APRIL, 2019

PRIDE THE NEWSLETTER OF AVON PARK HIGH SCHOOL

Avon Park, Florida

April, 2019 Leading Together to Achieve Excellence! Volume 4, Issue 8

Danielle Erwin, Principal

PRINCIPAL OF THE DAY RELAY OF LIFE

RETURNS TO APHS

Highlands County has not held a

Relay for Life event in three years,

but the public is invited to come to

APHS, join in the fun, and “Spring Into Action 2019”.

The event will be held at the football field and track at

APHS on Saturday, April 13 from 4 to 10 p.m. The

purpose of the relay is to support life-saving cancer

research for people struggling with cancer in Highlands

County. Besides research, the money also supports

free rides to chemo and a cancer helpline that is

available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

One way to help is to sponsor the APHS AFJROTC

team and cadets who will be participating. The easiest

way to give to the American Cancer Society and

support the cadets’ team (RED ACES) is

to go the Relay-for-Life website and

donate. They are walking for Michael

Loomis, Mrs. Loomis’ late husband. The cadets will also

be conducting a 50/50 raffle and selling pulled pork

sandwiches for their on-site fundraising efforts.

The event begins with an opening ceremony, followed

by the first lap around the track being taken by cancer

survivors and their caregivers, who walk while every-

one gathers together to cheer them on. There are fun

activities throughout the event. At dark, there is a

Luminaria ceremony, with each light representing a life

- a life taken by cancer, a survivor of cancer, or a sup-

port for a person still fighting the disease. The cadets

have sign-up cards for survivors that can be invited to

attend the ceremony, and cards for the luminaries.

Contact SMSgt. Northcutt for more information.

Congratulations to sophomore

Ashari McDermott (pictured left

with Principal Erwin), who was

selected as Principal of the Day

for March. During her day,

McDermott did duties with Mrs.

Erwin, including going into a

teacher’s classroom to observe

and evaluate, helping with the Night of Stars event

flyer, and sitting in on an administrators meeting.

Her favorite parts of the day also involved giving

the morning announcements on the intercom.

She learned that to be a Principal “it is mandatory

to have a strong mentality, superior organization

skills, great memory and quick decision making

proficiency.” McDermott feels that Mrs. Erwin

brings “leadership, kindness and determination to

the job.”

Her advice to incoming freshman would be “to

take their work seriously, because that is what

sets their GPA to graduate. Once they kid

around, by the time they’re a senior, it’s going to

be very difficult to bring their GPA back up.”

Ashari’s favorite subject is math, because her

Algebra 2 teacher makes sure they understand the

lesson before moving on. She hopes to attend

college to become an Orthodontist, and says her

mom encourages her to do her very best in

everything. “Sometimes when I feel like I’m not

good at something, she’ll tell me otherwise and

cause me to regain hope.” Ashari is glad she got

the opportunity to become principal for the day.

“My day with Mrs. Erwin was fantastic!”

APRIL, 2019

NEED GUIDANCE?

See your Counselor

TESTING DATES

SAT May 4 - registration deadline April 5

- late registration deadline April 24

Register for SAT at account.collegeboard.org.login

SENIORS - SCHOLARSHIP INFO

Please check the Guidance page on the APHS site for

Scholarship Information. Click on the link for

Scholarships Quick Look to view the upcoming due

dates and application links.

SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT

By invitation, Monday, April 29 in the Auditorium.

COLLEGE ROOM VISIT

Come talk to a rep from South Florida State College

and ask questions about what opportunities are

available to you right here in Highlands County. The

rep will be Friday, April 5 in the College Room 303

during both lunches.

DECISION DAY 2019

On Wednesday, May 1 we will celebrate seniors for

their post-secondary plans, whether they are attend-

ing 4-year college, 2-year college, technical school or

the military. There will be drawings for prizes,

photo booths, and the assembly will be attended by

the Junior and Senior classes. In order to be recog-

nized and eligible for prizes, seniors MUST submit an

acceptance letter to Mrs. Crow in person or on the

Graduation Coach Google Classroom by April 18.

GRAD WALK 2019

We are planning the Grad Walk for Avon and Park

Elementary schools on Wednesday, May 22.

Graduates will meet at Park Elementary at 10:30 a.m.

and Avon Elementary at 1:15 p.m. Seniors who

choose to participate wear their cap and gown to

celebrate their achievements with cheers from the

students at each school.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

SOLOIST’S RECEIVE EXCELLENT

The 2019 Band State Solo and Ensemble Contest

was held at Seminole High School in March.

Congratulations go to: Janelle Dague, receiving an

Excellent for her flag solo and Hannah Loomis,

receiving an Excellent for her Oboe Solo. Great

job, and way to represent APHS!

LIVESTOCK WINNERS AT HCF

Congratulations to APHS students who participated

in the junior livestock show at the Highlands

County Fair this year. Recognitions went to:

Kinsey Bachman, Grand Champion Showmanship,

Swine (pictured left); and Jordan Frazier, Reserve

Grand Champion Steer (pictured right).

WICOR WIZARD WINNER

Congratulations to Mrs. Guerrero (pictured above

with her class) who is the most recent recipient of

the APHS WICOR Wizard trophy. Principal Erwin

noted that Mrs. Guerrero is doing some awesome

things with her students. She received a sash for

her door and will display the trophy until the next

winner is announced.

AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING

Monday thru Thursday 801 Lab, 3:15-4:45 p.m.

APRIL, 2019

KEY CLUB meets 3:15 p.m. Fridays, Room 231.

New members are welcome. Electing new

officers the first week of April. MANDATORY

SERVICE PROJECT - Relay for Life on April 13.

FBLA meets the 2nd and 4th Friday of each

month Room 804 at 8 a.m.

ROBOTICS meets every Monday and Wednes-

day at 3:15 p.m., Rooms 804/807.

NHS: Next meeting 8 a.m. Friday, April 5.

NHS Induction is April 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the

APHS Auditorium, required for all members.

NHS Scholarship application deadline is April 12.

NHS Senior service hours due April 19.

FFA: FFA meets first Thursday every month,

Room 251 at 8 a.m.

INTERACT meets during advisement first

Tuesday of each month.

SGA meets Tuesdays at 8 a.m., Room 10-118.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road…..to the Auditorium!

Join Dorothy, Toto and the Avon Park High School

Theater classes as they proudly present “The Wizard

of Oz” on Thursday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are

only $5, and may be purchased from any theater

student, Mrs. Macbeth, or at the door.

http://www.tinyurl.com/aphs-afjrotc

FBLA GOES TO STATE

The APHS Future Business Leaders of

America recently attended the State

Leadership Conference in Orlando.

Congratulations to Amy Schlosser

(pictured left) on placing first in Job

Interview. She will travel to San Antonio

to compete at the National Leadership

Conference. Amy is a senior and has been in FBLA for

four years, serving as Secretary her Sophomore year,

President her Junior and Senior years, as well as

District 18 President.

FBLA members who attended pictured above were:

(back row left to right) Zach Best, Tony King, Joshua

Donald, Javed Hassan, Cedric Bullard, Amy Schlosser;

(front row left to right) Nathan Ahrens, William

Parker, Kristen Oca, Hannah Loomis and Victor Tellez.

MUSIC NOTES Highlands County Chorus Festival - April 19

Choir Spring Concert - May 7 at FBC, AP at 7 p.m.

Thanks to the AP Community and Bill Jarrett Ford for

a successful drive fundraiser on March 23. There were

over 200 drives, raising thousands of dollars for the

arts at APHS.

APRIL, 2019

APHS Web Page calendar of upcoming events has

schedule information for Red Devil sports.

APHS: WHERE EXCELLENCE

IS A TRADITION

Come out and support your Red Devils when they

play at home during April:

GIRLS SOFTBALL: April 2 vs. Mulberry 7:30

p.m., April 9 vs. Tenoroc TBA, April 23 vs. DeSoto

6:30 p.m. VARSITY BASEBALL: April 4 vs. Ft.

Meade 7 p.m., April 12 vs. Mulberry 7 p.m., April 13

vs. DeSoto 1 p.m., April 18 vs. McKeel 7 p.m., April

22 vs. Lake Placid 7 p.m., April 25 vs. Sebring 7 p.m.

JV BASEBALL: April 1 vs. DeSoto 6 p.m., April

2 vs. Hardee 6 p.m., April 5 vs. Lake Placid 6 p.m.,

April 11 vs. Ft. Meade 6 p.m., April 15 vs. DeSoto 6

p.m., April 16 vs. Ft. Meade 6 p.m. BOYS

TENNIS: April 2 vs. Mulberry 4 p.m. TRACK

AND FIELD: April 2 Home Meet 5:30 p.m.

SWIM AND DIVE

The Swim and Dive Banquet will be held Monday,

April 8 at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of

Avon Park.

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 4- NHS Induction Ceremony

April 6 - Junior/Senior PROM

April 8 to 12 - Cheer Tryouts

April 9 - Seniors Pick up Cap & Gowns Room 302

(Both Lunches - bring ID and any balance you owe)

April 13 - Relay for Life

April 17 - Senior Meeting Auditorium 11-11:30 a.m.

April 19 - NO SCHOOL Holiday

April 26 - Progress Reports go home

April 26 - Seniors GRAD BASH - (meet in cafeteria

at 4pm if you have purchased a ticket)

April 29 - Senior Awards Night

May 1 - Senior Decision Day

May 2 - Commanders Call

May 2 - Senior Pool Party

May 2 - Theater Performance

May 3 - Senior Sick Day

May 4 - SAT

UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS

World’s Finest Chocolate Choir - April 1 to 12

Candy Grams Key Club - April 8 to 18

Lollipops Robotics/GBLA - April 15 to 26

Congratulations to the students who were chosen

as Students of the Month for March. Pictured

below, from left: Summer Robinson, 9th; Dalila

Eugenio, 10th; Alyssa Prieto, 11th; and Emperatriz

Benegas, 12th.

AP WRESTLER

PLACES AT

STATE

Two Red Devil wrestlers

competed at the Class

1A state wrestling tour-

nament in March.

AP senior Javier Arango

competed in the 285-

pound weight class and

finished an outstanding season with a sixth place win.

He suffered a dislocated elbow while wrestling for

third and fourth place, and was unable to wrestle for

fifth place because of the injury. He is pictured above

standing on the podium in 6th place along with the

best wrestlers in the state. AP sophomore Elvis

Rodriguez also competed at state, wrestling in the

113-pound weight class. Congratulations!