Cape residents inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines:

* Christi Iverson of Cape Coral at Nova Southeastern University

* Jonathan Assis of Cape Coral at Nova Southeastern University

They are among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership.

Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Its mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www.phikappaphi.org.

Boxleitner has poem accepted for publication

Cape Coral resident Denver Boxleitner has had a poem accepted for publication by Wingless Dreamer.

“Honey & Pot” will be the Island Coast High School senior’s first poem featured in a global publication that includes the works of professional writers.

The 17-year-old had two poems appear in separate high school anthologies during 2020, and one poem will appear in a 2021 collection.

She is a Take Stock in Children scholarship recipient, National Honor Society historian and mezzo soprano in the top choir. She has competed for the varsity bowling and tennis teams.

Noel named to University of Rhode Island Fall 2020 Dean’s List

The University of Rhode Island has announced the Fall 2020 Dean’s List. The students represent nearly all of Rhode Island’s cities and towns, all six New England states, New York and New Jersey, and many other states and countries.

Madison Noel of Cape Coral was named to the Dean’s List.

To be included on the Dean’s List, full-time students must have completed 12 or more credits for letter grades during a semester and achieved at least a 3.30 quality point average. Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 or more credits for letter grades earning at least a 3.30 quality point average.

The university’s total fall 2020 enrollment of 17,649 students comprises 15,393 full- and part-time undergraduate students, including 748 pharmacy six-year professional practice, and 2,256 full- and part-time graduate students.

The University’s campus locations, include the main campus, located on 1,248 acres in rural Kingston; the Graduate School of Oceanography, located on 165 acres on Narragansett Bay; the W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, a 1,200-acre nature preserve; the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies and the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center, both in the capital city of Providence, RI.

Four seniors receive scholarships to become Lee County teachers

Four high school seniors were awarded scholarships this week to continue their education and become teachers for the School District of Lee County — Michel’le Bridley, Jonathan Arboleda, Kassandra Cooper, and Yaricela Vargas.

The School District sponsors the Grow Your Own Scholarship funded by the state Legislature. Suncoast Credit Union also sponsors a Grow Your Own Scholarship, and the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools sponsors the Golden Futures Scholarship. The scholarships pay for a student’s tuition at Florida Gulf Coast University or Florida SouthWestern State College, as long as the student commits to teaching in the district for three years after graduation.

Bridley is this year’s recipient of the School District’s Grown Your Own Scholarship.  She is a senior at Fort Myers High School and will attend FSW in the fall.

The Suncoast Credit Union Grow Your Own Scholarship is being awarded to Arboleda.  The Riverdale High School senior will attend FGCU in the fall.

Golden Futures Scholarships from the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools are being awarded to Cooper and Vargas.  Cooper is a senior at North Fort Myers High School and will attend FGCU in the fall. Vargas is a senior at South Fort Myers High School and will attend FSW in the fall.

The School District of Lee County, The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools and Suncoast Federal Credit Union have been combining efforts for several years to recruit and retain teachers from our greatest community asset, our own students. The goal is to keep interested students who want to seek a career as a teacher in the School District of Lee County.

All four students were surprised during a zoom meeting Wednesday. 

FSW tackles textbook affordability with open educational resources

As the cost of earning a college degree continues to increase, many colleges, including Florida SouthWestern State College, have begun to embrace open educational resources.

OERs are free, openly licensed online textbooks and other digital assets that can be used in place of physical textbooks in educational settings.

FSW Faculty Librarian and Art Professor Arenthia Herren is just one of FSW’s many faculty members leading the charge to incorporate OERs into classes. Herren uses an OER in her art history course, which not only saves her students $200 on textbook costs but has also increased student engagement in her course.

“Many times, students have to wait for their financial aid to come through before they can purchase their textbooks, and by then, classes have already started,” said Herren. “With OERs, students have immediate access to the information they need for class.”

Before an OER can be approved for use, it goes through a review process by subject experts and must meet certain standards to ensure its accuracy.

OERs have also become a worldwide movement. Creative Commons licensing allows them to be translated into other languages, even some lesser known languages, so the resources can be used internationally.

Even FSW’s bookstore is on board with OERs. It is currently working on a partnership with a printing company so that students who prefer to have a physical copy can print OERs at a reasonable cost. 

Florida SouthWestern State College annually serves nearly 22,000 students globally, offering a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees and professional certifications, several with 100 percent licensure pass and job placements rates. Study and travel abroad opportunities are available for students through FSW’s Center for International Education. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.

FDACS and Fried launch new annual lunchroom wars competition

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, its Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness, and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried this week announced the first annual 2021 Lunchroom Wars competition, Florida’s official student chef cook-off.

Lunchroom Wars invites young chefs and passionate student cooks from Florida to showcase their skills for the chance to win prizes — and the title of 2021 Lunchroom Wars Champion. This new competition aims to uplift culinary aspirations of Florida students, highlight Florida-grown commodities and focus on the importance of school nutrition.

Students between the ages of 7 and 13 are invited to participate by submitting a video application discussing their unique recipe and interest in the competition. The top three students will be selected to compete the week of May 10-14, 2021. 

“One of my biggest priorities is ensuring that Florida’s students have access to nutritious meals year-round. During the pandemic, FDACS has worked with school food service professionals to help kids get the food they need to continue at-home or in-person learning,” said Fried. “In the past year, at-home cooking trends have soared. This is the perfect time to encourage our youngest Floridians to experiment in their kitchen, develop healthy eating habits, and learn how proper nutrition impacts academic performance. And, of course, it’s an opportunity to earn the crown as Florida’s first-ever Lunchroom Wars champion! We thank our presenting sponsor Humana for their support of school nutrition and aspiring young chefs.”

The video submission deadline is April 9. To learn more about the competition’s official rules and how to apply, visit www.Lunch roomWars.com.

Elliott Katz Hawks Scholarship Fund established at Hodges University

Hodges University president Dr. John Meyer this week announced the establishment of The Elliott Katz Hawks Scholarship Fund, in honor of Elliott Katz for his contributions to the community and the Southwest Florida region.

The fund will assist Hodges University students so they can continue their educational path and reach their career goals.

For more information about the fund, visit https://hodges.edu/give-now/elliottkatz/

Hodges University, a regionally accredited, private nonprofit institution founded in 1990, prepares students to leverage higher learning in their personal, professional, and civic endeavors.