Southshore is on The RISE

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Featured Story

It’s Almost Time to RISE

A summer internship opportunity giving Southshore teens real-world experience

For a lot of students, the idea of gaining real work experience can feel a little abstract. Everyone talks about resumes, internships, and career paths, but it’s not always clear how teenagers are supposed to get started. That’s where Hillsborough County’s RISE Internship Program comes in, and it’s something Southshore families should have on their radar.

RISE stands for Redefining Internships for Student Empowerment, and the goal is simple. Give high school juniors and seniors real, paid work experience while they’re still in school. Students accepted into the program spend eight weeks over the summer working inside county departments, not just observing, but contributing to actual projects.

Interns are placed across a wide range of departments, including emergency management, parks and recreation, libraries, public utilities, fire rescue, human resources, and animal services. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how local government works and how many different career paths exist right here in Hillsborough County.

What sets RISE apart is that it’s designed to prepare students for life beyond the summer job. Along with hands-on work, participants receive guidance on workplace skills like communication, professionalism, interviewing, and personal finance. Students work with supervisors who act as mentors and help them understand expectations in a real professional environment.

The program is open to Hillsborough County public school students who are at least 16 years old and entering their junior or senior year. Applicants need to meet basic academic requirements and provide references, but the focus is on motivation, responsibility, and willingness to learn, not just grades.

For Southshore students, opportunities like this can be a meaningful first step toward college, trade school, or a career. Learning how to show up, work with a team, and take responsibility for real tasks builds confidence in a way classrooms alone cannot.

Summer goes by quickly, and programs like RISE turn those weeks into something that lasts far longer. For families looking for productive, practical opportunities for their teens, this one is worth a closer look.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Recognizing signs of pipe damage in Southshore with Kuma Plumbing & Drain

Turning on a faucet should be a simple moment, not a mystery. When your plumbing answers back with knocking, whistling, or rattling, those sounds are often your home’s way of asking for attention.

The same goes for unexplained damp spots, strange odors, or sudden changes in water pressure. Small clues like these might seem harmless at first, yet they often signal developing pipe damage you can’t see.

Leaks can weaken drywall, invite mold, and erode foundations long before you see a puddle on the floor. Corroded pipes, underground leaks, and noisy lines all share one thing in common: they get more expensive the longer they are ignored.

By learning how to recognize early signs of pipe damage, you can respond before a minor concern turns into a major repair.

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What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Ask a Personal Injury Attorney

Common personal injury questions with McBreeen & Nowak

Accidents happen fast, but the questions that follow tend to linger. That’s why we’re launching this section.

We’ll take the questions people ask most after an accident and put them directly in front of Southshore’s legal experts and personal injury attorneys, McBreen & Nowak.

No legal jargon. No scare tactics. Just clear, straightforward answers to help you understand your options before you ever need them.

Today’s question: “If I’m injured in a car accident but don’t go to the hospital right away, do I still have a case?”

Answer: Yes.  Often, the acuteness of your injury doesn’t require a hospital visit and the expense that goes along with it.  In fact, most don’t.  However, under Florida Law, you have to seek medical attention within 14 days of the collision, or you can lose valuable benefits under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits.  No matter when you treat, you still “have a case,” though the longer you wait, the more difficult the case becomes.  All personal injury attorneys work on contingency fees, which means you don’t pay unless they recover something for you.  They all (should) offer you a free consultation.  Feel free to call to ask how your specific case may differ from the above. 

The foregoing does not constitute legal advice, and this Q and A does not create an attorney-client relationship.  We recommend that you speak to an attorney ASAP if you think you may have been injured in an automobile collision. 

Southshore Spotlight

ECHO

Some of the most important work in our community happens quietly, and ECHO is a perfect example.

When families in Southshore need help, ECHO is often there with food, support, and guidance during difficult moments. But none of it works without volunteers. People who show up, give their time, and help neighbors get back on their feet.

Volunteering at ECHO is a simple way to turn care into action. A few hours can make a real difference, not just for someone else, but for the community as a whole.

Nominate your local hero by emailing us at [email protected]

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Southshore Services

Need a painter? A plumber? Someone brave enough to tackle that lightbulb orbiting 30 feet above your living room? We’ve got you. And the best part, they’re all right here in our community.

Interested in joining the list? Shoot us an email to [email protected]

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Your Restaurant

New menu items, promos, specials, events- feature them here. This is the place to tell 30,000 readers in Southshore what you've got. Only 20 spots for the year. Claim yours today.

If you’ve got a restaurant, food truck, or even a lemonade stand, it could be featured here. Email us at [email protected]

Local Sports

Our area high schools boast state champions and multiple division titleists. Come out and show your support for these teams and for our community.

Got news, events, or press releases that the Southshore needs to know about? Submit them here. (We’ll do our best to add press releases in our regular rotation.) If you’re looking to run an actual ad, go here instead.

Until next time,

Keep It Local.