Congratulations to Coral Reef Elementary! Barbara Portugal, who is the Corresponding Secretary of the Coral Reef Elementary PTA, tells us that Coral Reef Elementary students participated in the Odyssey of the Mind Tropical Region Competition on March 2, 2019, at Miami Springs Senior High School. “Our Kindergarten and 1st Grade team, led by Mrs. Regalado and Mrs. Peters, won 1st place and is headed to State finals! Our 2nd grade team, led by Mrs. Basulto, won 2nd place!”
For those who don’t know, the Florida Odyssey of the Mind was established in 1983 and is the largest association for the international creative problem solving competition. The purpose is to provide opportunities for students to develop and display creative problem solving skills in a positive atmosphere with quality sportsmanship exhibited by those involved at all levels of tournament. Millions of students from kindergarten through college have participated in the Odyssey of the Mind. Since the Odyssey of the Mind eliminates the fear of criticism, even shy students are afforded the opportunity to open up and express themselves. Students learn to work in teams. Each year, five new competitive problems are presented for the teams to solve. The Florida State Tournament will take place on April 6 of this year at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and the World Finals will be May 22-25. Congratulations to all involved.
In Cutler Bay… Congresswoman Donna Shalala, recently elected for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, held her first-ever Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, February 19, in the Town of Cutler Bay’s Town Hall Council Chambers. The meeting was open to the public and gave an opportunity to her constituents to meet and speak directly with her regarding many important issues and current events. Some of the many topics covered included firearms regulation, health care, traffic and transit improvements, and plastic pollution. After the meeting Rep. Shalala presented Town Mayor Tim Meerbott, Vice Mayor Sue Ellen Loyzelle, Councilmembers BJ Duncan and Roger Coriat, and members of the Town’s Communities For A Lifetime Committee with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for the Age-Friendly Action Plan the Town has adopted. Cutler Bay is currently one of only two municipalities in Florida that have an AARP Age-Friendly Action Plan. Also in attendance was former Town Mayor Peggy Bell. Congratulations, Cutler Bay!
Spring Adventure Camp at Jungle Island…Something different for the kids at Spring Break—we hear that from March 25-29 Jungle Island will take youth ages 5-12 on an expedition of the great outdoors with a Spring Break Adventure Camp designed to educate and immerse young adventurers in nature and animal discovery. From Mad Scientist Monday, Chopped Tuesday, Wizard Wednesday to Jurassic Island Thursday and Geology Friday, there’s plenty of new bold themes this year to keep youth on their toes. Activities for campers include hands-on encounters with rare animals, digging for gems, cooking, science experiments and animal yoga in the garden. Camp takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. To experience the fun for just one day, the cost is $50 daily per child. For a full week of experiences, the cost is $175 per child. Prices include sunglasses and daily snacks. Due to limited spaces, there is a non-refundable deposit of $50 at time of registration. For information and registration, call 305-400-7000 or visit <www.jungleisland.com/education/>. Jungle Island is located at 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132.
Thought of the Day:
I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate. – George Burns
Gary Alan Ruse contributed to this column.
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