John Tesh Opens the 2018-19 Performing Arts Season at SFSC

Avon Park, Fla. – Oct. 25, 2018 – The Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts at SFSC welcomes John Tesh, popular TV and radio broadcaster, on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. Tesh has won six Emmys, garnered two Grammy nominations, produced seven public television specials and sold 8 million records during his 25-year musical career. He can be heard Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. on Lite 105.7 with his popular radio program “Intelligence for your Life.”

“John Tesh’s show, “Songs and Music from the Grand Piano,” is an intimate, authentic performance that audiences across the country find inspiring,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC. “John Tesh is a true entertainer and I promise everyone will leave the theater feeling uplifted.”

Tesh’s ability to create a unique journey for concert fans with music and storytelling has taken him from the Red Rocks Amphitheater and the Coliseum in Rome to Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. His live television concerts, including the seminal “Live at Red Rocks,” have raised more than $20 million for Public Television.

The November 17 performance at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts is sponsored by Sebring Radio Group, Dr. David and Allison Willey, Dr. Michael Kirsch, Dr. Gayle Obermayr, Norma Evans, Jack Richie and Ann Pollard. Funding is also provided in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

A self-proclaimed school “band geek” playing trumpet in the marching and jazz bands in junior high and high school, Tesh was proficient on the trumpet and piano from the age of 6. He studied privately with teachers from The Julliard School and was named to the New York State Symphonic Orchestra in high school while also playing a Hammond B3 organ in three Long Island rock bands.

His multi-faceted, ever-evolving musical and broadcast career includes a string of No. 1 radio hits, a Keyboard Magazine Performance award, 12 years as an investigative journalist for CBS TV, 10 years as an anchor on Entertainment Tonight, broadcast host and music composer for the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympic Games, and the unique distinction of composing what critics hailed as “The greatest sports theme song in television history,” the NBA on NBC Theme. His weekly television show has 2 million viewers, his radio show amasses 40 million impressions per week, and his Facebook page has a weekly reach of 20 million engagements on average.

Tickets are $32, $35 and $40, and available online at sfscarts.org, by phone at 863-784-7178 or in person at the box office located on the Highlands Campus at 600 West College Avenue in Avon Park. Group, child and student discounts are available by calling or visiting the box office. Ticket subscriptions are also available and include savings and perks.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Oct. 19, 2018 – South Florida State College (SFSC) graduated eight new correctional officers on Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

From the SFSC University Center Auditorium stage, Michael Austin, coordinator of SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy, called up the eight and handed each new officer a certificate. Those receiving a certificate were class leader Theodosia Shannon; executive officer Robert C. Hamby; first squad leader Tanner Fitzwater; second squad leader Cornell Santiago; Roman Donaldson; Sumera Lewis; Neil McDaniel; and Ashlee Robitaille.

Two cadets were singled out for their achievements during the 420 hours of instruction. Earning top honors for academic excellence were Ashlee Robitaille and Theodosia Shannon, and for top firearms for her work on the shooting range was Ashlee Robitaille. Theodosia Shannon was given special recognition as class leader as was Robert C. Hamby as executive officer.

Guest speaker for the ceremony was LaKisha Collins, correctional probation senior officer with the Florida Department of Corrections.

Addressing the cadets, Collins said, “Each of you have transitioned from being regular citizens to successfully completing basic corrections academy. You have sacrificed a lot over the last three months and come successfully to this point in your life. Please don’t throw it all away by forgetting the rules and the sworn oath that you’re going to take once you take on this profound career.

“From this day until the day you retire and even beyond that point, you’ll be viewed differently in the public eye. Never take action based on emotion. Remember, not all actions deserve a reaction. What you do will have long-lasting consequences to the clients and/or inmates that you deal with on a daily basis. First of all, do not get complacent. I’ve seen many officers throw away everything they have invested in this career over split-second decisions. This is an exciting career with many pitfalls and stumbling blocks. Learn what to avoid. Seek out motivation and co-workers as mentors. And remember, even teachers have teachers. I’ve learned a lot from you guys.”

AVON PARK, Fla., Oct. 9, 2018 – The local Take Stock in Children (TSIC) program has earned the Excellence Award, Gold Level Category for the sixth consecutive year from its statewide parent organization, and Irene Castanon, SFSC TSIC student services coordinator, was honored for 15 years of service to the organization.

The Excellence Award and service honor were announced at the annual TSIC’s College and Career Readiness Summit held in Tampa, Sept. 27–28. Local TSIC programs that provide college readiness and mentoring supports to middle and high school students vie for the award each year.

“This is truly a blessing and a team effort to receive a Gold Level award for the sixth consecutive year,” Castanon said. “Our serving communities, school districts, mentors, and SFSC Foundation and College have all contributed to this accolade.”

The SFSC Foundation is the lead agency for TSIC in DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands counties. TSIC serves students who are at-risk for dropping out of school. Students are matched with a mentor, receive in-school support, and college readiness services provided by TSIC college success coaches. Upon high school graduation, students earn a college tuition scholarship.

TSIC mentors meet with their assigned students each week during the school year, offering encouragement, advice, and a sympathetic ear. A TSIC college success coach provides support and guidance to the mentor and the mentee.

To earn the Gold Level recognition, local TSIC programs must meet or exceed 10 key performance indicators on the Balanced Scorecard. The Balanced Scorecard is an internal measure of a TSIC program’s performance and adherence to the requirements of the Florida Department of Education. TSIC must meet these rigorous criteria that include a data reporting system that measures student readiness, the number of students recruited, mentor matching rates, and mentor contacts.

Castanon’s service to the Take Stock in Children program began in August 2003, when she was a student majoring in finance at Webber International University. Fellow student, Juan Gomez, was SFSC’s TSIC coordinator at that time and asked her to come on board as a student mentor. In December 2003, she took a job with TSIC as a college success coach. In May 2008, she became the local program’s coordinator.

After 15 years with TSIC, Castanon maintains her passion for the program. “Through Take Stock, we coach our students,” she said. “We get them ready for college. You can provide students with information about college readiness but if you don’t guide them, they may not know what to do with that information, such as how to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form or learn about available scholarships. When we give them this knowledge, it gets them closer to going to college, being successful, and then paying it forward to someone else. If you help one child, they come back and help someone else. In fact, we have several Take Stock alumni who come back to the program as mentors.”

In attendance at the College and Career Readiness Summit were representatives of 45 TSIC programs from 67 Florida counties. They heard from national leaders about the latest trends and data on innovation in education, mentoring, college readiness, and career opportunities.

To become a TSIC mentor, contact Castanon at castanoni@southflorida.edu or call 863-784-7343. 

Hurricane Michael Update – Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018

Hurricane Michael is predicted to become a major hurricane with landfall expected in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon. 

The impact to our immediate area should be minimal with only rain and periodic wind gusts of 20-25 mph. 

At this point, the College plans to remain open at all locations. Any changes will be sent to the entire SFSC community through the Emergency Text Notification System and posted to southflorida.edu. 

AVON PARK, Fla. – September 26, 2018 – South Florida State College (SFSC) will host a First Responders Showcase with the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Criminal Justice Academy on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

“As a kickoff to Fire Safety Week, the First Responders Showcase will show our community how dedicated our first responders are and how hard they work to protect and support our region,” said Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, president of SFSC.

The schedule of events for the day includes K-9 demonstrations, a drone display, and presentations by SWAT, Animal Services, Dispatch and Crime Prevention from the HCSO. SFSC will offer tours of the Criminal Justice Academy with its variety of training equipment, and the Fire Science and EMS programs will present the life-saving methods they use to train SFSC students. The Florida Fire Marshal will exhibit its bomb robot, suits, and trailer.

“This is going to be a fun event, and I encourage everyone to come join us and learn more about their first responders as well as the training they receive at the Academy,” Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman said. “We’re really looking forward to seeing everybody, and I want to thank South Florida State College for hosting us.”

SFSC offers an assortment of certificates with a public safety focus, including the College’s newest Occupational Certificate in Public Safety Communication that can lead to one of the many job openings as a 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatcher in Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee counties. The College also offers associate degrees in fire science technology, emergency medical services, and criminal justice technology.

“SFSC is committed to providing exceptional educational programs leading to good jobs in all of our region’s public safety agencies,” Dr. Leitzel said.  

This event is free and open to the public. Food trucks will be on site to offer refreshments for purchase. Nutin’ Fancy will serve BBQ and related foods and Premier Foods by Judy Brown will serve hot dogs, chicken strips, fries, and ice cream, among other items. For more information about the First Responders Showcase, contact the SFSC Criminal Justice Academy at 863-784-7280.

AVON PARK, Fla., Oct. 1, 2018 – The Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) at South Florida State College (SFSC) opens the first exhibition of its 2018-19 season with works that capture the splendor of native Florida.

“Florida Native Trees” runs Wednesday, Oct. 3 – Wednesday, Nov. 28, at MOFAC’s gallery located in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

“This exhibition is the vision of Mollie Doctrow, curator emeritus of MOFAC, who coordinated it shortly following the ‘Florida Waterways’ show in 2016,” said Megan Stepe, curator for MOFAC. “‘Florida Native Trees’ showcases the abundance and diversity of the natural world via artwork which evokes each artist’s fondness for the subject matter. It is a multimedia exhibition celebrating the form, texture, color, and overall presence of that which is ‘rooted’ in our daily lives.”

Coming together for their second group exhibition, friends, teachers, and students celebrate Florida’s trees in a variety of media, including painting, photography, printmaking, graphics, and ceramics. The exhibition will feature works by 13 artists who will be familiar to regular patrons of MOFAC: Dustin Angell, Rose Besch, Mollie Doctrow, Cathy Futral, Robley Futral, Max Gooding, Alice Hansen, Janet King, Allen McPherson, Karla Respress, Leighton Skipper, Megan Stepe, and Barbara Wade.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. at MOFAC. Many of the artists will be in attendance and available to discuss their work with patrons.

MOFAC is located in the Wildstein Center at SFSC, 600 W. College Dr., Avon Park. The museum is open to the public on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 12:30 – 4:30 p.m., or by appointment for group tours. Patrons of the Wildstein Center may visit the museum one hour prior to matinee and evening performances.

For more information about MOFAC and its programs or to request a museum tour, contact Stepe at 863-784-7240, email stepem@southflorida.edu or visit mofac.org.