AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 29, 2017 – In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the SFSC Library will host a Bilingual Poetry Reading and Open Mic Night on Thursday, Oct. 5, 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Tasha Morales, project director of Re-Engineering Our Future at SFSC, and Claire A. Miller, SFSC librarian, collaborated to develop this celebration of Hispanic poetry in both English and Spanish. Morales will read at the event and will be joined by Michelle Macbeth, who teaches Spanish at SFSC, as well as students from the college. Attendees are invited to listen or read works by famous Hispanic poets in both English and Spanish.
Morales shared that the inspiration for this event was intended to raise awareness of Hispanic poets and restore a sense of normality after the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“Some of our students are still dealing with the aftereffects of the storms both here and for family in Puerto Rico and other affected areas,” she said. “This event will be a celebration of culture and resilience in this stressful time.”
“Hispanic poets form an impressive body of work in English, Spanish, and other languages,” Miller said. “I’m excited to share this poetry with new listeners.”
Miller is collecting poems for volunteer readers to share. She noted that some poems will be read in both English and Spanish, as a collaborative performance, while others will be read only in the language in which they were first written.
“Poetry written in Spanish has a different sound than English verse,” Miller said. “For example, Pablo Neruda’s work in translation always sounded odd to me, but after I heard it read in Spanish for the first time, I understood much more of the structure and lyric nature of his poetry.”
In addition to poetry and performance, the reading will feature light refreshments and door prizes. The Bilingual Poetry Night and Open Mic will be held on the first floor of Building Y (Learning Resources Center) on the Highlands Campus. To get to Building Y, take Entrance 3 or 4 from West College Drive. For more information, contact Miller at 863-784-7305 or Morales 863-784-7401.
AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 29, 2017 – Following last week’s destruction of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria, South Florida State College is offering in-state tuition to college students who are residents of the island.
“As a gesture of goodwill and compassion for our friends and neighbors in Puerto Rico, the governor has reached out and asked those of us in the Florida College System and Florida University System to lend a helping hand,” said Dr. Sidney Valentine, vice president for Academic and Student Services. “We’re most pleased to open our doors to those students who, under the circumstances, would otherwise not be able to continue their studies.”
In a Sept. 26 letter to the presidents of colleges and universities across Florida, Governor Rick Scott requested that they allow any student who has been displaced from their home in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria to be eligible for in-state tuition.
“Access to in-state tuition will ease the burden for students and families during this difficult time and allow them to focus on their education,” Governor Scott said.
At SFSC, tuition for a full-time, in-state student in a college transfer program would be $1,567.80 for 15 credit hours. For an out-of-state student, that cost would be $5,911.50.
Open registration for spring term at SFSC begins Monday, Oct. 16, and classes begin Jan. 3, 2018.
To apply to SFSC, prospective students should complete an application that can be found on the SFSC website at http://www.southflorida.edu/future-students/apply. They will receive letters of acceptance that provide information about signing up for orientation and list any additional information needed to complete admission to SFSC.
Prospective students may also visit the SFSC Advising and Counseling Center, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, or 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fridays. Students can call the center at 863-784-7131. The center is located in Building B of the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park. Or, visit the Hardee Campus in Bowling Green, the Lake Placid Center in Lake Placid, or the DeSoto Campus in Arcadia.
AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 21, 2017 – The South Florida State College Criminal Justice Academy (CJA) is offering a Live Range Training for Concealed Weapons Holders course. This course provides training to anyone who already has a valid concealed weapons permit. Instruction will include basic weapons handling, marksmanship, live fire exercises, care and cleaning of a handgun. Authorized weapons include revolvers or semi-automatic handguns in calibers .22, .25, 32, 380, 9mm, 38, 357, 40, 45, and 44. Handguns chambered in rifle calibers or fully automatic weapons will not be allowed.
The course is offered Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 a.m. – noon, anyone interested in taking this course must bring your concealed weapons permit, a handgun, and 50 rounds of factory ammunition, all other materials will be supplied. The cost is $55, and the course number (CRN) is 11313.
For information, equipment list, and maps to the range, contact Michael Huften, coordinator at 863-784-7285. Register at any SFSC campus or center, pre-registration is required.
AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 6, 2017 – Both performances of Florida Treasures scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9 have been cancelled. The free, family friendly performances, part of the Kaleidoscope Series, are re-scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14, at 4 and 7 p.m., in the 250-seat SFSC University Center, South Florida State College Highlands Campus, Avon Park.
The Nut N Fancy Food Truck will be onsite for dinners and snacks for the Oct. 14 shows. A free arts workshop will be held for children one hour before each performance. Admission to both performances is free. No tickets are required.
For more information about upcoming performances at South Florida State College, visit sfscarts.org or call 863-784-7178.
AVON PARK, Fla. – Sept. 6, 2017 – Heartland residents who missed out on registering for classes at South Florida State College in August have a second chance to get into the classroom this fall.
SFSC offers fall Flex B Session, featuring compressed classes that students complete in eight weeks. Classes for Flex B Session run Oct. 16-Dec. 13.
Students can register for the session through Oct. 17, and fees are due at the time students register. Consult the Flex B Session schedule of classes to view the courses that are being offered.
New students may apply for admission to the college before the start of the term so that they’re ready to begin their classes on time.
Returning students may register and pay for classes through the college portal, Panther Central. All students can register in person for the fall Flex B Session on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park by visiting the Advising and Counseling Center in Building B, 8 a.m.- 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., Fridays. Students can also register on the Hardee Campus in Bowling Green, the Lake Placid Center in Lake Placid, or the DeSoto Campus in Arcadia.
Financial aid is available to those who are qualified. For more information about financial assistance and scholarships, contact the SFSC Financial Aid Office at 863-784-7134.
For further information about registration, call 863-453-6661 (Highlands Campus), 773-3081 (Hardee Campus), 993-1757 (DeSoto Campus), or 465-3003 (Lake Placid Center).
