Performing Arts Seeking Volunteers for Upcoming Season

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 27, 2019 – If you love music, dance, and theater performances, please consider joining the volunteer guild at the 1,460-seat Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts and the 250-seat University Center at South Florida State College (SFSC).

“Volunteering is fun and you get to see what happens behind the scenes,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC.

Volunteer positions include ticket takers, greeters, ushers, concession attendants, hospitality assistants and show runners. Show runners are responsible for running errands for the visiting production company.  “A show runner might be asked to take the company manager to a bank or take a performer to buy a pair of shoes,” explained Garren. “Once the show runner was asked to buy underwear for one of the performers.”

In addition to the mainstage performances, volunteers also assist at rental events such as dance recitals, commencement ceremonies, community meetings, and performances by groups such as the Highlands County Concert Band and the Highlands County Community Chorus. Volunteers must be willing to help for a variety of events from November to June and must have email.

Volunteers are required to submit an application and all volunteers must participate in training. “It’s not difficult work,” added Garren, “But customer service and assisting our patrons in a friendly and professional manner, is important.”

Interested individuals can apply online at sfscarts.org/support-us/volunteer or email culturalperformances@southflorida.edu. For more information, contact Mitzi Farmer, volunteer coordinator, at 864-784-7284.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 26, 2019 – Thirty-seven graduates of South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program were honored in a traditional pinning ceremony on Thursday, June 20 in the Alan J. Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts at SFSC, Highlands Campus, Avon Park.

The graduates are Isabel Abel, Pallavi Agarwal, Jacalyn Baldwin, Patrick Barabas, Allison Beck, Eliany Cabrera, Rolando Chavez, Hannah Cribbs, Sarah Danielson, Robert De Lara, Esmeralda De Loera, Alana Siracuse Gordon, Samantha Jansen, Yesenia Lucatero, Samantha Lusby, Keomi Marasigan, Susan Mathis, Alexis Muller, Kayla Nichols, Luzedy Ocasio, Michael Oftedahl, Deisy Piedad, Patricia Quinn, Brenda Ramirez, Faustina Ramirez, Cheyenne Roldan, Cassia Rosser, Maria Ruiz, Jenny Sabogal Pasquino, Yesenia Sanchez, Claudia Shelton, Andrea Silva, Chelsea Vickers-Edwards, Shelby Votaw, Edena Walton, Kathrine Yeager, and Maria Zamora.

The guest speaker was Dr. Marilyn Goodman, who teaches SFSC’s Medical/Surgical II clinicals and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) online pathophysiology course. Addressing the graduates, she said, “At SFSC, we use the Seven C’s of Caring model—Competence, Compassion, Confidence, Conscience, Commitment, Communication, and Culture. These Seven C’s have been instituted in all aspects of the nursing program. They were provided to ensure that as you were in the classroom learning to provide competent skills to your patients, you were also trained to be a well-rounded individual and give back to your communities.

Dr. Goodman commented that when she was working on her dissertation for her Ph.D., patients told her that they wanted a nurse who was present and competent with their skills. “We cannot provide care if we’re not present,” she told the graduates. “And the skills that we’ve learned make us competent.”

She concluded by saying, “When you’re taking care of patients, each one has their own story. We’ve been provided with the tools to help instruct. Be the best nurse you can. Be the difference you can make. Your communities are dependent on your skills and technique.”

Each year, ADN graduates award the Golden Duck to someone who has served as a mentor to the students in the program. The D.U.C.K. acronym represents the foundational elements of the mentoring arrangement: Developing, Understanding, Compassion, and Knowledge.

During the ceremony, ADN graduate Susan Mathis presented the 2019 Golden Duck Award to Melody Reeder, a clinical adjunct instructor for the ADN and practical nurse programs. “[She] taught us that it’s OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. It’s OK to be the new nurse full of questions. It’s OK to be nervous and feel like we have no idea what’s going on. She taught us that it’s OK to be all these things, but to be fierce, be compassionate, be caring. The biggest thing was that she wasn’t just saying these things because it’s what she’s supposed to say as an instructor. She is a walking example of what a nurse should be and it radiates through her.”

The practice of pinning new graduates has been a nursing school tradition in the United States since 1916. The pin is worn prominently on a nurse’s uniform throughout her or his career. One story of the ceremony’s beginning goes back to 1883, when Queen Victoria awarded Florence Nightingale the Royal Red Cross on St. George’s Day for her service to the sick and injured during the Crimean War. In turn, Nightingale later extended the honor to her outstanding nursing students by presenting them with a medal of excellence.

Graduates of the ADN program become registered nurses by passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) exam. SFSC nursing graduates are usually fully employed in nursing within a few months of graduation.

SFSC’s ADN program is the only nationally accredited nursing program in its service district of Highlands, Hardee, and DeSoto counties. It is accredited through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN).

SFSC offers ADN program options for students interested in becoming registered nurses: a two-year Generic-RN program and a one-year Transition-LPN to RN program. The college also offers a BSN program as well as a one-year practical nursing occupational certificate program. For program entry requirements, consult the SFSC College Catalog online at southflorida.edu or call 863-784-7027.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 24, 2019 – Antonio James believes in having a purpose. After participating in the Panther Youth Partners (PYP) Program and now a program specialist with PYP at South Florida State College (SFSC) since August 2018, he can pass along his wisdom to other youth in the community.

James has a lot to share—his early life was fraught with challenges. He played football while in high school in Arcadia, Fla. and, like other young athletes, he wanted to become a professional football player. “I haven’t always been the person I am now,” he said. “I grew up in an atmosphere where all the guys had girls and a lifestyle around drugs. My idea in high school was to sell drugs for the rest of my life or make it in football.”

But James’ mother and grandparents kept him in their prayers, and it seemed to make a difference. When he graduated from high school, James received a phone call from someone in PYP telling him that if he went to college, he could make money. “Then I met Eddie Cuencas, program specialist in youth services at South Florida State College,” James said. “He explained the program to me and confirmed that I could get paid to go to school.”

The PYP Program, through SFSC and CareerSource Heartland, helps youth between the ages of 16 and 24 gain skills that lead to employment. Services offered to participants are academic support; advisement in financial aid and financial literacy; assistance with career development; job shadowing; workshops that improve employability; and personal, academic, and career counseling. Participants must reside in Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands, or Okeechobee counties, be a junior or senior in high school, or be out of high school with a desire to earn a GED or vocational certificate. PYP participants receive a stipend based on family income, class attendance, teacher feedback, grades, and work readiness activities.

“I joined PYP for the money really,” James said. “I was still selling drugs, but Eddie kept mentoring me. And with the prayers of my mother and grandparents, over time, things started changing for me.”

“When Antonio came to my office, he wasn’t sure where he was going because of the lack of community support regarding preparation for what happens after high school,” Cuencas said. “That’s what makes all of our outreach programs at SFSC significant. They are beneficial to all the young people we work with.”

James attended SFSC but stopped out of college to take a job at the Avon Park Correctional Institution, where he worked for nine years. However, while with the institution, he earned a Correction Officer Occupational Certificate from SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy in 2010.

“In the midst of working there, I began to develop into the person I am now,” he said. “Corrections is rehabilitation to help the inmates change behaviors for when they get out of prison. If you ask them why they committed a crime, eight out of 10 will say it’s from not having a father. So a lot of young men connect with gangs, and it takes the place of the father and a family that cares.”

Eventually, James took a position as a corrections officer with PRIDE Enterprises, a private, not-for-profit corporation that funds and operates inmate work and training programs and offers post-incarceration job placement and support services.

“At that time, I got into reading a lot of life-development books to train myself in how to help the inmates,” James said. “At PRIDE, my main job was care, custody, and control—caring for needs of inmates and staff, keeping the inmates in custody, and having control of the inmates as a corrections officer. It was also to help the inmates become better people.”

“I worked for PRIDE for three years and loved what I was doing,” he said. “Pride was positive and productive for the inmates. It’s like going from hell to heaven. The inmates want to be at work.” At PRIDE, inmates can learn about tire refabrication, chemical manufacturing, auto mechanics, printing and digital imaging, and welding and cabinetry.

James returned to SFSC as a student and earned his Associate in Arts degree in 2016 and, in August 2018, he joined SFSC as a program specialist with PYP.

“I got to a time when I felt like I was stuck and I was being called to move on to something else,” he said. “I talked with my wife and prayed about it. I want to be that person who makes a difference in other people’s lives. When I was looking for a job, the position at SFSC popped up. Where I came from, this job has made a difference in my life.”

James now counsels and mentors other young people and can speak from his own life experiences.

“We can see how this and other programs such as Take Stock in Children and Big Brothers, Big Sisters benefit our community,” Cuencas said. “The mentoring component of our programs is important to young people’s lives. It starts as a friendship and develops into a trusting relationship. You can then challenge a young person to pursue their goals. You can try to inspire and encourage someone all day long, but it all goes back to the friendship and relationship. Young people need someone to talk to. Antonio and I built that kind of relationship over time.”

James’ connection to PYP is strong also because his wife, Rasheena, participated in the program while in high school. Rasheena is now a nurse practitioner at Highlands Regional Medical Center.

“Antonio’s an amazing father, husband, and son,” Cuencas said. “He now has a daughter who’s looking up to him. So, he takes being a good father and community member seriously. Having become a father himself has allowed him to be a father to others as well. He has such a caring heart. He, genuinely, cares about every young person who comes in the door.”

For more information about PYP, contact Cuencas in Highlands County at 863-784-7161 or eddie.cuencas@southflorida.edu; Vickie Penley, program specialist in DeSoto County at 863-784-7065 or penleyv@southflorida.edu; Dara McCoy, program specialist in Hardee County at 863-784-7354 or mccoyd@southflorida.edu; and Mike Davis, program specialist in Okeechobee County at 863-824-6032 or Daniel.davis@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 18, 2019 – Of the nine students who graduated from South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Dental Hygiene Program in May 2019, 100% passed the required Patient Treatment Clinical Examination.

The Patient Treatment Clinical Examination was developed by the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) and is administered by the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA).

The SFSC dental hygiene graduates took the four-hour examination in early June. To pass the exam, they are required to perform a number of significant dental hygiene treatments on a patient. The patient treatment is then checked for completeness and accuracy by three independent examiners.

To become licensed to practice as a dental hygienist in Florida, students must pass four exams. The mandatory exams include the National Dental Hygiene Board Exam, the Patient Treatment Clinical Exam, the Computer Simulated Patient Treatment Exam, and Florida State Laws and Rules.

Once a student has passed the National Dental Hygiene Board Exam, the Patient Treatment Clinical Exam, and the Computer Simulated Patient Treatment Exam, they receive CDCA status. “This means that the student, if they choose, can practice their profession in any of the participating CDCA licensing jurisdictions,” said Darlene Saccuzzo, SFSC Dental Education professor. “To date, 46 states and Jamaica are recognized as CDCA jurisdictions. This gives our students great opportunity to move from state to state to practice as dental hygienists, which is something that was not available years ago. The only requirement would be that the student or hygienist must pass the Laws and Rules exams in the state where they decide to practice.”

“When we receive a 100% pass rate for our program, we feel we have prepared our students well,” Saccuzzo said. “The exams are stressful, difficult, and demanding. And when prospective students are searching for the program that meets their needs, one thing they consider are the pass rates. If a student invests their time and finances in a course of study, they want to be sure they are receiving a solid educational foundation. This certainty would be a deciding factor for prospective students’ investment in the future.”

For more information about the dental programs at SFSC, call 863-453-6661, email healthsciences@southflorida.edu or visit southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 17, 2019 – Since its inception in 1984, South Florida State College (SFSC) Performing Arts has established its role as the No. 1 entertainment venue in Florida’s Heartland. During the 2018-2019 season, events and performances attracted over 55,000 individuals to experience the highest quality of music, dance, and theater at the 1,460-seat Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts and the 250-seat SFSC University Center.

“Earned ticket revenue only cover 49 percent of our operating costs,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC. “We rely on sponsors and donors for additional financial support to assist in offering world-class performances to our community and to maintain a state-of-the-art venue.”

Sponsorships are available for single shows beginning at $250, and businesses or individuals can sponsor an entire series. “One of the best values is a Matinee Series sponsorship,” Garren said. “That’s a popular 10-show series for only $2,750.”

Special benefits such as complimentary tickets and a “Meet and Greet” with the artist are included in the wide variety of promotional benefits in print, radio, and social media. “Many of our sponsors love the onstage recognition and the free admission to the annual Reveal Dinner,” Garren said.

Series sponsorships are available for the Artist, Matinee, Trending Now, and Jazz series, beginning at $800.

Performances available for sponsorship in the Artist Series are: Merry Country Christmas; Elvis Gospel Tribute; Jim Brickman 25th Anniversary Celebration; The Greatest Love of All: Whitney Houston; Bandstand: The Musical; Neil Berg’s History of Rock & Roll; An American in Paris; and Motown with a Twist.

The 10 Matinee Series performances are: Piano Men – A Tribute to Elton John, Billy Joel, and Barry Manilow; Golden Girls; The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra; Broadway Tonight; Splish Splash Bobby Darrin Tribute; Florida Orchestra; Central Park Revisited: James Taylor; Tamburitzans; Changes in Latitude; and Phil Dirt and The Dozers.

The family-friendly AdventHealth Trending Now performances are: The Hit Men, legendary rock super-group; Recycled Percussion; Artrageous II; Blue Jupiter; and South Carolina Ballet’s Cinderella.

Special engagement sponsorships are available for comedian Bill Engvall and Grammy Award winner Lee Ann Womack.

The Jazz Series includes The Eddie Metz Trio; Terry Lower and Edye Evans Hyde; A Tribute to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald with Lisa Kelly and J.B. Scott Sextet; and the New Victrola Dixieland Band.

For more information, visit sfscarts.org/support, call 863-784-7178, or email culturalperformances@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 14, 2019 – Sixteen graduates of South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) Academy Class 258 and one graduate of the Crossover Academy Class 355 were recognized at a ceremony on Wednesday, June 12 in the SFSC University Center Auditorium on the College’s Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

BLE Class 258 graduates who received occupational certificates were Estevan Carranza, Angel Chacon, Alexander C. Cotto, Nicolas R. Davis, Julia Franchetti, Tyler J. Gilliard, Jorge L. Godinez, Drew M. Haley, Dominic T. Hutchins, Darious L. Johnson, Jose A. Juarez, Mark A. Lanning, James D. Lethbridge, Zakir Malik, Jashaun D. Walden, and Justin R. White, and the Crossover Class 355 graduate receiving his occupational certificate was John P. Gadson.

Major Brandon Ball of the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office and a faculty member at SFSC since 2002 was guest speaker at the graduation. He offered the new law enforcement officers advice about their careers going forward. “Make sure that you thank those who have helped you to this point in your training,” he said. “Your core system at home is going to continue to be a valuable part of your well-being. Aim high, stay focused, stay humble, stay dedicated, maintain high ethical standards, and focus on doing the right thing. Remember that your actions are a reflection on all of us. And, give something back. No definition of a successful life can do anything but include serving others. I applaud you for taking up the challenge to help serve the communities in which we live.”

During the ceremony, special awards were presented to the cadets: Tyler Gilliard for top academics and Jose Juarez for top firearms scores. Jorge Godinez was given special recognition as class leader.

SFSC’s Basic Law Enforcement occupational certificate program trains students to become law enforcement officers in Florida. By successfully completing the program, they are eligible to take the State Officer Certification Examination (SOCE) to become certified law enforcement officers. The program runs 770 contact hours or approximately five months full time or approximately 10 months part time.

The Correction to Law Enforcement (Crossover) occupational certificate program trains currently employed corrections officers to become law enforcement officers in Florida. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the SOCE to become certified law enforcement officers. The program runs 515 contact hours or approximately 10 months part time.

For more information about either of these programs, visit southflorida.edu or call SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy at 863-784-7285.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 11, 2019 – The South Florida State College (SFSC) Criminal Justice Academy is offering a Concealed Weapons Permit course on Saturday, July 13, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park. This course is required to carry a concealed weapon in Florida. Topics to be covered include Florida statutes, use of deadly force, carry restrictions, and live-fire exercises. Everything for the course will be provided. The cost is $55 and the course number (CRN) is 30698.

Register at any SFSC campus or center in Highlands, Hardee, or DeSoto county; pre-registration is required. For more information, contact the Criminal Justice Academy at 863-784-7285 or visit southflorida.edu/publicsafety.

AVON PARK, Fla. – June 10, 2019 – South Florida State College (SFSC) graduated seven new correctional officers on Thursday, June 6, at the Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

Michael Austin, coordinator of SFSC’s Criminal Justice Academy, called the seven cadets to the stage and handed each new officer a certificate. Those receiving a certificate were class leader Nekesha M. Dials, executive officer Mascola G. Miller, Mary McClee Banks, Amelia R. Hamilton, Mark Kodie Roberts, Austin Wade Waldron, and Kameria K. Wesley.

Some of the cadets were singled out for their achievements during the 11 weeks of instruction. Earning top honors for academic excellence was Nekesha Dials and for top firearms for his work on the shooting range was Mark Roberts. Dials was given special recognition as class leader as was Mascolo Miller as executive officer.

Guest speaker for the ceremony was LaKisha Collins, correctional probation senior officer with the Florida Department of Corrections and a member of the SFSC Criminal Justice Academy faculty since 2015.

Addressing the cadets, Collins said, “You made it to this day. Hold your heads up high and enjoy the milestones that you’ve fulfilled. Don’t worry about doing great things; do little things with great love. And remember that someone else’s success does not define your own. Rather than compete with others, share and support each other. A community is about building one another up and sharing the wealth. Your turn will come regardless of the wall you might bump up against. There will be moments in your life that will show you clarity. You’re destined for greatness. Believe in yourselves as we all believe in you.”

Upon successful completion of SFSC 420-contact-hour Basic Correctional Officer Program, students earn an Occupational Certificate and are eligible to take the state certification examination to become a certified officer. For more information about this program or any other programs offered through the SFSC Criminal Justice Academy, call Austin at 863-784-7282 or email Michael.Austin@southflorida.edu.

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 31, 2019 – The essays of nine students from South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Adult Education Program have been published in the book, “Actually, I Can,” printed through the Florida Literacy Coalition. The organization publishes a book of short stories, poems, and autobiographical narratives annually. This year, approximately 230 students from across Florida were included in the book.

The SFSC ESOL and GED preparation students whose works were included in this year’s book are Christopher Manning, Estela Maria Marin, Jephte Alcindor Linus, Maria Nunez, Marcela Salazar, Yolanda Esquivel, Blanca Patino Flor, Shannon Knisley, and Ronald Merlin Marroquin.

During the 35th Annual Florida Literacy Conference in Daytona Beach, Fla., two of the students were invited to read their submissions to “Actually, I Can.”

The book, published on April 25, 2019, includes a variety of personal stories on topics such as the excitement of coming to the United States for the first time, learning to speak English, discovering that education is the key to the future, finding support as an orphan, and overcoming an abusive relationship.

“The book was developed to empower students through reading and writing,” said Nicole Caban, education and training coordinator with the Florida Literacy Coalition. “And when people see their work published, it boosts their self-esteem.”

Caban explained that the stories in the current publication were chosen for readability and for a good balance of topics. “We would accept all the stories submitted if we could,” she said.

To purchase a copy of “Actually, I Can,” call the Florida Literacy Coalition at 407-246-7110 or send an email to Literacyinfo@floridaliteracy.org. Each copy is $5.

SFSC’s Adult Education Program offers classes to individuals who wish to learn English or want to earn their State of Florida high school diploma by passing the General Education Development (GED) examination.

“Students in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program come from countries all over the world,” said Courtney Green, director of Adult Education and Technical Dual Enrollment at SFSC. “Many of them are professionals in their own countries but chose to come to the United States seeking new opportunities.”

“Students in the GED preparation program come to SFSC to obtain their State of Florida high school diploma after passing their GED examination,” she said. “Students are comprised of individuals who have been home schooled, desire to progress faster, or had a disruption in their education due to life circumstances preventing them from continuing on the traditional educational path.”

For more information about SFSC’s Adult Education programs, call 863-784-7441 or email Kelly.sweet@southflorida.edu.