HOPE FOR HER IS THERE IN TIMES OF HOPELESSNESS

By Kathy L. Collins

EDUCATION TALK: READING FLUENCY AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR ALL STUDENTS

Did you know reading fluency is an important aspect for students? Literacy should start being introduced to children once they are born. A parent is a child’s first teacher, and this shouldn’t be taken lightly. On average, children should start reading between ages 6-7 years old. Reading gaps in younger students could mutate into future academic problems. Students who read during the summer and during their free time gain an average of one month of reading proficiency. Students who don’t read lose an average of two to three months proficiency over time; those months add up to years. By high school, the number has doubled. Both parents and teachers are seeing an increase with students who struggle with reading. What can be done? Expose students to a variety of books and materials. If the reader is showing signs of struggle, practice words of difculty and introduce choice reading material that gets them excited. Here’s a mindful tip: Becoming a fluent reader means establishing a consistent rhythm and pace that help guide the reader through the text. Remember, it’s not about being the fastest reader but rather developing a reader who keeps a steady pace throughout their reading.

It’s all about strategy and finding the best strategy when it comes to developing a fluent reader. Developing reading fluency helps students grow as learners and with other core subjects. In order to do so, provide students with various opportunities to read the same passage orally. When a child reads, it helps when this is done orally. When

By Dr. Tyla Phillip

a child can hear themselves, this will help progress the reader as they build reading skills. Mindful tip: To do this, you should first know what your student is reading. Second, you should have your student read aloud repeatedly. Model fluent reading, then have students reread the text on their own. Allow a student to learn through examples and models. The first mistake is not showing and not correcting the development of a reader. Rather, give students the best chance at becoming a fluent reader. Introduce good models of fluent reading; giving examples of a reader’s voice can help written text make sense. Read aloud daily to your students; by a personal job coach who will help them create a resume, search for a job and get ready for interviews, as well as provide appropriate clothing. Once a job is secured, she will receive two weeks of clothing appropriate for a business setting. reading efortlessly and with expression, you are modeling for your students how a fluent reader sounds. Reading is a gateway to academic success and can open the door for students in school.

Hope for Her is a local nonprofit that provides a safe place for women experiencing crisis and trauma in their lives. Trauma can be as a result of abuse, divorce or loss of income. Hope for Her provides women in need with strength, skills and support they need to rebuild their lives.

How does Hope for Her do this?

It helps women rediscover their strength and self-confidence. This is done by identifying and moving beyond barriers that limit financial, emotional, spiritual and physical healing.

Hope for Her connects women with a licensed counselor. It also ofers classes on coping, Bible study, support groups and exercise classes.

Women also receive financial coaching, which is customized for their situation. During this time, they learn how to create an appropriate budget, how to save and, most importantly, how to shop within their means. The women basically learn how to take control of their own finances.

In addition, Hope for Her ofers courses on nutrition and parenting.

Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certifed tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, algebra through calculus, chemistry and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confdence and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of the Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at https://huntingtonhelps.com/. For franchise opportunities, please visit https://huntingtonfranchise.com/.

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (never known to fail)

O Most beautiful fower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine,splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me here you are my mother. O Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succeed me in my necessity (make request). There are non that can withstand your power. O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee (three times). Holy Mary I place this cause in your hands (three times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and then you must publish and it will be granted to you.

T.O.C.M.B.

The first step on the path is to make sure that the afected women and their children have the basic needs, such as food, clothing and housing. Hope for Her works with other local nonprofits and community resources to accomplish this.

Moreover, Hope for Her ofers oneon-one coaching and individualized programs, including an employment program. An individual in need will receive

Hope for Her was formed 16 years ago by Cheryl Hickman, who had it all until she lost it.

Her personal experience led her to create Women’s Resource Center, which is now known as Hope for Her. Over the years, Hope for Her has helped over 4,500 families.

For more information, please visit www.hopeforherfl.org.

Awards, Cornhole, Senior Softball & More...

Compiled by Jenny Bennett jbennett@ospreyobserver.com

Hillsborough County Public Schools Students Demon-

strate Achievements

Hillsborough County Public Schools

(HCPS) students demonstrated impressive achievements in newly released statewide algebra and geometry assessment results, outperforming the state average. In addition, HCPS students throughout the district showed improvement over the course of the school year in English language arts (ELA) and math.

This was the baseline year of the FAST (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking), a statewide progress monitoring tool given to students three times a year, in grades three through 10 in ELA and grades three through eight in math. Between the first administration of the tests in the fall of 2022 (PM1) to the third administration (PM3) in spring 2023, HCPS students showed growth and understanding of the B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) Standards.

The FAST progress monitoring assessments provides teachers, students and parents with real-time, immediate and actionable data at the beginning, middle and end of the school year to drive student improvement.

JROTC Award Winners

The Alafia Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was pleased to announce the winners of its awards to JROTC students at seven local high schools.

The winners are:

Armwood High School — Cadet Makayla Gould; Bloomingdale High School — Cadet

Christine Allen; Brandon High School —

Cadet Mia Gontowski; Durant High School —

Cadet First Lieutenant Elizabeth Morris; Newsome High School —

Cadet Isabella Donnelly; Strawberry Crest High School — Cadet

First Lieutenant Cynthia Rivera-Trejo; and Tampa Bay Technical High School — Cadet

Maysa Bouslimi.

ROTC medals are awarded to student cadets of outstanding ability and achievements in high school JROTC programs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. They are selected by their JROTC leaders.

Back Te Line Charity Events

Cornhole Fundraiser

Back the Line Charity Events will be hosting a cornhole fundraising event on Saturday, August 12 starting at 12 Noon for a Plant City teenager battling cancer. Along with the cornhole tournament, there will be a silent auction, 50/50 rafe and barbecue lunch from Newman’s BBQ. Tickets are $60 per team of two and include a barbecue lunch. To register, use the QR code. The event will take place at the Charlie Grimes Family Agricultural Center, located at 2508 W. Oak Ave. in Plant City. Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are also available; please contact Heather Cropper at 813-625-1507 for more information.

Become Involved In Te Guardian Ad Litem Program

The foster care system touches every part of society. You can help, take action and make a diference in a child’s life by joining the Statewide Guardian ad Litem

Ofce Child Advocacy Team. Although every child appointed to the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Ofce is assigned a guardian ad litem attorney and a child welfare professional, not every child has a volunteer on their team. National research shows that children with a guardian ad litem are likelier to earn better grades, enroll in postsecondary education, receive more services while in foster care and be less likely to reenter foster care.

Through the collaboration of a national best-practice, multidisciplinary team that always includes a guardian ad litem attorney, a child welfare professional and hopefully a trained volunteer or pro bono attorney from the child’s community, the team provides legal representation while assisting the child in expressing their needs and wishes.

Learn how to get involved at https:// guardianadlitem.org/ or call 813-272-5110.