Category: News

New Tampa Plastic Surgery Is Always Adding New Options For Its Patients

New Tampa Plastic Surgery, a premier cosmetic surgery “boutique,” has been helping New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents look and feel their best since 2011.

Specializing in the aesthetic plastic surgery of the face, breasts and body, Board-certified plastic surgeon Peter Fakhre, M.D., rejuvenates and enhances the natural beauty of his patients with the latest cutting-edge surgical and non-surgical procedures.

Dr. Fakhre also has been named one of the top doctors in the country by Vitals.com (a medical review forum for consumers). According to the website, Dr. Fakhre was named a “Vitals Top 10 Doctor.” Of more than 870,000 doctors nationwide, Dr. Fakhre has been recognized as being in the top one percent, of all physicians, as determined by patient ratings.

Located in the Windfair Professional Park off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), New Tampa Plastic Surgery sees patients from all across Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

And soon, you’ll be able to check out Dr. Fakhre’s new office at 2525 Cypress Ridge Blvd, behind the Mercedes dealership off S.R. 56. It is set to open in early 2019.

Dr. Fakhre and his staff help everyone who walks through their doors feel welcome; their primary goal is to make the patient feel comfortable while exploring his or her best options for plastic or reconstructive surgery (as well as non-surgical alternatives, in some cases) in a professional and confidential environment.

You can see the results of Dr. Fakhre’s work when you visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. Although his work definitely speaks for itself, he also is highly recommended by his patients.

In a physician review on Vitals.com, Dr. Fakhre’s patient Jane Gibbons said, “Plastic surgery? More accurately — Surgical Artistry! Dr. Fakhre is a master of his craft. He not only is an accomplished surgeon, (he also) is a man of integrity who listens, counsels and guides his patients toward the goals they are seeking. (He) then satisfies those goals with skill and precision!”

She continues, “Dr. Fakhre works with his patients to determine the best surgical and non-surgical options that will achieve the desired outcome. As a bonus, his office staff is compassionate, efficient and shares his philosophy that everyone deserves to look their best. Unquestionably, Dr. Fakhre is the best that Tampa Bay has to offer!”

Dr. Fakhre, who is one of the few plastic surgeons in the Tampa Bay area to be double-Board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Surgery, explains, “There are many things that are important in achieving successful outcomes in plastic surgery: an understanding of the patient’s desires, their physical examination, realistic goals, sound surgical technique, attention to detail and outstanding postoperative care, all of which contribute to success in cosmetic plastic surgery.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, graduating summa cum laude. He then elected to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. It was while he was at U-F that Dr. Fakhre’s surgical talent, aesthetic eye and love for plastic surgery were realized.

Dr. Fakhre then completed a general surgery residency at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, where he scored in the 98th percentile in the American Board of Surgery in Training Exam, the highest among all of the residents in his program.

He was involved with numerous publications and research projects, which have been presented at a number of scientific meetings, including the distinguished American Society of Plastic Surgeons. During his surgical training, Dr. Fakhre was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Mayo Clinic Medical School and served as Chief Resident in Surgery in his final year of surgical training.

Dr. Fakhre was then privileged to match at his first choice of Plastic Surgery fellowship programs at the prestigious Methodist Hospital, where he again excelled, scoring the highest in-service exam score among all plastic surgery residents in his program and serving as Chief Resident during his final year of plastic surgery training.

“I had the wonderful opportunity to train with members of the original group of plastic surgeons that invented the breast implant, as well as facial and body plastic surgeons whose surgeries have been featured on The Discovery Channel,” Dr. Fakhre says. “Working in such an environment provided great exposure to a large volume of both primary and revision cosmetic surgery cases. This experience was priceless and I’m happy to bring this type of training to the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area.”

This training and his own expertise helped Dr. Fakhre earn the highest score possible, in the 99th percentile among Plastic Surgeons in plastic surgery of the breast, on the American Board of Plastic Surgery written examination.

In addition to refining his surgical skill and technique during his plastic surgery training, Dr. Fakhre also volunteered his time with Operation San José and traveled to Guatemala on a cleft lip and palate surgical mission. There, he helped deliver surgical care to many cleft lip and palate patients who otherwise may never have received the treatment they needed.

Dr. Fakhre says that he was happy to return to the Tampa Bay area after his training and currently lives in Seven Oaks with his wife of 15 years and three sons, who keep them busy and entertained.

So Many Surgical Options
So many of us have things we would like to change about our bodies. Time, age and weight changes all take a toll on the body and these factors can affect your appearance and self-image. Dr. Fakhre says that cosmetic plastic surgery is a way to help you look and feel better. “When we are happy with our appearance, we feel more confident,” he says.

New Tampa Plastic Surgery offers a plethora of cosmetic surgery procedures for women and men, including breast enhancement (augmentations, lifts and reductions), tummy tucks, face and neck lifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction and more. Known for his technical skill, eye for beauty and superior aesthetic practice, Dr. Fakhre will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to achieve your desired outcome and to make the “new you” a reality.

“Cosmetic plastic surgery allows the surgeon to combine artistry with sound surgical techniques to produce superior results,” says Dr. Fakhre.

Breasts, for instance, are often at the core of a woman’s femininity and self-confidence. Dr. Fakhre explains that breast surgery is one of the most personal decisions a woman can make. “Breast augmentation surgery can increase your self-confidence and satisfaction with your body,” says Dr. Fakhre. “By increasing or restoring breast volume, we can help our patients achieve a better-proportioned body.”

Dr. Fakhre’s breast augmentation patients are first educated about implant size and types, so they can make informed decisions about which would best satisfy their personal goals. He says that the two main implant types available are still silicone and saline and that the implant selected depends upon a variety of factors.

Currently, the most common implants that Dr. Fakhre uses are silicone implants, which he says look and feel more natural than their saline counterparts.

Breast lift surgery removes excess tissue and repositions the breast and/or nipple to a more youthful position. This procedure is often chosen by women desiring to restore form to their breasts or reclaim their “before-baby” appearance. And, although breasts are intertwined with the feminine profile, women are not the only ones who have breast surgery. In fact, Dr. Fakhre says that he has helped many men feel better about their appearance with reduction surgery for men with female-looking breasts (also known as gynecomastia).

Liposuction, ‘Mommy
Makeovers’ & More
Another popular cosmetic surgical procedure at New Tampa Plastic Surgery is liposuction, which can improve the body’s contour by removing fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction restores proportionality and minimizes problem areas. Dr. Fakhre says that if you find yourself shopping for clothes to hold your tummy in or help slim your thighs, liposuction may be your answer. He adds that liposuction offers significant results with minimal downtime.

“In fact, many (liposuction) patients recover over a weekend and return to work on Monday,” he says.
A full “Mommy Makeover” also is a popular procedure sought by women who want to get back to the body they had before they had children. Dr. Fakhre says that the most common “Mommy Makeover” combines a breast lift (with or without breast augmentation for reshaping), a tummy tuck to tighten the midsection that was stretched during pregnancy and liposuction to remove unwanted fat deposits.

Dr. Fakhre, who also has surgical privileges at Florida Hospital Tampa and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, says that he performs most of his surgeries at Tampa Bay Surgery Center, located at the corner of Dale Mabry and Fletcher Avenue, although he adds that he does perform minor procedures in his office as well. Wherever he performs his artistry, however, his satisfied patients are a testament to his experience and training.

“From the moment I walked through the door in his office I was always greeted on a first-name basis, which made me feel like I wasn’t just another patient to get in and out,” Christina Vargas wrote in her patient testimonial about her experience with New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “The whole process — from scheduling my appointments to the day of the procedure, even my recovery — went so smoothly. I highly recommend Dr. Fakhre. I give him 10 stars!”

Non-Surgical Options, Too
New Tampa Plastic Surgery also is a true cosmetic boutique, offering skin care and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in addition to plastic surgery. Many of these non-surgical procedures — such as Botox and dermal fillers, Latisse eyelash lengthening and thickening and chemical peels that rejuvenate and energize the skin to beautify your natural state and more — often provide the results a patient is looking for, and are less “invasive” than surgical options.

Board-certified nurse practitioner Christina Ahrens (in photo on previous page, with Dr. Fakhre) has more than 12 years of experience in dermatology and plastic surgery and performs all of the non-surgical procedures at New Tampa Plastic Surgery.

“We are fortunate to have Christina as part of our team,” says Dr. Fakhre. “She does an outstanding job in the treatment of our patients.”

For your free cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Peter Fakhre, call New Tampa Plastic Surgery at (813) PLASTIC (752-7842). The office is located at 2541 Windguard Cir. For a full menu of services, visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. And, be sure to check out the ad on page 13 of this issue and ‘Like’ New Tampa Plastic Surgery’s Facebook.com page so that you can be notified of the office’s monthly promotions on various services.

Dr. Peter Fakhre New Tampa Plastic Surgery

District 63 Seat Once Again Slated To Be A Close Battle

State House District 63 candidate Fentrice Driskell is hoping to return incumbent Shawn Harrison’s seat to Democratic hands in the General Election on Tuesday, November 6.

There was never any doubt, at least in her mind, that Fentrice Driskell was going to one day run for office.

It was just a matter of when.

Well, when…is now.

In February, Driskell filed to run for the Florida House District 63 seat currently held by Republican and long-time New Tampa resident Shawn Harrison.

District 63 includes New Tampa, as well as Carrollwood, Lutz and the Lake Magdalene and University of South Florida areas to our south and east.

Driskell’s entry into the race was greeted with great enthusiasm by many Democrats, who consider it one of the most flippable State House seats.

Harrison won the seat in 2010, lost it to Mark Danish in 2012, then reclaimed it in 2014. In 2016, Harrison held off Democratic challenger and fellow former Tampa City Council member Lisa Montelione by 1,363 votes, or 51-49 percent.

“I’ve known for quite some time I would like to run one day,” Driskell says. “I thought it would be later in life, though. But, the 2016 election motivated me.”

Driskell was almost immediately endorsed by prominent local Democrats like Betty Castor, Alex Sink, Pat Kemp and State House Democratic Leader, State Rep. Janet Cruz, after throwing her hat in the ring.

Driskell felt that women’s voices were missing from the political debate, and felt like public schools, where her mother taught for 35 years, were under attack. She saw a political landscape dominated by acrimony and inertia, instead of focusing on providing affordable housing, a safe and clean environment and economic policies that would benefit everyone.

“After the 2016 election, I really decided that if I don’t like the way things are going, I can either keep talking about it or do something about it,” Driskell says. “I started attending candidate trainings and really thinking about some of the issues I care about the most.”

Driskell said her passion for government was ignited while she attended Lake Gibson High in Lakeland.

During her junior year, she attended Florida Girls State, a week-long workshop that focuses on government, politics and Americanism.

“It completely changed my trajectory,” Driskell says.

She graduated from Lake Gibson No. 1 in her class and attended Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, where she was the school’s first African-American female student body government president.

She graduated from Harvard and then Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C., and has been president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association for black lawyers in Tampa. She is currently a partner and business litigator at the Carlton Fields law firm near Tampa International Airport.

When she decided to run and looked at the open races, she saw District 63 as a perfect place to bring what she says will be an inclusive style of representation.

“I looked at the level of representation that District 63 is getting and felt I had something better to offer,” Driskell says.

According to the Lakeland native, District 63 is roughly 38 percent registered Democrats, 32 percent Republicans and 30 percent unaffiliated.

“When you have a district that balanced, you have to be able to lead from a place that is reflective of that and inclusive of everyone,” Driskell says. “My opponent has moved too far to the right for this district.”

Driskell (see ad on pg. 6) has attended a few New Tampa town halls, and organized some meet-and-greets in local communities, most recently in Arbor Greene, and hopes to strike a chord with local voters, who trended Democratic in 2016.

“We’ve been able to build a lot of great momentum and enthusiasm around our campaign,” Driskell says. “What we’ve found is that people want to talk about the kind of bread-and-butter issues that affect us every day, like schools, gun safety, keeping kids safe. Because we have been able to engage them directly, people are excited to have the opportunity to have a representative who will listen to them.”

Fentrice shawn harrison

Chess Champ Has All The Right Moves

Cannon Farragut, an 8-year-old Hunter’s Green resident, recently captured a Florida State Chess Championship. Is there a national championship on the horizon for this chess wunderkind?

Chess began with a key on a laptop keyboard being plucked loose and set aside.

Then another. And another.

By the time William Farragut discovered what was happening and could stop Cannon, his then-4-year-old son, every key on his laptop had been removed.

“I was furious,” William says. So, as a solution for his uber-curious son, William bought Cannon his own, cheaper laptop. He loaded it with math and science programs, and randomly ran across a chess app and installed that, too.

“I was being totally stereotypical, but chess is for smart kids, right?” William asks.

Within a month, it was the only thing Cannon was playing. By watching videos of matches, he learned not only how the pieces move, but how to “weaponize” those moves by stringing them together and outsmarting the opposition.

His father was stunned.

Four years later, Cannon, now 8, is the Arnold Denker Florida State Champion in the 1800-under division. High-level chess players don’t generally compete in age groups, they compete against others in the same ratings group. Cannon toppled adults 3-4 times his age on his way to the championship at the 1800-&-Under level (more on this below).

In November, he will represent the U.S. at the World Youth Championships in Spain.

Then, in December, he’ll travel to the National Scholastic Chess Championships in Orlando, where the very best players in the country will be on hand to prove their rankings. Cannon is currently ranked in the Top 20 in the U.S. in his age group, but is in the top 10 of everyone in the 1800-&-Under rating group in the entire U.S.

Can he win a national championship?

“I think I can win,” Cannon says.

On a typical Tuesday night. Cannon breezes through the meeting room at Compton Park, which is filled with dozens of young New Tampa chess players, members of the invite-only Champions Chess Club coached by Tampa Palms residents Mark Ritter and his wife Tania Kranich-Ritter, a former New York State champion.

Cannon is happy, polite, affable. Even during his matches, he looks around the room, smiling, rising from his seat to walk around and watch some of his clubmates. On occasion, he’ll also practice his jump shot form, as Cannon also is a skilled basketball player.

But Mark, an internationally rated chess master and one of only five Level 5-rated coaches in the country, and Tania, who coached teams at Tampa Palms Elementary and Liberty Middle School to national championships in 2005 and 2006, respectively, were skeptical when Cannon, then 5, showed up at the club hoping to join.

“When I first came in, they almost pushed me away,’’ William says, laughing.

Cannon hid behind his father’s legs. The club was mostly older kids, Tania told William, with players from 3rd grade to high school, with ratings ranging from 500 to 2100.

William tried to explain that he thought Cannon had something, and Mark told him every parent says that. But, since they had already made the trip, Mark agreed to sit down at the chess board with the youngster.

After five minutes, Mark looked at William, and said, “You know, there might be something here.”

Cannon then played one of the lower-rated players in the club, and lost. The tears flowed. When he and William left that day, Mark wasn’t sure he’d ever see them again.

Cannon did come back, however, and lost again, and cried again, a scenario that repeated itself several times the first few weeks. He was, however, getting better every visit. When he was six, he officially joined the club.

Mark says Cannon’s appetite for chess was voracious, and he devoured more and more instructional videos as his rating started climbing and the wins began piling up.

Even more pleasing was that Cannon slowly transformed from a shy kid into a social butterfly, making friends easily and becoming one of the club’s most popular members.

“Cannon’s growing social skills emphasize a much-overlooked benefit of chess,” says Mark. “While most of the focus remains on improving one’s game and rating — too much in my opinion — important social behaviors, such as sportsmanship, communication and interaction, are part of the package, too.”

Cannon has rapidly evolved from a kid plucking the keys off his father’s computer keyboard to Florida’s best player among those with 1800-&-Under ratings, according to the U.S. Chess Federation ratings. As such, he rarely plays anyone who is not much older than he is, a fact that Cannon admits has created some awkward situations.

“I think they are more nervous than I am,” Cannon says. “I don’t think they want to lose to a kid.”

But, his recent Florida State title is certainly the biggest win of his career, at least so far.

“It is a big deal,” Cannon says. “This is like my first major tournament I won and that inspires me to keep going, so I can become a Grandmaster and beat Magnus Carlsen.”

Both are lofty goals — Cannon is currently rated at 1771; when you reach 2200, you become a Master, and at 2500 you are a Grandmaster. But, Carlsen, the current World Champion, is a true chess prodigy with a rating greater than 2800.

Chess is a hard game that very few master. So, how has an 8-year-old managed to do it?

Tough to say, says Mark.

“Nobody’s answered that question,” he says. “His ability to see tactics and combinations that most players can’t is phenomenal. He has a natural ability for spatial relationships, pattern recognition, things like that. How do you define that? It’s just wiring.”

Well, there’s wiring and then there’s hard work. Cannon is a dedicated student of the game. He describes the chessboard as a picture, or a puzzle. He says he sees what to do in his mind, “which is telling me what to do, like connecting the dots. Where the line starts is my first move.”

Cannon’s tendency to move too quickly at times is one of his few weaknesses. When he sees a dot to connect, he does so, with supreme confidence, even if it only took him a few minutes to notice. Sometimes, he admits that there was a better move out there.

That didn’t stop him in Jacksonville, however, when he won his State title. That victory netted Cannon $800 and a trophy (photo) almost as tall as he is. He loves his trophy. The money, he says, “I’m giving to my mom and dad so they can have some of it.”

That should at least cover the cost of that laptop, new keys and all.

Chess New Tampa New Tampa Chess Prodigy

Dem. Kelly Smith To Take On Mike Moore For County Commission In November

For Kelly Smith, running as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the District 2 seat on the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners is more about civic duty than personal achievement.

“I really am coming at this from a public service standpoint. I never imagined I would run for office,” says Smith, who has lived in Wesley Chapel for 10 years and will oppose Republican incumbent and fellow Wesley Chapel resident Mike Moore in this year’s general election on Tuesday, November 6.

Neither candidate will face a primary opponent. In addition to partisan primaries for local, state and national offices, the primary election, which also included the only elections for Pasco School Board and several judges, were held on August 28.

Smith says that watching District 2’s boundaries evolve from relatively pastoral to thoroughly suburban provided her with the motivation to enter politics. She says her goal is to ensure that Pasco voters have distinct options as to who will best help manage the area’s growth.

“We need to bring change to our community and really be looking at how we can serve our community the best,” Smith says.

The foot-shaped Dist. 2 extends from the Hillsborough County line to north of S.R. 52, with its western border between U.S. 41 and the Suncoast Pkwy., and extending all the way to U.S. 301/Gall Blvd. at its easternmost edge in Zephyrhills.

Smith says she believes that the current lineup of Pasco commissioners has fallen short in meeting residents’ needs.

“Without a doubt, (they’re) not planning for the infrastructure and the service needs that go along with the growth we’re experiencing,” Smith says.

She says that growth is coming at a cost, and usually one that prospective homeowners can’t afford. She believes that future development needs to include a wider variety of affordbale housing for residents.

“One of the big components that’s missing in Pasco County is a better variety of dwelling types and a better variety of (housing) price points,” Smith says.

Smith also says she wants to attract more skilled jobs to the area’s economy, which already has a lot of customer service positions. Pasco County government can encourage wage growth in the private sector, she says, by setting an example and adopting a minimum salary of $15 an hour for full-time positions.

“Currently, 24 percent of full-time employees (who work for Pasco County) make less than $15 an hour,” she says. “As the second largest employer in Pasco County, that would certainly set a standard that hopefully the rest of the community would follow.”

Smith says her more than 20 years of professional experience provides an informed background from which to draw on when it comes to addressing quality-of-life issues like congestion. Her resume includes positions in engineering operations (including data analysis and contract administration) for site development and transportation projects in the private sector and serving as a zoning administrator for the City of Marco Island, near Naples, FL.

She also has been a coordinator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the City of Naples and Collier County. Smith earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Liberal Arts (with minors in Computer Science, School Health Education and Special Education) from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.

“I really do think that my experience has put me in exactly the right position to be a county commissioner,” says Smith.

In addition to her professional work experience, Smith volunteers on behalf of young people, advocating for kids going through the legal system with the Florida Guardian ad Litem program and as a photographer with Heart Gallery of Pinellas & Pasco, a nonprofit organization that promotes the adoption of children in foster care.

“I have always looked at how my actions can have a positive consequence outside of me,” says Smith, who lives in Meadow Pointe with her husband Patrick and their three adopted teenage children: Macy, Andrew and Carter.

Running as a Democratic against a popular Republican opponent in a county where President Trump won 58 percent of the vote in 2016 might seem to be a formidable task, but Smith says she’s up to it.

“I really do think I have a chance,” she says, adding that she gets a good response from people, including Republicans, when she canvases neighborhoods. “Local government is not so partisan. It’s about what’s best for your community.”

Visit KellySmithforPasco.com or “Kelly Smith for Pasco County Commissioner” on Facebook to find out more.

district 2 election kelly smith Mike Moore Pasco County Commissioner

School Security A Call To Duty For New Guards

Eugene Figueroa was sitting in the living room of his Spring Hill home when he first saw the reports of another school shooting, this time on Feb. 14 of this year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, FL.

Figueroa’s heart dropped. He felt sick. He could not believe that once again, helpless and unsuspecting children had been gunned down in their classrooms.

In the aftermath, the debate raged for days and months — how can we stop this from happening again?

Figueroa, a 51-year-old retired correctional officer, had his own ideas, and they didn’t involve arming teachers or running schools like a military base.

His idea involved people like him, retired law enforcement, retired military, retired security.

“I’m right here,” he yelled one night at his television as pundits argued over the best course of action.

As it turned out, Figueroa wasn’t alone. The idea of requiring an armed security officer at every school in Florida’s 67 countywide districts was almost immediately passed into law following the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas, with $67 million set aside to fund it. While that wasn’t enough to pay for actual police officers, counties like Pasco had opted to hire 55 full-time “guardians” for its 49 elementary schools.

“We had 200 people apply in the first two days,” says Pasco County assistant superintendant for support services Elizabeth Kuhn. “We had to shut the ad down.”

Among the first to apply were Figueroa, now stationed at Seven Oaks, Roy Wright, who is at Veterans, and Fred Jackson at Quail Hollow elementary schools.

When the county launched the school security program, it was looking for very specific people. Previous experience in law enforcement, security or the military was a must, and the ability to relate to children and thrive in a school environment was just as important.

“A lot of the job would be interacting with kids, not just standing up against a wall,” Kuhn said. “This was not just a law enforcement job, it was not just a school job, it was both.”

That made it perfect for Jackson, a soft-spoken, 52-year-old retired police officer from Fort Myers.

So, Who Are These Guys?

Jackson had worked with children his entire adult life. He was a D.A.R.E. officer, helping to keep kids from getting involved in drugs and gangs, and was a school resource officer for 10 years.

“My whole life was trying to make life better for people in predominantly poor areas,” Jackson says.

That included time working the streets in some of Fort Myers’ most drug-infested areas, and watching the crack epidemic take off and, unfortunately, flourish.

Quail Hollow’s security guard sees himself as a mentor, much in the way he viewed his middle school football coach, who was also a police officer and often wore his uniform to practices.

“That really appealed to me,” he says.

Football was Jackson’s plan B. He was a standout safety for Florida A&M High in Tallahassee, and earned a scholarship to Florida A&M University (also in Tallahassee) before his playing days were scuttled by a neck injury.

He was working a security job in Atlanta when his wife Eugenia, a third-grade teacher at Woodland Elementary in Zephyrhills, told him about the opportunity.

“I was saddened by the Parkland shooting, thinking about all the innocent kids who didn’t have a chance to mature and grow up to be whatever they wanted to be,” Jackson says. “So, the chance to reach kids and protect kids, this was the best thing for me. I really saw this as a calling.”

Like every school security officer, Jackson underwent 132 intensive hours of training this summer in preparation, a good many of those hours dedicated to the gun range and live shooter simulations.

In Pasco, school security officers wear a ballistic vest, and carry a gun on one hip and a Taser on the other. “And we have ample amounts of ammunition,” Jackson says.

Jackson loves his interactions with the kids at Quail Hollow, describing it as a family.

And, while he understands why some parents may have initially been leery of an armed guard around their children, just the other day a father there to pick up his son walked up to him to thank him for what he is doing.

“I pray for you guys every night,” he told Jackson, who has a job he wishes wasn’t necessary. But, it is one he feels it is one of the most important he has ever had.

“The only reason we are here is to protect your babies,” Jackson says, “and the teachers, so they can teach your babies.”

At the end of the day, the No. 1 job for a school security officer is to run towards a threat and try and eliminate it. It is not for the feint of heart, but then again, neither is Rikers Island, New York City’s notorious jail complex.

Because he spent 20 years working on the island, it may be hard to imagine Figueroa, a Puerto Rico-born, Bronx-raised retired corrections officer, being afraid of much.

A graduate of Norman Thomas High in Manahattan, Figueroa and his best friend both were attracted to being New York City cops. While his friend became a police officer, however, Figueroa decided to go the correctional officer route.

His first real job was at Rikers. He started at the Otis Bantum Center (OBC), and spent time working in some of the island’s other nine jails before transitioning to a transportation officer, hauling the bad guys back and forth.

Only six months into his job in 1990, Rikers Island erupted into a riot after an inmate assaulted an officer. That year, there were 2,500 violent incidents on the island.

“Pretty hair raising,” says Figueroa. “I was only one year in, and that was an eye opening experience. Luckily, God’s grace stood with me for 20 years.”

He and his wife Yvonne moved to Spring Hill in 2015, and since then, Eugene has spent most of his time fishing. But, the father of two grown children and grandfather to 1-, 7- and 8-year-olds, he, too, was sickened, and driven to apply to be a school security officer, by what happened in Parkland.

Like Jackson, Figueroa sees himself as a mentor to the students, and the first line of defense against any outside danger.

He is a presence during drop off and pick up times, and during the day, walks around campus, eyes always open, the route always varying.

“I’m like a junkyard dog, roaming the property,” he says.

When he peeks in on classrooms at Seven Oaks, he’ll flash a big smile or a thumbs up, with teachers and students often replying in kind. The school, he says, as have most of the parents, has warmed up to his presence. “Some are receptive, some aren’t and that’s okay,” Figueroa says. “They’re going to love me at the end of the day when I’m the one taking a bullet for one of their kids, God forbid.”

Wright also hopes that never has to happen for any of his fellow security officers, but he has spent his whole life preparing for it.

He joined the military in 1986 after graduating from high school. He was Military Police, and was stationed in Germany from 1986-94, and when he returned to Augusta, GA, he joined a Special Reaction (or SWAT) team.

After leaving the military in 2000, Wright became a high-threat diplomat security contractor, working in Bosnia and Kuwait, and, for 16 years, in Iraq.

In 2016, he traded in that stressful career for a local security job in the hopes of settling down with his fiancée.

When the Parkland shootings took place, his first reaction was to think of a way to help. The school security job allows him to do that.

“I can tell you that every person in my class, and we started with 58, everyone either had grandchildren or children and all felt as strongly as I did about being here and taking care of our younger generation,” Wright says.

After his training. Wright chose to be stationed at Veterans Elementary, because he is a veteran who wanted to settle down in Wesley Chapel.

He says the transition to spending his days around the kids he is responsible for protecting is “wonderful.”

On his first day, he arrived to find “Welcome to the team, Roy” written on a dry erase board on the wall behind his desk, which is in a hallway. He has no plans to wipe it off.

“From day one, everyone has been so supportive,” he says.

The kids call him Mr. Roy, or Mr. Security, which makes him laugh.

He is always on the move, checking gates and doors, and keeping a close eye on the school playground, which faces S.R. 54.

“There were some parents who were skeptical,” Wright says. “I had a father tell me, ‘Mr. Roy, initially I wasn’t very fond of the program, but I travel (S.R. 54) here periodically and to see you standing outside the playground like you do, taking care of our children….well, I want to apologize and say thank you.’”

The kids at the school have taken notice as well. One little boy, Wright says, came up to him a few weeks ago and asked why he hadn’t seen the security officer that day during recess. Wright had been in a meeting, and the boy had noticed that the footprints Wright usually left near the playground weren’t there.

“I missed you out there,” the boy said.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” Wright replied.

The moment cemented what he had hoped going in — that his presence would be felt, and would make everyone feel safer.

That feeling is likely pervasive across not only Wesley Chapel, but also across Pasco County and the state. While Figueroa, Jackson and Wright wish the jobs they have and love weren’t necessary, they feel strongly that they are.

“I’m wholeheartedly into this program and feel strongly about it, but it is unfortunate that it is a necessity now,” Wright says. “It’s a shame our children have to be protected by a person like me, or a sheriff’s officer or police officer. But that’s what we’re here for, and that’s what we will do.”

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