Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 12-22-17

Local
Life Will Be Different With A New Little Girl In The House
Teenager Prepares For A Future In Medical Profession
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Christine Stallworth
and her 29-year-old hus- band, Clifford, are not afraid of being adventurous. They decide what they are going to do and follow through with it.
They met in college and married within 6 months of meeting. But, they waited for 5 years to start their family. When they decided to leave St. Louis, Illinois, they moved to Plant City in Janu- ary 2017. They wanted their sons, Zijon, 6, and 5-year- old Preston, to grow up in a different environment.
But, Mrs. Stallworth said some things happen that you don’t plan. “My husband told me that I was pregnant before I knew, and he told me I was going to have a girl.
“He dreamed about it and said his daughter would greet him and that is exactly what happened.”
They were excited about having a daughter, but they had planned for her to be born in the hospital. Mrs. Stallworth’s due date was December 23rd.
However, Janine had other plans. Last week, the couple was taking their sons to school when Mrs. Stall- worth, 29, began experienc- ing labor pains. She thought it was false labor.
She quickly realized that it wasn’t as they drove from their home in Plant City to Harvest Time Christian School in Brandon, where she is also a teacher.
When she realized the baby was on the way, her husband tried to reach the hospital, but traffic was too
Mrs. Christine Stallworth, her husband, Clifford, and their newborn daughter, Janine.
the house. Things are defi- nitely going to be different.
Their sons are still trying to figure out what took place. “They are still trying to figure out just what happened. They were freaking out because I was screaming.”
And, the rest of the family is overjoyed as well. Clif- ford’s parents will visit the first of the year. Her sister visited them in September, along with her 7-month old twins, the first in the family. Her parents will be here on Friday.
The birth didn’t come about as planned, but the proud parents are overjoyed that their daughter is healthy and with them for the holi- days.
They enjoy spending time with their sons and encour- aging them. She is a Sports Mom and dad coaches them.
heavy. They did reach the parking lot of Tampa General Hospital Brandon Outpatient Center.
And, their 2011 Volvo be- came the delivery room. Ja- nine made her entrance into the world 10 days early, weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces.
Mrs. Stallworth said she was first surprised that she was having a daughter. Her husband comes from a family of all boys. She has a sister and 2 brothers.
Being used to having just boys, she will now have to ad- just to having a little girl in
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Alexis Wheatley will graduate from high school this year. She already has an impressive resume, but more is yet to come.
Not only is she an honor student at Tampa Bay Tech- nical High School with an overall GPA of 5.1, she is reg- istered in all advance Honors Classes, but the young lady is also enrolled in college prep classes as well.
Alexis has consistently made the honor roll since el- ementary school.
Today, her family looks back over her accomplish- ments in the last two years and encourages her to con- tinue to pursue her dreams. “We salute Alexis on all of her achievements and accom- plishments throughout the years. We are so proud of her,” her mother, Ms. Mi- randa Butler Wheatley said.
The teenager maintains a rigorous schedule as a mem- ber of the Brandon School of Dance. The team earned the StarQuest National Champi- ons 2017 title this year.
Alexis was chosen as the “Dancer of the Week.” She fo-
ALEXIS WHEATLEY
cuses her talents on Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, and Hip Hop. She was chosen as a con-
testant in the 2017 Miss Teenage Tampa Scholarship Pageant, sponsored by Gamma Theta Omega Chap- ter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Last year, she won first place in the 2016 Academic Excellence Award competi- tion, sponsored by the Tampa Police Department.
In preparation for a fu- ture in the medical field, Alexis participated in the B.E.S.T. (Brain Expansion Scholastic Training) Summer Academy at Florida Hospital. The program helps students
seeking a future in the health profession to earn commu- nity hours.
The aspiring future physi- cian is gaining experience in the field she plans to pursue. She volunteers at the hospital in the Neonatal Nursery with newborns and infants.
After graduation, Alexis plans to continue her educa- tion at the University of South Florida or Florida State University. She plans to major in the medical field. Her ultimate goal is to be- come a Neonatal Nurse Prac- titioner/Physician.
Alexis is a member of First Union Missionary Bap- tist Church, where she is a member of the Youth Choir and President of the Greeter’s Ministry.
She is a member of the Delta GEMS, sponsored by the Tampa Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Soror- ity, Inc.
Alexis is also the daugh- ter of Anthony Wheatley, of Margate, FL). Her grand- parents are Ms. Margaret Butler and the late William J. Butler, Sr., Ms. Jackie Bowman, of Margate, Ms. Sandra McCaskill, of Pitts- burgh, PA, and the late An- drew McCaskill.
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