JANUARY, 2018

PRIDE THE NEWSLETTER OF AVON PARK HIGH SCHOOL

Avon Park, Florida

January, 2018 Preparing Students for the Future! Volume 3, Issue 5

Danielle Erwin, Principal

PRINCIPAL OF THE DAY

AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING

Mon., Tues., Wed. and Thurs.

801 Lab, 3:30 - 5 p.m.

O’HORA NAMED DISTRICT

TEACHER OF THE YEAR Congratulations to APHS ESE resource teacher

Martin O’Hora, who was awarded the 2019

Highlands County Teacher of the Year at the

annual Summit Awards held in December.

O’Hora has been at APHS since 2014, teaching

ESE and Algebra before his current resource

position. He started teaching in the district in

2011 at Hill-Gustate Middle School. He also

coaches APHS boys basketball.

“I always wanted to be a teacher and a coach,”

he said, “something my mom and father did.

They both taught for over 30 years.”

Pictured at the awards from left below: APHS

AP Kim Riley, Highlands County Superintendent

Brenda Longshore, Coach O’Hora, APHS

Principal Danielle Erwin, and APHS AP Karen

Edsall. We are proud of you!

Freshman Erica Vargas,

(pictured with Principal Erwin),

was Principal of the Day in

December. Her day was rather

eventful and ended early, but

she did get to walk around the

school to check in on teachers

to see how they were teaching

their students. (Note: APHS received a bomb threat on

her day, and the school was evacuated.)

Vargas said that she learned that everyday the principal has

to “read and respond to any emails she receives, and there

are a lot”. She feels that Mrs. Erwin “has a very funny and

kind personality” that she thinks is necessary, “because if

she’s the principal, she has to be able to get along well with

not only teachers and staff, but students too.” Erica said

that being a principal was fun while it lasted, but she

doesn’t think she could take on that much work. Her

favorite part of the day was delivering Christmas gifts to

certain teachers, “because I liked how it brought joy and a

smile to the teachers.”

Asked if she would make any changes at APHS, Vargas said

she would not change anything. “I feel like the school I

attend now is great the way it is.” Her advice to incoming

freshman about high school would be to “be prepared for

changes, stay on track, and just enjoy high school.”

Erica’s favorite subject is math. She enjoys playing volley-

ball, and spending time with her family and her dog Skye.

She hopes to have her AA degree when she graduates high

school, and then attend Florida State University to become

a neonatal nurse.

“I really enjoyed being principal,” she said.

JANUARY, 2018

KEY CLUB: Thank you to those who partici-

pated in the December service hour opportuni-

ties. We did bell ringing three times, stuffed 10

stockings and supported the Angel Tree two

evenings for the Salvation Army. Meetings are

Thursday afternoons at 3:20 p.m. in Mrs. Vil-

lone’s Room 231. Service hours are available.

Please think about who we are electing for next

year. Elections must be done prior to March.

FFA: Next meeting is tentatively set for Friday,

Jan. 19 at 8 a.m. in Mrs. Brown’s Room 207.

FBLA meets the 2nd and 4th Friday of each

month at 8 a.m. in Ms. Meeks’ Room 804.

Robotics meets every Monday and Wednesday

after school in Ms. Meeks’ Room 804.

NHS: Next meeting is Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 a.m.

in Ms. Loomis’ choir room.

SGA meets every Monday morning at 8 a.m. in

Mrs. Pollitt’s Room 10-118.

Monica Germaine,

pictured with her husband

Bob, celebrated her retire-

ment at a gathering in

December. She was adminis-

trative assistant to Principal

Erwin, and other principals

previously during her long tenure with the School Board

of Highlands County. She will be greatly missed and we

offer her our congratulations, thanks and best wishes.

Heather Goodwin was named as her replacement,

effective Jan. 8.

COLLEGE BOUND MALES

The CBM luncheon with Mr. Bill Jarrett was cancelled

due to an unexpected school dismissal. Mr. Jarrett is

planning to reschedule in the near future.

Thank you to Mrs. Newton and her church for provid-

ing a delicious lunch for the young men of CBM, which

they did enjoy on Friday, Dec. 15.

Kudos to the CBM officers who presented goodie bags

to the District Office staff for the holidays. Superinten-

dent Longshore escorted the young men around the

District Office, and the treats were much appreciated

and well received with great holiday cheer. The staff

was very complimentary of our young men’s behavior

and attire. CBM Officers pictured below, from left:

Drake Manus; James Satine; Kalon Fields;

Superintendent Longshore; J’Vonne Graham;

Dah’Quan Braswell; and Cole Losa. Way to go

APHS College Bound Male Program. Good luck to choir students who will be singing

in a Solo/Ensemble Festival Feb. 2. Competing

will be the Women’s Show Choir, the Mixed

Show Choir, and 10 soloists: Kassidy Carroll;

Madison Coceano; Kristen Farless; Liliana

Fuentes; Jonah King; Christopher Loomis;

Hannah Loomis; Noah McDaniel; Wandaliz

Melendez; and Natalie Miller.

Pictured: Choir Winter Concert First Baptist Church

CORRECTION IN DECEMBER, 2017 ISSUE

The Homecoming Court picture had an incorrect

name. 1st runner up was James Beck. We apologize

for the error.

JANUARY, 2018

NEED GUIDANCE?

See your Counselor

TESTING DATE DEADLINES

March 2 SAT—registration deadline Feb. 9

Register at www. collegeboard.org

Feb. 10 ACT—registration deadline Jan. 12

Register at www.actstudent.org

FAFSA Night will be held Jan. 22 in the Media Center

for seniors and parents to complete the FAFSA with

assistance. You must have an FSA ID prior to the event.

SENIORS: Sign up for Senior Guidance Remind by

texting 81010 @ aphsg for scholarship information and

important reminders. Visit the APHS website Guidance

page to access the Scholarship Guide and Scholarships

Quick Look.

JUNIORS: Girls State and Boys State Youth Leader-

ship Program applications are available in Guidance.

Apply to spend a week, travel and all expenses paid, in

Tallahassee, participating in events in the State Capitol

and on FSU’s campus. Girls State dates are June 6-14,

and Boys State dates are June 17-23.

DECEMBER

NHS JUDGES SCIENCE FAIR

Members of the APHS National Honor Society

served as judges in December for the 5th grade

science fair at Avon Elementary. Pictured above,

from left: Gabriella Garcia; Milca Elie;

Courtney Ball; Joshua Jantz; Amy

Schlosser; Kaelyn Riffle; and Kadie Crosson.

Hannah Loomis - 9th Carlos Amador - 10th

Caitlyn Lorenzo - 11th Shawna Winrotte - 12th

AFJROTC DRONE TEAM

The APHS AFJROTC Drone Team was active

first semester. They learned how to conduct pre

-flight and post-flight checks and developed their

own training regiment to get unfamiliar cadets up

to speed on drone operations. The team videoed

several football games, the Homecoming Cere-

mony and the annual Wellness Challenge held at

APHS in November. If you are interested in

drones, radio-controlled airplanes, model rockets

or similar endeavors consider AFJROTC as an

elective option. Stop by

the ROTC classroom and

speak with Senior Master

Sergeant Northcutt,

Colonel Caudill or any

cadet for information.

Pictures: APHS Campus

above; Kevin Seymour

right.

JANUARY, 2018

APHS Web Page calendar of upcoming events has

schedule information for Red Devil sports.

APHS: WHERE EXCELLENCE

IS A TRADITION

COMPETITION CHEER

APHS Competition Cheer will compete on Jan. 6

at Thunderfest at Lake Region High School. They

will also be hosting their own “Bring the Heat”

Competition Jan. 13 starting at 11 a.m. There are

18 teams signed up to compete. Admission for

spectators is $5.

January will end with the FHSAA Regional

Competition at Plant City High School Jan. 27,

where they hope to qualify for State Finals.

BRASWELL TO PLAY FOOTBALL

AP senior running back Montrae Braswell,

pictured center above, signed to play football at

Central Michigan University Dec. 21. Braswell

ran 1,007 yards and scored 19 touchdowns this

year. He will switch from running back to playing

on defense for the Chippewas. Congratulations

and best wishes!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Jan. 13 - Bring the Heat Cheer Competition

Jan. 15 - No School, Holiday

Jan. 17 - Cultural Fiesta

Jan. 19 - Report Cards go home

Jan. 22 - SAC Meeting 5:30 p.m. Room 302

Jan. 22 - FAFSA Night 6 p.m. Media Center

Jan. 24 - Senior Class Panoramic Picture

Jan. 25- Heartland Honor Band

Performance 7 p.m. SFSC

Feb. 3 - Mz. Leap Year Pageant

Feb. 5 - Project Grad Mtg. 6 p.m. Auditorium

Feb. 7 - AVID College Shirt Day

JAN./FEB. FUNDRAISERS

Choir/Band Otis Spunkmeyer Sale—Jan. 16 to 26

AFJROTC Bracelet Sale—Jan. 22 to Feb. 2

Band BBQ Fundraiser Wells Motor Co.—Jan. 27

Project Graduation Panera Night—Jan. 30, 4 - 8 p.m.

Project Graduation Papa Johns Night—Feb.1, 4 -10 p.m.

NEWS FROM THE RED DEVILCAFÉ

Don’t miss the most important meal of the day!

Breakfast is offered FREE to all students every day

starting at 7:45 a.m. in the Cafeteria or at our Break-

fast Kiosk located at the front of the school.

Some new items coming for lunch: Sloppy Joes,

Stuffed Shells, Sausage Pancake on a Stick, Teriyaki

Chicken, Breakfast Caprese Sandwich Bowl, Mini

Cheese Ravioli, Tacos, and Tomato Soup with Grilled

Cheese.

If you have a negative balance in the Cafeteria, PLEASE

work on getting this paid down. ALL negative balanc-

es MUST be paid off by the end of the school year. If

you have ay questions, please call Miss Kennedy, Cafe-

teria Manager at 452-4312.