Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 11-29-16 Online Edition

Local
Minority Leaders Sought For ‘Wall Of Fame’ Recognition
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Each year, the Florida State Fair Authority asks the com- munity to nominate outstand- ing African American, Asian/Pacific and Hispanic in- dividuals for consideration for the Wall of Fame Recognition. The individuals must have demonstrated well-rounded professional and community involvement that pays tribute to their heritage and diversity.
The nominees can be living individuals or deceased.
Anyone wishing to nomi- nate a Florida resident for the honor must submit the nomi- nation forms by Wednesday, December 7th.
After receiving the nomina- tions, the Florida State Fair Authority’s Diversity Advisory Committee members will se- lect five candidates from each category as finalists. The pub- lic will then be given the op- portunity to choose the person whom they feel is most deserv-
ing of the honor.
The public will cast their
ballots online via the Florida
State Fair Authority’s website.
The voting will begin on
Thursday, December 15th and
conclude on Tuesday, January 17th.
After the winners have been chosen for each category, the will be recognized publicly on the Wall of Fame. The in- duction ceremony will take place on Saturday, February
11th, at 10 a.m. in the Water- front Care on the Fairgrounds. The displays will be visible throughout the 12-day period of the 2017 Florida State Fair. The fair begins on February 9th
through February 20th. Other past honorees in- clude: Mrs. Gwendolyn Miller, James Tokley, the late C. Blythe Andrews, Jr., the late Rev. Abraham Brown, and the late Jetie B.
Wilds, Jr., among others.
The 2016 Florida State Fair Authority Diversity Leaders Wall of Fame honorees are: Dr. Walter L. Smith, Hung T. Mai, Pricilla Clark, Victoriano Manteiga, represented by Erin Manteiga, and Douglas Lee Jamerson, represented by Cedric Jamerson.
County Commissioner Stacy White Elected Chairman
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commission- ers last Tuesday (November 22nd) elected Commissioner Stacy R. White as Chairman, and Commissioner Sandra L. Murman as Vice Chairman during its annual organiza- tional meeting. Commis- sioner Les Miller, Jr. will serve as Chaplain.
The organizational meet- ing followed a ceremony earlier in the morning in which two returning members and one newly-elected commissioner took oaths of office.
Re-elected commissioners Murman, District 1, and Miller, District 3, returned to their seats. New to the Board is Pat Kemp, who won election to serve Countywide District 6.
White was elected to the Board in 2014. From 2010 to 2014, he served on the Hills- borough County School Board. White is a 5th generation native of Hillsborough County, who
COMMISSIONER STACY WHITE ...Elected Chairman
lives in Valrico with his wife of 19 years and their 3 children.
After graduating from East Bay High School, he earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida and has practiced pharmacy for 19 years.
The Commissioners also serve on various boards, com- mittees and councils, on which they hold seats.
Sligh Middle School Library Receives $3,000 Grant
For the second consecutive year, Sligh Middle Magnet School has been chosen as the recipient of a grant. The grant was donated by best-selling au- thor James Patterson.
The grant, totaling $3,000, was given in support of the school’s library. In addition to the grant, the Scholastic Read- ing Club will match each dollar of the donation with “bonus points” that teachers can use to acquire books and other mate- rials for their classrooms.
The donation will be used to acquire high-interest, diary- style and illustrated fiction, in- cluding manga, graphic novels, and comic books to replenish their collection. The collection serves all students, especially those who are reluctant read- ers and those who are English- language learners.
The school was chosen from among thousands of ap- plicants. Through educator pricing and community part- nerships, the school plans to stretch the dollars to purchase nearly $4,000 worth of books.
Last year, Sligh received $2,500 in grant money from the Patterson Partnership, which went specifically for the school’s advanced readers to
JAMES PATTERSON ... Best Selling Author
ensure they had more chal- lenging and high-interest books.
James Patterson and the Scholastic Reading Club an- nounced in March that Pat- terson would donate $1.75 million to school libraries na- tionwide, in the second install- ment of his School Library Campaign.
As part of an ongoing effort to keep books and reading a number one priority in the United States, selected school libraries receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Since the grant program launched in 2015, Patterson has donated $3.5 million to school libraries nationwide.
PAGE 4 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016