FREE
VOLUME 6, NO. 230
•
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SEEK INPUT ON ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY REDISTRICTING SCENARIOS CONCERNED CITIZENS ATTENDED A PUBLIC MEETING AT PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL WHERE SCHOOL OFFICIALS ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND OFFERED FEEDBACK ABOUT THE THREE REDISTRICTING SCENARIOS. MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
Several dozen people showed up at Plant City High School’s cafeteria Monday night as officials om Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) continue to gather feedback from the community on draft boundary scenarios, engage with families, staff and ommunity to address questions and concerns and re-share three draft
scenarios that balance school utilization throughout the county. Computers were set up and logged into a Website where parents could type in their home address and learn what changes, if any, would impact their students in each of the three scenarios. Physical maps of the scenarios were also displayed. Parents could also leave feedback about the scenarios.
These community engagement meetings follow an existing conditions study, conducted by a consultant team led by WXY Studio, found that 93 schools were underutilized (at less than 80 percent capacity), 70 schools were well utilized (between 80 and 95 percent capacity) and 53 schools were over utilized (at more than 95% capacity).
NEW EAGLE SCOUT SOARS IN PLANT CITY
ALEX CHAZARES
RECEIVES EAGLE BADGE AND NECKERCHIEF AT COURT OF HONOR.
Eagle Scout Eryk Chazares (left) poses with his brother, new Eagle Scout Alex Chazares.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
DON’T MISS THE 2023 JR. ROYALTY PAGEANT THIS WEEKEND
MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
When Plant City resident Alex Chazares watched as his older brother, Eryk, was recognized at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony in 2020, the 12-year-old boy scout made the decision to follow in his footsteps. “I knew that I wanted to be like him and slowly started to gain momentum towards becoming an Eagle Scout,” he said. That goal was achieved last week, when the Eagle Scout badge was pinned to his scout shirt at his own Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony. His brother conducted the ceremony. Chazares, now 15 and a sophomore at Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School in Tampa, vividly recalls attending his fi st scout meeting with Troop 89 that meets in Valrico. “I didn’t have a scout uniform so I just attended the meeting in an Avengers shirt,” he joked. The super-hero shirt may have been foreshadowing the breakneck speed at which he completed his goal, earning the Eagle rank in roughly three years.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
MICHELLE CACERES STAFF WRITER
This Sat., Jan. 14 at 6 p.m., the Charlie Grimes & Family Agricultural Center will come to life as dozens of young ladies between the ages of fi e and 15 compete in the 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival Junior Royalty Pageant. A winner, fi st maid and three court members will be selected from each of four age groups: Baronesses (fi e- to six-year-olds), Duchesses (seven- to nine-year-olds), Princesses (10- to 12-year-olds) and Queens (13- to 15-year-olds). Contestants will be judged on personality, overall appearance and natural beauty and smile. Come on out to root for your favorite!