Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 8-22-17

Features
Former High School Principal Dies After Short Hospital Stay
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
A former Hillsborough High School Principal passed away Thursday in a local hos- pital after a brief hospital stay.
Coleman Bell was 72 years old.
A native of Tampa, Bell attended the public schools of Hillsborough County and graduated from Middleton High School with the class of 1962. Ironically, Bell, Class President, recently spear- headed the 55th reunion of his class.
After high school, Bell matriculated to Florida A&M University and graduated in December of 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. He also studied Mathematics at North Car- olina Central University in Durham. Additionally, he earned a Master’s degree in Administration and Supervi- sion in 1976.
Bell was with the School District of Hillsborough County for 32 years, complet- ing his career as Principal at Hillsborough High School.
He was a Mathematics and/or Science instructor at Booker T. Washington, Ernest E. Just and Webb Jr. High Schools; Mathematics instructor, football and bas- ketball coach and Math Dept. Head at Tampa Bay Vo-Tech High School; Dean and Asst. Principal at Vivian Gaither High School; and Principal at
COLEMAN BELL
Oak Grove Junior High School.
After retiring from the School District, Bell contin- ued working with youth and education. For several years he worked with youth at the Corporation To Develop Communities of Tampa (CDC of Tampa), Inc., serving as the Director of Youth and Family. He also became the Area Chair of Mathematics and Science for the University of Phoenix, Tampa Campus.
Outside of his involve- ment with area youth and classmates, Bell was actively involved with his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (Life Member); and his church, Highland Avenue Church of Christ.
The father and grandfa- ther also received several awards.
Funeral services are in- complete at press time, but will be handled by Ray Williams Funeral Home.
Popular Retired Principal Dies Suddenly
“God never gave me any children of my own, but He gave me a lot of children to make a difference in their lives.”
Ms. Carolyn P. Hill
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Members of the commu- nity were shocked by the sudden death of Ms. Car- olyn P. Hill, a popular, re- tired Hillsborough County principal. She died last Fri- day afternoon. She had cel- ebrated her 68th birthday on August 4th.
Her family said they are waiting for the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.
Ms. Hill was honored when chosen as the first Principal to serve at Sheehy Elementary School when it opened in March 2004. She retired from the school in 2008. However, “retire- ment” was short-lived as she was called back into service the following year.
MS. CAROLYN P. HILL 8/4/1949 --- 8/18/2017
She served as the Princi- pal at Just Elementary School from July 2009 until she “retired” again in June 2013.
A Tampa native, Ms. Hill was educated in the Hillsborough County Public School District. After gradu- ating from Middleton High School, in 1967, she began college at Hillsborough Community College.
After a year, she trans- ferred to Florida A & M Uni- versity, where she majored in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Child- hood Education. During her
junior year, she was in- ducted into the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society. She grad- uated from FAMU Magna Cum Laude.
Ms. Hill returned to school at the University of Tampa and earned her Mas- ter’s Degree in Elementary Education in 1978. She also earned certification in Edu- cational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University.
Ms. Hill completed an internship at Roosevelt Ele- mentary School and ob- tained employment at Kingswood Elementary School as a first grade teacher in January 1973. Her career led her to serve at Thonotosassa Elementary and Kenly Elementary Schools. She was appointed Principal at Kenly in 1994.
Ms. Hill focused on im- proving the lives of children and her activities outside the classroom paralleled her belief. For eleven years, Ms. Hill worked with the Neg- lected and Delinquent De- partment of the school district at Start Center and Dorothy Thomas Center.
She served as an auditor for the Summer Food Pro- gram, which provided meals when school was not in ses- sion.
Ms. Hill was a member of Zeta Phi Beta, Sorority, Inc., and worked to obtain the first Zeta House. Earlier this year, she returned to that role and helped to ac- quire the second Zeta House.
She was active in numer- ous professional and civic organizations. Some of those included the NAACP, the FAMU Alumni Associa- tion, Top Ladies of Distinc- tion, the Black Heritage Committee and numerous others.
She also served on sev- eral boards and committees, too numerous to name, throughout her lifetime.
Ms. Hill is survived by 2 sisters and other family members and friends.
Funeral services for Ms. Hill were incomplete at press time. Bradwell Mortu- ary, of Quincy, FL, will be in charge of handling arrange- ments.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2017