TROOP 61 HOSTS ANNUAL TASTE OF SCOUTING BBQ FUNDRAISER Staf Report

In December of 2022, more than 200 students, staf and chaperones representing Bloomingdale High School’s chorus, orchestra and marching band traveled to London for a weeklong trip.

Along with some sightseeing, Bloomingdale’s chorus and orchestra spent time around London performing in cathedrals, while the marching band was given the opportunity to perform in London’s annual New Year’s Day Parade.

“I enjoyed being able to march past historic landmarks such as Big Ben and parliament,” said Thomas Owen. “The experience was like no other.”

The school’s music department spent many strenuous days practicing, perfecting and performing in order to feel prepared for the trip to London. Bloomingdale’s music department was determined to make the community and state of Florida proud of its accomplishments.

Bloomingdale High’s music department head and band director, Jon Sever, has been taking the music students abroad since 2011 and was excited to return to the school’s original international trip to London.

“The trip was a huge success, and the band was well-received by the people of London,” said Sever.

“They were able to experience the history and culture for a week that offered a lifetime of memories.”

During the weeklong trip, students, staf and chaperones were able to spend time learning about the culture and history of London.

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to experience the culture of London with my friends,” said Elsie Owen, a freshman band student at Bloomingdale High School.

London’s New Year’s Parade has taken place every year since the late 1980s with over 10,000 people contributing to make it a success.

Each year, the London New Year’s Parade invites bands and cheerleaders from all over the world to take part in wishing the world a happy new year. As part of the weeklong trip, London invites groups from the USA to perform concerts all week at some of the most iconic venues. For additional information, please contact Susan Maley at 813-508-0248.

If you like barbecue and helping the community, mark your calendars for Saturday, February 4. Boy Scout Troop 61 will host the fifth annual ‘Taste of Scouting’ barbecue event from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, located at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon.

This community-wide event will include barbecue meals prepared by Scouts for customers to pick up and enjoy. The Scouts will also be explaining and demonstrating various skills, such as knot tying, camping demonstration, pioneering and more.

“The event was first held in February 2019, and we have been holding it every year since,” said troop committee member and grillmaster John Zelatis.

This year, the meal will include a choice of low and slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork and turkey with potato salad, baked beans, a roll and drink. The meals are $18 if you preorder online, or $20 at the door.

“The funds raised will be utilized to help lower Scout dues and registration fees, purchase new or upgrade existing camping equipment, repair our flotilla of canoes, o f set the cost of summer camp and provide Scout families assistance through scholarships in case of financial hardships,” said Zelatis. “We want every young person to experience Scouting. Also, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale to help pay for building and grounds maintenance and incidentals.”

Scouts are involved in every aspect of the event, from preparing the meats to serving the guests.

“The night before, the Scouts will first make the rubs and sauces,” said Zelatis, “then they will trim and prepare the meats for smoking. Being that this is an overnight cook, the adult leaders will man the smokers while the Scouts camp out and sleep in preparation of the next day’s activities. On the day of the event, they will be serving food and setting up activities such as knot tying, orienteering, fire building, camping, backpacking, first aid and more so all our guests can see what Scouting is all about.”

To preorder a meal, visit www. bstroop61.com and click on ‘Taste of Scouting.’

nitishrele@gmail.com

SPORTY AND BOLD NISSAN ALTIMA A FUN DAILY DRIVE!

It comes in at least five trims, so if you want to experience a little vim and vigor in a daily ride, opt for the sporty Nissan Altima SR VC-Turbo. As in, a variable compression engine that literally changes shape while adjusting compression ratio to maximum output and fuel economy. It essentially gives a V6 performance.

ALTIMA 2.0 (SR)

Tires: 235/40R19

Wheelbase: 111.2 inches

Length: 192.9 inches

Height: 56.8 inches

Width: 62.8 inches

Weight: 3,460 pounds

For 2023, the midsize sedan receives a new front end styling and a bigger infotainment touchscreen apart from minor changes. Under the hood of this sixth-generation car sits a 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine (and a variable intake) that makes 236 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 267 pounds-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. The standard continuously variable transmission contributes to better gas mileage. An independent strut front and multilink rear suspension make for more fun handling and balance. Conveying a solid on-center feel is the electric power rack-and-pinion steering, eager to change directions when hustled along on the road. Noticeably lowered are noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels.

Fuel capacity: 16.2 gallons

City: 25 mpg

Highway: 33 mpg

Base price: $34,990.

Price as tested: $37,060

Website: www.nissan.com leather seats, power moon roof, push-button start and a nine-speaker Bose audio system. The 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist, located between tachometer and speedometer, displays text, navigation and audio information in the driver’s view. Boosting the confidence of the driver is a robust, flat-bottomed, leather steering wheel. Ingress and egress are efortless with the 60/40-split rear seat. Trunk space is laudable at 15.4 cubic feet (in comparison, rival Camry has 15.1 cubic feet).

Standard safety features include dual front airbags, side and knee airbags, a side curtain airbag for both rows, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, vehicle dynamic and traction controls, an antiskid system, front/rear crumple zones, front-seat active head restraints, blind-spot and lane-departure warning, rear-cross trafc alert and tire-pressure monitoring system. Looking into the future of autonomous transport, the ProPilot Assist helps drivers to maintain their lane and set vehicle speed and distance to a car ahead.

Sitting on the unibody-type Altima is a black-chrome V-motion grille with the prominent red SR logo, surrounded by swept-back LED headlights and daytime running lights, tapered roofline and body-colored door handles. Ofered at no extra cost are dual auto AC, 12.3-inch touchscreen, eight-way power driver and four-way front passenger

Undoubtedly, the agile and lively Altima has proved to be a huge success story for the Japanese carmaker, which refuses to sit on its laurels. Hence, the revamp for 2023. An afordable price, bold styling and superb performance make this stylish sedan a great everyday ride. And the SR trim ups the ante.

District Adds Infrastructure Projects For South County Schools

Hillsborough County has experienced explosive growth in the past decade, while local planning ofcials are anticipating the south county area to gain an additional 150,000 residents between 2010 and 2040. Our Growth Management team continues to work diligently to plan for new families while creating the proper infrastructure needed to accommodate our growing population.

Our families in south county will notice several exciting infrastructure projects aimed at better accommodating the number of students attending our schools. First and foremost, Hillsborough County Public Schools is building a new high school currently titled ‘UUU’ that is set to open in 2025 in Wimauma. This building is slated to add 3,400 student stations, helping to alleviate overcrowding at Sumner High School as the area continues to swell.

Another project that will help to add much needed space for students and staf is a new auditorium at Newsome High School with a 900-seat capacity. This addition will come with state-ofthe-art technology and lighting systems

By Superintendent Addison Davis

along with a dedicated shop space and costume storage for student-led productions.

The existing auditorium will be repurposed to become a dedicated classroom space for chorus, orchestra and band programs. Student-athletes at Newsome will also enjoy a new weight room sized to accommodate larger teams along with a new athletic training room and dedicated girls’ varsity locker room.

Durant High School will also benefit from beautification projects in the near future, including a brand-new turf field that will enhance the athletic experience for so many of our talented athletes. Both Durant and Newsome will also receive new rubber tracks to increase safety for our athletes and provide enjoyment for years to come.

We are working proactively to address the astronomical growth we are experiencing in our south county schools. I want all parents to know the district has both short and long-range plans to continue to meet the needs of our learners in innovative ways. We want to make Tampa Bay one of the best places to raise a family and one of the preeminent school districts in the country.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Outperforms State Graduation Rate For First Time In Five Years

and a 3-point increase from prepandemic.

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) is celebrating a graduation rate of 87.9 percent for the 2021-22 academic year, a nearly 2-point increase from prepandemic levels. This marks the first time since 2017 that HCPS students have outperformed the state graduation rate.

While graduation rates have declined across the state from last year, this was expected due to state ofcials waiving graduation requirements during the pandemic due to continued learning disruptions. Our students have excelled in key areas, showing tremendous growth in a five-year period:

• African American students had a 1.6-point increase in graduation rates over the last five years.

• Hispanic learners achieved a 2.4-point graduation rate increase over the last five years.

• Students with disabilities achieved a 4.9-point increase over the last five years,

“This accomplishment is about more than a number. Our students, families and staf have contended with a worldwide pandemic that created struggles that extended far outside the classroom. This is an impressive feat that is directly related to the tireless eforts of dedicated teachers, school-based leaders, school counselors, support professionals, parents and community partners,” said Superintendent Addison Davis.

The majority of our high schools demonstrated positive trajectories in graduation rates over a five-year period. Highlights include:

• Riverview High School achieved the highest graduation rate increase year over year, reaching 96.6 percent, a 2.4-point jump since 2021.

• Armwood High School experienced a 2-point increase from last year’s graduation rate, and a 4.9-point jump over a fiveyear period.

• Newsome High School once again has the distinction of the highest graduation rate in our district at 98.9 percent.