Tag: florida

Posted on

FAU scholarships open for first-generation students

For Lake Worth resident and FAU junior, Jaireen Ruiz, 20, college at one time felt like a distant dream rather than an attainable goal.

A native of Puerto Rico, and a first-generation college student, Ruiz applied to FAU “without hesitation” and received the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program designed for first-generation students.

“I applied for this scholarship because I did not want to be defined by missed opportunities,” says Ruiz, who is majoring in elementary education. “I am proud of taking the initiative and being courageous in my pursuit of higher education and success.”

The Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program offers academically talented, first-generation, low-income high school seniors the opportunity to attend and graduate from FAU, debt-free.

Selected students receive four-year financial aid packages for tuition, on- campus housing, books, a meal plan, and additional resources needed to complete their college degree.

Each scholar follows “The Path,” a 17-step program which includes wraparound services supporting successful collegiate careers and post graduate lives, including career planning, mentoring, financial literacy resume writing, and life planning skills.

The program was developed by Boca Raton philanthropists Aubrey and Sally Strul in conjunction with FAU President John Kelly and first lady Carolyn Kelly.

“FAU prides itself on making higher education accessible to underserved and underrepresented communities,” says Kelly. “The Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars program is helping to eliminate inequity and provide students with the tools to turn their dreams into reality — and ensure that everyone succeeds.”

Since 2017, the program has graduated two scholars and grown to
currently include nearly 50 scholars.

As a former first-generation student, Aubrey Strul, a 72-yr. old industrialist, now living in Boca Raton, felt compelled to lessen the financial burden of school debt for students by providing an initial investment of $1 million to launch the program.

The son of immigrants from Lithuania whose parents met and married in South Africa, Strul was born in Johannesburg and was the first in his family to attend college where he studied accounting, finance, and mathematics.

He came to the United States in 1977 and says, “I was a quick learner and studied a lot,” but admits he valued his social life as well and says it made him a more well-rounded student.

“I am a firm believer that developing social skills is an important aspect of an education,” Struhl says, and it was this philosophy he carried over to running his businesses.

“My most valuable asset was our people,” he says. “I fostered an incredible, inclusive work culture. My philosophy was ‘always inclusion, never exclusion.’ If you build a team that cares, your organization will be successful. People are the most important asset of any company.”

Strul was motivated to create the scholarship program to level the playing the field for first-generation students and to help them address potential barriers, including financial barriers, to their academic success.

“To flourish as a country, we must provide equal and fair access to all students in the U.S.,” he says. “I understand the uphill battle these students face to earn their education.”

“The first step was to ensure our students could graduate debt-free,” Strul says. “The mountain of debt many students must incur to attend college unfairly impacts their success for many years.”

In addition, the scholarship package includes on-campus housing for all four years, as a way of offering students the full college experience, which Strul believes is instrumental to students’ social development.

Strul has created a five-point plan for success for his scholarship recipients:

Always do the right thing, no matter how difficult; character is everything; always try and help others; set realistic goals, then focus and achieve them; and NEVER give up.

For Ruiz, once she graduates in 2022, she hopes to make a difference in the lives of her future elementary school students, as her mentors have made a difference in her life.

What would she tell other first-generation students?

“It’s simple,” she says: “Don’t allow your setbacks and circumstances to define you. See yourself for the unbridled potential you possess. It can be intimidating, but surround yourself with people who support you in your path – you do not have to navigate this experience alone.”

“Enjoy the journey of attending college: it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she adds.

The application process for the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Class of 2025 is now open.

For questions regarding the application, contact Keven Allen, Scholarship Director, at kallenjr@fau.edu. To learn more about the Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program, visit kellystrulscholars.fau.edu.

For best consideration, applications should be submitted by Monday, February 1 but will be accepted through Monday, March 1.

Posted on

2021-The year of the vaccine

We’ve closed the book on an unexpected 2020, where so much of our lives were dominated by the pandemic. COVID-19 will still be with us this year, but we hope our lives will slowly recover in 2021 as vaccines are made available for everyone.

Creating a new vaccine is time-consuming. Unlike the flu vaccine for the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, there is no existing vaccine for coronaviruses to build upon. According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines must be developed and tested to ensure they work and are safe. Michal Linial, a professor of biological chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said “Classical vaccines were designed to take 10 years to develop.” So a new vaccine process is now being used for the early COVID-19 vaccines.

As of December 15th, three vaccines have been submitted for FDA approval. There are two mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines by Pfi zer and Moderna, and one DNA vaccine by Oxford-AstraZeneca. Both of these methods are relatively new, and until COVID-19, no DNA or mRNA vaccines had been approved in the US for human use.

The basic concept these vaccines use is to trick your body into producing proteins that appear to be similar to COVID-19 fragments, which will elicit an immune response from your body’s defense system. This response will protect you from infection from the live virus. This is a new process, compared to vaccines based on live or dead pathogen proteins. The new DNA and mRNA vaccines are non-infectious and can be produced faster and economically.

Both mRNA and DNA vaccines use your body to produce the proteins, using the instructions stored in either mRNA or DNA format. DNA instructions are processed inside your body’s cells to produce the proteins designed to emulate fragments from the virus; whereas mRNA is translated into the protein outside of the cell in your body’s intracellular fluid.

Since mRNA does not enter your cell, the chance of your genome being affected is averted. But mRNA is fragile, thus the cold storage requirements for these vaccines: -70 degrees Celsius for Pfi zer, and -20 degrees Celsius for Moderna. The advantage of the DNA vaccine like the Oxford-AstraZeneca version is to reach areas where cold storage is not common.

The minor and moderate side effects reported of these early vaccines are sore arm at the injection site, fever, fatigue, headache, joint pains, and muscle aches. These effects are due to your body ramping up for a virus infection, but because the vaccine is non-infectious, you will not get a case of COVID-19, just the symptoms from your body’s response.

According to Moderna, no one receiving the vaccine in their trials developed a severe case of COVID-19. The reported efficacy rate for these vaccines are in the 90-95% range, which is much higher than your typical flu vaccine.

While the creation and approval of these first sets of vaccines have been completed, the logistics of getting them delivered across the country has just begun. Operation Warp Speed (OWS), is a partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and the Department of Defense (DoD).

OWS aims to accelerate the development, manufacture, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Their stated distribution objective “is for everyone to be able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as large quantities are available. Several thousand vaccination providers will be available, including doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers.”

OWS has provided a playbook to state and local jurisdictions on the distribution of the vaccines. In Florida, the Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), an agency headed by Director Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland local, is responsible for the distribution of vaccines across the state. “We went out and bought dry ice machines,” said Director Moskowitz. “We got the ultra-cold freezers that we need. We feel that we’re in a good position.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state has been planning since early summer on how best to distribute the vaccines, with initial distribution planned at five Florida hospitals (including Memorial Healthcare System in Broward), and eventually expanding to look like state testing sites. “It may even be the same sites we have now,” Moskowitz said. “Giving out the vaccine in a mass distribution — call it spring, late spring, early summer.”

So we say good riddance to 2020. There is much hope life will start returning to normal as more folks are vaccinated in 2021. As of Dec 15th, 2020, a new hope is slowly arriving in the form of vaccines, and state officials work through the prioritization process. The logistics of successfully implementing a smooth mass vaccination is immense, and we all need to follow the recommendations so we can get back to the OLD normal as quickly as possible.

Welcome to 2021, the year of the vaccine.

Posted on

SoFlo Gardening: January 2021

What to Plant

Annuals/Bedding plants: Plants that can be added to the garden during the coolest months include begonia, browallia, lobelia, dianthus, dusty miller, and nicotiana.

Bulbs: Winter is a great time to plant bulbs that will bloom in the spring. Some examples include Clivia lily, crinum, and agapanthus.

Herbs: Many herbs will thrive now that temperatures are cooler, including tarragon, thyme, dill, fennel, and any of the mints.

Vegetables: Many vegetables can be planted this time of year. This is the last month to plant Irish potatoes, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard, and turnips.

What to Do

Landscape: It is a good time to plant woody shrubs. Water frequently to get new plantings off to a good start.

Irrigation: Water plants if temperatures remain higher than normal and rainfall is scarce.

Shrubs and trees: Prune non-spring flowering shrubs and trees this month to improve form.

Arbor Day: Celebrate Florida Arbor Day (the 3rd Friday of January) by planting a tree in your yard or community.

Crapemyrtle: Remove seed pods, crossing branches, and small twiggy growth to improve the plant’s appearance and form, if desired. Hard pruning is not required.

Cold protection: Bring sensitive plants like orchids inside if a frost or freeze is predicted. Thoroughly water and cover sensitive plants in the landscape 12–24 hours before a freeze.

Pests: Apply horticultural oil to citrus, shrubs, and deciduous fruit trees while plants are dormant to control scale. Apply copper spray to mangos after bloom.

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension

Posted on

Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL, 22nd District)

Dear Friends!

This year, our community has faced tremendous challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of loved ones far too soon and placed millions of families into economic hardship. Many celebrations, traditions, and even daily activities have been put on hold as we isolated ourselves to keep each other safe from harm. As we all hope to return to a sense of normalcy, we must continue to follow social distancing guidelines as we try to heal from the pandemic. Although this year has been difficult for us all, our community has shown incredible strength. Throughout the past few months, we have seen heroes emerge to keep us safe, healthy, and thriving. But our work is not over. As public health experts warn of a COVID-19 resurgence, we must all continue to do our part to keep each other safe. In Congress, I will keep fighting to get Floridians the help they need to get back on their feet.

Ted Deutch

One in twenty seniors in the U.S. is a target of fraud schemes, costing them at least $36.5 billion per year. Yet, the National Adult Protective Services Association has found that only 1 in 44 seniors actually report that they are victims of a fraud scheme. Recently the House passed my bill, the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act, that would help protect seniors and their families from becoming the  victims of fraudulent schemes designed to steal their assets. I was proud to work with Rep. Buchanan, Rep. Peter Welch, Senator Klobuchar, and Senator Collins to introduce this legislation that would create an office within the Federal Trade Commission charged with tracking scams, educating and alerting seniors to new scams, and establishing a more effective complaint system to ensure reports of fraud are quickly addressed by the appropriate law enforcement agency.

Recently, I joined Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Rep. Kathy Castor to release a climate report prepared by the House Oversight Committee outlining the health benefits for the state of Florida if the United States meets the goals of the Paris Agreement. The report outlines that in Florida alone, meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could prevent 101,000 deaths and 40,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease over the next 50 years. The state would avoid more than 23 million lost workdays. Collectively, avoiding these health issues would save Florida over $750 billion. I wish you and your family a safe and happy new year and encourage you to visit CDC.gov for current social distancing guidelines. As always, please feel free to reach out to our office if we can be of assistance.

Posted on

American Heritage school ranked number one for a reason

Recent American Heritage School graduate Jordan Bouchner proudly joins 77 other seniors named National Merit Scholars this past February during their senior year.

American Heritage School is a private, college preparatory school for ages Pre-K through 12. This year marks the 11th consecutive year the school has had the highest number of National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists. One in four students in the Class of 2021 scored in the top one percent of students in the nation.

Both American Heritage’s Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton locations rank as the number one private school in the United States. Their combined students from both campuses comprise 10 percent of all National Merit Scholars in the 2,227public and private schools in Florida.

“The recognition was nice, and the scholarship was especially comforting due to the uncertainty that we had with how the pandemic would affect our ability to pay for college,” Bouchner said.

Jordan Bouchner

According to Bouchner, the preparation for the PSAT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) began during his sophomore year. If a student scores a certain percentage, American Heritage puts the student in a class to prepare for the exam.

These students practiced and reviewed throughout the summer to prepare to take the exam at the beginning of their junior year. Bouchner took the exam in October of 2018. Once scores were received, Bouchner received the award for semifinalist. He took the exam and applied for the scholarship in his senior year.

The top scorers in Florida on the PSAT exam advance from semifinalists to finalist status in the spring and are eligible to receive college scholarships.

Bouchner applied to be a finalist and was awarded a scholarship for college later that year.

“I knew going in it would be long and hard, but it worked. American Heritage does a good job encouraging students to go after these scholarships and try harder on the PSAT. They definitely have a plan for a lot of their scholarship kids to mold them into successful graduates.”

In addition to the millions of dollars in possible scholarships, these bright students now have new college opportunities and confidence in their futures.

According to the National Merit Scholarship organization, colleges such as Harvard, Stanford, University of Chicago, and Vanderbilt enroll the most talented National Merit Scholars.

President of American Heritage Schools Dr. Douglas Laurie, said, “Not only are they nationally recognized as the top one percent academically, but they are also extremely well- rounded, excelling both in and out of the classroom in fine arts, sports, and community service.”

Bouchner as well as the other 21 students, proudly accepted their scholarships and are now excelling and accomplishing greater paths at colleges around the nation.

Posted on

SWAT Mosquito Systems’ managers discuss the SWAT difference

The Florida lifestyle is one to envy; moreover, it is one many aspire to obtain. Endless sun-drenched days, balmy breezes, and abundant access to the outdoors makes it an ideal place to live, work, and play. However, it is also no secret that this way of living includes high heat and humidity, making Florida a paradise for mosquitos, flies, and the annoying “no-see-ums.” For residential and commercial property owners alike, these pests can wreak havoc on the quality of outdoor experiences. For many, the answer to their pest control issues lies in the hands of SWAT Mosquito Systems.

SWAT Mosquito Systems was opened in 2006 in Miramar, Florida, under the leadership of Founder and C.E.O. Steve Jenkins. In no time, this congenial entrepreneur assembled a world-class team who specializes in the installation of a one-of-a-kind pest control system, and his firm has become the uncontested leader in Florida’s mosquito and no-see-um control industry.

The organization’s service area is impressive. Their coverage areas reach from Vero Beach south to the Keys and from Marco Island north to Naples. Brent Ball serves as the firm’s Vice President of Project Management and has been with the company for over a decade. Ball states, “The key differentiator between our systems and others involves the delivery mechanism. SWAT Mosquito Systems, unlike their competitors, utilize a system that eradicates the mosquito population instead of repelling them.”

SWAT Mosquito Systems apply a misting solution versus the more traditional fogging spray applications. Why? Foggers cannot sustain sub-tropical climates and they break down when exposed to the elements, whereas mists are ecologically sustainable. Their mist consists of pyrethrum, which is derived from chrysanthemums as well as other compounds that include a 100 percent USDA National Organic Compliant alternative, a rosemary-based solution made up of essential plant extracts and other oils. The mist is applied by custom-built sprayers strategically placed around the perimeter, and they are designed to blend seamlessly into the landscaping.

As part of their service, SWAT monitors all mist release timers and tank levels right from their office on a daily basis. Their automated monitors will generate immediate email alerts if there is a system leak. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a SWAT Mosquito Systems technician to arrive at a property to do a repair before the owner even knows there’s a problem. Technicians also routinely check nozzles, make sure that the system is refilling itself automatically, and clean the filters.

The average single-family homeowner will consult with a project manager for approximately twenty minutes, the installation, depending on the size of their property, will take one to two days. SWAT Mosquito Systems are then programmed to release mist two to four times per day based upon individual needs. Ball explains, “All SWAT systems are set to release mist daily at sunrise and sunset as those are peak periods for activity. While Florida has insect issues all year, May to October see a rise in insect levels annually, which is why we allow for additional daily misting should we deem it necessary or should the Owner choose to mist more frequently.”

All owners are trained to operate their system both on-site and remotely. Virtual access to your SWAT system is done via a proprietary app that allows the possessor to monitor, activate, or turn-off the system based on individual demand, travel, or changing external conditions.

In late 2019, industry veteran Robert Mackey joined the company as a Project Manager. Mackey states, “The quality of the SWAT Mosquito systems is beyond anything currently available in the marketplace. In addition, the employees’ dedication to doing whatever it takes, without exception, provides an unparalleled level of customer service,” which he believes makes SWAT Mosquito Systems the “Bentley of its field.” He explains, “There is no other company, in this space, I would rather work for or recommend more highly to property owners.”

Jenkins and his team take great pride in their offerings and have adopted the very apt motto “You’re either SWAT or You’re not!” To learn more about SWAT Mosquito Systems, or why they are the leading provider of insect control in Florida, visit swatmosquitosystems.com. To schedule your complimentary consultation, call 1-866-900-SWAT.

By Jill D. Kaplan

Posted on

Parkland mayor seeks Florida State House seat

In April, Parkland Mayor, Christine Hunschofsky, announced her run for the Florida State House of Representatives District 96. She would be replacing former representative and friend, Kristin Jacobs. Jacobs passed away earlier this year following a three- year battle with colon cancer.

A 20-year Parkland resident before becoming Mayor in 2016, Hunschofsky served nearly four years as a Parkland City Commissioner, seven years on the city’s Education Advisory Board, and is currently a member of the Broward League of Cities School and Community Public Safety Task Force.

“I could never have imagined when I entered public office that I would see our community brutalized by a mass shooting and confronted by the devastating effects of an international health emergency,” Hunschofsky said in a press release announcing her candidacy.

“Both of these events have revealed urgent issues which must be addressed by the legislature now including gun safety, emergency preparedness, economic recovery, and fixing a broken unemployment system,” said Hunschofsky.

“I cannot think of a time when my friend Kristin Jacobs’ leadership has been more needed than during this current crisis,” she said. “Losing her is a true blow to our district and I intend to use my experience in government to do all I can to continue her work of fighting for our community in Tallahassee.”

The 96th District includes Parkland, Coconut Creek, parts of Margate, and the northeast section of Coral Springs in northeastern Broward County.

Parkland City Commissioner, Stacy Kagan, who served seven years with Hunschofsky and was vice mayor for two of the years, says, “Parkland has been fortunate to have had Christine’s leadership.”

A Parkland resident for the past 16 years, Kagan is now running to succeed Hunschofsky as Mayor.

“I endorsed Christine immediately,” she says, “and I think that she will
do an excellent job in the position.” said Kagan. “This town has a proud tradition of producing stellar leaders and it benefits our community to have leadership that understands the unique character and interests of this amazing place we call home. We have a resilient and united community and care about each other.”

A Boston native, Hunschofsky graduated with her bachelor’s degree in business administration and philosophy from Boston University, in 1996 she went on to earn her MBA from Babson College before relocating to Parkland with her husband, Hannes, and two sons.

Staying occupied with Zoom meetings during COVID-19 stay at home orders, Hunschofsky says when she received a text from Jacobs two weeks before her death saying she was not doing well and asking Hunschofsky to run in her stead, Hunschofsky knew she had to take the next step.

“I believe my experience allows me to bring a local perspective to Tallahassee,” Hunschofsky says. “I’ve worked on the local level and with leaders on a state level. This allows me to make a positive contribution and elevate local issues to Tallahassee.”

Following Jacobs’ commitment to environmental issues, specifically water quality issues, Hunschofsky plans to make this a priority in her agenda along with a focus on access and funding for mental health services, expanding Medicaid, school safety and common sense gun laws, and support for grief counselors and social workers in schools. (Hunschofsky was the Mayor during the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 2018.)

For the Aug. 18 primary, Hunschofsky will run against fellow Democrat, Saima Farooqui, who ran and lost to Jacobs with 20.7 percent of the votes, two years ago. A write-in candidate, Coral Springs resident, Muhammad Amin, (also a Democrat) will not appear on the ballot in the primary but will appear on the ballot for the general election, Nov. 3.

Attempts to contact these two candidates were unsuccessful.

Check out our podcasts with Commissioner Kagan, and Commissioner Walker on www. theparklander.com/podcast to hear more on why they are running for Parkland Mayor.

 

By Jan Engoren

Proudly powered by WordPress