Highlights of 1987

St. Petersburg Times – St. Petersburg, Fla. By Steve Piersall, Section—Pasco Times, Page 4, January 31, 1987

Zephyrhills’ Jeanine Boyd scored 21 points, including the 1,000th of her high school girl’s basketball career, Friday in a 73-52 victory over the Hudson Cobras.

But Boyd’s coach, Ernie Pittman, said the most important points in the victory were the 16 scored by Colleen Ogilbee. “That was her best game of the year,“ Pittman said. “She did a great job and took a lot of the load off Jeanine.“ Hudson trailed 12-9 late in the first quarter but never got that close again.

Zephyrhills led off the second quarter by sinking its first six shots. Meanwhile, Hudson was 1 for 6. Boyd cracked the 1,000-point barrier during the streak on a 10-foot jump shot with 5:58 left in the half.

By halftime, the Bulldogs had a 36-25 lead. Hudson’s Lisa Armitage kept it from being a bigger margin when she closed the half with eight of her team’s final 10 points.

St. Petersburg Times by Garet Nelson, Section—Pasco Times, Page 1, June 1, 1987

A love of nature and writing aren’t the only things that young Mark Wayne Brissette has in common with Henry David Thoreau. Brissette, the valedictorian at Zephyrhills High School, dreams of writing and living in the northern woods of Maine after he graduates from the University of Florida.

More than 100 years ago, Thoreau achieved a similar goal when he built a small cabin on the banks of Walden Pond, near Concord, Mass. An account of Thoreau’s two years of living near the pond became his best-known work, Walden.

Some time in the future, perhaps, Brissette will also write such a book. But for now, he is one of almost 1,500 Pasco County high school seniors who will bid farewell to their schools Friday as they take the final walk across the stage to accept their high school diplomas. Brissette is also one of 12 students who have achieved a combination of the highest grade-point averages and scores on academic skills tests – the valedictorians and salutatorians of Pasco County’s schools.

These students will sum up the hopes and dreams of the class in speeches they will present to their graduating classes, and perhaps take a backward glance at their high school careers. But these bright achievers will soon be concentrating on their futures. Brissette plans to write. A few aspire to become doctors, some are focusing on law or business, and others are planning careers in engineering. But all have worked diligently to get to the top of their class.

Zephyrhills High School–Zephyrhills will graduate about 200 students at the 8 p.m. ceremony in the activity center. School Board member Gerald Petersen and Jonnie Sprimont, school board director of instructional media, plan to attend.

Class valedictorian Mark W. Brissette has been editor of the school paper, the Bulldogger, founder of a public relations program for the school and a member of the National Honor Society and the Future Business Leaders of America.

Brissette proudly pointed out that the Bulldogger placed first in a competition among all high school newspapers in the Southeast and that he won the district public-speaking competition.

He has several scholarships totaling $6,000. He plans to attend the University of Florida and major in mass communications. He said he would like to specialize in either magazine writing or broadcast journalism.

“This has been a very busy year for me,” he said. “I study a lot … learning is very important to me.”

Brissette says his ultimate goal is to settle in a quiet village in Maine. “I’m not interested in living in a big city. They’re too impersonal,” he said. Brissette would eventually like to write for a national magazine, such as Newsweek or Time, he said.

To high school students still looking forward to graduation, Brissette says, “Happiness lies not in the pleasure you obtain, but what you toil for … by facing reality, you will grow and learn more.”

Class salutatorian Melissa Mikolajczak has been a member of the National Honor Society, Interact and the Interclub Council; co-editor of the school yearbook, and secretary of the senior class.

Melissa has been a member of the volleyball, basketball, softball and tennis teams.

She plans to attend Clemson University in South Carolina.

St Petersburg Times by Joseph Garcia, Section—Pasco Times, Page 9, June 6, 1987

Graduates of the Zephyrhills High School Class of 1987 had a tune on their lips Friday night, but it was not the usual Pomp and Circumstance.

In a cue worthy of an MTV veejay, salutatorian Melissa Mikolajczak closed her speech noting that the graduation was a time “to say take care, to say keep in touch, to say God bless, but to never say goodbye,” signaling the loudspeakers in the school’s gymnasium to play rock band Bon Jovi’s nearly ubiquitous song of the season, “Never Say Goodbye.” The class stood and rocked back and forth to the refrain, and the standing-room crowd of family and friends in the “Doghouse”- the Bulldog gym – chuckled appreciatively. Mikolajczak likened the last night of school to the first day of school when she was filled with “a certain sadness that now that I think of it was mainly fear.”

But she told her classmates to strive foremost for happiness. “No matter what one owns, it is the possession of happiness that makes one successful.”

Valedictorian Mark Brissette warned his class that up until last night, their “paths have been wide, straight and smooth. “In days of insider trading scandals on Wall Street and secret arms deal in Washington, Brissette urged his peers to be individuals and not fall prey to “ the false treasures of this world.”

“The individual understands the difference between self-enhancement and self-indulgence,” he said. “He will pursue pleasure only if it will broaden his horizons or complement the social well-being.”

Winners of faculty-selected awards were: for school spirit, Stacey Hartley and Steven Sellars; for leadership, Amy Williams and class president Robert Theel; for best all around, Mikolajczak and Christopher Baker; for service, Jennifer Sibley and Curtis Palow; and for scholarship, My Linh Cao and Brissette. Hartley also was named the recipient of the first Raymond B. Stewart scholarship for leadership, character and academic achievement. The award is given in memory of the late state representative who served as the school’s principal from 1964 through 1980.

School Daze by Jennifer Sibley, Zephyrhills News, September 11, 1986

Here we are again, so soon! It seems we just started summer vacation a week ago. Time flies when you’re having fun! I think we have a very exciting and fun year ahead of us. Since this is the first column of the year, I thought a few words from a veteran, namely our principal and a freshman, David Daniels, to the high school experience would be appropriate.

Robison is very hopeful and excited when speaking of the new school year: “We’re off to a great start. The enrollment is up to 1224 students. The staff and students seem very enthusiastic about the new school year. I think this enthusiasm will help to foster a positive learning environment.”

David Daniels, a member of the Class of 1990, also was very enthusiastic when asked his opinion of the new school year: “I like it! The only thing I don’t like is lunch—it’s so crowded! But it has gotten better since four classes were switched to first lunch from second. A lot of things are different from Junior High school, especially homeroom. At the Junior High, homeroom was more of a study hall; here it’s only five minutes long. I think I’m going to have a really fun year here!

The election of class officers will be Tuesday. I’ll post the results next week! Running for Senior Class President are: Dina Rowland, Bobby Theel, and Amy Williams. Running for Junior Class President are: Jimmy Geiger, Cheryl Jordan, Bridgette Scarborough and Suzette Summers. Running for Sophomore Class President are: Teresa Hochstetler, Lisa Knight, B.J. Rinaldo and “Gumby.” The question on everyone’s mind here at ZHS is will “Gumby’ become the new sophomore class president?

Boys State and Girls State Duo Reports to Legion Wednesday, Zephyrhills News, October 9, 1986

Zephyr Post 118, American Legion and its Ladies Auxiliary, with James Hamilton Waddey and Mrs. Anderson Gay as commander and president, will hear reports on the 1986 Boys state and Girls State sessions at a joint meeting to begin at 7 p.m., Wednesday, October 15 in the American Legion Hall.

Mark Brisette, son or Mr. and Mrs. Donald Brissette and Amy Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Williams will be featured speakers.

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