13 minute read
sAt/Act
By Dr. Wayne Adams
Upcoming Exam Dates: SAT on June 4th and August 27th; … ACT on June 11th, and July 16th.
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May is one of the most intriguing months on the school calendar with AP Exams (ouch! or hooray!), most seniors having some level of “senioritis”, juniors anticipating being the “top dogs” next year, and sophomores feeling a little “salty” as they move towards finishing the year.
Then there is the question, “What about those SAT and/or ACT Exams?
Right now I have SENIORS intently working to boost their scores to qualify for the 75% or 100% Bright Futures’ Scholarship. The good news about Bright Futures is the last exams to qualify are the SAT on June 4th, and the ACT on June 11th. And each of these exams has some days after school is done for final studying.
Sometimes this involves the full exam, sometimes only one or two areas in what we call “SKILL STRENGTHENING”. One student in the verbal strengthening came to me with a 520, over 150 points below her math score. Now, she is testing at a 650+ range in Writing and Language and Reading which combine into what I call the “Verbal” score. Another on the ACT is working on his math and science, which have already jumped four points in each category. One of my current seniors has already scored a 1540 on his SAT, and wants to aim for a 1600 to improve his chances of admission to his “dream school”. Two years ago I helped a young lady from Palm Harbor University High School with the same profile and goal, and she did score a 1600 on her SAT.
Most of my JUNIORS would like to hit their desired scoring levels in spring or summer so they don’t have to worry about this factor during their senior year. Usually, these students have relatively high GPAs, but lower than expected exam scores. The good news is this type of student usually “takes off” with their exam scores after they build on their current, academic foundation with our techniques, increasing familiarity witH “curve balls”(those questions seldom encountered but when it happens a student either knows how to do them or is guessing), and, of course, reducing the number of questions where a student has to guess.
Many of my current SOPHOMORES/RISING JUNIORS are getting familiar with the exam(s) and preparing for the PSAT next October which is the only national qualifying exam for National Merit Scholarships. Having helped three National Merit Finalists, qualifying can mean major, additional scholarships and a strong position for applying to “Top 5” through “Top 25” schools.
My JUNIORS and some SOPHOMORES are usually focused on getting ahead with preparing for the SAT and/or ACT and either work over the spring, or get set to prepare starting right after school finishes for the ACT in mid-July and/or the SAT the last Saturday in August. For students wanting to do a combination class of ACT and SAT, we can finish either the week just before school resumes in August (with a complementary, additional review class the week before the SAT), or the week before the actual SAT Exam. During the summer, we easily schedule around family vacations, summer jobs, athletic commitments, and “surprises” as they may arise.
If You Would Like To Talk More About Your Student … Please contact me at 727253-0639 or send me an email at wwa0811@mykolab. com.
Dr. Wayne Adams is one of the leading SAT and ACT tutors in the country. His students normally improve 200+ points on the Writing, Reading, Writing and Essay, and Math, and 4 – 7 points on the ACT composite. They have been admitted to 8 of the top 10 universities in the country, 18 of the top 25, and many schools in Florida. These schools include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, U Chicago, Duke, U Penn, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Notre Dame, Emory, UC Berkley, UCLA, USC, UNC (Chapel Hill), NYU, Northeastern (Boston), Boston College, Georgia Tech, Naval - Air Force - Merchant Marine Service Academies, Penn State, LSU, Auburn, UF, U Miami, FSU, USF, UCF, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, FIU, New College of Florida, Stetson, and Julliard – Manhattan - New England - and Berkley Conservatories of Music. Many have received academic, athletic, or music scholarships. This year, he also tutored three juniors who scored at the national merit finalist/semi-finalist levels on the most recent PSAT. He is a former Dean of a Graduate School of Business and Full Professor, and began college teaching at the University of Maryland in 1968. He has degrees and advanced studies at Harvard, Yale, Vanderbilt, Columbia International, and Luther Rice.
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Celebrating 21 years of serving the Tampa Bay community, Mystic Fish is locally known as one of the best restaurants in North Pinellas. Owner and Executive Chef Doug Bebell is grateful for the loyal customers and employees who have stood by him since opening in 2001.
“We thought North Pinellas needed something special, and this was it,” explained Doug. “There’s nothing else like this around. You’d have to go to Tampa, and then you’d be paying twice as much. We’re very fair-priced. It’s not just about the bottom line – we want our customers to have a wonderful dining experience.”
The décor features a dropped ceiling, 1,200 hand-laid, iridescent Mexican abalone shells border, three saltwater aquariums, horned lit sculptures made from reel-to-reel motion picture film, and hand-blown wall sconces from Chicago, and three-dimensional swimming cuttlefish carving. Stained glass windows and unique light fixtures allow softer light around the whole dining area, bar, Italian fossil-lined booths, and teak wood tables draped in white linen tablecloths.
“This place is a musttry!” says Teri M, Yelp Elite Member, on her recent 5-star review. “Service was on point. Tonia was a rockstar, and I’d go back to being charmed by her calm and pleasant demeanor. We started with the escargot, with bread and garlic butter. I had the shrimp and crab-stuffed snapper with veggies and mashed potatoes. My partner got the scallop and shrimp, goat cheese linguine with tomatoes. I got the salted caramel gelato and the gourmet peanut butter ice cream. The vibe is great for date night, and make sure to get reservations. This place is busy and with great reason.”
Doug stressed that Mystic Fish was never intended to be a “posh restaurant,” simply a casual place where highquality food was served in beautiful surroundings at a reasonable price. “Take our bison, for example. It’s not about margins with us. We’ll serve a prime steak at a price everyone’s afraid to charge in Pinellas County. It’s about flavor, giving the customer what no one will
give him whether they don’t have that luxury or don’t want to take the chance, and giving the customer a great meal at a great price.”
“When the restaurant is always packed, you know they must be offering something great,” says Elaine C. in her recent five-star online review on Mystic Fish. “Fabulous food, fabulous service. Prices are fair if you consider the quality of food you are getting. They always have great specials, and they even have an early menu that is a tad cheaper, but you have to be there by 5 pm. Recommend this restaurant to anybody looking for a rewarding dining experience.”
Seniors in the community love the value of the delicious and walletfriendly early dining. Millennials and Generation X know at night that Mystic Fish is a great place to hang out with coworkers or friends and enjoy some of the best-rated bar services in the neighborhood without traveling downtown.
Though everything on the menu offers a new and exciting take by Chef Doug, he favors the Bronzed Chilean Sea Bass, a lightly blackened fish served with hijiki soy-ginger sauce.
“You can’t be wrong with that. The Fish is always moist, and the hijiki sauce and the texture of the fish are always awesome.” Chef Doug recommends pairing the meal with their decadent Crème Brulee or Key Lime Panna Cotta.
Be prepared for not just a delicious meal and a diverse menu that caters to every taste preference and age – from millennial to senior citizen – but an experience you won’t soon forget.
Chef Doug wants to take this opportunity to thank his loyal customers and employee base for supporting Mystic Fish today and into the future.
For online reservations, a full menu, and Happy Hour Times, please go to www.mysticfish.com. Take-out and Curbside Take Away are available from 4–8 pm. Make your reservations and place your take-out orders by phone as early as 2:00 pm by calling 727771-1800. Reservations are recommended.
Mystic Fish is located at 3253 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor. Hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday -4-8 pm and Friday and Saturday 4–9 pm.
the brothers, the company prides itself on being recognized for its outstanding customer service and a consistent blemish-free reputation.
Acoma Roofing Inc. is a commercial, industrial, and residential roofing installer specializing in roof installation, repair, and maintenance. They are certified installers and providers of all types of new and re-roofs.
A GAF Master Elite® Contractor since 2008, requiring proper licensing and adequate insurance, a proven reputation, and commitment to ongoing professional training, Acoma Roofing Inc. is guided by the mission of providing only superior customer service. Experienced estimators will come out to a homeowner’s residence and provide a cost-free, no-obligation roof evaluation.
Steve relayed a conversation with a customer that had Santis visiting the property the same day to review the client’s concern. “I want to have a customer service-oriented mentality, the customer is always right, but that is easier to say and ridiculously hard to do. The fact that we’ve done 60,000 jobs and never had a complaint means we’ve done that. I answer the phone when there’s a problem. The only way to get a bad job is to have something wrong and not notify me. If they notify me, it’s going to be fixed.”
With sixty thousand re-roofed homes since its inception, Acoma Roofing Inc. is proud of its longevity in the industry and recognition for going above and beyond for its customers. Should a problem arise, the issue is taken care of with transparency. In 70 years, the company has never had a complaint filed with the licensing board or the Better Business Bureau.
Whether you seek to know the condition of your roof or have immediate plans to replace it, Acoma Roofing Inc. will give you a roof assessment – an analysis of shingle, tile, metal, and flat roofing roofs.
With their excellent quality artistry and proper maintenance, the average lifecycle of a shingle roof is up to 25 years; a tile roof 20-35 years; a metal roof up to 50 years, and a flat roof 10-15 years. Acoma Roofing Inc. can help you reduce your energy costs and keep water and moisture that can cause severe wood rot and mold. If your Homeowners Association requires roof cleaning, Acoma Roofing Inc. technicians can remove fungus from shingles and tile with safe, effective lowpressure cleaning.
Price should not be the deciding factor when hiring a roofing contractor. Always research your roofing company by reading reviews and checking with the Better Business Bureau and
Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board.
Steve stressed that there are several essential questions to ask before hiring a roofing contractor before you make a decision: Do they hire subcontractors? Do they carry workman’s comp with all workers’ names listed? Do they carry liability insurance? Can you get a list of employees working on your roofing job?
He also said to ask if the company trucks will have the business name on them to help identify subcontractors. “We don’t use subcontractors,” explained Steve. “Our people are employees, with healthcare and 401(k) plans. They’re covered by workers’ compensation and liability. They’re trained and certified installers for GAF and other manufacturers. Our trucks are emblazoned with our name, license, and phone number, and our people wear Acoma Roofing uniform shirts. Customers who hire us know they’re not getting subcontractors, and that’s important. Roofing companies who use subcontracted labor are potentially breaking the law and setting up homeowners for liabilities from subcontractors for non-payment to hospital expenses if a worker is hurt on their property.”
Steve recommends not waiting until the rainy season to consider a roof replacement. Storms can delay installation. The best time is October through May, the drier season. As Florida is coming up on another hurricane season, Acoma Roofing does offer emergency service available for damage due to bad storms or hurricanes.
Acoma Roofing Inc. is proud of its involvement in the community and regularly supports the charity organizations in the neighborhoods they serve.
Though eight on Your Side typically covers unscrupulous business practices, in 2017, they covered the feel-good story of Acoma Roofing Inc. and its supplier. Acoma Roofing Inc. and their supplier came to the aid of a family with no roof due to their trust in a dishonest roofer, and the companies replaced their roof without cost.
That isn’t the first time Acoma Inc. has given away a free roof. They participated in No Roof Left Behind to provide a roof to a lucky winner.
Honest business practices, integrity, transparency, and excellent reputation in the industry, coupled with excellent customer service, have helped Acoma Roofing Inc. continue to be a name positively recognized throughout Tampa Bay for over 60 years.
“We provide service respectfully and courteously with integrity.”
For more information about Acoma Roofing, please visit acomaroofing. com, or for homeowners interested in a free estimate, call 727-7335580.
