Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 10-31-17

Local
Tampa Educator Is ‘Juvenile Justice Teacher Of The Year’
Kiddies
Community Selects Winner Of Pier Design
ESTUARY
... winning pier design for Selmon Extension Project
Carnival And
Caribbean
CALEB BATES ...Juvenile Justice Teacher of the Year
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
A Tampa educator was named “Juvenile Justice Teacher of the Year” earlier this month by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, in conjunction with the National Partnership for Juvenile Services and the Bob Barker Company.
Caleb Bates was pre- sented the 2015-2016 Award during a ceremony at the 23rd National Sympo- sium on Juvenile Services held in Orlando.
A 13-1/2-year instructor, Bates has been with the Hillsborough County Public School System since 2004. His career has taken the Lakeland, FL native from Middleton High School to Jennings Middle School, and Plant City High School.
For the past 3 years, Bates, 39, has been a Math and Science teacher at Les Peters Academy, a juvenile residential commitment program serving males, 14 to 18 years old. Males com- mitted to this program must stay for at least 6 months. They come from all over the State of Florida.
Having taught in the tra- ditional school setting and the juvenile justice setting, Bates says these students are no different than others. However, working with ju- veniles offers him more of a challenge.
“I chose to teach here (in juvenile justice program). I always wanted to be where I could help the most. I need to be where there are pr0blems so that I can be a
CALEB BATES ...With trophy and medal he received
part of the solutions, when kids are at their lowest,” he said.
“There is a misconcep- tion that these students are different. I try to make their situation as normal as pos- sible.
“Once they’ve been as- signed here, there’s only one thing missing – educa- tion. They want it, but need some guidance,” he says. That’s where he steps in – inspiring others to discover their purpose.
One day, he may be more of a mentor than a teacher, he explained, but he prides himself in being a positive role model. One of his students, Xavier, at- tests to that: “He’s like a mentor to some and the ones without a father, he’s a father figure.”
Bates has assisted many students in getting their GED and others from the program have enrolled in college at Hillsborough Community College, Talla- hassee Community College and Polk State College.
Bates was one of more than 700 nominees from across the state for the “Ju- venile Justice Teacher of the Year.” He became one of three finalists from around the state. Each finalist re- ceived a medal, trophy and monetary award from the Florida Association of Alter- native School Education.
He is married to Kiara Bates and they are the par- ents of 5 children. He at- tends First Love Church in Riverview and is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Frater- nity, Inc.
The Trinidad and To- bago Association of Tampa Bay, formerly named Pas- sion Entertainment, Inc., will celebrate its 2nd Annual Kiddies Carnival and Caribbean Food Festival on Saturday, November 18, 2017, 3-9 p. m. The event will be held at 5508 N. 50th St., Tampa (33610).
This is a family event. There will be music, arts and craft, face painting, fashion show, singers, dancers, parade of bands and steel pans, and lots more fun. The event will be hosted by Zuberi and An- gela.
For more information about this 501c-3 organiza- tion, to learn more about the event, or to become a sponsor, go to www.t- tcb.org, or call (813) 735- 7003.
The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) has selected the Es- tuary as the winning design for the Selmon Extension Project. Members of the pub- lic who voted selected the ES- TUARY as the overwhelming choice.
Nearly 2,000 people cast votes for the design, which represents nature envisioned in the form of a river delta or canopy of cypress trees.
Joe Waggoner, THEA CEO said, “We received nearly two thousand votes from members of the commu- nity. While both pier designs were outstanding options, the
ESTUARY design will not only enhance the Selmon Ex- tension project, but it will serve as a new landmark for the Tampa Bay Region.”
Construction of the Sel- mon Extension has already begun with an anticipated op- erational date in late 2020. The Selmon Extension is a 1.9 mile toll lane in the median above Gandy Boulevard that will offer a choice for regional travelers. Travelers can use Gandy Boulevard for local destinations or for direct con- nection to the Lee Roy Sel- mon Expressway, Dale Mabry Highway, or the Gandy Bridge.
Food Festival
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