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Hudson Teacher Gets To Fly Like An Astronaut

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2008

HUDSON - Mary Epperson was one of those kids who grew up in the 1960s, watching Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts blast into space and splash down in the ocean.

Now the Hudson Middle School teacher, whose subjects are technology and intensive reading, is about to embark on a pseudo-space mission of her own.

On Dec. 7, Epperson will be part of a group of 62 educators and students participating in the Space Florida Microgravity Program. They will experience weightlessness and perform zero-gravity experiments while flying aboard a specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft that will perform a series of parabolic arcs.

It's the same kind of training astronauts do to experience weightlessness before they go into space.

"You get a flight suit," Epperson, 54, said. "I'm real excited about that."

The microgravity flights are offered to educators and students through a partnership between Space Florida, a state agency that promotes space flight, and Zero Gravity Corp., a space entertainment and tourism company.

Ronnie Blair

Opry Has Holiday Concert

Brandon native Stephanie Ann will perform selections from her fourth and latest CD as part of her Dec. 6 performance at the Florida Opry's Country Christmas concert.

The family-friendly concert begins at 7 p.m. at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center, 605 N. Collins St., Plant City.

Performing with Stephanie Ann will be her 5-year-old son, Wesley, who has received standing ovations for his efforts on the violin. As principal of The Stephanie Ann Conservancy of Violin in Brandon, her motto is "to inspire confidence, discipline, and a sound mind and spirit through music."

Other scheduled performers include Tina Dallman, Kim Murray and Royal Family City.

Admission is $12 at the door. Reserved seats are available for $15 by calling Randy Dallman at (813) 659-1849.

George Wilkens

Community Merger On Hold

WESTCHASE - Leaders here recently decided to slow their push for a single community development district and take some cues from another neighborhood.

The district's attorney, Erin Larrinaga, suggested to supervisors at the meeting that Westchase should watch the ongoing merger of the Seven Oaks community in Pasco County.

Larrinaga said watching Seven Oaks leaders wrangle the state system to complete the process could save Westchase time and money. The Seven Oaks development is in the sufficiency review process with the state, proving its viability as one district.

Westchase is run by two separate taxing districts. Combining into one district would cut costs and streamline government procedures. The process isn't expected to be completed until about November 2010.

Michele Sager

Brandon High Plans Concert

BRANDON - More than 100 members of the Brandon High School Symphony Orchestra and two baroque orchestras, made up of members of the Brandon String Orchestra, will present a concert at 7:45 p.m. Dec. 9 in the school auditorium.

Brandon High School has had an orchestra program for more than 40 years, one of the oldest in Florida. It has been awarded superior ratings at four of the past five State Music Performance Assessments, an achievement reached by fewer than a dozen high school orchestras.

Conductor Donald Langland said the program has earned "nothing less than straight superiors and overall champion in the past six years of national competition in New York, San Francisco and Chicago."

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 the night of the performance. For tickets or information, e-mail Donald.Langland @sdhc.k12.fl.us or call (813) 744-8120, ext. 275.

Barbara Routen

National Nod For Local Advocate

TAMPA - Bobbi Davis, resource development manager of the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, has been named a 2008-09 Afterschool Ambassador by the Afterschool Alliance.

Davis is one of 18 leaders selected from 15 states.

The alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children have access to quality afterschool programs.

Each ambassador will continue directing or supporting a local after-school program while serving a one-year term organizing public events, working with policymakers and building support for after-school programs.

Davis joined the children's board in 2005 after more than 20 years with the YMCA.

Lenora Lake

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