Keys to the Cities is a Kretzer Piano Music Foundation project where local artists will be painting old pianos, turning them into original works of art and displaying them around Palm Beach County. Courtney Hess, Visual Arts and Theatre teacher for the Literary and Fine Arts Academy (LFAA) at Watson B. Duncan Middle, submitted an application for the Keys to the Cities project.

Mrs. Hess and her students were thrilled to find out that they were among the applicants selected to create one of these unique pieces of art. “It is a very special honor considering that Mrs. Hess and the Literary and Fine Arts Academy students were the only artists selected from a school,” said Kate Wynn, Literary and Fine Arts Academy Coordinator. “The talented group of artists plans to create a “Zentangle” piano.  The pianos will be displayed in November so be on the lookout for Mrs. Hess and LFAA’s Zentangle masterpiece.”

The Keys to the Cities whimsically-painted pianos will be found at the following locations:  City Center Plaza, CityPlace, Clematis Street, Palm Beach County Cultural Council in downtown Lake Worth, The Kravis Center, Downtown at the Gardens, Flagler Drive,  Kretzer Piano in Jupiter,  Palm Beach and other fun venues throughout the area. After their public debut, the pianos will be donated to local children’s charities and community organizations, enriching lives for years to come.

For more information please contact Ms. Wynn at kate.wynn@palmbeachschools.org or 561-776-3596.

“We are asking community members to join us for this amazing event and help with the beautification of our campus,” said Mr. Ocampo.  “We hope the community can join us for this fun and meaningful activity.  At the conclusion of our community service project, we would like for our valuable community partners to join us for an appreciation barbecue celebration immediately following.”

For more information please contact Assistant Principal Carlton Jackson at carlton.jackson@palmbeachschools.org .

Watson B. Duncan Community Middle School is sponsoring its thirteenth annual Veterans Day program on Friday, November 8, 2013 at 9:45 a.m. in the school gymnasium. The purpose of this program is to acknowledge and thank veterans and active duty military personnel for serving our country. The program will last one hour.
 
The Duncan chorus and band will provide musical selections, Palm Beach Gardens High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps will post and retire the colors as well as perform a drill exhibition, several veterans will attend representing different branches of the service, and many dignitaries from the communities will be invited.
 
All veterans are welcome to attend. Please contact Tammy Roggen at 561-776-3518 or tammy.roggen@palmbeachschools.org for more details.

At 7:00 pm, the cafeteria at Duncan Middle will be transformed into total darkness, using spotlights to illuminate the talent of each of the academy’s strands. The prism effect will be achieved by the Theatrical Academy performing various skits and a preview piece from their upcoming Sleepy Hollow show, Vocal Academy solos and duets projecting beautifully from the sides of the stage-on ground level, Instrumental Academy solos and ensemble pieces floating in from around the audience, dramatic readings written and read by the Literary Academy students, and Visual Academy students’ work displayed toward the back of the area.

The prism concert will exhibit the varied talents of the Literary and Fine Arts Academy students with an artful arrangement of performance and exhibited art. The show will begin at 7:00pm in Watson B. Duncan Middle’s Cafeteria; tickets are $5 and are available at the door.

“The students and faculty of the Literary and Fine Arts Academy sincerely hope that you will join us for this annual display of student talent,” said Kate Wynn, Literary and Fine Arts Academy Coordinator.

For more information please contact Ms. Wynn at kate.wynn@palmbeachschools.org or (561) 799-7463.

In January, there will be a kick off for the initiative with an anti-bullying week for students. On Friday, January 10, 2014 members of the Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue will be volunteering their time-working with students from the school-to hang posters and the school banner. Duncan’s campaign, “DMS Shuts the Door on Bullying” will be the message on the banner. The banner hanging will be done in preparation for the official Shut the Door on Bullying week, starting on Monday, January 13, 2014. This week will consist of different activities, contests, and daily lessons on bullying.

To begin, students and teachers will be participating in a door decorating competition. The class and teacher with the strongest anti-bullying message, and most creative door will win a grand prize. There will be grade level assemblies, guest speakers, and grade level screenings of anti-bullying movies.

On Friday January 17, 2014, students, administrators, teachers, and staff will take a pledge against bullying and winners of all contests will be announced.  In addition, the school will be starting the “Caught you Caring” campaign as a part of this character building initiative. Students who are seen (by any teacher, administrator, counselor, or Duncan Middle staff member) doing something for another person or committing an act of kindness will be given a “Caught you Caring” ticket. Ticket holders will be placed in a weekly drawing for “Caught you Caring” t-shirts and there will be a grand prize drawing at the end of the year.

“It is the goal of Watson B. Duncan Middle, GelTech Solutions, and the participating firefighters, to continue developing the best learning environment possible, while building students’ character and imparting an understanding of how one person’s actions affect others,” said Kate Wynn, Watson B. Duncan Middle School Literary and Fine Arts Academy Coordinator.

For more information please contact Ms. Wynn at kate.wynn@palmbeachschools.org or (561) 799-7463.

It is a proud day for the faculty and staff of Watson B. Duncan Middle School (DMS). There is nothing that brings a smile to the face of an educator more than seeing their students shine. That is exactly what happened when seven students (6 from the Pre-Academy of Finance) from DMS presented their business plans to a panel of investors at Florida Atlantic University on February 25^th. This was a culminating activity in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!). YEA! is a groundbreaking yearlong program, sponsored by the North Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, that literally transforms local middle and high school students into real entrepreneurial success stories through an exciting projects-based approach. By learning about the exciting possibilities associated with entrepreneurship and actually launching a real small business, young people from diverse communities all across the country are being empowered to take charge of their futures in a bold, new way.

YEA! Participants engaged in 30 weeks of college course work, were mentored by successful entrepreneurs, and created a business plan for a real business. After presenting to the Investors Panel DMS students were awarded seed money to start their own businesses. Eighth grade Pre-Academy of Finance students received capital for startup in varying amounts. Adam Brower, for “Pet Buddy” received $500. Natalee Castillo, Morgan Dicocco and Natalie Schlueter, for “uCan” an online school guidance tool, received $500. Abdullah Ali, for “Spic and Spackle” a convenient spackling pen, received $1450. Ryan Holzhausen, with “Bed Head Tamer” a spray bottle/brush combo, received $1700 and was selected as an alternate to attend a prestigious trade show next month.  In addition, impressively, 7^th grader Justin Sabaj was awarded $500 for “Polish Brush Clean” a small scrubbing tool that simultaneously deposits a cleaning solution for easier maintenance of boats and cars.

“Most excitingly, each student will leave the YEA! program with their own operational business and a whole new understanding of how the business world works,” said Assistant Principal Kate Wynn. “Congratulations to Watson B. Duncan Middle School’s YEA! participants.”

For more information please contact Principal Phillip D’Amico at phillip.damico@palmbeachschools.org or 561-776-3500.

Watson B. Duncan Middle School art students were treated to a guest lecture by Disney Artist Les Carpenter.  Mr. Carpenter explained the process of pursuing a career in animation and brought along model sheets of famous characters as well as a collection of new characters from a cartoon series he is currently working on. He also showed visual art academy students what a portfolio for a job interview in animation might look like, and reminded them to practice drawing animals and people from life.

After the visual demonstration, which included looking at character design and 2-D animation, Mr. Carpenter led the classes through a step-by-step lesson on how to draw a Disney character. The students were surprised to see how well their drawings turned out as they followed the method of beginning simple shapes and filling in details later.

He left behind the Disney model sheets for the art students to continue practicing, and reminded students that Duncan Art teacher Courtney Hess is also a certified Disney Artist resource as well.

Both Kathee Strivelli and Mrs. Hess’ classes learned a great deal of practical knowledge about animation that they were able to apply to their art work almost immediately.

For more information please contact Assistant Principal Kate Wynn at kate.wynn@palmbeachschools.org or 561-799-7463.

Nineteen middle and high school students from the Urban League of Palm Beach County’s (ULPBC) Center of Excellence competed at the Florida Education Fund (FEF) State Brain Bowl Competition in Tampa.

“We are so proud of all the students that competed this year and the parents that coached the kids over the past year. They worked very hard to earn the opportunity to compete at the state level,” said Marie Sanches, Director of Youth and Education for the Urban League of Palm Beach County.

Marie Sanches oversees many programs including the Center’s signature National Achiever Society (NAS). NAS inducts high academic achieving minority students twice a year into a college prep and leadership program. As requirement of the program students must maintain all A’s and B’s and bring an adult mentor such as a parent or guardian to meetings and activities.  Over the last 7 years over 200 participants have been inducted and 100% of graduates have gone on to higher education.

2014 Florida Education Fund State Brain Bowl Competition Results for Palm Beach County

Black History and Culture Team

Captain – Jazmin Ewers (A.W. Dreyfoos  School of the Arts)

Co-Captain – Megan Luchey (A.W. Dreyfoos  School of the Arts)

Aidan Dixon (Watson B. Duncan Middle School)

Farrington Fleming (Inlet Grove Community High School)

Alisha Bryant ( A.W. Dreyfoos  School of the Arts)

Ervin Williams (BAK Middle School of the Arts),

Raeshaun Coonce( Inlet Grove Community High School)

Coach: Dr. Colette Brown-Graham

Co-Coach Chioma Deere

11 & 12 Grade Math Team

Captain – Bisma Masudi (Suncoast Community High School)

Co-Captain – Bhumika Sood (Suncoast Community High School)

Christopher Gilbert (John I. Leonard High School)

Daniel Gouge (Suncoast Community High School)

Jacoby Washington (Suncoast Community High School)

Coach: Primrose Williams

6^th – 8^th Grade Math Team won 1^st place

Captain – Daisy Coates (Wellington Landings Middle School)

Co-Captain – Sarah Ruderman (Wellington Landings Middle School)

Darin Goldstein (BAK Middle School of the Arts)

Dwight Smith (Wellington Landings Middle School)

Charles West (Advent Lutheran School)

Coach:  Kristine Coates

Donyea James (BAK Middle School of the Arts) won 1^st place in the Word Wizard Competition for 6^th – 8^th grade.

Oliana Herbert (Westward Elementary School) won 2^nd place in the Word Wizard Competition for 3^rd - 5^th grade.

NAS is generously supported by the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund, Comcast, Publix Supermarket Charities, The Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation, Riviera Beach Kiwanis Club and members of ULPBC.   NAS is currently seeking applicants in 3^rd- 11^th grade with all A’s and B’s for its spring induction ceremony in May. Applications are due by April 22, 2014 and can be found at www.ULPBC.org or by emailing msanches@ulpbc.org.

For more information on the Center of Excellence or National Achievers Society contact Marie Sanches, Director of Youth and Education at 561-833-1461.

For more information on the Urban League of Palm Beach County contact 561-833-1461 or visit www.ulpbc.org.

About the Urban League of Palm Beach County 

The Urban League of Palm Beach County has been at the forefront of youth, education, and community and health empowerment for the past 40 years.  The leading provider of comprehensive family services helping more than 16,000 people annually in the achievement of social and economic equality. For more information visit www.ULPBC.org

About The School District of Palm Beach County

The School District of Palm Beach County is the eleventh largest in the nation and the fifth largest in the state of Florida with 185 schools, serving more than 181,000 students who speak 150 languages and dialects. As the largest employer in Palm Beach County, the School District has nearly 21,000 associates, including over 12,000 teachers. To learn more about The School District of Palm Beach County, please visit www.palmbeachschools.org.

Content provided by the Urban League of Palm Beach County

Loggerhead Marinelife Center will host its 11th Annual TurtleFest on Saturday, April 5, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. TurtleFest 2014 will feature a student art contest for the third consecutive year. Palm Beach County students in grades 4 through 12 submitted hundreds of pieces of environmental-themed artwork. A jury awarded a first, second, and third-place for each age submission category, a Best in Show, and honorable mentions. Winners will be revealed at the event and their artwork will be displayed in a special exhibit at TurtleFest 2014

Cole Pollard’s piece was selected as this year’s poster and t-shirt image.  Cole is an 8^th grade student at Watson B. Duncan Middle School. Cole’s artwork will be featured as the official TurtleFest image for 2014 and will be available for purchase on event t-shirts and commemorative posters.

Over 10,000 guests will join together at TurtleFest 2014 at the free-admission event which focuses on promoting conservation through up close interactions with threatened and endangered sea turtles, as well as music, art, shopping, educational presentations, games, a Global Village, and other activities.

For more information about Cole Pollard please contact Watson B. Duncan Middle School Principal Phillip D’Amico at phillip.damico@palmbeachschools.org.

Watson B. Duncan Middle School is having their 1st Annual Visual Art Showcase on Friday, May 16th at 5:30 PM. Students from the Visual Art academy will showcase their art work along with other ESE students from Duncan Middle school.

In addition, Dominick Avallone, a Jupiter High School Environmental Academy student and former Duncan Middle School student, has refurbished the butterfly garden area. He solicited donations of materials and native plants and spent numerous Saturdays at the school with his team to prepare the Duncan garden for the Showcase event.

For more information please contact Adrienne Avallone at adrienne.avallone@palmbeachschools.org.

The Builders Club at Watson B. Duncan Middle School helped one of their own students by collecting nearly 1,000 entertainment and educational items. The donations will be given to children’s hospitals and extended-stay centers for sick children and their families across the country.

Sixth grader Kayla Abramowitz created “Kayla Cares 4 Kids” in 2013, to help sick children feel better while receiving treatment. To date, Kayla Cares 4 Kids has donated nearly 3,000 items to 26 children’s hospitals in 19 states. Donations have been received from several states around the country.

When the school principal, Phillip D’Amico, learned of Kayla’s organization, he immediately thought of the school’s Builders Club.  Builders Club is a service organization, partnered with the Kiwanis Club. Mr. D’Amico reached out to the club to help organize a donation drive for Kayla Cares 4 Kids.

“The response from our students was very impressive and is humbling,” said Mr. D’Amico.  “It is a great cause initiated by one of our own, I am so proud of Kayla.”  “I’m so impressed with Kayla’s organization,” added Jillian Tori, a 6^th grade math teacher and Builder’s Club sponsor. “And I’m amazed that she is making a difference at such a young age!”

The Club set up a donation box in Student Services and asked students and staff to bring in donations. In just a two week period, they tripled their goal of collecting 250 items, far surpassing any expectations.

“It was a dream of mine for Kayla Cares 4 Kids to make a difference in this world, by helping sick kids and their families get their minds off what they’re going through,” said Kayla, 12, who came up with the idea after both her and her 8-year old brother endured medical issues. “For my schoolmates and teachers at Duncan Middle School to take part really means the world to me, as it shows that if you give from the heart, you grow even more as a person.”

Mr. D’Amico will be rewarding students for making their goal, and then some, on the last day of school. During student lunches, there will be popcorn machines out in the courtyard and students will be welcome to come out, have some popcorn, and relax outside.

For more information about Kayla Cares 4 Kids, please visit www.KaylaCares4Kids.org or KaylaCares4Kids on Facebook and Instagram and @KCares4Kids on Twitter. To make donations, please contact Andrea@KaylaCares4Kids.org.

For more information please contact Mr. D’Amico at phillip.damico@palmbeachschools.org or 561-776-3550.

DELRAY BEACH – Public school students from elementary, middle and high schools in Palm Beach County will perform monologues they wrote themselves during a showcase of original monologues at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach on Monday, Dec. 15. The free show, part of a six-week intensive program by YES (Youth Engaged in Storytelling) Lab, begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

WHAT: YES Lab at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

WHERE: Arts Garage
180 NE First St.
Delray Beach

WHO: 24 public school students, ranging from elementary to high school, will perform

PHOTO OPPS: Students performing on stage

The 24 students performing in Monday’s showcase were selected from nearly 800 students who wrote monologues on first impressions that people have of them, or their first impression of someone else. Students from seven district schools will be represented at the showcase. The schools are: Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, West Palm Beach; Bak Middle School of the Arts, West Palm Beach; Boynton Beach High School, Boynton Beach; Okeeheelee Middle School, Greenacres; Plumosa School of the Arts, Delray Beach; U.B. Kinsey/Palmview Elementary School of the Arts, West Palm Beach; and Watson B. Duncan Middle School, Palm Beach Gardens.

The students performing in the showcase all participated in the YES Lab’s six-week program offered by the Theatre at Arts Garage. YES Lab provides free in-school and onsite workshops at local schools. Learn more about the YES Lab by visiting the Outreach section of artsgarage.org.

For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at (561) 357-1114.

PALM BEACH GARDENS – Watson B. Duncan Middle School is one of 23 schools selected to host teachers from China and Egypt as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP).

Zhi Xia was awarded a fellowship from the State Department to teach Chinese to Watson B. Duncan Middle students for the 2015-2016 school year. The school competed with other schools across the country for the opportunity to host a teacher from the TCLP program.

“I am so pleased that Watson B. Duncan Middle School will have the opportunity to have an exchange teacher from China teach our students Mandarin and Chinese Culture.  In addition, I am looking forward to sharing the American Culture with our exchange teacher,” said Phillip D’Amico, Principal at Watson B. Duncan Middle. “I think that this is an amazing opportunity for Watson B. Duncan Middle School and the community at large.”

As part of the program, Zhi will participate in community events and outreach programs, and also will be assigned a mentor teacher – Todd LaVogue, the Finance/Innovation teacher at Watson B. Duncan Middle.

“I am thrilled to be selected as the mentor teacher for this exchange program,” LaVogue said. “I am a lifelong learner so this program will provide me with the opportunity to learn much about education, culture and language in China. I also can’t wait to show our exchange teacher our school and community.”

TCLP is designed to increase the study and acquisition of important world languages in U.S. schools. This program enables primary and secondary schools to strengthen their teaching of critical languages by bringing Egyptian and Chinese teachers to the U.S. to teach Arabic and Chinese language for an academic year. Launched in 2006, TCLP has provided fellowships to more than 190 primary and secondary school teachers of English from Egypt and China to teach in K-12 schools throughout the United States.

TCLP is funded by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which promotes international mutual understanding through a wide range of academic, cultural, private-sector, professional and sports exchange programs. The program is implemented by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, an international nonprofit organization that prepares individuals and institutions to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.

WEST PALM BEACH – Nearly 50 district-operated elementary, middle and high schools were recently honored by the 2015 President’s Education Awards Program. The awards are given to students throughout the country who demonstrate educational excellence and academic growth in the classroom.

Principals at each of the 49 School District of Palm Beach County schools will decide which students receive the awards from President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The award includes a congratulatory letter signed by the President, Education Secretary and the school’s principal.

Graduating elementary, middle and high school students are eligible to win prizes in two categories – the Award for Educational Excellence, and the Award for Outstanding Educational Achievement. Eligibility requirements for the awards are outlined on the President’s Education Awards Program website.

The district-operated schools that will participate in the 2015 awards program are:

• Addison Mizner Elementary, Boca Raton
• Allamanda Elementary, Palm Beach Gardens
• Atlantic High, Delray Beach
• Banyan Creek Elementary, Delray Beach
• Bear Lakes Middle, West Palm Beach
• Belvedere Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Benoist Farms Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Boca Raton High, Boca Raton
• Boca Raton Middle, Boca Raton
• Conniston Middle, West Palm Beach
• Crestwood Middle, Royal Palm Beach
• Crosspointe Elementary, Boynton Beach
• Eagles Landing Middle, Boca Raton
• Freedom Shores Elementary, Boynton Beach
• Glade View Elementary, Belle Glade
• Grassy Waters Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Golden Grove Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Hammock Pointe Elementary, Boca Raton
• Hidden Oaks Elementary, Lake Worth
• Independence Middle, Jupiter
• J.C. Mitchell Elementary, Boca Raton
• Jerry Thomas Elementary, Jupiter
• John I. Leonard High, Greenacres
• Jupiter Elementary, Jupiter
• Jupiter Middle, Jupiter
• Jupiter Farms Elementary, Jupiter
• Loggers Run Middle, Boca Raton
• Melaleuca Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Okeeheelee Middle, Greenacres
• Omni Middle, Boca Raton
• Osceola Creek Middle, Loxahatchee
• Pahokee Middle/Senior High, Pahokee
• Palm Beach Gardens Elementary, Palm Beach Gardens
• Palm Beach Gardens High, Palm Beach Gardens
• Palm Beach Public, Palm Beach
• Pine Jog Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Poinciana Elementary STEM Magnet, Boynton Beach
• Sandpiper Shores Elementary, Boca Raton
• South Olive Elementary, West Palm Beach
• Starlight Cove Elementary, Lantana
• The Conservatory School at North Palm Beach, North Palm Beach
• Timber Trace Elementary, Palm Beach Gardens
• Waters Edge Elementary, Boca Raton
• Watson B. Duncan Middle, Palm Beach Gardens
• Wellington Elementary, Wellington
• Wellington Landings Middle, Wellington
• West Boca Raton High, Boca Raton
• Western Pines Middle, Royal Palm Beach
• Wynnebrook Elementary, West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH – For the next year, Zhi Xia will teach Mandarin and Chinese culture to students at Watson B. Duncan Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens. He arrives in Palm Beach County on Thursday, Aug. 6, and will receive a V.I.P. welcome at Palm Beach International Airport with Watson B. Duncan Middle Principal Phillip D’Amico, a student jazz ensemble from Palm Beach Gardens High School, and school and community leaders.

WHAT: V.I.P. welcome for Zhi Xia

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 6. His flight arrives at approximately 2:30 p.m., but airport officials recommend being in place no later than 2:15 p.m. 

WHERE: Palm Beach International Airport
Concourse C
1000 James L. Turnage Blvd.
West Palm Beach

NOTE: Park in the Short Term parking lot.  Rates are $1.00 per 20 minutes or $3.00 per hour.  Follow the signs to Level 2, Concourse C on the east end of the airport.

PHOTO OPPS: Zhi Xia, who will be teaching for a year at Watson B. Duncan Middle School, arriving with mentor teacher Todd LaVogue

Zhi is one of 23 teachers from China and Egypt selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP). Watson B. Duncan Middle competed with other schools across the country for the opportunity to host a TCLP teacher.

TCLP is designed to increase the study and acquisition of important world languages in U.S. schools. This program enables primary and secondary schools to strengthen their teaching of critical languages by bringing Egyptian and Chinese teachers to the U.S. to teach Arabic and Chinese language for an academic year. Launched in 2006, TCLP has provided fellowships to more than 190 primary and secondary school teachers of English from Egypt and China to teach in K-12 schools throughout the United States.

TCLP is funded by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which promotes international mutual understanding through a wide range of academic, cultural, private-sector, professional and sports exchange programs. The program is implemented by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, an international nonprofit organization that prepares individuals and institutions to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.

For more information, please contact the Office of Communications at (561) 357-1114.

WEST PALM BEACH – The School District of Palm Beach County will change start and dismissal times at four district-operated middle schools, effective Monday, Oct. 26.

The following schools will be affected by the change, which are part of a revised transportation schedule for the District. The schools and their adjusted times as of Oct. 26 are:

• Boca Raton Middle School: 9:30 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.
• Don Estridge High Tech Middle School: 9:30 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.
• Omni Middle School: 9:30 a.m. to 4:05 p.m.
• Watson B. Duncan Middle School: 9:25 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The changes will allow these schools to optimize instructional time for students. The revised schedule will not affect morning school bus stop times or locations for students who ride buses, though afternoon schedules will be adjusted by approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Parents who have questions about the schedule changes should contact their child’s school.

WEST PALM BEACH – Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11, and schools throughout the School District of Palm Beach County will hold special programs and events during the week to thank veterans for their service to the country.

Schools will mark the occasion with flagpole ceremonies, guest speakers who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and service projects such as collecting items for the Forgotten Soldiers Outreach in Lake Worth or writing thank-you letters that are delivered to the West Palm Beach Veterans Administration Medical Center. The School District will honor administrative employees who are veterans during a ceremony at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Schools will be closed on Wednesday in honor of Veterans Day, though District offices will be open.

Special Veterans Day events scheduled this week include:

CENTRAL PALM BEACH COUNTY

• Tuesday, Nov. 10: School District administrative employees honored during a special ceremony at 9 a.m. at the flagpole in front of the District’s headquarters, 3300 Forest Hill Blvd., West Palm Beach. Students from the Palm Beach Gardens High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) will present the colors, Jupiter Middle School band students will perform several patriotic selections and the Palm Beach Central High School Chorus Student Vocal Trio will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.” 
• Thursday, Nov. 12: Hidden Oaks Elementary School will hold its annual Veterans Day celebration, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the school, 7685 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth. Students and staff invite family and community members who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces as their guests of honor. They will be treated to breakfast and a special musical program featuring students and staff. The Santaluces High School Army JROTC’s Honor Guard will open the program with a presentation of the colors, and Staff Sgt. Brian Mast will be the special guest speaker.

SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY

• Thursday, Nov. 19: Olympic Heights High School’s Student Government Association will host a musical presentation produced by Bob Weiner & Friends, featuring a special performance by the Boca Winds Bagel Swing Band, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the school’s theater, 20101 Lyons Road, Boca Raton. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Proceeds will benefit Southeast Honor Flight and its efforts to send World War II veterans to visit the memorial in Washington, D.C.

NORTH PALM BEACH COUNTY

• Tuesday, Nov. 10: Watson B. Duncan Middle School presents its 15^th annual Veterans Day program at the school, 5150 117^th Court, Palm Beach Gardens. Program begins at 9:45 a.m., and features the Duncan chorus and band, the Palm Beach Gardens High School Navy JROTC and veterans representing different branches of the service. All veterans are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Tammy Roggen at 561-776-3518 or tammy.roggen@palmbeachschools.org.
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Jupiter High School’s Student Government Association will host a benefit dinner at Abacoa Country Club to raise money for Southeast Florida Honor Flight. The event features a panel of World War II veterans and a keynote speaker. Tickets are $150 per person. For more information, contact Jupiter High School at 561-744-7900.
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Lincoln Elementary School’s drum line and drill team will participate in a Veterans Day parade at 10 a.m. in Stuart. The drum line and drill team also participated in West Palm Beach’s Veterans Day parade on Nov. 8.

WESTERN PALM BEACH COUNTY

• Tuesday, Nov. 10: Royal Palm Beach Elementary School’s Primary Drama Club presents a special Veterans Day play. There will be two performances, one at 8:30 a.m. for the entire school, staff and veterans, and at 7 p.m. for parents, community and veterans. The performances will be in the school’s cafeteria, 11911 Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach.
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Wellington Community High School presents its third annual Veterans Day band concert at 7 p.m. in the school’s theater, 2101 Greenview Shores Blvd. The concert will include many well-known patriotic selections. The event is free and open to the public.

PALM BEACH GARDENS – The five strands of the Literary and Fine Arts Academy at Watson B. Duncan Middle School will be at the forefront during the school’s fifth annual Prism Concert, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10 in the school’s cafeteria. The Prism Concert presents the many facets of performance art in as pure a form as possible, without applause, gaps between performances or visual distraction. The Academy’s Prism Concert takes this to a new level, incorporating displays by the Academy’s Literature and Visual strands.

WHAT: 5^th Annual Prism Concert by students from the Literary and Fine Arts Academy at Watson B. Duncan Middle School

WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 10, starting at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Watson B. Duncan Middle School cafeteria
5150 117^th Court N.
Palm Beach Gardens

To set the stage for the Prism Concert, Duncan Middle’s cafeteria will be totally dark, with spotlights illuminating talent from each of the Academy’s five strands: Holiday skits by the Theatrical Academy; solos and duets sung by Vocal Academy students; solo and ensemble pieces performed by Instrumental Academy students throughout the audience; dramatic readings written and read by Literary Academy students; and work by Visual Academy students on display at the back of the performance area.

Tickets to this unique performance are $5, and available at the door.

Learn more about Watson B. Duncan Middle School by visiting the school’s website or following the school on Twitter at @duncan_middle.

PALM BEACH GARDENS – At 13, Kayla Abramowitz has already established herself as a powerful advocate for children, and on Wednesday the Watson B. Duncan Middle School eighth grader will be honored by her school and community for her efforts. Abramowitz is one of two Florida winners of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, which recognizes young people throughout the country for outstanding volunteer efforts, for her works with “Kayla Cares 4 Kids,” a nonprofit organization that has collected nearly 10,000 DVDs, books and other items for children at 81 hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses throughout the United States.

WHAT: Ceremony honoring Kayla Abramowitz, eighth grade student at Watson B. Duncan Middle School, founder of “Kayla Cares 4 Kids,” and one of two Florida winners of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

WHEN: Wednesday, March 9, starting at 10 a.m.

WHERE: Watson B. Duncan Middle School
Gymnasium
5150 117th Court N.
Palm Beach Gardens

Abramowitz, who has juvenile arthritis and Crohn’s disease, started “Kayla Cares 4 Kids” after her own hospital stay, where she discovered a limited selection of DVDs for patients and was inspired to help. During Wednesday’s ceremony, Abramowitz will receive an engraved silver medallion as part of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. She also will receive $1,000, and in May will travel to Washington, D.C., on an all-expenses-paid trip to a national recognition ceremony with other state winners. While in Washington, D.C., 10 state winners will be named the top youth volunteers for 2016.

A representative from Prudential will attend Wednesday’s ceremony, which will also feature an inspirational speech by author and speaker Bob Burg.