Back- to-School season is in the air, as South Florida gears up to return to its scholastic pursuits. But are you ready for the season? Check out these community events happening this week, from giveaways of schools supplies to free immunization. And be sure to check back next week for a complete guide to the 2012 Back-to-School season.

MIAMI-DADE

Friday, August 10, 2012
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Little Haiti Soccer Park, 6301 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami

The City of Miami Little Haiti/Edison/Little River Neighborhood Enhancement Team (N.E.T.) and the Little Haiti Optimist Club and partners are celebrating the "Back 2 School" event on Friday, August 10TH, at 10 a.m. at Little Haiti Soccer Park.

Hundreds of City of Miami children from the Little Haiti area will be treated to live entertainment by DJ Griot and other 99Jamz radio personalities along with backpacks, school supplies and lunch on a first come first serve basis. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Summer is still in the air. But if you are already thinking of purchasing back-to-school supplies, then mark your calendars for the first weekend in August. This year, Florida's sales tax holiday weekend has been scheduled for August 3 to 5.

The three-day sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 3, and ends at midnight, Sunday, August 5. During this period, no Florida sales tax or local option tax will be collected on sales of clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $75 or less per item, or on certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item.

The law mandates that no sales-tax be collected on the sale of clothing, wallets, or bags, including handbags, backpacks, fanny packs, and diaper bags. Books however are not exempt from taxes for the 2012 Sales Tax Holiday.

In order to maximize your savings during this tax-free holiday weekend, The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) offers these tips to plan ahead.

Make a list
Before hitting the stores, make a list of items you need to buy and cross reference them with Florida's list of tax holiday items to check if your purchases will be free from taxes.

Set a budget
Once you have done the list, decide how much you are willing to spend per child a few days in advance. Sit down with your kids and review the list.

This back-to-school season is also a good time to teach your kids about money and budgeting. Depending on their ages, you could negotiate back-to-school budgets with your kids and allow them to manage those budgets entirely themselves.

Shop for the best deals
Stores usually offer sales for the tax free holiday. Hunt for bargains in the sales papers before heading to the store to make sure you are getting the best deals in town.

Know what your child's school allows
Most schools will provide parents with a list of required items for the school year which can help determine what needs to be purchased. Additionally, many schools have specific dress codes, so keep these restrictions in mind before spending money on clothes that may not be allowed at their school.

To learn more about the 2012 Sales Tax Holiday and what applies, go to Florida's Department of Revenue's website.

Dade Medical College proudly celebrated their commitment to education at the grand opening of their new campus in Miami Lakes recently. The grand opening marks the college's sixth campus in Florida.

In honor of the event, the college collaborated with Senator Oscar Braynon to award 10 full scholarships to deserving members of the immediate community.

"There are legislators in the Miami-Dade community who represent areas more hard hit by the economic crises our country has been facing over the last few years. That's why Dade Medical college decided to work hand-in-hand with Senator Braynon to award these scholarships to those we felt were most in need as well as most deserving," said Dade Medical College President and CEO, Ernesto Perez.

Whitney Symone Anderson graduated from Pine Crest Preparatory School in Fort Lauderdale on May 24, 2012 with a 4.2 GPA and as a member of the National Beta Honor Society.

She was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994 to Jamaicans, Donovan and Sharon Anderson of Boynton Beach Florida. Sharon previously worked at the National Commercial Bank at its Atrium headquarters in New Kingston while Donovan is a former manager at T. Geddes Grant Jamaica Limited (1985-1995). He is the President and CEO of his company Whitsyms Nursing Service which was named combining Whitney's first two names. With its headquarters in Delray Beach, Florida it is one of the State's largest family-owned home health care companies, operating in 18 counties with six offices.

Although she is American by birth, Whitney was raised by her parents to appreciate and acknowledge her Jamaican heritage and lived on the island for the first two years of her life, attending the NCB Staff Nursery. From a very early age, Whitney's love for her fellow Jamaicans and her sense of community saw her carefully selecting toys and clothes to send to the island to assist less fortunate children in children's homes.