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  From the Academy Prep Website 2007-2009  
     
         
 
   
Academy Prep’s Spring Picnic

In honor of our volunteers, please join us!

Saturday, April 18, 2009
11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Come celebrate with our families and staff
Enjoy an afternoon of food, fun, and games
Participate in our volunteer
recognition awards at 1 p.m. We want to thank
Caldonia Bar-B-Que
for their food donation!

1407 East Columbus Dr., Tampa, FL 33605, School Pavilion
Enter from 15th Avenue side gate
Parking located across Columbus Drive and off of 15th Avenue

Contact Main Office to R.S.V.P at 813-248-5600

   
 
     
 

Once again, Academy Prep is a home-town youth non-profit supported by the Transitions PGA Golf Tournament. Over 65 students, families, and staff volunteered for the Pro Am with students as team standard bearers as well as hosting the 17th hole caddy duties.

We thank the Copperheads, the golf tournament’s leadership and staff, for their ongoing support of Academy Prep students for the past decade! Transitions Optical provided eye exams for all Academy Prep students and glasses for over 50 of our students.

A special thanks to Dex Imaging and the Sembler family for supporting our Transitions Championship Birdies for Charity Match!

THANK YOU, TRANSITIONS CHAMPIONSHIP!

See Thank You (Click Here 285K PDF)

To see a video about the tournament: Click Here

To see a video about the eye exams for Academy Prep students: Click Here

 
     
  Highlight on APT Partnerships Prodigy Cultural Arts



Collaborating with both Academy Prep campuses, Prodigy Cultural Arts is APT’s featured partnership for the quarter. We want to recognize their daily efforts and contribution to our art curriculum. Prodigy arranges for professional artists to teach courses in wide range of artistic methods.

We currently have two teachers, Ms. Julia and Mr. Elio working with 5th and 7th grade students. Next semester, Prodigy will add dance, guitar and additional art instruction for our 6th graders.
 
 

Ms. Fobbs, Prodigy Ybor site coordinator, and her staff honored APT for our excellence in After School programming with a tree planting on October 21.

We want to thank Prodigy for their countless hours of dedication to our students. If you would like to know more about their programs, visit them at www.prodigyarts.org.
 
     
 
Do You Know These 7Th Grade Vocabulary Words?

Boys in Ms. Fuller's English Class study vocabulary by participating in an action-packed process.

Teams of two perform dramatic vignettes that define words such as appease, conventional, judicious, milieu, gallantry and calamitous.

 
 

At the end of each duo, their classmates determine the vocabulary work their actions reveal.

 

Can you guess which words the boys were performing?

 
     
  Mentor and students on the golf courseSeeking Volunteer Coaches For The Golf Academy
"Life Through Golf"

Academy Prep Center of Tampa is seeking volunteer coaches to assist in a golf curriculum during physical education and Saturday outings to golf courses. Because the staff and students are so enthusiastic about golf, the school has also organized a club during the extra-curricular activity time on Wednesdays and Fridays. Individuals or teams interested in assisting can volunteer to teach basic golf techniques as well as the important life skills essential to golf, sports, and life.

Our students' lives are changed through an education that is far from tradition. Each student receives four years of tuition-free, college-preparatory education in 5th through 8th grades. Students attend up to 11 hours a day, 6 days a week, 11 months each year. The school provides a demanding academic curriculum and a multitude of enrichment activities along with emotional support and social guidance. Students benefit from an additional eight years of graduate support that guides them continually through their high school and college careers.

Academy Prep Center for Education was formed ten years ago, starting its first school in south St. Petersburg. The Ybor Center opened in 2003. The Golf Academy is supported by the Westchase Golf Club, the PGA Swing into Golf Initiative, The First Tee of Tampa, and The Lightning Foundation.

If you are interested in volunteering for golf or other activities at Academy Prep, please call Chris Humboldt, the Development/Volunteer Coordinator, at 813.248.5600 or email her at chumboldt@academyprep.org.

 

 
     
 

Fit Families for Life and Reindeer Run


October 20th marked the official start of The Fit Families for Life 8-week training program to prepare our students for the Tampa Bay Lightning Reindeer Run. Students and staff rallied and cheered in a pep rally to kick off the effort, the first ever rally at our Tampa Center!

 
 



Students, by grade, competed in the school spirit cheer. Encouraged on with a surprised guest, The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Thunderbug, the 6th grade put their hearts and bodies into the challenge winning the most spirit award!

To read the full article, Click Here ( .3M PDF)

 
     
  2008 Fall Family Picnic

We had another fun and event-filled Fall Family Picnic. As always, our parents make, bake, and out do themselves with food and treats for all. Besides the terrific turnout of parents, students, families and friends, we had fantastic faculty-run games and activities.

The teachers, parents, and students (boys vs. girls) played an intense volleyball game – led by Mrs. Gard. The boys won! In the teachers vs. faculty football game, the teachers were again victorious. Berkeley High School students ran a tremendous book drive for our families.

We want to thank our parents for their help at the picnic and every day at Academy Prep.

Enjoy photos from the day! Click Here ( .8M PDF)


 
     
 

AP Tampa Students Participate in Fit Families For Life

Pulling together a dynamic health collaborative, The Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation and BlueCross BlueShield of Florida designed and funded an 18-week course for the sixth grade boys and girls that complemented their fall running program initiated by The Lightning Foundation. The Children's Board of Hillsborough County also contributed funds for the course. Kicking off with a student knowledge assessment, students gobbled up both the healthy snacks and the healthy living know-how shared by an incredible group of partner volunteers and staff.

Click Here to read the latest news at 55 Seconds of Academy Prep


 
     
  Focus on Success - 7th Graders Turn Their Destiny into Reality

This is the third year of our Focus on Success program. Through the volunteer efforts of our community partners, Charlie Poe and Jonathan Field, 7th grade students have explored goal setting, values and belief identification, decision-making, communication skills, and time and financial management.

This unique program concludes with a “Creating Destiny” session in which the students project their lives fifteen years into the future while attending an alumni party. At the gathering, students describe their occupation, talk about the challenges they have overcome, and share their experiences with each other since they graduated from Academy Prep.

Thanks to Charlie Poe and Jonathan Field for inspiring our students to turn their destinies into realities!


 
     
  Writing Assignments by Academy Prep Center of Tampa Students

Click Here to read the storiesAcademy Prep Students are required to take English with literature along with additional writing, computer and library classes.

These combined classes make up the English grade for all students. Below are a couple of the writing styles, short stories and an expository essay, as examples of the dynamic results of our English Academic Program.

Impressively enough, these students compose the rough and final versions in just two class periods!

Click Here to read the stories

 
     
 

Judges Wow 8th Graders – 8th Graders Wow Judges!



 
 

We want to thank a new partner, Ogden and Sullivan P.A., Civil Trial Lawyers, for designing and facilitating Law Matters - a career development series for our 8th grade class.

While moving forward on planning ideas for a mock trial and teaching students mediation skills, Tim Sullivan facilitated the first session - a "Judges Showcase".

An incredible array of distinguished federal and state court judges shared their wisdom and knowledge with the class for a 90 minute session.

Our prestigious group of judges included: Charlene Honeywell, Manny Menendez, Jr., Mary Scriven, Thomas Stringer, and Charles Wilson.

 

Initially, Mr. Sullivan proposed to the judges a series of questions which were the result of a previous brainstorming session with the students. Subsequently, the judges broke into small groups to have more detailed, face to face conversations with students. Each small group had the opportunity to visit with two judges.

The Judges shared critical lessons and concepts regarding the workings of the judicial system. They told stories of how average, unsuspecting people can become caught up in criminal behavior, particularly where drug trafficking is involved. Drug issues relate to the most serious and pervasive crimes facing all of our courts-criminal, civil and family. They stressed the importance of community education and taking the time to give insights into the judicial system especially how it permeates our society in a positive way.

 

Reflections were made on: why and how they became lawyers and judges, the difficulty of making decisions under Florida law with respect to the death penalty, recommendations for making the judicial system better, and reiterating their commitment of service to our state and country.

 

Students asked questions such as:

  • What type of education do you need to become a judge?
  • Why did you decide to become a lawyer and judge?
  • What is the most prevalent issue being addressed in the courts?
  • What are examples of the toughest cases you have heard?
  • How do you handle your own emotions when making decisions that alter people's lives so significantly?
  • What would you change about the judicial system to make it better?

 

Students React:

Academy Prep students had many reactions, including these:

It was interesting to see a person that is just below the United States Supreme Court - to meet a woman that is stepping up to the plate to make a difference.

I learned that you may think laws and rules don't affect other professions, but the law affects everything we do.

The session inspired me to work harder to achieve my goals. I could see their work as a vocation - how the judges love to share their knowledge. I appreciate them spending their time with my classmates and me.

Judges React Too:

The judges shared with APCT students how very impressed they were with the difficult questions asked; the students' willingness to jump in and debate together matters of law; their actual knowledge of the law and courts; and their respectful approach. One judge shared, "In ten years of making presentations to grade school and middle school students, this is the first time I was not asked what my salary is. I am very impressed with your interest and respect of our work."

 

We are very grateful to the Judges, Tim Sullivan and Randy Ogden for this special presentation in our Law Matters sessions. THANK YOU!

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Academy Prep Center of Tampa’s First Graduating Class Outperforms Florida’s 8th Graders!

Based on results from the nationally-normed Stanford10 and Secondary School Admissions Tests, Academy Prep Center of Tampa’s 2007 graduating 8th graders are outperforming Florida’s public school 8th graders in Reading and Mathematics. In Reading, the average national percentile rank (NPR) for APCT’s 8th graders is 71, while the NPR for all public school 8th graders in Florida is 67. In Mathematics, the average NPR for APCT’s 8th graders is 81, while the NPR for all public school 8th graders in Florida is 74.

APT Eighth Grade Legacy
Click Picture for a larger version

What makes these results even more impressive is the obvious progress made by APCT’s students as they spend more time at APT. Even though the 5th grade Academy Prep students enter at grade level, they are still over a year behind their typical public peers at that point.

Lincoln Tamayo, Head of School, is not surprised by these results. “Our students confirm our belief in the power of the human spirit to overcome obstacles. Led by outstanding staff and community leaders with help from our families and volunteers, our students belie the common misconception that inner-city children are too burdened to succeed academically. The American Dream is vivid for Academy Prep’s student body.”


APT Grads - Hats in the air!
Hats Off! To Our 2007 Graduates!
Click Picture for a larger version

 

 
     
 

Tameka Evans, Girls Math Teacher, Our Hero!

Tameka Evans started at Academy Prep as an AmeriCorps volunteer teacher, went to reserve training for a year, and returned to APCT as the girl’s math teacher.

Ms. Evans has left for military training and will serve our country as a medic in Iraq. We will miss Ms. Evans, are very proud of her service, and look forward to the time when we can welcome her home.

Mr Tamayo, our Head of School, sent a special letter honoring Ms. Evans to President Bush. This letter was published in the Tampa Tribune, and we wanted to share it with you (click here).



 
     
 

APT boys at the Tampa Museum of Art

The Tampa Museum of Art’s Architecture project is providing APT 8th grade students the opportunity to become architects. The students will create and design “the new museum.”


Our students will explore the current museum, walk a behind the scenes tour, discover the interior and exterior of a museum, and experience a first peek at the new museum design and location.






APT girls at the Tampa Museum of ArtThe museum will showcase student created museum architectural models at a Student Fair in October. APCT is thrilled to have the Tampa Museum of Art as a new community partner.

 


 
     
 

Academy Prep is Chosen for Computer Mentor Group’s Annual
"Back-2-School" Computer Giveaway

Computer Mentors Group has embarked on a collaborative effort with Microsoft Corporation to provide free computers Academy Prep students who attend its annual "Back-to-School Computer Giveaway."

Volunteers and staff will distribute about 100 computer systems between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 15th, at the Computer Mentors office at 2802 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in East Tampa. Each of the computers will include a monitor, keyboard, mouse and modem, and installed with the latest Microsoft software including Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office 2007 Professional, and Microsoft Student 2007.

"We can’t think of a better way of pushing forward our mission to provide computers, training, information access and life skill development, than to adopt these students at Academy Prep," said Ralph Smith executive director of Computer Mentors. "We are confident that these acts of kindness will encourage and better prepare these students for the economic, educational and social opportunities that await them."

"It’s the great support that we received from Microsoft Corporation and Hobbs Family Foundation that has allowed us to bless this school with such a generous gift," Smith said.

Also new to the giveaway this year is the Florida Consortium of Information and Telecommunications Executives (CITE). These supporters of Academy Prep are one of the most widely recognized employee resource groups within Verizon Communications. CITE Florida and Microsoft volunteers will be present to on giveaway day to assist the families on an as-need basis for additional instruction.

Thank you
Computer Mentors, Microsoft, the Hobbs Family Foundation and Verizon CITE!

 

 
 

 

 


 
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