(Above) Bok Tower Gardens rings its daily carillon, a percussion instrument with a keyboard that sits at the top of the tower. A professional plays the carillon every hour, signaling the time of day. Bok Tower Gardens offers beautiful places to walk, including a playground structured children’s garden and a wild garden teeming with rabbits and flowers that are native to Florida. It also has a vegetable garden with beds of carrots and fennel.
Florida has always had rich, abundant wildlife, teeming with unique natural wonders. While most believe you’d have to travel Florida’s coasts to immerse one’s self in nature, Central Florida offers just as much. It’s important to highlight Central Florida’s natural side, including neighborhood lakes, hiking trails, and beautiful springs to bring awareness to underappreciated wonders. From Ponce de Leon Springs, popular for its nature trail, Old Spanish Sugar Mill pancake house and enchanting history, to Baldwin Park, a quaint residential community in Orlando, with two large focal lakes, Blue Jacket Park, and Cady Way Trail, tourist destinations and neighborhoods alike feature cherishable offerings.
(Above) Peanut Island has a clear lake, in addition to its already beautiful scenery, and it has many different species of fish. People have the opportunity to partake in many activities. Snorkeling inside the lake is a popular activity as well as relaxing on the beaches anywhere on the island. Strict rules about littering and visiting hours ensure that the island remains healthy, clean, and inhabitable for the local wildlife. (Sofia Tenghoff)(Above) Lake Highland Preparatory School, located in Orlando, Florida, owns a dedicated Purple Martin bird feeder. Purple Matins are the largest swallows in North America and are known for their shiny purple and black feathers and calls. The feeder provides a nesting environment to help support the birds’ population and simultaneously allowing students a firsthand glimpse into the strenuous process of their migration. (Sofia Tenghoff)(Above) Park Avenue, located in the heart of Winter Park, Florida, is known not only for its cute boutiques and excellent restaurant selections but also for its lush greenery. From its tree-lined streets to its vibrant flower beds, Park Avenue is home to many thriving plants. One example is the Silk Floss tree. Although native to South America, Park Avenue is home to this plant that is known for its unique appearance and vibrant blooms. The Silk Floss Tree can grow up to 60 feet tall, with a girthy trunk covered in sharp, conical spines, which help protect the tree from animals. The tree is also called “Silk Floss” due to the seed pods that it provides. (Sofia Tenghoff)(Above) A mother manatee and her calf graze on the seagrass at the bottom of Silver River. Silver River is inside of Silver Springs State Park, which lies just west of Ocala, Florida. Silver River feeds into the Wekiwa River nearby. This photo was taken over the side of Silver River’s famous clear-bottom kayaks, which are open as kayaking tours to the public. The manatees in this photo came to Silver River in early November, just a tad before the expected arrival months of December and January. Manatees typically migrate to warm waters, such as those in Florida, during the winter months. (Sofia Tenghoff)(Above) Peanut Island is nestled in the waters of the Lake Worth Lagoon. The island is accessible by boat or ferry making it a desirable spot for both locals and visitors, in addition to its year-round warm weather. The beaches are ideal for snorkeling as the surrounding waters are home to creatures including tropical fish, rays, and even sea turtles. The slightly sloping beaches provide safe, shallow areas for families to enjoy, while more venturesome visitors can explore the deeper waters that are nearby. Many visitors chose to bring paddleboards or kayaks to explore the island in fun ways. (Sofia Tenghoff)
Tessa Guerra is the Director of Advertising for Lake Highland Preparatory School’s Upper School Newspaper Twice-Told Tale. She is also the co-founder and President of the Mental Health Awareness Club. Tessa has been at Lake Highland for seven years and will graduate in May of 2025. Her hobbies include writing, reading, babysitting, cooking, and more. As Tessa spends her second/last year on the newspaper staff, she looks forward to writing and publishing thoughtful, quality articles and supporting her team.
Sofia Tenghoff is a twelfth-grade writer for Twice-Told Tale. She hopes to attend a public Florida college after high school and publish her fantasy novel. Currently, Tenghoff is an officer of National English Honors Society at Lake Highland and a runner for the cross-country team and the long-distance track team. Her interests include creative writing, computer science, and politics. When she is not writing, coding, or doing homework, Tenghoff enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading fantasy books, drawing, and researching whatever topics spark her interests.
