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Best Student Rally
     Left, left, left, right, left, sound off—Vote! That’s exactly what the Student Government at Florida State University, along with Florida A&M and Tallahassee Community College, did in October 2000. Showing their power, more than 600 students gathered at the Civic Center then flooded the streets of Tallahassee up to the steps of City Hall. Along with FSU’s SG, the Tallahassee NAACP partnered the rally, which also included support from state Rep. Kendrick Meeks. "This non-partisan demonstration of students kicked off the voting on ‘Wake-Up Wednesday,’" says Brett Cook, FSU student body president. FSU’s SG also hosted a voter registration drive at the Capitol within in the "Election 2000" festivities. "With the state of Florida coming down to such a close call, the 650 students that voted had a major impact."
Contact Cook at SGAPRES@admin.fsu.edu or 850-644-2057

Best Mock Mardi Gras
     It’s more than beads and parades for University of Miami’s annual Spring Break kick-off, "Carni Gras." The one-day event held every March in the University Center Patio, includes tarot card readers, tattoo artists, and vendors from New Orleans. "We typically get 1,000 or so students, faculty, and staff throughout the day," says Renee Callan director of student activities. Carni Gras includes pie-throwing contests, kissing booths, and a paper plane throwing competition. "It's great. We get popcorn, cotton candy, and a T-shirt if you go to all the stations and play all the games," Cristina Sobrado, an UM student. "It's especially cool if you're a student with no money because all the stuff's free."
     Sponsored by Hurricane Productions and BACCHUS, Carni Cras 2000 showcased delicious food of different cultures and was a part of the BACCUS Safe Spring Break 2000 effort. The BACCHUS booth supplied goggles that simulated "drunk vision" for students to experience the effects of becoming intoxicated.
Contact rcallan@miami.edu or 305-284-6399

Best Honors Program
     Instead of picturing the classic college 500-person lecture hall setting, think of having only 15 others in class with you. That is exactly why Sandra Siller attends the new Honors College of Florida Atlantic University. "I didn’t want to go to a school and be number 44,591 out of 55,000 students," Siller says. "Our classes our smaller and the student-teacher ratio is excellent." Size isn’t the only thing that matters. The Honors College is different from the standard university in that none of the classes are taught by TA’s and all of the professors have a Ph.D. in the area they teach, Siller says. "The curriculum is more challenging and is centered around interdisciplinary study rather than the one at the main campus of FAU."
     The Honors College opened in fall 1999 and now has 150 students. "I have the chance to be in the first graduating class of something completely new," Siller says.
Call 1-800-920-8705 or visit www.honorscollege.edu.
     Students at New College at the University of South Florida are masters of their own domains, so to speak. These scholars develop their own curriculum and work closely with professors to achieve their academic goals. At a school that prides itself on independence, free-thought, and creativity, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that success isn’t measured by traditional standards. Instructors on this Sarasota campus don’t give out grades. Collegians receive an evaluation that attests to their comprehension of the material. Andrew Hossack, president of the New College Student Alliance, chose New College because of the one-on-one tutorials and the school’s relationship with USF, which means lower tuition because it’s a public institution. "It has a unique approach, which allows students to have complete control over their studies. Plus, with only 600 students it’s more personal. The student to teacher ratio is 11-to-1." New College the only Florida college or university to be included in the Barron’s Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges.
Contact Hossack at 941-359-4267 or visit www.newcollege.usf.edu

Best Community Aid
     These farmers are plowing for a good cause. Cultivators involved in the organization Farm Share, along with Phi Theta Kappa, Student Government, and many athletic teams at Manatee Community College, donated and distributed crops to impoverished families in Manatee County. Last April, the non-profit organization donated a "18-wheeler full of vegetables, including potatoes, eggplants, and squash," says Tim Hill, MCC’s student activities coordinator. "Farm Share brings the food and the students at MCC handed it out." The day of donations was publicized to churches, food banks, and migrant camps, who were all invited to MCC’s parking lot to get free and healthy vegetables.
Contact Hill at 941-752-5607

Best Recycling Effort
     Get into the "habit" of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Sister Margaret Mary McGill is Barry University’s first Recycling Coordinator, who recycled more than 63 tons of paper and cardboard. Along with one student assistant and help from RA’s in the dorms, the "recycling nun" helped save more than 1,000 trees and $4,000 in waste fees. "Our aim is to eliminate as much of our debris that goes to the landfill. We start in the residence halls," she says. Some of the items recycled include fluorescent light bulbs, used computers, and used toner cartridges. Over the next year, the Sister hopes to increase recycling by 15 percent. The Miami Shores Community also helps in the crusade by picking up what she and her assistants collect. "If I had a nickel for every bottle— I could pay off the national debt," she says.
Contact Sister Margaret Mary at 305-899-4092 or at mmcgill@mail.barry.edu

Best Band
     Florida Memorial College’s Steel Band took top honors last October 2000 in the "World Steel Band Festival" held in Port of Spain, Trinidad in the West Indies—the first time in history that a non-Trinidadian band won. FMC tied with a Trinidadian group and will divide the $5,000 prize, according to Retha Boone, public relations director.
     "We plan to use the prize money to make a recording, since the winning numbers were original material," says Dr. Dawn K. Batson, director.
     The FMC Steel Band placed first in the "Ensemble" category (for 15 members or fewer). In addition, students Elthron Anderson and Astar Bishop placed second in duets, and Kenrick Nowel won third place as a soloist.
Contact Naima Perry, assistant director of the performing arts program, at (305) 626-3128.

Best Take Cover Campus
     At Florida Atlantic University, students might occasionally snap to attention or hear "Clear the Runway" on the way to class. The Boca Raton campus, originally an air force base, includes original barracks that were renovated into offices as well as living facilities when FAU opened in 1961. "My dorm room is where soldiers used to sleep. You can tell it is a barrack because the walls are really strong," says Walter Fritz, an FAU freshman.
     Marching along the sidewalk, students notice they seem to be long straight aways, which are actually remnants of runways. "The Breezway", where the runways meet, is the long corridor that runs from the cafeteria to the other side of campus. "It’s where all the frats and groups advertise their events."
Contact Public Relations Assistant Director Doug Applebaugh at (561) 297-3020.

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