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All the lowdown on catching sailfish

If there’s a secret to why certain captains and crews excel at catching billfish, it’s that they don’t leave anything to chance.

They begin their preparation well in advance, making sure that they have enough baits and that their tackle is in tip-top condition. While they’re fishing, they constantly watch their lines and also keep an eye out for free-jumping fish. And they don’t let up until they head back to the dock.

It used to be that January was the best time of the year to catch sailfish in South Florida, but now March and April are the best months. If you’ve always dreamed of catching and releasing one of the acrobatic, hard-fighting fish, here are some tips to help you accomplish that goal, as well as to catch more sailfish.

“It’s the littlest thing that makes the difference,” said Capt. Casey Hunt, who grew up fishing in Pompano Beach and now runs charters in Key West (cnitadventures.com). “Every single time a line goes in the water, it’s perfect. The hooks. The knots. You’ve got to spend that extra time because that extra time is going to catch you more fish.”

Whenever Capt. Bouncer Smith talks about fishing, he stresses the importance of being ready for anything.

“One of the things I always try to emphasize is be prepared for a lot of different things,” said Smith. “Carry the things that might save the day, like a box of jigs.”

While you’re fishing for sailfish, always bring some spinning rods so you can cast a live bait or jig to any dolphin you encounter, as well as any sailfish that suddenly pop up next to the boat.

“I cannot tell you how many guys go offshore and don’t have anything to catch a dolphin,” Smith said.

For Capt. John Louie Dudas of Miami, who has won countless sailfish tournaments, one of his keys is to never quit.

“Things can change in a split-second,” said Dudas, who has pulled out tournament victories by taking advantage of a last-minute bite.

He also doesn’t hesitate to go after free-jumping sailfish. The reason is that where you see one sailfish, there often are a lot more around.

As he heads over to where he saw the fish, his crew members grab spinning rods so they can cast out baits when they arrive.

“You don’t have to be on top of [the sailfish],” Dudas said, “just get ahead of them. When one comes up, they’ll be like a school of dolphin. They’ll be aggressive.”

When Hunt is targeting sailfish, he fishes in areas with good bottom structure such as coral reefs and rocky outcroppings, something most anglers don’t ever consider unless they’re fishing for snapper and grouper.

“Knowing the bottom in the areas you’re going to fish is huge,” he said because good bottom attracts bait, which attracts gamefish. “It makes a difference whether you’re sailfishing, king fishing, or grouper fishing.”

He added that he was one of the first captains to work with CMOR Mapping, which provides high-resolution, detailed images of everything on the bottom.

Hunt also is big on looking for temperature breaks, no matter how small. His crew once caught 13 sailfish where the difference in temperature went from 75 degrees to 75.7 degrees. That’s where the bait was, and so were the billfish.

“A tenth of a degree, two-tenths of a degree can make a huge difference,” he said. “Because there’s something there, there’s something going on, something’s getting ready to happen.”

Once you get into sailfish, something that Capt. David Fields — who has won sailfish, blue marlin, and white marlin tournaments — and fellow multiple tournament winner Rob Ruwitch agree on is that anglers should have the fishing rod in their hands before a fish eats the bait.

“If the fish gets there first,” Fields said, “he wins.”

Rather than letting a fish pop the line from a kite clip or outrigger clip, Ruwitch points the fishing rod at the clip so the fish feels as little pressure as possible.

Once a billfish is hooked, knowing how to properly use your tackle will help you land the fish. Ruwitch recommended that anglers learn how much drag they can apply without the line breaking while fun fishing.

“Go to a wreck, hook an amberjack, and find out how much pressure you can put on it,” he said. “The most important thing that I’ve found with drag is the lighter, the better.”

Hunt has always been a proponent of using the lightest tackle possible. His outfit for sailfish, as well as kingfish, is an Accurate Valiant 600 conventional reel with a 7:1 gear ratio because it quickly takes up slack line, and a 7-foot light-tip Accurate rod.

He puts 450 to 500 yards of 30-pound Momoi Diamond Braid on the reel as backing, followed by a 250-yard topshot of 20-pound Momoi Diamond Illusion, a green, “super tough” monofilament, and a 50-pound fluorocarbon leader. His preferred sailfish baits are goggle-eyes and threadfin herring and, if possible, sardines to use as pitch baits for fish that he can see.

When it’s time to move and reel in the lines, Hunt has his anglers work the baits, reeling them in a little, then hesitating before reeling again, rather than mindlessly cranking them back to the boat.

“Sometimes you’ll get a good bite like that,” said Hunt, who, because he’s always prepared, is always ready when that unexpected bite happens.

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Run4Beigel: Memorial fund helps send at-risk children to summer camps

Scott J. Beigel was more than a geography teacher and cross-country coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD). Among the 17 souls who lost their lives that fateful day in February 2018, he was a man that impacted lives. Ultimately, he was a man who saved lives by unlocking his classroom so students could find shelter.

To raise money for the Scott J. Beigel Memorial Fund, the annual Run4Beigel takes place April 10 at Pine Trails Park in Parkland. It’s where his team trained and, after their initial meeting, he told them he knew nothing about cross-country running. The team was impressed by his candor, and by his wit. When asked how they could improve, he would simply say, “Just run faster.” According to his mother, Linda Beigel Schulman, he told the team, “You teach me about cross country, and I’ll teach you about life.”

The Format

Beigel won the love and admiration of his team. To honor his memory, they took to social media and within six days of his death organized the first Run4Beigel event. It drew nearly 500 people. This year’s event features the traditional 5K Run-Walk and 1-mile Fun Run, and a 10-mile Two-Person Relay has been added that requires participants to run 5 miles each. Run4Beigel is also being done virtually and runners from around the world will be participating in his honor.

“We expanded to accommodate those who want a bigger challenge,” said Doug Eaton, race director. “The multiple events add a competitive component that never existed before, and we hope to draw friends, family, the philanthropic community, and competitive athletes from running clubs.”

Eaton says the events are a good way to get involved in a wonderful cause. “Scott was a great human being who cared so much about people,” he said. “Honoring him shows the Parkland spirit.” T-shirts will be given to all participants, and winners will receive trophies and cash prizes.

“It’s really a celebration of his life, and there’s a lot of energy because the community comes together as one in his memory,” said Beigel’s mother.

The memorial fund is rooted in Beigel’s love for summer camp. “It was something close to his heart and that’s why my husband Michael and I partnered with Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education (SCOPE),” she said. “It’s an organization that funds ‘camperships’ for at-risk, low-income children affected by gun violence, and it helps youngsters become empowered and more self-confident.”

The Full SCOPE

The organization does not run the camps, but partners are vetted to meet high standards. “The camps help the emotional needs of kids affected by gun violence by offering an environment that is acceptive and responsive to their needs,” said Executive Director Molly Hott Gallagher.

Beigel’s parents found a partner in SCOPE that was experienced in working with underserved youth and had working relationships with accredited camps. “When Linda and I met, we hit it off immediately,” said HottGallagher. “This relationship has been incredible … because of the focus on providing greater financial access so kids can attend camps they could not otherwise afford.”

SCOPE partners with more than 50 nonprofit summer camps. Last year, it provided more than 700 children with a camp experience. “Helping at-risk kids affected by gun violence was very important to Scott,” said Eaton. “Our goal this year is to raise at least $300,000 and help send 200 kids to camp.”

According to Hott Gallagher, some of the organization’s partner camps are free for all children, and SCOPE subsidizes additional costs for meals, travel, programming, and staffing. Since its inception, SCOPE has funded more than 25,000 camperships.

Applicants must be between ages 7 and 16, be enrolled in a public school or public charter school, and qualify for the Free and Reduced Price School Meals program. They must commit to stay in school. Inner-city kids exist in a world where chaos and crime are routine, and they’re more prone to exposure to gun violence. “Summer camp is very therapeutic because it gives kids a chance to be themselves and have fun,” said HottGallagher. “It’s a break from their daily routine, and it’s proven to be psychologically beneficial.”

An Insight

Beigel grew up in Dix Hills on Long Island, NY. He was a self-taught guitarist, runner, teacher, coach, friend, advisor, and jokester. He found his dream job at MSD because it allowed him to teach geography his way, not always out of a book, but about life’s experiences.

Despite his biting wit, he was a humble man who lived by the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated. “Scott really never knew how much people loved him,” said his mother. “The first day he was at Douglas, he called to tell me he was the worst teacher in the world. Students who had doubts about him were the ones who loved him the most. Wherever Scott went, he impacted lives.”

Beigel loved to mentor kids and to be a champion for the underdog. He volunteered to teach in Cape Town, South Africa and returned home without any baggage. He told his mother that in America kids worry about what kind of athletic shoe to buy, but over there, kids were lucky to have shoes. “Mom, I left all my clothes for them, because I knew it was something they could really use,” he said. That was the essence of Scott Beigel.

Lingering Pain

“The scar tissue from what happened four years ago hasn’t gone away, but it’s made Parkland an even tighter-knit community,” said Eaton. “We still feel the pain of that day, and in Scott’s memory, we want to make things better. It’s a way in which our community can give each other a collective hug.” The 17 will always be remembered.

For Beigel’s legacy, this quote by Mahatma Gandhi is appropriate: “Life isn’t always about grand gestures, but when living by your values, you can make a difference.”

You can follow Run4Beigel on Instagram and Facebook. To sign up, go to www.run4beigel.com.

 

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From puppy to superhero

Parkland family fosters service dog

On her bucket list since childhood (along with travel and giving back), Parkland resident Joanna Goriss finally checked off one of her boxes — becoming a volunteer puppy raiser through a California-based organization called Canine Companions.

The nonprofit, founded in 1975, provides expertly trained service dogs — primarily Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and crosses of the two — to enhance independence for people with disabilities. The organization has approximately 4,300 volunteers across the country.

The dogs, bred by volunteer breeders in California, are shipped to families across the U.S. at 8 weeks of age.

“Raising Noki for 18 months has been so rewarding for our family,” says Goriss, a realtor.

She and her husband, Jeff Goriss, who works in corporate finance, are the parents of Landry, 9, and London, 7, students at Somerset Parkland Academy. They received Noki in March 2020, on the last commercial flight into Fort Lauderdale just as the pandemic hit.

As volunteer puppy raisers, the family was responsible for training the puppy, and for expenses such as food and vet visits.

Once Noki left the Gorris home, he went to Orlando for puppy college and to train to become a full-fledged service dog — turning off lights and putting on socks for his charges.

If all goes well, after six months, Noki will graduate. Only 50 percent of all puppies actually graduate. The Gorisses plan to attend Noki’s graduation and walk with him across the stage.

“Canine Companions is very organized,” says Goriss. “Almost 400 dogs graduate each year. We’re a big family and stay in touch with other volunteers. It’s extremely rewarding. It warms your heart to know that you are making a difference in someone’s life. You cannot put a price on it.”

When her son was younger, he spent three and a half years in treatment for leukemia at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. Because of that, Goriss says, he is empathetic to others with health or physical limitations.

“We’re grateful for each day because tomorrow is not promised,” says Goriss. “We try and make a difference with our volunteer efforts.”

The couple volunteer at Miami Make-A-Wish (“very near and dear to our heart”) and volunteered at the fifth annual Make-A-Wish Ball, which raised over $1 million.

“We have a neighbor with cerebral palsy and another in a wheelchair,” says Goriss. “So my kids understand the purpose of having a service dog.”

Because of this, they were able to part with Noki without too much grief. “We didn’t find it sad to give him up because we knew he would be going on to help someone else,” Goriss says. “We raised a superhero.”

However, Noki left a void, and the family is looking forward to raising a new puppy.

Ashton Roberts, Canine Companion’s program manager in Orlando, says, “There’s no strict criteria to become a volunteer puppy raiser. You need to walk the dog on a leash and comply with the program rules.”

For more information on Canine Companions, visit canine.org.

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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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New winter diet for the manatees

Lettuce is being stocked in the Indian River manatee buffet to feed the local population that migrates to the estuary during the colder months of the year. So far, the manatees are skipping the buffet, which does not bode well for the local manatee herd that is still weakened from 2021.

The supplemental feeding program established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is in response to an Unusual Mortality Event that has seen 750 deaths (all causes) on the Florida Atlantic coast in the 12-month period ending in November 2021.

A healthy adult manatee is nearly 10 feet long and approximately 1,000 pounds. They require 4%-9% of their body weight (40-90 pounds) in food each day. In the wintertime, the favorite hangout for the Atlantic coast manatees is the Indian River Lagoon, which traditionally feeds the herd with the local seagrass.

According to FWC, “since 2011, persistence of algal blooms has resulted in reduced water clarity and light penetration” and a “dramatic reduction” in sunlight getting to the seagrass at the bottom of the lagoon. The seagrass “in this region and specifically in the Indian River Lagoon has declined significantly.”

Due to the shortage of their natural food, the region saw a significant number of emaciated manatees last year, and as more resources, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have been brought in to help with the response, a joint unified command team was established.

According to a press conference held on Jan. 13 by the joint unified command team, so far this year, the temperature in the area had been warm and manatees had not yet started to congregate in the Indian River Lagoon. But as January temperatures were starting to drop, more and more manatees would start to migrate to what is described as their “capital” for wintering.

What the manatees are seeing when they enter the Indian River Lagoon is not the lush seagrass fields they are hoping for, but a “desert,” according to Martina de Wit, a research scientist with FWC. This is the cause of the starvation we saw last year and may recur when more manatees show up in their wintering grounds.

The state allocated an extra $8 million recently to help alleviate the dire situation, and a feeding program was born. In captivity, manatees do eat lettuce but require “a week or so” before accepting it as food. In the wild, no observed feeding has occurred, as of the Jan. 13 press conference. But the FWC expects “some adjustment period when switching to a different diet,” and when the realization of lack of natural seagrass sets in, the FWC “expected that manatees can adapt to [lettuce] without any major issues.”

When asked by a reporter, “Why lettuce?”, and not some other natural vegetation, the FWC is concerned with introducing invasive species or extra nutrients to an already fertilizer-rich ecosystem, which is causing clarity issues in the first place. The lettuce that is not eaten is removed. Given the quantity of food required (40-90 pounds of food per adult animal), it’s difficult to harvest that amount of food. This is the reason it’s still illegal for the public to feed manatees.

Feeding manatees is meant as a short-term bridge until longer-term habitat restoration and improvement projects get traction. According to Ron Mezich, the provisioning chief, the lack of local seagrass donor beds is a major hurdle for the nursery that is planned to help regrow the seagrass that has been lost.

Meanwhile, Joint Command Rescue Chief Andy Garrett said that efforts to bring up more rescue facilities are ongoing. His team gets alerts from the public about distressed animals, and in 2021, a record 159 manatees were rescued and 115 went to the rehab facility. So far in the past month, 23 manatees have been rescued, and the facilities are near capacity. More facilities are being brought up, and Garrett encourages the public to call the hotline when they see an animal in distress.

As the temperatures cool, more of the manatees are expected to require help. Let us all hope that the wild manatees take a liking to lettuce and that the seagrass nursery flourishes in the Indian River Lagoon.

To help with both the rescue and the feeding program, you can donate to the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership or the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. It will take a significant effort to save many of the gentle giants, as the FWC works to reverse the desertification of their winter capital.

 

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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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Falling for February skies

From the Heart Nebula in Cassiopeia to the Rosette Nebula in Monoceros, there is a lot to love about the night skies of February.

This month’s asterism challenge for beginners: the Winter Hexagon. An asterism is a picture in the sky that is not an official constellation — it might be a small “picture” within a constellation (Orion’s Belt within Orion, for example), or it might consist of stars from two or more constellations. The Winter Hexagon falls in the second category as it includes bright stars from several prominent constellations.

Starting with Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, move clockwise to the hexagon’s vertices at Procyon, Castor and Pollux (a single vertex), Capella, Aldebaran, and Rigel. Connecting Rigel and Sirius completes the hexagon. Good luck!

Celestial highlights this month:

  • 1 — New Moon. It’s the best time of the month to look for Deep Sky Objects. The temperatures should be comfortable, so take a telescope or binoculars and get out to a dark location.
  • 2. Just after sunset, Jupiter and a very thin crescent Moon should make a beautiful pair in the Western sky. This “conjunction” will place them within about 4 degrees of each other.
  • 9. Venus reaches its peak brightness, as seen in the morning sky just before daybreak.
  • 16 — Full Moon. It’s nicknamed the Snow Moon by some ancient Native American tribes.
  • 16 — Mercury Mornings. Little Mercury is hidden by the Sun’s glare most of the year, but in mid-February, it will be about 26 degrees above the horizon just before the Sun rises. This is one of your best chances to see it this year.
  • 27. There will be a conjunction of Venus, Mars, and the crescent Moon in the Eastern sky before dawn. They will appear in a straight line low on the horizon.

Not just love is in the air this February. Here are some interesting launches:

  • The United States Space Force is planning two launches this month using a powerful Falcon Heavy rocket from SpaceX and an Atlas V 551 rocket from United Launch Alliance. We haven’t seen a Falcon Heavy launch since June 2019, so it is a long-awaited treat! No specific launch date has been set as of this writing.
  • There is also a tourism mission planned by a private company called Axiom, which will use a Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket. Again, no launch date has been set as of now.

Hope you love these winter nights, stargazers!

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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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