Schools

Wharton High School Rakes in Awards

Assistant principal for curriculum Kevin Stephenson discussed Wharton's positive environment and sense of teamwork.

 

Kevin Stephenson, assistant principal for curriculum at , has spent his entire 13-year career at the Home of the Wildcats.

To say he has seen New Tampa change greatly since he started is a bit of an understatement.

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“I had never been past Bearss Avenue,” said Stephenson, who grew up in the Carrollwood and Citrus Park area. “It was the other side of the world for me.

“It was a two-lane road,” he added of New Tampa.

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Clearly he is proud to work for the educational facility. Addressing the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce Monday at Pebble Creek, Stephenson talked about the atmosphere of teamwork he said exists at Wharton and discussed the recent awards bestowed upon the school.

Wharton’s PTSA was named best in the district and Principal Brad Woods snagged the Best Principal award for the second year in a row, both courtesy of the Hillsborough County Council PTA/PTSA. Other awards that went to Wharton included Instructional Person of the Year (Amy French) and Outstanding Program of the Year (Wharton 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run).

“Many times when we think of a PTSA, we think of fundraising, fundraising, fundraising,” Stephenson said. “But that is not what drives our PTSA at Wharton. Our students are what drive our PTSA.”

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Stephenson said Wharton’s enrollment is 2,454 as of Monday morning.

“It’s a small town almost,” he said. “We are a very diverse school. We are a melting pot.”

Stephenson also used the chamber event to invite local businesses to partner up with Wharton for the good of the students — and New Tampa as a whole.

“It takes a community,” he said.

Wharton’s Class of 2012 by the numbers, according to Stephenson:

  • 500-plus (students who graduated)
  • 217 (those who had a GPA greater than 4.0)
  • 109 (those who had a GPA greater than 5.0)
  • 28 (those who had a GPA greater than 6.0)
  • 7.52 (valedictorian GPA)
  • $6 million (total value of scholarships awarded to graduates)

Are you a business looking to partner with Wharton's PTSA? Visit http://wharton.mysdhc.org/whsbp on the Web.


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