MITCH NEEDELMAN

State Representative, District #31

 Chair: Environmental Regulations l  Vice Chair: Juvenile Justice Committee
lState Resources Council l Justice Appropriations
lSelect Committee on Juvenile Detention Facilities

     

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Bill Johnson
March 09, 2006	(321) 984-4848

TALLAHASSEE – Representative Mitch Needelman’s push to make Key Lime Pie the official state pie of Florida recently got a boost from a Broward County middle school that used the issue to demonstrate the government in action.

When History teacher Paula Nasta of Pioneer Middle School in Cooper City heard about House Bill 453 and Senate Bill sb0676 to make Pecan Pie the state pie of Florida, she realized it was an opportunity to educate her students on the inner workings of state government.

“The Key Lime versus Pecan debate is something concrete to which middle school students could relate. So, with the permission of our school's principal, Linda Arnold, I conducted a nonscientific, but nonetheless fun, vote on the issue,” Nasta stated.

Several hundred students in grades 6, 7, and 8, as well as staff, eagerly voted on the issue March 3. “After tallying the votes, we, the students and staff of Pioneer Middle School in Cooper City, overwhelmingly chose Key Lime as the pie to represent us,” Nasta stated. “Just in case you're interested, the vote was split 81 percent Key Lime to 19 percent Pecan.”

Nasta sent the results to Representative Needelman, R-Melbourne, who is currently in Tallahassee for the 2006 Legislative Session. The Key Lime Pie bill is one of several pieces of legislation he is fighting for during the session.

“I appreciate Pioneer Middle School weighing in on this debate and thank Ms. Nasta for holding a vote on the issue. I hope that fellow legislators recognize the importance of the Key Lime in Florida’s identity and history as well,” Representative Needelman said.

Meanwhile, a movement has developed in the Panhandle region have stated they feel Representatives from their area should recommend naming the Sweet Potato Pie as the state’s official pie.

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