HOPE LUTHERAN WELCOMES MOBILE FOOD PANTRY
On Thursday, July 16, Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 North Park Road will host their mobile food pantry, in the church parking lot. This pantry, in association with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Lakeland will begin distributing food to those in need beginning at 6:00 p.m. until the supplies are distributed. Anyone in need of grocery assistance is encouraged to come as they work to eliminate food insecurities in the community. Various goods are available from vegetables to meats to dairy and bakery goods. As a rule, The pantry, “Moving Hope” takes place at Hope Lutheran on the third Thursday of each month. No identification is required and the pantry is open to anyone in the Plant City community needing that extra hand.
For additional information, contact the church office at 813-752-4622.
Plant City Garden Club to Host Classes
The Plant City Garden Club will be hosting the Basic Six Floral Design Classes beginning Wednesday, July 15. The classes will be held weekly on Wednesdays through August 19. Classes will be held at the 1914 High School Community Center on 605 North Collins Street in Plant City from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Cost is $125 for all six classes or $30 for an individual class. The design classes are a great opportunity to learn how to create fresh floral arrangements for your home or event. More complex designs will be taught as the course progresses. All classes will be instructed by Flower Show Judges. For further information and registration information, please contact Jan Griffin at 813-716-6691 or by email at billjangriffin@gmail.com.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS EARN TOP HONORS AT 2026
Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) students brought home an impressive collection of state championships, top five finishes, and chapter recognitions from the 2026 Florida FFA State Convention, showcasing the district’s strength in agricultural education, leadership development, and career readiness.
The annual convention, held June 15 through 19 in Orlando, brings together nearly 6,000 FFA members, advisors, alumni, and industry leaders from across Florida to compete, develop leadership skills, and celebrate excellence in agricultural education. The event features Career Development Events (CDEs), leadership workshops, award ceremonies, and recognition of the state’s top FFA chapters and student organizations.
Students from HCPS middle and high schools earned state recognition across a wide range of competitive events, from floriculture and forestry to agricultural communications, environmental science, and agricultural technology.
“These outstanding achievements reflect the dedication of our students, teachers, and advisors, as well as the strength of our agricultural education programs,” said Superintendent Van Ayres. “FFA equips students with real-world skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, science, and problem-solving while preparing them for future careers. We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented Hillsborough County on the state stage.”
Several HCPS teams captured first-place state titles, including:
Middle School State Champions
Tomlin Middle School – 1st Place, Floriculture
Randall Middle School – 1st Place, Nursery & Landscape
High School State Champions
Durant High School – 1st Place, Citrus
Durant High School – 1st Place, Environmental & Natural Resources
Durant High School – 1st Place, Floriculture
Durant High School – 1st Place, Vegetable Evaluation
Durant High School – 1st Place, Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration – Landscaping (Ashlyn Demanovich and Jackson Sturgis)
HCPS students earned numerous additional top five finishes.
Middle School Awards
Tomlin Middle School
5th Place, Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management
5th Place, Food Science & Technology
3rd Place, Forestry
3rd Place, Livestock Evaluation
3rd Place, Meats Evaluation
Mulrennan Middle School
5th Place, Livestock Evaluation
2nd Place, Meats Evaluation
Randall Middle School
4th Place, Meats Evaluation
Marshall Middle School
3rd Place, Milk Quality & Products
High School Awards
Strawberry Crest High School
2nd Place, Agricultural Communications
2nd Place, Floriculture
4th Place, Nursery & Landscape
3rd Place, Vegetable Evaluation
Plant City High School
4th Place, Agricultural Communications
5th Place, Agricultural Technology & Mechanical Systems
2nd Place, Safe Tractor Operation & Maintenance (Hunter Freeman)
Durant High School
3rd Place, Agricultural Technology & Mechanical Systems
5th Place, Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management
3rd Place, Food Science & Technology
2nd Place, Forestry
5th Place, Livestock Evaluation
4th Place, Meats Evaluation
2nd Place, Nursery & Landscape
Plant CityHigh School Junior Chapter – J.G. Smith
5th Place, Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration – Artistic Arrangement (Gracie Lopez and Aubrey Pentecost)
Several HCPS FFA chapters earned statewide recognition through the Florida FFA Chapter Awards program.
Florida’s Finest – National Chapter Awards
Durant High School
Mulrennan Middle School
Newsome High School
Plant City High School
Randall Middle School
Sickles High School
Turkey Creek Middle School
Chapter SAE Awards
Armwood High School
Durant High School
Sickles High School
Premier Chapter Awards
Armwood High School
Armwood Junior Chapter – E.A. Watkins
Brandon High School
Durant High School
Durant Junior Chapter – J.F. St. Martin
Newsome High School
Plant City High School
Plant City Junior Chapter – J.G. Smith
Randall Middle School
Sickles High School
Tomlin Middle School
Turkey Creek Middle School
FFA is the nation’s premier organization for students interested in agriculture, food systems, environmental science, agribusiness, and natural resources. Through classroom instruction, hands-on experiences, and competitive events, students gain technical knowledge and leadership skills while exploring career pathways in one of Florida’s most important industries.
To learn more about HCPS’s FFA programs, visit hillsboroughschools.org.
