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GAINESVILLE, Fla. Three veteran teachers with combined experience in education of nearly 60 years have been selected as finalists in the Alachua County Teacher of the Year program. One of them will go on to represent Alachua County Public Schools in the Florida Teacher of the Year program.

Lilliemarie Gore, the elementary school finalist, has been the behavior resource teacher at Sidney Lanier School for nearly two years. Before joining the Lanier faculty, she taught at the Duval Fine Arts Academy and at Williams, Idylwild and Wiles elementary schools. During her career she’s also been a safety patrol sponsor, school advisory council member and a coordinator for the 21^st Century after-school program. She was actually selected as the districtwide Teacher of the Year in 2018.

Gore says she enjoys being able to devote individual attention to students who are struggling and then seeing positive changes in them.

“I want to encourage them, inspire them, and set a good example for them,” she said. “I want them to know that they are amazing, that they can do anything and that they should never give up.”

Middle school finalist Richard Thomas is the dean at Kanapaha Middle School. Before taking on that role, he worked as a 6^th grade math and science teacher at the school and as a teacher at Alachua Elementary. He’s also supported his students and schools as a team leader, robotics coordinator, site tech, safety patrol sponsor and a summer Extended Day Enrichment Program instructor.

Thomas is committed to helping students make progress and letting them know that there are people who support them and believe in them even when they make mistakes.

“I want them know that it’s OK to make mistakes. We all do,” he said. “But we learn from them, we grow from them and they help us to be the best we can be.”

Karen Kearney, this year’s high school finalist, teaches at Buchholz High School, the school from which she graduated. In her 21 years at the school she’s taught anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry and physical science. She’s also participated in a wide variety of additional activities, including as a PTSA member, wellness coordinator, teacher mentor, department chair, assistant wrestling coach and sponsor for several school clubs.

Kearney says she wants her students to become engaged learners for the rest of their lives.

“It sounds like a cliché, but that light bulb moment is wonderful,” she said. “I tell them all the time that hearing ‘Ah, I get this!’ is everything to me. That’s why I teach, it’s music to my ears.”

The three finalists and 36 other nominees from Alachua County Public Schools will be honored at the upcoming Robert W. Hughes Teacher of the Year ceremony, which is named after the former Superintendent of Schools who established the program. The event is organized by The Education Foundation for Alachua County Public Schools, and the presenting sponsors include Cox, Florida Credit Union and SWI Photographers.

Each honoree will receive a $500 cash award and other gifts donated by businesses and individuals in the community.

About 500 people typically attend the event. The name of the overall Teacher of the Year and the district’s representative in the state recognition program will be announced near the end.

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ALACHUA ‒ For 19 years the Bits and Spurs Horse Club of Alachua County has held an annual fundraiser horse ride to continue the community remembrance of Dallas Osborne while helping a passionate 4-H member achieve their goals with a $500 scholarship. The fundraiser was sidelined during the COVID pandemic, but last year thanks to Addison Grosz, the event was back in action. Grosz, a current senior at Eastside High School, president of the club and the 4-H “Horseman of the Year” for the State of Florida, was instrumental in restarting the annual trail ride fundraiser. So successful was the last ride that it raised enough money for three scholarships. This year Grosz hopes to repeat that success.

4H is a nationwide organization that provides hands-on learning, to kids 8-18 to build confidence, creativity and curiosity as well as life skills such as leadership and resiliency to help them thrive today and tomorrow. Although mainly geared toward agriculture, the organization also has programs in science, healthy living and civic engagement—and provides these programs to over six million kids nationwide through a network of 100 public university sponsors and a community of 4H volunteers and professionals.

In 4H programs, kids and teens complete hands-on projects where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles. 4H exist in every county in the country through in-school and after-school programs, school and community clubs and 4H camps.

A popular 4H program locally is the Bits and Spurs program that teaches horsemanship. One of the members of this program was high school student Dallas Osborne who was known for his dedication in teaching younger students and his leadership in the program.

Over 20 years ago, Osborne was tragically killed in a car accident, but his memory lives on through a scholarship program awarded to a graduating 4H high school student who is a member of the horse club and who exemplifies the traits Dallas shared. Each student applying for the scholarship is required to write an essay, with the winning student can use the scholarship for whatever post high school education they choose.

In a matter of weeks, this year the ride will happen on Feb. 4, 2023, and is open to any rider who wants to participate and help raise funds for the scholarships. Check in is slated for 9:30 a.m. at the North San Felasco Trail Head located at 13201 Progress Blvd., Alachua, FL 32615.

The first ride will start at 10 a.m. with additional rides later depending on the number of participants. Early Bird Registration for 4-H Youth Riders is $20 if signing up before Jan. 15. Regular / Day-Of registration fee is $30. Both fees cover admission, a t-shirt, raffle ticket and lunch at 12:30 p.m.

More information is available on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bitsandspurs4H/ or by calling 352-574-3215.Advanced tickets can be purchased at Evenbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-dallas-osborne-trail-ride-tickets-405324936797.

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ALACHUA ‒ The Alachua City Commission meeting of Jan. 8, 2023 was all about the City Commission showing appreciation for those who help and serve others.

Each year, on Jan. 9, the men and women who serve as Law Enforcement Officers are honored by declaring the day as National Law Enforcement Day in recognition of those that put their lives on the line to protect and serve the community as a whole. These men and women put the citizens of Alachua as their priority to prevent crime and violence, help those in need, or in emergency situations, and saving lives through their quick actions and knowledge. The Commission honored the Alachua Police Department with eight officers in attendance and posed for group photos.

The Commission next heard about humanitarian efforts to help the displaced civilians and children of Ukraine whose lives have been turned upside down by the war being waged by Russia, turning much of their homeland into devastated ruins. Russia's brutal attack on civilian infrastructure has destroyed much of the power grid and utilities leaving civilians at the mercy of a harsh upcoming winter.

Vaishnava International Relief Association (VIRA, Inc.) is a nonprofit humanitarian organization located in Florida. Their mission is to uphold universal moral values, protect and support the innocent and oppressed and to contribute to projects designed to improve society at large.

The organization’s president is Ukrainian Andriy Egorovets, who worked with local Hare Krishna members Leah Bielat and Nisha (Nandini Kishori) to create a charity event held Oct. 8, 2022 at ISKCON Alachua Temple called ONE DAY FOR UKRAINE.

The event welcomed over 500 visitors from Gainesville’s interfaith communities to help raise money and awareness for those affected by the war. The event featured Ukrainian food, ethnic crafts for sale, an art auction live music, games for children, henna and face painting as well as hayrides. The event raised over $8,000 and 1,200 pounds of donated clothes and toys. All of the proceeds will be spent on the needs of children in an orphanage in Dnipro and 150 displaced people in a nearby community.

“The event was just a small portion of what help the displaced civilians of Ukraine need and we will be continuing our efforts as will the Bhaktivedanta Krishna community,” said Egorovets. “Right now, Ukraine is suffering from attacks on the energy system. People are facing a tough situation. They desperately need autonomous power generators that we are hoping we can get donated from the community.”

The final certificates of Appreciation from the City was to honor the artwork of the students from the Bhaktivedanta Academy whose work has been displayed in the City Hall foyer. The students contributed over 70 pieces of art to the “Art Through The Eyes Of A Child” Exhibit with many of the works being sold to add funds to the Ukraine relief effort. The remaining art pieces will be sent with the money and clothing donations that are going to Ukraine to be given to the children at the orpahnage to hopefully bring a bit of joy and show that children from America care about them.

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