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Lad's on his way with perfect attendance at Schmidt Elementary

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 17, 2009

BRANDON - At an awards ceremony honoring distinguished students at Schmidt Elementary School on June 3, fifth-grader Michael Chillura received recognition for being the first student since the school's opening in 2003 to have had perfect attendance for his entire six years there.

One of Michael's teachers, Kelly Henderson, described him as a smart, hard-working student and athlete who has a great foundation because he never missed a day of instruction. She said he loves being the first to have met this goal. No one can ever take this achievement away from him.

His dad, Mike Chillura of Brandon, captured the awards ceremony on video.

"I've been a single parent since he was 3 years old, and he just turned 11," he said. "He never got sick, and God prevailed all the time."

Michael hopes to continue without an absence all the way through high school. His teachers - Catherine Lucas, homeroom and science; Kelly Henderson, reading; and Willie Cummings, math - consider him a determined young man capable of achieving that goal, Lucas said.

Other students who had perfect attendance for this year were Matthew Ellis, Alexandria Lewis and Kohl Jacobs.

This fifth-grade class includes the school's charter class, 30 students who have attended Schmidt since it opened: Chillura, Lewis, Kyle Battey, Veronica Bennett, Logan Bowman, Jarrod Brunson, Noah Cummins, Calyn Dausch, Evan Ellis, Jessica Haselwood, Cassady Henshaw, Matthew Hernandez, Kennedy Kitchens, Jonathon Lindemulder, Ty Lucas, Justin Martin, Tiffany Melens, Chase Miller, Donovan O'Connor, Thyree Parker, Tierra Partin, Robin Rhodes, Natalia Roque, Jonathon Sangiorgio, Kyle Sansom, Ryan Smith, Michelle Snyder, Kourtnie Tempesta, Laura Townley and Gaej Walker.

Chai installs new board members

VALRICO - At its sixth annual Installation Tea on May 24 at Savannah Landings, the Brandon Chai group of the Tampa Ameet Chapter of Hadassah installed new board members.

They are Corky Arkovich, co-president; LindaGreenfield, co-president; Shelley Homelsky, membership vice president; Ronni Levy, publicity vice president; Dee Raymond, programming vice president; Meral Ginsberg, education co-vice president; Thelma Silber, co-vice president of education; Anita Clifford, secretary; Janice Perelman, treasurer; and Carolyn Schmidt, telephone chairwoman.

Brandon Chai's 50 members, ranging in age from 50 to 85, organize social, educational and fundraising events to support charities such as the nonsectarian Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, which serves Israelis and Arabs.

"One need not be Jewish to be a Hadassah member," Levy said. Men, too, may join as associate members of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America.

For information, call Homelsky, (813) 684-3171, or go to www.hadassah.org.

Durant raising $5,000 for 'Alice in Wonderland'

DURANT - "A lot of you are interested in doing 'Alice in Wonderland,'" Ed Mason, Durant High School drama sponsor, told his students. "Thing is this - it is an expensive show. ... I will consider it if you people can deliver to me, by July 20, a minimum of $5,000. ... This is your challenge."

Thus, a spaghetti dinner and silent auction to raise money for Durant's Thespians Troupe 5444 will take place at 7 p.m. Friday at the Barn Theatre at Winthrop, 11349 Bloomingdale Ave. Entertainment will be provided by the troupe.

This hopefully will enable the school to produce "an absolutely huge production of 'Alice in Wonderland,'" said Mike Wood, president of Mike Wood Lighting and Production Services, who is helping not only with the design and management of the show, but also with the fundraising.

The price is $15 a plate. Tickets may be purchased in advance or reserved and paid for at the door at www.alice.mwlps

.com.

Sponsors and donors of items or services for the auction may contact Wood at (813) 684-8656 or at mikewood

@mwlps.com.

Fishing tournament winners announced

The sixth annual Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs tournament, sponsored by the Brandon Elks Lodge 2383, took place May 16 on Douglas A. Holmberg's property in Dover.

Nearly 120 children, ages 3 to 13, caught almost 220 fish, ate innumerable hot dogs and hamburgers cooked by the Elks and took home antidrug literature.

Prizes for the most and largest fish caught were awarded in the different age categories by Donald Cornett, event chairman, and Rick Weigand, lodge exalted ruler.

Grand prize winner for reeling in the largest fish, 23 inches long, was Kyle Crescini. Jeremy Cox won grand prize for catching more than anyone else: 11 fish.

Winners in the 11- to-13-year-old category were Joshua Cox, with eight fish, and Austin Lindsey and Yoav Altman, who tied, bringing in 9-inch fish.

The 9- to 10-year-old category awards went to Bailey Hoffman for a 10.5-inch fish, and to Scott Carter and Emily Johnson, both of whom caught five fish.

In the 7- to 8-year-old group, Hanna Morris caught six fish, and Kenlee Milton snagged a 10-incher.

Top among the 5- to 6-year-old contenders were Michael Bartolazzi with an 8-inch fish, and Taylor Strickland and Jovan Rosado, who tied with seven fish each.

Eight fish were brought in by Ella Smith, and an 11.7-inch fish was hooked by Carson Brown in the 3- to 4-year-old category.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 933 Chad Lane, Tampa FL 33619, e-mail neighbors@tampabay.rr.com or call (813) 627-4751.

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