Aydin Bonenberger Wins First Place in Science Fair … and more news

compiled by Lauren Salinero


Dr. Phillips Elementary

Dr. Phillips Elementary teachers and Sarah Coliton and Judy Logan’s fifth-grade classes co-present a fundraising check to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Classes at Dr. Phillips Elementary raised $3,868.88 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Pasta for Pennies. The two classes that raised the most were Sarah Coliton and Judy Logan’s fifth-graders. As a reward, those students enjoyed a pasta lunch hosted by Olive Garden Italian Restaurant on International Drive.


Lake Whitney Elementary

The cast of Lake Whitney Elementary’s The Little Mermaid Jr. takes the stage.

Lake Whitney Elementary fourth- and fifth-graders performed The Little Mermaid Jr. for the school’s annual play, which was organized by music teacher Denise Mills. The cast performed three times, once for the staff and twice for the community. Members of the school choir also participated in some of the numbers. The production was the school’s biggest and most elaborate yet.


Windermere Elementary

Windermere Elementary students, teachers and affiliates have been working for more than a year to create a learning garden. With the help of WES families, the Parent Teacher Association, community members and Partners in Education, the garden has come to fruition. The school will host a dedication day April 19. The goal of the event is not only to celebrate Earth Day, but also to thank all of those who helped make the garden a reality and invite other local businesses such as markets, restaurants and farmers to get involved and help grow the school’s edible education.


Southwest Middle

Genevieve Latham (back, fourth from left) of the Orange County Fire Rescue Department teaches hands-free CPR and other life-saving techniques to 30 Southwest Middle Student Council members.

Brianna Kulich, a Turtle Creek resident and Southwest Middle’s student body president, organized a hands-free CPR class for her fellow student council members. Genevieve Latham from the Orange County Fire Rescue Department taught the 30 participants hands-free CPR, how to use an automated external defibrillator, and how to help someone who is choking. All of the students had a chance to practice multiple times to understand the proper methods to use and have their questions answered.


Et Al

Southwest resident and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs (center) welcomes high schoolers to her sixth annual Youth Leadership Conference.

Nearly 250 Orange County Public Schools students from 24 local high schools attended Southwest resident and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs’ sixth annual Youth Leadership Conference at Valencia College’s west campus. In an effort to connect students with their local government, Mayor Jacobs created the program for student leaders when she took office in 2011. During the event, participants attended a series of workshops, including a Government 101 tutorial, as well as a mock code enforcement, and land use and zoning hearings. The goal of YLC is to teach the next generation of leaders about county government, how to best participate in community initiatives, and how to strengthen their leadership skills. Among the participating schools were Dr. Phillips, Ocoee, Olympia and West Orange high schools.


Christ The King Lutheran PreSchool classes listen to pediatric dentist Mike DiMauro, D.D.S., talk about dental health.

Children at Christ The King Lutheran PreSchool received a special visitor during Dental Health Month. Pediatric dentist Mike DiMauro, D.D.S., talked to the youngsters about the importance of dental health.


(L. to r.) Andleeb Khan of Phillips Landing, Hannah Dewan of Dr. Phillips, Muslim Academy of Greater Orlando Principal Jameer Abass, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Campaign Manager Carin Nagy, LLS Director David Wiggins, Administrator Zaheeda Abass, Parent Teacher Association President Sameera Afridi, and PTA Treasurer Iman Garib raise funds for LLS.

Students of the Muslim Academy of Greater Orlando, most of whom reside in Dr. Phillips and Windermere, participated in the Pennies for Patients Student Series to raise money to help children affected by leukemia. They hosted bake sales, an art sale, ice cream sale and duct-taped a teacher to the wall during the course of the series. The school, which only has a little more than 200 students, was able to raise $9,218 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.


Mary Czachorowski of Lake Whitney Elementary visits Windermere Union Church Preschool, her alma mater, as a mystery reader for a voluntary pre-K class.


Aydin Bonenberger (left) of Bay Hill wins first place in Orlando Science Elementary’s science fair.

Bay Hill resident and Orlando Science Elementary fifth-grader Aydin Bonenberger won his school’s science fair for the third year in a row. He also won Orange County Public School’s STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — Expo for the past two years. Aydin’s interest in science stems from his love of the game of golf. His third-grade project taught him about marketing as he explored “Do More Expensive Golf Balls Go Further Than Cheap Ones?” In the fourth grade, he experimented with aerodynamics with his project, “Does Dimple Design Help Golf Ball Flight Pattern?” This year, Aydin studied acceleration and distance with his topic, “Does Longer Golf Club Shaft Length Improve Golf Ball Distance?” The inspiring young man hopes to motivate other children to pursue science in the things they love.

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