All posts by Tara Newsom

Midtown hosts Journey’s in Journalism’s “Gas Plant Reporting Project”

Campus Events, Civic Education

After months of interviewing, reporting, writing, and illustrating, the Gas Plant Reporting Project is ready for reveal.

Entirely produced by Pinellas Journeys in Journalism students, the project examines the impact the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field could have on residents and businesses within its proximity and how the reimagining of the area will address injustices enacted 40 years ago when the former predominately Black Gas Plant neighborhood was razed to become home for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The public event on Wednesday, April 24 from 6pm-8pm at the SPC Midtown campus will give residents and community stakeholders the chance to ask questions and to consider how the students’ voice and perspective can make a difference in what happens with that land.

Please join us!

The stories come to life through the eyes of student journalists at Melrose Elementary, John Hopkins Middle, and Lakewood High schools, all located in nearby neighborhoods:

* Grades K-5 students will take photographs and create artwork for installation at the school, online and at other local venues.

* Middle school students will interview longtime residents, civic and business leaders, and students, staff and teachers at the school to generate oral histories to be shared via podcast.

* High school students will research, write and produce a short documentary on the history of the Gas Plant area and its redevelopment.

For more information please contact Tara Newsom at newsom.tara@spcollege.edu

Be a Peacebuilder

Campus Events, Civic Education, Service Learning

Now more than ever, our community needs peace. At SPC and in our world.

With peace in mind, SPC is excited to share that we are hosting a seminar with David Smith, a Carter Institute scholar, and a nationally renowned peacebuilding speaker, who will join us this week on the Clearwater Campus.

With the support of Student Activities, SPC is fortunate to have him here!

David will deliver three interactive sessions in ES 104 as follows:

  • Tuesday, March 19th, 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm for Community Members and College Students.
  • Wednesday, March 20th, 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm for Students, Faculty, and Staff.
  • Wednesday, March 20th, 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm for Faculty, Staff, and Students.

David has been working in peacebuilding and conflict resolution for 30 years. He supports educators, students, and communities in developing initiatives and student activities to promote peacebuilding awareness.

All students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend any of the sessions.

Hope to see you there!

SPC Earns the 2024 Highly Established Action Plan Seal

Civic Education, Featured

Proud to announce that St. Petersburg College has been awarded the 2024 Highly Established Action Plan Seal by @ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.

Our campus action plan has been recognized among the best in the country for building and fostering nonpartisan civic engagement!

We’re honored to be one of 93 institutions to receive the 2024 Highly Established Action Plan Seal from @AllInToVote for our work graduating the next generation of voters

This recognition is awarded to campuses with strong action plans exploring innovative strategies to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement on campus. 

See the full list of recipients: allin.vote/HEAP

This is a BIG year in democracy, we’re proud to be #AllInToVote!

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement.

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge works towards more engaged and inclusive democracy. Through institutional engagement, direct student engagement, and fostering a national higher education network, ALL IN strives for an electorate that mirrors our country’s makeup and in which college students are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls. W

They believe that a strong, vibrant, and more representative American democracy will result from the greater inclusion of informed college student voters.

For more information on the All IN Democracy Challenge: https://allinchallenge.org/challenge/

Be a Docent for the Florida Holocaust Museum

Civic Education, Service Learning, Volunteerism

The Florida Holocaust Museum is recruiting college students to join their upcoming docent training class starting on Monday, March 4, 2024.

Participants will become a part of The Florida Holocaust Museum’s team of volunteer docents that lead tours at our museum in St. Petersburg.

For college students, the only cost associated with this program would be a small payment towards a background check upon completion and graduation from the class. Docents can earn volunteer and community service hours.

The museum will work with student’s academic department so that they may earn internship credit for their training and experience as a docent during the semester.

They welcome any student that would like to learn more about Holocaust history and share the history with our community.

Here is information about the docent program and how to apply: https://www.thefhm.org/support/docent

Please reach out to Yara Lugo / Manager of Outreach Programs
ylugo@thefhm.org , 727-820-0100, ext. 272The Florida Holocaust Museum 
www.TheFHM.org if you have any questions.

Be an Election Worker Hero

Person filling out an election ballot next to a ballot box that says "vote" on the front in red and blue lettering.
Civic Education

The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office is hiring for the 2024 election season. Discover opportunities to provide a civic duty while earning extra cash.

Election day work is available throughout Pinellas County on the following dates:

  • March 19, 2024 – Presidential Preference Primary 
  • August 20, 2024 – Primary Election
  • November 5, 2024 – Presidential Election 

Pay for these one-day jobs begins at $210 per election and training classes for all positions are included. 

For more information, visit the Supervisor of Elections website. If you’d like to apply, submit your election worker application online.

Get SPC Vote Ready for 2024

A scattering of voter stickers.
Civic Education

Make sure you are SPC Vote Ready by putting these important 2024 election dates and deadlines on your calendar. Remember, your voice matters!

  • February 20: Registration & Party Designation Deadline
  • March 19: Presidential Primary
  • August 20: State Primary
  • November 5: General Election

To register to vote, check polling places, or change your party designation, visit www.vote411.org/florida.

Data from Tufts University’s National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) survey comparing voter registration and turnout among eligible SPC students in 2014 and 2018 show that the launch of the CCLCE and the adoption of community engagement as a formative and guiding foundational goal has contributed to a voter registration increase of 11.5%, from 34.1% to 45.6%.

SPC’s voter rate is significantly higher than the 2019 national average of 39.1%. The college’s voter registration efforts are 76% of the student population, and the voting rate of registered students is 60%.

SPC is working toward face-to-face and online learning strategies to increase voter registration, voter education, and voter turnout.

For information on how to engage students with the 2024 Election, please contact the Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement at CCLCE@spcollege.edu.

Volunteer at Localtopia 2024

Civic Education, Volunteerism

It’s that time of year again for St. Petersburg’s Annual Localtopia!

To volunteer, sign up at https://bit.ly/localtopiavolunteer2024

LOCALTOPIA is St. Pete’s largest “Community Celebration of All Things Local.” The 2024 festival will showcase over 300 of our city’s favorite independent businesses and community organizations. LOCALTOPIA is the ONLY event that ONLY features St. Pete-based businesses and non-profits! More than a festival, it’s a (local) vibe!

All the local goodness! In addition, Williams Park will be CLOSING: ~ 3rd STREET between 1st and 3rd Avenues + ~ 2nd AVENUE between 2nd and 4th Streets!

The event features:

  • MAKERS & MERCHANTS: Selling Art & Handcrafted Goods, Artisanal & Plant-Based Food & Beverages, Body/Self-Care, Books, Clothing & Accessories, Home Decor, Jewelry, Pet, Plants & Plant-Based Products, Vintage, Vinyl & Much More!
  • VILLAGES in Williams Park: Arts Village | Family Village | Health & Wellness Village | #AllThingsPlants Village
  • EAT, DRINK & PLAY LOCAL on the streets of St Pete:
  • 4th Street: Food Truck Rally Alley | 2nd Avenue (from 2nd to 4th Streets): More Food Trucks + Restaurants + Food & Drink Vendors + “Local Thirst Stations” Selling Local Beer in Cans & Canned Wine + DRAFT BEER CENTRAL: Local Breweries Pouring Their Own Brews + 2 Local Craft Draft Beer Trucks (corner of 3rd St & 2nd Ave)
  • 3RD STREET (from 1st to 3rd Avenues): Boutiques | Vendors on Wheels | More Artists & Artisans + Collectives | Gourmet Food | Home Decor | DJs | Literary Corner | Street Fun
  • LIVE LOCAL MUSIC on the Williams Park Bandstand
  • STREET PERFORMANCES + ENGAGING ACTIVITIES for All Ages, Free Demos & Crafts, Live Screen Printing, and More Surprises!

LOCALTOPIA is organized by Keep Saint Petersburg Local (KSPL), a non-profit organization working to build a thriving local economy and a unique community. KSPL does this by nurturing connections for and acting as the voice of locally-owned, independent businesses and by raising awareness of the importance of buying local.

KSPL was founded on November 19, 2011, and was officially launched on January 31, 2012. The first LOCALTOPIA took place on February 1, 2014. LOCALTOPIA is also KSPL’s annual anniversary celebration. Learn more about KSPL and the Alliance’s members HERE.

Celebrate Journeys in Journalism @Studio 620

Civic Education

The PCSB Journeys in Journalism is a magnet program for Melrose Elementary, John Hopkins Middle School and Lakewood HighSchool. The program focuses on learning by leveraging the tools of journalism to tell the story of our community through the eyes of our local students, many of whom live and go to school in marginalized areas.

You can learn more about the program at journeysinjournalism.org.

SPC Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement serves on the Journeys in Journalism Board. Melrose Elementary sits in the Midtown Center’s backyard and all three schools are considered feeder schools to SPC and part of SPC’s educational ecosystem.

SPC’s support is in direct response to trying to make pathways to success for these and all Pinellas County students.

Please join us for the Journeys in Journalism annual exhibit and opening reception from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, January 12th, at Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S.

At 7 p.m., JIJ’s new coordinator Kenya Woodard will lead a brief program. She’ll share the background and goals of the program, talk about the scholarship programs that donations support, and introduce a panel discussion where The Poynter Institute’s Alex Mahadevan will interview a student from each school about their journalism.

The exhibit is the primary fundraiser for scholarships for graduating seniors — the Cynda Mort scholarships, which help cover tuition for honorees, and the Peggy Peterman scholarships, which defray the cost of books. Donate now to show your support.

The second day of the exhibit is part of the St. Petersburg Art Walk on Saturday, January 13th.

For more information about the event please contact Dr. Tara Newsom at newsom.tara@spcollege.edu.

Jazz & Politics: Harmony & Discourse

Civic Education

Join the Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement as we support the ArtsXchange concert series “Jazz & Politics: Harmon & Discourse” on Friday, November 3, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The ArtsXchange is located at 515 22nd Street South in St. Petersburg.

The event will include a performance with the “Instrument of Hope” and a roundtable about gun violence prevention. The Instrument of Hope is a trumpet built from parts of bullet casing in response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL. It has since traveled around the U.S. to promote healing and conversation about gun violence prevention. Composer and Arranger Kim Scharnberg has compiled testimonies from former students and survivors and will lead the roundtable discussion.

The concert will feature some of Tampa Bay’s best musicians assembled by the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association. Its roots can be traced back to the 1980s and to the joint efforts of Al Downing and the late Ernie Calhoun, renowned saxophonist and humanitarian from Tampa, Florida.

Ticket pricing options include General Admission tickets priced at $15 and discounted tickets for WADA and Al Downing members at $10. Become a member to qualify for discounted tickets. The event schedule is as follows:

  • 6:30-7:30 p.m.: A roundtable discussion on gun violence prevention featuring community leaders, artists, and survivors at Seven C Music on the ArtsXchange campus.
  • 7:30-9:00 p.m.: Concert presented by Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association, featuring the “Instrument of Hope” at the ArtsXchange Outdoor Theater. 

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, dialogue, and community engagement. For more information, please contact Tara Newsom at newsom.tara@spcollege.edu.

SPC City Hall Scholars

Civic Education, Featured

St. Petersburg City Hall welcomed SPC students from the Downtown and Midtown Centers this week to learn about the various departments in local government.

After a tour of City Hall, students sat down in City Council Chambers to have a conversation with St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch. Affordable housing, climate change, economic development, and equity were all on the table for discussion!

Students then joined city government professionals for a career panel to explore the various pathways to serving others through employment with the city.

To learn more about local civic opportunities, please contact the Center for Civic Learning and Community Engagement at cclce@spcollege.edu or Professor Tara Newsom at newsom.tara@spcollege.edu.