澳客竞彩

AVON PARK, Fla. 鈥� April 26, 2023 鈥� Because of a generous donor, 澳客竞彩鈥檚 (澳客竞彩) current softball facilities will don a new name and receive much anticipated upgrades, while students will benefit from a scholarship geared to fast-pitch softball players.

On Monday, April 24, a check in the amount of $365,234 was presented to Jamie Bateman, 澳客竞彩 vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs; Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, 澳客竞彩 president; and Rick Hitt, 澳客竞彩 athletic director and head baseball coach. The gift was made available through the estate of Larry Ross Johnson, and the 澳客竞彩 softball facilities will be named in his honor.

With the funds from the Johnson gift, the College will create a professionally designed, state-of-the-art softball facility. Plans include a new scoreboard, landscaping, updated seating, extension of dugouts and bench seating, a television for video analysis, and more.

鈥淲e are extremely grateful and honored to receive these funds in the name of the late Larry Johnson,鈥� said Hitt. 鈥淟arry was an enthusiastic softball player, pitcher, and fan.聽He provided guidance and knowledge to players over the years in an effort to help them improve, as a coach as well.

鈥淭hese funds will go to support major additions to the 澳客竞彩 softball facility for future players, coaches, and fans of Panther Softball to enjoy. We, again, are truly blessed to receive this wonderful gift and thank all of those who assisted in helping this happen.”

In addition to the softball facility upgrades, the Ross, Lorene, and Larry Johnson Endowed Scholarship was established through the 澳客竞彩 Foundation. According to the scholarship agreement, it was created 鈥渁s a lasting tribute to the ladies of the past, present, and future Sebring High School fast-pitch softball teams.鈥� Scholarships will be awarded from the endowment as soon as fall 2023.

Applicants for the scholarship must be an Associate in Arts or Associate of Science degree-seeking student enrolled or to be enrolled at least half-time at 澳客竞彩, a young woman who attended and played fast-pitch softball for a high school within 澳客竞彩鈥檚 service district of Highlands, DeSoto, and Hardee counties, and carry a B or better grade point average on all high school or college work. Preference for the scholarship will be given to applicants with demonstrated financial need. The recipient of the scholarship may be asked to address members of the Sebring Girls Fast-pitch Softball Team about their College program.

Johnson, who had been a fast-pitch softball coach in Highlands County for many years, died in October 2021. In the early 2000s, he was the assistant girls softball coach at Sebring High School. Together, with Lee Tolar, the team鈥檚 head coach, Johnson began a summer travel team of high school softball players from across the county. Johnson was a member of the California Toe Jam Band and performed Elvis Presley impersonations. According to his ex-wife Connie Foster, 鈥淗e started up the Highlands County Tennis Association and ran the Florida Cracker Trail Ride for two years.鈥�

鈥淟arry helped anyone who wanted to learn how to fast-pitch,鈥� Tolar said. 鈥淗e was a consummate softball coach. This gift to 澳客竞彩 is just a testament to how much he loved the players and the sport of fast-pitch softball. Years ago, he thought there should be a scholarship system for female softball players, but there just wasn鈥檛. Now there is one and because of his generosity. Larry鈥檚 dream would be to see a lot of young women get something out of this and to make improvements to the softball field. Coach Carlos Falla has done an awesome job here at 澳客竞彩. Now he has more money to accomplish that.鈥�

澳客竞彩鈥檚 softball program began in 2004 with the hiring of Head Softball Coach Falla and the construction of the 澳客竞彩 Panther softball facility on the College鈥檚 Highlands Campus in Avon Park. The Lady Panthers softball team played in competition for the first time in 2005. In the last 18 years, the softball field has been home to summer and fall softball youth camps and clinics, as well as being available for occasional intramural activities and special events.

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

AVON PARK, Fla. 鈥� April 26, 2023 鈥� 澳客竞彩鈥檚 (澳客竞彩) 2023 annual Juried Student Art Exhibition was held on Thursday, April 20 at the Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) on the 澳客竞彩 Highlands Campus in Avon Park. Each award comes with a cash prize and, this year, $2,500 was awarded to 12 outstanding 澳客竞彩 student artists.

The President鈥檚 Award is chosen by Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel, 澳客竞彩 president, and the chosen artwork becomes a part of the President鈥檚 Art Collection at 澳客竞彩. The artwork remains on display in the Office of the President for one year. It is then hung in the College鈥檚 Board Room with previous years鈥� President鈥檚 Award winners. The artwork is also used as the image for birthday cards the president gives to 澳客竞彩 faculty and staff throughout the year.

澳客竞彩 Juried Student Exhibition award winners for 2023:

Award of Merit: Vivian George, Josie Wilson, Nico Diaz Silva, Jenny Wirries, Ruby Rivera, Lindsay Albritton, RoseMarie Klein

People鈥檚 Choice Award: Ruby Rivera for 鈥淭he Process鈥�

Betty Stephens Docents鈥� Choice Award: William Hernandez for 鈥淩eflections in Black & White鈥�

Best of Media, Ceramics: Ella Pepper for 鈥淔ly Free鈥�

Best of Media, Mixed Media: Jonathan Levene for 鈥淢er@chandi$e鈥�

Best of Media, Drawing: Soledad Morado for 鈥淎nother Day鈥�

Best of Media, Photography: Josie Wilson for 鈥淒ark Triforce鈥�

Best of Media, Painting; Ella Pepper for 鈥淢y Sisters and I鈥�

Lyn Latham Award for Computer Graphics: Lindsay Albritton for 鈥淒ebbie the Elephant鈥�

Cathy Futral Award of Excellence: Ella Pepper for 鈥淪ink Down鈥� and Ruby Rivera for 鈥淩eflections鈥�

Dorry Christy Memorial Scholarship Award: Lindsay Albritton

Max Gooding Best of Show Award: Kat Sassatelli for 鈥淏oardwalk鈥�

Tanglewood Artist Group Award for Continuing Art Majors: Kat Sassatelli and Ruby Rivera

The student exhibition will remain on view at MOFAC now through Thursday, May 19. MOFAC is located on the 澳客竞彩 Highlands Campus at 600 West College Drive in Avon Park. For more information about the exhibition or MOFAC, call the Museum Office at 863-784-7130.

AVON PARK, Fla. 鈥� April 21, 2023 鈥� During a ceremony on Thursday, April 20, 澳客竞彩鈥檚 (澳客竞彩) Basic Corrections Academy Class 109 graduated 21 new correctional officers at the 澳客竞彩 Highlands Campus in Avon Park.

From the 澳客竞彩 University Center Auditorium stage, Michael Austin, coordinator of 澳客竞彩鈥檚 Criminal Justice Academy, called up the 21 and handed each new officer a certificate. Those receiving a certificate were class leader Ryan E. Hamilton; executive officer Sonia Johnson Frazier; Jeovanny Alfaro; Timothy Beckman; Lasaunda Dawson; Frederick Estevez; Nathaniel Flynn; Erika Gallant; William Jones; Daniel Lawyer; Trevor Miller; DaQuaiz Moore; Gregory Prado; Norma Pratts; Carton Queen; Maria Rowe; Aaron Ruff; Dillon Townsend; Desirae Williams; Amanda Young; and Maria Zapata.

Four cadets were singled out for their achievements during the program. Earning top honors for academic excellence was Carlton Queen, and for top firearms for his work on the shooting range was Timothy Beckman. Ryan E. Hamilton was given special recognition as class leader as was Sonia Johnson Frazier as executive officer.

Guest speaker for the ceremony was Deputy Luis Pratts Martinez of the Highlands County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and instructor with 澳客竞彩鈥檚 Criminal Justice Academy.

Addressing the cadets, Pratts Martinez said, 鈥淩emember respect, it鈥檚 not given, it鈥檚 earned. Don鈥檛 walk through your facility thinking your peers and inmates are going to respect you. Learn their hooks and triggers. Be a leader and respect will come. Everyone can be a manager, but it鈥檚 difficult to be a leader. Some of you will be in situations where there will be one correction officer to 150 inmates. Use your officer presence and communications skills to manage your environment. Be fair and listen to the individuals. Always remember your main goal is to go home every day.

鈥淐lass 109, remember, you鈥檙e going into a profession where you represent yourself, your agency, and all correction professionals throughout this great state and nation. Please always step with your best foot forward. Thank you for letting me be part of your lives.鈥�

The Basic Correctional Officer Program is 420 contact hours or approximately 11 weeks. Upon successful completion of the program, students earn a Career Certificate and are eligible to take the state certification examination to become a certified officer.

For more information about these programs, visit southflorida.edu or call 澳客竞彩鈥檚 Criminal Justice Academy at 863-784-7285.

AVON PARK, Fla. 鈥� April 18, 2023 — 澳客竞彩 (澳客竞彩) Performing Arts presents 鈥淭hree Billy Goats Gruff,鈥� a lively and colorful musical production for young audiences featuring the 9-foot-tall body puppets and a host of other characters from the internationally acclaimed Bits 鈥楴 Pieces Puppet Theatre.

This free, family-friendly performance is on Sunday, May 7 at 3 p.m. Bill and Lisa Jarrett and Get Fish Slapped Marketing sponsor the performance. Funding support is also provided by a grant from the Florida Department of State, Florida Arts and Culture Division.

The show, which took nearly two years to construct, is filled with beautiful puppets and fun. The beloved Norwegian folk tale is one of 11 original musical productions created by Bits 鈥楴 Pieces Puppet Theatre, which is based in Tampa, Fla.

Bits 鈥楴 Pieces is known for its giant body puppets that have danced across American stages for 37 years and made 16 international appearances, most recently at the ninth International Puppet Festival of Puppet Arts in the Czech Republic.

It is up to Bluff, Fluff, and Tuff Gruff, the three goats, to cleverly cross a narrow bridge. But the Bully Troll wants no one to cross the bridge. Bluff, Fluff and Tuff must cooperate, communicate, and negotiate to get to a dinner of fresh tasty green grass on the other side of the bridge. Bluff Gruff, the innocent goat, uses his brains to cross the bridge. Fluff Gruff, played by live actress Holli Rubin, points out the fine points of avoiding a bully. Tuff Gruff shows that sometimes actions speak louder than words. Together they prove there鈥檚 nothing you can鈥檛 do.

鈥淐hildren will be delighted by the glow-in-the-dark puppets as they sing and dance and live happily ever after,鈥� said Cindy Garren, director of cultural programs. 鈥淭he award-winning Bits 鈥楴 Pieces have toured across the country and to