Education

Annual Banned Books Week from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 was celebrated at UF in the Plaza of the Americas on Thursday. Students read literature aloud from different authors who's work has been challenged in public schools. The goal for Banned Books Week is to celebrate the liberty to read.

Alachua County's Farm to School to Work program, a place for disabled students to work in gardening and farming, expanded to a new location this Fall. This gives the students more space to grow and process healthy foods to distribute to local schools.

This semester's Career Showcase hosted 378 businesses and organizations, the largest number since 2008, and in each fall semester there has been a 10 percent increase in student turnout since then.

A controversial photo taken by the UF chapter of the Chi Omega sorority makes rounds on campus, sparking debate and discussion of racial stereotypes. The four women pictured in the photo wore T-shirts with "Trap Queen" written on them.

UF international studies senior Gillian Shaw spent her summer in the North African country of Morocco, a trip she said was to gain experience in Arabic, Spanish and French. Shaw shares the story of her linguistic journey and her experience traveling abroad, which included having to eat American fast-food restaurant McDonald's more than she expected.

University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries was recently awarded a $288,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The grant allows Smathers to digitize 110,000 pages of six Floridian and Puerto Rican newspapers.

Students participating in a tutoring program at Inverness Middle School will get more than a grade boost. United Way of Citrus County’s Homework Diner program will give select students free math tutoring after school. The program also offers a complimentary dinner and a ride home via school bus if needed. The program, which is expected …

The Alachua County Library District recently won the Innovation of the Year award for its Sensory Storytime program. The program is designed for pre-school children with autism and other sensory integration needs.

The University of Florida purchased the Gulf Side Motel in Cedar Key and is transforming it into a biology research center. Students will have a chance to take courses in the heart of a recreational tourism and shellfish aquaculture area.

Seven students from Buchholz High School flew to Boston last weekend to compete against nearly 300 students from all over the U.S. and Canada. Buchholz's math team has won multiple state and national Mu Alpha Theta championships.