Lutz News-Lutz/Odessa-June 3, 2015

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JUNE 3, 2015

Caring helps students succeed By B.C. Manion

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

It doesn’t take a detective to figure out Julie Hiltz’s philosophy of education. The media specialist spells it out, quite literally, on a sign displayed in the media center at Lutz Elementary School. Students coming into her domain will see a sign listing six declarations. “I believe in you. I trust in you. I will listen to you. I care for you. You are important. You will succeed,” Hiltz concludes the list by adding a red heart, followed by her name. Apparently, Hiltz’s ability to help others succeed has helped her to be successful, too.

She received a Shine Award for her work in education from Gov. Rick Scott, during a spring Florida Cabinet meeting at the Florida State Fairgrounds. She doesn’t know who nominated her for the recognition, but she believes the award may have been linked to her work as a Teacherpreneur, with the Center for Teaching Quality. For the past two years, Hiltz has divided her time between Lutz Elementary and the Center for Teaching Quality. B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTOS “It’s considered a hybrid teaching role,” Julie Hiltz, a media specialist at Lutz said Hiltz, an educator for 13 years. See STUDENTS, page 9A

Elementary School, was honored in the spring by Gov. Rick Scott for her work in education.

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Children and adults can play anywhere there’s room to set up the arena. Dodgeball2You has participated in more than 200 events so far.

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No dodging Lutz man’s success

Since Dodgeball2You really got going last year, the company has done more than 200 events, with around 50,000 participants enjoying the new brand of dodgeball. That includes a lot of repeat business, and it includes parties, gatherings at colleges and churches, and other special events. For $200 to $300, depending on the season, an event or party can have a complete dodgeball setup, including equipment and a By Michael Murillo game manager who keeps things moving. mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com Moody’s system features continuous play, so people can drop out and jump in as they Rick Moody’s career revolves around like. At pay-for-play events, individuals can dodgeball. play as much as they want, with prices rangBut it was a game he didn’t like as a ing from $10 to $50. child. Aside from being fun, Moody sees other “I know when I was a kid, dodgeball was benefits in playing dodgeball. scary,” the Lutz resident said. “You’d line up As a former physical education teacher at the back of the wall and hope you don’t who ran his own running camps, get hit, because it would knock your teeth and coached cross country and track and PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICK MOODY out or break your nose.” field at the college level, he knows the imRick Moody’s patented dodgeball arena takes Moody’s bad memories were shared by portance of physical fitness and the dangers the sting out of the popular childhood game. other teachers when he taught physical edof childhood obesity. ucation.They didn’t like the idea of children Some children spend their free time playrisking injury and bullying. And, if the gym- an aggressive person. ing video games but can’t do a sit-up or nasium wasn’t available, there was no way Next, there’s the arena where children push-up, Moody said. Getting in some exerto play it outside without chasing the ball and adults can play the game. cise — hours of it at some events — is good most of the time. Moody designed and built a structure for children. So Moody came up with some solutions. with plastic walls that exceed 8 feet and in“If we can get them out there exercising First, he focused on the ball. cludes netting. secretly, without them really knowing it, I Gone are the days of hard rubber speedThe structure can be set up indoors or think that’s going to be a huge thing,” he ing toward a player’s head. outdoors, takes around 15 minutes to put to- said. In Moody’s system, the ball is foam, in- gether and creates a fun atmosphere to play Moody also uses his dodgeball system to cluding a foam core, with a cloth-like a popular game without the danger and risks tackle the problem of bullying. covering on the exterior. that are normally associated with it. Dodgeball2You hosts a program called When this ball hits, it doesn’t hurt.And, it Eventually, Moody realized he didn’t just can’t be used as a weapon in the hands of have an idea. He had a business. See DODGING, page 9A

KarenSue Molis makes fundraising an art form in Guv’na race By Michael Murillo

Being creative comes naturally for Molis, who was an art teacher for 11 years for eleKarenSue Molis didn’t come up mentary school children in with the idea of running for Lutz her native Illinois. Her job Guv’na on her own. The seed was took her to different schools, planted by someone who knew a giving young students a little something about the ceremochance to develop their skills, nial title and the fundraising race and also providing lessons that that goes with it. go beyond paintbrushes and She was recruited by a previcrafts. ous Guv’na. Art allows children to ex“Karen is enthusiastic, she is press themselves freely, Molis creative, and she appeals to just said. But it also teaches them about everybody,” said Edwina that creating is a process, and Kraemer, who was Guv’na in there are steps each person 2006. “You want a winner for the takes as they progress. And club. You want a winner for the that kind of discipline isn’t community.” limited to art. The club in question is the “It’s the same way in life. GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes You can’t drive a car until Woman’s Club, which selects and you’ve been taught to drive supports a candidate each year. the car. “You can’t bake a cake MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO if you can’t follow the direcAnd the community is Lutz, and the money raised by the annual KarenSue Molis can’t wear the Guv’na sash unless she earns the tions,” she said. Guv’na’s campaign goes specifical- title, but she can roll around Lutz in the family’s antique Jaguar or It’s not unusual that Molis ly to community groups and Thunderbird. referred to a car, when making service organizations. her analogy. After some coaxing, Molis decided she She’s having fun putting in the work necHer husband of 46 years, Fred, is an anwas up to the task, even though she had an essary to compete in the race, which runs tique car enthusiast, and they have a 1959 inkling there was more to running for until the July 4 weekend. For Molis and the Jaguar and a 1957 Ford Thunderbird. The Guv’na than meets the eye. club, that means knocking on doors, drum- Thunderbird has been in the last four Lutz “At first I declined, because I had a feel- ming up some cash with raffles and planning Fourth of July parades. ing there was a lot more work to this than I events to raise the bulk of her war chest. When Molis and her husband were movwas being told,” she said with a laugh. “And Whichever candidate raises the most money ing to the area from Jacksonville to live believe me, there’s a lot more work to this earns the sash, so she’s getting creative with See MOLIS, page 9A than I was told!” ways to collect as much as possible.

mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com


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