Salesian School Alumni Spotlight would not leave Villa for anything!”

An alumna of Villa Madonna School in Tampa, FL, runs that city’s largest department outside of police and fire. Sherisha Hills, class of 1994, has been Director of Parks and Recreation since 2020, a department that oversees 32 recreation centers, 12 pools, and 190 parks for the city’s 300,000 residents.

After graduating from Villa Madonna, Sherisha attended the Academy of Holy Names, where she was a star on the basketball court. A full scholarship to Notre Dame University followed, then an M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in recreation leisure service management from the University of Florida. She began her career in local government as a team supervisor for the department she now leads, rising through the ranks.

In addition to her full-time job and community commitments, Sherisha also finds time to coach youth sports and mentor at-risk youth. She also sits on the board of the Salesian Youth Center/Boys & Girls club.

Partners in Giving asked this dynamic alumna to talk about her formative years at Villa Madonna.

How did Villa Madonna help you grow into the person you are today?

Villa Madonna means so much to me! If Villa Madonna had gone through high school, it would have been my only school!

In fact, my high school, Academy of Holy Names, which has all grades, asked me to leave Villa in seventh grade and said I could play high school basketball. I said no! I would not leave Villa Madonna for anything!

Attending Villa Madonna gave me a great foundation of life lessons and the importance of giving back. I was taught how to love your neighbor and how to live your life with values, and respect others in all walks of life as a person.

Who were you favorite teachers and Sisters?

Definitely Mrs. Angie Tillman, who taught English; Dr. Pozo (then Ms. Rodriguez), who was assistant principal; Mrs. Vicki Fabiano, our librarian; and of course Sr. Liz Ryan, who was our principal. Oh, and Coach Leslie Kanter and Coach Oscar Laboy! There were so many great teachers and Sisters. I am grateful to all who helped me learn the importance of helping and caring for others.

Do you have a favorite Villa memory?

The summer camps were so great! There was no Salesian Youth Center when I was there, but I liked the summer camps because I got to know people outside of school.

Two memories really stuck with me. The first was when one of our coaches, Coach Rivera, passed away. I was between fifth and sixth grade at that point, and it was my first real experience with loss. It was tough for everyone.

The second memory was when we went to Lithia Springs during summer camp to swim. We always brought our swimsuits and changed when we got there. After we were done swimming, we went back to change, and I couldn’t find my clothes. I’m guessing with all the different groups that were there swimming, someone had picked up my clothes! I had to come back wrapped in a towel.

Coach Laboy still teases me about that!

VILLA MADONNA SCHOOL, Tampa, FL – “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for ....” no, not a Salesian Sister! But that didn’t stop Sr. Marie Fe Tansioco and Sr. Amy Nguyen from enjoying the family-friendly atmosphere at the annual Gasparilla Children’s Parade. They joined the Reynolds family (above), and Sr. Amy had a meet-n-greet (left) with a rather tall buccaneer!

“We Three Kings of Orient are ...” – make that six Kings who paid visits to celebrate Epiphany! At left, students Justin Brown, Ethan Perez, and Vincent Tirri brought gifts to the crèche at St. Anthony School in Hawthorne, NJ. At right, kindergartener Dax Tobar at Villa Madonna School in Tampa, FL, is impressed by the “royal” visit of three students from neighboring Tampa Catholic High School: Brandon Alessi, Andrew Alessi, and Alex Zota.

IMMACULATALA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL, Miami, FL

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What happens when passion meets compassion? Two teachers at Immaculata-La Salle noticed that some students in the school’s music and band program were in need of opportunities for service. Inspired in part by St. John Bosco’s belief that “an Oratory without music is like a body without a soul,” they decided to take action.

Band Director Armando Alicandu and J.C. Moya, Director of the Applied Global Leadership Program, invited guitar-playing students to make a difference in the lives of middle school kids throughout Miami. The plan was simple: repair and refurbish used guitars, and donate them. The goal was to provide kids with quality instruments with which they can pursue a musical future – a national campaign called “Guitars Over Guns.” third grade. These happy students look ready to learn!

On December 22, assisted by Juniors Patricia Quimby-Moro and Victoria Pla, Caleb Alcime from Guitars Over Guns arrived at Immaculata-La Salle to collect the guitars. Three classical and three acoustic guitars made it into the hands of six lucky kids, whose Christmas wish of owning a quality musical instrument came true. Pictured above are Juniors Isabella Puglisi, Victoria, Sefano Guigovaz, and Patricia, with Mr. Alcime, Mr. Alicandu, and Mr. Moya.

So, how do young people develop a service mindset and commit to a lifetime of giving? The answer is simple: Let their passion guide their compassion!