Author: Celeste McLaughlin

Local Teen Delivers A Positive Message

For one Wesley Chapel teenage entrepreneur, every Friday is Black Friday.

In conjunction with her online store selling T-shirts that promote positive messages for black teenagers, Janiah Hinds also posts a video every week of someone who is important in black history. She begins each video with “Welcome to Black Friday…”

The 15-year-old, who lives in Country Walk and will soon start her junior year at Wesley Chapel High, hasn’t missed a Friday since she first came up with the idea last fall.

She says it started with brainstorming in her room one day.

“I thought of stereotypes of African Americans and I wrote them down,” she says. When she showed them to her dad, an entrepreneur and business coach himself, he encouraged her to put the list on a T-shirt to sell.

Janiah’s online store now carries T-shirts that dispel those stereotypes, plus three additional T-shirt designs that celebrate being black. For example, one popular shirt says, “Black is ambitious, powerful, intelligent, resilient, hardworking.”

She also created a limited edition design for Juneteenth that sold out.

Janiah named her business “Slay It Proud,” which she says means to “rock the message proudly” and also is a tribute to the song, “Say it loud! I’m black and I’m proud” by the late, great R&B superstar James Brown.

She says it’s also a nod to her 13-year-old sister, Joelle, who also is a young entrepreneur herself. Joelle started a business selling press-on nails, called “Slay All Day Nails,” last year.

“When I was younger, I never would have thought I would have my own business selling T-shirts,” says Janiah, “but I’m glad that I have this opportunity and that I can use my platform to spread black history.”

That’s what Janiah says is her true passion — sharing black history with teenagers and others.

So, she came up with the idea to post the weekly videos. With the self-imposed responsibility of posting so much new content, she says she now takes suggestions and also does quite a bit of research of her own.

In the past couple of months, she’s posted videos about Ida B. Wells, a prominent anti-lynching campaigner in the early 1900s; a famous “hypocrisy speech” delivered on July 4, 1852 by Frederick Douglass; as well as one about the inventor of the Super Soaker water gun in the 1980s, Lonnie Johnson.

“A favorite person of mine would be Shirley Chisholm,” Janiah says. “She was the first African American woman in Congress. When she (ran) for president of the US, she wasn’t allowed to be on the stage and debate (against the other candidates) because she was black. She had to take legal action to be allowed to participate.”

In 1972, not only was Chisholm was the first black person to run for a major party nomination for U.S. President, she was also the first woman ever to run for the presidential nomination for the Democratic party.

Janiah’s dad, Kymone Hinds, says he also is learning from his daughter.

“From a young age, Janiah has had a heart for people who are in need and those who are forgotten about. In addition, from the time she was first exposed to black history, she has become a self-student — doing self-studies in that area — and has helped to educate me on important figures in black history that I didn’t know about.”

Janiah says her business is just the start. In the future, she says she hopes to become a civil rights lawyer and help bring justice and equality to people.

As she sees Black Lives Matter protests happening throughout the country, she sees an opportunity to change the world for the better.

“I hope that what’s going on now can bring a better change for future generations, especially future generations for people who look me.”

Janiah has even been featured on local TV news stations, including a February interview on WFLA-TV News Channel 8 (screenshot, right)).

And while Slay It Proud was founded with black teenagers in mind, Janiah says it’s not limited to them.

“A lot of white people and people of other races have supported my business and bought my ‘Black is’ shirts,” she says. “To me, it’s saying that you see something is wrong and you want to fix it and change society for the better.”

Her dad sees Janiah as a young leader. “In any movement for change, people are playing different roles,” says Kymone. “There are those on the front line making sure it stays in view and those pushing for change at the political level. Her role is helping people to understand black history. Here is a true education, besides the limited scope of slavery and the civil rights movement.”

Janiah’s website is SlayItProud.com, where you can view all of her merchandise and access her virtual African American museum. She posts her Black Friday videos on Facebook and Instagram. Find them by searching “Slay It Proud.”

Slay it Proud

School Notes: New Tampa’s Rowan Excels At King

Pebble Creek resident Adam Rowan was one of King High’s top students.

As Pebble Creek resident Adam Rowan graduates from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at King High on N. 56th St. in Tampa, he has a long list of accolades.

National Merit Scholarship Finalist.

National Hispanic Scholar.

Captain of the King soccer team.

Co-captain of the school’s tennis team.

Perfect score (36 out of 36) on the ACT.

Even with all of these accomplishments, the thing Rowan he says he’s most proud of is his role as the event lead for his school’s 2019 Relay For Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society, which he says, “raised just shy of $70,000 and had 500 students participating.”

Back when Rowan chose to go to the IB program at King, his dad, Mike Rowan, was the principal there.

“Him being there was a reason for me not to go there,” says Adam, “rather than a reason to go.”

Just about the time Rowan got used to seeing his dad walking the halls of his high school, his father became the principal at New Tampa’s Wharton High, just a quick ride from their Pebble Creek home.

Adam says it was an adjustment having his dad at a different school, but that he never reconsidered his decision to attend the King IB program.

“At that point, I was committed to the IB program and had done too much work to drop out,” he says.

However, Adam concedes he got the short end of the stick on commute times.

“I was leaving before him to drive to school, but he had to be at school before me,” he says. “I felt like I was getting no sleep compared to him.”

The lack of sleep and dedication to academics, sports and community service paid off when Rowan was accepted to prestigious Columbia University in New York City.

He says he toured the campus twice prior to applying and loved the feeling of it, the fact that it’s located in New York City, and that its Ivy League status means the curriculum will be rigorous.

“I liked being there,” he says. “I got a good vibe.”

That good vibe was so strong that he applied for early admission at Columbia. When he was accepted last fall, his decision to attend was binding and he had to decline his acceptance to University of South Florida and rescind the application he had submitted to the University of Florida.

He knew he didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Now, Rowan hopes he’ll be able to be on campus at Columbia in the fall. He thinks he’ll study political science, but also says he might change his mind before he’s required to declare a major his sophomore year.

While he won’t be playing any NCAA sports, Rowan says he can’t imagine life without soccer — he is a defender/midfielder and last year helped King to a 13-6-5 record in Class 5A — and is hoping to play on an intramural team at Columbia.

That, of course, is contingent on intramural sports being offered, and the Columbia campus being re-opened for in-person classes.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to go yet,” Rowan says. He is currently awaiting the official plan for reopening the campus, which is expected to be released on July 1.

As he makes plans to attend college in the heart of a city that has been so harshly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Rowan says he’s not too worried.

“I’m a little nervous, but I feel like going to college up there, or even if I went to college here in Florida, it’s still a risk,” he says. “I won’t let it stop me.”

Clark Gets New Principal

Delilah Rabeiro was named the new principal at Clark Elementary in West Meadows, replacing Paulette English, who moved to Pride Elementary in K-Bar Ranch earlier this school year.

Rabeiro’s appointment was approved at the Hillsborough County School Board meeting on June 9 and becomes effective on July 1. She was one of 34 principals given new assignments by new Hillsborough Superintendant of Schools Addison Davis.

Rabeiro was most recently the principal at Robles Elementary on E. Sligh Ave. in N. Tampa.

Cotey Repeats As Champ!

Jonathon Cotey, who attends Middleton High but lives in New Tampa, recently won the first-ever ESports District Championship hosted by Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS).

The 16-player Super Smash Bros. tournament, completed online due to Covid-19, was the culmination of a year-long season in which players from nearly 20 high schools competed against each other at neutral sites.

Cotey, who plays under the gaming tag BionicLettuce and was seeded No. 2, defeated top-seeded Nicholas Eisman (Nerva) of Plant High 3-2 in the best of five series, despite dropping the first two games.

“This has been a work in progress for five years,” said Robert Dodson, ESports Club Sponsor at Middleton High. “If it was this popular during quarantine, I can’t wait to see how big this can become in the future.”

School News: Lots Of Awards To Go Around

Wharton senior Isabella Douglas was awarded a $500 scholarship and the Wharton Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) program received $1,000, thanks to an essay Isabella wrote for a nationwide NJROTC contest.

The Surface Navy Association (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Association incorporated in 1985 to promote greater coordination and communication to those in the military, business, and academic communities) offered the contest to NJROTC cadets across the country, choosing Isabella’s entry as the most outstanding nationwide. The award was provided as an incentive to “engage NJROTC cadets in understanding and appreciating the sacrifices of our WWII veterans, Navy core values, and what it means to be a shipmate.”

Isabella will use her award while attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she plans to major in journalism.

Although her current plans don’t include joining the military, Isabella comes from a military family. Her mom was in the U.S. Army and her dad was in the U.S. Coast Guard.

She credits Wharton’s NJROTC program with teaching her important life skills. “It taught me how to be a better leader, to be more organized, and (how) to talk in front of a lot of people.”

Isabella says she was excited to hear that her efforts not only benefited her, but also the school’s NJROTC program.

“I was really glad about that,” she says, “because it’s my last year and I was happy to give back to the program.”

National Merit Scholars Announced

New Tampa’s residents Arpan Bagui and Shezad S. Shah were named as $2,500 National Merit Scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) on May 13.

Bagui lives in K-Bar Ranch and attends the IB program at King High and is looking to study investment banking in college, while Shah is a Wharton senior who plans to study computer science in college.

The $2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.

National Merit $2,500 scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.

Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who considered the academic record (including the difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned). scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), contributions and leadership in school and community activities, an essay written by the Finalist and a recommendation written by a high school official.

New Tampa PTAs/PTSAs Recognized

The Hillsborough County Council PTA/PTSA announced its award winners for the 2019-20 school year via Facebook Live on April 24, and New Tampa schools, especially Liberty Middle School and Hunter’s Green Elementary (HGE), fared well.

In fact, both were honored with awards for Principal of the Year.

HGE principal Gaye Holt was awarded Elementary Principal of the Year, while James Ammirati of Liberty took home the middle school honors.

Both schools also received awards for Family Involvement; Hunter’s Green Elementary for its lip synch battle called Panther Jamz, and Liberty for its Family Night event.

Liberty picked up eight other awards, including Middle School Instructional Person of the Year for teacher Toni Kuzmicki, PTSA President of the Year for Shari Burress, “a force to reckon with, as she powers her way through the school year taking on tasks and challenges and working harder than anyone else” according to her nomination.

At the high school level, both Wharton and Freedom received awards for their Volunteer Hours.

Wharton also received an award for Student Involvement and the county award for Advocacy/Legislation for the school’s Gay Straight Alliance.

The school’s success coach Roslyn Brown was awarded High School Non-Instructional Person of the Year.

Brown puts in long hours that do not stop when she leaves our school,” her nomination letter said. “She is always working to better the lives of our student population.”

Freedom won the award for Family Involvement for its Multicultural Festival — “Diversity at its Finest” — and Alicia Newcomb, the school’s agriculture teacher, was named the High School Instructional Person of the Year.

According to her nomination, Newcomb created the school’s vet tech program, an agribusiness course, expanded the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program and helped students earn apprenticeships and certifications, while partnering with veterinarians and animal rescue organizations to provide students with hands-on experience.

High School Graduations

While graduations across the country have been cancelled altogether, Hillsborough County Public Schools has instead delayed graduations for the class of 2020 in the hopes that local and state guidelines will allow in-person graduation ceremonies in July. Dates have been set for July 13-22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall.

A final decision about whether the graduations can be held will be made closer to the event date.

For now, Wharton’s graduation is scheduled for Friday, July 17, 12:30 p.m., while Freedom’s is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m.

freedom high Hunter's Green Elementary Liberty Middle School wharton high school

Gentle Hands Ob/Gyn: Care For Women, By Women

Dr. Gem Ashby (left) and Dr. Kristen Witkowski (right) and the all-female staff at Gentle Hands Ob/Gyn in Wesley Chapel provide quality, compassionate care for women of all ages. (Photos: Charmaine George)

As the second anniversary of her office’s grand opening approaches, Gentle Hands Ob/Gyn owner and obstetrician Gem Ashby, M.D., is happy to be watching her practice grow.

“We see pregnant patients and non-pregnant patients,” Dr. Ashby says. “We love our jobs very much.”

Gentle Hands is located about a mile east of I-75, just north of the intersection of S.R. 56 and Cypress Ridge Blvd. in Wesley Chapel.

Gentle Hands offers “the full gamut” of obstetrics and gynecological care, including caring for patients with both low-risk and high-risk pregnancies, plus issues such as contraception, abnormal bleeding, management of abnormal pap smears, pelvic pain, painful intercourse, bladder pain and menopausal symptoms.

In addition, the physicians of Gentle Hands perform surgeries, including in-office procedures, plus robotic and laparoscopic surgeries, which are minimally invasive and allow women to have hysterectomies with shorter recovery times. They are affiliated with and deliver babies at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

From 2009-17, Dr. Ashby spent eight years with a corporate practice in Wesley Chapel. While she loved her work, she found herself frustrated with the restrictions of the corporate environment and decided to start her own practice.

“I think the biggest difference at Gentle Hands is that, as physicians, we get to practice medicine how we feel is appropriate without a corporation breathing down our necks,” she says. “We can take more time (with our patients) if we need more time.”

She says her biggest complaint about the corporate environment was being compelled to see a certain number of patients each day. She is happy that to share that Gentle Hands Ob/Gyn takes a different, more patient-centered, approach.

“You get to know the patients better, because the patient is not just a number,” she says, “but a person that you know and that your staff knows.”

Dr. Ashby says there was a lot of thought put into the name of her practice.

“‘Gentle Hands’ conjures up everything I want the practice to be,” she says. “Hands are holding and caring, gentle and inviting. We put the hands in the logo to personify that, and added the flower to represent us as women. There was a lot of thought behind it.”

Covid Crisis Safety

Dr. Ashby and her staff also have employed a gentle touch when it comes to the Covid-19 crisis, implementing a number of safety measures for her patients and employees.

“During the height of the crisis, we limited patients in the office to emergency patients and obstetrical patients,” Dr. Ashby says. “Now that the state has lifted the ban, we are slowly seeing patients again, and keeping social distance. The patients wear masks in the office, and everyone in the office wears masks all the time.”

Dr. Ashby was born and raised in Barbados and moved to the U.S. when she was 19. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, NJ. She then earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark.

She completed her residency training at the Florida State University program in Pensacola from 2005-09. She is Board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

New Doctor, More Care

Gentle Hands Ob/Gyn expanded last August when Kristen Witkowski, M.D., joined the practice.

Dr. Witkowski also is Board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a B.S. degree in Biology, then earned her M.D. degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago before completing her residency at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, also in Chicago.

Dr. Ashby says she was pleased to welcome Dr. Witkowski to the office, allowing the two physicians to care for pregnant patients, which was almost impossible when Dr. Ashby was the sole practitioner.

“You hardly ever find solo Ob/Gyn practices anymore, because it leaves you very fatigued,” explains Dr. Ashby. “There’s always a possibility that you will have someone in labor.”

While all Ob/Gyn practices are for women, Dr. Ashby says Gentle Hands is set apart because it is both owned by a woman and run by women. And, all nine staff members are women.

“We have every type of woman on our staff,” Dr. Ashby explains. “They are diverse age-wise — both older and younger — and of almost every ethnicity. It helps us to remember what each type of woman wants, so it makes us better and caring. For example, if someone is older, she might not want to use a cell phone, whereas a younger woman might not want to fill out pages and pages of paperwork.”

Dr. Ashby says that the Gentle Hands office is modern — allowing women to use technology to sign in on their cell phones, check their labs online, and other practices that make the office convenient. But, she draws the line at allowing technology to interfere with her relationship with the patients. She says she and Dr. Witkowski, along with their staff, won’t be using computers or a tablet or phone when they’re in the examination room with you.

“I find doctors are on two extremes,” says Dr. Ashby. “They’re either so old fashioned that everything is on paper, or so ‘teched out’ that the patient feels like no one’s paying attention to them. I feel that we have just the right balance.”

Judy Ravenna says she has been a patient of Dr. Ashby’s for about 10 years, following the doctor to her new practice when she opened it in 2018.

“She is the epitome of a really caring, knowledgeable physician,” says Judy. “She makes sure you feel comfortable and takes time to answer all your questions before she leaves the room.”

Judy says she has referred many friends and neighbors to Dr. Ashby, and they have all had the same wonderful experience.

“In today’s world, it seems like no one has time for you,” Judy says, “but she takes the time.”

In addition to caring for the women of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, Dr. Ashby does volunteer work at the Judeo-Christian Clinic on N. MacDill Ave. in Tampa, a faith-based clinic for medically needy patients. She also speaks to community groups and at churches and high schools on women’s health topics.

Gentle Hands Ob/Gyn is located at 2391 Oak Myrtle Ln. in Wesley Chapel. To make an appointment, call (813) 803-2219. For more information, visit GentleHandsObGyn.com.

Gentle Hands OB/GYN

Spinner Law Firm Serves Community In More Ways Than One

When people find themselves in need of a personal injury attorney, it’s often one of the most difficult times of their lives. Whether suffering from an injury due to a car accident or another reason, their lives are often marked by pain, confusion, and feeling of being overwhelmed.

Charles Spinner, Esq., is determined that anyone in this situation who calls Spinner Law Firm will experience both excellent legal representation and compassionate, personal service.

“We try to make some very unpleasant legal matters as pleasant as we can,” he says.

The practice was established by Spinner in New Tampa in 2003 but its main office is now located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 near I-75.

Now, almost 18 years later, he says that Spinner Law is one of the most established firms in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area.

“It means that people who are injured as the result of someone else’s carelessness don’t have to go downtown to get access to a highly accredited, experienced and aggressive law firm,” he says.

Before he opened his private practice, Spinner worked for several years as a civil trial and insurance defense attorney. Prior to that, he graduated from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and then received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, OH, in 1996.

Since 2017, Spinner has been peer rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for personal injury law, which is the highest possible rating for professional excellence and legal ability and adherence to professional standards of ethics.

Originally, he shared a small office in New Tampa with a local accountant, alternating time in the office with office administrator Vicki Portfolio, because the space was only large enough for one person.

Vicki is still Spinner Law’s office administrator, and the practice has grown through the years, with the addition of two attorneys and ten staff members.

“Our case load covers everything from relatively minor car accidents to complex cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and death,” Spinner says. “We collaborate as a firm, and we welcome and invite everyone’s input. Our cases are about strategy and details. Having three highly experienced attorneys, and three sets of eyes instead of just one, that’s the advantage.”

Former State Representative Danny Burgess (3rd from left), who is now the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, poses for a picture with the attorneys from the Spinner Law Firm (l.-r.) Patrick Barnes, Anissa Morris and Charlie Spinner.

While Spinner Law Firm spends much of its time handling personal injury cases, some clients get help with estate planning, preparation of wills and trusts, probate and trust administration.

Many of those matters are handled by attorney Anissa Morris, who joined the firm in 2011.

In large part because of Morris, Spinner reports that the firm has written more than 1,000 wills for people in the community.

Often, these are for young families who are starting to acquire assets, such as buying their first home, or couples who relocate and need to establish a Florida will, or someone with an elderly parent who needs help putting their affairs in order.

Welcoming…

Attorney Patrick Barnes is the newest member of the team. Barnes joined Spinner Law in February, after working the past seven years in Colorado.

“Patrick worked for two of the most well-established personal injury firms in Colorado, so he brings a fresh perspective,” says Spinner. “He’s very forward- thinking.”

Thanks to Barnes’ influence, Spinner says the firm has improved some of its practices and technology, which has been especially helpful during the Covid-19 crisis.

“We’ve all established at-home workstations with every amenity we have at the office,” Spinner says, “so we’ve been able to make the best of this situation and not miss a step to continue moving our cases forward.”

But, they look forward to getting back to normal, so they can again invite their clients to stop by anytime.

“We have an open door policy,” Spinner says. “Some firms discourage phone calls or coming in to see the lawyer, but we encourage it. Come in and meet with us. We’re always accessible, and our staff is friendly.”

Plus, they’re your neighbors — all of the lawyers and staff members live and work in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

“We have a strong foundation, from our kids attending local schools, churches and (participating in) youth sports, to belonging to local service organizations,” says Spinner. “We take great pride in the fact that this is our community.”

Spinner Law Firm supports local high school athletics, youth sports leagues and charitable organizations with both financial contributions and what Spinner calls “boots on the ground” participation.

That includes 145 hours of volunteer work so far in 2020. The team spent an entire day working on a Habitat for Humanity home build project, shortly after putting on a cruise-themed Valentine’s Day party for residents at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’Lakes. Team members also participated in the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club’s Duck Derby and other activities.

Barnes and marketing director Jennie Yingling are both members of the Wesley Chapel Rotary (Spinner himself is a former member) and the firm also is a member of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

The attorneys and staff at Spinner Law take their commitment to people seriously, whether it’s through volunteer work or serving clients.

A local resident named Julie, who asked that we only use her first name, was grateful she reached out to Spinner Law Firm when she was injured in a car accident. “If I had to rate them, there’s not enough stars,” she says. “They’re above and beyond.”

She explains that the car accident left her in pain, but it was a while before she realized how serious her injuries were. She went to Spinner, and she says they referred her to a doctor who helped her get the care she needed. Then, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. “My husband died the day after my surgery,” she says. “The Spinner team was there for me when I needed them the most.”

While also handling her personal injury case, Spinner Law Firm also helped Julie get her husband’s affairs in order.

Julie says that at first, she was hesitant to hire an attorney about her injury because she didn’t want to deal with a lawsuit and didn’t know who she could trust. But now, she’s so glad she called Spinner. “They are unbelievable when it comes to caring,” she says. “It’s truly like a family.”

Spinner himself says his goal is for every potential client to have a similar experience. “From making their first phone call to us, we want them to have the best experience possible,” he says. “We want them treated respectfully. Then, we spend time understanding their needs, goals and objectives, getting to know them and how we can best serve them.”

Spinner Law Firm offers a comprehensive consultation for all legal matters at no charge. The firm is located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr. in Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 991-5099 or visit SpinnerLawFirm.com.

Spinner Law