SARASOTA - It's said that if you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door. Brentwood Elementary School put a twist on that axiom by building a better mousetrap-powered vehicle that helped them beat a world of competitors. 
 

Brentwood placed first in the world in its "problem" and division at the 2011 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, held at the University of Maryland in College Park, May 27-30. Brentwood students and staff celebrated their victory June 3 with a special ceremony at the school. Read more... 

SARASOTA - The Sarasota County School District has named a media center aide as its 2011 School-Related Employee of the Year. Trish Jones, who works at Lamarque Elementary School in North Port, was chosen to receive this year's honor at the 22^nd annual School-Related Employee awards luncheon May 5 at Michael's on East.  

School-related employees provide support services to teachers and other instructional staff. They include office staff, custodians, classroom aides, maintenance staff and food service workers. Jones was selected as the district School-Related Employee of the Year from among 49 Employees of the Year elected by individual schools and departments. All 49 were recognized at the event.

"Ms. Jones has transformed our media center into a warm, inviting and student-focused learning environment, said Lamarque Elementary School Principal Sally Mancheno. "Her creativity and artistic expression stirs our students' imaginations and brings literacy to life." Read more... 

NORTH PORT - Toledo Blade Elementary students in the school's SOAR program for gifted and other academically talented students followed the Yellow Brick Road to a successful production of "The Wizard of Oz" at the North Port Performing Arts Center on the North Port High School campus May 19. All 108 SOAR students in grades K through five took part in the play, creating props, designing scenery, singing songs, acting, operating audio-visual technology and selling tickets.

The main characters were played by Kristi Wheat's fifth-grade SOAR class. It was the first time the entire SOAR team collaborated on a major production.

"As a parent of a Toledo Blade student I was very excited to see a performance put on by our children," said Jessica Torres, the school's registrar. "As a staff member I know all the hard work, practice and anticipation that went into this production. I was impressed by the amazing job the staff and students did and the response from the North Port community. I feel very proud to be part of Toledo Blade!"

For more photos of the production and other activities at Toledo Blade Elementary click here to visit the school's website.

ST. PETERSBURG - Some 1,300 school district employees, students and family members watched Sarasota County School District 2011-12 Teacher of the Year Melissa "Missy" Owens throw the ceremonial first pitch before a crowd of 28,451 fans May 14 as the Rays took on the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. The event was promoted as Sarasota County Schools Day at the Rays.

On the big screen before the game, the Rays showed a video of Owens practicing her pitching with her third-grade students at Bay Haven School of Basics Plus. Fans attending the game from the district, who purchased discounted tickets for $12 and $21, depending on the seats, helped raise more than $6,000 for individual schools and the School District Administrators (SDA) organization, which supports the School-Related Employee of the Year program and student scholarships.

As a bonus, fans who attended the game could stay for a free concert by country-music artist Darius Rucker, former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish.

Sarasota County Schools Day at the Rays also was successful last year and is expected to be offered to district employees and families again next year.

SARASOTA COUNTY - As seniors graduated from Sarasota County public high schools in June, a number of them celebrated an additional achievement: getting a college scholarship. Andy Ng, who graduated from Booker High School June 4, was one of them. 
 

Ng has been named a Gates Millennium Scholar. He was one of 1,000 recipients of the scholarship, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. There were more than 23,000 applicants this year, the largest and most competitive group of students ever vying for the award. Students are selected based on academic achievement, community service and leadership potential.

Being a Gates Millennium Scholar means receiving a "full ride" scholarship to the student's college of choice, covering all tuition, housing, books and travel expenses. Ng will attend New York University. He plans to double-major in English literature and history. 

To read more about Ng and scholarships received by other Sarasota County students from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the School District Administrators organization click here.  

To view the Sarasota Herald-Tribune's photo gallery of 2011 graduation ceremonies in the area click here.