May 12, 2025
Leesburg High’s Jeanelle Henderson Commits to University of South Florida
By Kyle Coppola
Leesburg High’s Jeanelle Henderson Commits to University of South Florida
LEESBURG, Fla. – Jeanelle Henderson, a standout senior at Leesburg High School, announced Monday that she will be attending the University of South Florida to pursue a degree in Marketing—a decision that combines her passion for visual storytelling with her leadership in student media and school government.
A multifaceted student and aspiring sports photographer, Henderson has already made a name for herself behind the lens. From capturing dynamic shots at school volleyball and basketball games to managing content as the production manager for the student yearbook, Henderson has balanced academic excellence with an eye for the extraordinary. Her dream? To one day shoot for ESPN or the NBA.
(Henderson has been awarded over $26,000 in local scholarships. Photo Credit – Jeanelle Henderson.)
“I’ve always loved sports,” said Henderson. “I knew I didn’t want to be an athlete, but photography gave me a way to still be part of the game. When I took my first photos at a volleyball game, my advisor told me she never would’ve thought to capture the shots I did. That really changed things for me.”
Henderson has been awarded $26,000 in local scholarships. Her impact on campus is just as significant: She was recently honored with Leesburg High School’s Distinguished Senior Award. As part of the recognition, her senior photo will be displayed in the school’s auditorium throughout the 2025–2026 school year—an inspiration for future students.
(Henderson will have her photo displayed in the Leesburg High Auditorium for the 2025-2026 school year.)
Beyond the camera, Henderson has left her mark in student leadership. She served as Leesburg High’s 2025 student body president, representing the voices of all 750 students. “There are often students that are too afraid to speak up or feel their voice doesn’t matter,” she said. “I try to be someone they can come to, and I make sure their concerns are heard.”
As a member of Key Club, she blended her passion for marketing and service, managing the club’s social media presence to encourage community involvement. Her role as production manager for the school’s yearbook involves planning, assigning, and coordinating content—a behind-the-scenes task she embraces with pride. “It’s a lot of organizing and communication with teachers, coaches, and administrators,” she said. “But I love it.”
Congratulations to Jeanelle Henderson, her family, mentors, teachers, friends and everyone who has supported her to get to this point. We are very proud of her! Way to go!!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
