The Laker/Lutz News

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Gators stadium likely renamed

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By Kyle LoJacono

John Benedetto was a fixture on the football field at Land O’ Lakes High for 32 seasons, and now the longtime coach’s name will likely live forever on the Gators’ stadium.

A proposal to rename the Land O’ Lakes football stadium after former coach John Benedetto will be heard June 19.

The Pasco County School Board placed a proposal to rename the arena John Benedetto Stadium on the consent agenda for its meeting June 19.

District spokeswoman Summer Romagnoli said generally such items are quickly approved, but the action taken was not available by press time.

“That would be something very special,” Benedetto said. “It’s not something I would have ever expected. I really don’t know what to say other than I’m very honored.”

Benedetto took over the program in 1977. His teams went 196-149 during his time at the helm, the most wins of any football coach in Pasco history. The Gators had 18 winning seasons, including a county-record 12 straight postseason berths from 1996 to 2008.

Benedetto was forced to retire after the 2008 season, his final year in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP).

A group of community leaders have pushed for the renaming, including former Gators linebacker and current state Rep. Will Weatherford and his younger brother Drew, who played quarterback with Land O’ Lakes, Florida State University and the Tampa Bay Storm.

“It’s great that so many people took the time to go talk to the school board about this,” Benedetto said. “I had a lot of great players and great coaches. They’re really the reason we were able to do what we did.”

 

 

Gaither’s revamped offense shines at summer contest

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By Jeff Odom

Gaither football coach Jason Stokes kept things simple during his first year at the helm in 2011, and it paid off in big ways.

Gaither junior quarterback Alex McGough led a revamped Cowboys offensive attack on several scoring drives during the 7-on-7 football contest at Tampa Catholic June 16.

The team finished runner-up in Class 7A-District 7 and made a deep playoff run before falling to Lakeland in the regional finals with a traditional offense.

Now, with last season in the rearview mirror, Stokes shifted his offensive philosophy toward a multiple threat system that includes an option attack. He got his first look at the offense at a 7-on-7 competition hosted by Tampa Catholic June 16.

“We’re gonna use different offenses to get faster off the ball,” Stokes said. “We’re still getting adjusted and everything and feeling it out.”

Junior quarterback Alex McGough likes what he sees with the new offense despite recent obstacles. The Cowboys didn’t get to compete in their spring jamboree, which was canceled due to lightning. Also, Daryl Steward was dismissed as offensive coordinator near the end of spring practice.

“(The system) has been good for us,” McGough said. “It (hurt) a little when coach (Stewart) left, but (wide receivers coach Charles Lattimore) and coach Stokes have been great play callers and it’s all coming together.”

Second-year Gaither football coach Jason Stokes talks with his players during a break in the action June 16.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound McGough showed off his arm strength early in the tournament against the Tampa Catholic freshman squad, completing three straight 40-yard passes for touchdowns en route to a convincing win for Gaither.

The competition was meant to let participation teams work on their systems, so no true champion was declared, but Stokes saw many victories for his squad during the event.

The progression the second-year Gaither coach has seen in his quarterback has him very happy headed into next season. He said it’s good to have a leader like McGough guiding his players on and off the field.

“He’s been maturing a lot this offseason, and he is seeing the field so much better,” Stokes said. “I’m so proud of the leadership he’s showing our players every day.”

Another piece of the Cowboys’ success has been the continuing development of running back Shug Oyegunle. The senior, who also played quarterback his first three season, took a majority of reps at half back and caught a touchdown pass from McGough over the middle.

Oyegunle said the spread playbook presents more opportunities to help his team move the ball downfield and stay in the flow of things.

“Coach just made all our plays just more simple, and that made everything more comfortable.” Oyegunle said. “We’ve gotten smarter and competitive in everything we do.”

Other players Stokes sees as possible game changers in the fall are Dimarcus Sexil, Jamari Cord and Blake High transfer Josh Bell.

Stokes said Bell has impressed him with his performance on the field and the respect he shows the coaching staff.

“Bell has been great; he’s fast too,” Stokes said. “The good thing is that he’s a very coachable player.”

Gaither plays Sickles Aug. 24 in the preseason kickoff classic. The regular season opener is at Alonso Aug. 31. Both contests start at 7:30 p.m.

Hannah Still wins big at Huntingdon

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By Kyle LoJacono

Huntingdon College freshman and Wiregrass Ranch High graduate Hannah Still was recently selected to the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) first-team all-conference.

Wiregrass Ranch graduate and Huntingdon College freshman Hannah Still was an all-conference selection this season.

Still, who started playing tennis at age 7, went 14-5 in singles play at the No. 3 spot including winning her first match 6-3, 6-1 against Mississippi College’s Emily Upchurch.

“I was really excited, and I wasn’t expecting to make it,” Still said. “It’s a really big accomplishment to make all-conference as a freshman.”

Still made the All-Sunshine State Conference team four times while in high school, but she had to take her game to another level to compete with the Division III program in Alabama.

“We’d have morning workouts before classes, and then we’d have practice in the afternoon as well,” Still said. “It was a lot more tennis than I’ve ever played before.”

Still also returned to running cross country with the Hawks, a sport she did as a freshman and sophomore at Wiregrass Ranch.

“I’m an athletic training major, so it was a lot of work to juggle cross country, tennis and school all at once,” Still said. “It was definitely an experience because it was different, but really good for me to go through. It was wonderful to have that opportunity.”

Huntingdon coach Ximena Moore is very pleased with her young pupil.

“As a freshman, Hannah added so much talent and determination to the team,” Moore said. “She has an amazing desire to not give up and always fight to the end no matter what the score is. She will bring that determination to the team for the next three years. She is a key player for the next three years in singles and doubles. She is expected to step up her game especially at the net for doubles.”

The Hawks went 16-5 last season, including 8-2 in conference play. The Hawks came up one win short of a GSAC championship, falling 5-2 to Agnes Scott College in the final. Moore predicts the team will be able to take another step as players like Still progress.

“She now knows what to expect at the end of the season for the conference tournament,” Moore said. “She knows how hard it is to win a championship, and there is no doubt in my mind that she wants to help the team to win a championship while she is at Huntingdon College.”

Still also wants to maintain her streak of all-conference selections.

“I really hope to get first-team all-conference the rest of my years at Huntingdon,” Still said. “That’s something I think I can go for. … I feel more encouraged to keep up my tennis level this summer and increase my skill.”

 

Land O’ Lakes Lightning swimmers seeing gold

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By Meaghan O’Neal

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

DSC_0388 Olympic gold medalists Josh Davis and Brooke Bennett, center back, and participants demonstrate the most important skill in swimming — proper streamlining technique.

More than 40 swimmers participated in a clinic June 10 taught by Olympic gold medalists Josh Davis and Brooke Bennett at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway. Davis and Bennett caught the kids’ attention with their passion for racing.

Bennett, who was born in Plant City, captured three gold medals during her career, the first at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and another two at the 2000 games in Sydney. Davis, of San Antonio, Texas, claimed three golds of his own, all coming in 1996.

Brett Ewald, president of the Land O’ Lakes Lightning swimming club, described the inspiration for the clinic saying, “It’s really something the team likes to do. We just wanted to see if we could get a small group together so the kids could get as much one-on-one as possible.”

 

The Larsons: Special Olympics family of the year

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By Kyle LoJacono

Colton Larson wasn’t sure why he needed to be at the year-end banquet for Pasco County Special Olympics. He just knew he had to attend.

It was an evening well spent.

The Larsons were named Pasco County Special Olympics family of the year. Seen from left are Colton, Kelly, Stan, Kelsee and Akaylee with Kylee in front.

The Larsons were named the organization’s family of the year because of what Colton and his sister, Kelsee, have done with the program at Land O’ Lakes High.

“It was pretty cool,” Colton said. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

Vicky King, who started the school’s Special Olympics soccer program in 1986, said the Larsons are the first Land O’ Lakes High family to earn the county honor.

Colton, 23, started playing with Special Olympics while in sixth grade at Pine View Middle.

“I still remember my first game at Pine View,” Colton said. “That year we were second in the state and I scored. That was a lot of fun and I didn’t want to stop… It’s great playing soccer. It’s fun playing with other people with similar ability.”

The Gators’ program is in the masters division, which allows school graduates to play along with current students. The teams are also unified, which allows traditional athletes, such as Kelsee, to play with Special Olympics participants.

“That was probably the best experience I’ve ever had,” Kelsee said. “I love working with them. They’re so much fun.”

Kelsee, who recently graduated from Land O’ Lakes, started with the program three years ago, which has helped her relationship with Colton.

“Before, we never got along,” Kelsee said. “We kind of found our common ground with soccer. We still argue because we’re brother and sister, but it’s brought us closer.”

Kelly Larson, Colton and Kelsee’s mother, added, “She never really thought of Colton as anything but her big brother. She didn’t really think of him as disabled. By watching her brother play, it’s helped her see him in a different way… She didn’t give him any slack before, but now she does. It’s so cool to see them together now. She’s more patient and it’s a great thing.”

Kelly has also seen both grow away from the field because of Special Olympics. She told a story about how Kelsee helped a disabled girl who was being picked on in the cafeteria this year.

“She went up and defended her,” Kelly said. “That’s the kind of thing she’ll do now because of Special Olympics.”

Colton, who has cerebral palsy, became a better teammate because of soccer.

“He kind of looked at handicapped people as lesser than he is when he started,” Kelly said. “He was kind of a ball hog, but now he wants to work with the team. He doesn’t see himself in that category yet, but he’s now trying to help everybody instead of doing it all himself.”

Kelsee, a defender, also plays for the Gators girls soccer team. One thing that surprised her was how difficult the Special Olympics games are.

“Honestly, the games for Special Olympics were really hard, probably because I was trying to help the players think ahead, so it was more than just playing,” Kelsee said. “I got more winded in those games than in the actual high school games. It was hard. There are some good athletes in the Special Olympics.”

The Larson duo helped the LOL Blue team win the state level three championship the last two years. Colton said getting to win a pair of titles with Kelsee has been the best part of playing.

“It’s great getting to play with her,” Colton said. “A lot of times when I’d score it’s because she got the play started from the back. It’s been a lot of fun.”

 

More than just any book

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Chabad at Wiregrass dedicates new Torah

By Cameron Valdez

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

The local Jewish community gathered on June 10 at the Chabad at Wiregrass to celebrate the completion of a new Torah.

The Pollans family attended the dedication ceremony for the new Torah at Chabad at Wiregrass June 10. They are seen touching the hand of Rabbi Yochanon Klein as he writes some of the final words in the holy book to signify that the letter inscribed is theirs.

The Torah, to the Jewish community, is more than a Bible. It is what teaches its followers everything they will need to know about life.

“(The Torah) is everything to the Jewish community,” said Jewish community member Herzl Zoock. “It’s a code of life. It’s the way you live. It teaches us right from wrong. It teaches us everything there is to know about life.”

The new Torah costs roughly $40,000 and takes a little more than a year to complete.

“It takes a scribe about a year to write because it is handwritten with a feather on actual parchment which is cowhide, skin from a kosher animal,” said Rabbi Yochanon Klein, who wrote the last few letters of the new Torah.

The completion of the holy book is extremely vigorous. The Torah is handwritten by a professional scribe in Israel. In order for the Torah to be usable, the scribe must follow more than 400 laws, such as the type of ink and thread used. If any of the laws are broken during its creation, the book cannot be used.

“What goes into writing is tremendous,” said Rabbi Mendy Yarmush.

After the Torah was completed, the community celebrated.

“When we complete a Torah, it is similar to a wedding,” Yarmush said. “A wedding is a time for people to unite and make a lifelong commitment to each other. The Torah is the same thing. When we finish the Torah, we are renewing our vows to the Torah and saying that this Torah is valuable and important to us. Therefore, we celebrate it similar to the way we celebrate a wedding.”

The Chabad at Wiregrass is located at 2124 Ashley Oaks Circle in Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 642-3244 or visit .

 

Freedom loses baseball coach

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By Kyle LoJacono

A.J. Leppla resigned as Freedom’s baseball coach on June 14 following the most successful season in the program’s nine-year history.

“I’m going to look into new opportunities,” Leppla said. He added, “I’d like to coach again, but I’m going to see where life takes me. One good thing is I’ll get to spend a few weeks with my family; my daughters and my son. After I spend some family time, I’ll look at what opportunities are out there.”

Leppla joined the Patriots three years ago after spending one as Wiregrass Ranch’s coach. Freedom went 15-10 in 2012, the program’s first winning season, and achieved another first by qualifying for the postseason as the Class 7A-District 9 runner-up.

“(Last season) meant everything to me,” Leppla said. “We built a family essentially, and that’s what I always preached. We got to do special things, and I was very proud of the job we did. Not just me, but my coaching staff and the players. Everything came together perfectly. It takes a lot of things to go right to have the kind of success we had. … I will always remember those players and I would do anything for them.”

Leppla came to Freedom because a physical education teaching position opened. He had been working as an in-school suspension monitor at Wiregrass Ranch. The Patriots went 34-37 in his three seasons.

Leppla became the Bulls’ coach after spending two seasons as an assistant, which he was also at Freedom for two years before heading to Wiregrass Ranch.

Patriots athletic director Eli Thomas said the position will be advertised shortly, but there is no timetable for naming a replacement.

“I hope the program does really well in the future,” Leppla said. “I gave everything I had to Freedom, and I wish the program the best.”

 

 

 

Penny for Pasco extension could add jobs

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By Jeff Odom

More than $502 million dollars are at stake, and it will all be decided based on the outcome of a penny.

The proposed penny sales tax extension could add more than $502 million in increased county revenue and numerous employment opportunities, according to Pasco’s Chief Assistant Administrator Michele Baker.

Baker, who discussed the details during a Pasco Alliance of Community Association meeting June 14, said if voters approve the Penny for Pasco sales tax extension in November, nearly $100 million more will go toward funding for roads, schools, environmental conservation and infrastructure starting in 2015.

“We’re currently levying a penny tax to pay for transportation improvements, environmental land acquisition and public safety,” Baker said. “Going forward, if the voters choose to renew that penny and continue it, we would still be spending funds with those areas, but we would be adding to that an allocation for jobs and economic development.”

Under the current tax, which was passed by voters in 2004, 10 percent of the funding goes to the county’s cities, with the most money going to the most populated municipalities. The school district received 45 percent; the remaining 45 is allocated by the county commissioners for transportation, public safety and environmental projects.

The new allocation will keep the same percentage for the cities and school district, but the 45 percent the commissioners get will be steered in different directions. Road projects and other transportation needs will get 40 percent, while the remaining 60 percent will be evenly split to fund economic development/job creation, environmental land purchases and improving public safety.

Baker touted the tax extension as a way for public services to receive replacements to outdated or broken equipment while bringing businesses to the county.

“(Economic development is) an important part of the penny,” Baker said. “When we do our annual citizen engagement meetings, we asked how would you want us to spend the penny and jobs and economic development was No. 1. … I do think job creation is on the forefront of everybody’s mind.”

If citizens vote not to renew, the current penny tax will expire in December 2014.

Finding the money to support these projects will need to come from another source, Baker said. She added numerous road projects would be stalled because of an end to the funding.

“Right now for transportation projects we don’t use property tax dollars,” Baker said. “So those planned transportation projects and trails wouldn’t happen until some other revenue source was found. In terms of the public safety projects, those services still have to be delivered. So if we’re not paying for equipment replacements with the penny, we will have to pay for them with property taxes.”

Baker believes there is plenty of support for the extension heading into the November election cycle and said the transparency that the county Commission has with its constituents is always key for communicating where tax dollars are going.

“I think this ensures voters are educated before heading to the polls,” Baker said. “That is the job of the government. To be honest and efficient with the dollars that are entrusted to us by the citizens. … There is really no better way to do it.”

 

 

Sunshine Athletic Conference spring all stars

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The Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) has released its all-conference spring team. Coaches in the 13 public high schools in Pasco County vote on whom they think deserve the honor. All information is as recorded by the SAC. Local students who made the list include:

SAC baseball first team

–P Brad Hencke, Sr., Land O’ Lakes

–INF Dylan Harris, Jr., Land O’ Lakes

–OF Zach White, Sr., Wesley Chaple

Second team

–P Ryan Kopenski, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch

–INF Zach Drury, So., Wiregrass Ranch

–INF Chris Zichy, Sr., Wesley Chapel

–OF Michael Barrone, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch

Third team

–INF Matt Soril, Sr., Land O’ Lakes

–DH Alex Goebel, Fr., Wiregrass Ranch

Honorable mention

–Austin Warner, Sr., Sunlake

Coach of the Year: Jeff Swymer, Wiregrass Ranch

SAC softball first team

–OF Courtney Durbin, Sr., Sunlake

Second team

–INF Stephanie Frances, Jr., Sunlake

–INF Meghan Durbin, Sr., Sunlake

–OF Ashley Bradford, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch

Honorable mention

–Meghan Sfraga, Land O’ Lakes

–Laura Bernaldo, Wesley Chapel

SAC boys track and field

–Travis Manecke, Jr., Sunlake, shot put

–Jackson Cannon, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, discus

–Ian McKenzie, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, pole vault

–Eddie Burgos, Jr., Sunlake, 100 meter

–Jamel Nuñez, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch, 200 meter

–Darin Patmon, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, 110-meter hurdles

–Darin Patmon, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, 300-meter hurdles

–Eddie Burgos, Anthony Cowell, Mike Lopez and Ricardo Williams; Sunlake 4×100-meter relay team

–Jamel Clark, Kyle McKee, Henry Parrish and Chris Wilkinson; Land O’ Lakes 4×400-meter relay team

–Thor Alastre, Ermias Bireda, Patrick Hill and Tyler Mattera; Wiregrass Ranch 4×800-meter relay team

Second team

–Stephan Zapata, Jr., Land O’ Lakes, triple jump

–Shadow Williams, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, shot put

–Johnathan Coyne, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, discus

–Jamel Nuñez, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch, 100 meter

–Chris Wilkinson, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, 800 meter

–Ermias Bireda, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, 1,600 meter

–Ermias Bireda, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, 3,200 meter

–Kyle McKee, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, 110-meter hurdles

–Kyle McKee, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, 300-meter hurdles

–Kenny Bryant, Jamel Nuñez, Ryan Shea and Otis Wallace; Wiregrass Ranch 4×100-meter relay team

–Cole McCreedy, Daniel Price, Jake Poore and Ethan Weilant; Land O’ Lakes 4×800-meter relay team

Third team

–Eddie Burgos, Jr., Sunlake, long jump

–Travis Manecke, Jr., Sunlake, discus

–Henry Parrish, Sr., Land O’ Lakes, 400 meter

–Tyler Stahl, So., Land O’ Lakes, 1,600 meter

Honorable mention

–Mailyke Williams, Wesley Chapel

Coach of the Year: Bill Schmitz, Land O’ Lakes

SAC girls track team

–Courtney Prengaman, Jr., Wesley Chapel, high jump

–Hannah Eder, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, triple jump

–Patricia Magwood, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch, shot put

–Jhade Hayes, Fr., Sunlake, Discus

–Alisha Henry, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, pole vault

–Ravin Gilbert, Sr., Wesley Chapel, 100 meter

–Ravin Gilbert, Sr., Wesley Chapel, 200 meter

–Hallie Grimes, So., Land O’ Lakes, 400 meter

–Elise Cedre, So., Wiregrass Ranch, 800 meter

–Nikita Shah, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, 1,600 meter

–Nikita Shah, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, 3,200 meter

–A.J. Blount, Aslynn DeRuzzo, Hannah Eder and Stephanie Ryan; Wiregrass Ranch 4×100-meter relay team

–Savannah Goode, Chelsea Hernandez, Kayla Thornton and Shavaun Walker; Wiregrass Ranch 4×400-meter relay team

Second team

–Hannah Eder, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, long jump

–Abby Hudak, Jr., Wesley Chapel, pole vault

–Hallie Grimes, So., Land O’ Lakes, 200 meter

–Ravin Gilbert, Sr., Wesley Chapel, 400 meter

Third team

–Jhade Hayes, Fr., Sunlake, shot put

–Marissa Davis, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch, 300-meter hurdles

–Elise Cedre, Savannah Goode, Fern Powell and Nikita Shah; Wiregrass Ranch 4×800-meter relay team

Runner of the Year: Ravin Gilbert, Wesley Chapel

Field Event Athlete of the Year: Hannah Eder, Wiregrass Ranch

Coach of the Year: Don Howard, Wiregrass Ranch

SAC boys tennis first team

–Courage Okungbowa, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch

–Colin Roller, Sr., Land O’ Lakes

–Koustubh Ramesh, Jr., Wiregrass Ranch

–Jaime Feliciano, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch

Second team

–Foresight Okungbowa, Fr., Wiregrass Ranch

–David Dollbaum, Fr., Land O’ Lakes

Third team

–Eric Busch, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch

Honorable mention

–Aaron Aucoin, Sunlake

Player of the Year: Courage Okungbowa, Wiregrass Ranch

SAC girls tennis first team

–Star Makarome, Fr., Wiregrass Ranch

Second team

–Linzi Arndt, Sr., Land O’ Lakes

–Katie Bonti, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch

–Kavya Avanche, Fr., Land O’ Lakes

Third team

–Tiffany Garner, Fr., Wiregrass Ranch

–Natalie Toselli, Sr., Sunlake

Honorable Mention

–Deana Galbraith, Wesley Chapel

Player of the Year: Star Makarome, Wiregrass Ranch

SAC boys weightlifting first team

–Jack Holloway, Jr., Sunlake, 119 pounds

–Kevin Lopez, Jr., Sunlake, 129 pounds

–Dean Bui, Sr., Sunlake, 139 pounds

–Kyle Fraser, Sr., Sunlake, 154 pounds

–Rashaud Daniels, Sr., Sunlake, 169 pounds

–Eddie Burgos, Jr., Sunlake, 183 pounds

–Jordan Mills, Sr., Sunlake, 199 pounds

–Nate McCoole, Sr., Sunlake, unlimited

Second team

–Mike Lopez, Sr., Sunlake, 154 pounds

–Ray Busbee, Jr., Sunlake, 219 pounds

–Jerome Samuels, Sr., Sunlake, 238 pounds

Third team

–Zach Baxter, Sr., Sunlake, 129 pounds

–Loven Burger, Sr., Wiregrass Ranch, 139 pounds

–Paul Scott, Sr., Sunlake, 219 pounds

Honorable metion

–Nick Stowers, Land O’ Lakes

–Brendon Edmonds, Wesley Chapel

Lifter of the Year: Nate McCoole, Sunlake

Coach of the Year: Matt Smith, Sunlake

Living to serve others

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That’s Cary Anne Bame’s motto

 

By B.C. Manion

 

Cary Anne Bame recalls a time when she was working with a volunteer group to transform a blind woman’s yard that was overgrown with weeds.

The blind woman took Bame aside and confided that her main wish was to be able to sit on the porch in the morning to listen to the chirping of birds.

The woman told Bame that the bird song was a reminder of her need to share the good news of her faith.

Bame returned to the woman’s home after the work group finished its task.

“I found a neat bench and built it on her deck for her a few weeks later,” Bame recalled.  “She couldn’t see it but was able to get to the bench.”

It was an extremely gratifying experience that deepened Bame’s insight about how God can use her to have a positive impact in the lives of others.

Of course, it was just one of countless instances when the young Lutz woman has put personal pursuits aside to be of service to others.

During her years at Steinbrenner High she racked up nearly 340 community service hours. Bame’s accumulated a long list of honors including the district award for the youth category of the state Department of Education’s Outstanding Volunteer, which was given at the district’s SERVE – Volunteers in Education ceremony.

Bame has also received a national scholar athlete award from the U.S. Army Reserve and was named one of five all-around outstanding seniors in the school district by the Hillsborough County Council of PTA-PTSA.

She’s done all that while graduating sixth in her class, being her school’s homecoming queen, being captain of Steinbrenner’s district championship volleyball team and being selected as one of 12 incoming freshmen for Florida State University’s highly competitive Service Scholars program.

Despite her accomplishments, she’s quick to give the credit to others.

“I attribute all of my accolades and success to school administrators, church youth leaders, my parents and most importantly my faith,” Bame said.

She also said her teachers have been enormously helpful, and she believes teachers’ contributions to students’ success are frequently overlooked.

“Obviously, you wouldn’t have an education if it wasn’t for them,” Bame said.

While she praises others, those who know the young woman marvel at her achievements.

“Simply said, Cary Anne is amazing,” Judy Pressley, college and career counselor at Steinbrenner, wrote in nominating Bame for the youth volunteer award.

“Cary Anne has made a tremendous impact on the lives of many people,” Pressley noted. “She is one of the most deserving students I have encountered in my 14 years of working as college and career counselor.”

Pressley said she has no idea how Bame manages to balance her many academic and athletic demands while still performing such an enormous amount of community service. The counselor said she once asked Bame how she does it, and the young woman replied, “If only I didn’t have to sleep, I’d be OK.”

Bame’s service to others takes many forms.

She’s pitched in at school carnivals. She’s raised money to fight cancer through Relay For Life. She’s helped Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, Metropolitan Ministries and countless other causes.

She said the value of service — which she describes as love coupled with action — has been instilled in her since childhood.

“In my household, it’s kind of assumed that we serve others,” said Bame, the daughter of Cathy and Dave Bame.

Beyond learning from her parents, Bame said her 21-year-old sister, Katie, has also been a great teacher. She said she’s observed how her older sibling approaches people and values relationships.

Bame’s volunteer work began years ago, when she became active in a program called Reaching Inside and Out of Tampa (RIOT) at Van Dyke Church. The program offers people of many talents a chance to use their skills to help others.

“Officially, you’re allowed to start in sixth grade, but I was younger and I’ve always gone,” Bame said. “My parents have always been involved.”

She said she accompanies a group from her church on monthly visits to Robles Park, a public housing development in Tampa’s inner city. They gather up kids and go to the park, where they grill hamburgers and hot dogs and do activities.

“We try to give them fun and some more hope,” Bame said.

The experience has given Bame something, too.

Before going to Robles Park, she imagined the families would be depressed about their lack of resources, she observed in a journal she keeps. That assumption, she noted, was incorrect.

“They embraced what little they had, simply enjoyed the small things in life and kept a smile on their face most of the time,” she wrote, noting her experiences in Robles Park have reinforced her belief that she was born to be of service to others.

In one sense, serving others is selfish because it is so gratifying, she said. But it’s the kind of self-centeredness that can propel people to do good things.

Bame speaks from personal experience: “Serving others fuels me.”