Horwitz Establishes Trades Endowed Scholarship Through the SFSC Foundation

AVON PARK, Fla. – Feb. 29, 2024 – Bert Horwitz has made it easier for South Florida State College (SFSC) students in career and trades programs to attend the College because of an endowed scholarship he established through the SFSC Foundation.

Horwitz, who is a resident of Highlands County, contacted members of the SFSC Foundation to establish the BEKA Endowed Trades Scholarship in memory of his wife, Kathy, who passed away several years ago and with whom he was married for 56 years. BEKA is a combination of their names, Bert and Kathy.

“Through this endowed scholarship, Mr. Horwitz will honor his wife, Kathy, and provide SFSC students with a financial resource for many years into the future,” said Jamie Bateman, vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs at SFSC. “Because of people like Mr. Horwitz, our students can focus on their studies and, in time, make our community economically stronger.”

Applicants for the BEKA Endowed Trades Scholarship must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment on a full-time basis in a certificate program at SFSC and, specifically, enrolled in a career or trade school program. They must be permanent residents of Highlands, DeSoto, or Hardee County. Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need. Awards will be in the amount of $500.

An endowed scholarship enables donors to create a legacy, carrying funds toward student scholarships into perpetuity. Scholarships for students are awarded from the interest that the endowment earns. As the corpus grows, the SFSC Foundation can award scholarships to students for years to come.

To apply for scholarships made available through the SFSC Foundation, visit AwardSpring at: southflorida.awardspring.com. For more information about the SFSC Foundation or to make a donation, call 863-453-3133 or email foundation@southflorida.edu.

Feb. 28, 2024 – The acclaimed Broadway musical “Little Women – The Musical” comes alive on stage at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts at South Florida State College (SFSC) in Avon Park for one night on March 6 at 7 p.m.

Based on the beloved classic novel, this charming, all-new production from Big League Productions, Inc. is filled with stunning music and a powerful story cherished throughout time, offering a wholesome theatrical experience perfect for all generations. Presented by MidFlorida Credit Union, “Little Women – The Musical” has been praised by critics for its ambition in bringing the timeless, captivating story to vivid musical life on stage.

“This is most definitely the biggest show of the season,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC. “We have two tractor trailers bringing the sets, lights, props, and costumes, plus a cast of 14 and a production staff of more than 40. SFSC could never mount such a large stage show without the support of our sponsors.” Sponsors of the performance are Central Florida Imaging, Karlson Law Group, Heartland Endodontics, and Drs. P.J. and Mintoo Patel.

Embraced internationally, “Little Women – The Musical” has been praised by critics and audiences alike for its ambitious portrayal of Louisa May Alcott’s timeless, captivating story. “Little Women – The Musical” follows the adventures of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March, each determined to live life on their own terms. This touching musical presents an engaging and uplifting theatrical journey filled with heartache, joy, adventure, and personal discovery amidst the never-ending quest for everlasting love.

The performance’s producer, Big League Productions, is celebrating its 30th season of producing and managing Broadway tours of shows and attractions throughout the world.

Tickets for “Little Women – The Musical” are on sale and range from $55 to $75 with a $15 child/student ticket and they can be purchased online at sfscARTS.org, by phone at 863-784-7177, or by visiting the SFSC Box Office at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. Groups of 12 or more can purchase tickets by contacting Tracey Ligon at 863-784-7287.

Coming to the Wildstein Center: Rumours/Fleetwood Mac tribute on March 7; The Brothers Doobie on March 23; Lynne Arriale Trio on March 24; former lead singer of Journey, Steve Augeri on March 28; USF Gospel Choir on April 6; and Bits n Pieces Puppet Theater on May 4.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Feb. 16, 2024 – The After School Spot on Kenilworth Boulevard in Sebring will have a new and larger facility that will benefit neighborhood children thanks to Bob and Caroline Duncan.

During the November 2023 meeting of the South Florida State College (SFSC) Foundation Board of Directors, a parcel of land came up for discussion. Months earlier, 2 acres of land had been gifted to the Foundation through the estate of Larry Ross Johnson and now the Foundation Board was in search of a buyer.

The Foundation, typically, sells land that has been gifted through an individual’s will. The ensuing funds are then used in any way the donor has stipulated through their will. It could be to create scholarships for SFSC students, to purchase needed educational equipment for the College, or to upgrade College facilities.

The buyer for the Johnson property came as a surprise to the Foundation directors. In fact, the buyer was a 15-year member of the Board of Directors, Bob Duncan. Duncan had become deeply interested in the property and purchased it for $293,000. “My wife and I have our own foundation,” Duncan said. “It’s called the Duncan Family Foundation. Our Foundation bought the property.”

Duncan has been a Take Stock in Children (TSIC) mentor through SFSC for the past 20 years. He was mentoring a student from Sebring High School who needed to perform community service hours so that he would be eligible for scholarships, such as Bright Futures. Dolores Breedlove, a TSIC college success coach, suggested that Duncan contact Regina Nicolois at The After School Spot in Sebring about community service work the student could perform for her facility. After speaking with Nicolois, Duncan was impressed with her and her mission to provide a safe haven for youth in the community.

The After School Spot was located at 3725 Kenilworth Boulevard, practically across the street from Sebring High School. The 550-square-foot facility has served as a safe haven for 35 to 52 children a day, ages 11 to 17 years old, since November 2021. The After School Spot needed a larger facility to accommodate neighborhood children and its programs and Duncan found a solution.

The After School Spot will soon move into a 1,400-square-foot house that sits on the 2-acre property at 3804 Kenilworth Boulevard. It is a two-bedroom house with a living room, den, kitchen, and one-car garage. Recently, an old homestead that sat at the back of the property was demolished. Two trailers were removed. Nicolois’ wish is to have a grand opening of the new facility no later than April 1, 2024, after repairs to the house are completed.

“Kids need a place to go,” Duncan said. “My wife and I talked about doing something like what Regina does, but we’re too old. I don’t have the tolerance or the temperament to do what Regina does. When she came along, it was an absolute gift. Regina has the programs and the equipment. All she has to do is set it up and these kids are going to get a real education.”

The slogan of The After School Spot is “Engage, Enrich, Empower.” “We engage with students, enrich them with tools, and, in doing so, we empower them,” Nicolois said. “We raise their self-esteem and their self-confidence by giving them something more – to believe in themselves.”

Nicolois said that the facility presents young people with classes and activities in four areas: youth development, creative outlets, peer engagement, and independent life skills. Currently, she is partnering with Outschool, an online learning platform that has donated classes to The After School Spot. One class was, “Taming Your Inner Hulk,” a program about anger management. Bank representatives have taught the students about checking and savings accounts, how they work, how to fill out a check, and so forth. Local auto mechanics have brought vehicles to the facility to show the students how to read a dashboard, how to check fluid levels, and how put air in a car’s tires. Other activities include movies nights, game nights, and painting classes.

Opening the larger facility across the street will give Nicolois an opportunity to offer more programs to the students. A swimming pool that previously sat at the back of the house was filled in with dirt. Local farmers will bring compost, top soil, and seeds. “We’re going to launch an agriculture program, where they come out once a week and teach the kids to grow vegetables,” Nicolois said.

She indicated that she received a $5,000 grant from the Burlington Foundation to designate an entire room to provide media, music, and technology. “We’ll put in a computer, a couple of microphones, a green screen, electric guitars, and some audio equipment,” she said. “The kids will be encouraged to start their own podcast. Our podcast series is going to be interviewing local business owners once a week. Through the interviews, the students will be encouraged to chase their dreams, overcome obstacles, and understand how super important education is in getting them to where they want to go in life. In the meantime, they’ll be developing a number of other skills that they can take with them.”

The After School Spot will partner with a company called “I Train Now.” “With their assistance, we’ll do mock interviews and resume writing,” Nicolois said. “They can also get children as young as 15 years old CPR certified.”

Further, Nicolois plans to bring in tutors who have master’s degrees and experience as high school teachers to concentrate on mathematics, science, and language arts. A social worker is scheduled to work with the young people for non-judgmental learning sessions on topics, such as body changes.

For Duncan, purchasing the property so The After School Spot can flourish was a way of giving back to those who helped him early in life. Duncan had told his high school football coach that after he graduated from high school, he’d just “go get a job.” The coach recognized that Duncan was bright and encouraged him to apply to college. One of the people the coach guided Duncan to was a local pharmacist, who told him, “As a pharmacist, you’ll never get rich, but you’ll always have a job as long as you have a license.”

That struck home with Duncan, who’s father had lost his job when Duncan was 12 years old. He never wanted to experience being on welfare again, so he pursued a degree in pharmacy at what is now Ferris State University in Michigan. Residents of Highlands and Hardee counties know Duncan as the owner of Heartland Pharmacy.

“What’s cool about this story is that I believe Larry Johnson would be tickled pink and pleased with how this all ended up,” said Jamie Bateman, SFSC’s vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs. “Larry Johnson was a coach who had a passion for making sure kids succeeded. In comes Mr. Duncan, who buys the property that Mr. Johnson willed to the SFSC Foundation, so it will continue to help kids stay off the streets, mature, and grow. The property is going to help students in a completely different manner than what he, likely, ever dreamed it could.”

For more information about the SFSC Foundation or to make a donation, call 863-453-3133 or email foundation@southflorida.edu.

Feb. 8, 2024 – Sensuous and sophisticated, the tango exhibits a world where everything can be said with the flick of a leg, the tug of a hand, the tap of a foot, and the arch of an eyebrow. Created and directed by Luis Bravo, Forever Tango was voted Best Touring Musical by Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle in San Francisco where it played an unprecedented 92 weeks at the Theatre on the Square and has returned season after season. Truly an international event, Forever Tango was also awarded the coveted Simpatia Prize at the 1996 Spoleto Festival in Italy.

MidFlorida Credit Union, Heartland Endodontics, and Dr. Catherine Cornelius are sponsoring the performance of Forever Tango at the Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the Highlands Campus of South Florida State College (SFSC) on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.

“What an extraordinary opportunity for our community to have an outstanding, international production right here in the Heartland,” said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs at SFSC. “It’s romantic, steamy, and dazzling. For people who love Dancing with the Stars, this show is a must-see.”

Forever Tango opened on Broadway in June of 1997 for what was expected to be an eight-week engagement, ran for 14 months, and has since been back to New York on Broadway on three separate occasions, the latest being the summer of 2013 at the Walter Kerr Theatre.  

Forever Tango features 14 world-class tango dancers, one vocalist, and an on-stage 11-piece orchestra in an evening that celebrates the passionate music and dance of Argentina. The dances, performed to original and traditional music, are the result of collaboration between each couple and director/creator Bravo. “The tango is a feeling that you dance,” says Bravo, “It’s a story you tell in three minutes. It’s passionate. It’s melancholic. It’s tender, violent. You dance it with somebody — but it is so internal, you dance it by yourself. More than just a dance, the tango is music, a drama, a culture, a way of life.”

Creator/director of Forever Tango, Luis Bravo is a world-class cellist who has performed with major symphonies throughout the world. His distinguished credits include appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Colon Theatre Opera House, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, and other prestigious ensembles around the world.  

Groups of 12 can save 50% on regular admission prices. Tickets for Forever Tango can be purchased online at sfscARTS.org, by phone at 863-784-7178, or at the South Florida State College Box Office located at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. Tickets start at $30 and there is a $3 per ticket processing fee.

Upcoming performances at the 1,460-seat Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts are: The Official Johnny Cash Experience on Feb. 29; the Broadway tour of the musical, “Little Women” on March 6; The Bronx Wanderers on March 19; The Brothers Doobie on March 23; The Lynne Arriale Trio on March 24, and former lead singer of Journey, Steve Augeri on March 28. A free performance by the USF Gospel Choir is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 at 7 p.m.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Feb. 7, 2024 – “Cover Story: 3 Perspectives on Contemporary Quilting,” opens at the Museum of Florida Art & Culture (MOFAC) on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park on Wednesday, Feb. 21 and runs through Friday, March 29. Featuring the fiber art of Gabriele DiTota of Melbourne, Fla., Ellen Lindner of Melbourne, Fla., and Sue Robinson of Avon Park, Fla., this exhibition is an exploration of the modern evolution of quilting.

Patrons are invited to enjoy free refreshments and meet the artists at the opening reception for “Cover Story” on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 12:30-2:30 p.m. at MOFAC.

Anthony Record, MOFAC curator, sheds some light on the term “quilts”: “While inspired by traditional quilting techniques, these pieces are intended as art rather than functional items that keep you warm. They are original designs crafted from stitched textiles, often using fabrics dyed by the artists themselves, so I usually refer to them as fiber art or mixed-media textiles to avoid misconceptions about traditional quilts.”

DiTota and Lindner employ different dyeing techniques to create fabrics rich in color and texture. DiTota creates designs through twisting and distressing the fabric, adding sun-prints of things like botanicals with light-sensitive dye to give her work a blend of earthy abstraction and organic imagery from nature. Lindner dyes her fabrics to make the brightest colors possible. She adds irregular patterns hand-painted with dye that are on a larger scale than those that can be found in a fabric store, giving her abstract compositions energy and movement with strong colors and contrast. Using a mix of custom and commercial fabric, Robinson also adds painted elements or dense layers of thread into her final compositions to heighten the realism and dramatic lighting of her imagery.

Quilting, the process of stitching together layers of fabric, serves as the foundation for the artists in “Cover Story,” and they engage with the visual language of contemporary art as much as they do traditional quilts. Reflecting on the evolving status of quilting as an art form, Record said, “I love that even traditional quilts are gaining recognition as fine art. The artists in ‘Cover Story’ are pushing boundaries and forging new paths within this tradition. I hope viewers will leave this exhibition with a deeper appreciation for the limitless creative possibility of quilting.”

MOFAC is located at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. For more information or to request a tour or class visit, call the Museum office at 863-784-7130.

AVON PARK, Fla. – Feb. 1, 2024 – Daniel Duque, a South Florida State College (SFSC) alumnus, works 90 degrees south of everywhere on earth. His office is 150 feet from the geographical South Pole at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. According to Duque, “I can walk around the world in a few steps.”

Duque earned his Associate in Science in Nursing from SFSC in 2016. While working on his nursing degree, he wondered how far his nursing career could take him. He searched the internet for opportunities to travel as a nurse. Those searches brought him to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), which is considered a gateway to working “on the ice.”

“Everyone in Antarctica – ‘the ice’ – works as a contractor or National Science Foundation (NSF) grantee,” Duque said. “The NSF is the parent organization that is in charge of all science projects. Support staff, such as cooks, medical, logistics, facility maintenance, and so forth are hired under subcontractors to the NSF. All companies make bids to the NSF to get the contract. If you want to work in medical in Antarctica, the UTMB is your only option. The UTMB has an Aerospace Medicine Residency program for their medical residents and Antarctica is often used as an analog to conditions found in space. So, it made sense for UTMB to have the contract.”

Duque, who came to the United States from Havana, Cuba when he was 7 years old, was raised in Thonotosassa, Fla. He was on active duty with the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2013. He said that he joined the Army because his family had few financial resources. When he joined, he decided to take the most difficult job the Army had to offer – Army Special Forces, the Green Berets. “It gave me the opportunity and resources to invest in myself,” he said. “And I was able to pay my way through college.”

Duque’s interest in becoming a nurse began while serving in the Army in Afghanistan. “I was introduced to a mobile trauma unit,” he said. “We had C-130 planes retrofitted with a surgical center. The mobile trauma unit also brings basic equipment that saves lives on the field of battle. I had the opportunity to speak with a surgeon, a nurse anesthetist, a physician’s assistant, or a nurse. That experience made a profound impact on my life. In war, almost anyone is capable of taking a human life. But here was a small group of men and women who could save a human life.”

After he was honorably discharged from the Army, Duque and his wife moved to Lakeland, Fla., but he chose to attend SFSC for nursing school. “SFSC’s Nursing program had a great reputation,” he said. “Its passing score for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) was really high. I can’t recall how much my Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) cost me — something like $9,800. But it was one of the best returns on investment of my life.”

Duque joined the Florida National Guard in 2013. Shortly after earning his Nursing degree and becoming a registered nurse, he was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo for nine months. “While my main job wasn’t nursing, I was able to help people by using the skills I gained during my training,” he said. “During my time off, I helped in a clinic.”

Upon returning from Africa, Duque started working toward his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at the University of South Florida (USF) and graduated in 2018. He continued his education, was awarded his Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from USF in 2020, and became a family nurse practitioner.

After completing his master’s degree, Duque applied to the UTMB, interviewed with the director, and was offered a job. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put his aspirations and travel around the world on hold. In 2023, he interviewed again and was offered a position in the South Pole.

“What interested me about the job was the remote location,” Duque said. “The South Pole station is often compared to the International Space Station in that it is one of the most remote and austere environments on earth. NASA, often, performs experiments there which directly apply to astronauts and space travel.”

Duque and a single physician work in a clinic six days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The clinic has three sections: an urgent care/emergency trauma bay, a dental suite, and in-patient care/long-term care. Over the winter months, 42 people will serve on the station. In the summer, the population swells to nearly 130 people.

“The physician and I are the sole medical providers for over 800 miles,” Duque said. “We care for men and women ranging from 21 to 70 years old. This includes dental procedures, taking X-rays, running our own labs, physical therapy, pharmacy, and so forth. But we have plenty of time to provide good evidence-based practice and build lasting relationships with our patients. We are able to gain the trust of our patients.”

The most common visits on the station are related to the climate. The high altitude and dry climate lead to acute mountain sickness, frost nip, dehydration, sleep deprivation, and other work-related injuries.  

The environment at the South Pole is harsh. According to Duque, a relatively warm temperature at the South Pole is minus 30.7 C (minus 23 F) with a wind chill factor of minus 41.1 C (minus 42 F). Although the majority of Antarctica is at sea level, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is at the top of a polar plateau, at an elevation of 9,306 feet above sea level.

“Due to this environment, all personnel are given preventive care prior to arrival at the South Pole Station,” Duque said. “The first five days on the station are the most dangerous. During this time, we’re most likely to see acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), or high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE). The last two are potentially deadly illnesses if not treated. Ironically, a person’s age, sex, body habitus, and even previous visits to high altitude locations tell us little of who is at risk.”

“The most rewarding part about the job is being able to provide care for world-class scientists and support staff and learn about airborne geophysics, glaciology, astronomy, neutrino and dark matter physics, weather, astrophysics, and drilling through ice to depths of 1,450 to 2,450 meters below the surface.”

Duque returns to the United States at the end of February 2024. He and his wife purchased a 5-acre farm in Lakeland, which they plan to develop into a homestead. He’s also applied to become an officer in the National Guard and return to running his signage company and medical practice.

“Being a nurse practitioner allows me to earn a good living, and it has great benefits,” Duque said. “I am able to provide for my family.

“Becoming a family nurse practitioner was always my goal,” he said. “It’s a great option for any nurse who is looking for work-life balance, the ability to travel, and to push themselves. You have a lot more autonomy to practice as a nurse practitioner.

“If someone is younger or, perhaps, has the freedom to travel (after kids have left the house), traveling as a nurse offers you a paid opportunity to see different parts of the world. Young people can build up their savings and start investing. More settled people can travel together and experience places they might not otherwise have been able to visit.”

For a virtual tour of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ3_gZ3ZS_4