By Kyle LoJacono
Steinbrenner High seniors Natalia Ortiz and David Chiles thought they were going to take a survey as they entered Warriors’ media center the morning of May 13.
Both walked slowly in and then stopped and looked with a puzzled expression on their faces as they saw their families, coaches and the school’s administration looking back at them. A slow clap started in the crowd and their faces changed from confused to joy as they realized what was happening.
The two were being given the inaugural Golden Warrior Making a Difference Athletic Scholarship for their performance and leadership in athletics, in the classroom and away from school. The Steinbrenner Athletic Booster Club gave $500 to pay for college to the top boy and girl senior student-athlete at the Lutz-based school.
“I had no idea this was happening,” Ortiz said. “They told us we were going to take an ACT survey. We walked in and I saw all my family and the administration and I thought this is really strange.”
Both had almost forgotten about applying for the scholarship.
“It was about two months ago,” Chiles said. “I kind of forgot about it, but I remembered when I saw the athletic booster club.”
Ortiz was picked for her strong moral character while interjecting hope and humor into all aspects of her life, according to chairwoman of the scholarship committee Sharon Bair. Chiles’ enthusiasm to learn, excellent leadership and self motivation were what separated him from the other boys.
“I was very emotional going through my talking points,” Bair said. “We decided to recognize the kids who did more than achieve in the classroom and in sports. We wanted something to reward the kids who really made a difference. The judges sat down and endorsed how they act in class, how they act in church, how they volunteer and how they are with their teammates.”
Chiles played forward for the Warriors boys basketball team, where he put up 7.5 points per game, 85 rebounds, 30 assists, 23 steals and 11 blocks as a senior. He said the award is the perfect way to end his time at Steinbrenner.
“It’s awesome,” Chiles said. “It just shows that everything paid off. Every practice and every homework assignment.”
Chiles will attend the University of Central Florida to study sports managing. He won’t be playing for the Knights, but will participate in intramural sports.
Ortiz was an outside hitter on the Steinbrenner volleyball team that won two straight district championships, and also the first regional tournament match in program history this year. She had 84 kills, 31 blocks and 17 aces in 2010 and earned a spot on the All-Laker/All-Lutz News volleyball first team.
Ortiz was also a member of the Warriors girls 4×400-meter track relay team that qualified for the Class 2A state meet this year by placing fourth in regionals with a time of 4:09.98.
The honor is the second scholarship Ortiz received that week after being selected as the top Steinbrenner girl student-athlete for the Hillsborough County Public Schools annual scholarship, which was also for $500.
“It’s been awesome,” Ortiz said. “It’s two really big honors and I’m really appreciative of everyone who’s nominated me for all of this. It’s been a struggle applying for colleges and everything. Now it’s all falling into place and the scholarships are really going to help.”
Ortiz will attend Florida State University to study biochemistry and plans to eventually become a pharmacist. She will also play intramural sports, but did not rule out an attempt to walk on to the Seminoles volleyball team. For now she is just happy for all the time she put on the court and in the classroom.
“It’s paid off, all that hard work,” Ortiz said. “It’s cool that we won districts, but this really helps set in stone that everything we did was worth it.”
–All stats as recorded to Maxpreps.com by coaches.
