New Tampa Schools Have 4 Education Awards Finalists! 

Roxanne Coriell, Adam Wilinsky, Antonyia McCray & Bonnie Walters All Still Vying For Top Honors 

(L.-r.) 2024 Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year Dr. Clayton Nylund of Blake High, Hillsborough Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres, 2025 Teacher of the Year finalist Roxanne (Roxi) Coriell, School Board chair Jessica Vaughn & Hunter’s Green Elementary principal Nicole Libby. (Photo provided by Hillsborough Public Schools) 

 Four representatives of New Tampa’s public schools have been announced as finalists for the 2025 Excellence in Education (EIE) Awards. 

From more than 13,000 teachers in Hillsborough County, one of five finalists will be named Teacher of the Year at the event, which is hosted by the Hillsborough Education Foundation, in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools, on Thursday, January 23, at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. 

(Above, l.-r.) Dr. Clayton Nylund, Jessica Vaughn, 2025 Teacher of the Year finalist Adam Wilinsky, Pride Elementary principal Paulette English, and Van Ayres.

Similarly, one of five finalists will be named the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year, and one of four finalists will be awarded Instructional Support Employee of the Year honors. 

New Tampa is represented in all three of the categories, including two of the Teacher of the Year finalists. 

Roxanne (Roxi) Coriell, a kindergarten teacher at Hunter’s Green Elementary, and Adam Wilinsky, a fifth grade math and science teacher at Pride Elementary, are both finalists for Teacher of the Year. 

In addition, Antonyia McCray, the success coach at Freedom High, is a finalist for Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year. 

And Bonnie Walters, Secretary 4 at Tampa Palms Elementary, is a finalist for Instructional Support Employee of the Year.

TPE secretary 4 Bonnie Walters. 

On December 2, the finalists were visited by the “Surprise Patrol,” made up of representatives from the Hillsborough Education Foundation, Hillsborough County Public Schools and the EIE event sponsors. 

Roxi Coriell was visibly shocked as the Surprise Patrol entered her classroom that Monday morning, the first day back after this year’s Thanksgiving break.“I’m so honored to be the Hunter’s Green Teacher of the Year,” she later said, “and then, every step of the way, has been another complete surprise.” 

HGE principal Nicole Libby says Coriell is an innovator who genuinely deserves the nomination. 

“Mrs. Coriell is an exceptional educator who truly embodies the qualities of a dedicated and impactful teacher,” Libby says. “Her ability to create an engaging, nurturing, and inclusive learning environment sets her apart and makes her incredibly deserving of this recognition.” 

Meanwhile, at Tampa Palms Elementary, principal Angela Gluth says secretary Bonnie Walters, who has worked at the school for 27 years, is the heartbeat of their campus. 

(l.-r.) School Board member Lynn Gray, Antonyia McCray, Freedom principal Kevin Stephenson & School Board Vice Chair Karen Perez

“If she were to win at the District level, it would mean everything to us,” Gluth says. “It would be an opportunity for everyone  to know what we already know about how special and amazing she is. She doesn’t necessarily want the recognition, but I can’t think of a more deserving person.” 

Congratulations to all four of the finalists, as well as to all of the teachers and school staff members who were chosen to represent their respective schools as nominees for this year’s EIE awards. That complete list appears below. 

New Tampa’s 2025 Hillsborough Education Foundation EIE Awards Nominees 

Chiles Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Felicia Sell, 2nd Grade Teacher 

Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Marie Exantus, Varying Exceptionalities (VE) Teacher Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Cristhian Valladares Murillo, Night Crew Leader Custodian 

Clark Elementary 

Teacher: Brittany Long, 5th Grade Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Donna Clark, ESOL Resource Teacher 

Support Employee: Alena Plumb, Secretary 1 

Heritage Elementary 

Teacher: Heather Leitzke, Access Points Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Lauren Sturlaugson, Media Specialist 

Support Employee: Aracely Garcia, Head Custodian 

Hunter’s Green Elementary 

Teacher: *Roxanne Coriell, Kindergarten Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Michelle Lilius, ESOL 

Resource Teacher 

Support Employee: Ivan Vazquez Rico, Custodian 

Pride Elementary 

Teacher: *Adam Wilinsky, 5th Grade Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Christine Goff, School Counselor 

Support Employee: Alexandria DeJoseph, 

Principal’s Secretary 

Tampa Palms Elementary 

Teacher: Elizabeth DaSilva, 3rd Grade Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Lindsay Vizzi, Speech Lang. Pathologist 

Support Employee: *Bonnie Walters, Secretary 4 

Turner-Bartels K-8 School 

Teacher: Elaine Kurtright, Media Specialist 

Ida S. Baker: Marelisa Moreno, ESOL 

Resource Teacher 

Support Employee: Sheila Swain, Bookkeeper 

Benito Middle School 

Teacher: Chris Ellis, English Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Felicia Chalmers, Varying 

Exceptionalities Teacher 

Support Employee: Mili Criswell, Exceptional 

Student Education Paraprof. 2 

Liberty Middle School 

Teacher: Natalia Maritza Sutton, Math Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Dottie Urbanek-Nash, 

School Social Worker 

Support Employee: Angela J. Gonzalez, 

Data Processor 

Freedom High 

Teacher: Barrett Biernacki, Phys. Education Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: *Antonyia McCray, 

Student Success Coach 

Support Employee: Annmarie McLaughlin, 

Principal’s Secretary 4 

Wharton High 

Teacher: Christi Atkinson, Science Teacher 

Ida S. Baker: Amanda Rizzi, Access Teacher 

Support Employee: Ona Miller, Principal’s Secretary 

Jessica Vaughn & Karen Perez Named School Board Chair & Vice Chair, Respectively 

The Hillsborough County School Board includes (back row, l.-r.) Nadia Combs (Dist. 1), Lynn Gray (Dist. 7), Henry “Shake” Washington (Dist. 5), Stacy Hahn (Dist. 2), Patricia “Patti” Rendon (Dist. 4), new Board Chair Jessica Vaughn (Dist. 3; center) & vice-chair Karen Perez (Dist. 6; right). At the far left in the front row is Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres. (Photo: Hillsborough County Schools) 

Although the November elections didn’t go too well for other New Tampa residents — with Jim Davison (Hillsborough County Commission) and Rico Smith (State House of Representatives) both losing, Tampa Palms residents Jessica Vaughn (New Tampa’s District 3) and Karen Perez (countywide District 6) not only won reelection in their respective Hillsborough School Board races in August, they have now been named the Board’s chair and vice-chair, respectively. 

Vaughn says this is big news for our area, as New Tampa has never held the Board’s top two spots before. “Karen already has been a District-wide member, so she has had to have a more ‘global’ perspective and be more all over the county,” Vaughn says, “but now, as the chair, I also have to be more involved District-wide, even though I’m still the District 3 member. It means a lot more work, but I’m ready.” 

Vaughn and Perez were elected as the new leaders on Nov. 19, at the Board’s annual reorganization meeting. 

Vaughn says she already has been hard at work, “trying to put resources into schools which haven’t always had resources.” She says that among the schools she has been pushing for are Freedom High, Turner-Bartels K-8 School and upgrades for Benito and Liberty middle schools. “I have been working closely with Liberty principal Frank Diaz to get him the resources he needs,” Vaughn says. 

She says that a hot-button issue right now is the possible expansion of middle school sports programs. “Our residents want sports like lacrosse and tackle football with full equipment in middle schools,” she says. “But, these are expensive sports and there may not be enough money in our budget to make them work at the middle school level. I support the idea but I don’t know if the Board will support the funding for it.” 

Speaking of the budget, Vaughn says she is “so thankful” that Hillsborough County voters overwhelmingly (with more than 66% of voters voting “Yes”) passed the millage increase to increase salaries for teachers and staff members. “That was huge for us, so our teacher and staff salaries can become more competitive with other large districts,” she said. 

Although Vaughn didn’t know exactly when the additional funds would begin showing up in paychecks, because the District is currently without a Chief Financial Officer (former CFO Romaneir Johnson took the same position with Broward County Schools), “but we’re hoping to have a new CFO in place by Jan. 1.” 

Vaughn also was happy that Hillsborough voters decided to renew the half-cent Community Investment Tax (CIT), so the District also will continue to have funds for capital outlays like improvements at District schools. 

“I’m also thrilled that voters across Florida voted against making School Board races partisan,” she says. “It seems that people really want politics out of education.” 

Speaking of partisan politics, Vaughn says she was relieved to have won reelection following a negative campaign spearheaded by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and her opponent, Myosha Powell, who accused Vaughn of being a “civil servant who thinks that we’re her subjects.” Vaughn was reelected with about 59% of ballots cast, as all four incumbents running for reelection ended up holding onto their seats. “I’m proud to have support across the aisle,” she says. 

Montessori & TOY News 

Another issue Vaughn is working on is converting Heritage Elementary on Cross Creek Blvd. into a Montessori school, beginning with one grade and adding an additional grade every year. 

“It’s working well at Essrig Elementary (near Citrus Park,” she says. “The community seems to like it and a lot of people are choosing private Montessoris over public schools these days. We’re losing families in New Tampa and Temple Terrace to it.” The only issue, she says, is that Montessori education doesn’t always translate well to standardized tests.” 

And, while the finalists weren’t announced until after we went to press with this issue, Vaughn says New Tampa and Dist. 3 have, “the most finalists” for Teacher of the Year and the other Hillsborough Education Foundation awards. 

Here’s A Look Back At Some Of New Tampa’s Great American Teach-In Speakers! 

Although photographer Charmaine George and I couldn’t get to all eleven New Tampa public schools for the Great American Teach-In on Nov. 21, we did make it to four local schools for that event and on this page are photos from our respective visits. 

Charmaine was at Benito Middle School when teacher Justin Swaim brought members of the Wharton High orchestra (l.-r. in left photo) Travis Bivins, Eliza Connell, Zoie Bowers and Sofia Salazar — all of whom are Benito alumni, to their former middle school, as well as for Michael Harvey of the Florida State Guard Aviation Response Squadron’s visit to Richard Roy’s math class (bottom left photo). 

She also visited Heritage Elementary, where the Kids and Canines organization visited Heather Leitzki’s Exceptional Student Education (ESE) class (top photo). Charmaine also took pics at when Waste Connections lead truck driver and instructor Thomas Benton (middle photo below) demonstrated how the trucks work. 

I was able to stop in at Tampa Palms Elementary for online star Zackery Turgeon (below right) captivated all of the school’s 4th-grade classes (where most of the kids wanted to follow in his footsteps) with his discussion of how he makes a living, thanks to the 700,000+ subscribers to his “Corny” channel on YouTube. 

I then visited teacher Jamie Miller’s class at Freedom High (bottom right), where I talked to her students about not only the Neighborhood News, but also writing and editing in general, and I was thrilled that some of her students actually asked me questions about my job. — GN 

The New Tampa Dance Theatre Is Celebrating 30 Years Of Success! 

The New Tampa Dance Theatre, located on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the Heritage Isles community), has been providing dancers of all ages in the New Tampa & Wesley Chapel area with professional instruction in many different dance disciplines. (All photos provided by Dyane Elkins IronWing) 

For 30 remarkable years, the New Tampa Dance Theatre (NTDT) on Cross Creek Blvd. (across from the Heritage Isles community) has been a beacon of joy and artistic excellence, nurturing young dancers and helping them discover the transformative power of dance. Whether their students come with dreams of performing on the world’s grandest stages or simply to experience the joy of movement, NTDT is proud to offer a world class, professional and versatile program experience that is truly unmatched in the Tampa Bay area. 

NTDT is the largest professional dance training facility in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area. Owner and Artistic Director Dyane Elkins IronWing is in her 30th season of creating dance memories and futures for her students, many of whom have gone on to study dance in college and/ or dance professionally. 

“As always, I’m beyond proud of our students,” says Elkins IronWing. “Our dancers become excellent college students, with their impressive time-management skills, perseverance, and creative thinking. As we kick off our 30th Anniversary Celebration, we plan to continue giving back to our community with the ‘Pay It Forward’ program and offering all new students $25 per month tuition for every class!” 

Growth Was Inevitable 

With the bigger location built in 2006, eleven years after NTDT first opened, Elkins IronWing was off and running, offering smaller class sizes and larger, more varied schedules. 

She says NTDT has an even larger pool of students today, with the ongoing explosive growth in Wesley Chapel, as well as in New Tampa. 

“Our name might say New Tampa,” she says, “but our location is much closer to Wesley Chapel than one might assume. We are extremely convenient to all of the current growth (there). Wesley Chapel families are shocked when they discover just how close we are and excited about how quickly they can drive to our facility.” 

Not Just For Future Pros! 

NTDT caters to both the recreational dance lover (even adults) as well as the devoted pre-professional — and every level in between. The school’s leveled curriculum offers multiple art forms for students to explore. Through personalized attention and professional expertise, NTDT’s professional faculty strives to provide a positive educational experience. 

Children ages 3-4 can participate in the school’s Early Childhood Program, ages 5-8 can take part in the Children’s Program and ages 9-18 are invited to join NTDT’s Youth Program. 

In addition to classical ballet training, NTDT also offers full programs in creative movement, modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop. 

Each program has its own directors and specific syllabuses guiding students in a structured manner through their studies. 

The facilities at NTDT are as top notch as the instructors, and include maple flooring for the tap classes, 20-25-ft.-tall mirrored walls, student locker rooms and a large studio space that can accommodate up to 200 people. 

Sprung floors provide shock absorption to protect the dancers’ joints and an on-site physical therapist ensures the health of the dancers. NTDT also features a café for a break, meal, or homework. 

World-Class Credentials 

NTDT has developed a reputation for creating strong, professional dancers with alumni who have moved on to highly respected dance companies, Broadway productions, national tours, and the Walt Disney Company. 

Because NTDT students learn to be proficient in multiple art forms, they have an edge in the competitive world of dance and many of them have been accepted into prestigious summer intensive programs, including the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater in New York City, The Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Cincinnati Ballet and the Boston Ballet. 

“Reflecting on 30 years in our community, it’s beyond words the gratitude and love I have for the amazing people who have been a part of our dance programs and family,” says Elkins IronWing. 

One local former student certainly agrees with that assessment. “I credit all of my success as a professional dancer to the foundational training I received at NTDT from ages 6-18,” says Victoria DeRenzo, who today is a professional dancer and choreographer who has toured internationally in 28 countries on four continents, most notably with the renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre in Washington Depot, CT. 

“I loved every second of my experience growing up there,” DeRenzo adds, “but I had no idea how spoiled I was until I graduated. Not many people receive a top-notch dance education in multiple artforms during their lifetimes, let alone at the age of 6.” 

If a student doesn’t choose to pursue a career in dance after high school, they can still reach a level of artistry to be accepted into many college dance programs, says Elkins IronWing. 

“Believing in yourself, respecting the process of working towards a goal, and having a well-rounded dance education give our students the tools and confidence to continue discovering new passions throughout their lifetimes,” she says. 

Participating In Productions 

All students have the opportunity to perform in NTDT’s “Spring Production” and — through the studio’s nonprofit partner, the Dance Theatre of Tampa (DTT) — in the winter production of “The Nutcracker (photo below)” as well as the “Summer Concert Series,” held in June at the USF Tampa campus. 

DTT provides more than 300 free tickets to NTDT’s corporate sponsors, local community supporters, alumni members and students. 

New Tampa residents Brian and Trisha Mangan enrolled their daughters Mattie and Mikayla at any early age with NTDT. 

“What began as tentative steps has blossomed into a journey of incredible growth, thanks to the dedicated and caring instructors,” Trisha says. “NTDT has not only shaped them into skilled dancers, but into confident and determined young women embodying the values of hard work and perseverance — attributes that extend far beyond the dance studio.” 

Every holiday season, Elkins IronWing says local residents look forward to the community’s largest and longest-running interpretation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” now in its 25th DTT Anniversary season. This year, “The Nutcracker” will be performed Friday-Sunday, December 20-22, at the USF Tampa College of Arts Theater 1. 

Prior to the on-stage performances at USF, DTT also will again perform “The Nutcracker Suite” on Saturday & Sunday, December 7-8, at 6, 7 & 8 p.m., at The Shops at Wiregrass. 

“It’s all about the children at NTDT, always has been and always will be,” Elkins IronWing says. “We are a company that enables children to succeed. The key is setting high expectations, all while having fun and building self-confidence. With this 30th Anniversary celebration season ahead of us, we would like to thank all of our trusting and loyal families over the years and organizations that continually support our vision. Without their recognition and time, NTDT wouldn’t be the magical place it has become!” 

The New Tampa Dance Theatre offers year-round free trial classes for prospective dancers of all ages. To tour the facility or to rent it for a meeting, party or function, visit NTDT at 10701 Cross Creek Blvd. For more information and to check out the exciting lineup of Fall 2024 classes, visit NewTampaDanceTheatre.com or call (813) 994-NTDT (6838). You also can follow NTDT on Facebook and Instagram at “New Tampa Dance Theatre.”

Brendan Norgaard Wins José Alvarez Award & Heads To England To Play Soccer! 

(L.-r.) Edward & Ann Pereira, their son Brendan Norgaard, his girlfriend Kacy Hauck & Grayson Pereira. (Photos by Charmaine George)

Congratulations to Brendan Norgaard, the 2024 Wharton High graduate who, on Aug. 7, received the José Alvarez Memorial Award as the top Male Soccer Player of the Year in Hillsborough County for the 2023-24 season, after breaking five high school records and scoring 32 goals in 18 games for the Wildcats last season. 

Brendan received his award from Steven Alvarez, the son of the late José Alvarez, at a surprise (at least for Brendan) dinner meeting at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. on S.R. 56. 

“Yes, Brendan is a great soccer player, but not everyone who has received this award the last 40 years has been a great scorer,” Steven Alvarez told the Neighborhood News. “The award considers everything — leadership, academics, volunteer work and soccer ability and Brendan was nominated by his coaches (Wharton head soccer coach Scott Ware and his assistant coach Jason Doughlin) and a committee of local high school coaches votes for one male and one female Player of the Year each year (since 1985).” 

Brendan’s mother, Ann Pereira (who invited us to the dinner), says her son completed Cambridge Assessment International Education qualifications and four Advanced Placement classes while at Wharton and also played club soccer locally for the Florida Premier FC. 

Brendan proudly shows off his José Alvarez Award. 

“We’re just so proud of Brendan,” Ann said, with her husband Edward by her side. “I’ve never had to ask him ‘Are you practicing?’ or ‘Are you doing your homework?,’ he’s just always excelled at everything and soccer is definitely his passion.” 

“He has wanted to be a professional soccer player since he was four years old,” Edward added. “He’s done nothing but eat, sleep and play soccer since we moved down here in 2013.” 

Brendan said that the award “ceremony” at Florida Ave. Brewing Co. completely took him by surprise. “I thought we were just coming here for a family dinner,” he said, “but I am very honored and excited to have received this award. I have a lot of friends that I think were very deserving, too, so this is pretty cool.” 

Ann added that after being named All-County and All-State and taking Wharton to the 6A Regional Tournament (where they lost 1-0 to Ft. Myers High in the Regional Quarterfinals in Feb.), “We thought he was all done receiving honors, so we were so excited to hear that he had won this award as well.” 

She added that Brendan leaves Sept. 2 for England, where he will play for Macclesfield FC in Macclesfield, Cheshire, where he has participated in the club’s summer residency program the last two years. He played in Spain with the club for 10 days, where he played for Macclesfield’s first team in two international tournaments. 

“I also am going to attend the University of Central Lancashire (in Preston, Lancashire) and work to get my Bachelor’s degree in Sports Business,” Brendan says. “I just wanted to give this (soccer) a shot and see how far it takes me.” 

About The Alvarez Award 
Brendan with Steven Alvarez, the exec. director of the José Alvarez Memorial Fund. 

Steven Alvarez, a director of the The Alvarez Company, an Certified Public Accounting firm based in Apollo Beach — and the executive director of the José A. Alvarez Memorial Fund — says that his father, long-time soccer coach José A. Alvarez, wondered way back in the 1980s why there were Player of the Year awards for football, basketball and baseball in Hillsborough County, but no such award for soccer. 

“Dad was told by the county that if he wanted to have a soccer award, he should start — and pay for — it himself,” Steven said. “So, that’s what he did. And, unlike the awards in those other sports, he decided to give his award to both a top boy and girl high school soccer player each year.” 

He added, “And he didn’t just want it be about stats or scoring, that’s why it hasn’t always been forwards winning the awards. We’ve had goalkeepers and even defenders win it before. He really wanted it to be an all-around award. Brendan didn’t just win it this year because he scored a lot of goals. He won it because of his academics and leadership, too. He was the team’s captain and he was all about the team, not himself. We have followed not just the soccer careers but our past winners’ lives, who they are as people, which is what my dad wanted.” 

Unfortunately, José Alvarez passed away in 2015 at the age of 66 from what is known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or CJD, a rare neurodegenerative disease that has no treatment or cure. Sporadic CJD is similar to dementia in presentation but progresses much more rapidly, with the median duration of illness being only 4-5 months. There also is a genetic form of CJD that can sometimes linger for a year or more, with the person who survived the longest living 16 years after diagnosis. 

The CJD Foundation is based in Akron, OH, and, as it says on the JoseAlvarezMemorial.com website, “We would love to continue his giving and good deeds by allowing us to continue this great award, have the ability to help others who may be in need through sport, and help the CJD Foundation continue to help find a stop to this progressive, fatal disease that took José’s life much too early.” 

“We started this foundation shortly after my dad passed away, to keep his name. his memory and his award alive,” Steven said. “He — and we — wanted to put the spotlight on the good kids because, hopefully, they’ll be our leaders in a few years down the road.” 

Alvarez also mentioned that Brendan is the fourth winner of the award from Wharton during the school’s 25-year history. There also have been two players from Freedom High who have won the award (see chart, above). 

The Coaches’ Perspective 
Wharton 
assistant coach Jason Doughlin (left) & head coach Scott Ware were on hand to celebrate Brendan’s award with him.

Wharton head boys soccer coach Scott Ware and assistant coach Jason Doughlin were on hand for the dinner with Brendan, his parents, his girlfriend Kacy and his brother Grayson, and they agreed that Brendan was the right Wharton player to be nominated for — and win — the award. 

“Even as a freshman, he was an immediate impact player for us,” Coach Ware said. “He started all four years for us. His stats don’t lie. He was a true striker on the field, but he also creates opportunities for other players to succeed. Plus, he improved every year and we could see the quality of his leadership develop and he held other kids accountable, but in a proper way. Great team player, great coach’s player, so for us, hands down, he was the guy. He will be missed. If there’s such a thing as a fifth-year senior, I’d take it.” 

Doughlin agreed, “Brendan definitely left a legacy, some big shoes to follow. But honestly, it was a no-brainer. Even as a freshman, we could see he was going to be something special. A lot of kids with his ability venture off into the soccer academies, but he stuck around all four years and it’s just an honor for us to be here to see him receive this award. He exceeded our expectations as well.”