For the second year in a row, a faculty member at Riverview High has been named Sarasota County Teacher of the Year. Es Swihart, who teaches English at the school, was chosen from among three other finalists. “Teaching is about helping students who are struggling to find out who they are and helping them find a space to be themselves,” Swihart said at a special event Wednesday. “It’s our job to help them grow.”

The other finalists for the award included Bethany Burnett, a fifth-grade teacher at Venice Elementary, and Allison Cohen, a math teacher at Booker Middle. Swihart received the honor at the Ignite Education awards ceremony produced by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and held at at The Westin Sarasota. The event was also attended by 37 other educators named as Teacher of the Year for the public schools in the district where they teach.

“Each year, this is an opportunity we use as a platform for Teacher of the Year, but also to honor all teachers, who have chosen what we consider to be the most noble profession in the land,” says Jennifer Vigne, president of the Education Foundation.

Swihart, who has taught for 11 years total including five in Sarasota County, will now represent the district at the state Teacher of the Year competition.

The ceremony also honored James Tollerton, the first president of the Board of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, with the Alumni of Distinction Award. “I had great teachers here in Sarasota County who made a difference in my life,” said Tollerson, who works in insurance and continues to serve on a number of community boards.

And this year, the Ignite Education award, given to a campus Teacher of the Year winner who used innovation the classroom, went to Robbie Wolf, who teaches plumbing technology and apprenticeship at Suncoast Technical College. Wolf is also the owner of Cy Blue Plumbing. “Being a leader is not about standing on a pedestal barking orders, but being in the trenches and leading by example,” Wolf said. 

Es Swihart

Editor’s Note: This is part 50 of an ongoing series documenting the flights of active-duty US Navy Pilot Ryan Rankin on his journey to fly 52 planes in 52 weeks through the year 2017.

When Rankin began this journey almost a year ago, there was one particular plane that he had in mind and was looking forward to—the P-51 Mustang. Arguably the most famous and most celebrated of the Allied World War II warbirds, the Mustang was built during the war as an “immediate response to an immediate need,” according to Cliff Atkins, the pilot who took Rankin up on the momentous flight. And despite being designed with a pencil and paper and made by hand, the Mustang ensured Allied superiority over the German Luftwaffe and its pilots claimed nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft downed.

“It’s almost like when you walk up to someone important of famous,” says Rankin, of the experience. “You want to respect the airplane and put your best foot forward.” He remembers having his own toy Mustang as a child, just as his son does now. But though almost “starstruck,” it’s still, on some level, just a plane. And Rankin knows planes.

Flying out of Pensacola International Airport with Atkins, the opportunity to fly such a rare bird comes from the Collings Foundation, an organization dedicated to historic preservation and outreach, including but not limited to aircraft. Each year, the Foundation brings various WWII-era aircraft across the country as part of its Wings of Freedom campaign to raise awareness and sell rides (to support further outreach). In Rankin’s case, Collings is in the dream-making business.

To be fair, the Mustang is not technically a P-51, but a TF-51. They are essentially identical machines, except the TF-51 sports two seats, each with flight controls and avionics. Otherwise, Rankin would merely be a passenger.

Now, the scariest thing about meeting one’s heroes is the danger of being let down—that an awesome musician or actor or Nobel Peace Prize Winner just might not be an awesome person as well. In Rankin’s case, the Mustang was everything he hoped for. With the exception of some highfalutin, high-tech modern autopilots, he’s never experienced a smoother or more hands-off aircraft. “You trim it up and it goes in a straight line,” he says. It’s almost a given that prop planes are going to shudder and shake to some degree, but the Mustang doesn’t even do that. “It’s just a clean, smooth airplane,” says Rankin. “Coupled with how old it is and how quickly it was developed, it’s striking how smooth it actually is.”

Taking to the skies with Atkins, Rankin spends a little bit longer than usual, about 40 minutes, enjoying the flight. They get into the aerobatics, including an eight-point aileron roll from Atkins. A regular aileron roll roughly consists of “throwing” the stick to the side and rolling in the sky. And eight-point roll requires the pilot to roll the plane in eight separate movements, pausing at intervals in the roll. It’s a bit trickier, but a common airshow maneuver.

The only drawback—maybe—is the gas mileage. The Mustang is a guzzler. With a Rolls Royce Merlin engine powering the whole affair, the plane goes through about a gallon a minute, with fuel costing roughly $5 a gallon. But that’s hardly a negative, according to Rankin. “It’s an incredible aircraft and there’s no other way to put it,” he says. “And if you can afford a Mustang—millions of dollars—then you can afford the gas.

For more about the flight in Rankin's own words and a video of the flight, follow the link below. 

Pictured: Ryan Rankin in a TF-51 Mustang. Photo courtesy of Ryan Rankin.

Ryan Flies

After a fantastic and memorable Italian meal at 15 South Ristorante, cure your sweet tooth with one of their homemade dessert options. Constantly rotating different selections, a must-try is their Tiramisu. Made in house, their chef uses an authentic recipe he learned from his families pastry shop back in Italy. This decadent dessert has espresso-dipped lady fingers with delicate layers of eggs, sugar and Mascarpone cheese and a finishing flavor of Cocoa. Topped with a chocolate drizzle, the taste is light yet bold and is the perfect way to end your night. Pair this with one of their homemade limonchellos or their espresso martini for the perfect nightcap. 

Photo Credit: Wyatt Kostygan.

15 South Ristorante is a member of Nosh, the SRQ magazine content marketing program for local restaurants.

15 South Ristorante, 15 S Boulevard of the Presidents, Sarasota, 941-388-1555

15 South Ristorante

Seafood Shack Marina, Bar & Grill has received the Large Business of the Year Award for 2018 from the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce at the annual Installation Banquet. Since 2011, the prestigious award has recognized Anna Maria Island Chamber businesses that exemplify growth, productivity, customer service, job creation and overall contribution to the community. “The Shack,” as it is known to the locals, has been in business for 45 years. Liza Kubik, Director of Marketing and Jed Lippincott, COO accepted the award on behalf of the property’s staff of 48 and ownership, Vandyk Group of Properties, which purchased the iconic property just three years ago and began its restoration. Other winners of the evening included Allegra Printing and Signs for the medium-sized business award and Jen and Mark Bowman of Keller Williams on the Water accepted the award for the best small-sized business. 

Seafood Shack Marina, Bar & Grill

Manatee County is seeking input on a set of changes to its comprehensive plan and land development code over the next few months. The proposed changes will have significant bearing on how the County reviews and processes future land development applications. More specifically, the suggested changes will bring more consistency among regulations in the County's major planning documents, according to Planning Manager Lisa Barrett. All of the new policies and revisions are posted on the County's website for public review. The County will host a public workshop to go over the planned changes on Jan. 17, from 5:30-7:30pm in the Downtown Central Library Auditorium. Attendees are encouraged to review the proposed changes online beforehand, in order to ask better questions, but a consultant will be on hand to explain the proposed amendments at the meeting. In 2018, Barrett said additional substantive changes will be discussed regarding the County's sign ordinance, how it's planning for sea level rise and provisions to allow for residential accessory dwelling units. 

Manatee County Government