Student Success Stories
Punta Gorda Police Department Honors Five Students for Doing the Right Thing
The Punta Gorda Police Department Sponsors a Monthly "Do The Right Thing" Program. This program recognizes youth who quite simple, Do the Right Thing. These actions may include general acts of kindness, providing assistance to those in need, taking initiative to right a wrong, or by simply doing what they know to be right in a given situation.
The following CCPS students were recently honored at the Do The Right Thing Program sponsored by the Punta Gorda Police Department:
- Denim Wilson, a student at Port Charlotte Middle, was honored for his exemplary community service and was chosen as the overall winner for this month's Do The Right Thing Program. Denim was nominated for the countless hours he spends volunteering. Some of the programs he volunteers with include feeding homeless with the Homeless Coalition, visiting with the Alzheimer's group, and Special Olympics.
- Katie Redmann, a student at L.A. Ainger Middle School, was also honored for her community service in volunteering with the Southeastern Guide Dogs organization. She saw a need, researched how to help, and even went to Palmetto to receive training. She now has a black lab puppy in training who will eventually be sent to formal training when he gets older. Katie has volunteered over 100 hours to this program.
- Spencer Tenney, a student at Charlotte High School, was honored for his honesty and kindness. While working at Cubby's Ice Cream shop, he found a wallet containing several hundred dollars in cash, but no identification. He remembered the family who called before they came to make sure the shop was still open. He called the number on the phone and was able to contact the wallet's owner, and then waited after the shop closed for the owner to come back and retrieve his wallet.
- Daniel Chomyszak, a student at Charlotte High School, was honored for his bravery and quick thinking after seeing suspicious activity on campus. Daniel immediately told his teacher and then calmly relayed the information to administrators and security staff. This led to a quick and efficient resolution of the situation.
- Steven Cloyd, a student at Punta Gorda Middle, was honored for his assistance and quick action in an emergency. While traveling north on US41 with his dad, Steven saw a fire. He and his dad immediately went to the site and helped an off-duty Sarasota fireman put out the fire preventing a much bigger disaster.
The "Pride" of Port Charlotte Wind Orchestra Rates Superior at State Assessment
On Thursday, May 2, 2013 the "Pride" of Port Charlotte Wind Orchestra traveled to Broward College to perform for evaluation at the Florida Bandmasters Association State Concert Band Assessment Festival. As the premier performance organization at Port Charlotte High School, the Wind Orchestra had earned the opportunity to perform at State evaluation by receiving a Superior rating at the District Evaluation festival for the 25th consecutive year.
Before a panel of nationally known and acknowledged collegiate band directors, the wind orchestra performed an outstanding and demanding musical program and received a straight superior rating form the panel of clinicians. This helped them earn the prestigious Otto Kraushaar Award, which is the highest honor bestowed to a high school band program in the state of Florida. This award signifies a straight superior performance in all adjudicated events in the areas of Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Concert Band during the scholastic year. This marks the 14th time that the PCHS band program has earned this award and the 17th time that the program has earned an overall superior rating at the state music festival in the last 25 years.
CTC SkillsUSA Participants Win Big at State Conference
Congratulations to the Charlotte Technical Center SkillsUSA Participants. The CTC students recently competed in the SkillsUSA State Skill and Leadership Conference in Pensacola, FL and came home with 32 medals. Ten students earned gold and are now eligible to represent Florida and Charlotte County at the National SkillsUSA Conference in Kansas City, MO in June. Congratulations to the following medalist winners:
| Gathchina Aliot | 1st Place | Medical Terminology |
| Jessica Black | 1st Place | Job Interview |
| Andrea Douglas | 1st Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team E |
| Alexander Downey | 1st Place | Technical Drafting |
| Cory Elijah | 1st Place | Aviation Maintenance |
| Shanek Grant | 1st Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team E |
| Gabrielle Masterjohn | 1st Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team E |
| James Pillinger | 1st Place | Computer Maintenance Technology |
| Claudia Ramirez | 1st Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team E |
| Alyssa Schmitz | 1st Place | Job Interview |
| Zekora Crosbourne | 2nd Place | Practical Nursing |
| Alex Crowell | 2nd Place | Aviation Maintenance |
| Zack Heavener | 2nd Place | Medical Math |
| Katelyn McCoy | 2nd Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team F |
| Sierra Rincones | 2nd Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team F |
| Deirdre Spit | 2nd Place | Dental Assisting |
| Hannah Stoquert | 2nd Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team F |
| Casey Wasdin | 2nd Place | Courtesy Corps |
| Karley Wells | 2nd Place | Health Knowledge Bowl Team F |
| Kyle Devoe | 3rd Place | Related Technical Math |
| Max Diramio | 3rd Place | Aviation Maintenance |
| Andrea Gonzalez | 3rd Place | Crime Scene Investigation Team B |
| Michael Harrison | 3rd Place | Prepared Speech |
| Jarrett Jackman | 3rd Place | Quiz Bowl Team F |
| Matthew Judy | 3rd Place | Quiz Bowl Team F |
| Robert Ketter | 3rd Place | Quiz Bowl Team F |
| Gillian McKay | 3rd Place | Crime Scene Investigation Team B |
| Kristina Rambo | 3rd Place | Crime Scene Investigation Team B |
| Emmanuelle Rioux | 3rd Place | Extemporaneous Speaking |
| Quade Savisky | 3rd Place | Computer Maintenance Technology |
| Raquel Shelton | 3rd Place | Quiz Bowl Team F |
| Brian Vanskiver | 3rd Place | Quiz Bowl Team F |
Port Charlotte High School Choral Program Wins Overall at Competition
Congratulations to the PCHS Choral program for their impressive results at the Choral Competition on Saturday, April 27, 2013. The PCHS Women's Choir took 1st place with a superior rating and the PCHS Enharmonics took 1st place in the Jazz/Swing Choir division with a superior as well. The Enharmonics won the overall choral division.
Coming up May 1, 2013 @ 7:00 p.m. a choral concert will be hosted by the PCHS Choir at the PCHS Auditorium. May 7, 2013 @ 6:00 p.m. a senior honors recital will be hosted at the PCHS Auditorium. Both of these events are free.
PCHS Model UN Team Dominates at the Northwestern University Model UN Conference
The Port Charlotte Model UN Academic Team faced down the nation's top twenty teams with 17 delegates vs. an average of 30 delegates on opposing teams, and still managed to win the greatest amount of individual awards of excellence. The teams impressive performance at Northwestern assured an undefeated season, having won against all 200 schools they have faced in competition this year.
This victory marks the 6th time in 6 conferences attended that the Pirates have won the first place Best School Delegation Award. With its undefeated season the Pirates have virtually assured themselves of being ranked among the top 5 high school Model UN programs in the world.
The Pirates will be presenting the 9th Annual Mini-MUN conference for local middle school students. The two day conference will be held at the PCHS Media Center Friday, April 26, 2013 from 5:30 - 8:30 and Saturday, April 27th from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
CCPS 5th Graders Honored for their Kids Tag Art Artwork
Kids Tag Art is a school fund raising project that inspires 5th grade art students to design their own specialty license plate, while at the same time learning about design elements and principles. Congratulations to the 34 students that will be honored at the upcoming CCPS School Board meeting:
- Maggie Poulakis, Myakka River Elementary - LaMarca Sponsor Award
- Diana Crofton-Smith, Liberty Elementary - Tax Collector Award
- Gavin Hoeckel, Vineland Elementary - CLEF Award
- Noah Faircloth, Deep Creek Elementary - Superintendent Award
- Briann Henesy, Vineland Elementary - Don Gasgarth-Charlotte County Ford Award
- Kacey Terry, Vineland Elementary - Property Appraiser Award
- Dylan Banks, Myakka River Elementary - Sheriff Award
- Adam Grikietis, Myakka River Elementary - Tourism Office Award
- Maria Ramirez, Liberty Elementary - Farr, Farr, Emerich, Hackett & Carr Award
- Eric LePage, Deep Creek Elementary - Ambitrans Award
Two students from each school will receive Awards of Distinction: Tyler Davis and Shane McWilliams from Charlotte Harbor; Gabby Carthy Pierre and Jaizah Pyle from Deep Creek; Catalina Mosquera and Jeslynn McLuras from East; Nadine Edwards and Gabrielle Nelson from Genesis; Jorge Peraza and Jamin Puebla from Kingsway; Quan Bailey and Aaliayah Poe from Liberty; Cassidy Naekel and Chloi Hunter from Meadow Park; Joshua Arnett and Linda Conklin from Myakka River; Eunice Noel and Zoe Biggs from Neil Armstrong; Aidan Latham and Josiah Delph from Peace River; Wyatt Wilhite and Lindsey Akins from Sallie Jones; and Ivey Glover and BreAnn Brown from Vineland.
CCPS Students Compete at the 58th Annual State Science Fair
Congratulations to the following students for their efforts at the 58th Annual State Science Fair. The competition was a 3-day event. The students did a fantastic job and represented Charlotte County Public Schools well:
- Kelsey Hansen, L.A. Ainger Middle School
received the JT Molesky Award $50 - Eleanor Keys, L.A. Ainger Middle School
placed 1st in Botany, Junior Division - Sarah Lown, L.A. Ainger Middle School
- Hayden Wilder, Murdock Middle School
placed 3rd in Environmental Sciences, Junior Division - Angelique Noles, Port Charlotte High School
placed 4th in Botany, Senior Division
Punta Gorda Police Department Honors Five Students for Doing the Right Thing
The Punta Gorda Police Department Sponsors a Monthly "Do The Right Thing" Program. This program recognizes youth who quite simple, Do the Right Thing. These actions may include general acts of kindness, providing assistance to those in need, taking initiative to right a wrong, or by simply doing what they know to be right in a given situation.
The following CCPS students were recently honored at the Do The Right Thing Program sponsored by the Punta Gorda Police Department:
- Reid Helgemo, a student at Charlotte High School, was honored for his honesty after finding a wallet in the school parking lot containing cash, debit cards, and personal information. Without hesitation, he picked up the wallet and turned it into the nearest adult. It was returned to its ecstatic owner.
- Dalton Hayes, an East Elementary School student, was also honored for his honesty after finding a school employees watch in the hallway and turning it in to the office. It was returned to its owner.
- Wesley Wilkinson and Brianna Pifer, Charlotte High School students, were both nominated and honored for their honesty after finding a very expensive necklace and turning it in to the Athletic Directory. The necklace was returned to its owner.
- Justin Bartley, a student at Murdock Middle School, was nominated and recognized as the overall winner for this month's Do The Right Thing Program. Justin was nominated by a teacher for his kindness and positive attitude. He goes out of his way everyday at school to say hello, help people out, give high fives, and offer smiles.
CTC and LBH Drafting Students Advance to the National Semifinals of the West Point Bridge Design Competition
Congratulations Future Bridge Engineers! The Cantilevers, a team from Charlotte Technical Center has advance to the National Semifinal round of the West Point Bridge Design Competition. The LBHS_6 team from Lemon Bay High School will also be advancing to the semifinals. Almost 6000 teams from across the nation submitted bridge designs in the preliminary round. Only the top 40 teams in the nation are invited to compete in the semifinals.
The Cantilevers is comprised of Bo Samuels and Dan McLaughlin, students in the Engineering Tech 1 program at CTC. The They are also enrolled in the Charlotte Aerospace Institute. The LBHS_6 team is comprised of George Yeater and William Boling.
The semifinal round will be held online on April 5, 2013. The top 6 teams in the semifinal round will reach the final round and earn a trip to West Point, NY and laptop computers. First and second place teams in the final round will also earn $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships respectively.
LA Ainger Middle School Advanced Band Earns Straight Superior
Congratulations to the 59 students of the Advanced Band at LA Ainger Middle School for earning Straight Superiors at their Concert Festival on Thursday, March 22, 2013. The MPA or "Music Performance Assessment" is the band version of an FCAT. Bands are rated on a single performance of three prepared pieces and two pieces of contrasting style that they sight read. This is the fifth year with ratings by 20 adjudicators, each awarding a "Superior" rating.
Three Lemon Bay High School Students Receive Scholarships to Ringling College of Art and Design
Congratulations to the following Lemon Bay High School Students from Ms. Johnson's Advanced Painting class. Madison Young, Seth Falkenburg, and Pavel Goncharuk have all been accepted to Ringling College of Art and Design and have each been awarded a $30,000 scholarship.
Punta Gorda Middle School Students go to New York for Spring Break
Mrs. Russell, a teacher at Punta Gorda Middle School, recently took 26 of her students, grades 6-8, and 10 chaperoning adults to New York City over spring break. The group traveled with WorldStrides and saw many amazing sites, including a 3-hour tour of the Hudson River, the 9-11 Memorial, Lion King on Broadway, Skating at Rockefeller Center, the NBC today show, the Empire State Building, the Natural History Museum, China Town, Little Italy, and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Punta Gorda Police Department Honors Five Students for Doing the Right Thing
The Punta Gorda Police Department Sponsors a Monthly "Do The Right Thing" Program. This program recognizes youth who quite simple, Do the Right Thing. These actions may include general acts of kindness, providing assistance to those in need, taking initiative to right a wrong, or by simply doing what they know to be right in a given situation.
The following CCPS students were recently honored at the Do The Right Thing Program sponsored by the Punta Gorda Police Department:
- Madeline (Maddy) Antanacio, 4th grader at Vineland Elementary, was honored for organizing a sock drive at school for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Maddy recently moved here from the New Jersey and was aware of the huge need for such a simple item. She contacted her school principal and together they coordinated the drive. Approximately 385 pairs of socks were collected and sent to New Jersey. Maddy was also chosen as the overall winner for this month's Do The Right Thing program.
- Logan Frankowski, a 5th grader at Deep Creek Elementary, was honored for his generosity and integrity towards others in need. Logan donated $50 of his own Christmas money to the Childhood Cancer Research fundraiser at school. This is not the first time Logan has donated large sums of his money to this cause.
- Louis Gemma, a preschool student at Chutes'N'Ladders Daycare, was honored for his generosity when he asked his father to take him to WalMart where he donated $50 to the Shop With a Cop program. He said he had plenty of things and he wanted to help other children who did not have anything.
- Jacoby Maldonado, a 2nd grade students at Myakka River Elementary, was honored for paying it forward. While shopping at WalMart, a gentleman in line gave Jacoby $10 and told her to buy herself something for Christmas. Jacoby wanted to help others so she gave $5 to her teacher Mr. Dandy so he could make sure another student in need would receive it.
- Chandler Miller, an 11th grade student at Charlotte High, was honored for his honesty after finding a class ring in the boy's room and turning it in to an adult on campus at Charlotte High School.
Port Charlotte High Model UN Team Wins Best Delegation for the 18th Consecutive Year at the SWFL Model UN Conference
Congratulations to the PCH Model UN Team for their awesome victory at the Southwest Florida MUN Conference, which was attended by a number of the nation's highly ranked MUN programs. PCHS delegates won first place, Best Delegate Gavels in 8 out 11 conference committees.
The Russian delegation represented by PCHS won the conference's Best Delegation Award. Winning first place gavels were Joel Davis, Jesse Hevia, Alex Frederick, Lauren Katz, Jessica Liu and Caleb Torres. Second place for Russia were awarded to Maryann Isaac and Jordan McGee. Third place recognition was awarded to Nick Dunakey and Elana Powell.
The Egyptian delegations represented by PCHS won the third highest total of awards. First place best delegate gavels were awarded to Megan Desjardins and Haley Brown. Second place awards for Egypt were Emily Byrski and Ethan Katz. Third place recognition for Egypt was Matthew Amontree.
The following students were awarded $1500 scholarships for "Careers of Excellence" at SWFLMUN: Emily Byrski, Joel Davis, Megan Desjardins, Jesse Hevia, Maryann Isaac and Jordan McGee.
It is interesting to note that this year's graduating Model UN seniors were born the year that PCHS began its 18-year winning steak at the SWFLMUN conference. The Pirate Model UN team will end its competitive year by attending the Northwestern University MUN Conference in mid-April.
Meadow Park Elementary STEM Team Wins Grand Championship in SWFL STEM Tour
Congratulations to the Meadow Park Elementary's STEM Team for their outstanding representation at the final leg of the SWFL STEM Tour. The team placed first in the elementary division, and were Grand Champions of the entire event; scoring higher than any middle or high school team. Team members were: Drew Caparo, Jeffrey Kirkus, Francis Krause, Wyatt Verne, and Joe Wolfe.
In addition, Port High School student Dylan Caparo competed solo and placed first in the high school division. Congratulations Dylan!
Congratulations to the 2013 CCPS History Fair District Winners
Congratulations to all the students who participated and the following students who placed in the 2013 CCPS District History Fair. First and second place winners have earned the opportunity to compete at the Florida State History Fair in Tallahassee on May 6-7, 2013.
| Historical Papers-Junior Division | ||
|---|---|---|
| Honorable Mention | Lauren Maheu | LAAMS |
| Individual Documentary-Junior Division | ||
| 3rd place | Reese Barber | LAAMS |
| Honorable Mention | Hailey Hensler | MMS |
| Group Documentary-Junior Division | ||
| T-1st place | Jenna Dunakey and Lorrie Konopacek | LAAMS |
| T-1st place | Laurie Atkins and Kristen Bodine | PGMS |
| 3rd place | Kristen Locker and Samantha Cahill | LAAMS |
| Honorable Mention | Lukasz Zajda and Paul Jenson | LAAMS |
| Honorable Mention | Kelly Shearin, Tyler Mandel, and Rory Lane | PCMS |
| Group Performance - Junior Division | ||
| 1st place | Brittany McGivern, Caitlin Moss-Solomon, Jackie Roche, Madi Albanes, and Dayna Borges | PCMS |
| Individual Website Design - Junior Division | ||
| 1st place | Summer Lutterotty | MMS |
| 2nd place | Alec Gleason | PCMS |
| Honorable Mention | Tien Le | PCMS |
| Honorable Mention | Thomas Kontos | PGMS |
| Group Website Design - Junior Division | ||
| 1st place | J.P. Coogan and Ricky Li | CA |
| T-3rd place | Eryka Exejt and Christina Hawkins | LAAMS |
| T-3rd place | Hannah King and Brittany King | CA |
| Honorable Mention | Savanna Galloway and Sarah Lown | LAAMS |
| Honorable Mention | Jerry Culkin, Nick Coppola, and Cole Marsh | PCMS |
| Individual Exhibits - Junior Division | ||
| 1st place | Hayden Wilder | MMS |
| 2nd place | Miles McLeod | MMS |
| Honorable Mention | Tyler Brown | PGMS |
| Honorable Mention | Nicole Burg | PGMS |
| Honorable Mention | Abigail Kirshy | CA |
| Group Exhibits - Junior Division | ||
| 1st place | Gabrielle Seiber and Christina Pham | MMS |
| 2nd place | Kaitlyn Brus, Meghan Hagerty and Sheighlin Hagerty | PGMS |
| T-3rd place | Victoria Naskale, Emily Nadel, and Melanie Moenning | PGMS |
| T-3rd place | Corrin Bresky and Samantha Gommel | MMS |
| Honorable Mention | Jasmine Morris and Abby Shea | LAAMS |
| Honorable Mention | Alexis Baltrusch and Nicole Reid | MMS |
| Individual Exhibits - Senior Division | ||
| Honorable Mention | Ashley Campbell | CHS |
| Group Exhibits - Senior Division | ||
| 1st place | Katie Boyd and Kaitlyn Drazek | CHS |
| 3rd place | Grant Rumreich and Chandler Williams | CHS |
| Honorable Mention | Devyn Amara, Kaitlyn Salsman and Mindy Vitale | CHS |
Charlotte High School Mock Trial Team Takes 2nd Place in the 14th Annual 20th Judicial Court Mock Trial Competition
The 14th annual Twentieth Judicial Court High School Mock Trial Competition was held Thursday-Friday, February 14-15, 2013, at the Lee County Justice Center. Charlotte High School, the Charlotte County Public Schools Mock Trial Champions, battled against teams from Seacrest Country Day School, Collier County, and Fort Myers High School, Lee County, during a grueling two day contest. Charlotte High School and Fort Myers High School competed in the Final Round to determine which team would represent the Twentieth Judicial Court at the State Mock Trial Competition in early March. In a very close match, Fort Myers High School just edged Charlotte High School in a split decision, to claim the title.
This was the first time a Charlotte County team has ever made the Final Round, so this was an incredible accomplishment for Charlotte High School and the Charlotte County Public Schools.
In addition, three Charlotte High School team members earned individual awards and scholarships amongst all competitors:
- Nathan Buckley, Best Overall Prosecution Attorney, $400
- Patrick Glastonbury, Best Overall Prosecution Witness, $400
- Jake Christie, Best Closing Argument in the Final Round, $250
Finally, Charlotte High School earned the coveted Professionalism Award, voted on by the students themselves.
Charlotte Technical Center's Engineering Tech 1 Class Helps Local Company with Product Development Project
Mr. Cantieny's Engineering Tech 1 class was recently able to help a local company with a product development project. SandySail LLC is a Southwest Florida based firm that produces a clever, patent pending sun shade for the beach. http://www.sandysail.com
At a recent meeting of the Edison Inventors Association Mr. John Jenkins, the president of SandySail, approached Mr. Cantieny and asked if the Technical Center students might be able to help solve a problem with some of the hardware that was being used to put up a SandySail sunshade. The current hardware was small, hard to handle and easy to lose in the sand. Mr. Jenkins wanted a simple, easy to install replacement.
The Eng. Tech 1 students were able to design a larger, plastic screw cap that met all of Mr. Jenkins design requirements. The part was designed in Autodesk Inventor, a 3D CADD (Computer Aided Drawing and Design) program. Then several initial designs were printed on the school’s 3D printer and tested. The design was then finalized and several prototypes of the part were printed on the 3D printer. Mr. Jenkins will utilize the prototypes for testing and then have the parts produced in volume.
The students enjoyed working on a "Real" project and Mr. Jenkins seemed pleased as well writing "I can't begin to express my gratitude for all you and your students have done! Amazing work!!!! Please convey my appreciation and how refreshing it is to deal with professionals such as you've proven yourself to be." He also made a nice donation to the drafting SkillsUSA account!
It was a rewarding project for all involved!
Over 60 Charlotte Technical Students Win Medals in the Regional SkillsUSA Competition
CTC is proud to share that over 60 of our students took home medals at last week's Florida SkillsUSA Region 6 Skill and Leadership Conferences. Our students competed in career and technical competitions against students from Collier, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. 
The Gold and Silver medalists are qualified now to compete at the state level in Pensacola, Florida the end of April. Some of the Bronze medalists will be invited to compete as well. We had no competition in Aviation Maintenance so we are holding a competition on Thursday here at CTC with some local aviation professionals to determine our top students who will advance to the state level.
Click here for a list of regional medalists.
L.A. Ainger Student Eleanor Keys Takes First in the State for the Patriot's Pen Essay Competition
Eleanor Keys, eighth grade student at L .A. Ainger Middle School, received state recognition on February 16, 2013, in Orlando for coming in first in the state in the Patriot's Pen writing competition. The competition, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary, worked with the theme "What I Would Tell America’s Founding Fathers." Eleanor's essay focused on what the Founding Fathers did to make it possible for us to live the lives we have today. It was in Orlando where Eleanor read her essay to the VFW convention at their Awards Banquet and accepted her award of $1,500. Eleanor's essay will now be submitted for the national competition where the top prize is a $10,000 bond.
Update as of 2/21/13 - Eleanor Keys was awarded 33rd place in the entire country for her Patriot's Pen essay and will receive another $500 prize for her fantastic finish in the national competition.
Punta Gorda Middle Math Counts Team Competes in 2013 Math Counts Competition
The 2013 Punta Gorda Middle Math Counts Team arrived bright and early on Saturday, February 9, 2013, at Three Oaks Middle School in Ft. Myers, FL to compete in the Calusa Chapter of the MathCounts competition. The team consisted of Dalton Larson, Diandra Sawyer, Jack Fining, Rebecca Parnell, Jessica Moore, Matthew Wyers, Evan Florex, Randi Hemstreet, Jason Cooper, and Christine Bodine, along with coaches Mrs. Parnell and Mrs. Toms. Students and coaches had been preparing for weeks for this competition by coming in early to school and challenging their minds with invigorating algorithms. The team benefited from their preparation with a tie for 2nd place in the Ciphering Round, and a team ranking of 5th out of 16 schools. Jason Cooper finished an awesome 11th place, one step away from the top ten! "We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication given by these young adults and wish them all the best as they continue to meet the challenges that face them both in their academia and in their lives." - Mrs. Parnell and Mrs. Toms.
CCPS Students Awarded $6000 in Scholarship Money at the Charlotte County Fair
CCPS would like to recognize Kam Mahshie and the Fair board for their constant support for our students. The following students were awarded scholarship money at the Charlotte County Fair and will be recognized at the April 16, 2013 School Board Meeting:
- Charlotte High School
- Brynleigh Benak, Performance, $500
- Gabriella Court, Performance, $500
- Mikayla Gleason, Visual Art, $1000
- Port Charlotte High School
- Khamor Lyons, Performance, $500
- Erika Campione, Performance, $500
- Camryn Callison, Visual Art, $1000
- Lemon Bay High School
- Jenny Morehouse, Performance, $1000
- Madison Young, Visual Art, $500
- Peggy Olaez, Visual Art, $500
Punta Gorda Police Department Honors Five Students for Doing the Right Thing
The Punta Gorda Police Department Sponsors a Monthly "Do The Right Thing" Program. This program recognizes youth who quite simple, Do the Right Thing. These actions may include general acts of kindness, providing assistance to those in need, taking initiative to right a wrong, or by simply doing what they know to be right in a given situation.
The following CCPS students were recently honored at the February 7, 2013 Do The Right Thing Program sponsored by the Punta Gorda Police Department:
- Tristen Boley, 6th grader at Punta Gorda Middle School, was honored for his efforts to collect and return a woman's wallet he found during the Haunting in the Harbor event in Punta Gorda.
- Rachel Dunleavy, 4th grader at Sallie Jones Elementary School, was honored for her efforts to organize a community-wide collection of backpacks, school supplies, toys, and other essentials to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
- Samson DelTorto, 8th grader at L.A. Ainger Middle School, was honored for volunteering to perform "Taps" during a class visit to the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial in honor of his family members who have served in the military and for all those whose names' are on The Wall.
- Christopher Pappas, 6th grader at Punta Gorda Middle School, was honored for his efforts to collect and return a woman's diamond wedding ring he had found at a restaurant after she had accidentally left it in the restroom.
- Scott Greenwald, 8th grader at The Academy, was honored for being an inspiration to other students who face difficult home-life situations. Scott is participating in the PASS program at The Academy in an effort to complete his 8th and 9th grade credits in one year after falling behind due to circumstances beyond his control. Scott was chosen as the overall winner for the month of February's Do The Right Thing Program.
Two Port Charlotte High Students Place as National Merit Scholar Finalists
Port Charlotte High School is proud to announce that Jesse Hevia and Richard Pham have earned the prestigious distinction of National Merit Scholar Finalists. The Pirates join together in commending both students on their hard work and dedication that have earned them this honor.
To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout the high school years, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier qualifying test performance. The Semifinalist and a school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s self-descriptive essay and information about the Semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists advanced to the Finalist level and it is from this group that all Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.
The selection of some 8,400 Merit Scholarship Winners from the group of more than 15,000 Finalists will be announced in March.
Congratulations Jesse Hevia and Richard Pham!
Aspiring Young Scientists Receive a Summer Research Opportunity at FGCU
The following students have been awarded the incredible opportunity for an all expense paid Summer Research Opportunity at Florida Gulf Coast University for two weeks this summer to conduct research along side scientists and professors. This is an incredible honor for these young aspiring scientists. They will even have an opportunity to professionally publish. They were awarded this based on their application and two essays.
- Samantha Cahill, L.A Ainger Middle
- Colton Montgomery, LA Ainger Middle
- Hazen Williams, Murdock Middle
- Bana Jarrah, Murdock Middle
- Brittany McGivern, Port Charlotte Middle
- Noelle Bishop, Port Charlotte Middle
- Nicholas O'Donnell, Punta Gorda Middle
- Nicole Burg, Punta Gorda Middle
Congratulations to the 56th Annual Regional Science and Inventors Fair Award Winners
The 56th Annual Regional Science and Inventors Fairs was held Saturday, February 2, 2013 and the awards night for the Science Fair was Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at Alico Arena. Approximately 475 students from over 80 schools participated in Science Fair and competed for over $900,000 in scholarships and prizes. The following Charlotte County Students were awarded prizes. These students are representing over 11,000 students working at the school level.
Port Charlotte Middle Students Win 1st and 2nd Place in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest
Robert Morris, 8th grade student placed first, and Makaylah Russell, 8th grade student placed second in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest. These students were honored for winning the 2013 MLK Essay Contest at the MLK Community Breakfast hosted by the Blanchard House Museum at Punta Gorda Middle School on January 19, 2013. The first place prize was $50 and second place received $25. Their teacher, Mrs. Liza McDaniel was also awarded a $25 prize for helping to facilitate the contest. Congratulations to these two students and Mrs. McDaniel for their hard work.
L.A. Ainger Middle Student, Eleanor Keys, Selected as One of the Top Three State Winners in the Patriot's Pen Essay Contest
Congratulations to L.A. Ainger Middle School 8th grade student Eleanor Keys, 13, on being selected as on of the top three state winners in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot's Pen essay contest. Being selected at this level is the first step in becoming the Department of Florida's winner.
Eleanor responded to the essay prompt "what I would tell the Founding Fathers" by developing her main idea "that the Founding Fathers created the basis and foundation of which America has built upon to become the great nation that it is today, and that because of this, a nation honors and thanks them each and every day for their contributions," said Eleanor.
On Saturday, February 16, 2013, Ellie and her parents along with her sister Kate, a Lemon Bay High School freshman, will travel to Lake Buena Vista, FL, to attend the VFW Celebration of Achievement banquet, where she and other top state essayists learn who is the state winner.
Two Port Charlotte Middle School Students Honored with "Do The Right Thing" Awards
The Punta Gorda Police Department Sponsors a Monthly "Do The Right Thing" Program. This program recognizes youth who quite simple, Do the Right Thing. These actions may include general acts of kindness, providing assistance to those in need, taking initiative to right a wrong, or by simply doing what they know to be right in a given situation.
Shamar Harvey, an 8th grader at Port Charlotte Middle was walking home from school and came across an elderly gentleman who was unable to walk and in need of medical attention. Shamar ran back to school, placed a call to 911, then proceeded to return to the elderly gentleman and waited with him until assistance arrived. Shamar was recognized for his valiant behavior in the November Recognition ceremony and was selected as the overall winner for his actions.
Makayla Clark, also an 8th grader at Port Charlotte Middle was recognized in the December Recognition ceremony after she found two cell phones and turned them in. The cell phones were government issued phones and were immediately returned to their rightful owners.
Congratulations to both students for doing the right thing and setting an example for their fellow students.
Murdock Middle School Wins the Fall 2012 Anti-Bullying National Championship
Murdock Middle School Principal Maria Gifford was proud to announce that her 8th grade students have received national recognition and award for their recent participation in an anti-bullying competition hosted by Students in the Know and Bullying Academy. Between the months of September and December 2012, Murdock Middle School students demonstrated what they know about anti-bullying and outscored all the other participating 8th graders in the country. The school will receive a trophy and the fall participation statistics which will show how the students scored on each of the quiz categories.
Congratulations to Principal Gifford and students
for this major accomplishment. Contest results can be seen at this link: http://bullyingacademy.org/default.cfm?Page=SchoolResults
Port Charlotte High School's Model UN Team Ranked as Top Five Program in the Nation
According to Best Delegate.com, the clearinghouse and accepted authority of all things Model UN, Port Charlotte High School's Model UN team is ranked in the very top tier of the rankings. They released their fall rankings of the "Best Model United Nations Academic Teams in the Country, and PCHS is listed in the top five programs of the nation!
Joining the Pirates at the top of the national rankings are: The Horace Mann School in New York City, The Dalton School, also in NYC, Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, CA, and Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach, CA
CCPS High Schools ALL Earn a Grade of "A" from the Florida Department of Education
Dr. Doug Whittaker, Superintendent of Charlotte County Public Schools is proud to announce that Charlotte High School, Lemon Bay High School, and Port Charlotte High School all earned a grade of "A" from the Florida Department of Education.
Congratulations to principals Richard Shafer (CHS), Dan Jeffers (LBHS), Steve Dionisio (PCHS), their staff, students and families for all of their dedication and hard work to achieve this prestigious honor.
CCPS Middle School Students Win the World Aids Day Poster Contest
Many thanks to Eric Stockley from the Charlotte County Health Department where World Aids Day Posters were displayed and voted on. Charlotte County 8th grade 
students from L.A. Ainger Middle School's art class taught by Ms. Broyles and Punta Gorda Middle School's art class taught by Ms. Fedonni submitted their artistic posters to help raise awareness for World Aids Day. The posters were voted on by staff and clients who visit the health department and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners were chosen from each school. Congratulations to Hailey Chaperon, 1st Place; Yui Fujii, 2nd Place; and Taylor Polisio, 3rd Place from L.A. Ainger Middle; and to Sheree Christensen, 1st Place; Shania Francois, 2nd Place; and Amanda Cahusac, 3rd Place from Punta Gorda Middle.
Click here to view the news story featured on WINK TV.
CTC Dual Enrolled Aviation Students Participate in Daughter In Aviation Event Hosted by Harborside Aviation
Jean Lewis, co-owner of Harborside Aviation at Punta Gorda Airport held an event to introduce the young ladies of the Charlotte Aerospace Institute (CAI) to the world of flight. The CAI is a partnership between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Charlotte County Public Schools where students take dual enrollment courses in aeronautical science, engineering and aviation maintenance science at the Charlotte Technical Center. Jean contacted Karen Candiani, Director of the CAI and ERAI professor. Karen suggested that Jean invite the Women's Ambassadors for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach campus. The mission of the ERAU Women's Ambassadors is to inspire young women to pursue an education in aviation and/or aerospace.
Three Ambassadors arrived at Punta Gorda Airport in an Embry-Riddle Cessna 172. Women's Ambassador Program coordinator and creator Shaesta Waiz was accompanied by ERAU junior Karson Peterson and instructor pilot, Gina Smolar. These women are working hard and are pursuing their dreams; you would be hard pressed to find better role models for any student. They inspired the CCPS students with a STEM activity and one-on-one conversations. After these activities, the students were able to fly in Harborside's flight school Cessna 172.
For more information about Harborside Aviation, please call Jean Lewis at 941-639-0057. To enroll in the Charlotte Aerospace Institute, please call Karen Candiani at 941-255-7500 ext 280.
Charlotte High School Engaging Special Needs Students Through a Real World Approach
Recently Jeff Cain's class at Charlotte High, along with the assistance of classroom aide Mrs. Lauri Kennedy, completed a project to help students apply a hands-on approach. The goal was to start teaching the students how to plan, create, and sell simple holiday wooden craft items. The students started with a small budget (most materials were donated to begin), then built items and sold them to make a small profit. The profit was used to continue the wooden crafts as well as to help the class run activities and go on field trips in the future. The students planned, designed, figured pre-costs, and obtained the needed items. 
They went through the process of learning to hand saw, sand, paint, and add the detailed features. Students marketed their products, took orders, and delivered the items. After all funds were collected, the students then figured the profit gain/loss using receipts and expenditures. The students were very motivated and enjoyed the process of learning in different ways, as well as learning the basics of running a small business.
Port Charlotte Middle School Students Win the VFW Post 5690 2012 Patriot's Pen Essay Contest
Port Charlotte Middle is proud to announce that 8th Grader, Danielle Francis, was presented a certificate for overall winner of the VFW Post 5690 Patriot's Pen Essay by Mr. Emil Venclik, Jr, Vice Commander of the VFW Post 5690. In April, she has been invited to attend a dinner hosted by the local VFW and will be awarded $300 at that time. In addition, her essay has qualified her for their district competition.
Mr. Venclik also present 7th Graders Tristan Martell and 
Gage Wysk with $50 checks and Special Recognition Award Certificates.
Port Charlotte Middle School had 84 students who submitted essays in this competition.
Murdock Middle Schools Collects "Lids for Kids" to Build a Memorial Bench
"Lids for Kids" is a program where students partner with Recycled Plastic Factory, Inc. RPF, Inc collects plastic lids, melts them down and creates benches out of this recycled material. For several years, the students at Murdock Middle have been saving and collecting lids to turn in to their homeroom teachers. Mrs. Vida's Environmental class gathers them weekly as part of they recycling efforts around campus.
Recently, Charlotte County Commissioner Stephen R. Deutch visited Mrs. Vida's class to drop off his donation (4 boxes of bottle caps) to help their cause.
This year's project will be dedicated to the memory of a classmate who passed away last year. If you would like to help the class achieve their goal, you can do so by saving your caps and dropping them off at Murdock Middle School.
"Lids for Kids", saving the world on lid at a time through recycling. For more information, visit their website at www.recycledplasticfactory.com
Port Charlotte High School's Model UN Team Triumphs in Montreal!
Port Charlotte High's Model United Nations Academic Team traveled to Montreal, Canada the first week of November, 2012, to participate in the largest and most prestigious Model UN competition in Canada. Top MUN programs from across Canada and five other countries competed in the four-day event. The 26-member PCHS delegation won the coveted Blue Helmet Award as the conference's Best Large School Delegation. This was the PCHS team's fifth Blue Helmet Award in five tries.
Winning First Place Gavels for outstanding performance were: Seniors - Emily Byrski, Joe Capeto, Joel Davis, and Richard Pham; Juniors - Nick Dunakey, Thomas Eliott, Alex Frederick, Lauren Katz, Elana Powell, Phendli Proux and Caleb Torres; Freshman - Ethan Katz.
Winning Third Place Honorable Mention Awards were: Seniors - Megan Desjardins and Jess Hevia; Freshman - Matt Amontree.
A number of other PCHS delegates put in inspired performances that helped the team achieve this unprecedented success. Next up for the Pirate MUNers will be the world championships at the University of Pennsylvania in January, where PCHS will attempt to improve on last year's #4 world ranking.
Charlotte High Robotics Team Takes Third Place in First-Ever Competition
On Saturday, November 10, 2012, the CHS Tarpon Robotics FTC Team #6451 competed in their first ever round of the SWFL FTC (First Tech Challenge) at Mariner High School. The CHS team won 3rd place in Game Performance and 3rd place Judges Award trophies out of 9 participating teams. CHS Career and Technical Education Teacher and Student Advisor Chris George was very proud of the team and how well they represented Charlotte High. Team members are: Nate Barnhart, Caleb Gaskins, Jo Hollis, Christian Lombardi, Joshua Moran, Stephanie Nardi, Rafael Rambia, Marc Sukennikoff, and J.J. Trentacosta.
The next round is on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at South Fort Myers High School. Scores are tabulated from each round for a qualifying spot at the Florida Championships in March.
Murdock Middle School R.O.S Students Partner with H.E.L.P. to Stock Charlotte County Food Pantries
On Tuesday, November 6, 2012, the H.E.L.P of Charlotte County hosted a charity auction to raise monies necessary to feed less fortunate families of Charlotte County. H.E.L.P. has partnered up with Murdock Middle School to assist with their food pantry. In return the Respect Our School (ROS) students volunteer their time working at various fund-raisers that H.E.L.P. is involved with.
H.E.L.P. placed on their flyer a request from the auction participants to bring in cereal, peanut butter, jelly and toiletries to be donated to Murdock Middle. The donation were collected at the November 6th event and delivered to Murdock Middle by Elaine Oliver, Executive Director on November 8th.
The next scheduled event is a turkey drive on Saturday, November 17, 2012 at Phil Wilson Realty located at 4485 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The goal is to receive 700 turkeys to be distributed for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Murdock Middle School students and staff, as well as, Charlotte County Sheriff Office employees will be at this location to assist with this event. In return, Murdock Middle School will receive some turkeys to distribute to families that have been identified as needing assistance.
Murdock Middle School Students are on the Technology Fast Track
Murdock Middle School was one of only 15 middle schools in the state of Florida to be selected as a new CAPE (Career and Professional Education) Academy for Technology Excellence. Students there, now, have the opportunity to earn impressive industry certifications in Microsoft and Adobe Software. These are the very same certifications earned by college students, teachers, and even CEOs of major corporations.
Seven students participating in the Academy for Technology Excellence recently passes their Microsoft Word exam last week, and now have the distinction of holding the coveted Industry Certifications. Murdock's Principal, Maria Gifford, is happy to announce the names of the first group of students to achieve the status of becoming Microsoft Specialists and they are: Gabrielle Cangiano, Hailey Hensler, Nicholas Hishmeh, Amber Hrabak, Summer Luterotty, Will Montgomery, and Hazen Williams.
This program was all made possible through a Technical Assistance Demonstration Project sponsored by Workforce Florida Inc. and delivered by The Whetstone Group, a consulting firm specializing in youth talent development. This project, which supports Governor Scott’s education plan for the state of Florida, made it possible for the school to receive technical assistance in being set up as an official Certiport testing center, complete with training software programs that are designed to help candidates become successful in their mission. The level of technology training these students are receiving not only increases their employability chances, but in some cases, obtaining these valuable certifications will also allow them  to be eligible to receive high school credit points toward Bright Futures Scholarships, or even college credits recognized at many universities.
The "Pride" of Port Charlotte High Marching Band Rates Superior at FBA Festival
The "Pride" of Port Charlotte Marching Band performed for evaluation this past Saturday, October 27, 2012 for the Florida Bandmasters Association annual District 11 marching band festival held in Brandenton Florida. Performing their 2012 Competitive show: Apollo 13, A Successful Failure, the "Pride" received superior ratings in the area of: music, marching and maneuvering, general effect, and percussion, and an excellent rating in Color Guard. The "Pride" received an overall rating of superior, the highest possible rating, for their performance. This marks the 25th consecutive year that the "Pride" has achieved a superior rating!
The "Pride" will perform their entire show for local fans at the Charlotte vs. Port Charlotte football game this Friday, November 2, 2012 at the Pirates Cove Stadium on the campus of Port Charlotte High School.
Port Charlotte High School Model UN Team Wins 12th Consecutive Best Delegation at Georgia Tech Conference
Port Charlotte High's Model United Nations Academic Team won its
12th consecutive Burdell Cup as the Best Delegation at the 15th Annual Georgia Tech Model
UN Conference. Going up against several top twenty teams in the national rankings, the Pirate delegation representing
the Russian Federation took the top award as the conference's Best Delegation. That makes twelve consecutive years that PCHS has won the prestigious event.
Winning First Place Best Delegate Gavels in their respective committees for the Russian delegation were seniors Sara Breitenstein, Joe Capeto, Megan Desjardins, Jesse Hevia and Jordan McGee; juniors Alex Frederick and Caleb Torres.
Winning Second Place Distinguished Delegate Awards for Russia were seniors Joel Davis, Maryann Isaac and Haley Brown; juniors Nick Dunakey, Jessica Liu and Elana Powell, and freshman Ethan Katz.
The Pirates also represented Egypt at Georgia Tech. Pirate individual First Place Best Delegate Award winners representing Egypt were, Senior Emma Flowers, and Juniors Phendli Proux and Thomas Elliot. Winning Second Place Distinguished Delegate Awards were seniors Deanna Hammaker and Emily Byrski.
This victory put the Pirates on a path to a third consecutive top five International Ranking. The team next competes at McGill University in Montreal Canada in November.
Charlotte Harbor Center Student Dade Austin Honored with "Do the Right Thing" Award
On October 4, 2012, the Punta Gorda Police Department's "Do the Right Thing" program honored 12th grader Dade Austin of the Charlotte Harbor Center.
Dade is the first CHC student to be recognized for this award.
Dade was home alone with his great-grandmother recently when she became injured. His great-grandmother fell and was not able to get up on her own. Dade used his quick thinking skills and went to a neighbor's home for help. His great-grandmother remained in the hospital for several days as a result of her injury. "Not panicking and knowing what to do is a big accomplishment for students in my class." Dade's teacher wrote.
Dade is involved in Special Olympics and participates in a variety of activities including swimming, golf, softball, basketball and power lifting. He also loves computer activities and games as well as riding his bike. Dade is the grandson of Patricia and Daniel Wilbur.
Charlotte High Student Ricki Hemstreet Named as Commended Student in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program
Principal Richard Shafer of Charlotte High School will be presenting a Letter of Commendation to CHS student Ricki Hemstreet from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Ricki is one of approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation that are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended students place among the top 5% of more than 1.5 millions students who entered the 2013 competition by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
Three Port Charlotte High School Seniors Place as Semifinalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program
Hundreds of high school students throughout Florida were among 16,000 students nationwide who were named as semifinalists for the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Congratulations to Port Charlotte High School Seniors Shannon Henesy, Richard Pham, and Jesse Hevia for achieving this prestigious honor from Charlotte County.
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| Shannon Henesy | Richard Pham | Jesse Hevia |
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National Merit Scholarship Corporation officials recognized high school seniors with the highest scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test who met published program participation requirements. Semifinalists are now eligible to compete for one of 2,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million.
Child Author and Peace River Elementary Student Autumn R. Sullivan Visits Myakka River Elementary's Family Reading Night
Autumn Sullivan is a fifth grade student at Peace River Elementary School. She also co-authored two books with her mother Mary; "If I Had a Daddy", and "If We Were Best Friends." Autumn and her mom are currently working on two more books.
Autumn and her mother recently visited the Myakka River Family Reading Night on September 6, 2012 where she shared her books with students and their families and signed autographs.
The Myakka River Elementary Family Resource Center is open every Thursday evening or Thursday morning for students and their families.
Lemon Bay High School Senior Shannon Casey Made the Most of her Summer Vacation!
Shannon Casey, Senior at Lemon Bay High School recently blogged about her busy and productive summer. She participated in 4 different STEM related programs, that she not only thoroughly enjoyed but benefited greatly from. She first participated in the STEM Summer Bridge Program at Lemon Bay High School where she researched a career in Biomedical Engineering and was able to interview the Senior Director of Engineers at CAE Healthcare in Sarasota. She then participated in the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine's Medical Science Academy in Bradenton where she studied several areas of osteopathic care. 
Later in June, she traveled to North Carolina State University to participate in the Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering program where she and her fellow students made their own fuel cell miniature car. Finally she spent a week in Houston Texas at the Johnson Space Center where she participated in the Women in High School Aerospace Scholars program and planned a "mission to mars" and met with NASA professionals. Congratulations to Shannon on her unforgettable summer experience!
Murdock Middle School's Respect Our School Program Receives $1500 Grant from Wal-Mart for the School Food Pantry
During the 2011-2012 school year, Murdock Middle School's Respect our School (R.O.S.) students took on the task of ending hunger for the families at Murdock Middle School. To accomplish this goal, the students started a Food Pantry that allowed students who would benefit from the program an opportunity to shop in our school food pantry to take home for after-school and weekend meals. The students are brought down anonymously to shop. The program was a great success and we serviced approximately 26 families toward the end of the year.
For the 2012-2013 year, the R.O.S. students wrote a grant under Wal-Mart's hunger relief category and were selected to receive a $1,500.00 check. The money will go for a great cause and will allow them to identify and service more families in need. With the money from Wal-Mart and the donations from staff and other Murdock Middle School families, this should be a great year. Wal-Mart's manager, Rich, presented the $1,500.00 check to a few members of Murdock Middle School's ROS club.
"I am very proud of the ROS students to take on such a challenging feat. Their dedication to helping others and volunteering their time to make this program work shows the character that Murdock Middle School students possess. The donations that Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart employees continue to contribute to our students are unbelievable. The happiness and appreciation that the students show will forever impact all of us." - Deputy Joella Moore, School Resource Officer at Murdock Middle School.
CTC Students Win at National SkillsUSA Championships
Two Charlotte Technical Center students were recently announced as national winners of the annual SkillsUSA Championships on Wednesday June 27, 2012 at the Awards Ceremony of SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri. Nicholas Kukulski and Gabrielle Pipitone received a bronze medal in Aviation Maintenance Technology and a bronze medal in Dental Assisting respectively.
Over 5,600 outstanding career and technical education students joined in the excitement of hands on competition in 94 different trade, technical, and leadership fields. Working against the clock and each other, the participants proved their expertise in job skills for occupations such as electronics, technical drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts. There were also competitions in leadership skills, such as extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings by parliamentary procedures.
In the Aviation Maintenance Technology contest, Nick and the other contestants performed 12 tasks that represent the types of maintenance they will handle in the aircraft industry. The contest scope is consistent with the airframe and power plant mechanics certification guide published by the Federal Aviation Administration. Aviation maintenance is the only maintenance profession certified by the federal government. This is the first time a CTC student has competed in this contest so CTC and its partner, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, are quite proud of Nick's accomplishment!
In the Dental Assisting contest, Gabby and the other contestants performed procedures specified in the accreditation standards for Dental Assisting Education Programs of the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Students compete in chair-side assisting; preparation of dental materials; infection control; and emergency, laboratory and office procedures. Skills evaluated may include administrative, clinical or laboratory dental areas. A CTC student has qualified and competed in this national competition for the past three years; however, this is the first time a student has brought home a medal in this area. CTC and our local dental office partners would like to congratulate her!
SkillsUSA is the national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education. It sponsors the SkillsUSA Championships annually to recognize the achievements of career and technical education students and to encourage them to strive for excellence and pride in their chosen occupations. For more information, visit www.skillsusa.org.
CHS Student and TSIC Scholar Samantha Tipton Wins Congressional Art Competition
Congratulations to the Take Stock in Children scholar, Samantha Tipton, who recently won first place in the Congressional Art Competition. Samantha, a Charlotte High School 2012 senior, was selected as the winner by Congressman Tom Rooney, the 16th District U.S. Representative. Samantha's art piece will hang in the U.S. Capitol Building for the next year. She was also awarded with two round-trip tickets to Washington D.C. to attend the winner's reception on June 20, 2012.
Congratulations to the Take Stock in Children 2012 Scholars!
Take Stock in Children was established in 1995 as a non-profit organization in Florida that provides a unique opportunity for low-income and at-risk students, many from minority families, to escape the cycle of poverty through education. We offer our students college scholarships, caring volunteer mentors and hope for a better life. Our comprehensive services start in middle school, continue through high school and include their transition into college.
2012 Graduating Seniors
- Charlotte High School - Stephen Kussmaul, II, and Samantha Tipton
- Lemon Bay High School - Lester Cassidy, Mark Jensen, Theresa Kashishian, and Crystal Slone
- Port Charlotte High School - Danielle Chittem, Deja Gaines, Kyle Potts, Lynnetta Small, and Anthony Torres
The Charlotte Local Education Foundation is proud to administer this program in Charlotte County and would like to congratulate all the Take Stock in Children scholars. This year 63, students participated in the program with 11 graduating, 10 planning to attend college, and one entering the Marines.
Please visit the Charlotte Local Education Foundation's web site for more information about these outstanding students.
For more information, or if you would like to post information to this page, please contact:
Mike Riley
Manager of Adult Education/Community Liaison
941-255-7430
Michael_Riley@ccps.k12.fl.us