New Discovery Academy Of Science Charter School Is Coming To Wesley Chapel

An update on the DAS Pasco construction. (All photos on this page are from DAS) 

A new charter school is coming to Wesley Chapel to provide students with a quality educational opportunity in a world that is increasingly reliant on technology, including AI. Discovery Academy of Science (DAS) Pasco, located on the south side of S.R. 56 at Two Ridges Rd. (aka Wyndfields Blvd.), is a tuition-free public charter school with a STEM+R (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Reading) focus that will open its doors to students for the 2027-28 school year, with construction currently under way. 

The school will welcome students in grades K-6 in its first year and then expand to grades K-8 as the school grows. The curriculum is meant to be rigorous, in order to prepare students for the 21st century by focusing heavily on STEM subjects and literacy, which the school leaders believe is foundational to the future success of the students.. 

“Parents can expect a rigorous, standards-aligned academic program with a strong emphasis on STEM, reading, critical thinking and real-world applications,” says Alex Register (right), director of communications & facilities for DAS. “In addition to core academics, DAS Pasco plans to offer enrichment opportunities such as robotics, coding, Science Olympiad, Math Olympiad, VEX Robotics, First LEGO League, SeaPerch, art, music, physical education, Spanish and computer science. These activities help students learn teamwork, persistence, creativity, leadership and problem-solving — the same skills they will need in college and for career pathways.” 

Beginning at the elementary level, the DAS program will emphasize phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing and text-based discussion for its literacy instruction. In mathematics, students will learn problem-solving, reasoning, procedural fluency and real-world application skills. For science, students will participate in inquiry-based learning, labs, experiments, engineering challenges and STEM projects. 

An update on the DAS Pasco construction. 

Progressing to the middle school level, DAS Pasco students will continue to build upon their skills gained at the elementary level in the STEM fields, along with sharpening their research, writing, collaboration and presentation capabilities. The goal of the program is to prepare students for high school success, including readiness for advanced coursework. 

Approved by the Pasco County School Board, DAS Pasco’s footprint will encompass roughly 60,000 square feet of classroom and learning space for STEM and arts/music, along with a dedicated library and media area. The plans also include administrative offices, a cafeteria, outdoor recreational areas and parking for staff and visitors. 

DAS Pasco will be the third DAS campus in the Tampa Bay area, joining the existing Clearwater campus and the Dunedin campus that is on track to open for the 2026-27 school year. DAS Clearwater has served families in Pinellas County since 2013, earning an excellent reputation for its academic performance in STEM, including “A” ratings from the Florida Department of Education (FDoE), and its strong student and parent support system. It also has been recognized as a “Florida School of Excellence” and has held “High Performing Charter School” status, both from FDoE. 

The rendering of the exterior of the now-under-construction Discovery Academy of Science (DAS) Pasco campus on S.R. 56 at Two Ridges Rd. (see map, top left) in Wesley Chapel.

“One of the reasons DAS has been successful is that it combines academic rigor with a very structured, family-oriented school culture,” says Register. “We focus heavily [not only] on STEM, [but also on] character, student safety, data-driven instruction and regular communication with families. The goal is not simply to teach content but to help students become confident learners who know how to think, collaborate, communicate and solve problems.” 

DAS Pasco is expected to welcome approximately 480 students when it opens its doors in Aug. 2027 and to reach 860 students within five years. The school will employ roughly 40-45 staff members in its first year, including teachers, ESE teachers, guidance and support staff, administrative staff, full-time substitute support and more. At full capacity, the school expects to employ 65-70 staff members. 

School officials already have selected the inaugural principal for the Pasco campus — Suzanne Mizzi, who currently serves as the K2 Administrator for Curriculum and Instruction at the DAS Clearwater campus. She brings more than 22 years of experience in classroom teaching and school administrative leadership, including having served as an assistant principal at BridgePrep Academy of South Tampa. 

Mizzi (left) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology from Hunter College in New York City, NY, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Saint Leo University in St. Leo, FL. Register says her experience and understanding of early literacy, strong parent-school relationships, student support and building a great culture were the main drivers in her selection. 

Register also says that DAS wanted to bring its model of success from Pinellas to a rapidly growing Pasco County community seeking additional educational opportunities. 

“Many families are looking for additional high-quality K-8 options, and we have also seen interest from Pasco families who are familiar with the DAS model in Pinellas County,” she says. “The Pasco campus gives us an opportunity to bring a proven STEM-focused public charter model to a fast-growing community that values education, innovation and school choice. We believe DAS Pasco can help meet that demand while becoming a long-term partner for families, students and the broader community.” 

Discovery Academy of Science Pasco is currently accepting applications for its inaugural school year (2027-28). Parents can visit the school’s website at DiscoveryAcademy.info to learn more about the school, key enrollment dates and additional background about the curriculum. 

Catalyst Club Members Bring Joy Of STEM To New Tampa Middle Schoolers

(Left to right) Jon Karthaka, Ansh Bhatt, Aaryan Sharma and Nusheen Immen lead the Catalyst Club at King High, where they are all juniors in the school’s IB program.

While many students recognize the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concepts and some join robotics or science clubs, it is likely that there are some kids who haven’t been exposed to STEM in a way that is fun and engaging.

Aaryan Sharma, a 16-year-old International Baccalaureate (IB) student at King High on N. 56th St. in Tampa wants to change that.

“We want to reach out to kids who are not already interested in STEM,” the Arbor Green resident explains.

Last year, Aaryan started the “Catalyst Club” at King with a goal to teach STEM to middle school students.

Middle schoolers, says Aaryan, are the perfect age — not too young to comprehend the subjects, and not too old that it is too late for them to become interested.

“Middle school kids are mature enough to grasp advanced concepts,” explains Aaryan. “High school students might be apathetic,” especially if they’ve already determined their path, and aren’t really open to being introduced to a new passion.”

So, Aaryan and fellow club members and officers worked last year to get the Catalyst Club up and running. This summer, their efforts took off.

Catalyst Club members reached middle school students, mostly through the HOST (Hillsborough Out of School Time) program, which provides care for students after school and during the summer.

They visited Liberty Middle School once a week, and Turner/Bartels K-8 School twice a week this summer.

Using presentations, hands-on activities and friendly competitions, Catalyst Club members teach STEM concepts to middle school students at Turner/Bartels K-8 school.

Each visit included a new lesson, first taught via a PowerPoint presentation, which was then followed up with a hands-on activity.

Jon Karthaka, the club’s director of information and content, explains a recent lesson last month.

“We’re teaching about non-Newtonian fluids, using oobleck,” he says. Oobleck is a mixture of cornstarch and water that has properties unlike a typical liquid. “We put oobleck in a Ziploc bag, then put an egg in. The kids can drop it and throw it, and the egg won’t break.”

He explains that the hands-on activities piqued the students’ curiosity and gave them the opportunity to learn in a fun way.

“We always have a demonstration and try to have competitions,” Jon explains. “They love it.”

He says the competition aspect of the club captures the middle school students’ attention. For example, at one lesson, club members gave the students popsicle sticks and tape to make a boat and see which one could hold the most quarters without sinking. This helped teach engineering, buoyancy and other principles.

“If we just teach the theory behind it, kids might be confused,” says Aaryan. “Having hands on activities, it clicks. The concept makes more sense.”

Along with Aaryan, Ansh Bhatt is the club’s vice president, and Nusheen Immen, who lives in Tampa Palms, is the club’s director of outreach and communications.

All are 16 years old and juniors in King High’s IB program.

They’re doing the typical things other high school students do, too, but are making time in their schedules to teach younger kids STEM concepts.

“We’re busy studying for SATs, too, but this is a way for us to give back,” says Aaryan. “That’s our core motivation.”

Not only do they want to volunteer and help those around them, they also are hoping to plant seeds that will lead to more students pursuing STEM careers.

They call it their “macro goal” — not just to impact some students here in New Tampa and surrounding areas, but to “bolster innovation and scientific progress in society,” Aaryan says.

“We hope to ignite a spark to create a beautiful chain reaction,” Nusheen adds.

Working with the HOST program has been a great match so far, and that is expected to continue, now that the students have returned to school. The lessons from the Catalyst Club members don’t conflict with the school day, where teachers might not have time to incorporate them.

Catalyst Club members also can attend their full day of school and go to HOST to teach after their school day ends.

“Another thing we love is it gives us opportunities to reach all kinds of students,” says Aaryan, not just students who are already gathered together because they’ve joined a STEM-related club. Catalyst Club officers say they hope to expand their lessons to more schools — and students – via the HOST program or other means.

They also emphasize that they’re not limited to just schools. So far, in addition to schools, they have also presented to Girl Scouts and are open to working with other organizations.

They hope more high school students will start their own Catalyst Club chapters at their schools, too, to increase their impact.

Aaryan says the middle school students he met this summer asked them to come back, and look forward to their visits.

“It’s so good to see the kids and develop a relationship with them,” he says.

Catalyst Club officers emphasize that they do all the work and don’t charge for their services. When they work with a school or organization, they agree on dates and times, then club members plan everything.
To learn more about the Catalyst Club, to request a presentation for a middle school group, or for high school students to find out more about starting their own chapter of the club, visit CatalystClub.TK.

Boy Scout STEM Fair Held At Florida Hospital Center Ice

Have you ever seen hundreds of Scouts on ice skates? On May 6, about 350 Boy Scout and Cub Scout families from the Tampa Bay area and beyond gathered at Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel for the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council’s inaugural Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Fair.

Boys of all ages, along with their families, tried out ice skating on one of the new skating center’s four full-size rinks, while more than a dozen vendors showed off robots and gadgets on the adjacent rink.

“We’re going to do this again,” says Jeff Smith, a Boy Scout volunteer who was one of the event’s organizers. “We had about 100 people more than we were hoping for. It was a great turnout.”

He adds, “The facility was stellar. The majority of the people who came for the STEM Fair had never been there before. The parking was great and the staff offered tours of Florida Hospital Center Ice.”

When they weren’t skating, the kids got to watch drone demonstrations and a couple of different 3D printing demonstrations. They were able to interact with robots built by high school robotics clubs, such as Tampa’s Middleton High, and check out summer camps from Busch Gardens and MOSI. Firehouse Subs provided meals for purchase. A couple of colleges also were represented, where parents and older kids could ask questions about technology and medical fields.

New Tampa Scout Kenny Lewis (center) receives his Supernova award during the recent Boy Scout Stem Fair at Florida Hospital Center Ice.

“This is a way to embrace new technologies and get kids excited,” Smith says. “If all we teach boys is how to tie knots and make a fire with two sticks, Boy Scouts will become obsolete. So, Boy Scouts is embracing STEM as a way to stay relevant.”

To acknowledge the Boy Scouts’ new emphasis on STEM, a few attendees were presented with the Council’s first “Supernova” awards. The Supernova awards are part of an awards program that are, “designed to motivate youth and recognize…advanced achievement in STEM-related activities.”

Because the program is so new, only one Scout in the New Tampa area has earned it. Kenny Lewis, who is now a member of Boy Scout Troop 180, actually earned his Supernova award as a Cub Scout in Pack 801, which is based out of Hunter’s Green Elementary and where his father, Ken Lewis, is the Cubmaster.

Two other Scouts, one from Land O’Lakes and one from Bushnell, also were presented with Supernova awards.

Smith says he is now working with Florida Hospital Center Ice to make next year’s Boy Scout STEM Fair even bigger and better.

For more information about Boy Scouts and the STEM connection, visit TampaBayScouting.org.