Young People’s Theater Opens Oct. 30 at South Florida State College

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 23, 2017 – Virginia Rep, one of the largest professional theaters in Virginia, brings its national tour of The Adventures of Pinocchio to Highlands County on Monday, Oct. 30, for two performances–at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts, South Florida State College, Highlands Campus, Avon Park. The performance is recommended for children in grades kindergarten through fourth.  Tickets are $4 each and complimentary tickets for chaperones are available with every 10 tickets purchased.     

Based on the novel by Carlo Collodi, one of the most loved children’s tales around the world, the musical follows the mischievous wooden puppet as he learns valuable lessons that lead him back home to Geppeto. This fun show for young people teaches lessons about honesty and self-esteem. A free study guide helps teachers and parents incorporate the show into classroom curriculum.

Huck and Tom and the Mighty Mississippi tells the story of America’s greatest young adventurers in this foot-stomping musical based on the novels by Mark Twain. Recommended for students in grades three to five, the production is scheduled for March 28 with performances at 9:30 am and 11:30 am. 

Huck and Tom and the Mighty Mississippi introduces the audience to the characters, setting, humor, and humanity of Mark Twain’s most famous novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Selected scenes from the novels form the basis of the musical play and introduces students to some of the most legendary adventures and characters in all of American literature.  Huck, Tom, Jim, Becky Thatcher, Aunt Polly, and all the residents and rapscallions of Hannibal, Mo. explore the majestic river that defined their lives, tested their souls, and carried their spirit into the heart of America.  Curriculum subjects covered are language arts, history, art, multiculturalism, and music.     

Based on the award-winning book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo, scheduled for May 8 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., is a classic fantasy story captures the imagination of young children as it takes them on a journey with mouse as he strolls through the wood and meets the beast himself, the Gruffalo. Performed by Tall Stories, a professional theatrical production company based in London, this performance has toured throughout Great Britain and the United States.  Filled with songs and laughs, The Gruffalo is recommended for children ages 4 and up. 

“We encourage homeschoolers to attend any of our presentations,” said Cindy Garren, SFSC director, Cultural Programs. “Reservations are highly encouraged because some shows do sell out.” For more information or to make a reservation, contact Mitzi Farmer at 863-784-7284.

The Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts is a 1,460-seat venue at SFSC’s Highlands Campus in Avon Park. Since 1998, SFSC has presented professional touring theatricals for school groups.  SFSC also provides complimentary tickets to students for all Jazz Series performances. Free student tickets are available at the SFSC Box Office the night of the show.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 23, 2017 – Three Florida 10^th Judicial Circuit judges, Angela J. Cowden, Peter F. Estrada, and David V. Ward, will make a presentation on the significance of the U.S. Constitution for American citizens, focusing on the First and Second Amendments, freedom of the press, gender equity, and the citizens’ role in the legislative process. Students are encouraged to attend, and the presentation is open to the public. It is will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m., at the SFSC University Center Auditorium, Highlands Campus, Avon Park.

For more information, contact Lynn MacNeill, SFSC dean, Arts and Sciences, at 863-784-7192.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 20, 2017 –SFSC inducted 89 students into its Tau Epsilon chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society on Oct. 19. 

With families and fellow students looking on, the students recited an oath of membership, joining the honor society that recognizes distinguished academic achievement by students enrolled in two-year academic programs. 

Michelle Macbeth, SFSC instructor, Foreign Languages and co-advisor for the PTK chapter, served as guest speaker. Macbeth offered the students words of advice, citing a list of five things she wished she had known during her own academic career. 

“You shouldn’t feel stuck with any academic decision,” Macbeth said. “You can always change your major or track.” 

She went on to explain that education is a tool. “You may love creative writing but that may not be a practical degree for you,” she said. “You need to ask yourself what you’re going to use your degree for.” 

“What you think you’re going to do with your life, may change,” Macbeth said. “I loved music, but didn’t love studying music as much as I thought I would, so I changed my major.” She explained that at one point in her career, she was put in front of a class to teach and was dreading the experience. However, she enjoyed it and discovered that teaching was meant to be her life’s work. 

Macbeth encouraged the students to make wise decisions. She cautioned that students don’t necessarily have to “do all these crazy ‘college experience’ things.” Speaking in the extreme, she said that incurring a felony would haunt a student for the rest of his or her life. “Be wise in your decisions.” 

Finally, Macbeth encouraged students, “Don’t let fear keep you from doing things that will be rewarding in the long run.”  

As the ceremony drew to a close, the inductees each signed the honor society’s membership book, recording their status as scholars of distinction at SFSC. When the auditorium lights dimmed, each scholar lit a candle signifying their fellowship in the society. 

The 2017 PTK officers are Danny Sustaita, president; Kevin Webb, vice president; Austin Beck, secretary; Madeline Charles, treasurer; and Erika Weaver-Coleman, public relations.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 19, 2017 – South Florida State College’s Hardee Campus recently received the donation of a TEREX International 7400 Hi-Ranger materials handler from the Peace River Electric Cooperative. Chris Yeomans (left), professor, Electric Distribution Technology, accepted the bucket-style truck from Van Crawford, vice president of operations for PRECO. Hardee students are learning to operate the truck and are using it to master skills in building and frame single and three-phase overhead lines, maintain transformers, and practice pole top and bucket rescue techniques. SFSC’s electrical line service repair program trains students to work as electrical line service technicians. Students are being accepted into spring term classes that begin Jan. 3.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 17, 2017 – The South Florida State College Foundation has received a gift of stock valued at $75,000 from an anonymous donor to bolster the Take Stock in Children program. Because of the donation, more than 18 Take Stock in Children college scholarships will be available to local children.

“Bob Duncan, an SFSC Foundation board member, shared his enthusiasm for being a Take Stock in Children mentor with an anonymous donor,” said Jamie Bateman, executive director, SFSC Institutional Advancement. “He illustrated for her the personal and academic success kids in Take Stock have had and explained that his own student mentees have gone on to be successful at state universities.”

The anonymous donor was so impressed by Duncan’s passion for Take Stock in Children that she decided to do something so more students would have the opportunity to go to college. She consulted with her financial advisor, and together they began the process of donating a gift of stock to the SFSC Foundation to be used for Take Stock in Children.

Take Stock in Children is a statewide program that provides at-risk children with a mentor and a college scholarship. In return, Take Stock scholars sign contracts in which they promise to remain drug-free, to avoid behavior that would get them into trouble with law enforcement, to attend school regularly, and to earn satisfactory grades. The students’ parents also sign the contracts and agree to provide home environments conducive to education. The local Take Stock program has been in place for 20 years and has awarded college scholarships to more than 400 local students. The SFSC Foundation is the lead agency for Take Stock in Children within the college’s service district of DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties.

“This $75,000 donation is beneficial because we now have 18 more Take Stock scholarships to give out.” Duncan said. “The graduation success rate of Take Stock is about 99.99 percent. I’ve been on the Take Stock scholarship selection committee for 10 years or better. We have eight, maybe, 10 children who are eligible, but we can pick only two or three. We want to help more children, but there’s just not enough money. I think most people feel ‘if I can’t donate $5,000 or $10,000, I just won’t bother donating anything.’ But smaller amounts of money add up.”

Duncan has seen two of his previous mentees graduate from the University of Florida. “It just brings tears to my eyes because these kids have accomplished a lot in spite of the many difficulties in their lives,” he said. “The Take Stock program just needs to expand.”

“Donations to Take Stock in Children are used for college scholarships and matched one-to-one by Project STARS, which is under the Florida Prepaid Foundation,” said Irene Castanon, Take Stock in Children program coordinator. “It costs almost $8,000 for one child’s scholarship. So Project STARS pays half of the cost of the scholarship, and we raise money for the other half.”

The scholarship covers tuition as well as college readiness services. “The student receives a mentor such as Mr. Duncan and a college success coach,” Castanon said. “We offer workshops to familiarize the students with completing a college application and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). When Take Stock students are in the ninth grade, we begin to prepare them for taking the SAT and ACT. We discuss Bright Futures scholarships, requirements, the categories of the scholarship, and when to register for them. We also discuss the availability and requirements for other types of financial aid.” Take Stock scholars are offered tours of colleges and universities to help them decide where they might like to attend.

Duncan encouraged others to volunteer as Take Stock mentors. He said that, initially, the student mentees think the mentor is there because they have to be. “Pretty soon, you become friends, and they start to ask questions and tell you about life situations they may not have related to anyone else. It’s because they know you care. I think the strongest element in being a Take Stock mentor is just being there on a regular basis and not monopolizing the conversation. The best attribute anyone can have is to listen.”

To donate to Take Stock in Children or become a mentor, call Castanon at 453-3133 or visit http://www.southflorida.edu/giving/take-stock-children.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 13, 2017 – SFSC Performing Arts together with the City of Avon Park and Sebring Radio Group will present La Orquesta Caribeño Tropicale on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m., in the 250-seat SFSC University Center, Highlands Campus, in Avon Park. A free percussion workshop for young people will be conducted one hour prior to the performance.

“Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to salsa!” said Cindy Garren, director of Cultural Programs. La Orquesta Caribeño Tropicale performs the heritage rich sounds of the Caribbean and Latin America including Puerto Rico, Cuba, Republica Dominicana, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Peru. The 12-piece band is led by Miguel Lucas who put the band together to play more than salsa music. “I wanted to play merengue, bachata, cumbia, bolero, Son Montuno, and other genres of Latin music,” said Lucas.

 This performance is funded in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how the National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Cumbia music is sometimes called the mother of all Latin music. The origin of the music comes from the days of slavery in the late 17th century and is derived from the African word cumbe which means dance. It is said to have predated and influenced other types of Latin music including Salsa. Cumbia, which has a simple, straightforward dance step, originated in Colombia and moved to Mexico in the 1950s where it became popular.

Nut n Fancy Food Truck will be onsite at the performance at 5 p.m., offering brisket and pulled pork dinners for $10. Other snacks are available. The food truck makes cash sales only. Seating for diners is available in the SFSC University Center lobby.

No tickets are required for the performances. All seating is first come, first served.  Persons requiring special accommodations, please contact the SFSC Box Office at 863-784-7178. More information and performance videos are posted online at www.sfscarts.org/kaleidoscope.

SFSC presents over 35 national and international touring artists at the 1460-seat Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts and the 250-seat SFSC University Center at the Highlands Campus in Avon Park.  SFSC offers a Matinee Series for adults at leisure, Young People’s Theater Series for school performances, Jazz Series, Trending Now Series of contemporary, family shows and the popular Artist Series. Group rates and subscriptions are available online and at the box office. Upcoming performances include: The Phantoms…Unmasked on Nov. 30, The Nutcracker on Dec. 5, and Grammy Award winner Petula Clark on Dec. 10.

The SFSC Performing Arts Box Office is located at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts at 600 West College Drive, Highlands Campus, Avon Park.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 13, 2017 – SFSC has been named one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. This is the fifth consecutive time SFSC has been part of such an honored group of colleges.

With a singular focus on student success, the Aspen Prize recognizes institutions with outstanding achievements in four areas: learning; certificate and degree completion; employment and earnings; and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.

“The recognition from the Aspen Institute affirms that SFSC is a top-performing college due to quality learning initiatives led by a stellar faculty,” said Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, SFSC president.  “Moreover, by looking deep into the data Aspen collects, SFSC far exceeds performance indicators in areas including graduation rates, number of credentials awarded, and overall student success.”

Every two years, 150 community colleges are named as eligible to compete for the prize and are selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide using publicly available data on student outcomes. Recognized institutions are located in urban, rural, and suburban areas and serve as few as 300 students and as many as 95,000 students. These colleges represent the diversity and depth of the community college sector. This year, nearly 60 institutions are eligible to compete for the prize that were not eligible for the 2017 Aspen Prize. For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.

The Florida College System (FCS) as a whole is well represented. Sante Fe College in Gainesville, Fla. was awarded the Aspen Prize in 2015, and Valencia College in Orlando, Fla. won the inaugural prize in 2011.

SFSC joins 13 other FCS institutions in the top 150 colleges eligible for the 2019 Aspen Prize. They are Broward College, Chipola College, Daytona State College, Eastern Florida State College, Florida Keys Community College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Indian River State College, Lake-Sumter State College, Miami Dade College, North Florida Community College, Northwest Florida State College, Palm Beach State College, and Tallahassee Community College. No more than one half of the community colleges in each state may appear in the final list of eligible institutions.

The top ten finalists for the 2019 Aspen Prize will be named in May 2018. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data. A distinguished Prize Jury will select a grand prize winner, finalist(s) with distinction, and rising star(s) in spring 2019. To read more about the selection process, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.

Higher education attainment has never been more important. Estimates from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce suggest that out of the 11.6 million jobs created in the post-recession economy, 11.5 million require at least some college education. The vast majority of students who enroll in community colleges do so because they believe that postsecondary education will provide them a path to rewarding work, stable employment, and family-sustaining wages.

The 2019 Aspen Prize is funded by the Joyce Foundation and the Siemens Foundation.

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 11, 2017 – Soaring to fame on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” and two sold-out national tours of “The Sing-Off Live!,” the enormously entertaining five-piece a cappella group, VoicePlay, is set to rock South Florida State College’s Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts, Highlands Campus, in Avon Park, on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in the season opener of the Florida Hospital Trending Now Series. The performance is sponsored by Drs. Audwin and Patrice Nelson.

“This is a really fun show for kids,” said Cindy Garren, director, SFSC Cultural Programs, “and youth tickets are only $10.” 

Much more than a concert, VoicePlay is a theatrical experience that magically recreates the orchestrated sound of an entire musical production with nothing but the human voice. Alternating between eras and styles to showcase the quintet’s amazing vocal feats, each show is laced with inventive and hilarious on-stage theatrics. With over a million YouTube views for their cover of “The Phantom of the Opera,” and their collaborations with Disney, the group has played a part in the surging popularity of contemporary a cappella.

What began as a street corner barbershop act has evolved into an internationally acclaimed touring sensation with six national tours and video entertainment brand. The cast of VoicePlay has taken the timeless sound of vocal music and turned it completely on its head.

Geoff Castellucci, one of the founding members of VoicePlay said, “We find that a cappella music tends to be pretty relatable to most audiences. Everyone is familiar with it in one form or another, whether that’s Motown, or a guy singing on a street corner. Everyone can relate to the voices and harmony. Making that leap has pretty much already been done for us. We want you to walk away from our show saying that was amazing and then, ‘Oh yeah, it was a capella.’”

Tickets for VoicePlay are $22 – $30. Student/child tickets are $10. For more information, videos and to order tickets online, visit www.sfscarts.org. The SFSC Box Office is located on SFSC’s Highlands Campus, at 600 West College Drive, Avon Park.   To contact the SFSC Box Office, call 863-784-7178.

The Florida Trending Now Series features five family-friendly, contemporary performances.   Upcoming performances are The Nutcracker, Black Violin, Mutts Gone Nuts, and Snowkus Pocus. Subscription packages are $95 – $121. Group rates are also available.

SFSC presents over 35 national and internationally touring artists at the 1460-seat Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts and the 250-seat SFSC University Center. SFSC offers a Matinee Series for adults at leisure, Young People’s Theater Series for school performances, Jazz Series, Trending Now Series of contemporary, family shows, and the popular Artist Series. Group rates and subscriptions are available online and at the SFSC Box Office. Upcoming performances include The Phantoms…Unmasked on Nov. 30; The Nutcracker on Dec. 5, and Grammy Award winner Petula Clark on Dec. 10. 

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 11, 2017 – SFSC’s Dental Hygiene program will hold oral cancer screenings on Thursday, Oct. 19, 3:30 – 6 p.m., in Building T, SFSC Highlands Campus, Avon Park. The screening is by appointment only, is open to the public, and is free.

The screening is a simple process that only takes about 15–20 minutes. After a brief medical history, patients will undergo a head and neck evaluation. When needed, the visual exam is followed by a VELscope examination in which a florescent light is shown into the mouth and helps to detect abnormal cells that are not visible to the naked eye.

“Even people who wear dentures should have an oral cancer screening every year,” said Dr. Deborah Milliken, department chair, Dental Education. “Dental hygienists and dental assistants tend to be community-minded individuals, and oral cancer screening is only one of the many ways they serve in their communities.”

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation and Oral Cancer Consortium, oral cancer is more deadly than Hodgkin’s lymphoma, cervical, thyroid, and skin cancers, and kills one person every hour of the day, but when found early, oral cancer patients have a 90 percent survival rate.

Oral cancer risk factors include alcohol and tobacco use, advancing age, sun exposure, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, and the human papilloma virus (HPV), which presents a five-times increase in occurrence in people under the age of 40.

To make an appointment, call SFSC Dental Education at 863-784-7020.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 4, 2017 – South Florida State College Performing Arts together with the City of Avon Park and Sebring Radio Group will present a free performance of Florida Treasures, Saturday, Oct. 14, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the SFSC University Center, Highlands Campus, Avon Park. No tickets are required, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Florida Treasures, an interactive show written and performed by state touring artists A.C.T. for Youth, a professional company based in Orlando. “This is a high quality, professional production where families will laugh and learn about Ponce De Leon and the original Pocahontas story,” said Cindy Garren, director of SFSC’s Cultural Programs.

Following the performance will be a meet and greet with the performers. A free arts workshop for children will be held in the lobby one hour before the performance. The Nut n Fancy Food truck will be on-site serving full beef brisket and pulled pork dinners along with snacks and beverages. Cash sales only at the food truck. 

La Orquesta Caribeño Tropicale performs the heritage rich sounds of the Caribbean and Latin America including Puerto Rico, Cuba, Republica Dominicana, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru on Saturday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. Expect an evening of salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, bolero and danzon. A free percussion workshop will be offered for children at 6 p.m. in the lobby.

Florida Treasures and La Orquesta Caribeno Tropicale performances are funded in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how the National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

South Florida State College presents over 35 national and internationally touring artists at the 1460-seat Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts and the 250-seat University Center located on the college’s Highlands Campus.

SFSC offers a Matinee Series for adults at leisure, Young People’s Theater Series for school performances, Jazz Series, Trending Now Series of contemporary, family shows and the popular Artist Series. Group rates and subscriptions are available online and at the SFSC Box Office. Upcoming performances include: The Phantoms…Unmasked on Nov. 30, The Nutcracker on Dec. 5, and Grammy Award winner Petula Clark on Dec. 10.

SFSC Performing Arts Box Office is located at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts, 600 West College Drive, Highlands Campus, Avon Park. Take Entrance 1 or 3 from West College Drive to get to the box office.

For more information or to view videos, visit the website at www.sfscarts.org.   Although the box office is closed at this time, messages will be returned when calling the box office at 863-784-7178.