Sunglass Krate — Your Best Option For Great Sunglasses! 

Owner & licensed Optician Jim Lambrou invites the Wesley Chapel community to visit the Sunglass Krate in the Krate at The Grove container park. (Photos by Charmaine George)

The Krate container park in The Grove at Wesley Chapel has added a remarkable new store called Sunglass Krate. 

Opened in September 2023 by licensed optician Jim Lambrou, Jim, his wife Michelle and their son Yianni are originally from Milwaukee, WI, and before moving to Florida in 2008, Jim managed a number of optical stores. He then transitioned to overseeing the labs that make prescription glasses. 

He says, “My associate degree is from the Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland (WI) optician program and my Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business and Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degrees are from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. Wisconsin is a non-licensed state for opticians so when I moved to Florida I had to get my optician’s license.” 

Once he moved to Florida, Jim continued to work at a number of different optical stores, which kept him traveling all over the state. Jim says his desire to spend more time closer to his family prompted the idea of opening the Sunglass Krate. 

Jim took over the Krate that previously housed the Pasco Economic Development Council (EDC)’s SMARTSstart program, which moved to another location. He feels the uniqueness of Sunglass Krate and the impressive eyewear collection he has will help him be successful, despite the fact that some retail Krates have had some difficulties. As a licensed optician, he uses some interesting machines that help him give you the perfect fit, whether you want prescription or non-prescription sunglasses. 

“You can only get this type of service at the Sunglass Krate because I hold an Optician’s license,” Jim explains. He says he will adjust your frames to give you a custom feel you might not get at another sunglass store. 

He says, “In Florida, we tend to use our sunglasses a lot and if, after a while, your sunglasses need an adjustment, just bring it back to the store and Jim will fit you again. If prescription sunglasses are what you’re looking for, he can make those for you, as long as you bring him your prescription from your eye doctor. 

At the heart of Sunglass Krate is a cutting-edge machine called the Spectangle PRO, which offers precision measurements for optimal vision clarity — a testament to Jim’s dedication to excellence. Even if you’re not ready for new glasses right now, when you are out and about at the Krates, take a minute to stop by to see his amazing selection and let Jim give you a demonstration of what he can do to make you see clearer than ever before. 

Differences In Quality & Waves 

Jim says, “Often the really cheap ‘gas station’ sunglasses might have slight warps or ‘waves’ in the lenses and your eyes will sometimes detect them. This will cause your eyes to have to make accommodations to try to see past those waves to perceive an undistorted image. Over time, this strain you are putting on your eyes could cause problems.” 

Another machine at Sunglass Krate, called a Lensometer, can see these waves. Jim says, “A lens with no prescription in it will read 0.00 power and a good quality lens will read a steady 0.00, even when I move the lens from side to side on the Lensometer. If I move a 0.00 power lens from side to side and the power reading starts to fluctuate away from 0, that indicates there is a wave in the lens.” 

He adds that in Florida, where the sun beats down a good portion of the year, protecting your eyes from UV rays is very important. “You would think just wearing sunglasses will protect your eyes but not all sunglasses are made the same,” he says. 

So Many Options! 

Sunglass Krate has a large selection of popular brand names and styles to choose from, including glasses for men, women and unisex, as well as for kids. Some of these well-known brands include Oakley, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim, Kate Spade, Costa del Mar, Gucci, Pit Viper, Rex Specs and more. Jim says he offers at least two dozen different brands and more than 600 pair of glasses on display in the store. 

Many of these options are shown on the store’s website, SunglassKrate.com. Jim says, however, that not all of the sunglasses he has in his store are displayed on that website. For example, only two different options for children’s sunglasses are shown on the website, although there are several others found in the shop. 

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money to protect your eyes,” Jim says, noting that the glasses in the Sunglass Krate range from $25-$500 per pair, so there’s literally something for every budget. But, if you want the more expensive brands, he offers a number of different payment options, including AfterPay which allows you to make four interest-free payments. 

A great addition to Sunglass Krate’s collection are the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Jim says that you will see pretty much everyone wearing these glasses in the near future. While wearing these glasses, you can live stream onto Instagram or Facebook, as well as take pictures, answer a phone call and listen to music. 

Sunglass Krate is one of only two stores in the Tampa Bay area to carry Rex Specs goggles for dogs. 

Other unique options at the Sunglass Krate are Rex Specs and Pit Vipers. 

Jim explains that Rex Specs are goggles made exclusively for dogs. You read that correctly. These goggles were made in Jackson Hole, WY, by Aiden and Jesse Emilio, who took their dogs everywhere with them. Their dogs Yaz (an 11-year-old white husky) and Tuckerman (a 7-year-old German shepherd mix) started to develop eye problems. Their vet suggested dog goggles, but the options Aiden and Emilio found were just too bulky. So, they put their heads together and came up with their own doggie goggles, which they called Rex Specs. There are only two retailers in the entire Tampa Bay area that carry Rex Specs — Sunglass Krate and one located in Clearwater. 

Meanwhile, Yianni told his dad he “had to carry” Pit Viper sunglasses because they are the brand that a lot of famous athletes use — and he was right. Some of the athletes known to wear Pit Vipers are extreme skiing pioneer Glen Plake and current and former NFL players like Patrick Mahomes and Rob Gronkowski. 

Jim said that whenever he gets home, Yianni asks him how many pairs of Pit Vipers he sold that day, “looking for his commission,” Jim says, since he was the one who suggested that his dad should carry the brand. 

Pit Vipers were founded in 2012 in Salt Lake City, UT, by Chris Garcin and Chuck Mumford. Their company was formed with $35,000, which was raised through a Kickstarter.com campaign, and they crafted their first pairs of Pit Vipers from surplus military equipment. 

Sunglass Krate owner Jim Lambrou (in back) gave every member of the WCAA 8U Thunder baseball team their own pair of Pit Viper sunglasses. (Photo provided by Jim Lambrou) 

Although the skiing and extreme winter sports communities have helped make Pit Vipers “hot,” the company supports athletes of all kinds by creating sunglasses for everyone, both young and old. 

Jim also supports athletes. In fact, he sponsored the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association (WCAA) 8U Thunder travel baseball team by providing every member of the team (players and coaches) with free Pit Vipers. 

“The kids were so excited to wear them,” Jim says. “One player on the team told me he had wished for Vipers his ‘whole life’ and he was so happy and grateful because he now had a pair.” 

The team’s coaches originally posted the amazing pic on this page of the team wearing their Pit Vipers on the Sunglass Krate’s Facebook page: 

“Shout out to the Sunglass Krate at The Grove for sponsoring our 8U WCAA AB Thunder team! They hooked us up with Pit Vipers for all the boys and the coaches. We are so grateful for local businesses who support young athletes in our community!” 

Jim says that no matter what your age may be, “PLEASE always protect your eyes — and especially, your children’s eyes — from the sun’s UV rays! Prolonged exposure to UV rays modifies lens proteins, leading to cataract formation and worsening eyesight.” 

The Sunglass Krate is located at 5827 Grand Oro Ln, #105. For more information, call (813) 994-6700, visit SunglassKrate.com. 

Tampa City Ballet’s “If I Cry” Is A Triumph!

Paula Nuñez, the artistic director of the Tampa City Ballet, which is based at her Tampa City Dance Center in Tampa Palms, says she was “thrilled” with the two performances (May 4-5) of her contemporary ballet “If I Cry” at the Jaeb Theater at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. 

Nuñez originally co-created (with Elsa Valbuena) and had her then-new professional Tampa City Ballet dance troupe perform “If I Cry” back in 2019, but she says the performances at the 312-seat Jaeb Theater the weekend of Cinco de Mayo added many new elements to her original “floor work” dance piece about the life of renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

“The show keeps evolving,” Nuñez says. “For example, Frida was of course a famous painter, so we added scenes where the dancer playing adult Frida is actually painting and I think the audiences really enjoyed seeing that. Plus, all of the dancers are professionals who each brought their own ideas about how to make the show better. It all came together and I’m so happy with the results!”

I will say that Jannah and I thoroughly enjoyed everything about “If I Cry,” which began with a recorded video introduction by Visit Tampa Bay president and CEO (and New Tampa resident) Santiago Corrada congratulating Paula and everyone involved with “If I Cry,” which he called “spectacular.” 

That video was followed by Tampa City Ballet chief curator Sharmila Seth reading information about Kahlo’s tragic life, from her contracting polio at the age of six, to the bus crash twelve years later that left her with more than a dozen fractures and her abdomen and uterus being impaled on a large rail, to her on-again, off-again marriage to Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (which ended in divorce the first time because she had an affair with fellow female artist Georgia O’Keeffe), to her three miscarriages to her affair with Russian communist leader Leon Trotsky to her tragic passing in 1954, at the age of 47.

All of these events and more are depicted in “If I Cry,” with four different outstanding dancers portraying Kahlo at different ages, including one portraying Frida’s soul. All of the music — hand-curated by Nuñez, included everything from heavy classical pieces (some with violinist Nick Ewing on stage) to jazz pieces by Benny Goodman and Jelly Roll Morton — fit perfectly with what the audience experienced in the intimate Jaeb Theater. Also part of the musical experience was a live mariachi performance by Mariachi Guadalupe, which performed basically in the audience, along with the Wattaka Choir. 

“Frida is such an important figure,” Nuñez, who is originally from Venezuela. “So we wanted to re-tell the tragic story of her life from beginning to end in a unique way.” Mission accomplished, Paula!

The cast was made up not only of amazing dancers, they also were incredible actors who actually made you feel Frida’s pain with their facial expressions and perfectly executed floor work. I intentionally didn’t name any of the dancers who “stood out,” because it honestly wouldn’t be fair of me to leave any of them out, so below is the full cast list (in alphabetical order) of the Tampa City Ballet’s “If I Cry.” 

If you missed it, you truly missed a special event that should not be missed the next time Nuñez decides to share this masterwork with the Tampa Bay community. Bravo!

Nicole Assad (Young Frida)

Humberto Rivera Blanco (guest artist, Leon Trotsky)

Jayron Perez Cabrera (artist in residence, The Death)

John Delgado

Nicholas Garlo

Bailey Lord (Salvador Dali)

Maria Fernanda Papa (Adult Frida)

Aynsleigh Morehouse (Frida Dressed as a Man)

Shelby Russ (Frida’s Soul)

Amber Rose (Georgia O’Keeffe)

Wilson de los Santos (Diego Rivera)

Carissa Smith

Vashti Walters (Natalia Sedova)

Rep. Driskell Looks Back At The Legislative Session & Ahead To November 

District 67 State Rep. Fentrice Driskell (photo) is in an unenviable position — but it’s a position she handles with class and dignity. 

As the Minority Leader in the Florida House of Representatives — where her Democratic party faces a Republican super-majority of 84 Republican to 36 Democratic seats held — Rep. Driskell says she is still encouraged by the most recent State Legislative session, which ended in March. 

She also is gearing up for her fourth (and she says final, at least for her current position) legislative campaign — since first winning election to State House District 63 over then-incumbent Shawn Harrison by more than 4,500 votes in 2018. Rep. Driskell was reelected to the Dist. 63 seat in 2020 (when she was unopposed and did not have to appear on the ballot) and, in 2022, she defeated Lisette Bonano (R-New Tampa) by just under 3,700 votes to win the re-drawn Dist. 67 seat. Bonano is again on the ballot against Rep. Driskell for the Dist. 67 seat in November. At our press time, neither candidate was set to face a Primary Election opponent in August. 

Rep. Driskell, who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Harvard University in 2001 and her Juris Doctor (law) degree from Georgetown University in 2004, was elected by her Democratic colleagues to serve as the State House Minority Leader and was named by new House Speaker Paul Renner to be the Democratic Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee in 2023, so she serves an important role in the House’s state budget process. 

“It is a thankless job, but it’s an important one,” she says of being the Minority Leader against a Republican super majority. “We face a lot of pressure from the other side of the aisle. But, I have tried to lead my caucus in such a way that we put forward policies that any family in Florida would appreciate. Every Floridian deserves the chance to be healthy, prosperous and safe. What I have found is that my constituents are tired of the culture wars — they don’t want book bans and attacks on history.” 

When asked whether or not the culture wars have been fought by both sides, Rep. Driskell responded, “We have to remember that the Republicans have been in charge in the legislature and the governor’s mansion for years and they pushed the culture wars. The legislature has been pushed by Governor (Ron) DeSantis to ban Critical Race Theory, which is not taught in our schools. I view it as my job to say, ‘What’s going on here? What’s O.K. and what’s not?’ I don’t care about the parties, I care about the people. I can work with anybody. But, you have to pick your battles carefully because the other side, in most cases, doesn’t need our votes.” 

She added that there were very few of what she calls “Jump Balls” in this year’s session. “They only need us when their caucus is split on an issue, like the bill to regulate short-term rentals, like Airbnbs (Senate Bill 280 passed both houses and is waiting for Gov. DeSantis’ signature). There were legislators pushing in both caucuses on both sides of that issue.” 

Despite her party’s disadvantage in the State House, Rep. Driskell is still proud of the bills she either sponsored, co-sponsored or supported. 

“I was able to secure $10 million for sickle cell disease (House Bill 7085, which creates a Sickle Cell Disease Research & Treatment Grant Program within the Department of Health),” she says. “It’s the first such program in the U.S., as Florida has close to 8,000 people afflicted with sickle cell disease, one of the biggest populations in the country.” 

Other successes she points to in this year’s legislative session include: 

• A $250,000 grant to study infant health and mortality. “There’s a consortium of universities studying that together,” she says. “It could save some lives.” 

•$1 million for a historic cemeteries program in the Dept. of State. “The grants are open now,” she says. “I designed the bill so the state works with USF and its black cemetery network…so it helps USF, too.” 

• She also advocated for (but didn’t sponsor) $1.7 million in USF funding, including USF’s Florida Mental Health Institute’s autism program. 

• $14,000 for the New Tampa Players, as part of the cultural & museum grants program. “There are institutions across the state who get money from that program,” she says. 

• Helped get $1 million for the Ronald McDonald House, here in Tampa Bay. “There is a need for a new house,” she says. “The current one is on Columbia Dr. on Davis Islands, but this will help them put one a new house in a more central location.” 

• $1 million for SOF (Special Operations Forces) Missions, which helps veterans with PTSD. “I helped them get their first state appropriation a few years ago,” she says. “I am honored to have helped support that, too.” 

Rep. Driskell also is proud to have advocated “for reducing the waiting list for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. We have 22,000 people in Florida waiting for their benefits. But, Senate Bill 58 provides funding to move some people off that wait list.” 

No Help On Transportation Tax $ 

As for some results she wasn’t happy with this year, Rep. Driskell mentioned the $570 million raised by the most recently passed (and overturned) Hillsborough Transportation Tax. 

“Unfortunately, it’s not coming back to the community in the form of funding for transportation projects that we voted for,” she says. “About $256 million is coming back in the form of road resurfacing and about $162 million will go towards a Sales Tax Holiday that we haven’t fully flushed out as to what that’s going to look like. I pushed for it come back for transportation projects, but at least we got the resurfacing.” She added that the remainder of the money — close to $170 million — will be used to pay for legal fees associated with the case and to pay expenses and for valid tax refund claims. 

“It’s outrageous that it’s going for something other than what we voted for,” she says. “I worked with my committee’s Republican vice chair Lawrence McClure to come up with a plan for it. But, it’s a done deal; it’s just waiting for the Governor’s signature on the entire budget.” 

She adds, “We’re sent to Tallahassee to do serious work and I take it very seriously. We have to put aside partisan differences to get work done. We don’t abandon our values but you have to be willing to work in a collaborative way.” 

As for what’s coming up in November, she says, “We are working hard on elections. My job as leader is to lead the strategy and raise the resources necessary to win the five seats we need to get out of the super minority. It’s a tall order — five is a lot to win. But, my team and I think we have a strategy to do it. In January, I led the effort to win a special election in Central Florida — 70% of voters voted for our candidate — by focusing on things like property insurance rates and abortion access.” 

On Abortion Access & More 

Speaking of abortion access, Rep. Driskell says, “I never thought we would live in a time where the U.S. Supreme Court would take rights away…their job is to protect them. Florida’s six-week ban takes effect at the end of next month. We have the ability to vote on Amendment 4 in November and the legislature also can overturn it — seven Republicans voted against it. We need people to get out and vote, however they feel about it.” 

Other bills that passed that she wasn’t happy about include House Bill 49, which weakens protections on child labor. 

“My caucus and I at least got it watered down. The bill would have allowed kids under age 18 to work overnight shifts — treating them like adults. Now, they will have breaks and no overnight shifts.” 

She also had a problem with House Bill 433, which preempts local governments from passing heat stress ordinances. “There were workers in South Florida who died from heat stress,” she says, “so Miami put a new ordinance into effect. But this law, which the Gov. already signed, overturns any local laws.” 

And finally, she says she is trying to find new ways to stay in touch. “So, every Tuesday at 8 p.m., I do a live stream, where I talk about what’s happening in Tallahassee, politics and more.” For more info, visit FentriceforFlorida.com or @FentriceForFL on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or X. 

Compass Claim Solutions — The Public Adjuster Who Advocates For You! 

Lindsay, Shawn, Luke & Kasey Thompson. (Photos provided by Shawn Thompson) 

Wesley Chapel resident Shawn Thompson says that, in general, most people don’t know that people like him even exist. 

Shawn is a licensed public adjuster and the owner of Compass Claim Solutions. 

As a public adjuster, he says his job is to advocate for home and business owners who have suffered a loss that is covered by the insurance company. 

When disaster strikes — whether it’s a fire, water damage, or even a storm or other natural disaster — most people pick up the phone and call the insurance company directly. On the other end of the line is someone who represents what’s in that insurance company’s best interest, not theirs. 

Since the insurance company wants to settle the claim for as little as possible, it makes sense that a homeowner or business owner would want to have someone looking out for their best interest, too. 

That’s why Shawn recommends you pick up the phone and call him first. 

“Hopefully, this is the first and only time you’re ever going to suffer a loss like this,” Shawn explains. “But, I’ve been through this process thousands of times with my clients.” 

Shawn has been a licensed public adjuster since 2015. He started the process of becoming licensed in 2012, by passing a course and working as an apprentice for a year. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in management at CVS pharmacies after his graduation from St. Leo University near Dade City in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Management. 

At that time, he says he was ready to make a change to leave CVS, and he had already learned a lot about his brother-in-law’s job as a licensed public adjuster in southeast Florida. Shawn found out that being a public adjuster was something he would be good at and would enjoy. He ended up working for his brother-in-law for several years before starting his own business in 2022. 

In his extensive experience, Shawn says he’s never once looked at a valuation and told the insured party that their insurance company paid them everything they deserved. 

“There’s always something left on the table,” he says. “But, is it $500, $5,000 or even $50,000?” 

That’s what Compass Claim Solutions can figure out for you so you can be confident you’re not missing out. 

Shawn says the best time to call him is as soon as you have to make a claim. In that best-case scenario, he can ensure the entire process is managed properly from start to finish. 

But many times, the way people find out about his services is after the insurance company has considered their claim to be closed and they haven’t received the funds they need to make all of the necessary repairs. He says that’s when they go to the internet to search, “What can I do?” 

Even at that point, Shawn says he is able to step in and make sure the insurance company pays what the homeowner or business owner is entitled to, based on their policy. 

Whether your home has been damaged by flood (above) or fire (below), Compass Claim Solutions can help you get the most money from your insurance company & help if you’ve been told that your loss isn’t covered. 

He says that, just recently, he met with a homeowner who suffered a loss during Hurricane Ian in Sept. 2022 to give them a final payment from their insurance company. Originally, they had only been paid $11,800, but Shawn was able to get the homeowner an additional $128,000. 

In another case, Shawn says one of his happiest customers was a woman whose insurance company valued her roof damage claim at $1,012. After her $1,000 deductible, the check she received was for $12. Shawn was able to get her $13,000, which paid for an entire new roof. 

“Stories like that are the norm in my business,” he says. “My normal recovery if someone calls me supplementally is somewhere between five and 20 times what the insurance company originally paid.” 

He explains that public adjusters in Florida are paid on contingency, meaning they get paid based on what they recover for clients as a percentage of the settlement. While that charge is capped at 20 percent of the payments to the insured, Shawn emphasized that it’s a negotiable fee. 

In fact, he says, if someone finds out about him from the Neighborhood News, he’s happy to provide a discount. He also offers discounts to those who are referred to him by their family and friends. 

His fee is negotiated at the time he is first called out for a completely free, no-obligation consultation. He provides his expert opinion on what he feels the claim is worth, and then the homeowner or business owner can decide whether or not to hire him. 

Compass Claim Solutions client Peggy D’Alessandro experienced flooding from water leaks in both her home and a rental property she owns. Both times, she called Shawn to help her through the process. 

“He was able to identify things that I didn’t know would be a problem,” she says, “like the potential for mold. He was able to look at it from a structural standpoint and tell me that, realistically, if I want this to be back to its original condition, I have to be concerned about drywall, molding, paint and a lot of other things besides just the floors.” 

She says she was worried about whether or not the insurance company would pay all that she needed to make her home whole, so it was a relief to work with a professional who could relate to the insurance company on their terms. “He made the process painless and smooth,” Peggy says, “and I felt like I had someone who had my best interest at heart.” 

Peggy adds that making a claim also is a very time-consuming process. As a busy person, she says knowing Shawn was communicating with the insurance company, filling out the paperwork and handling the negotiation took all of the anxiety out of the situation. 

“Most people who go through something like that have never been through it before,” she says, “plus they’re dealing with the anxiety of their home being in disarray and not knowing when or how they will get paid and if it that payment will cover all of the damage. I would absolutely recommend anyone who has a disaster in their home to work with Shawn. It’s the best decision I could have made.” 

Shawn adds, “No matter how long I work for people, whether it’s two weeks or two years, if I don’t put money in their pocket, I don’t get paid.” 

Shawn and his wife Lindsay have lived in Wesley Chapel since 2010. They have two children, Kasey and Luke, and a dog named Wrigley. 

While he’s local to our area, Shawn is licensed for the entire state of Florida and handles claims as far away as the panhandle. When a storm hits, he often travels to where the damage is so that he can most effectively help the people who need him the most. 

For the past year, Shawn’s brother Travis has been working as an apprentice under him. Travis recently became fully licensed and is now able to handle clients on his own. 

Now that Travis is fully licensed, Shawn is bringing on a new apprentice, Frank Markim. 

Shawn says that if you hire his company, you won’t see any contractors or have any part of the process outsourced. If he starts your claim, he’ll see it through to the end. 

“We have a standard of how we do business and it’s important for us to handle claims from start to finish,” Shawn says. “There’s too much to lose to skip any steps. If you miss one picture, you could miss tens of thousands of dollars.” 

Contact Shawn Thompson at Compass Claim Solutions by calling or texting his cell phone at (352) 502-5928. For more information, visit CompassClaimSolutions.com.

94-Year-Old Harold Clark Attends Clark Elementary’s 25th Anniversary Celebration! 

(L.-r.) Current Clark Elementary AP Kelly Wackes, former AP Nicole Libby, former principal Gaye Holt , former principal Paulette English , current principal Dr. Delilah Rabeiro, charter principal Valerie Orihuela, former AP Mary Frances Ledo and former principal Brenda Griffin were all on hand for the 25th anniversary celebration for the third public elementary school to open in New Tampa’s 33647 zip code. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Congratulations to Clark Elementary, the third elementary school (preceded by Tampa Palms and Hunter’s Green elementaries) and fifth public school overall (also already open were both Wharton High and Benito Middle School) to celebrate a quarter of a century of learning in New Tampa’s 33647 zip code. 

Harold H. Clark, former HCPS Deputy Superintendent Cathy Valdez and Clark Elementary charter principal Valerie Orihuela. 

Current and past members of the Clark family were on hand for the event on Apr. 5, as were members of the family of Harold H. Clark, the former Assistant Superintendent of Supportive Services of Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) for whom the school was named. In attendance from Mr. Clark’s family were his two daughters — Harollyn Johnson and Karin Childs — and his granddaughters Rondalyn Morgan & Ashlyn Johnson. 

But, the big surprise of the festivities was the fact that Mr. Clark himself, who will turn 95 in June, was on hand — and thrilled — to join his family in attendance at the event. 

The celebration also was attended by current School Board chair Karen Perez and vice chair Jessica Vaughn. Representing HCPS superintendent Van Ayres’ cabinet were chief of innovation & strategic planning Marcos Murillo, Regional Superintendent for Area 3 Schools Catherine “Missy” Lennard and Regional Superintendent for Area 1 Schools Kristin Tonelli. 

The event honored many of the original charter faculty and staff members from 1998, as well as, of course, Mr. Clark. 

“We are honored to have Mr. Clark here and proud to celebrate all of the accomplishments of Clark Elementary,” said current Clark principal Dr. Delilah Rabeiro. “The evening before this event, we were named a School of Excellence by the Florida Department of Education, so this is excellent timing.” 

The Freedom High marching band was among the musical groups that performed during the celebration.

The food was provided by Wharton High’s culinary students, led by culinary instructor John Rosko. Also taking part in the celebration were the Freedom High marching band, led by band director Travis Ando; the Freedom High Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), led by Lt. Commander Pettis Sims; the Liberty Middle School Jazz Band, led by Dustin Huston; the Liberty Digital Team led by Daisy Questell. Clark’s chorus and the “Mighty Mighty Clarktones” also performed. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Clark’s NEHS President Vihaan Tyagi; the National Anthem was sung by music teachers Jennifer and Sean Moats and their son, Clark student, Bennett Moats. The Masters of Ceremonies were our Media Specialist Erik Fassel and first grade teacher Tracy Wood. 

The Clark Cougar and current Clark principal Dr. Delilah Rabeiro. 

Four former Clark students spoke — John Pease (Class of 2010), Amiya Gupta (Class of 2013), Vaidehi Tyagi (Class of 2019) and Madison Bahs (Class of 2021). It was special to hear from former students share their experiences and of what it meant to them to have been a Cougar. 

Charter principal Valerie Orihuela, who opened Clark in 1999, dedicated her career to HCPS for 38 years and created the school’s iconic slogan: “We’re Making Our Mark at Clark.” 

Mr. Clark, who retired at age 80, was a true trailblazer who worked to provide equal access to quality education for all children. He was a principal at Just Jr. High and at Blake High, an Area Director and Assistant Superintendent. He also helped with the formation of the Hillsborough Education Foundation in 1987-88. 


Many charter Clark Elementary students returned for the event!