Category: Community

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The skies of March

On many ancient calendars, March was the first month of the year. This makes sense because it was the time of year for new beginnings, such as the planting of crops. The last few months of the year get their name from that arrangement, by the way. Counting from March, September becomes the seventh month of the year, October the eighth month, and so forth. It’s also why Aries, the Ram, is usually written first when listing the Zodiac signs (if you’re into that sort of thing).

This month’s challenge for beginners: finding Leo, the Lion. One easy way to find Leo is to pretend that the cup of the Big Dipper has sprung a leak — the imaginary drip will take you straight to the lion. Leo has a very distinctive arc of stars that looks like a backward question mark and forms his head and chest. This asterism is called the Sickle. At the bottom of the arc is the bright, beautiful star Regulus. Meaning “little King,” it is also called the Heart of the Lion.

This month’s telescope/astrophotography challenge: the Beehive Cluster in Cancer. This cluster, M44 on the Messier list, is one of the brightest open clusters in the night sky. (Open clusters are relatively young stars that are formed from the same nebula of material.) It can be seen by the naked eye and, therefore, was known to the ancients such as Ptolemy. It will be high in the evening sky all month long — check it out!

Sky highlights this month:

  • March 1. Launch of an Atlas V rocket by United Launch Alliance from Cape Canaveral. This mission will send an NOAA satellite into geostationary orbit.
  • March 2 — New Moon. The best time of the month to look for Deep Sky Objects. So, take a telescope or binoculars and get out to a dark location.
  • March 18 — Full Moon. Nicknamed the Worm Moon by some ancient Native American tribes for the time of year when the ground softened enough for earthworms to be seen again.
  • March 20 — Vernal Equinox. Welcome to spring! Finally, the deep snows and icy roads of South Florida will begin to thaw… 😉. The direct rays of the Sun cross into the Northern Hemisphere on this date, and day and night are of (nearly) equal length.
  • March 20. Venus will reach its greatest distance (“elongation”) from the morning Sun on this date. Be sure to catch this brilliant white diamond in the sky just before sunrise.
  • March 30. Launch of a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket with a Crew Dragon capsule from SpaceX. This is a tourism mission planned by a private company called Axiom. This date may change.

March on, stargazers!

 

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School News – March 2022

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Is it March already? We are gearing up for next year as students are in the process of selecting courses for the next school year. We also hosted our incoming ninth graders for our annual Curriculum Night and were so excited to greet our future Eagles. We are still working hard on our After School Academy tutoring sessions along with our Saturday SAT, ACT, and EOC preparation. We have been very encouraged by the weekly turnout.

Our athletics have been keeping us on the map, as our cheerleaders won the Regional Championship and placed third at States in the Small Coed Division. Go, MSD Cheer! Our Wrestling team finished the regular season with an outstanding 15-2 record and was the No. 2 public school team in the county. In addition, one of our very own competed in the first-ever sanctioned girls FHSAA district championships. Way to make history! As always, our World Guard didn’t disappoint, as they took first place at the SFWGA competition.

A big thank you to our MSD JROTC for hosting a blood drive in September that resulted in the collection of 125 units of blood. In February, we hosted another blood drive, which was a huge success.

As for Douglas Drama, our students competed at Districts, and several are moving on to States in Tampa in late March. Along with States, they are also working on the spring musical, “Something Rotten,” which takes you back to the Renaissance period where Nick Bottom tries to create the first musical but things don’t go exactly as planned. You do not want to miss this hilarious musical unfold on the stage.

Congratulations to our NHS Brain Brawl team as they won the North Area Championship. The next stop is to face the South Area champion for the County Championship. Bring home the gold!

If you had the pleasure of attending our Black History Showcase, you know why there was such an overwhelming response. “Rise Up: A Looking Glass into Black Culture” featured dances, performances, and more that showcased various cultures in the Black diaspora. “At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we pride ourselves in fostering an inclusive environment for all our staff and students,” Coach De Carter stated. “In the month of November, we celebrate all cultures and heritages with our Multicultural show, and in the month of February, we take time to highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by African-Americans.”

Carter added, “Each February is a celebration and powerful reminder that Black history is American history. Our nation was founded on all men being created equal, and here at MSD that is what we believe! Our students worked extremely hard to provide a looking glass into Black culture during our February 4th showcase.”

Noldine Belizaire, president of the Black Student Union and co-director of the show, added, “I had many people come up to me, asking if they could participate in the show, so we opened up many opportunities for them to perform, whether it was declamations, dances, helping backstage, or hosting. The show made me realize how meaningful every performance and everyone’s participation was. We all learned how to work together despite the conflicts, to set aside our differences, and create unity between all cultures.”

A special thank you to all who participated in our Day of Service and Love on Feb. 14 to honor the memory of the 17 lives lost and those who were injured on Feb. 14, 2018. The four on-campus service projects to give back to the community were Feeding Our First Responders, Working in Marjory’s Garden, Spending a Mindful Morning with the MSD Mind-Body Club, and Campus Beautification. We were also humbled to reveal the memorial honoring the victims of the Feb. 14 tragedy as a loving tribute to our fallen Eagles.

As a reminder, school will be closed March 21-25 for Spring Break. March 17 is an early release day, and March 18 and March 28 are both teacher planning days.

 

Westglades Middle School

By Principal Matthew Bianchi

As part of our school-wide Literacy Week activities, Westglades Middle School recently had an acclaimed author visit campus. Our students cannot stop talking about their visit from New York Times best-selling author and Sunshine State Young Readers Award winner James Ponti. He visited Westglades on Feb. 2 to speak with students about his writing process and to promote his newly released book, “City Spies: Forbidden City.”

Students who purchased Ponti’s books or who earned brag tags for reading his books had the opportunity to meet the author for a book signing and question-and-answer event. Additional students attended the event in their classrooms via video conferencing. Ponti also included “confidential” information about upcoming plot elements in the “City Spies” series. His books have been flying off the media center’s shelves.

Our girls’ volleyball team again had an undefeated season and was the Division 1 champion. The team has won the division every year since volleyball returned in 2014-15 and has only lost one regular-season game in that time. They have made the semifinals every year but one. The Westglades girls are led by excellent coaches, Sharon and Kevin Golzbein. The season ended in the MSAA County Semi-finals at Pompano Beach High School against Tequesta Trace. Westglades congratulates Tequesta on its fourth straight County Volleyball Championship. Westglades girls’ athletics is in the running to win the overall sports trophy for 2021-22 because they are the MSAA District Champions in golf and soccer and made it to the Semi-finals in basketball.

We want to wish all our students a nice and restful Spring Break!  Once we return, our school will officially begin the standardized testing season.

Park Trails Elementary

By Principal Arlene Manville

Park Trails is excited to announce our STEAM Track for incoming kindergarten students. Once students register for Park Trails, they can complete the paperwork to enter the lottery for the STEAM Track. Regardless of whether they get into this program, all students at Park Trails will participate in STEAM specials, including Engineering & Robotics, Art & Design, and Multimedia & Technology.

In each of these classes, students will engage in hands-on learning and participate in engineering challenges. They will learn to design, build, and program robots. They will design objects, build them using various objects, and then design them on the computer to create a 3D image using our 3D printers.

We will host our next Open House for prospective students in early April; check our website for details.

Riverglades Elementary

By Christina Chiodo and Kimberly Mann

Spring is almost here and many things are currently blooming at Riverglades Elementary. The students have been working hard and had a blast participating in our green party as they celebrated student growth on their I-Ready assessments. We are so proud of all our Riverglades Gators!

Last month the students got the opportunity to connect and give back to the community. Kindergarten and first-grade students collected donations for the humane society, second- and third-grade students held a collection for the food banks, and fourth- and fifth-grade students collected donations for SOS Children’s Village.

We have a multitude of events going on this month beginning with spring pictures. Students can wear their favorite spring attire as pictures will take place on March 3 and 4. Spring pictures can be a great keepsake as families can look back on them and remember wonderful memories.

Want to see your teacher or principal outside of the school day? Why not pay them a visit at McTeacher’s Night at McDonald’s. On March 9, 20% percent of purchases will be donated back to our school. What a great night to grab a quick bite to eat and support your school.

In the mood for something sweet? The fifth-grade committee has organized the Cherry Smash Food Truck to make an appearance this month.

Just a reminder that March 17 is an early release day. Teacher planning will take place on both March 18 and March 28, so there will not be school for students on those dates. And Spring Break will be March 21 to March 25.

Coral Springs Charter

Spring is all competition at Coral Springs Charter School, so we’re headed into a season of hard work and outstanding performances. On top of the amazing matchups among our spring sports teams, such as baseball, softball, boys’ volleyball, and track, the academic and performance art organizations are gearing up for their competitive seasons. On March 3, the chorus will have its District competition, followed by the DECA State competition in Orlando. Later in the month, the Senior Thespians will have their State Competition in Tampa.

There is also a host of exciting fundraisers happening throughout the month of March! The sophomore class will be hosting an escape room on March 11; students can purchase tickets on MySchoolBucks for an evening of puzzling adventure. On the same night, the Drama Club will be hosting its annual Cup of Joe fundraiser, with open mic performances throughout the evening.

One of the highlights of the spring is the Cambridge trip: During Spring Break, seniors will travel to Berlin, Prague, and the Swiss Alps, experiencing the rich beauty, culture, and history of central Europe. With visits to Dachau, Neuschwanstein Castle, Potsdam, Munich, and beautiful Lucerne, it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience. While we’re excited for those embarking on these wild adventures, we hope the rest of our student population has a restful Spring Break and comes back ready to take on the close of our academic year!

Eagle Ridge Elementary

By Principal Lindsey Sierra

Fourth-grade teacher Seema Naik was named Broward County Public Schools Teacher of the Year at the 2022 Caliber Awards Ceremony.

Naik started her career in education 16 years ago — first as a volunteer so she could be involved in her daughters’ education. She then applied to become a cafeteria aide and a teacher assistant before becoming a primary grade teacher.

“Anyone can take money from your hands, but not your education.” These powerful words spoken by Naik’s parents many years ago shaped her philosophy on education. Naik believes all children have the right to quality education to empower them with critical thinking skills, collaboration strategies, and self-confidence to reach their goals.

“The next generation requires teachers to foster a desire for lifelong learning because of the current technology-dominated era,” said Naik. As part of a family of musicians from India, Naik uses her passion for music to enhance her instruction to create songs and chants with lyrics that incorporate lesson content for her students.

“In my experience as a school leader, there are only a few teachers I would consider to be a pioneer. It is clear-cut in my mind that Mrs. Naik is a STEM pioneer in the education world,” said Principal Lindsey Sierra. “She has led Eagle Ridge in creating new STEM opportunities for our students.”

Heron Heights Elementary

By Lauren Generoso, PTO President

The Scholastic Book Fair is back at Heron Heights Elementary (HHE) for spring with lots of great titles to choose from! Hawks can shop in person and online from March 4 until March 11.

HHE families are invited to our Family STEM Night on Thursday, March 10. This event will be held indoors with lots of fun hands-on activities to enjoy. That evening, parents will get the opportunity to shop at the book fair with their children too. Pizza Carousel in Coral Springs will also be giving back 15% of all sales the day of the event; just mention “HHE.”

Our 2022 Virtual Adult Spring Auction kicks off on March 30 and runs online through April 6. We have lots of cool items to bid on! All funds raised will support educational programs, school events, plus classroom and playground enhancements at Heron Heights.

Want to wish your child “Happy Birthday” on the marquee at HHE? Visit the store on our website, www.hhepto.com, to purchase. The message stays on the marquee for one day, from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. A minimum of one week’s advance notice is required.

 

Coral Springs Middle

We were excited to welcome our incoming sixth-graders to the school on February 23-25. The students had a fun day with activities, presentations, and a tour of the school. We would like to remind our incoming parents about our open house on March 15 at 6 p.m.

The Debate team had a successful tournament at Marjory Stoneman Douglas last month. The students all placed and did a wonderful job. The Drama Club traveled to Orlando to compete in the State Drama Competition. Students will perform in the school’s play, “Madagascar Jr. the Musical,” on April 28 and 29. The public is welcome to attend.

The Coding/Robotics and Girls Who Code clubs are working on fun projects after school. The student government has been planning and coordinating many events at the school over the course of the year.

On Feb. 3, the SGA held its first Kids of Character Recognition Assembly by rewarding students with pizza and treats. More than 100 students were able to attend the event, an amazing job for all our student nominees.

 

Somerset Parkland Academy

By Jennifer Knight, VIPP President

Somerset Parkland Academy (SPA) opened up its second enrollment period for 2022-23 to potential students who live outside the 2.5-mile radius of the school. The lottery for this period will take place on March 7 for any available spots. SPA will have classes in all grades K–8th next year.

In February, SPA celebrated Black History Month in numerous ways and in several subjects, including history, social studies, and art. But the most exciting activity was the Living “Wax” Museum of famous African-Americans in history. Each grade was assigned a different decade, and the students chose an influential person in science, business, politics, or sports to research. They wrote several paragraphs detailing that individual’s impact on the country and then stood before their fellow classmates with props and note cards making a presentation in first person as that individual. The students took it very seriously and learned a lot about these very important people in American history.

February also saw SPA host a Love and Service Week. Our students created and dropped off numerous shoeboxes of toiletries, socks, masks, and sanitizer in the Boxes of Love project organized with the Kids Care Club. Along with other activities each day, the school honored Marjory Stoneman Douglas on Feb. 14 with maroon and gray ribbons and ended the week with a day showering love on our school resource officer. Next up in March: a book fair and Boosterthon.

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Heard it all before in the vet clinic

There are so many situations where I have heard from my clients that they are going to try it on their own.

Aggression: I will observe a dog in desperate need of a trainer, especially after it bites a child or growls at family members. Typically, before we get to that situation, I have already recommended a trainer and they want to give it one more try.

Weight loss: I will hear the excuse “It was the holidays, and we all gain weight.” I remind them that the pet has been gaining weight for a year, and how about trying a diet food?

Arthritis pain: The pet may sleep all day, or it limps, or it might even have trouble getting up or into position to defecate because of pain.

I have heard hundreds of times that my clients don’t want to start something that the pet will be on for life. That’s the way it works. Hopefully, there will be pain relief and improved quality of life for the rest of the pet’s life.

Let me introduce you to Kendall. She is an 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and one of the sweetest dogs that I have ever met. Cavaliers (for short) have a predisposition for heart disease. Clinically they are normal for many years, but during auscultation with a stethoscope, a heart murmur heard in this breed when they are younger typically means that they will have a shortened life expectancy. Most owners who do research on Cavaliers always pay attention and get nervous when the veterinarian listens to their pet’s heart. I usually will give a thumbs up or a nod if I don’t hear a murmur, and the owner’s sense of relief is immediate.

I have been monitoring Kendall’s heart murmur since she was 5 years old. When Kendall was 7-plus years, I sent her to the cardiologist who confirmed that the dog does indeed have the typical heart disease that affects Cavaliers. I recommended baseline medications and made a schedule for follow-up testing. On the bottom of the referral letter from the cardiologist, it stated that the owner was going to go home and discuss the diagnosis and treatment plan with their spouse. The prescriptions were called into her pharmacy and follow-up bloodwork could be done at my hospital, but blood pressure readings, EKGs, and echocardiograms would need to be done at the cardiologist.

I had my technician put in a reminder for one month to schedule follow-up bloodwork. The owner for the next 6 months either canceled or rescheduled all of Kendall’s appointments. One day they came in with Kendall. They had just gone to the dog park and Kendall was coughing. The owner was convinced that the dog had picked up kennel cough. I told them that Kendall couldn’t be clinical for kennel cough one hour after exposure.

Kendall’s heart murmur had rapidly progressed. Her gum color was pale, her cough was deep, and she had to make a deep abdominal effort to breathe. I brought her to the treatment room and put her in an oxygen cage. I went back into the room and told the owner that they couldn’t wait any longer to start Kendall on heart medication, and it was a miracle that she was still alive. The owner needed a minute to call their spouse, so I left the room and started Kendall on life-saving heart medication.

I came back into the room and the owner asked me if the heart medication would be forever. I said, “Yes, the heart medication for Kendall, who is in congestive heart failure, will be for the rest of her life.” Sigh…

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Exploring a ‘secret’ beach at Hobe Sound

A friend recently told me about a secluded, “hidden” beach along the Atlantic coast that she had heard about, and we decided to go see it for ourselves. We picked a nice October day, partly sunny but not too hot, to head to the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. We would make the drive to this beach, explore the area, and hopefully add to our seashell collections. I had started mine after moving to Florida in 2020.

I picked up Susan and we drove north, heading through Palm Beach County and past the beautiful seaside town of Jupiter with its striking red lighthouse, and then crossed the border into Martin County, quickly approaching Hobe Sound. It is an unincorporated area adjacent to the ocean along U.S. 1 and A1A.

Our directions took us onto a barrier island and we headed east on a very peaceful road flanked by banyan trees on either side. As that road ended, we came upon the Hobe Sound Public Beach, which was hopping with people and a pretty full parking lot. That was not our final destination, as we were seeking the more private, “secret” beach.

We turned left and went down a different road passing lushly landscaped home properties as we got further away from the sounds of the busy life behind us, before approaching a quiet gravel parking lot. Parking here is not free, and Susan had read up about the place online, so she had purchased a $5 parking pass and printed it out, and I set it on my dashboard. So now we were ready to explore.

Susan had brought bags for us to collect shells in, and after we put on our hats and sunscreen, we climbed some steps up to a wooden walkway that overlooked the beach. We immediately saw the beautiful aqua water in front of us. To the right, Jupiter was off to the distance, and on the left heading north, far away, were the beaches and towns of the Treasure Coast.

We descended onto the hot sand and walked over to the lapping waves to start our beach walk. There were just a few people here and there, some with fishing rods looping over into the water, which we navigated around as we walked north along the ocean’s edge. But basically, it was a very quiet, remote beach with no signs of commercial life anywhere: no water sports, nobody trying to rent us umbrellas and beach chairs, no snack bars, not even trashcans in sight. It was an unguarded beach, so swimmers were on their own.

We could look in all directions and see no development nearby, which was a welcome change from most beach areas. Lovely wild vegetation was at our backs as we faced the ocean. The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge also has a nature center north of where we were, but we had found out it was closed at this time.

From the start of our walk, we were able to find a plethora of shells in the sand. As we ambled along, I leaned over every few feet and grabbed a few winners, seeing shells in colors and shapes and stripes that I hadn’t collected before. We continued picking up shells along with rocks and other ocean treasures as we walked along the shore.

We took photos of the quiet landscape after we had walked for a while, admiring the beautiful sky that day — blue with many puffy strands of white clouds. The water was clear and colorful; it was all so tranquil here. No traffic sounds, no noise pollution, not even people talking. Not a bad place to be!

Once our bags were full, we turned around and walked back south, with the water now on our left side. Done with collecting shells (and my lower back would thank me), we waded in the water, gleefully getting splashed as the waves increased. Cooled off, we then headed back toward where we had entered the beach.

It was a nice time on a peaceful beach, and I enjoyed the private nature of it. On the flip side, when we climbed the wooden walkway on the way to the car, with our feet and legs covered in sand, there were no water showers anywhere for rinsing off the sand. So I guess that’s the price to pay for a secret beach: no city-style amenities like you’d see at the public beaches.

We had a very simple outing at Hobe Sound, but one much appreciated for its natural beauty and rare stillness. And I have new shells now to display in my living room.

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MSD commemorates Feb. 14 tragedy with ‘Day of Service and Love’

Since the tragedy on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD) took the lives of 17 people and injured 17 others, the Parkland and Coral Springs communities have come together each year to help students, staff, and others in the community to heal by hosting a “Day of Service and Love.” This day, held on the MSD campus, was created to not only help the families of the victims, but to also give others a chance to give back to the community as a way of healing and remembering those lost.

“With the tragedy that happened several years ago, a lot of our students, staff, and community wanted to have something positive come out of it,” MSD Principal Michelle Kefford said. “So we utilized the Day of Service and Love to be a way to give back to the community.”

The Day of Service and Love will be a nonacademic day for all students and staff at MSD and will feature four service projects on Monday, Feb. 14. Students must be on campus by 7:40 a.m. and will be dismissed at 11 a.m.

The first service project allows students and faculty to “Feed First Responders.” Those volunteering will serve breakfast to our local police officers, firefighters, and other first responders by way of a drive-through. In addition to breakfast, first responders will each receive a thank-you card made by the students and staff participating.

The second project lets students and staff spend a morning with MSD’s Mind-Body Club. Those participating are given the opportunity to heal and remember those lost through the art of tai chi, meditation, and a variety of arts and crafts projects.

The third project allows students and staff to complete various improvement projects around the school to make it more aesthetically pleasing. This may include painting, chalk, cleaning, and more, to meet the overall goal of general campus beautification.

The fourth project lets students and staff work in the school garden, Marjory’s Garden. This garden was built shortly after the tragedy in 2018. Since then, students, faculty, and staff have continued to grow and work on the garden every Sunday through the Marjory’s Garden Club to create a calming place on campus and support the local environment.

This project will be hard work, but in the end, it will give multiple advantages for students, faculty, and staff at the school. Many different job opportunities will be available for those participating in the project; that way everyone is doing something they enjoy.

The garden not only provides a peaceful location on campus, but also produces a variety of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and flowers sold at Tunie’s, a local organic and health foods store. Students and staff will be able to plant flowers, fruits, and vegetables, pick up trash, mulch, paint decorative rocks, and more.

If MSD students would like to not participate in the service projects on Feb. 14, they are also offered the opportunity to have an excused absence for the day. Many may take the popular option to stay home and participate in their own way. However, others will just take a day off of the hard school week.

“We offer for students to stay home because the day is very emotional, for not just students, but some staff members as well. So that has always been the case,” Kefford said. “We provide the opportunity if it’s too emotionally overwhelming for students or staff to come in. Some feel more comfortable at home with family, and we have to respect that.” 

Writer/reporter Alison LaTorre is a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. 

All photos by student photographer Haley Jackson.

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Humans and animals rescuing each other: Lucky Horse Sanctuary

When Blair Barone, a licensed clinical psychologist, first opened her private practice in Boca Raton, she incorporated animals into her sessions, bringing a dog, a hamster, and a rabbit to the office with her. This practice proved so popular with her patients that she started bringing clients out to her four-acre farm in Coconut Creek and was blown away by their transformation.

“Being outdoors and around animals connects you with a deeper part of yourself that you just can’t access within four walls,” explains Dr. Barone.

After one year of seeing patients at the farm, she took a leap of faith, closing her office and operating entirely from her farm, the Lucky Horse Sanctuary. The practice, which specializes in substance abuse and mental health, is now the largest animal-assisted therapy program in South Florida, providing psychological support to more than 200 clients per week.

“When I first started, I had no idea where this was going to go,” recalls Dr. Barone. “I just had a love for rescuing animals and a call to be of service to people struggling.”

Following that call, Dr. Barone adopted horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, roosters, donkeys, dogs, cats, and rabbits — and even alpacas from local rescue organizations, most of which were in poor health and on the euthanasia list. “It was great for the clients because they felt like they were doing something meaningful by giving these animals a lot of love. We approached it like the animals were here for hospice care.”

No one was prepared for what happened next.

“In a few months, the animals were getting better, not worse. I never anticipated that. Nobody did,” exclaims Dr. Barone. “I sat down with the veterinarians to figure out what we were doing differently than the rescues and realized they were getting a lot of love and attention from people. The animals can feel the shift in the person’s physiology. There was some synergy going on.” The transformative power of love was helping heal both the animals and the patients.

A written reflection by one of Dr. Barone’s initial clients made her realize the profound impact of what she had created:

When I first came to the farm, I saw rescue horses that had been brutally broken physically, emotionally, and spiritually, just as I was when I came into treatment. I look at these horses and I am in awe of their will to live in spite of how they have been treated. They don’t give up on themselves like many of us addicts do. Like the horses, we can be provided with food, water, and shelter, but without that hunger to actually live and believe in ourselves, we won’t actually make it. These horses are a true inspiration to me.

The animals and their unbreakable spirits were inspiring those in recovery. Most importantly, they were giving them a sense of hope. “I’ve had people tell me that they felt suicidal before they came here. They’ve had actual plans to kill themselves and then, after interacting with the animals, they realized that they matter. The animals accept comfort from them, and until then they thought they were worthless,” recounts Dr. Barone.

Among these inspiring animals are Herbie and Sugar, two miniature ponies saved from slaughter; Margarita, the photogenic pig; Eve, an Iberian horse abandoned in the Everglades who lost all trust in people; and Wendy, the domesticated rabbit named after her place of abandonment — a Wendy’s parking lot in Pompano Beach.

Each animal has a story that those in recovery can identify with, as many of them were also abused, traumatized, hurt, or judged. According to Dr. Barone, roosters are an excellent example. “People meet a rooster and they automatically assume they’re aggressive. A lot of people in recovery feel very judged because they’re an addict. You’re going to steal from me, you’re no good. People have all these judgments. So a lot of them identify with the roosters because of that.”

The animal that touches the most lives at the sanctuary is a horse named Lady Liberty. Part of the largest animal seizure by the Broward Sheriff’s Department, Lady Liberty was intentionally crippled and standing in her own grave when rescuers found her. As if she had not suffered enough, one year ago, she developed a massive tumor on her stomach that, despite being removed, has grown back.

“It doesn’t faze her. She goes out at night and walks around,” explains Dr. Barone. “She doesn’t know she has a problem. And this is what really touches clients. She doesn’t give up on herself. She doesn’t have that limiting belief that a lot of the clients do. They hear the statistic that only 1 out of 10 will recover [from drug and alcohol addiction], and they just give up on themselves. Lady Liberty doesn’t know that statistically, she shouldn’t be trekking around.”

While Lady Liberty may be the most inspiring, the patients’ favorite animals to work with are the small herd of alpacas. Ironically, alpacas are the spirit animal for people in recovery, a fact Dr. Barone did not learn until after she had acquired these exotic animals. “Alpacas are designed to go on long journeys, and for people in recovery, it’s a lifelong journey,” she emphasizes.

“Their hooves are designed to walk up the sides of mountains, very rough terrains, which is what people in recovery have to deal with. It’s a rough road. They’re also designed to carry a lot of baggage. People in recovery have a lot of baggage. So that’s more great symbolism for them to appreciate. Most importantly, their survival depends on being in a pack, and the same is true for people in recovery. Being part of a fellowship and surrounding yourself with people on the same journey is crucial.”

For the past 10 years, Dr. Barone funded the farm through her private practice. Recently, she converted the sanctuary to a nonprofit organization in order to secure grants to serve a wider community.

For more information, or to get involved with the Lucky Horse Sanctuary, email Blair Barone at drblairbarone@gmail.com.

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It’s the Year of the Tiger

In the 12-year Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Tiger starts on Feb. 1, 2022, and ends on Jan. 21, 2023. Based on the lunar calendar, the date for the Chinese New Year varies compared to the solar calendar we normally use.

As the Chinese New Year kicks off across many Asian communities, traditionally the celebration starts a week before and ends 15 days after the Chinese New Year, with a Lantern Festival on Feb. 15. The food served typically varies, depending on the region, but steamed fish, noodles, and dumplings are common.

It is believed that those born in the Year of the Tiger are competitive and like to do things “their way.” Some famous examples are Queen Elizabeth II, Bon Jovi, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Lady Gaga, to name a few.

While Tigers tend to be extremely competitive, they are also generous in helping others. If you are born in a Year of the Tiger, you are advised to wear red, as it will bring good luck in a birth-sign year.

The downside associated with the Tiger zodiac is that they tend to be stubborn, and prone to be irritable and overindulgent. So if you are lucky to be living with someone born under the sign, remember, they tend to not back down, so subtlety is required to convince them of their oversights.

The spirit of the Year of the Tiger is strength and courage, and it usually portends a year full of active energy. Hopefully, that energy will rub off on the world, as the world shakes off the effects of the last two years and looks forward to a prosperous year.

 

 

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Resolve to keep learning in the New Year

New Year 2022 brings the promise of new hopes, new beginnings, and a chance for life to return to normality. With 2020 and 2021 in the rearview mirror, having left their indelible mark on all of us, 2022 is a time to regroup, refresh, and reenergize.

Make those New Year resolutions — lose weight, go back to the gym, stop smoking, and vow to be kinder. Take an art class, learn a new language, or visit a museum or library.

Here are a few ideas to start your New Year on a note of inspiration.

Temple Beth Am

While the Jewish New Year is in the fall, Jews and others can still take advantage of the current New Year and sign up for classes at Temple Beth Am in Margate.

Beginning Dec. 21 and running for eight weeks through January, Temple Beth Am in Margate is offering the interactive class “Ten Paths to G-d: Ten Ways Judaism Enhances Our Lives,” taught by Senior Rabbi Michelle Goldsmith. Cost: $36 for members, $72 for non-members.

In February, Temple Beth Am offers “Esther, Song of Songs and Ruth — Love, Bravery and Loyalty as the Key to G-d and Salvation.” This class is also taught by Rabbi Goldsmith and will run on Tuesday evenings beginning Feb. 22. Cost: $18 members, $36 non-members.

For more information, go to Beth-am.org.

 

Parkland Library

Are you ready for fun, intellectual stimulation, and/or children’s events? The Parkland Library has something for everyone.

Kids can take part in a friendly game of chess, try coloring and card-making, come for storytime, or participate in “Mr. Roy’s Family Music,” a 30-minute class in which children up to age 4 can dance and sing familiar melodies, play instruments, and take advantage of a fun, interactive class.

Adults can come for Bingo; Sahaja meditation; an arts, books, and conversation group; and even rock painting led by Dr. Halle Solomon, assistant program director at Eagles’ Haven Wellness Center. The finished product will be donated to community memorial gardens. Along with Sarah Lerner, the yearbook advisor at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School, Solomon will speak about resilience, hosting a conversation on resilience and grit in a community affected by the MSD tragedy.

The library also offers several Holocaust educational programs, including the “No Child’s Play” exhibit, which shares a window into the world of children during the Holocaust. It examines images of toys, games, artwork, diaries, and poems of children and their personal stories, providing a glimpse into their lives during the Holocaust. The exhibit looks at the struggle of those kids to hold on to life and their attempts to maintain their childhood.

Holocaust survivor and Holocaust educator Eric Lipetz will lead a discussion for both teens and adults after screening the 2004 documentary film “Paper Clips.” Based on the true story of a school in Tennessee, the film tells about a class project. Middle school students in a rural, heavily Christian community began collecting the paper clips to represent the lives of Jews who perished in concentration camps during World War II. After millions of paper clips were collected, the last step was to place them inside a German railcar, a poignant echo of the Final Solution and a reminder to “never forget.”

On Jan. 27, to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center at Nova Southeastern University offers a chance to learn about and contemplate the horrendous acts that result from intolerance and hate. The session will conclude with the lighting of a Yahrzeit (memorial) candle.

For more information, go to CityofParkland.org/library.

 

Coral Springs Museum of Art

The Coral Springs Museum of Art offers classes in ceramics, drawing, painting, mixed media, comic design, printmaking, sewing, photography, and more. New additions include classes in interior design, fashion illustration, still life, and portrait and figure drawing.

The classes, which run from Jan. 24 to March 5, are available for all age groups (preschool, youth, teen, and adult), skill levels, and interests.

To register, call (954) 340-5000 or go to CoralSpringsMuseum.org.

 

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Interested in Japanese language and culture? Since 1977, Boca Raton’s Morikami Museum has been a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida. The museum offers classes such as The Art of Bonsai, Introduction to Japanese Language, Ikebana Flower Arrangement, Performing Tea Ceremonies, and Japanese Sumi-e Ink Painting.

For more information, go to Morikami.org.

 

Adolph & Rose Levis JCC Sandler Center

When the COVID pandemic hit in March 2020, the Levis JCC Sandler Center launched into action, putting many of its classes, lectures, literary events, and films on Zoom at no charge. From April 2020 to June 2021, the JCC hosted 29,738 virtual attendees and 3,101 more in-person.

Now, in 2022, the JCC is offering a hybrid Arts, Culture, and Learning season including hundreds of in-person and virtual events. Virtual programs will be streamed via Zoom, and in-person programs will be at the Levis JCC Sandler Center with masks required and socially distant protocols.

As part of its Literary Afternoons, on Jan. 11, the JCC hosts Mitchell James Kaplan, author of “Rhapsody,” an inspired-by-a-true-story novel about the love affair between George Gershwin and Kay Swift, two musical icons of the 1920s-30s.

On Jan. 18, author Zibby Owens is featured as part of its Cocktails and Conversation with the Authors series. Owens will discuss her latest book, “Moms Don’t Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology,” a humorous look at working out, eating, reading, and even sex during quarantine.

In the Book and Author series, author Anne Sebba discusses her book via Zoom on Jan. 20, titled “Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy,” which posits that Ethel Rosenberg was likely innocent, murdered by the state, and did not deserve death by electric chair.

On Jan. 25, author Lisa Scottoline will discuss her latest historical fiction novel, “Eternal.” The book takes place during World War II in Rome, the “Eternal City,” and tells the story of three families whose intersecting worlds are torn apart.

Other events include the Jan. 10 Zoom lecture with author and journalist Claudia Kalb, titled “Spark: How Genius Ignites, From Child Prodigies to Late Bloomers.” “Spark” unravels the relationship between brains, talent, passion, creativity, willpower, and imagination.

In-person at the Sandler Center, on Jan. 31, “60 Minutes” Peabody and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Ira Rosen will speak about his book “Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes,” revealing the intimate, untold stories of his decades at America’s most iconic news show.

For more information, go to levisjcc.org.

 

Boca Museum Art School

Do you want to improve brain function and enhance your creativity? Try taking a class in painting, jewelry-making, or sharpening your skills at photography.

The Boca Museum Art School offers classes in ceramics, pottery, and the fundamentals of digital photography. Learn to paint in watercolor, gouache, oil, or acrylic, or try your hand at jewelry-making or silversmithing.

For more information, go to BocaMuseum.org/art-school.

 

Boca Museum of Art

What’s more cultural than a trip to a world-class museum? Learn about the ancient Andean cultures at the Boca Museum of Art’s exhibit, “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru,” running through March 6.

On Saturday, Jan. 22, immerse yourself in a tour and a lecture series, in combination with Florida Atlantic University, on these ancient civilizations. Experts will speak on topics such as the “Great Inka Road:  Engineering an Empire,” musical traditions, the ancient Mateño civilizations of coastal Ecuador, and Ecuador’s contemporary Manabi culture. There will be live music and a dance performance by the Peruvian dance group Kuyayky.

Tickets are $10/members; $20 non-members. For more information, go to Bocamuseum.org.

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Fighting back against human trafficking through education, empowerment

This year, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival brought together KidSafe Foundation, a local South Florida organization dedicated to educating and empowering children to make them harder targets for trafficking and sexual abuse, and “The New Abolitionists,” a documentary that follows four nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Thailand and Cambodia fighting to end human sex trafficking. Together, this partnership is raising awareness about the growing problem of human trafficking in this country and abroad.

It was a crisp November evening when I sat down at the Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale for a screening of “The New Abolitionists.” Originally built as a church in 1926, its theater still feels like a place of prayer, and that’s exactly what this harrowing film made me want to do, pray.

The film begins in Cambodia, where troves of girls are stationed at karaoke bars looking to pick up men. Many of these young women were victims of trafficking, some sold or deceived by their own families, and are now on their own and lack the education, skills, and self-worth to get out of the sex industry.

“A lot of people want to think human sex trafficking is prostitution. It’s not. Human trafficking is, by definition, when somebody has been forced, coerced, or frauded into these sexual acts,” explains Christina Zorich, director of the film.

In Thailand, a hotbed for sex tourism, the film estimates that there are 35,000 prostitutes in the city of Pattaya alone, where it is not uncommon to see adult men taking children on dates in public. As disturbing as it was to watch, it helps to demonstrate both the pervasiveness of the problem and, even worse, the complicitness of the government, which is why Zorich had to geoblock the film to prevent it from being seen in Southeast Asia.

“It’s pretty well agreed on in the anti-trafficking community that Asia is probably the most trafficked region of the globe,” says Zorich.

Just as jarring as the film itself were the number of empty seats in the theater, especially given that, according to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Florida is one of the top three states in the country with the most human trafficking. “It’s happening here. It just looks different than it does over there,” explains Zorich. “It’s overt there; here it’s hidden. Because it’s hidden, there’s a lot of denial and lack of understanding.”

“Denial is one of the top hurdles we need to jump over,” agrees Cherie Benjoseph, cofounder and chief program officer at KidSafe. “Sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and sex trafficking all fall under the radar. In the movie, it’s horrifically blatant, but here it’s done in a way that you don’t see it. Child trafficking can happen out of a child’s home, and it happens in all types of communities. Right here in Florida, there are people more than willing to buy children for sex, and if we don’t accept that as a truth, we will never be able to see and/or prevent child trafficking and abuse.”

Thankfully, there are organizations here and abroad confronting the issue. And while the problem may present itself differently in both continents, the answer to combating the issue is the same — empowerment through education.

In “The New Abolitionists,” the NGOs discreetly approach the women at bars, sometimes posing as sex tourists, offering them a chance at a different life. The girls who choose to go with the NGO are provided trauma counseling, education, skill development, and employment opportunities. Those who are able eventually build a new life outside the NGO. “I found it inspiring that these women could build beautiful lives after having gone through so much,” says Zorich.

While the NGOs in the film were helping victims who had been trafficked, here in Florida, KidSafe has been working to get ahead of the problem by teaching children personal safety, starting at age 4.

“We teach personal safety skills from a place of empowerment, not fear. We are not teaching kindergarten through fifth-grade students scary stories, we’re empowering them with protective skills, just like you empower kids with swimming skills to protect them from drowning. We empower them with skills of safety to protect them from unhealthy relationships,” explains Benjoseph.

“Ninety percent of the time, child sexual abuse and child trafficking are perpetrated by someone they know and have been groomed by,” emphasizes Benjoseph in discussing the importance of educating children from a young age, as well as adults. “We can’t prevent child sexual abuse if we’re not raising awareness about it.”

KidSafe has online programs for professionals working with children and resource pages for parents that educate them on opening up the lines of communication with their children. “As parents, we assume that our kids know we’re available and they will come to us about anything. It is something we need to remind them about, early and often,” urges Benjoseph. “Making yourself an approachable parent plays a major role in keeping our children safe. The more we talk about relationships, and reinforce personal safety in our everyday parenting, the more we can prevent.”

In 2019, Florida became the first state to require child trafficking prevention education for grades K-12. To help meet this mandate, the foundation created “Stay KidSafe!” This is a program designed for counselors and teachers to use in their classrooms and includes a platform with 3D teaching animations, along with lesson guides that include questions, answers, activities, and role-play exercises. “Stay KidSafe!” teaches age-appropriate skills, including safety voice, circle of safe adults, safe touch/unsafe touch, good secrets/bad secrets, and accessing help. Students do not learn about human trafficking until sixth grade. After each lesson, a newsletter is sent home to parents advising them of what their children have learned and how to reinforce those skills at home.

The “Stay KidSafe!” program is free for all Florida schools, as well as schools across the country, and is funded through donations.

For more information about “The New Abolitionists,” visit thenewabolitionistsdoc.com. For information or to get involved with KidSafe, visit kidsafefoundation.org.

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New year’s resolutions? Keep them attainable

This is the time of year when people have made their lists of goals that they hope to accomplish in the new year. New year’s resolutions tend to be glorified in today’s society, and they are usually unattainable and unrealistic goals that people set for themselves.

New year’s resolutions have become goals that people believe will dramatically change their lives for the better, although these resolutions usually do not last.

The resolutions people come up with can be life-altering changes that they give up on after a week into the new year. People look in the mirror, point out their flaws, and think that once the new year begins, those flaws will magically be resolved.

The ability to change habits and routines does not happen overnight. People set unrealistic standards for themselves that they should be a totally different person once it is the new year. This is unattainable, and people can be self-deprecating if they do not achieve their goals.

Many try to improve their lives for the better by having new year’s resolutions such as eating healthier, going to the gym, and getting straight A’s. Although these goals may be something to aspire to, they are not realistic.

I believe that new year’s resolutions should be small changes and goals that people can realistically meet. Resolutions are goals that one can achieve and be proud of. If I do not achieve my goal, I am usually disappointed. The right way to start a new year is to have resolutions that are within reach while also challenging.

I also believe that waiting until the new year to make goals for yourself is not the right way to improve yourself. If you are so determined to make changes to your life, waiting until a specific day would not make a difference. Setting goals that don’t depend on the calendar can have a better outcome.

People set the bar too high for themselves. The most realistic goals to set are ones that can be divided into small, doable tasks. It is crucial to make small, tangible goals that will lead you toward your overarching goal.

If the resolutions are realistic, there is a greater chance that one will keep them throughout the year. It is important to take time to reflect on the change one wants and what one can realistically do to achieve that change.

New year’s resolutions can have a positive impact on people’s lives if they set reachable goals for themselves and do not give up. Being harsh on yourself will only make it worse; it is possible that you may slip up on your goal, but that does not mean you give up.

Instead of making resolutions that cause stress and anxiety, make resolutions this year that will encourage self-improvement.

It is also important to congratulate yourself for what you have accomplished thus far. Each step you take to achieve your goal is something to be proud of.

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School News – Jan 2022

Coral Springs Charter

As we headed into the close of an exciting semester, a school-wide day of service was hosted by the Interact Club, a sign language and service club, where high school students participated in service activities and workshops in 30-minute intervals throughout the school day. There were opportunities to learn about mental health, CPR, meditation, and yoga, and to participate in putting together donations to help various organizations, like lunches for those with food insecurities and toys for shelter dogs. The day culminated in a visit with a keynote speaker who spoke to students about how they can put “service above self.”

On Dec. 1, the SGA held a Wii Sports Tournament, and the competition was fierce. Students from every grade competed in small groups for combat in Wii baseball, tennis, and boxing. The winning team included senior Conner Cox, senior Avril Rosano, freshman Cameron Khouri, and freshman David Rodriguez. The SGA also hosted its “Giving Tree” program to collect toys for children in need for the holiday season.

The Senior Thespians showcased their skills at their district competition on Dec. 11. Students competed in various theater talents such as acting, musical performance, pantomime, and set design. “I love spending time with my troupe and getting the results of all of our hard work at the end of the day,” said senior Shira Smolar.

Photos by Madalen Erez

 

Heron Heights Elementary

By Lauren Generoso, HHE PTO President

Our green yearbooks are going on sale this month! For the second year in a row, we are using the environmentally friendly company TreeRing. Its yearbooks are high-end, well-crafted books printed on recycled paper. For every yearbook purchased, a tree is planted through Trees for the Future. For more than 30 years, Trees for the Future has been planting trees across the world that not only help to end deforestation but help with poverty and hunger, providing families with food and income through the Forest Garden Approach.

Last year, we were able to plant 347 trees, and this year we look forward to surpassing that number greatly! To eliminate unnecessary waste and resources, only the exact number of books purchased are produced. Not only do we feel good about providing students and parents with a yearbook that captures their memories in a beautifully produced book from our yearbook committee, but they can also have confidence in the sustainable, environmentally conscious approach we take in producing them.

 

To learn more about Trees for the Future, please visit https://trees.org. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. ♻️ #hhecares

 

Park Trails Elementary

By Principal Arlene Manville

Park Trails Elementary is planning our rededication ceremony to commemorate 20 years of serving the Parkland community. The ceremony will include a ribbon-cutting and the unveiling of a 20th-anniversary mural, and students will be writing letters and collecting items to put in a time capsule. Representatives from the city, district officials, and the original staff will all be at the event.

Park Trails looks forward to proving another 20 years of excellence for the children in our community.

 

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

We can’t believe the first semester is coming to an end. Where has the time gone? Students were busy preparing for midterm exams and testing season, and they never lost sight of staying motivated along the way. To assist with this, our Guidance Department recognized all of our students with straight A’s by awarding them with cookies made by our very own culinary department. There were 550 students who were reminded, “You’re such a smart cookie!”

Our After-School Academic Academy, daily tutoring, has been going strong. In addition to U.S. history, algebra, geometry, writing, reading, and biology, we have added Spanish. Students are benefiting from the academic tune-up.

If you were able to join us for our annual multicultural show, you know why there wasn’t an open seat in the house. What an amazing opportunity for students to showcase their talents while embracing their cultures. It was incredible to celebrate our diversity while taking a journey around the world. Senior Hailey Jacobsen served as the emcee and also wrote the script for the event. She summed it up best: “We live in a world where something as trivial as the color of your skin or the language you speak determines whether or not you’re hated, and this needs to change. If only everyone could experience the beauty of world culture, this problem could be solved.”

The multicultural show is very special to many of our students. Sra. Garcia, the teacher who sponsored the event, was thrilled to have Andrea and Rebeca Benarroch in attendance, students from 2014 who helped make the show for the community come to fruition.

As always, our Eagle Regiment doesn’t dare disappoint, as they brought home the Class 4A 2021 State Championship with a score of 92.20. To earn this victory, especially after a pandemic where most of our freshmen and sophomores had never even marched before, is nothing short of amazing. “It was an incredible weekend capped off by an incredible season,” said band director Steve Rivero.

Congratulations to the MSD wrestling Eagles for winning the Coral Springs Wrestling Tournament! The Eagles beat out Saint Thomas Aquinas by 34 points in the 13-team field for first place. Thirteen out of 15 Eagles placed in the top 6.

If you needed some holiday spirit, hopefully you stopped by to see us during our winter festivities. Our theme was “Who has more holiday spirit than we do? No one!” You may have noticed our holiday hats and socks, ugly holiday sweaters, Grinch PJ’s, snow in our courtyard, and holiday movie gear. Keep up the great work, Eagles!

Correction: Last month, we inadvertently left out that “Puffs,” a fast-moving comedy about a certain school of magic, was student-directed by Lexi Schwartzberg.

 

Riverglades Elementary

By Christina Chioda and Kimberly Mann

Riverglades would like to welcome everyone to 2022! We hope that everyone had a wonderful winter break, and we are excited to begin the second half of the school year.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our Holiday Toy Drive. We really appreciate your generosity. We are happy to say it was a very successful event!

Riverglades students can get ready to run, hop, and compete as our annual Field Day kicks off this month. This is a great opportunity for the kids to enjoy exercising outdoors as they work with their classmates through a variety of fun obstacles. Students can demonstrate teamwork as they build memories during this fun event!

 

Eagle Ridge Elementary

By Principal Lyndsey Sierra

Congratulations to Seema Naik on being selected as one of the top five District finalists for Teacher of the Year 2022. Mrs. Naik will be honored at the upcoming Caliber Awards in February.

Mrs. Naik is an amazing educator and is passionate about science, technology, and engineering, as she is our VEX Robotics sponsor and fourth-grade teacher. We are so proud of her and all her accomplishments!

 

Westglades Middle School

By Principal Matthew Bianchi

 

Westglades finished the end of the calendar year with a lot of success. Our girls basketball team completed their undefeated regular season at 10-0. This makes back-to-back undefeated regular season records!

Our Fine Arts department continues to shine, and at the Florida Thespian Festival, several students received Superior ratings! Also, our Band program had 14 students make All-County and three make All-State, and we had a fantastic Winter Concert and amazing marching band performance in the Coral Springs Winter Parade.

We have several matriculation events coming soon to welcome our incoming fifth graders and to transition our students to high school. Our feeder elementary school students will take field trips to our campus this month, and we are looking forward to our Showcase Night on Feb. 10.

Social media and the news often focus on the negatives that go on, and with so many positive things happening at Westglades, we want to give parents and students the ability to share positive messages with each other and with our staff. Westglades now has a Pawsitivity Padlet for the community to post information about our staff and students.

Please share some of the great things that you have experienced at Westglades and spread the pawsitivity! Go to https://padlet.com/WestgladesMiddle/Pawsitivity.

 

Somerset Parkland Academy

By Jennifer Knight, VIPP President

Congratulations to the Somerset Parkland Academy middle school soccer team for winning the league championship in their inaugural season. The championship game was played on a wet and rainy day, but the team persevered. Way to go, Cowboys!

In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, the Somerset kindergarten classes wrote letters of gratitude and drew pictures for the wonderful BSO officers who protect our school and ensure that the kids are safe entering and leaving the school. The school then invited several officers who have worked at the school for coffee and doughnuts while the kids gave them their letters.

Various extracurricular groups at SPA held numerous practices as they prepared to perform at the SPA Winter Caravan. The Color Guard, Dance Team, Drama Academy, singers, and music classes really honed their craft in the final weeks leading up to the big event.

SPA partnered with the Parkland International Music Academy, and the kids performed at various spots around the school grounds in December, as vehicles with SPA families slowly moved through the event.

Coral Springs Middle School

Coral Springs Middle School (CSMS) will hold its annual Stallion Round-Up sixth-grade orientation event on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 6 p.m. The event is an awesome way for students and parents to tour the school and hear about the amazing opportunities students will have for their middle school experience. This event is open to all parents and students from our community.

The School Choice window is open. If you are not currently zoned to attend CSMS, you will need to complete a reassignment application. Visit www.browardschools.com/schoolchoice.

Congratulations to our teacher of the year, Vanessa Lopez-Delalla. As the school’s ESE specialist, Ms. Lopez-Delalla works exceptionally hard to ensure the success of all her students at CSMS. Congratulations also to our school-related employee of the year, Joanne Alonzo. Mrs. Alonzo is the school’s ESE secretary, and she goes above and beyond her job and is always there to help others.

 

 

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Uncle David and the perfect dog

I am sure that everyone has that uncle or relative who either chose his career or his career chose him. I have friends and relatives who are either accountants or engineers who make every decision according to a logic that I just don’t understand. My uncle is an accountant; thus, he bought his house because it was the perfect size, it had the perfect number of rooms, and it was for less than market value. His car fits four to accommodate his family, but no one else can fit in it. So, to summarize, my uncle’s life and finances can be put into a spreadsheet and perfectly reconciled every month. The world according to David.

His two twin daughters were the cinnamon and spice to his vanilla. They tested the limits and like any freshmen in college would do, they bought a dog because they could. They snuck the puppy out the back door of the dorm like every other freshman, without a hitch. The resident advisor also had a dog and didn’t care as long as the puppy didn’t bark and get her in trouble.

The girls sent me a picture of the puppy. They were told that the puppy was a mixed breed, but based on what I saw from his head and paws, Milo the puppy had some Great Dane in him. Over the next month, Milo gained 12 pounds, and it was becoming harder and harder to hide him. In month 3 of puppy hiding, Milo was so tall that he could look out the window; the RA got nervous, and Milo was expelled from college. Luckily the girls only had one month left in school and were allowed to stay.

Uncle David didn’t like dogs. They were an unexpected cost that he could not justify. He never had a dog or any pet. David is the definition of consistency, so any change from the norm was unacceptable. He also had no idea about Milo. The girls and my aunt never discussed it with him, but now Milo was going to live in his house until the girls moved into their apartment in August. The girls came home and set up the cage and spent the weekend teaching my uncle and aunt about living with a six-month-old puppy who was now over 60 pounds. A lot of words were exchanged, and there was some crying, but by the end of the weekend, it was agreed on by everyone that my aunt would be the caregiver.

Fast forward three months. I was driving from Florida to Colorado and decided to stop off in the Midwest to visit my relatives. It was a surprise visit, and my aunt greeted me at the door. I just wanted to see how my uncle was doing with Milo. I was told that David was out walking Milo. I asked where the girls were, and my aunt told me that they had gone back to school. Without the dog. David didn’t want Milo to be in a small apartment without a fenced backyard.

My aunt was smiling and brought me into David’s office, and there was a giant bed next to his desk. There was a picture of Milo on the computer as a screen saver along with a giant tub of dog treats on the desk. She took me to her bedroom and showed me a second giant dog bed. I was shocked. She said the best is yet to come. She brought me to the garage where a Honda Odyssey minivan was parked. David had bought it because in his sedan, Milo couldn’t sit without bumping his head. I couldn’t believe it. Then the garage door opened and there was Milo pulling my uncle into the garage.

The first thing my uncle said was, “Have you ever seen such a great-looking dog?” I told him that in all my years as a veterinarian, he had the perfect dog.

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