Godby High School Construction Academy Sells First Home
The Godby High School Construction Academy recently sold its first home in Leon County. The Academy built a three bedroom home, and sold it to a Tallahassee first-time homebuyer. The construction program is part of the “Build a House” project administered by the Florida Great Northwest Foundation and Workforce Plus.

The sale of the home will provide the needed funds for the Academy to repeat the project this school year. This effort is a first for Godby High and Leon County Schools. The “Build a House” project will be sustained annually by the sale of the home. For more on the story, visit http://www.fldoe.org/SuccessStories/2008/09-25.asp.

Jupiter Elementary First School in Florida to Earn USDA HealthierUS School Challenge Silver Award
Jupiter Elementary School in Brevard County is the first school in Florida to earn the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) HealthierUS School Challenge Silver Award. The Silver Award, one of the USDA's highest, has been bestowed upon 34 schools in the nation.

The HealthierUS School Challenge was developed in support of President Bush’s HealthierUS Initiative. This initiative helps Americans take steps to improve personal health and fitness and encourages all Americans, including children, to be physically active every day, eat a nutritious diet, get preventive screenings and make healthy choices.

All Members of Manatee Community College Radiography Class Pass National Exam
The entire 2008 Manatee Community College (MCC) radiography class passed the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists examination on the first attempt.

Seventeen radiography students graduated in May, making them eligible to take the national examination to become a registered radiographer. The registry is accepted in every state and many foreign countries, and those who pass also are eligible for state licensure.

Seminole Community College Women's Golf Coach Named LPGA Southeast Coach of the Year
Seminole Community College (SCC) Women’s Golf Coach Christa Teno has been named Southeast Coach of the Year this September by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional membership.

Teno led the SCC’s women’s golf team to a No. 4 national ranking last year, in the program’s first year. Her team closed last season with six straight top five finishes, and two players finished in the top 10 at the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Women's Golf Championships.

Pasco-Hernando Community College Students Win Coca-Cola Scholarships
Two Pasco-Hernando Community College students have been awarded $1,000 scholarships from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. The students are Carri Randall, of Brooksville, who is pursuing an AS degree in nursing and Sarah Roman, of Port Richey, who is pursuing an AA degree.

The Coca-Cola Foundation awards a total of 400 scholarships annually to students attending higher-education institutions granting two-year degrees. All recipients have demonstrated academic success and participated in community service within the past 12 months.

Branching Out

Science Olympiad Coaches Conference
Oct. 17-18, 2008
University of Central Florida
Orlando, Fla.

Whether you are new to Science Olympiad or a longtime coach who needs help preparing students for their events, the Coaches Conference is your answer to helping your team prepare for the regional, state, and national competitions. If you are not familiar with Science Olympiad, this is a great chance to find out how to incorporate the fun science activities into your classrooms in a way that will improve student achievement. For more details and to register, go to www.floridascienceolympiad.org and click on Coaches Conference.

2008 Annual Convention of the Florida School Counselor Association
Oct. 23-25, 2008
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
Orlando, Fla.

The most focused program in school counseling in Florida, the 2008 FSCA Convention will be delivered by thoughtful leaders from Florida and throughout the United States. The hottest and most relevant topics will be explored by leading industry advocates, state officials, counselor educators and, most importantly, professional school counselors!

For more information and to register, visit www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/convention2008.htm.

59th Annual Florida Counseling Association Conference
Nov. 13-15, 2008
The Plaza Resort & Spa
Daytona Beach, Fla.

The 59th Annual Florida Counseling Association Conference, Florida Counselors: Riding the Wave of Change, will be held November 13 - 15 in Daytona Beach at the Plaza Resort & Spa. For more information or to register, visit www.flacounseling.org.

12th Annual Charter School Conference
Nov. 20-21, 2008
DoubleTree Hotel
Orlando, Fla.

The 12th Annual Charter School Conference will be held November 20-21, at the DoubleTree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando. This year’s theme: “Charters: Providing Choice, Creating Change,” will enable those who are interested in the success of charter schools and the choice they give students in Florida an opportunity to learn firsthand about the importance of charter schools. For additional information, visit http://charterschoolconference.com/index.php.