Community bulletin

Athletes go to college

Five members of Trinity Prep’s Class of 2013 gathered with family, coaches, and fellow students on National Signing Day to sign letters of intent to continue their athletic careers in college. Jack O’Connor of Winter Park committed to Swarthmore College for swimming; Madeleine Loftus of Winter Park committed to Centre College for soccer; Rick Hord of Kissimmee committed to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for baseball; and Daniel Salas of Winter Park committed to Dartmouth College for cross country and track. Three other members of Trinity Prep’s senior class signed letters of intent in November. Kyle Cavanaugh of Winter Park committed to North Carolina State for baseball; Eliot Shapleigh of Oviedo committed to Stetson University for baseball; and Felicia Coleman of Winter Springs committed to the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Endangered Species Day

Parents, teachers and scout leaders tell your kids to start the drawing engines and participate in the annual Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest, an integral part of the eighth annual national Endangered Species Day, celebrated on May 17. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and numerous conservation organizations will observe Endangered Species Day to recognize conservation efforts underway across the nation aimed at helping America’s imperiled species. This year also commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.

Volunteers needed

VITAS Innovative Hospice Care of Central Florida needs volunteers in the Winter Park/Maitland area who can befriend terminally ill patients, provide relief for weary caregivers, accompany their pet on Paw Pals visits, visit with veterans, provide art and music therapy, make bereavement calls, sew Memory Bears or garment bags, knit/crochet afghans, make crafts, help repair medical equipment, or help with administrative work. Call 407-691-4541 or email [email protected] if you would like to find out more information.

Award-winning producer

The Florida Historical Society has awarded the 2013 David C. Brotemarkle Award to Dr. Maurice O’Sullivan, Kenneth Curry Professor of Literature at Rollins College, and Mr. Bill Dudley, award winning Florida technical director. Dr. O’Sullivan was executive producer of the project, which was filmed and edited by Mr. Dudley. Named after the first English poem about Florida—the 1564” Have You Not Hard of Floryda”—the film includes almost 30 important poets from Tallahassee to Miami reading their work as well as classic works from the state’s past.

Top scholars

The following students from your area were named to the Dean’s List at Mercer University for the fall 2012 semester:

Kathryn Dunnam of Maitland, a senior, was named to the Dean’s List of the College of Liberal Arts.

Lauren Gassie of Winter Park, a sophomore, was named to the Dean’s List of the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics.

Bryan Danley, of Maitland, a senior, was named to the President’s List and Dean’s List of the school of engineering for the fall 2012 semester.

Princeton senior Jake Nebel, from Winter Park, has been named a winner of the University’s 2012 Moses Taylor Pyne Honor Prize, the highest general distinction conferred on an undergraduate.

Honoring Kevin Gray

The Annie Russell Theatre and Department of Theatre and Dance at Rollins College presented a special service March 16 honoring Kevin Gray and his contributions to Rollins College during his tenure. Kevin Gray, a visiting artist professor at Rollins from 2009-2011, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 11 in Connecticut, where he was currently an associate professor of theatre for the Hartt School.