Lealman Voice Edition 29
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Credit: Leo Gomez Studios
Hello there.
Welcome to the Lealman Voice, your bi-weekly beacon of community news and updates! Packed with stories that resonate with the heart of our vibrant neighborhood, this newsletter is your go-to source for staying connected and informed about all things Lealman.
From local events and initiatives to profiles of remarkable individuals shaping our community, we aim to capture the essence of Lealman and celebrate the voices that make it unique. Join us on this journey as we amplify the voices and stories that define the spirit of our beloved neighborhood.
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Nonprofit empowers children through ‘Classroom Grandparent’ program
An area nonprofit is leveraging the skills and knowledge of seniors to create intergenerational learning in classrooms.
Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing solutions to community challenges by engaging volunteers aged 55 and older. Since its inception in 1984, the nonprofit has provided more than five million hours of community assistance, much of it coming from its sizable Classroom Grandparent program.
The Classroom Grandparent program puts seniors to work in elementary schools throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, where volunteers mentor students and help teachers manage the day-to-day work of running their classrooms.
“My background is in social work, so I’ve always been working with people, but my passion is trying to get kids prepared for the next grade and really get them prepared for life,” said Barbara Burnett, a Seniors in Service volunteer who currently helps out in a second grade classroom at Bear Creek Elementary. “I want to see them grow and excel, to be the best they can be.”
“If we are reading or doing something like cutting stuff out, making stuff, she comes around and helps us,” said Arquise Johnson, a second-grader at Bear Creek. “She takes her time out to help us because she wants to help us get into the third grade.”
“She also gets us from P.E. or music, and gives us hand sanitizer,” added classmate Ziya Cooley.
It’s clear the students love working with “Grandma B,” as 81-year-old Burnett is affectionately nicknamed. The St. Petersburg resident spends more than 60 hours each month volunteering, working with children and mentoring students.
Tuesdays & Thursdays at the Lealman Exchange
YMCA Senior Exercise: Tu/Th 9 a.m.
YMCA Total Parkinson's Exercise: Tu/Th 10-11 a.m.
Family Night Open Gym
April 1st 6 PM
April 3rd 6:30 PM
Lealman Community Association Meeting
April 2nd & 4th 6 PM
Tampa Bay Rays Night Cardio Drumming
April 9th & 11th 6 PM
Cardio Drumming Glow Nights
April 8th - 19th
April 14th 10 AM
AARP Shred Event & Fraud Forum
April 17th 6 PM
April 23rd 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
CES Kindergarten Round Up
April 25th 6 PM
Vacancies announced on Lealman CRA Advisory Committee
Applications are being accepted for two appointments to the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). These appointments are for three-year terms, beginning on the date of appointment.
The Lealman CRA Advisory Committee was established to advise the Pinellas County Community Redevelopment Agency on the creation and administration of the Lealman CRA redevelopment plan and any amendments thereto, and on issues and policies impacting the Lealman CRA.
The committee has nine members, who are appointed by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Applicants must be residents, business owners and/or property owners or other stakeholders from within the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area. A boundary map of the area can be found at pinellas.gov/lealman-cra-boundary-area-map. The bylaws of the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee are available at: pinellas.gov/by-laws-of-the-lealman-community-redevelopment-area-advisory-committee. The committee meets six times per year, on the fourth Wednesday of every other month. However, meeting dates may be canceled or adjusted as needed.
Applications are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, April. 12, 2024. The application can be found at www.pinellas.gov/boards.
Please note: All materials submitted to Pinellas County government are subject to the public records law of the state of Florida.
Teen summer employment program targets new demographic
A summer employment program that pairs teens with paid job opportunities is now accepting applications, and the program administrators hope to reach a new audience.
CareerSource Pinellas, Pinellas County’s workforce development agency, recently opened registration for its annual Summer P.A.Y.S. (Preparing Area Youth for Success) program. The initiative, open to teens and young adults aged 14 to 19, partners with local employers to give students hands-on work experience in high-demand industries. In addition to paid jobs, students attend workshops to develop the skills they need to be successful employees and build future careers.
Jason Druding, Director of Business Services at CareerSource Pinellas, said this year they’re focusing on youth who receive free and reduced lunch or are eligible for income-based support programs, like TANF or SNAP benefits from the Department of Children and Families.
“We’re identifying areas that have a greater need for employment opportunities where otherwise they wouldn’t necessarily be available to them,” Druding said. “Through those experiences, we work to identify the interests and needs of the student, as well as try and match them with employers that can align to those resources.”
Steven Meier, CEO of CareerSource Pinellas, said 176 young people participated in the program in 2023, and they hope to reach about the same number again this year. CareerSource Pinellas is funded entirely by federal grants, so Meier said the number of student jobs they can support is funding-dependent.
Local businesses and organizations such as St. Pete Youth Farm, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast partner with CareerSource to connect students with either part-time or full-time jobs where they earn $15 per hour. To take part in the program, employers must be located in Pinellas County, be willing to participate in an on-site visit and complete a worksite agreement with CareerSource Pinellas to have students placed at their business. Employers from the public, private and nonprofit sectors can apply.
Pinellas County Schools Summer Camps
Parents planning summer enrichment programs can apply for free camps through Pinellas County Schools.
The upcoming summer camp program will offer a diverse range of engaging activities and learning opportunities for students. Some of the camp options include:
Creative Arts Camps
- Music camp
- Art camp
- Mural painting
STEM Camps
- Science camp
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) camp
- 3D printing camp
Personal Care Camps
- Dog grooming
- Hair braiding
- Nail care (as part of the cosmetology program)
Emerging Technology Camp
- Artificial intelligence camp, offered in partnership with the University of Florida
The camp structure allows students to sign up for and participate in multiple camps, enabling them to explore various interests and develop a well-rounded set of skills over the summer. Most camps take place during July. To Apply, visit the link below. Parents will be notified of acceptance.
𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽
𝗠𝗼𝗻, 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟱, 𝟲-𝟴𝗽𝗺
Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33714
The Pinellas County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) is a detailed plan that assesses various types of hazards & evaluates the risks communities face from both natural & manmade disasters & helps numerous jurisdictions manage projects that aim to reduce or even prevent the loss of life & property. LMS acts as the county’s floodplain management plan.
FEMA requires Pinellas County to update the entire plan every five years. We need your help to keep this plan relevant by addressing the evolving risks that may bring home to our communities.
This public workshop will provide information on hazards we face & seek citizen input on updating the county’s plan to address them. No registration is required.
Growth at Habitat for Humanity ‘a direct correlation to the people we hire’
Via Tampa Bay Times
On a recent February morning, a small crowd of employees, volunteers and sponsors gathered around a newly completed Lealman home to present the keys to its new owners. At the end of the dedication, the crowd stretched their arms to touch the freshly painted stucco and pray over the family’s future.
To many employees of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco counties, this is the most special part of the process — when a house is completed and a client becomes a homeowner.
For Lupe Jimenez, the feeling is familiar. Jimenez bought his home through Habitat about a decade ago. Today, he is a senior field superintendent for the organization, overseeing 28 build sites in two counties.
“It’s become so much fun, when a homeowner would come and I’d explain how it feels …” he said. “It’s the best place I’ve ever been in my life.”
At the local affiliate of the international nonprofit, eligible applicants can purchase a home with a zero-interest loan. In exchange, they contribute hundreds of hours to the building, a process that takes about a year.
“I wanted to be in the house pretty much every day,” said Jimenez, who was quickly drawn into the technical world of construction. About four years after moving into his home with his wife and children, he returned to the organization as a volunteer. Four months later, he was an employee.
Several Habitat employees said they were drawn by the hope and smiles they see working with clients fulfilling dreams of homeownership. The work is fast-paced and challenging, said Camila Gonzãlez, vice president of mortgage services, but its focus on helping families is rewarding.
Gonzãlez came to Habitat after volunteering at a build site in 2014, then participating in a Global Village trip, where she spent a week working on homes in Malawi.
“I knew that this was my calling, just from that trip,” she said. “Locally you can see (the impact); it’s more tangible. Internationally, it’s the impact you can sometimes be blind to.”
Lealmanite
Stephanie Smith
How many years have you lived in Lealman?
I am new to the area, so I'm excited to establish roots in Lealman and get involved with the community.
What organizations are you involved in?
I have really enjoyed seeing how Habitat for Humanity enriches each community it works in and being a small part of that this last year. I am looking forward to getting to know my neighbors and my community. I am excited to help this area grow!
What gets you out of bed every day?
Right now, knowing that I have achieved a long time goal of having a forever home. Habitat for Humanity has helped me to realize that anything is possible. I cannot wait to see what I can accomplish next.
What is one thing you’ve seen change for the better in Lealman in the last few years?
Habitat is helping to change Lealman for the better. They are building homes every year in this area advocating for more affordable housing and creating a more robust community that feels the support of local businesses and municipalities.
What’s next for you?
Discovering this evolving community that has welcomed my family. I will be taking our time moving into our Forever home, reflecting on each step this past year with Habitat for Humanity, along with everyone who has supported us along the way. I am looking forward to taking some time to go camping at Ft De Soto and relax.
Career Corner
Park Ranger
Do you enjoy working outdoors? Come and work in one of Pinellas County parks throughout the County as a Park Ranger providing a safe, clean and enjoyable experience for patrons who use Pinellas County Parks Conservation Resources (PCR) facilities.
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