Academy Prep Center - Tampa

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News and Events from the Academy Prep Tampa Center

AP Tampa Center
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• Student Artwork from Academy Prep Center of Tampa

• Cooking Up Dreams - Lives Transformed

• A Letter of Thanks

• The Essence of Academy Prep

• Book-It Reading Program

• Black History Celebration a Roaring Success

• Academy Prep Experience - An Outside View

• Road To The Chess Nationals In Orlando

• Theme of Survival - A Poem

Academy Prep In The News
An archive of stories from all media.
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Art Gallery Pictures

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larger pictures

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A Letter of Thanks

Academy Prep Alumna Christa Lambert recently sent a special letter to Ben Fisher, Executive Director of the Academy Prep Foundation about what Academy Prep has meant to her. Christa graduated from Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg in 2005, and then attended St. Andrew's School in Delaware. She recently represented Academy Prep as a student participant at the Nativity Miguel National Network's inaugural "Collegiate Prep Academy" outside of Denver, Colorado. Christa has been accepted to Howard University in Washington D.C. beginning this fall.

Click Here to read more of 55 Seconds of Academy Prep

The Essence of Academy Prep

Essence Grant, now a junior at Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa, hasn't forgotten her roots here at Academy Prep.

She's one of many graduates back on campus who made our June Summer Session extraordinary, by volunteering and acting as a role model for our middle-school girls. "I remember how shy Essence . . .

Click Here to read more of 55 Seconds of Academy Prep

Student Artwork from Academy Prep Center of Tampa Presented by

The Ybor School of Visual and Performing Arts Gallery

Wednesday, June 17 through Thursday, June 25, 2009

Opening Reception: Wednesday, June 17, 2:30-4 p.m.
RSVP 813-248-5600, Sharon, x1102 or
Email: sjoller@academyprep.org

Come join us and see -
drawing • photography • portraits • masks • ceramic

HCC Ybor Art Gallery, Performing Arts Building
Palm Avenue and 15th Street
Gallery hours: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
813-253-7674

To see more Click Here ( 380K PDF)

Cover artwork by Imani Smith, Class of 2008

Cooking Up Dreams
Lives Transformed.

100 Guests Experience a School Day at Academy Prep

The grounds of Academy Prep’s century old former V.M. Ybor Grammar School lit up on Saturday, May 2 as over 130 Tampa’s community members gathered for Cooking Up Dreams, an evening featuring a five course dinner. The event’s culinary delights were donated by The Columbia, Chez Bryce, Bailey’s and Mise En Place, Gallo Wine, and supported by 15 financial sponsors and 10 additional design vendors, including Marketing Associates USA.

To Learn More about the Cooking Up Dreams Event, Click Here ( 700K PDF)

Book-It Reading Program

Mrs. Gard’s 5th and 6th grade boys and girls have done an amazing job with this year’s Book-It program. Book-It runs from October to March and for every book 120 pages or more each student reads, they receive a coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut!

At the end of March, those students who reached the goal of reading six or more books earned an All Star Reader Award and were given a special certificate and coupon to be redeemed for a very exceptional surprise!

5th Grade Boys

5th Grade Girls

These students are raising the bar and setting an amazing example for just how powerful the written word is. Not only are they bringing their love for books home to their family members, but many of the students have actually donated their finished books to our library!

We are very thankful for the Book-It program and the members of Academy Prep who hold firm to the belief that by the simple act of reading, the mind expands and the imagination takes flight. Well done students!

Black History Celebration a Roaring Success

Our 3rd Annual Black History Celebration, held on February 13, 2009, was a great success!

There was a tremendous showing of talent by the Gospel Choir, Spoken Word, Culture Club, the St. Pete Step Team, and many more outstanding performers.

Special thanks to Dr. Shawn Robinson, HCC Campus President for the Ybor City Campus. Dr. Robinson was our special guest and spoke about the importance of black history and personal achievement.

A very special thanks also goes to all the families who donated time, food, and effort to ensure that the food tasting was a success.

To learn more about our 3rd Annual Black History Celebration: Reconnecting to our Past to Revolutionize our Future and see some photos, please (Click Here 165K PDF).

Academy Prep Experience - An Outside View

Please enjoy the following beautiful and thoughtful letter written by a person who saw our students volunteer. It expresses the essence of the school.

Please read the letter… (Click Here 11K PDF)

Road To The Chess Nationals In Orlando

The chess team coached by Ted McNair performed quite well in gaining experience in local and regional tournaments on their way to the 2008 United States Chess Federation National Scholastic K-12 Championship. The tournament was held the weekend of December 13 -14 in Disney World, Orlando, Florida.

The 7th and 8th grade teams performed in an outstanding manner against teams laden with highly-rated competitors. Both teams entered the championship unrated because of not being able to compete in enough tournaments but both placed nationally.

The 8th grade team placed 6th nationally in a filed of 47 and was awarded a large trophy, while the 7th grade team placed 9th. Two 8th graders finished first and third nationally, while two 7th grade boys finished 2nd and 3rd nationally in the unrated division.

It was quite an accomplishment for the team and the six novice players. Also, these students are two-time first place team winners in the Region and more recently first place team in the 2008 West Florida Fall Scholastic Gran Prix.

Kevin Battle (7th grade, 3rd place)
Mattaldi Morris (8th grade, 3rd place)
Christopher Flowers (7th grade)
Javaris Samuels (8th grade),
Ahmadou Varmah (8th grade, 1st place)
Michael Hicks (7th grade, 2nd place)
and Coach Ted McNair.

8th Grade Team, 6th in Nation

Theme of Survival

The sixth grade girls recently read We Beat the Street by the three famous young gentlemen who survived the streets and became successful. As a project, the girls were to pick one of the various themes of the novel and write a song/poem about it.

Tache Bass and Renee Webb came up with a poem. This poem is a good sample of how the girls are incorporating their readings into written expression. (Read the poem…)