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National Honor Society

Finding a way to shine a spotlight on seniors

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During normal times, Marie Joles is busy at her day job, working as a dental hygienist.

And, typically during this time of year, high school seniors are gearing up for their final festivities in high school — prom, awards ceremonies, graduation.

But, the threat of a highly contagious and deadly virus — the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic — has upended life’s ordinary routines.

So, instead of going to work, Joles has been at home. And, instead of gearing up for traditional celebrations and hanging out with friends, seniors have been spending their final school days distance learning.

(Courtesy of Marie Joles)

Joles hated the thought that their senior year would end that way. After all, she remembered how special it was for her family to go through the festivities when her daughter, Samantha, graduated last year.

So, Joles, who is a board member of the Wiregrass Ranch High School’s PTSA and in charge of that group’s social media efforts, asked PTSA president Jennifer Kanyok, if she could do Senior Spotlights on their social media.

Once she got the go-ahead, she began soliciting the spotlights on her personal Facebook page and on the Seven Oaks Facebook page.

Then she reached out by text and email to Robyn White, the school’s principal; David Wilson, the athletic director; and to all of the school coaches.

She also reached out to Bobbie Gebhart, the band booster president, and Jeni Wiseman, the football team mom — to spread the word about the profiles.

The parents submit the photos and blurbs, which Joles tweaks and posts.

In less than 24 hours, she had seven profiles ready.

Now, there are dozens posted.

They convey a sense of pride of the parents who submitted the blurbs about their children.

The profiles offer a glimpse of the lives these members of the Wiregrass Ranch High Class of 2020 have led, and offer insights about their personalities and aspirations.

Some have earned college credits, a college diploma or industry certifications while still in high school. Others have volunteered hundreds of hours.

They’ve been in theatrical performances, in marching band and orchestra, in color guard and cheerleading.

They’ve competed in lacrosse, soccer, swimming, football, track, basketball, weightlifting, basketball and other sports.

They’ve been members of the National Honor Society, the Key Club, and Health Occupations Students of America, to name just a few clubs.

And, they have wide-ranging ambitions.

Some plan to pursue traditional careers, such as nursing, law and business administration. Others aspire to less common paths, such as becoming a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, a makeup specialist or an animator.

Most graduates appear to be heading off to higher education in the Sunshine State, at such colleges as Pasco-Hernando State College, Saint Leo University, the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, Florida State University and Stetson University.

Regardless of what they’ve done, or where they’re going — they have made an impression.

One graduate is described as “a beautiful soul and a day of sunshine.”

Another is said to have “a musician’s heart.”

One “has a big heart, is a hard worker and knows how to live in the moment.”

Another has “a wicked sense of humor, amazing spirit and zeal for life.”

Joles said she wanted to do the spotlights because this is a special time for seniors and they deserve recognition.

“I wanted to let them know that we appreciate them,” she said.

Those wishing Joles to post a profile of a Wiregrass Ranch senior can reach out to her at  , or text her at (813) 830-8643.

How are you celebrating your graduating seniors?
The normal ceremonies that mark completion of high school are being postponed until later this year. Meanwhile, families and schools are getting creative in their efforts to help celebrate members of the Class of 2020.

What are you doing? We’d love to know. We’re planning to do a story sharing how families and schools within The Laker/Lutz News are rising to the occasion to make their high school seniors feel special.

Send your submissions to .

Thank you, in advance, for your help.

Published May 06, 2020

Local teen attracts attention for her compassion, good works

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Sally Campbell is living proof that teenagers can make an impact in their community.

The 17-year-old’s compassion for people struggling with cancer inspired her to create “Sallybrating with a Cause,” a nonprofit that has provided arts and crafts, meals, goodie bags, live entertainment and fun activities for residents of Hope Lodge in Tampa.

Hope Lodge provides temporary free lodging for cancer patients and caregivers of those patients receiving outpatient care at nearby Moffitt Cancer Center.

Pasco High senior Sally Campbell last month received the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Community Hero award, for her nonprofit, ‘Sallybrating With A Cause.’ Sally is shown here with Lightning forward Pat Maroon, left, and Lightning CEO Steve Griggs. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Lightning)

Besides bringing joy and good cheer to cancer patients, the Pasco High senior’s caring ways also have caught the attention of others.

Recently, Sally was named a Lightning Community Hero.

The honor included a $50,000 donation from the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program.

Sally is donating half of the funds to the Hope Lodge. The other half will go toward a scholarship to support her college education. She aspires to become a veterinarian.

To celebrate Sally’s community work, she and her story were displayed on Amalie Arena’s jumbotron during the first intermission of a Dec. 14 game against the Washington Capitals, in an arena filled with 19,000 fans.

The front-and-center moment was a bit overwhelming, at first, the teen said.

When she saw herself on the giant screen, she thought: ‘Oh, gosh, what do I do?’

“But, of course having everybody around me made me more comfortable,” she said.

In addition to the public recognition, she also received a behind-the-scenes tour of Lightning facilities, and met with Lightning forward Pat Maroon and Lightning CEO Steve Griggs.

“It was just really cool, and an amazing experience to have,” she said.

All that attention, however, stemmed from Sally’s sustained commitment toward helping others.

She launched her nonprofit organization in 2014, while she was still in middle school.

It was her way to honor the memory of her great-grandmother who succumbed to lung cancer,  before Sally was born.

The Dade City teen keeps her great-grandmother’s legacy alive by regularly visiting the Hope Lodge. There, Sally shares her bright smile and a willingness to interact with those who are suffering.

Several times a year, Sally hosts dinners for Hope Lodge patients and volunteers.

Sally Campbell assists cancer patients with arts and crafts at the Hope Lodge in Tampa. The 18-year-old Pasco High senior regularly visits the living treatment center — providing meals, goodie bags, fun activities and live entertainment, through her nonprofit, ‘Sallybrating With A Cause.’ (Courtesy of Sally Campbell)

She comes bearing goodie bags, and provides arts and crafts, live music and other activities.

To fund those uplifting visits, Sally organizes golf tournaments and poker runs. She also spreads awareness about her nonprofit during community festivals in Dade City.

Sally was just 12 when she began volunteering at the Hope Lodge, and ever since her very first visit, she has felt inspired to do more.

She explained that even a small gesture, such as providing a dinner, is both rewarding and motivating.

Hope Lodge patients are grateful for the attention and conversation, Sally said.

And, providing meals is a practical way to help — so patients and their caregivers don’t have to go out or worry about their next meal, after a long day of chemo and radiation.

In other words, the service helps “eliminate some of that burden” that cancer patients and caregivers may face each day, she said.

“We’ve had people tell us that we’ve been their saving graces as they’ve been going through treatments at Moffit Cancer Center next door,” Sally said. “All these people are so thankful and so appreciative of everything that we do, so it just kind of makes it like you want to go back.

“It’s really neat to see all the simple ways that you can make someone else’s day brighter,” she said.

Over the years, the teen has enlisted countless friends and family members to help her along the way.

She said she strives to set an example to her peers, to help them realize that they’re not too young to make a positive and notable impact.

It’s something her mother, Heather Campbell, has noticed over time as she chaperones her daughter’s Hope Lodge outings and other events.

“It’s like her good deeds that she does, it’s contagious. It rubs off and makes us want to get involved as well — which is not a bad thing,” Heather said.

“She inspires me, because she always gives of herself. Like a lot of kids think they just have to document volunteer hours, but she never thinks of it like that. She just goes out there and just does, just to give to others,” Heather added.

Besides her charitable work, Sally keeps plenty busy in other pursuits.

She is a multi-sport athlete at Pasco High. She ran cross-country this year and is back on the tennis team for her fourth year. She also played soccer her freshman and sophomore years.

She serves as president of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, she is involved in student council and the PTSA, and she shows hogs through the Dade City Future Farmers of America.

Regardless of what she’s doing, though, she understands the value of teamwork.

“It’s a lot to handle, but we get it all done,” Sally said. “That’s the good thing about having a bunch of people that are willing to help you and support you, no matter what.”

Published January 08, 2020

Sunlake senior wins countywide honor

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Since she stepped foot upon Sunlake High School’s campus four years ago, Jillian Gordy has strived to make a difference within her school and community.

Sunlake High School student Jillian Gordy has been named Pasco County Schools’ 2018-2019 Outstanding Senior. The award is given on the basis of academic record, service, leadership, citizenship, and evidence of commitment to school and community. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

She’s spearheaded new school traditions.

She’s been involved in numerous clubs and service organizations.

And, she’s managed to maintain a 4.0-plus grade point average.

The 18-year-old’s efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Last month, the young woman from Lutz was named Pasco County Schools’ 2018-2019 Outstanding Senior Award.

The award is given on the basis of academic record, service, leadership, citizenship, and evidence of commitment to school and community. Students considered for the award are nominated by the student body, principals, faculty and staff. Nominees from each high school in Pasco are then interviewed by a panel of administrators who ultimately narrow the selection to one student to represent the school district.

Gordy said she was surprised to even be nominated for the senior award because she only takes one class on Sunlake’s campus.

She takes the rest of her senior classes off-campus at Pasco-Hernando State College.

“I’m just really honored to be able to represent Sunlake, and honored to be named for this award,” the 18-year-old said in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “I wasn’t really expecting it.”

What she lacks in classroom time at Sunlake, Gordy makes up for in student involvement.

She serves as executive student body president and has been an officer in student government for four years.

In the senior leadership role, she’s already helped enact two new traditions at Sunlake.

Within the first few months of her term, Gordy persuaded school administration to enable seniors and school staff to paint their parking spots as a way to encourage school spirit.

While a relatively common practice for many other high schools, it marked a first for Sunlake.

“I was really proud of seeing that come to fruition,” Gordy said. “People don’t like their spots being taken in the morning, so this was something that the kids really looked forward to and the staff really loved, and it was really a morale boost.”

Her other tradition? Making goodie bags for incoming freshman during orientation.

Gordy refers to the goodie bags as “survival kits.” They contain applications for clubs, athletic information and homecoming information. The idea is to encourage new students to get involved.

“I wish that all schools could do that because it gives everyone a chance to get involved and no one can say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know about that club in freshman year,’” Gordy said.

Besides being involved in student government, Gordy also is president of the French Honor Society and French Club.

Her mother’s family is French-Canadian, she said, noting, “I was kind of connecting with my roots through French Honor Society and learning about French culture.”

Gordy also is a member of the National Honor Society and class director of Sunlake’s Key Club, a volunteer and service organization.

She’s racked up more than 450 volunteer hours through Key Club.

During her sophomore year, she led the club’s first Toys for Tots gift drive. (Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.)

During that effort, she asked her peers to bring in more gifts for teenagers, after noticing that youths ages 13 to 17 are often overlooked by donors.

Gordy became a volunteer with Toys for Tots when she was just 5. She credits her mom, Carol, for getting her involved.

“My mom has really influenced me to be a volunteer for life and really dedicate my life to service,” Gordy said.

Over the years, Gordy said she noticed that most of the gifts provided for teenagers involve sporting equipment, such as basketballs and footballs.

To help improve the situation, she made a donation list for fellow Key Club members, asking for gifts such as books, science kits, art supplies and beauty products.

She’s continued the initiative ever since, and is now working with Kiwanis of Greater West Pasco to expand awareness and increase donations for teens.

Gordy underscored the importance of addressing that issue: “Those are the children that are usually taking care of their younger siblings, and they’re more of like a parental figure, and so we really need to take care of them during the holiday season.”

Because of her work with Toys for Tots, Gordy received the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award last year. The award is presented by the Florida Holocaust Museum to one junior in each of the public and private high schools in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Besides her service and leadership qualities, Gordy’s academic achievements are admirable, too.

She’s been named to the All-As Academic Honor Roll every year of high school.

She won the AP Scholar Award for getting 5s — the highest score possible—on every AP exam she took.

She also earned the Science Achievement Award in AP Environmental Science as a sophomore.

In addition to her AP course load, Gordy has been taking dual enrollment courses since her sophomore year — earning 35 college credits to date. She was also awarded the English Achievement Award for dual enrollment as a sophomore and junior, and made the PHSC Honor Roll both semesters of the 2017-2018 school years.

Gordy credits much of her success to her teachers at Sunlake and PHSC.

“My teachers have been amazing,” Gordy said. “I’ve learned so much from my classes and they’ve really shaped me as a person, and they shaped what I want to go into.”

That also includes her mother  — who is a marine science teacher at Sunlake.

Gordy noted education was “very, very emphasized” in the family’s household.

“She definitely taught me the meaning of education and how important it is,” Gordy said, “and how much that education can influence others, as well as yourself, and how everything can be achieved through education. I definitely learned to love school and to love learning through her.”

Gordy said she’s still undecided on which college she plans to attend. But, her sights are on becoming a civil engineer and working for Engineers Without Borders, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that assists developing communities worldwide with engineering projects.

Reflecting on her high school career, Gordy is appreciative of the level of support she’s received from the Sunlake teachers and administration.

She’s also grateful for the numerous opportunities afforded to her through school clubs and other organizations.

“The amount of school spirit at Sunlake when I was a freshman was so amazing that I wanted to be more involved,” Gordy said. “I just wanted to be part of like the change at our school.”

Published December 12, 2018

First Year Successes at Bexley Elementary

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This Friday, 104 fifth-graders will graduate from Bexley Elementary in Land O’ Lakes, capping off an outstanding first year for the new school.

“I’m amazed at how fast this school year has gone by,” said Principal Vicki Wolin. “We’re so proud of our first graduating class, and excited about the many accomplishments achieved this year by our students, staff and parents.”

Wolin identified four successes she is particularly proud of.

  1. Established a chapter of the National Elementary Honor Society for fourth- and fifth-graders. Students were invited to apply, and 40 were selected based on their application, grades and citizenship efforts.

Along with the support of their teams, two teachers co-chaired this initiative; fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Zimmerman and fourth-grade teacher Katlyn Gamble.

“Not all elementary schools have National Honor Society, and our co-chairs did a great job making this happen,” said Wolin. “Establishing a chapter in our first year was important because we wanted to emphasize that the academic achievement of our students is a primary focus.”

  1. Organized a Safety Patrol Program for fifth-graders, with 25 youngsters selected, based on teacher recommendations, academics and good citizenship.

“Our safety patrol students monitor school activities, help out in the car loop and assist other students throughout the campus,” said Wolin. “They are our goodwill ambassadors who exemplify our school rules— Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Safe.”

  1. Recognized by the Florida Department of Education with a Golden School Award for promoting parent and community involvement. The award requires that the total number of volunteer hours equals twice the number of students enrolled at a school.

Bexley volunteers far surpassed this number, logging over 3,000 volunteer hours, or twice the number of hours required, based on its student population of 715.

  1. Established a Parent Teacher Organization to plan and support the school’s Booster-thon and Spring Carnival fundraisers.

“Our PTO was very involved, especially for a new school,” Wolin said. “Its fund-raising activities contributed to our outdoor beautification program with benches and umbrellas, and also supported our technology fund that we use to purchase iPads and laptops.”

Bexley Elementary Principal Vicki Wolin talks with first-grader Andrew Fowler and his brother, kindergartner Robert Fowler.

Wolin, who previously was principal for 14 years at Seven Springs Elementary in New Port Richey, was appointed Bexley’s principal in January 2017, eight months before the school opened.

“It was an incredible learning experience to be part of the school from the ground up,” said Wolin. “It allowed me to be proactive, and plan ahead to put in place the processes and procedures needed for the school.”

Designed for 900 students, Bexley is the largest elementary school in physical size in Pasco County. It ends the school year with 715 students, and is expecting an enrollment of 800 for the 2018-19 school year.

Much of this student growth is coming from children in primary grades, especially kindergartners.

“We had 120 children at our spring kindergarten roundup, and are growing from four kindergarten classes at the beginning of this year to eight classes next year,” Wolin said.

The doubling of its kindergarten class is reflective of the many families moving into Bexley, the master-planned community where the school is located.

Newland Communities, the developer of Bexley, anticipates selling 150 new homes a year in its community —many to families with young children. Newland will be building for several years, with an anticipated build out of 3,500 homes.

In addition, two large apartment communities are opening close to Bexley Elementary that will have many families with school-aged children — Lakeside Walk at Bexley with 300 apartments, and Mystic Pointe with 262.

“With so much growth at Bexley and the surrounding area, we expect to be at our 900-student capacity within two years,” said Wolin. “We also are seeing lots of local children transferring from charter schools to Bexley, and many families relocating from outside the state to Pasco County.”

Bexley Elementary is built on 18 acres donated by Newland Communities.  And, because of the generosity of this developer, there is room to construct an additional building on the school site in the future.

John Petrashek, director of construction services for Pasco schools, has praised Newland Communities for being “tremendous partners.” He explains that Newland ensured that the site was large enough to meet the district’s needs, and also made sure that needed infrastructure was available.

“We know that access to good schools is so important for families with kids, particularly when shopping for a new home,” said Pam Parisi, vice president of marketing for Newland Communities.

“That’s why we’re thrilled to have Bexley Elementary School located right within the community. Parents and kids love the convenience of being able to walk or ride their bikes to school.”

About Bexley Elementary

  • 726 students; projected 800 next August
  • Principal Vicki Wolin — 30-year Pasco educator
  • 84 employees, including 39 teachers
  • First graduating class – 104 fifth-graders
  • Golden School Award for over 3,000 volunteer hours
  • School Mission: Believe. Engage. Succeed. Every Bulldog! Every Day!
  • Located on 18 acres donated by Newland Communities

Published May 23, 2018

Computer club navigates programming basics

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Roshan Kumaraswamy started programming computers in middle school — now he’s teaching the craft to others.

Last month, the 16-year-old Land O’ Lakes High School senior created Coding Club, for tweens and teens aspiring to learn more about computer sciences.

Roshan Kumaraswamy, a 16-year-old senior at Land O’ Lakes High School, first learned computer programming in middle school. He recently created a computer programming club at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, called Coding Club. It’s designed for teens and tweens who are interested in learning more about computer sciences. (Kevin Weiss)

The club began meeting on Fridays in July, at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library.

It accommodates up to 10 people, who program on library-issued Dell laptops.

The club, which now has a wait list, doesn’t require any prior programming experience.

“It’s pretty much adapted to anybody,” Kumaraswamy said. “I have a couple students that are pretty advanced, and then some that don’t even know how to make a file.”

During weekly, two-hour sessions, Kumaraswamy teaches the basics of website programming, from HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), to Swift — each of which serves various functions.

For instance, HTML is the very core structure of a website, while CSS is used to stylistically improve websites. Swift is a general-purpose programming language often used for Apple products.

Club members already have learned to build simple websites and develop two-dimensional arcade video games, like Pong — a popular table tennis sports game.

In subsequent classes, Kumaraswamy plans to introduce the Java programming language, and teach corresponding application concepts. Java serves multiple purposes, from programming Android apps and games, to performing complex mathematical operations.

“There’s not really any limitation as to what you can do with coding,” he said. “I think it’s really cool that you can just take a lot of text words and create something with it, and sort of just experiment around.”

Kumaraswamy began coding in the seventh grade.

Self-taught, he learned through trial-and-error, watching YouTube videos and other online tutorials.

He acknowledged it was a challenge initially, and “took a while” to become comfortable with his coding skills.

His best piece of advice is “learning through practice.”

As a sophomore, Roshan Kumaraswamy developed a mobile learning application, called ‘AP World History Prep Me!’ The learning tool, available on the App Store, helps students study for final exams by visually pairing pictures with practice questions. It was selected as the winner of the 2015 Congressional App Challenge for Florida’s 12th Congressional District.

As he became more experienced, Kumaraswamy built apps for Apple’s App Store, which provides millions of downloadable games and accessories for iPhones, iPads and Macs.

His sophomore year he developed a mobile learning application, called “AP World History Prep Me!”

The learning tool, available in the App Store, helps students study for final exams by visually pairing up pictures with practice questions.

It was selected as the winner of the 2015 Congressional App Challenge for Florida’s 12th Congressional District. That year, the Congressional App Challenge drew more than 1,700 student competitors across the nation; winners were selected from 116 congressional districts.

Though a hobby for now, coding may one day become a profession for Kumaraswamy, who’s in the Land O’ Lakes High School IB (International Baccalaureate) program.

“It’s definitely a possibility of what I want to be doing in the future,” he said. “It’s a big part of technology nowadays, and it’s like a for-sure career path that you can be (successful) in.”

Among his peers, Kumaraswamy said he’s noticed more interest in computer sciences, perhaps due to the proliferation of smart phones and tablets.

“You see a lot of these programs coming up, like Girls in STEM or Girls Who Code, and so there’s obviously a big source of wanting to learn how to code. People value it, I think,” he said.

Besides coding, Kumaraswamy stays busy as a member of his school’s Mu Alpha Theta chapter, National Honor Society and Science Olympiad Club.

His next technological endeavor: tackling the basics of machine learning — the study and construction of algorithms.

“I hope to come up with some sort of project that can take a large amount of data, and use it to help kids with education online,” he said.

The Coding Club will meet again Aug. 4 and Aug. 11, beginning at 2 p.m.

For information on joining the club, call the library at (813) 929-1214.

Published July 26, 2017