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Hillsborough County Students Honored For Perfect Attendance

Sarah Grabau, Newsome High School; Kristal Hill, Robinson High School; Dakota Johnson, Chamberlain High School; Joshua Quiggle, Newsome High School; Carissa Stopowenko, Lennard High School
Hollsborough County Schools
Sarah Grabau, Newsome High School; Kristal Hill, Robinson High School; Dakota Johnson, Chamberlain High School; Joshua Quiggle, Newsome High School; Carissa Stopowenko, Lennard High School

More than 11,000 students will be graduating from Hillsborough County Public Schools over the next two weeks, and five of them have accomplished a notable feat.

Each one has have never missed a day of school since kindergarten.

That means for 13 years, they have never once played hooky or had their parents write a sick note.

To put that in perspective, according to databy the U.S. Department of Education, about 8 million students across the nation missed more than three weeks of school during the 2015–16 school year alone.

And according to National Center for Education statistics, there is a direct correlation between student attendance and student achievement.

Sarah Grabau and Joshua Quiggle of Newsome High School; Kristal Hill of Robinson High School; Dakota Johnson from Chamberlain High School; and Carissa Stopowenko of Lennard High School were all honored at a recent Hillsborough County School Board meeting.

MaryLou Whaley, Director of Community Engagement and Philanthropy with Hillsborough County Public Schools, recognized the students' attendance records.

"I am certain at different times each of these students had to consider whether staying home was an option," she said. "Maybe they were ill or tired or even prompted by a friend to stick around home. But fortunately for them, they didn't cave to that pressure. This is quite a feat."

Credit Hillsborough County Public Schools

And perfect attendance in Hillsborough County has other rewards. Each of the students were given a $500 Visa gift card and a laptop computer from local businesses.

All five are also registered in a drawing to win a free car.       

At least one other student in Florida has also never missed a day of school. Nicole Perrone, a senior at Forest High School in Ocala will be attending the University of South Florida beginning in June.

Copyright 2018 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7

Cathy Carter is the education reporter for WUSF 89.7 and StateImpact Florida.