Suellen Smith

Cafeteria lady basks in the limelight

March 30, 2016 By B.C. Manion

When Suellen Smith began stocking formal attire in a closet in the Zephyrhills High School cafeteria, she was hoping the effort would help create a little magic for some young men and women.

The cafeteria manager knew that most of the school’s students come from families that struggle financially, and she wanted to do her part to help.

During her visit to Washington D.C., Suellen Smith had a chance to see some popular spots for tourists. (Photos courtesy of Suellen Smith) — During her visit to Washington D.C., Suellen Smith had a chance to see some popular spots for tourists.
(Photos courtesy of Suellen Smith)

So, in addition to the hundreds of meals it serves up each day, the cafeteria is also known as being a place where students needing to dress for a special occasion can do a little ‘shopping’ for free.

What began quietly, around five years ago, has helped hundreds of students make special memories.

And, while it started with the idea of helping give students a time to remember, Smith’s compassion has resulted in the cafeteria manager having a few shining moments of her own.

The honors began flowing in last year when Smith received the Community Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Florida School Nutrition Association and the “Best Behind the Scenes” award from Pasco County Schools.

She was recognized on a bigger stage recently, when she traveled to Washington D.C., where she was honored by the School Nutrition Foundation as one of five School Nutrition Heroes in the country.

A video telling the story of Smith’s fancy clothes closet and the other ways she helps students was played during the Feb. 29 national event.

It was replayed on March 15, when the Pasco County School Board lavished praise on Smith — casting a spotlight on her accomplishments.

Smith never expected the attention or applause, but she is touched by the recognition.

“It was just happenstance that it started,” Smith said.

“I just had gotten involved with the county’s Cinderella Project, and then I realized that we could do it out of here, and I’d have dresses available for the kids’ homecoming and the military ball,” she said. “It has just grown bigger and bigger through the years.”

Suellen Smith gets ready to attend a reception honoring her and four other School Nutrition Heroes from across the country during an event in Washington D.C.

Since returning from the nation’s Capitol, she’s received a cash donation to help with expenses, she said. “I also got a box of dresses shipped to me from Maryland,” she added.

While helping kids, Smith said she gets something, too.

“Nobody has more fun with it than I do,” she said. “I gave three away yesterday. That was three times I got to get somebody dolled up, and leaving here like a princess. It was really fun.”

She basked in the glow of recognition at the national event.

“I was a celebrity for an evening — queen for a day — that’s what I say,” Smith said.

At the conclusion of her video, throngs of people approached her at the national awards ceremony.

“So many people came up and just hugged me. And, people cried,” she said.

While Smith doesn’t view herself as a hero, it means a lot to her to be appreciated, and she hopes other cafeteria managers will feel inspired to do what they can for the kids at their schools.

“I was blessed when I started in school food service that I worked with a manager that showed me that we could do more for the children than just lunch, that we could actually touch their whole life,” Smith said, during the video. “So, that’s what I try to do.”

Published March 30, 2016

2015 marked by growth, loss, compassion

December 30, 2015 By B.C. Manion

New construction captured many headlines during the year 2015 in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

But, so did traffic issues and changes happening in area schools.

Other news chronicled setbacks and tragic losses. But, there were inspiring stories, too.

Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000-square-foot mall with 100-plus designer brand shops, opened in October off State Road 56, near the Interstate 75 interchange.

Saint Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio held a dedication ceremony in February, to celebrate the school’s new brick classroom building. (File Photos) — Saint Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio held a dedication ceremony in February, to celebrate the school’s new brick classroom building.
(File Photos)

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel embarked upon a $78 million expansion project – 2 ½ years ahead of schedule — to add 112,000 square feet and renovate 11,000.

Florida Hospital Center Ice, a new 150,000-square-foot sports facility, broke ground on Feb. 24. It will have an Olympic-sized hockey rink, four other rinks and the ability to accommodate other sports.

Lutz and Land O’ Lakes also saw their share of growth.

New homes and apartments are popping up along the State Road 54 corridor and along portions of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

A Lowe’s home improvement store opened on State Road 54, the Land O’ Lakes Community Park underwent a $2.3 million upgrade, and a new Pasco County Utilities Administration building opened off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41.

Just outside Dade City, an aerial adventure park, known as Tree Hoppers, began operation, and a number of new businesses have settled into the downtown historic district.

Of course, the new development has added to the area’s traffic jams, which won’t be resolved in the short term.

But, there are efforts being made to address the issue.

The Florida Department of Transportation is exploring solutions to address traffic flow at U.S. 41 and State Road 54. There are efforts to extend State Road 56 between Meadow Pointe and Zephyrhills, and, construction work continues at the I-75 and State Road 52 interchange.

On the education scene, there was a changing of the guard in top leadership at Saint Leo University, just outside Dade City. Dr. Arthur Kirk retired, and Dr. William J. Lennox Jr. assumed the top post.

Pasco-Hernando State College also has a new president, with Dr. Timothy Beard being named to the post after the retirement of Dr. Katherine Johnson.

This photo, taken in the 2014-2015 school year, gives an idea of the crowding that Wiregrass Ranch High was experiencing before it went to a 10-period school day. The school went to a staggered schedule this school year, to reduce the impacts of crowding.

The state college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch also hit a milestone, announcing that it would be surpassing the 3,000-student enrollment mark.

On another front, Sanders Memorial Elementary School reopened in Land O’ Lakes, as Pasco County Schools’ first magnet school. It is a STEAM school, with a curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Pine View Middle School also launched an effort to become the public school district’s first International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.

And, Wiregrass Ranch High School in Wesley Chapel began operating on a 10-period school day, to reduce the number of students on campus at the same time.

A more permanent solution to Wiregrass Ranch’s overcrowding is expected to occur when the district opens a new school for grades six through 12 that is being constructed on Old Pasco Road.

In another change, the district adopted new boundaries for a new elementary school in Wesley Chapel, off Mansfield Boulevard, which is scheduled to open next fall.

The new school will relieve significant overcrowding at Seven Oaks Elementary. The boundary shifts, which were controversial, will increase enrollment at Denham Oaks Elementary in Lutz.

In other school news, St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz opened the Saint Paul II Youth Center and opened a new elementary school to house Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School.

Saint Anthony Catholic School also marked a milestone — dedicating a new brick classroom building in February.

While much of the news in 2015 was about progress and new beginnings, not all of the news was positive.

For instance, the GFWC Lutz Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club was forced to cancel its 36th annual arts and crafts show, because a sinkhole developed at Lake Park.

Chairman Ted Schrader, holding scissors, slices through the ribbon, as he and other dignitaries celebrated the opening of the Utilities Administration Building.

The annual two-day event, which has drawn about 30,000 shoppers a year, was the club’s biggest fundraiser. So, besides disappointing shoppers and about 300 vendors, the cancellation also will reduce the club’s ability to help scores of community organizations and charities.

The year also was marked by the passing of Land O’ Lakes cross country coach Kris Keppel and Laura Hauser, a former non-instructional employee of the year, who worked at Wesley Chapel Elementary before she became too ill to work. Both lost battles with cancer. And, car accidents claimed the lives of Pasco High student Jordan Ivie and Wesley Chapel High.

These deaths inspired demonstrations of respect, generosity, compassion and kindness — to help those grieving their loss.

In another show of support, the community of San Antonio rallied to hold a benefit for Lewis and Diane Riggleman, whose home was destroyed by fire.

Other uplifting moments involved Suellen Smith, the cafeteria manager at Zephyrhills High, who continues her tradition of collecting and giving away dress shirts, dress pants, gowns and dresses to help outfit young men and women for prom, homecoming, weddings and other special occasions.

Another big moment for 2015 involved Leigh Dittman, a Gaither High student from Lutz.

The 15-year-old recently reached a goal she set when she was 7: To raise $1 million for Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The young woman has a disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease.

During a recent interview, she said she was motivated to raise the money for Shriners because of how giving it has been to her.

“They are such an amazing group of people, and they’ve given me so much, with my life. It seemed like the right thing to do,” Dittman said.

Published December 30, 2015

This cafeteria serves up more than food

September 23, 2015 By B.C. Manion

The cafeteria at Zephyrhills High is a busy place — serving more than 300 breakfasts, 850 lunches and about 100 a la carte items each day.

But beyond delivering daily meals, this cafeteria is also a place that helps students make their dreams come true.

There’s a storage space, in the kitchen, where there are scores of gowns, dresses, shirts, dress pants, sports jackets and shoes.

It’s a place where young women and men can be outfitted to go to prom, or homecoming, a wedding or graduation.

Suellen Smith shows off one of the gowns in the clothing closet in the kitchen at Zephyrhills High School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Suellen Smith shows off one of the gowns in the clothing closet in the kitchen at Zephyrhills High School.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The closet was set up about five years ago, and hundreds of students have used it.

“The kids come in during their lunch and try them on,” said Suellen Smith, cafeteria manager at Zephyrhills High.

“We stay back there with them, and we make them have a fashion show,” she said.

The students change in a bathroom next to the supply closet, and then they come out to show how they look.

“Even through it’s in a kitchen, and it’s in the middle of lunch, and we’re running around with hot pans … I make a couple of my co-workers stop and try to make it nice for the girls,” she said.

As they model the clothing, Smith responds.

“I tell them how pretty they look,” she said.

Or, she might mention: “I saw another one in there that you might like better.”

Smith said she wants to make sure the students leave with clothes that put them in their best light.

“We make sure it fits. I don’t want them going out with something that doesn’t look appropriate,” she said.

She also recommends that students choose classic looks, rather than trendy attire.

I tell them: “You can take that to college with you. You can wear this to a New Year’s Eve party.

“When we make a match, I cry. I openly weep. I’m actually feeling like they’re my own daughter,” said Smith, who has been managing the cafeteria at Zephyrhills High for 15 years.

The clothing comes from all sorts of sources — people in the community who know about the closet, former students, staff members.

“Sometimes, I struggle with larger sizes,” Smith said, and when that happens, she puts a post on Facebook.

“Then, miraculously, two days later, I get some dresses,” Smith said.

“The day before yesterday, somebody brought up a whole bin of dresses and shoes. A dress came in the courier Friday,” she added.

While she can’t recall the precise particulars of how the clothes closet began, she believes it started the year the county’s Cinderella Project moved to a location in Trinity.

“That’s a long way to drive for my kids to go, to Trinity. They don’t know how to get there, and some of them wouldn’t have a ride,” Smith said.

So, Smith said, “I just have my own event, all of the time.”

While girls are more likely to come to the closet, it is also intended for boys, Smith said.

Sometimes the boys are reluctant to come to the closet, so their girlfriends will come pick something up for them, Smith said.

The clothes closet is just one of the ways that Smith reaches beyond her daily cafeteria duties to touch lives.

She’s also heavily involved in Relay for Life activities, has been involved in homecoming festivities, pitches in at school events and has served as a mentor.

Earlier this year, she was honored for her many contributions.

She received the Community Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Florida School Nutrition Association in May, and also received the district’s “Best Behind the Scenes” award.

While gratified by the honors, Smith quickly credits her family and staff for enabling her to do the things that she does.

Published September 23, 2015