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Hillsborough County School Board honors students, teachers and community partners at April 28 recognition meeting
Summary
At its April 28 recognition meeting, the Hillsborough County School Board celebrated student lifesaving acts, academic and athletic champions, teachers of the year and dozens of school and program recognitions, including 55 Green Team badge winners and 15 new ENERGY STAR certifications; no business items were voted on.
Hillsborough County School Board Chair Karen Perez called the recognition meeting to order April 28, and members spent the session honoring students, educators and community partners across the district.
The board highlighted health and wellness work, academic competitions, athletics and family-engagement programs. Annemarie Courtney, director of partnership engagement and philanthropy, presented the Healthy Schools initiative supported by Tampa General Hospital’s Tampa Well program and named Dena Marshal and Dr. Felita Lewis among the initiative’s recent champions for districtwide work supporting student and staff well-being. “When people, adults and children alike have a sense of well-being, they are more productive,” Courtney said during her remarks.
The meeting recognized two Girl Scouts who received the Life Saving Award for intervening in family medical emergencies, and three Randall Middle School students who earned the Girl Scouts Silver Award after producing a mental-health brochure distributed to middle and K–8 schools across the district. Elizabeth Tanner, supervisor of emotional wellness, said the brochure is intended for wider district distribution and that the students will be formally honored by the Girl Scouts in June 2026.
Athletic achievements were a major focus. The board called up middle- and high-school championship teams and individual state and national champions across multiple sports. Coach David Sevier introduced Bella McFarland, a junior and state wrestling champion, and principals and coaches recognized dozens of student-athletes for county, state and national titles.
Academic honors included the Hillsborough Alliance of Black School Educators’ Black History Brain Bowl, which held its 10th annual finals Feb. 21, 2026, and drew preliminary participation from roughly 202 schools; winners at the elementary, middle and high school levels received traveling trophies for the year. The board also named its 2025–26 social studies teachers of the year: Emily Lojacano (high school), Nicholas Kappus (middle school) and Tiffany Hudson (elementary).
Several districtwide program recognitions followed. A military liaison announced the Purple Star Schools of Distinction for 2025–28, saying 10 schools renewed and five earned the designation for the first time. Andrea Stingoni of planning recognized 55 district Green Team Reduce/Reuse/Recycle badge winners and thanked McKinstry partners for energy audits and curriculum support. Andrea Sitnone announced 15 additional ENERGY STAR certified buildings for 2025–26, bringing the district’s certified total to 100 sites.
Other recognitions included Florida Department of Education volunteer awards, principals honored for family and community engagement work, and celebration of parent- and family-focused programs such as Guiding Parents Success, Blossoming Mothers and the Fathers & Families initiative. Presenters repeatedly emphasized that these programs aim to boost family capacity and student outcomes.
The meeting included no votes or business approvals; board members were asked to keep comments brief and the session concluded after final photos and applause. Chair Karen Perez adjourned the meeting at the close of the recognition agenda.
