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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz News

Rankin hopes a lifetime in Lutz means a Guv’na win

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Jennifer Rankin was supposed to be a Lutz Guv’na candidate in 2014, but something came up.

It was her daughter, Abigail.

“I wanted to do it last year, and I got pregnant. She was born in August,” Rankin explained. “In July, I would have been eight months pregnant at the Fourth of July parade.” Since she would have spent her entire campaign in the latter stages of pregnancy, Rankin decided to wait a year before running for the ceremonial title, awarded to the candidate who raises the most money for local organizations. The current campaign runs through the Fourth of July, and the winner is announced at the annual festivities in Lutz.

Jennifer Rankin is looking to mow down the competition in the race for Lutz Guv'na. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Jennifer Rankin is looking to mow down the competition in the race for Lutz Guv’na.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Following her pregnancy, she spent 10 days in an intensive care unit with life-threatening hemorrhaging. Now that baby and mother are both healthy, and the Lutz Guv’na race has returned, Rankin is going for the winner’s sash with guns blazing. Literally.

One of her big campaign events is a clay pigeon tournament on June 27 at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes. The cost is $130 per person, or $480 per team of four, with prizes for the top teams and shooters.

Rankin is hoping to have 10 teams in place when the tournament starts. If that seems ambitious, that’s the kind of person she is. But she also knows her supporters well, and chose an event she thought would be popular with them.

As a Lutz native who grew up in the family business, Al’s Lawn Care at 18905 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Rankin has a good feel for the area and its residents. She attended Lutz Elementary, and it was in those formative years she decided to be a Lutz Guv’na, even if she didn’t know exactly how it worked. At the time, she thought it was an actual political race instead of a fundraiser.

Now that she knows it’s all about the money, she’s even more determined to be a part of it.

“I think it’s the coolest thing,” Rankin said.

Unfortunately, not everybody knows about the Guv’na’s race. Even longtime residents don’t always understand her latest project, and she has to explain the race and where the money goes.

“It just surprises me how many people live here that don’t know anything about it,” she said.

Most people who run into Rankin learn about it, mostly because she’s always asking them for money. If she wins the title, she’ll direct a portion of the funds to the organization of her choice, and she’s already made that executive decision: The Steinbrenner High School cheer team. Her youngest stepdaughter, Kori, was a member, and Rankin saw how hard the team works with little fanfare.

And they’re working hard for her campaign as well. The team is helping out with her fundraisers, including the clay pigeon tournament.

Rankin is having fun with her candidacy so far. So much fun, in fact, that she said she’ll run again if she doesn’t win. But she’s doing everything she can to make her first campaign a winner, and with the support of husband Adrian, stepdaughters Kori and Klarissa — and Abigail, of course — she’s pulling out all the stops to take the title. That includes making sure everyone knows she’s running, and asking them to dig deep for the cause. And considering where the money goes, she’s not ashamed to have her hand out right up through the holiday weekend.

“I don’t mind asking anybody for any money, because I know it’s going back to where I live,” Rankin said. “Knowing that it’s just going right here, it’s some way, somehow going to better Lutz.”

For more information about Rankin’s events, call Al’s Lawn Care at (813) 949-1384, or visit Rankin’s Facebook page by searching for “Jennifer Silence Rankin” at Facebook.com.

Published June 17, 2015

Troop 12 needs growing room

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The Boy Scouts of America Troop 12 is known in Lutz for its many good deeds.

Every year, troop members are highly visible at the Fourth of July parade in Lutz, an event that draws thousands of spectators.

But well before the parade begins, troop members are doing work behind the scenes.

Troop 12 often does community projects, including this cleanup at Lutz Elementary School. (Courtesy of Mike Ritchie)
Troop 12 often does community projects, including this cleanup at Lutz Elementary School.
(Courtesy of Mike Ritchie)

They stay overnight on the eve of the parade, near the Lutz Branch Library, so they can keep an eye on the vendor and exhibitor displays.

And, hours before the parade begins, the scouts help the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club prepare for the festivities.

They also post dozens of American flags to help celebrate the nation’s Independence Day.

Pitching in for the Fourth of July celebration is just one example of the helpful nature of this group.

The troop’s community roots go deep. Founded in 1933, the troop is one of the oldest in the country.

“From its inception (the troop) has been involved in the community in many ways,” said Scoutmaster Jeff Potvin.

In recent years, the troop has experienced a spurt in membership and has outgrown its scout “hut,” near Lutz Lake Fern Road, off U.S. 41.

“If you’re having a regular meeting, it fits everything. But when they have ceremonies where parents come, it doesn’t,” said Bill Anderson, whose 14-year-old son, Jackson, is a member of Troop 12.

The troop has 57 members, including about 25 who joined just this year.

Part of the troop’s growth is due to Cub Scouts moving up. But the membership ranks exceeded expectations, said Anderson, a former Cub Scout master.

To address the space shortage, the scouts hope to add a new room to the existing structure that was built in 1997.

The expansion would provide additional storage space and a meeting room for troop leaders. It also would free up space for activities in the main room.

The estimated cost of the addition is $12,000 to $14,000, Anderson said.

The boys are working to raise money.

They have collected more than $1,000 from a “buy a brick” program and sales of popcorn at community events. Those efforts will continue. This year the troop also will sell food at the July 4 celebration, Anderson said.

To help raise more money, Anderson has launched a “Give ‘Em Room to Grow” fundraising campaign.

He started things off with a $250 personal donation.

The hope is that local residents and businesses will join the effort, Anderson said. Those who want to contribute can do so at DonationTo.com/Troop12.

The fundraising campaign’s goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of the year, Anderson said.

The scouts aren’t the only ones who would benefit from a larger facility.

“They also have other (groups) that meet there,” Anderson said.

“We try to use it for a community type facility without going overboard,” said Potvin, the scoutmaster.

For instance, volunteers meet there to plan for the Fourth of July celebration. The woman’s club and an art teacher instructing home-schooled children use the space, too.

Anderson sees the fundraising effort as a way to give back to a group that has been involved in many worthwhile projects.

Those projects have included planting about 4,000 trees on behalf of the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Lions Club, doing a service project at the Veterans Memorial Park, and helping with the setup and tear down at the annual Lutz Arts and Crafts Festival, to name just a few examples.

“They are just very active in the community. And, they are very generous in letting people use their building,” said Phyllis Hoedt, a volunteer who has played a pivotal role for decades in many community projects and events.

Published June 10, 2015

Goodbye, Mrs. Fernandez

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In her 38 years as an educator, Mary Fernandez relied on this simple guiding principle: Is it what’s best for children?

In sorting through the myriad issues and competing interests that a principal faces in the day-to-day work of running a school, that principle provided clarity when making decisions, Fernandez said.

Fernandez joined Lutz Elementary School’s staff in 1993, as an assistant principal.

Mary Fernandez, principal at Lutz Elementary for the past 11 years, retired this week. She was an educator for 38 years. While she’s stepping away from her full-time duties, she suspects that after giving herself some time to relax, she’ll be involved in education again, but not on a full-time basis. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Mary Fernandez, principal at Lutz Elementary for the past 11 years, retired this week. She was an educator for 38 years. While she’s stepping away from her full-time duties, she suspects that after giving herself some time to relax, she’ll be involved in education again, but not on a full-time basis.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She took over the school’s top post 11 years ago, becoming only just the third principal to lead the school during the past 40 years.

Fernandez took the reins from Gloria Kolka, who succeeded Eulah McWilliams.

The decision to become an educator came early for Fernandez.

She vividly recalls sitting in her fourth-grade classroom at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in South Tampa, looking at her teacher Rebecca Thomas, and thinking: “I want to be her.”

She never wavered from that desire.

Fernandez attended the University of South Florida, graduating in three years, and began her teaching career at St. Lawrence Catholic School, when she was 21.

“I worked there for seven years. It is absolutely amazing the number of children, that are now adults, that I run into,” she said.

Indeed, one of those former students, Dr. Joe Lezama, of the James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital, surprised her at her retirement party.

“It was really quite touching.

“He talked about when he was 9 and he came to my class, and he had just moved to the city. He was lost,” she said. But he settled in, and life moved on.

Last year, he came with his children to the school, and when he walked in the door, he asked: “Are you Mrs. Fernandez?’”

She responded: “You’re my Joey.”

“It’s full circle,” Fernandez said.

After teaching at St. Lawrence, she went on to teach at Citrus Park Elementary, under the direction of Principal Virginia Urbanek, who is now deceased.

“What a great, great mentor she was,” Fernandez said.

When Fernandez told Urbanek she was interested in becoming an administrator, she said Urbanek told her: “Just come every Monday morning and sit with me.”

Urbanek was an early riser.

“From 6:30 to 7:30, whatever she was working on, she let me watch,” Fernandez said.

As the day progressed, Urbanek would pop in to tell Fernandez how she followed through on various issues.

When Urbanek opened Essrig Elementary as its first principal, Fernandez joined the school’s inaugural staff.

She took on her first administrative role at Lutz Elementary.

She was attracted to the school because of the community’s hometown feel.

“Lutz is well known for that,” Fernandez said.

“I didn’t want just a job,” she explained. “I wanted to be part of a family and part of a community, and I never left,” she said.

Despite her many years as an administrator, Fernandez said she has never forgotten what brought her into education in the first place.

“I loved being in the classroom, and I loved the children, and to be honest with you, I miss it every single day.

“But I found that by being an administrator, you could really be involved in so many other children’s lives,” she said.

At Lutz Elementary, she said, “We treat children like our own. If this were your child, how would you want them to be treated?”

It means being caring, but she added, “It also means tough love.”

“We just need to love children and take care of them, and I wanted to share that value with other people,” Fernandez said.

During her years as an educator, she’s seen a greater degree of attention being paid to schools at every level — federal, state, local and community.

She agrees that accountability is important, but she also thinks many communities need to do more to help schools succeed.

“The best schools are in communities that support them. That doesn’t mean wealthy, it means communities that support them.

“Lutz is a unique community. Honestly, my wish would be that a lot of schools could feel the connection to their community like we do,” Fernandez said.

And, while technology and curriculum changes, there are some aspects of education that are timeless, she said.

“You have to work with every child, individually. If you don’t understand them personally, it doesn’t matter what program you give them. You’ve got to reach them individually. You have to reach their heart,” she said.

“You have to know their family. You have to know where they’ve come from. Their values. What they’re afraid of. What their goals are,” she added.

“You have to let them know that you care about them.

“And that,” Fernandez said, “has not changed.”

Published June 10, 2015

 

 

 

Ayres aims for the Lutz Guv’na sash

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Cheryl Lynn Ayres decided to pursue the ceremonial title of Lutz Guv’na in a very modern way.

She was on Facebook.

She is friends with previous Lutz Guv’nas on the social media website, and a few of them were discussing their efforts to recruit candidates for this year’s campaign. Ayres posted that it might be time for her to give it a shot.

And that was about all it took.

Cheryl Lynn Ayres isn't afraid of donning a costume, as she proved at a western-themed client appreciation picnic earlier this year with her husband, Kris. And if she wins the race for Lutz Guv'na, she'll have a sash to wear as well. (Courtesy of Cheryl Lynn Ayres)
Cheryl Lynn Ayres isn’t afraid of donning a costume, as she proved at a western-themed client appreciation picnic earlier this year with her husband, Kris. And if she wins the race for Lutz Guv’na, she’ll have a sash to wear as well.
(Courtesy of Cheryl Lynn Ayres)

“Within 30 minutes, I had a couple of phone calls saying yes, you should do that,” Ayres recalled. “If things happened this fast in real politics, stuff would get done.”

The Guv’na race isn’t real politics, of course. It’s a lighthearted fundraiser for local organizations. The person who raises the most money during the campaign, which runs until the Fourth of July weekend, is declared the winner and receives the coveted Guv’na sash.

And after nearly 30 years in Lutz, Ayres is finally throwing her hat in the ring.

A native of Minnesota, Ayres moved to Florida in the early ’80s, and settled in Lutz in 1987.

It didn’t take long for her to feel comfortable here.

At the community’s annual Fourth of July celebration, Ayres found herself near the library with the Boy Scouts. A few minutes later, she felt like she was home.

“As a community, we said the Pledge of Allegiance together, and then we sang the Star Spangled Banner. And at that moment, I said I am part of this community. And whatever it needs, I will do what I can to help.”

Ayres has kept her word, participating in several groups and associations, including serving on the board of directors for the Wilson Lakes Neighborhood Association. She doesn’t want to be the neighbor who sits back and waits for other people to get things done, Ayres said. She wants to be involved.

And with the Guv’na’s race, she has plenty of opportunities to be involved in raising money for Lutz.

She kicked things off at the debate at the Old Lutz School by singing– what else– the Star Spangled Banner. And she’s got a slate of fundraisers scheduled to bring in the cash.

On June 11, starting at 5 p.m., she’ll receive a portion of the sales from those who mention her name at BrewTown Burgers, 19255 N. Dale Mabry Highway. On June 18, she’ll benefit from a trivia night at Jan’s Wine & Boos II at 19233 N. Dale Mabry Highway. And on June 24, from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m., she’ll get a portion of the sales for those who declare their support for her campaign at Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant, 18450 U.S. 41.

If those (and other) fundraising efforts get her the Guv’na title, she’s earmarked a portion of the money to two local groups: The Friends of the Lutz Branch Library and the local Boy Scouts. The latter is in honor of her grandson, Shannon Sobtzak, who is pursuing his Eagle Scout designation.

When she’s not starting a conga line with a toilet seat around her head — another highlight of the Guv’na debate — Ayres might be busy in her role providing support for a team of financial planners at Full Circle Financial in New Port Richey. Or, she might have her nose in a good book.

She started a book club a few years back.

The next book on the club’s list is “To Kill A Mockingbird,” a classic story of integrity and the fight for justice. It seems an appropriate tale for a Guv’na hopeful.

Win or lose, the important thing is that monies raised are going back to the community, Ayres said. But she wants to win, attend the ceremonial events befitting a Lutz Guv’na and don the symbol of the office.

“I absolutely want to wear that tacky little sash,” Ayres said.

For information about her events, search for Cheryl Lynn Schmolke Ayres at Facebook.com.

Published June 10, 2015

 

No dodging Lutz man’s success

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Rick Moody’s career revolves around dodgeball.

But it was a game he didn’t like as a child.

“I know when I was a kid, dodgeball was scary,” the Lutz resident said. “You’d line up at the back of the wall and hope you don’t get hit, because it would knock your teeth out or break your nose.”

Children and adults can play anywhere there's room to set up the arena. Dodgeball2You has participated in more than 200 events so far. (Courtesy of Rick Moody)
Children and adults can play anywhere there’s room to set up the arena. Dodgeball2You has participated in more than 200 events so far.
(Courtesy of Rick Moody)

Moody’s bad memories were shared by other teachers when he taught physical education. They didn’t like the idea of children risking injury and bullying. And, if the gymnasium wasn’t available, there was no way to play it outside without chasing the ball most of the time.

So Moody came up with some solutions.

First, he focused on the ball.

Gone are the days of hard rubber speeding toward a player’s head.

In Moody’s system, the ball is foam, including a foam core, with a cloth-like covering on the exterior.

When this ball hits, it doesn’t hurt. And, it can’t be used as a weapon in the hands of an aggressive person.

Next, there’s the arena where children and adults can play the game.

Moody designed and built a structure with plastic walls that exceed 8 feet and includes netting.

The structure can be set up indoors or outdoors, takes around 15 minutes to put together and creates a fun atmosphere to play a popular game without the danger and risks that are normally associated with it.

Eventually, Moody realized he didn’t just have an idea. He had a business.

Since Dodgeball2You really got going last year, the company has done more than 200 events, with around 50,000 participants enjoying the new brand of dodgeball.

That includes a lot of repeat business, and it includes parties, gatherings at colleges and churches, and other special events.

For $200 to $300, depending on the season, an event or party can have a complete dodgeball setup, including equipment and a game manager who keeps things moving. Moody’s system features continuous play, so people can drop out and jump in as they like. At pay-for-play events, individuals can play as much as they want, with prices ranging from $10 to $50.

Aside from being fun, Moody sees other benefits in playing dodgeball.

As a former physical education teacher who ran his own running camps, and coached cross country and track and field at the college level, he knows the importance of physical fitness and the dangers of childhood obesity.

Some children spend their free time playing video games but can’t do a sit-up or push-up, Moody said. Getting in some exercise — hours of it at some events — is good for children.

“If we can get them out there exercising secretly, without them really knowing it, I think that’s going to be a huge thing,” he said.

Moody also uses his dodgeball system to tackle the problem of bullying. Dodgeball2You hosts a program called “Dodge Bullying” in schools, where they teach an anti-bullying lesson, discuss sportsmanship and invite the children to play dodgeball in a new, fun way.

“We’re able to get a message across about anti-bullying with a game that was synonymous with bullying back in the day,” Moody said.

While dodgeball can be a challenging game, the real challenge Moody faced was securing a patent for the arena.

Obtaining a patent can be a long, expensive process, and it’s one that Moody had gone through before.

“It was very painful, especially the first time around,” he said.

The first time he sought a patent was about five years ago for a different idea. He spent about $15,000, felt frustrated and did not succeed in that effort.

For his dodgeball arena, it took around 18 months and more than $10,000. But with the help of a patent attorney, it ended on a much happier note. His patent was approved just a few weeks ago.

That means Dodgeball2You doesn’t have to rely on a “patent pending” designation, and worry that someone will steal the concept.

“You’re kind of on pins and needles because people see your idea,” Moody said about the long wait to get approved.

Now that the patent is in place, Moody wants everyone to see it. Very few patents are issued to individuals, and just a small percentage of those go on to make money, he explained.

But his business is going strong —they’ve done as many as a dozen events in one weekend — and Moody is already looking to expand.

With 10 arenas and three trailers already in place, the next step will be franchising.

He’s also pursuing another patent to expand the arena’s concept into a multifunctional structure than can host several different types of games. Add in league play, and Moody’s company has dodgeball covered from all angles, like the arena he built to house the games.

Having a patented, popular concept makes the time and expense he invested worth it, he said.

“It’s a good feeling to have this accomplishment,” Moody said. “I tell everybody if you give up, you’re not going to make it. You have to keep trying. You have to keep pushing forward.”

For more information, call (844) 322-5528 or visit Dodgeball2You.com.

Published June 3, 2015

KarenSue Molis makes fundraising an art form in Guv’na race

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KarenSue Molis didn’t come up with the idea of running for Lutz Guv’na on her own. The seed was planted by someone who knew a little something about the ceremonial title and the fundraising race that goes with it.

She was recruited by a previous Guv’na.

KarenSue Molis can't wear the Guv'na sash unless she earns the title, but she can roll around Lutz in the family's antique Jaguar or Thunderbird. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
KarenSue Molis can’t wear the Guv’na sash unless she earns the title, but she can roll around Lutz in the family’s antique Jaguar or Thunderbird.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“Karen is enthusiastic, she is creative, and she appeals to just about everybody,” said Edwina Kraemer, who was Guv’na in 2006. “You want a winner for the club. You want a winner for the community.”

The club in question is the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, which selects and supports a candidate each year. And the community is Lutz, and the money raised by the annual Guv’na’s campaign goes specifically to community groups and service organizations.

After some coaxing, Molis decided she was up to the task, even though she had an inkling there was more to running for Guv’na than meets the eye.

“At first I declined, because I had a feeling there was a lot more work to this than I was being told,” she said with a laugh. “And believe me, there’s a lot more work to this than I was told!”

She’s having fun putting in the work necessary to compete in the race, which runs until the July 4 weekend. For Molis and the club, that means knocking on doors, drumming up some cash with raffles and planning events to raise the bulk of her war chest. Whichever candidate raises the most money earns the sash, so she’s getting creative with ways to collect as much as possible.

Being creative comes naturally for Molis, who was an art teacher for 11 years for elementary school children in her native Illinois. Her job took her to different schools, giving young students a chance to develop their skills, and also providing lessons that go beyond paintbrushes and crafts.

Art allows children to express themselves freely, Molis said. But it also teaches them that creating is a process, and there are steps each person takes as they progress. And that kind of discipline isn’t limited to art.

“It’s the same way in life. You can’t drive a car until you’ve been taught to drive the car. “You can’t bake a cake if you can’t follow the directions,” she said.

It’s not unusual that Molis referred to a car, when making her analogy.

Her husband of 46 years, Fred, is an antique car enthusiast, and they have a 1959 Jaguar and a 1957 Ford Thunderbird. The Thunderbird has been in the last four Lutz Fourth of July parades.

When Molis and her husband were moving to the area from Jacksonville to live closer to their grandchildren, they didn’t originally intend to live in Lutz.

They planned to live in Wesley Chapel.

But when their real estate agent showed them something else, they made a detour.

“The realtor showed us the community of Lutz, and of all the places he showed us, this one just felt good,” Molis said.

She joined the woman’s club to make friends and, six years later, she’s their candidate for Guv’na.

While Molis is full of smiles and eager to shake hands as she campaigns, she knows it’s all about the money. And she has a full slate of events planned to raise funds. Each Thursday, the club hosts a luncheon at the Lutz Community Center, 98 First Ave., N.W. And on June 6, she hopes to raise a lot of cash at a special car show from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Furniture Now Home & Accessories, 15445 N. Nebraska Ave. There’s a good chance the Molis antiques will make an appearance there as well.

While the club is working hard to put Molis over the top (their candidate last year just fell short in what was likely the closest race in Guv’na history), she knows that there are no losers in the race. When another Guv’na alumnus, Suzin Carr, explained that local organizations will get thousands of dollars to meet their goals and keep the local flavor of Lutz alive, Molis knew it was a good cause no matter the outcome.

“When she started telling me all the things that had been done with (the money), then I thought, well, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, because all of the money goes into the Lutz pot.”

If she does defeat the other two candidates, she’ll have some say in where a small portion of the money goes. And she’s already identified the Lutz Library, the Old Lutz School and Canine Companions, which helps provide assistance dogs to those in need, as her choices for Guv’na assistance.

With two children, three grandchildren and a lot of gardening to tend, Molis doesn’t lack for activities. But her schedule is all about the Guv’na race for the next month, and becoming even closer to the area that she joined just a few years ago.

“Of all the places we’ve lived in the United States, in the six years we’ve been here, we’re more a part of this community than we’ve been of any of the communities,” Molis said.

Published June 3, 2015

Educator says caring is key to helping others learn

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It doesn’t take a detective to figure out Julie Hiltz’s philosophy of education.

The media specialist spells it out, quite literally, on a sign displayed in the media center at Lutz Elementary School.

Students coming into her domain will see a sign listing six declarations.

Julie Hiltz, a media specialist at Lutz Elementary School, was honored in the spring by Gov. Rick Scott for her work in education. She has worked at Lutz Elementary for 12 of her 13 years as an educator. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Julie Hiltz, a media specialist at Lutz Elementary School, was honored in the spring by Gov. Rick Scott for her work in education. She has worked at Lutz Elementary for 12 of her 13 years as an educator.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I believe in you. I trust in you. I will listen to you. I care for you. You are important. You will succeed,” Hiltz concludes the list by adding a red heart, followed by her name.

Apparently, Hiltz’s ability to help others succeed has helped her to be successful, too.

She received a Shine Award for her work in education from Gov. Rick Scott, during a spring Florida Cabinet meeting at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

She doesn’t know who nominated her for the recognition, but she believes the award may have been linked to her work as a Teacherpreneur, with the Center for Teaching Quality.

For the past two years, Hiltz has divided her time between Lutz Elementary and the Center for Teaching Quality.

“It’s considered a hybrid teaching role,” said Hiltz, an educator for 13 years.

As a Teacherpreneur, Hiltz has worked with teachers and professional development groups in Volusia, Seminole, Highlands, Lake and Escambia counties.

The hybrid approach gives educators a chance to keep a foot in the classroom and take on a leadership role, without having to leave the classroom entirely to become an administrator, she explained.

The idea is to find ways to keep good teachers teaching by providing an avenue for them to help shape education beyond their classroom’s walls, she said.

“We want to find a way to keep good teachers in the classroom. There’s got to be a way for them to have some kind of additional influence and additional challenges, without saying ‘You need to go into administration,’ ” she said.

In some ways, teaching hasn’t changed much over generations. Teachers go about their day teaching, mostly in isolation, she said.

“We pass each other in the hallway, but we’re not able to get into one another’s classrooms to see people teaching, to find out what they’re doing,” she said.

“As a teacher, you don’t know (that) what you’re doing is spectacular or wonderful. You just assume everybody is doing it,” Hiltz said.

“Maybe they’re just this one step away from being a master teacher. Maybe there’s just one thing, if they added, would take them to the next level,” she said.

The Center for Teaching Quality celebrates effective teachers, encourages them to share their expertise and offers opportunities for growth, she said.

Hiltz said she has enjoyed her experience as a Teacherpreneur, noting that besides working with teachers and professional development teams, the experience also gave an opportunity to broaden her understanding of state funding, policies and regulations.

But after a two-year stint in that hybrid role, she’s ready to return full-time to Lutz Elementary.

She said she wants to use her skills to help both students and teachers.

The use of technology has changed the delivery of instruction, she said.

In her work as a media specialist, she said, “there’s been a lot more emphasis of not just book circulation and literature appreciation, but research skills, accessing online resources, using the technology that they’re using in the classrooms — providing support for that.”

In an increasingly digital world, students take in information differently than they did in the past, she said. There’s also been a shift away from rote memorization and an increased emphasis on being able to solve problems, in multiple ways.

Despite those changes, though, Hiltz believes the key to effective teaching remains the same.

“It goes back to basic relationship building with your students,” she said.

“Early on, I had a mentor who said, ‘Kids don’t care what you know, until they know you care,” Hiltz said.

It’s important to find a hook to engage students in a lesson, she said.

But it goes deeper.

“You’ve got to find what motivates them and why they’re going to care about what you have to tell them,” she said.

“The students in your rooms have different needs. They learn different ways,” she said.

And, while it’s hard to watch students struggle, that’s part of the learning process, Hiltz added.

“They need to know it’s OK to make mistakes. They need to know how to treat each other and, frankly, how to treat themselves,” she said.

Hiltz said she was honored by the governor’s award.

That recognition, however, appears to be icing on the cake for the educator.

“I love my job. I cannot imagine doing anything else,” Hiltz said.

Published June 3, 2015

Lutz Guv’na hopefuls clash in fun-filled debate

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This past Saturday, three residents went to the Old Lutz School and lied to their neighbors.

One pledged to ban homework for all children.

Another promised to build a giant rainbow.

A third guaranteed everyone beautiful waterfront property.

From left, Cheryl Ayers, KarenSue Molis and Jennifer Rankin faced some silly questions at the Lutz Guv'na debate May 16, and they responded with equally silly answers. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
From left, Cheryl Ayers, KarenSue Molis and Jennifer Rankin faced some silly questions at the Lutz Guv’na debate May 16, and they responded with equally silly answers.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Then they tried to hit everyone up for money. And, they’re going to keep doing it all the way up until July 4.

It sounds like a shameless way to treat your neighbors, but that’s what Lutz expects out of their Guv’na candidates.

Those wanting the ceremonial title must prove they’re silly enough to deserve it. And the winner must raise the most money, which goes to local organizations after a new Guv’na is declared.

So, Jennifer Rankin, KarenSue Molis and Cheryl Ayers gathered at the school on May 16 to answer questions, show off unusual talents and prove they have what it takes to claim the coveted winner’s sash.

Their performances impressed the current Guv’na.

“They were good. They were funny. This is something that you don’t take too seriously,” said Dr. Cindy Perkins, who won a close race last year by raising just a little bit more than the other candidates. Together, last year’s candidates raised about $9,000, which went to around 20 different groups.

Perkins has fulfilled her Guv’na duties, which included activities like being a judge at a fair, throwing out a first pitch at a softball game and attending a Boys Scouts’ event.

As outgoing Guv’na, she was able to enjoy the festivities on the other side of the table, and watch the candidates get put through their paces.

The candidates faced such questions as what to do if there’s an alligator infestation (eat them) and how to avoid an invasion from Russia (a giant dome should keep them out).

Then things got a little strange.

Ayers started a conga line while wearing a toilet seat around her neck. The candidates took part in a golf competition where they tried to aim large balls at targets (really toilet seats again). Rankin won, but there was some cheating involved from emcee Paul Vahue. All three put on some crazy costumes in a quick-change competition. And Molis won an award for Biggest Liar at the debate.

While it was a light-hearted event, there was time for a more serious moment. Ayers showed off her singing talent by performing “The Star Spangled Banner,” and everyone spontaneously stood to sing along with her.

Throw in some food and conversation, and it was a complete event for the candidates, their family and other attendees. That included some former Guv’nas, who came by to show support and help out with the event.

Karin D’Amico, who ran two Guv’na campaigns herself and won the sash in 2012, got to experience a debate for the first time.

“Both of my years I did not get to attend,” she said. “It’s very interesting.” As a member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club, D’Amico supports their candidate, Molis. The group has been supporting Guv’na hopefuls for years, and she believes they have another winner this time around.

The key, D’Amico said, is to schedule a lot of events and let people have so much fun that they start donating to the cause.

“People get to having a good time, and they just give you money,” she said.

Suzin Carr, the only two-time Guv’na, agrees. When it comes to the race, it’s all about raising money for good causes.

“Just keep begging for money,” she advised the candidates. “Keep begging and spreading the word. When I ran, I wore a sign on my back everywhere I went to get people to give me money, and it worked.”

Whichever candidate ends up begging enough to put them over the top, Saturday was a day of embracing absurdity and enjoying the eccentric qualities of the Guv’na race. As someone who’s won the sash twice, Carr knew what she was seeing.

She summed up the annual event this way: “Totally tacky in a classy sort of way, and all in whole-hearted fun.”

Published May 20, 2015

Giving youths a healthy place to hang out

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It’s a Saturday morning and the sound of a basketball hitting the court reverberates throughout the gym in the Saint John Paul II Youth Center.

Sneakers squeak, as players race back and forth down the court in a pickup game during the center’s open gym.

It’s quiet outside of the St. John Paul II Youth Center now, but once programming gets into full swing, the foot traffic is expected to pick up. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
It’s quiet outside of the St. John Paul II Youth Center now, but once programming gets into full swing, the foot traffic is expected to pick up.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Located on the campus of St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz, the center officially opened on the Feast Day of Saint Timothy in late January.

The 18,000-square-foot facility was built with kids in mind.

Besides basketball, the court can be used for volleyball, kickball and other games.

The youth center also has a café, a recording center, a game room, multiple gathering spaces and a sound system that plays throughout the building.

There’s also a patio area and a green space for outdoor events.

While others were busy playing basketball, 9-year-old Gabe Linder and 10-year-old Aviva Banks were playing a game of Ladder Toss, which involves tossing two balls connected by a string to try to land them on the rung of a ladder.

The kids seemed to be having fun.

The two were good-natured competitors, with Linder coaching Banks, as they went along.

“Try it underhand,” he suggested.

Whenever one of them had a good shot, they were both enthusiastic.

In another room at the center, musicians have a chance to jam and, once it is soundproofed, to record music.

CJ Linder, 10, was in that room — banging out a drum solo.

He paused, briefly, to offer his assessment of the youth center. “I think it’s pretty cool,” he said.

In terms of programming, the center is in its infancy, said Judy Anderson, the youth ministry coordinator.

When its fully up and running, she envisions a place that is teeming with activity.

Besides offering places to play sports and make music, there are also places to play board games, to watch big-screen TVs, to grab a snack, just hang out and chat, or attend Faith Formation classes.

“This is a dream come true,” said Anderson, noting it has been one of St. Timothy’s goals for at least a decade. It’s just an answer to prayer, I tell you.

“We haven’t had a dedicated space for youth only. We’ve had to modify the adult space, over in the parish hall. Now, we have this dedicated space,” Anderson said.

The total cost of the center is about $2.3 million, including furnishings. The cost of the construction is being funded by St. Timothy parishioners via the Forward in Faith Campaign, which is also raising funds for Diocesan projects, including the Mother Teresa of Calcutta school and other projects.

The furnishings for the center have been funded, or donated, by parishioners and through fundraising activities such as the March Madness Auction Dinner and the Family Fall Festival.

The idea was to create a magnet for youths.

“Kids were going other places, and we wanted to figure out, ‘Well, how can we attract them?’ ” Anderson said.

Diane Elsen, a longtime church volunteer, believes the youth center will have a huge impact.

“I just think it’s going to transform youth ministry at St. Timothy’s,” Elsen said.

“It gives them (youths), just the ability to have somewhere to hang — because that is so important to people their age,” Elsen said.

Parents welcome the center, too, Elsen said.

“They know how important it is for kids to have a place to gather,” she said.

The youth center will help with the church’s outreach efforts, too, both Anderson and Elsen said.

“We want to make it available to our community at St. Timothy’s, and we want them to bring their friends,” Anderson said. “Our Pope Francis has made it very clear. We need to be welcoming to everybody.”

Elsen added: “It gives us a chance to evangelize others. Friends can come.”

The youth center’s décor includes posters of saints, so visitors can learn about them and, Anderson hopes, be influenced by their examples.

“We take the time, and we talk about Jesus, in between sports. It’s a great segue to learn about their faith and have fun at the same time in this space,” Anderson said.

The youth center also will provide an indoor gym for students attending the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School.

The school, formerly known as Most Holy Redeemer Catholic School is now located at 302 E. Linebaugh Ave., in Tampa, but is moving this fall to St. Tim’s campus at 17512 Lakeshore Road in Lutz.

Anderson coached at Most Holy Redeemer for 14 years.

She recalls practicing outdoors on 90-degree days, when her players could barely keep hydrated enough to have a decent workout.

There were other issues, too, such as highway noise and court conditions.

“We had to sweep the leaves and the nuts off each time we practiced. We had to haul water out there,” she said.

Anderson is pleased that Mother Teresa of Calcutta teams will have an indoor gym. It’ll also be nice for after-school sports and for indoor gym on rainy days, she said.

But that doesn’t mean the kids will play inside all of the time.

“We want them to still be outside for fresh air,” Anderson said.

Published May 20, 2015

Once again, the Lutz Guv’na sash is up for grabs

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Campaign season has begun again in Lutz.

Candidates for Lutz Guv’na will gather on May 16 at the Old Lutz School to lie, make promises they’ll never keep and try to grab a little cash for their campaign.

Lutz wouldn’t have it any other way.

Last year's Lutz Guv'na candidates had to show off their knitting skills to impress the community. There are new, secret challenges for this year’s crop of hopefuls. (File Photo)
Last year’s Lutz Guv’na candidates had to show off their knitting skills to impress the community. There are new, secret challenges for this year’s crop of hopefuls.
(File Photo)

The candidates aren’t running for political office. They’re vying for the ceremonial title of Lutz Guv’na, an annual tradition that reduces the campaign to its lowest common denominator: Money.

The amount of money — raised by each candidate in creative ways — is how a winner is determined.

But the money raised by these candidates doesn’t go to slick television ads or campaign tour buses like you might see in a political election. It goes directly to local organizations and charities, making the Lutz Guv’na race an elaborate community fundraiser with some unusual traditions.

According to Suzin Carr, the ceremonial kickoff on May 16 is a fun way for the public to meet the candidates and enjoy the spectacle.

“It is a great thing to watch some small-town silliness at its finest,” she said.

Carr is quite familiar with this brand of silliness because she’s been the Guv’na — twice.

Now she gets to enjoy the festivities from the other side, playing the role of candidate recruiter and all-around Guv’na ambassador.

The candidates will be put through their paces that afternoon, taking part in a question and answer session that demands creative answers.

They’ll also have a chance to make outlandish campaign promises that defy logic, science and common sense. And they’ll be forced to play some games that remain secret so as not to give them any hints at what’s in store.

Overall, the goal is to raise money, and the Guv’na race does it well. Last year the candidates raised $9,000 in all, with less than $20 separating the winner — Dr. Cindy Perkins — from the runner-up.

But all of the candidates played a role in helping around 20 different groups, including scout troops, the Lutz Civil Air Patrol and the Old Lutz School.

The annual Guv’na’s race also fosters a sense of closeness for area residents in an era when old neighborhoods tend to lose their identity over time. Carr sees small-town events like the Guv’na race as a way for Lutz to keep its character intact.

“I think that when you have things like this, it brings to the table how important a small community is,” she said.

But a race is only as good as its candidates, and Carr said there are three good ones this year. Jennifer Rankin, Cheryl Lynn Ayres and Karen Sue Molis have thrown their hats into the ring, and Carr expects them to work hard until the race ends and the winner is announced, traditionally on Fourth of July weekend.

“We have three really solid, dynamic, fun candidates, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this year turns out,” she said.

Of course, that number is subject to change, Carr said.

Individuals with a sense of charity (and good humor) are still welcome to join the race. So, anyone looking to improve the fortunes of local Lutz groups is welcome to vie for the Guv’na sash and test their fundraising mettle against this year’s crop of hopefuls. And it wouldn’t hurt to make some wild promises that aren’t grounded in reality, Carr said.

The final tally of candidates will gather for fun and games on May 16, and they hope more of the public will show up to support them and the crazy race they’ve signed up to run over the next several weeks.

Carr will be there to make sure things stay just as crazy as ever. Even though she doesn’t don the sash anymore, it’s still a part of her commitment to the community.

“Once a Guv’na, always a Guv’na,” she said.

The free event runs from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. The Old Lutz School is located at 18819 U.S. 41 N. For information about joining the race, contact Carr at (813) 453-5256.

Published May 13, 2015