MAKE VISITS TO
ST. AUGUSTINE, ATLANTA

By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

Students at Paideia School of Tampa Bay were treated to some hands-on learning about history in mid-October.
Even though the school, 7834 N. 56th Street, just opened for for children in kindergarten through 11th grade in August, the fifth- and sixth-grade classes had the chance to learn about history up close and personal through field trips to St. Augustine and Atlanta.
Patsy Hinton, the school’s dean of academics, said it was her idea for the children to go on the trips. The fifth-graders went to St. Augustine and the sixth-graders went to Atlanta.
“Part of it comes from my own background in Europe,” Hinton said. “You can read about things in a book, but when you see them in front of you, it makes it really come to life. You get a better understanding of history; it is so much more in depth.”
The fifth-graders visited Fort San Marcos and took the trolley tour of the city in St. Augustine.
“I learned how forts were built and what they were built with,” said fifth-grader English Hinton. “I learned how the people in the fort had to keep the people from the sea out with their cannons.”
During a trolley tour, the students learned about the battle between the Spanish and the English.
“I liked learning on the trolley tour,” English said. “I also liked learning about the fountain of youth. It wasn’t made up of water like we drink; it was made of sulfur water.”
“I learned that conquistadors used to navigate using the constellations,” said A.J. Stewart, a fifth-grader. “We learned about Ponce de Leon and Menendez. Ponce de Leon discovered the fountain of youth and Menendez established St. Augustine. I also learned Florida was named by Ponce de Leon and Florida means feast of flowers.”
A.J. said it made a big difference going from reading about the two famous conquistadors and actually seeing the places he read about in person.
“It helped me to understand better when I got to see what everything looks like,” A.J. said. “On the trolley tour, we learned a lot about what happened in St. Augustine.”
The sixth-graders are learning about the Civil War, so going to Atlanta they visited Civil War sites including the Atlanta History Museum, Cyclorama, Andersonville Prison and the Agrirama.
Sixth-grader Nolan Foxworth said he really enjoyed the trip.
“The best part was seeing how the war was fought, not just with guns and cannons,” Nolan said. “Sometimes it was brother against brother. I learned more than if I had just read it in a book. It was more than just a battle; there were political problems and issues with slavery and tariffs. I liked all the museums.”
“In the Agrirama, it was like going back in time,” said Alissa Allen, a sixth-grader. “We got to see how life was back then. We saw how hard it was. We also saw a prison that held about 40,000 Union soldiers. You can see where people were trying to dig out.”
Alissa said she learned better from seeing the places rather than just reading about it in books.
“It is different than reading,” Allen said. “It is one thing to read it, then another to actually see where the people had actually walked. You could see the trenches and the different places.”
She was also impressed with the Cyclorama where there was a huge recreation of the Battle of Atlanta.
“There was a four-story-high painting with real figures made out of clay,” Alissa said. “It was amazing.”
In addition to the hands-on learning from the field trips, the school is also trying other different approaches to teaching.
“Learning just doesn’t happen one way,” Hinton said. “We look at the way a student learns at different stages and try to help them learn as much as we can.”
The school opened with 56 students. The children are learning Latin, Greek and are taking a variety of Bible doctrine classes in addition to the regular subjects of math, history, English and more.
“People are amazed by the work our students are doing,” Hinton said. “They think our students must be above average, but it is just in the way we are teaching them.”
Even though the school is hoping to grow with each passing year, the class size should stay the same.
“Compared to other schools, we have very small class sizes,” Hinton said. “We have room to grow, but we will always try to maintain about 15 students in each class. We always have a lot of teacher-student interaction, so we need the classes to stay small.”
The school is behind Belmont Baptist Church, which donated the space.
The school will have its Jubilee Celebration Nov. 1 at the campus. Families are gathering letters, photos and other items for a time capsule that will be buried at the school to celebrate the 50th day of school. In 50 years, the school will open the capsules to learn about the founding families, students, faculty and staff.
And the Barnes & Noble in Carrollwood will play host to a book fair fundraiser Nov. 11-18 for the school. Students will give presentations Nov. 17 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
For more information, visit http://www.thepaideiaschool.org or call 988-7700.

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Few foods are as versatile as the apple. It’s an ingredient that can be used in sweet or savory dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.
They’re so synonymous with good health, I think we’ve become accustomed to thinking of apples as a diet food. Something we eat between meals when we’re trying to watch our weight.
We associate apples with a healthy diet for good reason. They’re fat free, contain dietary fiber, pectin, and boron – a trace element that helps harden bones. Plus, apples are thought to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, improve memory, and lower the risk of heart disease. Their health benefits along with year-round availability make them the perfect kitchen staple.
When selecting your apples at the grocery store, go for those that are shiny, firm, and free from bruises. For years, I made the mistake of storing my apples on the countertop in a fruit bowl. Little did I know I was reducing their shelf life and diminishing their flavor. Apples should always be kept in the refrigerator to maximize their flavor and keep them crisp for as long as possible.
There are so many varieties of apples, it can be a little overwhelming. Some of my favorites are the Fuji and Gala – they seem to have the perfect amount of sweetness. If you find yourself always buying the same type of apple, you can sample the various offerings by purchasing one each of several varieties from the loose apple bin – you just might find a new favorite.
And yes, apples do make a great diet food, but you don’t have to be counting calories to enjoy not only their health benefits, but also the wonderful texture and flavor they can add to everyday dishes. Try some of these ideas for incorporating apples into your recipe list:
u Add diced apples to your salad for a sweet crunch. Cut an apple into wedges and serve it with fruit dip. The kids will love the sweet dip and you’ll love watching them eat a healthy snack. For the dip, mix together 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 cup reduced fat whipped cream.
u Transform a plain sandwich into something gourmet. On a bakery roll, place deli turkey, cheese, thinly sliced apple, lettuce, and bottled pesto sauce.
u Apples and cheese are a great complement and make a wonderful snack. Cut up apple wedges and cheddar cheese slices. Arrange the apple and cheese slices in a circle, overlapping slightly. If the apples are going to sit out for a while, rub them with lemon juice to prevent browning.
u Make apple pancakes for a special breakfast.  If you need to speed up the ripening process for bananas or pears, place them in a paper bag with an apple. The gases from the apple will help the other fruits ripen more quickly.

Personal chef Suzanne Lykins of Wesley Chapel writes the food column for In The Loop. Are you looking for a special recipe? Write to her at or call 786-7097.
Big Apple Pancake

Ingredients
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 large sweet apple such as Gala or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide wedges
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Melt butter in a 10- to 11-inch heavy cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet over moderate heat, then transfer 2 tablespoons to a blender. Add apple wedges to skillet and cook, turning over once, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
While apple is cooking, add milk, flour, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt to butter in blender and blend until smooth.
Pour batter over apple and transfer skillet to oven. Bake until pancake is puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately.
Servings: two.

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GAS CARDS, CHILI COOK-OFF TOP LIST

By LAURA CONE

Twenty years ago, many parents took their children to church or a synagogue because they felt obligated to carry on a family tradition.
With society’s shift in attitudes and values, New Tampa churches are coming up with creative ways to motivate people to come back to church.
Visitors to Cypress Point Community Church receive free gas cards when they attend a service. Members of St. James United Methodist Church at Tampa Palms recently invited the public to a chili cook-off. St. James also has a number of “lifestyle classes” such as fitness and scrapbooking to appeal to potential members.
The Rev. Dean Reule, pastor of Cypress Point, said the church plans to break ground on a new 29,000-square-foot church Sept. 27 at the corner of Morris Bridge Road and Cross Creek Boulevard in New Tampa. The builder is Andras Construction Services of Dade City.
“It is a huge challenge to motivate people to consider the spiritual things at a deeper level,” he said.
Reule, who said the $2.7 million church will accommodate 600 adults and children, will be finished in time for Easter in April.
Currently the nondenominational church has 450 members and rounds up an average of 300 people each week.
“We are in competition with everything else that competes with people’s attention,” he said. “We are offering people a free gas card if they visit. People feel the pain financially for gasoline now days. We understand and this is a small way we can help. Maybe this helps draw attention to the church.”
Reule said another way he tries to connect with the new generations is by preaching a relevant message.
For the next month he will be conducting a series called, “You Have Got To Be Kidding,” which is all about parenting.
“We have a family feel to the church,” he said. “We have a lot of people with big hearts. We try and present the message in a way that helps hold people’s attention and we blend the serious with lighter stuff.”
He said the church continues to meet Sundays at the Muvico Theater in New Tampa for services at 9 and 10:15 a.m.
“Parents want to raise great kids,” he said. “Many parents wonder if they are doing the best they could. This is just another source of information and support.”
Mindi Yakubek, a leader with the Lifestyle Ministry at St. James, 16202 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., said she did not grow up in the church.
Yakubek, 27, a graphic designer and a member of the church’s marketing team, said she sometimes feels frustrated by how difficult it is to motivate people to become churchgoers.
She invites her friends who aren’t churchgoers to the church-sponsored fitness and scrapbooking classes so they become comfortable with the idea of being involved with a church.
“That’s a chance to witness,” she said. “You pray before the class.”
Yakubek, a New Tampa resident, said the Faithful Fitness exercise classes are Mondays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. The scrapbooking class is Mondays at 6:30 p.m.
“I had a lot of hard times and, in desperation, I came into the church,” Yakubek said. “God is funny how he works. You get into the church, he found me a spot. Some people it takes more to motivate them. We are trying to do more community outreach like the chili cookout.”
She said the church also offers other ministries and classes to attract members such as a prayer shawl ministry during which they make shawls for charity, caring hearts adult day care, before divorce/divorce recovery, marriage enrichment and Nathaniel’s Hope buddy break, which is a respite program for parents of children with special needs.
For more information on Cypress Point, call 973-0314.
For more information on Lifestyle Ministry, call 971-4790, Ext. 223 or 333-5757 or e-mail lifestyleatstjamestampa.org.

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JUICE ZONE COMES
TO WESLEY CHAPEL

By LAURA CONE

Donna Smith began searching for a franchise to open so she would have a place to eat without feeling guilty.
Smith plans to open the doors to her Juice Zone Fresh and Healthy Cafe, a franchise with international headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, at the end of September.
“I’m into juicing and healthy alternatives,” Smith said. “I have been for a long time, especially after my mother had a stroke and passed away.”
Smith said her two sons, J.P., 22, and John, 21, will manage her cafe at 1219 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in the Northwoods Shopping Center next to the Super Target in Wesley Chapel.
Meanwhile, Smith plans to work toward her goal of opening 10 more Juice Zone cafes in the Tampa Bay area in the next four years. The Smith family lived in Land O’ Lakes before recently buying a home in Seven Oaks in Wesley Chapel.
“There were no good places to eat where I did not feel guilty,” she said. “We have salads, wraps and we can grill any wrap.”
Their smoothies are made without sugar. They include soy and yogurt. She uses organic vegetables for juicing.
She said the main categories on the menus include smoothies, wraps, salads, panini or flatbread sandwiches and soups. People may order wheat grass, which is taken as shots by health-conscience people in the same way the reckless take shots of whiskey.
She said people may have ginger, carrots, apples, cucumbers and beets juiced for a nutritious drink.
John, who worked for two years as a manager in the fast-food industry, said he was a typical teenager who ate fast-food but hopes to change his ways.
“This is a new world for me,” John said. “I’ve tried the food and I like it very much. I’m not really healthy but I’m planning on changing.”
Donna said it took her a while to find a franchise that offered tasty and healthful selections such as the Mango Madness smoothie with passion, orange, guava juice, mango sorbet, mangos and bananas. They have several blends aimed at making people feel better depending on their issue such as energy, brain, fiber, bone sniffles blend and slim & trim. Their supreme squeezes are called everything from cold fighter and detox to cholesterol reducer, energy blast, the body cleanser and the digestive cocktail.
Donna hopes to attract high school students from nearby Wiregrass and Wharton high schools.
“I hope we get a lot of the high school crowd,” she said. “The obesity among youth is terrible.”
She plans to have a lounge with leather chairs, a flat screen television, Wi-Fi wireless Internet connection as well as outdoor seating.
She will also offer catering.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For more information call 929-1555.

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