VIN'S PEOPLE: For Southeast High School Nolettes, it's showtime at football halftimes

Bravo to the Southeast Nolettes, whose theme for their colorful halftime show this football season features Disney’s hit, “Princess and the Frog.”

With an eye toward the upcoming Music Performance Assessment at Manatee High, the Nolettes’ production includes classic dance and ballet, as well as flag routines and rifle lines, performing to a medley of the movie’s hits such as “Almost There,” “Are You Ready” and “Dig A Little Deeper.”

Among the highlights are Ja’Niyla Edwards, who plays Prince Naveen and Doctor Facilier, and Faith Willams who portrays Tiana and shares the moment with her brother, Justice, the Marching Noles drum major who plays a sax solo to “Evangeline.”

The Nolettes are seniors Julissa Arroyo, Celeste Almaguer-Vallejo, Alexa Castro, Montcerat Campos, Rebekah Harold, Natalia Rodas Neita, Lanette Rodriguez and Viviana Santiago; juniors Sophia Joseph and Faith Williams; sophomores Ja'Niyla Edwards and Gabriela Mendes; freshmen Melanie Batista, Jazmyn Melendez, Eva Murillo and Faith Young.

The Marching Noles are led by band director Andrea Vella, Nolettes instructor Jakaia Nelson and drill and music instructor Brendan Guiyre.

· Say it ain’t so! Cindy Denison has hit the Big 6-0!

· So did Gina Tuttle!

· A bow to Brandon Carnes, Manatee High alum and professional sprinter who was honored by the County Commissioners for his remarkable career. Carnes’ accomplishments include helping Team USA win gold in the 4x100-meter relay both at the World Athletics Championships last August in Budapest, Hungary, and at the 2022 NACAC Championships in Freeport, Grand Bahama, where he was also a bronze medalist in the 100 meters.

Carnes was coached at Manatee by Mike Smith, a Prine Elementary gym teacher, and the Junior Olympics finalist still holds MHS records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 meter relay.

· And Braden River High junior Jacob Mazzone was selected Most Outstanding Soloist at the recent Florida Gulf Coast University choir festival and is a recipient of a $6,000-per-year scholarship to FGCU.

· Valerie Bliss is 39. Again.

· Well done to Southeast 10^th graders Emily Tileston-Melendez, Destiny Dominguez and Joshawna Grooms, along with ninth-graders Olivia Ciammaichelli, Ja'dyn Carrasquillo and Amberly Lopez-Ordonez. They finished 1-2-3, respectively, in acquiring the most units in intensive reading for September.

According to Reading Coach Taylor Sisk, a unit is obtained by successfully completing a lesson for Word Study, Grammar, and/or Comprehension.

· Shea Giltner is 37.

· So is Whittni Hodges.

· And Senior Pool Lifeguard Jacob Byrd is Manatee County’s October's Employee of the Month for Water Safety.

Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VIN MANNIX: Southeast High Nolettes shine during football halftimes