Author: ANITA MATTIA

Allison Lankow, the Special Projects Coordinator for the Port St. Lucie Public Works Department did a presentation for Southport’s 6th graders on litter prevention and recycling. The students actively participated in the presentation to better understand how being involved in litter prevention and recycling makes their community a better place for both humans and animals alike.

Parents, Students, Staff, and Artists gathered for the Southport Middle School Spring Art Show at the Vista Grille on Tuesday May 27th. The show featured the current semester’s Adobe Photoshop digital art work including St. Lucie County Fair photography, personal Color “Interest” Boards, and unique Typography. Sixth grader Christian Oravec and his family are pictured.

“The Right to Vote” was this year’s theme for The Friends of the Rupert J. Law Library’s Annual Law Day Celebration student art and essay contest. Southport’s Graciela Pardo, 3rd place Middle School winner, is pictured with Southport’s art teacher Katherine Avra.  Grace’s work featured an abstract American Flag with this year’s theme showcased in the foreground.

Parents and students in the After School Language Learning Lab are delighted to spend their time in the Media Center learning English, Spanish, and French using the Rosetta Stone computer program. What began as a Title III program specifically for English language learners has caught on with other students who are now learning Spanish and French. Pictured in the photo from top left include Althea Charles, Angel Lima, Emmanuela Tranquille, Milena Alvarez, and Alexandra Chisholm. On the bottom starting furthest back are: Milena Alvarez, Laureanna Arrabe, Leanne Arrabe, Lianys Betancourt, Rachel Zhou, Axel Rueda, Ignacio Lopez, and Jhony Phy Kyaw.  … Read More

Southport Young Author finalists and their families celebrated their hard work with a get-together in the Media Center. Guest author, Jessica Warren, came by to talk about her book Prime Time Kid, and inspired Southport’s top writers with her advice on the writing process. The top winners, announced during the celebration, will go on to district competition on May 9th, and include Porcelain Beauty by Anastacia Kastis, I Think I Love You by Alina Fuentes,  and Operation Ransom by Jason Thomaselli. Good Luck Southport Students!!  Thank you to all the participants and their families who came out to support Southport’s … Read More

Members of the Southport Middle School Brick Squad Step Team have enjoyed entertaining crowds since the group was formed in November, 2013. Under the leadership of Adrianne Mendoza, these students stepped and marched in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in January. They will be performing an FCAT Turn Up routine that will be broadcast on the school’s morning news show to pump students up for the upcoming tests, and will be the half-time entertainment at an upcoming basketball game. Pictured is the squad ready to perform!

Southport Middle School students, their siblings and parents have the opportunity to receive a lifetime boating license at the school. The basic aspects and skills of boating, including boat handling, fire safety, rules of the water, radio use, water rescue and much more are being taught by a licensed captain in the school’s media center. Those who pass the exam will receive a Florida lifetime boating license which is required to operate a boat in Florida waters. The course is free and lasts for eight weeks. Pictured, from left, are Jamil Abram, Captain Dana Kaiser, Summer Muscanera, Brandon Wayne, John Shaw and … Read More

This year, students in grades 5-8 at Southport Middle School were challenged to imagine themselves living during the American Revolution for the D.A.R. (Daughters of the American Revolution) essay contest. How would they feel? What would they do? How would their lives be different during the time of war instead of a time of peace? After months of waiting, the winners of the sixth grade have been announced and are members of the school’s Marlins team. Pictured, from left, are Kassidy Allen, third place; Maya Cook, second place; and Shania Delano, first place. Congratulations to the students for their achievements … Read More

The Southport Middle School faculty, staff and students recently hosted a mini-art show at a local business partner restaurant. The faculty and families came to enjoy the beautiful works of art from the school’s talented students. The presentation highlighted students’ art work from the first semester art classes. It was also a delightful opportunity for the community to come out and enjoy the wonderful works of art created by Southport students in Katherine Avra’s sixth through eighth grade classes. Pictured are Ms. Avra, left, and student Graciela Pard.

The Performing Arts Department of Southport Middle School recently presented four shows of the Broadway Junior musical, Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland, Jr.” Adapted from Lewis Carroll’s “The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland,” and “Through the Looking Glass,” the story follows Alice as she journeys through the White Rabbit’s hole into a fantasy dream world with many unique characters and exciting adventures. With stunning costumes, beautiful artwork, props, songs, dances, and “Mad-hatter” action, the cast and crew of 89 students rehearsed for weeks to prepare. Many thanks to the volunteer crew of administrators, teachers, parents and high school students from Lincoln Park Academy and … Read More

Southport Middle School seventh graders participated in a carousel activity to develop context for Mildred D. Taylor’s novel “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.” Students were assigned research topics and worked in groups to design posters on economic and social issues of the 1930s. The students then used the posters to teach their classmates about their research topic. By the end of the activity, all students were equipped with background knowledge the 1930s and prepared for a deep understanding of the issues faced by the Logan family and other characters in the novel. Pictured are Jelisea McIntyre, from left, Stephanie … Read More

Students at Southport Middle School are joining forces to combine the study of art and history. Eighth grade students rolled out clay slabs, and sixth grade students are working on Mesopotamian red clay table. Pictured are students in Linda Doyle’s class, who joined seventh grade students in making hand-built and press-mold clay bowls using coils, spirals, and spheres of clay. Students are working on the red clay tablets with Phoenician coded messages in collaboration with the social studies department. Pictured, from left, are Jakahl Hurst, Ms. Doyle, Jayde Davidson, Kaylin Beverly, Katherine Avra and Skylar Willoughby.

Members of the faculty and staff at Southport Middle School regularly meet with students to mentor and support the students in their academic and extra-curricular goals and activities. Pictured, student Charnesia Willis, left, and teacher Mary Kurtz-Seiden enjoy morning tea time together as they discuss active reading strategies and various literature.

Members of the Southport Middle School National Junior Honor Society sponsored an annual food drive to collect non-perishable food items for the school’s food pantry. Students were asked to donate an item in exchange for a dress code pass for the day. Due to the enormous response, school staff was able to fill the pantry, which is available anytime for Southport families in need. Pictured, front row, is Hannah Spurr. Standing, from left, are Myrria Roux, Megan Edmunds, Alaura McGonnell, Anastacia Kastis, Fabiola Barco-Garcia, Quinn Tucker, Ryan Downing, Eden Varney, Jade Greco, Brianna Wayne, and Gabrielle White.

Southport Middle School’s recent literacy event was well attended by teachers, parents, and students, including approximately 60 parents and student attendees. In addition to the Scholastic Book Fair, there were eight other wonderful activities for students and parents to participate in, as well as cookie decorating, pizza, popcorn, snow cones, and candy sales. Pictured are sixth grade literacy teachers Andrea Levin, left, and Larry Haynes displaying a fun style of learning called “Reading Rocks.”  Southport seventh grade literacy teacher Jim Saunders created the game to engage students by promoting reading with a fun activity! The event brings families, students, faculty and staff together … Read More

Seventh grade students in Dielma Eusebio’s class at Southport Middle School are reading the novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, which is set during the 1960s. Students connect with the characters and the era by dressing up as “greasers,” kids who encountered many challenges in their everyday life due to economic and social pressure. Students learn how appearance played a major role in the lives of these students. Pictured, from left, are Anahi Ortega, Sharron Dudash, Brandon Anderson, Johaan Feliciano-Alvarez, Logan Binkley and Blanca Compton.

The WSPM Channel 2 Morning News crew at Southport Middle School brings fun and breaking news to students and staff every school day morning at 9:45. This fun and informative start to the day has students, faculty and staff involved in what is going on around their campus. News features included are “What’s for Lunch,” “What ‘Cha Reading Wednesdays,” current events, weather, the day’s planned events and much more! Southport Middle School media specialist Angela Mas works with the students to create, write and edit television programming material using real life technology. Pictured, from left, are front row, Brendan Gonzalez, … Read More

Southport Middle School held an Algebra and Geometry Parent Night on September 24th.  Math teachers, Adrian Mendoza, Jenna Woods, Principal Lydia Martin, and Math Coach Kathleen Manchester helped students solve their math problem during the “Amazing Math Race”. The parents and students were given important information and resources regarding the honors classes their students are taking. The students then participated in an “Amazing Math Race” contest! The students were given problems that went along with their course and when answered correctly received a clue that would take them around the school to get their next problem. It was so much … Read More

Katherine Avra’s art classes kicked off the year exploring the ELEMENT OF LINE.  All classes started out by learning about line, utilitarian art, and Florida license plate designs. Students created their own personalized license plates with colored pencil.  6th graders learned about Notans, a Japanese term for the harmony of light and dark. We discovered the connections between positive shape, negative space and symmetry. Our theme was sea life; students drew 6 sea life examples, carefully cut them out on black paper and flipped them outward to show symmetry and reveal the positive and negative harmonies. The work was mounted on … Read More