Brevard Public Schools ‘News In A Minute’ Highlights Outstanding Students
By Space Coast Daily // April 27, 2015
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Christy Goldfuss, Managing Director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, announced that Manatee Elementary is among the 2015 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees.
The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools launched the annual award in 2011 to recognize the highest performing green schools in the nation.
This award recognizes exemplary achievement in reducing environmental impact and costs; improving health and wellness; and providing effective environmental and sustainability education. In total, across the country, 58 schools and 14 districts were honored for their exemplary efforts.
“I am so proud of the Manatee Elementary community for the years of hard work to make our school environmentally friendly which led us to this prestigious award,” said Carl Brown, principal of Manatee Elementary.
“Being green and teaching our students the importance of protecting the environment for future generations is a lifelong learning experience.”
For more information, please contact Brown at 321-433-0050 or brown.carl@brevardschools.org
Three Brevard Students Named National Merit Scholarship Winners
VIERA, FLA. – Caleb Bryant, senior from West Shore Jr./Sr, High, and Edgewood Jr./Sr. seniors Lindsay Richards and Alexander Shishlov, have been named 2015 National Merit Scholarship winners, one of the nation’s highest academic honors.
These outstanding students are among 47 selected from Florida and were chosen from a talent pool of more than 16,000 Finalists in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Most of the scholarship awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is a not-for-profit organization established in 1955 to conduct the National Merit Scholarship Program and about 200 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations finance the scholarship awards.
The winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
For more information, please visit www.nationalmerit.org
Jefferson Awards Honors Bayside High As Brevard County Recipient For Outstanding Service
PALM BAY, FLA. – The Jefferson Awards-Deloitte Students in Action (SIA) program selected Bayside High as the Brevard County Recipient for Outstanding Service (by a high school) at the 2015 Regional Competition in Viera.
Throughout this school year, the SIA team at Bayside hosted and engaged in many service projects in support of its local community.
Some of the organizations the team collaborated with include the Wounded Warrior Project, Caring Cups, Key Club International, SGA, American Cancer Society, Operation Christmas Child, National BETA Club and ROTC.
Bayside tracked over 5,000 service hours with a financial impact of over $112,750 dollars to the community.
The SIA program currently operates in over 325 high schools nationwide and in 12 regions. Bayside High will represent the Central Florida region at the National Ceremony and Gala Event in June in Washington, DC.
For more information about the Jefferson Awards, please contact Ginger Blair, communications program coordinator, at 321-633-1000 ext. 644 or blair.ginger@brevardschools.org
BPS Odyssey of the Mind Teams Win at State Tourney
ORLANDO, FLA. – Numerous Brevard Public Schools participated in the Odyssey of the Mind Florida State Tournament on April 11 at UCF in Orlando.
Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.
The Florida State Tournament asked Odyssey teams to compete in one of five separate problems: Runaway ‘Train,’ Experiencing Technical Difficulties, Pandora’s Box, Lose Your Marbles, or Silent Movie.
BPS’ winning teams and their divisions are as follows:
Problem 1: Runaway ‘Train’
• Division I – 5th Place, John F. Turner Elementary
• Division II – 12th Place, Central Middle; 14th Place, Robert L. Stevenson Elementary
Problem 2: Experiencing Technical Difficulties
• Division I – 8th Place, Roy Allen Elementary
• Division III – 3rd Place, Melbourne High
Problem 3: Pandora’s Box
• Division I – 4th Place, Sea Park Elementary
• Division II – 2nd Place, Central Middle **; 8th Place DeLaura Middle; and 14th Place, Challenger 7 Elementary
Problem 4: Lose Your Marbles
• Division I – 11th Place, Freedom 7 Elementary
• Division II – 1st Place, Edgewood Jr./Sr. High **
• Division III – 5th Place, Space Coast Jr./Sr. High
Problem 5: Silent Movie
• Division I – 14th Place, Robert L. Stevenson Elementary Division II – 8th Place, Sunrise Elementary; 14th Place, Central Middle
• Division III – 4th Place, Space Coast Jr./Sr. High; 6th Place, West Shore Jr./Sr. High; 8th Place, Melbourne High
The schools designated with ** will now advance to the World Finals, which will be held at Michigan State University from May 20 – 23.
West Shore Jr./Sr. High Students Win Big at French Congrès 2015
MELBOURNE, FLA. – West Shore Jr./Sr. High students represented their school brilliantly at this year’s French Congrès, where overall the group took home 26 Superieurs, 9 Excellents, and five Bons ribbons for their achievements.
The French Congrès event asks students to competively perform in plays, skits, quiz games, projects, conversations and formal interviews, all performed in French, for various awards and merits.
West Shore’s winners include senior Allison Eaton, who was selected for an all-expense-paid French government study-abroad scholarship for two weeks and senior Shelly Mitchell, who won the Suzanne Carroll Scholarship of $500 to continue her French studies next year in college.
Both of the West Shore French plays won the Supérieur ranking, and one specifically received the Prix du Jury (Judges’ Award of Distinction). Additionally, West Shore’s French Brain Bowl members Eric DiGioia, Shelley Mitchell, and Jacqueline Paylor, won the state championship award.
For more information, please contact LaDona Miller, world languages resource teacher, at 321-633-1000 ext. 320 or miller.ladona@brevardschools.org
Toyota and Discovery Education Name Bayside High Students as Finalists in Toyota Teendrive365 Video Challenge
PALM BAY, FLA. – Toyota and Discovery Education announced Bayside High students, Trevor Pinckney and Thomas Zelios, as one of the top ten finalists in the annual Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge.
Now in its fourth year, the Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, invites teens across the country to create short videos to inspire their friends to drive more safely and avoid risky behavior behind the wheel.
ABOVE VIDEO: Toyota and Discovery Education announced that Trevor Pinckney and Thomas Zelios, students at Bayside High School of Brevard Public Schools in Palm Bay, triumphed over 1,000 entrants from across the country to be one of the top ten finalists in the annual Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge.
Now through April 30, these top ten inspirational videos will appear online for public voting to not only determine the People’s Choice Winner, but to also send a national reminder about the importance of safe teen driving.
Visit www.TeenDrive365InSchool.com/vote to view the other top nine videos and place their votes for the ‘People’s Choice Winner,’ who will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a behind-the-scenes trip to a taping of a Velocity network show.
For more information, please contact Shawnee Cohn, Discovery Education publicist, at 240-662-2661 orShawneecohn@discovery.com.
Heritage High’s Chamber Orchestra Performs at Florida State
PALM BAY, FLA. – Heritage High’s chamber orchestra, comprised of 20 students, performed for the faculty and staff of the College of Music at Florida State University.
As one of the largest music programs in higher education, the College of Music’s comprehensive curricula embraces all traditional areas of music and world music study from the baccalaureate to the doctoral level.
As one of the leading music institutions in the world, the College enjoys an international reputation. It was a great honor for Heritage’s students to perform for these esteemed professors and employees.
For more information, please contact Colin Turey, director of the Sports Medicine Academy, at 321-722-4178 ext. 29093 or turey.colin@brevardschools.org
Brevard Manatees Join Sabal Students For Morning Mile
MELBOURNE, FLA. – Manny the Manatee and several Brevard Manatee baseball players joined Sabal student and teachers for their Morning Mile exercise on April 17.
To encourage Sabal students to continue walking each morning, the Brevard Manatees offered their support by jogging with students, handing out high fives, and giving away prizes. The students left the event inspired by their fellow cheerleaders and hope to have the Manatees visits again in the future.
For more information, please contact Tammy Culp, Title I teacher, at 321-254-7261 ext. 3015 orculp.tammy@brevardschools.org
Tropical Elementary To Host An Evening of the Arts Event
MERRITT ISLAND, FLA. – Tropical Elementary will host an Evening of Arts in the school’s outdoor café and media center on May 5, beginning at 5 p.m.
The Evening of Arts will highlight the creative efforts of the students and their corresponding activity classes. The school program includes a chimes & guitar concert, a free face-painting booth staffed by Art Club students, and the Spring Scholastic Book Fair. Music begins promptly at 5:30 p.m. and families are invited to visit all the events thereafter.
For more information, please contact Samantha Alison, principal, at 321-454-1080 or alison.samantha@brevardschools.org
Edgewood Jr./Sr. Student Wins County-Wide Spelling Bee
MERRITT ISLAND, FLA. – Edgewood Jr./Sr. student, Jordyn Vu, won first place in the Dwight E. Jones Medical Terminology Spelling Bee, hosted by the Doctors Goodwill Foundation at the Space Coast Stadium on April 18.
The spelling bee, which was open to students in grades 5 – 12, was part of the daylong celebration of fun and family heath. Other features of the day included expert speakers presenting free seminars, a Health Fair with over 100 exhibitors displaying the latest and best products and services to maintain health, and a Continuing Medical Education event.
For more information, please contact Dr. Ken Winn, principal, at 321-454-1030 or winn.ken@brevardschools.org
Parents of Children with Disabilities Survey – Now Open!
BREVARD COUNTY, FLA. – The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) invites parents of children with disabilities to complete its annual survey, which is open from February 1 – May 31, 2015.
Each year, the FLDOE surveys parents of children with an individual educational plan (IEP) to determine how well the child’s school is partnering and promoting involvement in the child’s education.
All states must collect this data as part of their State Performance Plan, as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The feedback is important in helping the state and local school systems continue improving educational programs for children with special needs.
The survey is available online at Esesurvey.com or a paper survey may be requested from your school. Paper surveys will be available in both English and Spanish.
