I’m always proud to be a member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, which meets Wednesdays at noon at Quail Hollow Country Club, but never more so than I was on May 21, when the club hosted its first-ever Duck Derby, held at Lake Padgett behind Hungry Harry’s BBQ off U.S. 41 in Land O’Lakes.
Almost 200 people turned out to see if the ducks they purchased for $5 apiece (or “flocks” of 25 for $100; more than 2,000 total ducks were purchased and numbered) would win one of the event’s almost 70 prizes.
But, the thing I was proudest of was that this event — which now looks as though it will join the club’s annual Adult Spelling Bee as a major fund raiser — grew into something amazing out of an idea brought up by club member John Jay (the DJ, at left in center photo below) and run with by club members Vicki Hamilton, Chris Casella and Jodie Sullivan of Fun Services/Funtastic Events, whose company also was the Big Bird ($4,500) Sponsor for this first annual Duck Derby.
The first duck to finish the “race” was purchased by club members Brian and Isabelle Dunleavy, who won a $2,500 cash prize, a portion of which they announced they would donate to The Joshua House, a local “safe haven for children in need.”
Even after deducting the Dunleavys’ top prize, the club was thrilled to raise more than $6,000 net, which will be donated to the Rotary’s selected nonprofit organizations.
Among the other top prizes was an all-day fishing expedition for five people, a stay at Saddlebrook Resort (donated by club member Alexis Dempsey, see story on pg. 10), a fishing rod handmade by club member and Duck Derby logistics expert (and kayaking rescuer) Jimmy Mason, and a free $400 ad donated by this publication, which was won by club member, Rubber Ducky Sponsor and Cash 4 Gold owner Trevor Campbell. For more info, visit WCRotary.org. — GN
According to her mom, Symone Stanley came into the world ready to achieve great things. One of those big things was being named Class of 2016 valedictorian at Wesley Chapel High.
From the moment Wesley Chapel High (WCH) senior Symone Stanley entered the world, her mother, Angella Jones, thought big things would come her way. There was just something about the way she looked.
One of those big things happened last month: Symone was named WCH’s Class of 2016 valedictorian.
“When she was born, there is a picture of her when she was two days old,’’ Angella says. “She was so alert. Her eyes were wide open, she was looking around like she was looking for something. This must be one of the things she was looking for.”
Symone, 18, and her fellow WCH seniors graduated last week at the University of South Florida Sun Dome, and she left at the top of her class, after posting a 4.64 weighted grade point average.
Symone gave the traditional speech, which she admitted she was nervous about. However, she is thrilled to have accomplished one of her biggest goals.
“I was pretty excited when I found out,’’ Symone says. “My freshman and sophomore year I didn’t really even know much about it, but after I found out my junior year that me and a few other people were tied, I figured I might as well go for it.”
While Symone may not have been specifically going for valedictorian in her early days at Wesley Chapel, she was indirectly, according to Angella.
Always a top student, Angella says her daughter has always strived to be No. 1 in whatever she did.
While at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, Symone was already taking high school math classes, which led to AP classes in high school, giving her the edge over other students.
Angella says she never pushed her daughter, and sometimes would even ask her to slow down and dial it back when night turned into morning and Symone was still hitting the books.
“My mom (Symone’s grandmother) was living with us and she would get up at 3 a.m. to take her medicine late at night, and Symone would be sitting in the middle of the floor, with her books all around her, studying,’’ Angella says.
“I always told her you have to work hard for what you get, because no one is going to bring it to you. Sometimes I’ll tell her to go to bed, and she’ll say, ‘I’m just working hard.’”
Symone, however, says her mother never pushed her too hard. When the pressure to be valedictorian started to build, it was Angella who told her daughter it wouldn’t be the end of the world if she didn’t finish first.
“But, I’m pretty self-motivated,’’ says Symone, who also was accepted into USF and Florida State University but will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville.
That’s the way Symone has always been, Angella says. When she was six months old, Angella remembers being at her brother’s house and Symone was entranced as she watched a VHS tape that was playing Mozart with a ball bouncing along each note as the song played. Symone turned around to the adults talking over the music, and sighed. Then, she went back to watching the television. “She couldn’t talk, but she voiced her displeasure,’’ Angella says, laughing.
Symone, who enjoys rollerblading, rock climbing and being outdoors, says she is thinking about studying to be an occupational therapist.
At WCH, Symone volunteered at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and with Special Olympics and special needs children, while also being a member of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club. A member of the National Spanish Honor Society and the student government as well, Symone says she was able to balance extracurricular activities with academic pursuits by finding the right balance by fitting online courses at Pasco Hernando State College into her schedule.
Not much of a public speaker, Symone fretted over her valedictorian speech. Relatives traveled from New York, Texas, Atlanta and Orlando to watch her receive top honors.
Angella was nervous for her daughter. However, Symone nailed the speech.
“I’ll never forget her first year of school, her kindergarten teacher told me, “When Symone digs her heels into the sand, all bets are off,’’ Angella says. “I’ll never forget it. When Symone says she is going to do something, it’s done.”
I’m always proud to be a member of the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, which meets Wednesdays at noon at Quail Hollow Country Club, but never more so than I was on May 21, when the club hosted its first-ever Duck Derby, held at Lake Padgett behind Hungry Harry’s BBQ off U.S. 41 in Land O’Lakes.
The first duck to finish the “race” was purchased by club members Brian and Isabelle Dunleavy, who won a $2,500 cash prize, a portion of which they announced they would donate to The Joshua House, a local “safe haven for children in need.”
