Tampa DAR presents women in U.S. history awards
The Tampa chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented five DAR Women in American History Awards during its America 250 celebration May 16 at the Columbia Restaurant. Among the honorees was Dr. Theresa Watson, chief operating officer of Kegman, Inc. She leads operations supporting national security, science, and engineering missions. Presenting the award were, from left, State Chair American History Anita Maiworm; State Regent Kim Zeman; Watson; Chapter Regent Sarah Hughes; and Historian General Cindy Addison. The other honorees were Adele Hernandez Gonzmart, Andrea Gonzmart Williams, Kim Zeman, and artist Roberta (Bobbie) Schofield.
Get paid to make Tampa greener
TAMPA — The city’s Green Team is hiring the next class of environmental changemakers for the 2026-2027 service year. In partnership with AmeriCorps and Volunteer Florida, Tampa is seeking 21 dedicated members to help advance sustainability, resiliency, and environmental stewardship efforts across the city.
Applications are now being accepted, with rolling interviews beginning immediately for positions serving from Aug. 17, 2026, through July 31, 2027.
The Green Team program offers flexible scheduling, professional development opportunities, a bi-weekly living stipend, and an education award upon successful completion of the service year. Full-time positions also include healthcare benefits.
The city is hiring for the following positions:
• One recruitment and retention member
• Two co-lead positions
• Eight full-time members (1,700 hours with healthcare benefits)
• 10 part-time members (1,200 hours)
Since launching in 2023, Tampa’s Green Team has removed more than 66,000 pounds of trash from city limits and the Hillsborough River, planted more than 1,620 trees and 18,740 plants in city parks and neighborhoods, and educated more than 5,770 residents about sustainability and environmental stewardship
Green Team members have also supported emergency response efforts, including sandbag distribution, storm debris cleanup, and community resource activations following severe weather events. The team has helped establish community gardens at schools and recreation centers while partnering with organizations such as Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Tampa Bay Watch, and Coalition of Community Gardens.
Members receive professional training and certifications, including Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Florida-Friendly Landscaping Professional certification through University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and Urban Agriculture Specialist certification.
Those interested can learn more and apply online at tampa.gov/greenteam.
USF profs to be inducted into Inventors Hall of Fame
TAMPA — Three distinguished University of South Florida faculty innovators will be among the 2026 class of inductees to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.
Dr. Mark Frankle, Dr. Patrick Hwu and Donald Keck are being honored for their groundbreaking research and contributions to science and society. Their work has transformed modern life, advanced critical industries, improved patient care, strengthened national resilience and exemplified the power of innovation to address society’s most pressing challenges, USF said in a press release.
Frankle, the chief of shoulder and elbow surgery at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute and a clinical professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon, inventor and medical device innovator. He is best known for revolutionizing the field of shoulder arthroplasty through the development of a transformative reverse shoulder prosthesis. He holds 18 U.S. patents. He is a two-time recipient of the Charles S. Neer Award, has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and served as president of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons.
Hwu is the president and chief executive officer of Moffitt Cancer Center and a professor of oncologic sciences in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. He is best known for foundational work in developing chimeric receptor genes that led to modern CAR T-cell therapies. His invention enables immune cells to be genetically engineered to recognize and attack cancer cells with high specificity. Hwu holds more than 10 U.S. patents and has authored more than 300 scientific publications. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Keck, a professor in USF’s Institute for Advanced Discovery & Innovation, is a physicist whose work revolutionized global communications and laid the foundation for the modern internet. As a member of Corning’s Optical Waveguide Project team, Keck co-invented low-loss optical fiber in 1970. His innovations enabled optical fiber to replace copper wire as the primary medium for telecommunications. Keck holds nearly 40 U.S. patents and has authored more than 150 scientific publications. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
Crisis Center unveils calming space for workers
TAMPA — Leadership Hillsborough hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 19 to celebrate the completion of a restorative outdoor space at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
The area was provided through the Leadership Hillsborough Class of 2026. Project enhancements include seating for reflection, raised planters, accessible safety- focused surfacing, a sidewalk library that promotes literacy and hope, and commemorative signage recognizing the partnership.
The redesigned 625-square-foot space was created to support frontline crisis workers who respond daily to individuals experiencing trauma, while also serving clients seeking services. Designed as a place to pause, decompress, and reset, the space provides a calm and accessible area during emotionally demanding moments.
“This space will provide a peaceful environment for frontline staff who carry the emotional weight of crisis response every day and for the clients who rely on us during some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” said Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
The initiative was made possible through the support and collaboration of community partners, including Applied Image, Bubba’s 33, Florida Blue, The Home Depot, Humana Horizon, J&O Rodriguez Corporation, Peppajak, Rosales Nursery, T-Mobile, and Tampa Housing Authority.
Rodgers Middle students take second in robotics championship
TAMPA — A team of students from Rodgers Middle Magnet School has finished second in the world at the prestigious Robofest World Championship.
The competition held May 14-16 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan, brought together more than 700 students from 22 countries to compete in advanced robotics challenges.
Representing Hillsborough County Public Schools were:
• Jake Phome, eighth grade
• Carter Britt, eighth grade
• Tan Tran, seventh grade
The team, part of Rodgers Middle School’s Rodgers Robotics and Engineering program led by teacher and coach Mike Wilson, qualified for the world championship after placing first in the Junior Bottle Sumo competition at a regional event in Dunedin.
At the international competition, the team placed second in the world in the Junior Bottle Sumo Robot Time Trials, finishing just behind a team from Taiwan.
Robofest challenges students to design, build, and program fully autonomous robots to complete tasks without human control, building real-world engineering and problem-solving skills.
Hillsborough students sweep FHSAA athletic, academic awards
Hillsborough County Public Schools are celebrating an extraordinary year of achievement, with student-athletes earning multiple Florida High School Athletic Association spring state championships, academic honors, and district titles across a wide range of sports.
Spring Academic State Champions
Plant High School was named the Overall Academic Team Champion in Class 7A across all sports for the 2025-2026 school year.
Newsome High School Baseball earned the FHSAA Class 7A Academic State Championship with an impressive 3.594 cumulative team GPA.
To qualify, teams must achieve at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA, with top-performing teams recognized statewide for balancing academics and athletics.
Spring Sports State Champions
HCPS schools made history in girls’ flag football during the 2026 FHSAA State Championships held in Tampa on Saturday, May 16.
Lennard High School captured the Class 4A State Championship, defeating Park Vista 12-6 to secure the title.
Head Coach: Travis Combs
Robinson High School won the Class 2A State Championship, defeating Miami Northwestern 42-34 and earning its 10th consecutive state title, further cementing its status as one of the most successful programs in the country.
Head Coach: Joshua Saunders
Additional HCPS student-athletes earning FHSAA individual state championships during the spring season:
• Mason Lablance,
King High School
2A Boys Track & Field - 1600 Meter Dash (4:18)
Head Coach: Gary Bingham
• Derrell Hines,
Hillsborough High School
3A Boys Track & Field - Long Jump (7.42m)
Head Coach: Anthony Triana
• Hayden Compton,
Durant High School
4A Para-Athlete Division - 400 Meter Dash Wheelchair (1:12:15)
Head Coach: Frank Lane
• Olivia Ennis,
Plant City High School
4A Girls Track & Field - Javelin (49.15m)
Head Coach: Andrew Martucci
• Nia Armstrong,
Sickles High School
4A Girls Track & Field - 100 Hurdles (13.41) and 400 Hurdles (58.88)
Coaching Staff: Gary Jones, Matthew Delamater, Jon Noland, Andre Clark, Sherman Armstrong, Brice Brown, Annette Jansen
• Luca Torres-Sigler,
Spoto High School
3A Boys Tennis - Singles
Head Coach: Hayden Simmons
Tax office integrates toll clearance, registration renewal
TAMPA — The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office and Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority have partnered to integrate THEA toll clearance capabilities directly into the Tax Collector’s online motor vehicle registration renewal system.
Customers no longer need to contact THEA separately to clear their Lee Roy Selmon Expressway tolls, wait days for clearance to process, and then make a return trip to a tax office to complete a registration renewal. Now, it all happens in one seamless online transaction at HillsTaxFL.gov.
The integration automatically removes registration renewal holds once toll payments are processed. For customers, this means the frustrating cycle of repeat office visits, being bounced between agencies, and multi-day waiting periods is now completely eliminated.
The Tax Collector’s Office previously integrated Central Florida Expressway (CFX) toll clearance.
Customers can access the integrated THEA and CFX toll clearance services at HillsTaxFL.gov when renewing their motor vehicle registrations online. For more information about motor vehicle services, visit HillsTaxFL.gov or call 813-635-5200.