The Blue & White is published weekly for St. Petersburg College employees and interested visitors. It is designed for you to be able to scan the headlines quickly. If you are interested in an article listed below, click on the link and you will be directed to that article. You also can view the paper version locations or the printable pdf. Calendar items with a specific deadline are marked with an *.
Jason Green bumps into his hero, Captain Recycle
He wasn’t wearing his mask and cape, but college Sustainability Coordinator Jason Green recognized Captain Recycle the minute he walked into the room. To most people, Alan Shapiro is just a mild-mannered Instructional Technologist at the Seminole Campus. But it wasn’t too many years ago that Shapiro was Captain Recycle, Boca Ciega High School’s masked marvel of all things green and recyclable. Jason Green remembered, because he was one of Captain Recycle’s students. And Green says that 18 years after his Boca Ciega days, he owes his ecologically friendly career to his old high school teacher. “He had such an impact, he was such a passionate teacher,” Green recalled. “He couldn’t help but have an impact on how I looked at the world. From that class, I became a lifelong environmentalist. I made sure my family recycled at home. When possible, I rode my bike rather than drive and tried to raise the consciousness of my friends and family about not wasting energy and water.” Now, both men are employed by St. Petersburg College, and both ended up in the same meeting at the Seminole Campus recently to discuss some college-related ecological subjects. Green recognized his old teacher right away; it took a few additional minutes for Shapiro to recognize Green. But Shapiro’s memory is pretty sharp when it comes to Captain Recycle. “I was a science teacher at the time, and the state of Florida had just passed a law requiring communities to recycle a certain percentage of their waste,” Shapiro said. “I wanted to get a recycling center started at the school, so I started a club we called Eco-Action.” Boca Ciega High School is in Gulfport, but Shapiro sought help from Tom Lehmann, the recycling coordinator for the city of St. Petersburg. He and his students drew up flyers, urging people to bring their recyclables to school. To generate excitement among his students, Shapiro dreamed up the Captain Recycle character. “I got a t-shirt airbrushed with the letters CR on the front, and I got a cape and a mask and I walked around the school as Captain Recycle,” Shapiro said. “The whole thing became pretty popular.” The club gathered and recycled aluminum cans, paper, cardboard and Styrofoam. The effort was so successful that the recycling center at Boca Ciega became one of the most productive centers in the St. Petersburg system. All of that made a big impression on many Boca Ciega students, but it made a huge impression on Green, who went on to a career as an architect and sustainability expert. He now leads all of the environmental efforts at SPC. “(Shapiro) didn’t care about appearances, he was so passionate and he ran around school in that cape and mask making sure students and teachers did the right thing by recycling.” Green said. It took Shapiro a little while to recall Jason Green, but once he did it created a rush of memories from his early-1990s Captain Recycle days. “It blew me away, it was wonderful,” he said. “Jason said, ‘You kind of inspired me.’ It made me feel good as a teacher, and as someone who still tries to do things for the environment. “Teaching can be good.” All of SPC’s recent green efforts, led by Jason Green, have Shapiro thinking about bringing Captain Recycle out of retirement. “My old cape is gone,” he said. “But I bet I could get another one.”
Soldier presents military items at Allstate Center
As a soldier serving in Iraq, Alex Somerson didn’t have a whole lot of spare time, but he used what time he had to enroll in online courses offered by SPC’s Center for Public Safety Innovation. The Center is made up of three programs which are all based at the Allstate Center – the Regional Community Policing Institute, Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training, and the National Terrorism Preparedness Institute. Somerson hoped to use some of his active duty time to acquire training that would help him both in Iraq and in his civilian career in law enforcement. He found the answer in SPC online courses. “He was searching the Internet, looking for policing courses, and he found us there,” said Eileen LaHaie, Executive Director of the Center for Public Safety Innovation. “He liked the courses so much that we told him about our counterdrug courses, so he took them, too.” In all, LaHaie said, Somerson took about 18 online courses from SPC while he was in Iraq, courses paid for via federal grants provided to SPC’s programs. In 2006, the Center asked Somerson to write an article about his online training for Building Bridges, the center’s newsletter. His article contained the following: “There is no price tag I can put for the amount of FREE training that SPC has given me, I know it has saved my life (and others) a number of times on the streets and on the battlefield.” Somerson visited the Allstate Center on March 19, and he presented the staff with a framed arrangement of items from his Army regiment. Somerson and his family now are relocating to Tampa Bay, where he plans to pursue his degree at St. Petersburg College. Russian ensemble to play at Tarpon Springs, PalladiumThe Divertissement Ensemble, a prize-winning orchestral group from Orenburg, Russia, will appear at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center May 1 at 7 p.m., and May 2 at the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Founded by the Orenburg State Philharmonic Society in 1994, the ensemble is one of the most popular classical music groups in the Volga and Urals regions of Russia. The ensemble has given rich repertory performances in the most prestigious concert halls of Russia, including the M. Glinka Philharmonic Chamber Hall in St. Petersburg, the Moscow State Conservatory, the Moscow State Philharmonic Society and in the grand estates around St. Petersburg – Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk. Members are participants and winners of different international competitions. Divertissement Ensemble plays a variety of music, from ancient to modern and ultra-modern. Faculty/A&P staff expected at graduationSpring graduation is Saturday, May 9 beginning at 10 a.m. at Tropicana Field. All full-time faculty and Administrative and Professional staff are expected to participate. Commencement is an opportunity to exhibit to students and their families our respect for the work they have done and the sacrifices they have made to earn their degrees. According to college policy, May graduation day is considered an official duty day with pay for faculty, and participation in the ceremony satisfies the duty requirements for that day.(For more information, contact your program director or campus provost.) If you have a circumstance that might require your absence, a written or e-mailed request with the purpose specifically stated should be submitted to President Kuttler (via Kim Corry and cc to your supervisor) no later than April 24. You will be notified of the status of your request by April 29. Faculty excused from participating will be expected to complete the appropriate leave form or arrange for an alternate duty day as directed by their supervisor. “As valued members of the college family and as mentors to our students, please mark your calendar for this important event,” Kuttler said. “And keep in mind the appreciation felt by many students and parents for your presence there.” Those who need to order a cap and gown should do so immediately at any on-campus Follett’s Bookstore or by calling Amy Pelletier at 347-0310 (SP/G bookstore). Adjuncts and percent-of-load faculty Adjunct instructors and percent of load faculty are invited, but not required, to participate in the May 9 graduation ceremony. Participation includes marching in the faculty processional, along with full-time faculty and A&P staff, in full academic regalia. Program directors can provide further instructions as necessary for participation. Those adjuncts and percent-of load faculty who wish to take part are asked to inform their program directors immediately, and make any necessary arrangements for regalia. For questions about graduation participation, please call Kim Corry at Ext. 3260 in the President’s Office between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Educators in Industry summer session
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Tickets are $10. Tickets and information are available by calling the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center at 727-942-5605 or The Palladium at 727-822-3590.Discounts Palladium: Faculty, staff and students receive a 10 percent discount to all shows produced by the Palladium or its partners at the Palladium. |
Continuing through April 11
Lysistrata, by Aristophanes, adapted by Todd Olson and T. Scott Wooten, 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. American Stage Theatre, St. Petersburg. $31-$39.
Continuing through April 12
It's a Dog's Life: Photographs by William Wegman and Sanctuary: Anna Tomczak Photography, Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Tarpon Springs. Admission: $5 adults, $4 seniors, free for children, members and students. Sunday admission free for all.
April 3-5
Moving Current Dance Collective, Tampa Bay's premier modern dance company makes its Palladium debut with popular favorites from its repertoire. 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 3; 2 p.m., Sunday, April 5, Palladium. $16.50 adults, $11.50 students.
Friday, April 3
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concert: Bruckner Symphony No. 5, Stefan Sanderling, Conductor, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. $19-$65.
NEW - Saturday, April 4
Dance video: Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, 1:30 p.m. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium. Free.
Sunday, April 5
Andrea Beaton and Troy MacGillivray, a highly energetic Cape Breton fiddler and a master of piano and fiddle, they mix traditional tunes with modern and original compositions. 7 p.m., Stavros Great Room, Palladium. $20 advance, $25 day of show.
April 6-24
10th Annual Juried SPC Student Exhibition, Crossroads Art Gallery, Clearwater Campus. Reception, 6-8 p.m. April 8. Free.
NEW - April 8-19
“Awake and Sing,” Clifford Odets play perfomed in three acts by the Avenue Players Theatre, Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium. 7 p.m. April 8-10 and April 16-18; 2 p.m. April 11-12 and April 18-19. $10 members, $12 non-members.
Thursday, April 9
Side Door Special: Boogie Woogie/Blues Piano Stomp, with International Boogie Woogie piano star Bob Seeley, pianist Liz Pennock and bassist Dr. Blues. All three are inductees in the Boogie Woogie Piano Hall of Fame. 7:30 p.m., Stavros Great Room, Palladium. $12 advance, $15 at the door.
Friday, April 10
St. Petersburg College Piano Concert Series: Howard Na, young artist recital, 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. Free.
Monday, April 13
Encore 2009 Chamber Series: C’est Magnifique! A Tale of Two Cities, includes works by Vaughn-Williams, Saint-Saëns and Encore artistic director Mark Sforzini. Soprano Sara Peeples is the featured vocalist., 7:30 p.m., Palladium. $10, $15, $20.
Wednesday, April 15
David Fanning – Behind the Lines, WEDU and the Palladium present Fanning, Executive Producer of the PBS documentary series Frontline, in a rare public appearance. Fanning and a panel of area journalists will discuss global affairs and the state of journalism today. 8 p.m., Palladium. $30 VIP (includes pre-show reception), $15.
Thursday, April 16
Student Recital, 12:30 p.m., St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
Thursday, April 16
Side Door Jazz: Denise Moore and Then Some, with jazz standards and songs from her latest release along with an all-star band. 7:30 p.m., Stavros Great Room, Palladium. $20.
Friday, April 17
St. Petersburg College Concert Chorus: Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” with the 130-voice choir, along with soloists Todd Donovan, Marilyn Michael and Brad Meredith. Mendelssohn’s legendary oratorio commemorates the 200th anniversary of his birth. 7:30 p.m., Palladium. Free Admission.
April 17-May 10
American Stage in the Park: Altar Boyz, 8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, Demens Landing, St. Petersburg. $11-$14.
NEW - Saturday, April 18
Course: How to Look at Art, with Arthur R. Blumenthal, Director Emeritus of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art. Registration required by April 10. $75 members, $85 non-members, includes lunch and coffee breaks.
April 18-19
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concert: Schumann: Symphony No. 2, Stefan Sanderling, Conductor; Katherine Young, oboe. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18, Mahaffey Theater; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, Ruth Eckerd Hall. $19-$65.
Thursday, April 23
Student Recital, 12:30 p.m., St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
NEW - Thursday, April 23
Opening reception: The 28th Annual congressional High School Art Competition and Exhibition. 7 p.m. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium. Free.
Thursday, April 23
St. Petersburg College Percussion Ensemble Concert, 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
April 23-25
CoMotion Dance Theatre Concert, 8 p.m. Clearwater Campus Auditorium. Free.
Friday, April 24
St. Petersburg College Band Concert, 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
NEW - April 24-May 9
The 28th Annual congressional High School Art Competition and Exhibition, . Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium. Free.
Saturday, April 25
St. Petersburg College Spring Chorus Concert, 3 and 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
Saturday, April 25
Dick and Derek at the Movies, with legendary pianists, Dick Hyman and Derek Smith. 8 p.m., Palladium. $50 VIP (includes reception with the artists) $25, $20.
Monday, April 27
St. Petersburg College Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
Thursday, April 28
Encore 2009 Chamber Series: C’est Magnifique! Zamparas, Sforzini and Landmeyer, the final Encore concert of the season, featuring an all-star trio that includes former Florida Orchestra principals Mark Sforzini (bassoon) and Catherine Landmeyer (flute), along with Grigorios Zamparas (piano), in a program of works by Debussy, Sforzini, Poulenc, Saint-Saens and Beethoven. 7:30 p.m., Palladium. $10, $15, $20
Thursday, April 30
Student Recital, 12:30 p.m., St. Petersburg College Music Center. Free.
Thursday, April 30
Side Door Jazz: Nate Najar Trio with Chuck Redd, featuring Palladium favorite Najar, along with John Lamb on bass, and Washington D.C. jazz favorite Redd on vibes. 7:30 p.m., Stavros Great Room, Palladium. $20.
Friday, May 1
St. Petersburg College Piano Concert Series: Dolores Gadevsky, solo recital, 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg College Music Center, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. Free.
May 1-3
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concert: Brahms: Symphony No. 3, Stefan Sanderling, Conductor; Karen Gomyo, violin. 8 p.m. Friday, May 1, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 2, Mahaffey Theater; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, Ruth Eckerd Hall. $19-$65.
May 15-17
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Concert: Mahler Symphony No. 2, Resurrection, Stefan Sanderling, Conductor. Featuring the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Richard Zielinski, artistic and music director. 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 16, Mahaffey Theater; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17, Ruth Eckerd Hall. $19-$65.
Check out the upcoming events at the Florida Orchestra in their online calendar:
April | May
This article and other health information are available on our Wellness blog.
Wellness and sleep
How does sleep affect your overall wellness? Wellness is viewed as balanced nutrition, managing stress, managing a healthy weight, being physically active and not smoking. Sleep, more specifically the lack of sleep, can greatly hinder your overall health and wellness.
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health state that it is not truly known why we sleep, but based on animal studies, it is known that the lack of sleep can lead to serious health concerns. Sleep encourages both your body and mind to rest and to rejuvenate. According to Web MD, a good way to deal with stress, improve your recovery from an illness and solve a problem is through a good night's sleep.
What is considered a good night's sleep?
On average, most adults need eight hours of good-quality sleep, meaning you have gone through all the stages of sleep which consists of dream-sleep and non dream-sleep. You should wake up feeling rested.
What hinders good-quality sleep?
- Caffeine
- Worry
- Alcohol
- Sleep apnea
- Some medications
- Pain and discomfort
- Shift work
How does the lack of sleep affect your overall health and wellness?
- Balanced nutrition and weight gain
Lack of sleep affects two important hormones: Ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, and Leptin, which tells the brain that you are full after a meal. Lack of sleep lowers Leptin while increasing Ghrelin, which may lead to weight gain.
- Stress
Sleep deprivation studies reveal that stress has a cumulative effect and may lead to fatigue, moodiness, poor memory and may cause depression.
- Smoking cigarettes
Trying to quit or cut down on smoking may be jeopardized by fatigue and the desire to gain the stimulant affect of smoking.
- Exercise
Lack of sleep may halt your daily exercise regime due to fatigue and a lack of mental energy. While exercise, specifically such aerobic exercise as walking, can lead to better quality of sleep, it is not advised to exercise right before bedtime.
- Accidents
Sleep deprivation that leads to daytime sleepiness puts you at greater risk for accidents at home, at work and on the road.
How to get a good night's sleep
- Identify and explore ways to reduce or minimize things that hinder sleep as listed above.
- Learn a stress coping technique like focusing on something calming, like the sound of waves on a shore.
- Create a relaxing bedroom environment, turn off the TV, computer, and get rid of clutter.
- Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
- Try not to eat a big spicy meal before bedtime.
- If you suffer from lack of sleep, see your health care provider.
To explore additional wellness updates, visit the SPC Wellness blog.
Locker Room: SPC baseball team third in conference
The baseball team ended its six-game losing streak in a big way Friday night, whipping Pasco-Hernando Community College 19-11.The hot streak didn’t last long. Saturday afternoon the Titans lost to PHCC 7-6.
They won Monday night 2-1 against PHCC then lost in a makeup game with Hillsborough CC 10-9 Tuesday night.
SPC is four games out of first place in the Suncoast Conference with a 7-8 record and tied for third place with Hillsborough CC, one game behind PHCC.
The next home game is Monday at 6 p.m. at Carpenter Complex.
The softball team is 8-4 in the Suncoast Conference and in third place behind Manatee (10-2) and Polk (9-3). The team has won five of its last six games, including a doubleheader Saturday when it had to go nine innings in both games. The team has key home doubleheaders this week with Polk and Manatee.
The tennis team is 6-9 and is at home Saturday against Florida CC at Jacksonville.
For results please visit www.spcollege.edu/athletics.
We're eco-friendly, but what about our pets?
The issue
We’re eco-friendly, but what about our pets?
The larger issue
- We try so hard to make eco-minded decisions for ourselves that we forget about man’s (and woman’s) best friend.
- Typical dogs produce 274 pounds of waste each year, and each pet litter bag takes up to 100 years to biodegrade.
- We wouldn’t eat low quality foods, so why should our pets?
Be part of the solution
Next time you go to your favorite pet store, look for eco-friendly items:
- Biodegradable doggie waste bags or litter box liners. Ask for Bio Bags made of 100% biodegradable and compostable corn!
- Natural and organic food. Try one of these safe, high quality brands available at many stores including online.
- Organic pet treats. Even Newman’s Own is getting into the Eco-pet craze.
- Do you have a stinky dog? Why not try a natural or organic shampoo.
- Look for eco-friendly pet toys made of earth-safe dyes and recycled materials.
- Holistic Veterinarian. Treat your best friend to acupuncture or holistic Chinese herbs.
To participate in the sustainable SPC initiative, e-mail green.jason@spcollege.edu or call 727-341-3283.
HR Notes
Now that it's income tax season, you may want to make some adjustments to your withholding please visit the Human Resources home page for the form W-4. Print the W-4, complete it to make your updates, keep a copy and mail the original to Human Resources, Epi-Services Building. You may make W-4 changes at anytime during the year.
On SPC-TV
Here is the broadcast schedule for the original cultural programs recorded by SPC for broadcast on the college station. SPC-TV can be seen on Bright House 620, Knology 19 and Verizon 27 in Pinellas County.
Monday 9 p.m., Wednesday noon and Saturday 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site.
» The Music Center Presents: St. Petersburg College Band
Sunday noon and 9 p.m.; Friday 8 p.m.
» A Night at the Palladium: Harambee; African Culture Showcase
Monday 9 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.
» A Night at the Palladium: An Evening with Rosa Rio
Sunday 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Tuesday 9 p.m.
For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.
» A Night at the Palladium: Nathan Laube
Monday 8 p.m.; Friday 9 p.m.
For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.
» A Night at the Palladium: Valentine and Stardust
Wednesday, 9 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 9 p.m.
For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.