ramkisoon, Briana Danielle Stone, Andrew Marino Thomas, Jacob Webber and Giancarlo Zamora
• EUSTIS HIGH SCHOOL — Melissa Arjona, Melodie Antonia Bonanno, Cara Nicole Brisson, Franklin McKinley Kirkpatrick, Jr., Caroline Marie Ladley, McKenzie Taylor O’Hara, Jamilya Lashay Rahming, Benjamin William Thornton and Rebecca Mae Thornton
• LAKE MINNEOLA HIGH SCHOOL — Matthew Asher Bardin, Jyles Lorenzo Cinco, Sara Elizabeth Cork, Andrew M. Farrow, Cheyenne Rene Freeman, Frank Joseph Hall, III, Michelle Victoria Hey, Laura Hurley, Linda Lee Letsch, Talmage David Murray, Ryan R. Narine, Pukkanun Sukhum and Kaitlyn Brianna Wentworth
• LEESBURG HIGH SCHOOL — Yareli Arteaga, Christopher Michael Garza, Abigail Leigh Hindman, Nicole Samantha Hunter, Raleigh Suzanne Jordan, Hannah Grace Kenfield, Kaitlyn Lee Kilpatrick, Sydney Erin McWilliams, Adrien Mitchell Nelson, Marah Nichole Rhone, Kelcie Lynda Roscoe, Jessica Lorraine Samuelson and Kourtney Faith Smith
• MOUNT DORA HIGH SCHOOL — Christine Marie Dadich, Annabelle Grace Halstead, Courtney Marie Kalmanson, Joshua R. Llamas, Alia Christina Martyn, Matthew B. Mullane, Sagar Patel and Shilan Patel
• SOUTH LAKE HIGH SCHOOL — Shawn Thomas Arnold, Sophie Allen, Alexander Douglas Field, Kristen Lynn Harder, Heather Danielle Harris, Andres Fabian Henao, Norbert A. Hugger, Rina D. Konishi, Michael Grant Liska, Taylor Lane Marris, Rhiana Victoria Nogueira, Morgan Lynn Purvis, Kevin Christopher Sanders and Amy Elizabeth Waterman
• TAVARES HIGH SCHOOL — Sanah Amir Bhimani, Jessica Lynn Crowe, Tanjila Hasan, Meena Shania Kanhai, Kassandra Bharat Kapoor, Kushal Rakesh Patel, Kallie Lou Kealoh Santos, Priya Rani Shil, Rianna Nicole Smith and Alexander Keith Vintilla
• UMATILLA HIGH SCHOOL — Phillip Bryant Bowers, Valarie Jo Hickey, Amy Michelle O’Neal, Ashton Brey Grinstead, Cooper Davis Small and Christopher Evan Williams

Man’s best friend lends a paw in Sawgrass Bay Elementary School’s celebration

Sawgrass Bay Elementary last week welcomed their favorite furry friends to campus for an end-of-year ceremony celebrating the school’s involvement with READing Paws.

Twenty-four students, grades 2-4, received medals and books for participating in this program whose mission is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of nationally registered therapy animal-owner/handler teams as literacy mentors. Once a week during this school year, students who participated in this program spent time in a quiet setting reading to one of our two registered therapy dogs, Beringer or Brie.

These dogs were attentive, non-judgmental listeners who never criticized or corrected their readers. They simply listened and provided unconditional support. Beringer and Brie, along with their handlers, helped to build confidence and self-esteem in these students as readers in hopes to create a strong foundation for a love of learning and reading.

Lake County Schools closed for Memorial Day

All schools and administrative offices of Lake County Schools will be closed on Monday, May 27, to observe Memorial Day.

It’s the final day off for students before the school year ends on Thursday, June 6. The 2013-2014 school year begins on Monday, Aug. 19. To view a complete student calendar for Lake County Schools, log on to http://www.lake.k12.fl.us and view the “District Calendars” link.

Take Stock in Children receives funding from Earl B. & Sophia H. Shaw Charitable Trust

Take Stock in Children of Lake and Sumter Counties has been awarded $10,000 by Earl B. & Sophia H. Shaw Charitable Trust to provide a two-year Florida Pre-Paid Scholarship to two deserving students in Lake or Sumter County.

Both Take Stock in Children and the Earl B. & Sophia H. Shaw Charitable Trust are committed to facilitating access to higher education for underrepresented groups.

Take Stock in Children, a program of the Educational Foundation, identifies financially at-risk students in the eighth grade, provides them with a mentor and an advocate and then rewards them at high school graduation with a college tuition scholarship.

Take Stock in Children staffing is funded by the state, and the program operates in all 67 counties in Florida. Local money raised for scholarships is matched by the State of Florida, thus doubling the impact on the community.

For Information on volunteering, mentoring or becoming a donor, contact weidnerg@lake.k12.fl.us, or log on to www.edfoundationlake.com.

East Ridge High recognizes top performing seniors during Academic Recognition Ceremony

TOP 20 CLASS OF 2012-2013 AT ERHS

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MELISSA FRANA & MASHAIM KHALID

REBECCA FERRIS

CIARA HILL

CHRISTOPHER HORN

East Ridge High recognized its Top 20 performing students during its annual Academic Recognition Ceremony earlier this month.

The group of 20 students was gathered in the school auditorium as an audience of family members, teachers and fellow classmates applauded their accomplishments and plans for the future. Rhythm of the Knight, the school’s signing group, performed “Don’t Stop Believin’” and the East Ridge High Band played the school’s fight song.

Students recognized included:

• Mohammed Ali — University of Central Florida; intended major: chemistry
• Tyler Bruener — University of Florida; intended major: business
• Anna Burns — University of South Florida; intended major: psychology
• Rebecca Ferris — University of Central Florida: intended major: nursing
• Lissamarie Gonzalez — University of Florida: intended major: psychology
• Lauren Hebeler — Stetson University; intended major: discovery
• Ciara Hill — University of Central Florida; intended major: music performance
• Christopher Horn — University of Central Florida; intended major: pre-med
• Mashaim Khalid — Duke University; intended major: history
• Lara Krakowiecki — University of Florida; intended major: mechanical/aerospace engineering
• Paulo Lanausse — University of Central Florida; intended major: biology
• Molly Lee — Mercer University; intended major: special education
• Sierra Logan — University of South Florida; intended major: biology/pre-optometry
• Kaitlin Lyttle — University of Florida; intended major: animal sciences
• Nikki Novak — University of Florida; intended major: athletic training
• Saeed Rahaman — University of Central Florida; intended major: engineering
• Joshua Ramkissoon — University of Central Florida; intended major: undecided (sciences)
• Brianna Stone — University of Florida; intended major: pre-med
• Jacob Webber — Serving two-year mission trip for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Giancarlo Zamora — University of South Florida; intended major: athletic training (sports medicine)

Recruits honored at East Ridge High’s first annual Military Signing Ceremony

Each year East Ridge High celebrates excellence in its graduating class, and the school extended the celebration this year by honoring students entering the military.

The school hosted a Military Signing Ceremony earlier this month as guest speakers Aurelia Cole, Chief of Administration for Lake County Schools, and U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer Alex Carolos wished the students well in the future endeavors.

“I’m here to say to the officers here when you are getting a Knight, you are getting the very best,” Cole said to the attending military officers at the ceremony.

“For the past four years you have accepted the challenge to move East Ridge from good to great. Now that challenge is to protect and serve your country. You are ready for the task and job that lies ahead of you.”

After an inspirational message from Cole, who is also a former principal at East Ridge High, Carolos emphasized to the students that joining the U.S. Military is the beginning to a long and successful career.

“As you are serving your country you are doing many, many things,” he said “You are learning a career and mostly building a resume. It’s resume that will follow you your whole life as you go through. I have never seen anyone who was successful in the military not make it in the outside.”

Students recognized included:

• Matti Akers — U.S. Marines, diesel mechanic
• Chris Brinson — U.S. Army, aircraft turbine mechanic
• David Lowe — U.S. Army, cavalry scout
• Shalini Nisthalal — U.S. Navy, master of arms
• Jake Smith — U.S. Maries, security forces
• Paul Vici — U.S. Marines, aviation radar technician

Runner-up redux: Gray Middle School’s FFA places second at state aquaculture evaluation event

The FFA team at Gray Middle School brought home a second place finish at the state Aquaculture Evaluation Career Development Event (CDE) for the second consecutive year.

KATIE STRICKLAND, RYAN JENSEN, AUSTIN LARSON & KAILEE FERGUSON

Hosted at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Lab in Ruskin, Fla. on May 10, team members from Gray Middle School included Austin Larson, Kailee Ferguson, Katie Strickland and Ryan Jensen. The Gray Middle team will be recognized on stage at the state FFA convention in June.

The competition included 15 high school and eight middle school teams from throughout Florida. Umatilla High placed fourth and Lake Minneola High came in sixth place in the event.

The purpose of the Aquaculture CDE is to stimulate student interest in the aquaculture industry, encourage aquaculture instruction in the agricultural education curriculum, and to provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies in the area of aquaculture production and management.

The Florida FFA Association is a premier youth, leadership organization with more than 15,000 middle and high school student members — as part of more than 300 local FFA chapters across the state. FFA members participate in nearly 50 leadership and career development events each year. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.