A-maze-ing fun at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota

A-maze-ing fun at the park

Several children spent Oct. 15 enjoying the playground and

Halloween-themed hay maze at Nathan Benderson Park.

One of those enjoying the maze for the first time was 21-month old Tyson Stelfox (above). Stelfox, was just a whisk taller than one of the bales of hay, ran wildly through the amongst the stacks and took time to explore some of the Halloween decor along the way.

The hay maze has become an annual tradition at Benderson Park. It was constructed with the help of volunteers from the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance as part of the organization's Alliance Gives Back event. The maze is open through Halloween.

Math program adds to creativity

Leylah Blanc, a fifth grader at William H. Bashaw Elementary

School, had fun putting her own spin on a pumpkin Oct. 5.

As a reward for achieving her math goals in the school's Acaletics club, Blanc (above) joined dozens of other students to paint pumpkins. Blanc decided hers would be pink, green and purple.

Acaletics is a research-based program to help students improve on math. Each fourth and fifth grade student sets a goal, and if they've achieved their goal at the end of each month, they attend a special celebration.