LEESBURG HIGH SCHOOL

Things went well for The Villages High School boys basketball team Tuesday night in Leesburg.

VIDEO: Former student speaks out on ‘cult-like group’ operating in Leesburg High School Former student speaks out on ‘cult-like group’ operating in Leesburg High SchoolLEESBURG, Fla. — A former student at Leesburg High School is speaking out about the cult-like group she said formed at a local high school that involved into a secret and, at times, inappropriate society. From that, she joined a small Bible study group that involved longtime Leesburg High School band director Gabriel Fielder, who was the leader who “eventually started calling himself governor,” Hammond said. The group also included Leonardo “Lenny” Finelli, a Leesburg High School counselor who helped with the band. READ: State records shed light on ‘cult-like’ secret society operating at Leesburg High SchoolHammond said some started referring to the group as a cult shortly after it started. The district investigation shows that, at some point, members of the group started using apps so they could track each other’s movements.

One high school graduate is making history before heading to college in the fall by being the first ever recipient honoring a member of a historic civil rights case.

Leesburg High School seniors got a second chance to walk across the stage for graduation after their first procession left them "dripping."

VIDEO: Leesburg High School set to hold graduation redo after storms soak original ceremony VIDEO: Leesburg High School set to hold graduation redo after storms soak original ceremony (Jeff Deal, WFTV.com/WFTV)LEESBURG, Fla. — Leesburg High School is about to have a graduation do-over after strong storms and lightning crashed Friday’s ceremony. It was pouring rain as graduates stood in line waiting for their names to be called. The school had moved up the start time to try to avoid the storms but decided against moving it inside or delaying the ceremony. Parents were frustrated and told Channel 9 it was just a bad experience and they wish the ceremony had been moved to Saturday. Read: Brevard County man wins $1 million after lucky lottery scratch-off winThe school is having what’s called a recognition ceremony at the gym tonight at 8 p.m. and all names will be called again.

Leesburg High School’s Class of 2022 graduated — but instead of sunshine and smiles, evening storms decided to rain on their parade.

The band director and guidance counselor at Leesburg High School resigned after an investigation began into a secret society described as a “cult-like group.”

LEESBURG, Fla. — The school board in Lake County will decide the fate of the band director at Leesburg High School. Gabriel Fielder put in his resignation after a former student accused him of leading a “cult-like” group. The school board will decide whether to accept the request. It comes after a report made to Leesburg police by a former student claimed Fielder was a member of a secret society at the high school called the Elder Council. LeesburgREAD: Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within schoolState records show Fielder and a guidance counselor named Leonardo Finelli started a nonprofit in 2019.

VIDEO: State records shed light on ‘cult-like’ secret society operating at Leesburg High School State records shed light on ‘cult-like’ secret society operating at Leesburg High SchoolLEESBURG, Fla. — Channel 9 is learning more about an alleged “cult-like” secret society operating within Leesburg High School involving both faculty and students. Records show it was started as some kind of religious group by two school employees and a few former students. READ: Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within schoolGabriel Fielder has requested a chance to resign in lieu of termination after a report was made to Leesburg police by a former student who said he was “a member of a secret society at Leesburg High School called the Elder Council.”The student said it was a cult-like group led by Field. READ: Dean accused of sexually battering child after late-night workout at Marion County middle schoolVIDEO: Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within school Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within schoolClick here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. ©2022 Cox Media Group

A man’s body was found near Leesburg High School early Friday, according to the police department.

LEESBURG, Fla. — An investigation is underway after a man was found dead Friday near Leesburg High School, according to police. WATCH: Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within schoolOfficers said the man was found dead near the school early Friday but did not say exactly where his body was discovered. Police said so far, they do not believe the death is criminal and no cause of death was given. SEE: Dead shark found hanging at Florida high schoolOfficials said school resource officers are also working with school administration to provide counseling to any affected students. Leesburg police said they may provide more details as their investigation continues.

VIDEO: Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within school Leesburg band director, counselor accused of operating ‘cult-like’ secret society within schoolLEESBURG, Fla. — A long-time Leesburg High School band director and a guidance counselor who also helped lead the band are off the job while under investigation, after allegations the band director was leading a “cult-like” secret society inside the school, according to police. Leesburg High School guidance counselor Leonardo “Lenny” Finelli Jr. once served as music and marching instructor under long-time band director Gabriel Fielder. Fielder has been the band director for almost 20 years. The student said that, after he graduated from high school, he began a sexual relationship with Fenelli and moved in with him. Video: Leesburg High School students work to build homes with Habitat for Humanity A new home is going up in Leesburg thanks to Habitat for Humanity and the Leesburg High School Construction Academy.

LEESBURG, Fla. — A Leesburg Police officer got into a brief physical altercation with a Leesburg High School student Thursday while investigating a number of recent fights there. While speaking to the officer, police say the student became verbally aggressive, and at one point, charged and swung his fist at the officer. According to Leesburg police, the officer was able to deflect the punch and redirect the student- who is larger than the officer- to the ground. Police say the student “regained his composure” within a few minutes and the officer helped him back to his feet. READ: Student found with gun on campus arrested at Seminole High School, police sayThe student refused medical treatment for a small abrasion he received on the lip during the altercation.

Leesburg High School Leesburg High School was placed on lockdown Friday morning after police said the school received an anonymous call reporting that someone had a gun near campus. (WFTV.com News Staff)LEESBURG, Fla. — Leesburg High School was placed on lockdown Friday morning after police said the school received an anonymous call reporting that someone had a gun near campus. The lockdown was lifted by 11 a.m. after police found the call to be unfounded. Officers said they swept the school, campus and nearby neighborhoods and found nothing threatening. READ: Police: Leesburg High student arrested after gun found in backpackClick here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

LEESBURG, Fla. — A Leesburg High School student was arrested Friday after police said they found a semi-automatic handgun in his backpack. Jamonte Chambliss, 18, is charged with carrying a concealed firearm and possessing a firearm on a school campus. Investigators said they received a tip on Wednesday that Chambliss had a firearm in his backpack on campus. Officers said they planned to confront Chambliss the next day and search his bag, but that he didn’t return to school. High returns to normal operations following bomb threatInside Chambliss’ bag, officers said they found a loaded teal stainless steel 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

A Leesburg High School student was arrested Friday morning after a school resource officer found a gun in his backpack, according to Leesburg police.

LEESBURG, Fla. A guardian at Leesburg High School sprung into action when he a man who had jumped a fence to get onto campus, according to Lake County Public Schools. He said he took the items from his little brother because he didnt want him to get in trouble, police said. Principal Michael Randolph sent a call to members of the campus community Thursday notifying them about what happened and thanking the guardian. We also want to remind students and parents to immediately notify an adult on campus if they see or hear anything that could jeopardize campus safety, Randolph said. It takes all of us working together to keep our campus safe, Randolph said.

LEESBURG, Fla. – A Leesburg High School student brought a knife and a lighter onto campus and concealed it in his backpack, police said. Investigators said the school’s principal received a tip that the student had a lighter in his backpack, and when the school resource officer was called to search the bag, a large knife in a black sheath was also found. Records show that the student told investigators he had been on a recent fishing trip and forgot the knife was in his backpack. The student was arrested and is now facing charges of bringing a weapon onto school property, according to the arrest report.

LEESBURG The Leesburg High School girls weightlifting team won six of 10 weight classifications and won the Class 1A-Region 5 championship on Friday in the Hive. Wins on Tuesday and Thursday would mark MDCAs first unbeaten regular season since 2015-16 when the Bulldogs went 25-0 in the regular season. College BaseballAfter opening the season with three victories, Lake-Sumter State College dropped two straight games, including a 15-3 loss to Polk State College on Sunday in Winter Haven. LSSC played Indian River State College in Fort Pierce on Monday and will travel to Avon Park to play South Florida State College on Wednesday, before home at 3 p.m. Friday to play Eastern Florida State College. Next up for LSSC, which evened its record at 2-2, is a doubleheader against Polk State College at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Winter Haven.

Carsen Bridges scored 30 points and Jada Bedford poured in 20 to lead the Leesburg High School girls basketball team to a 64-42 Senior Night win on Tuesday against The Villages in the Hive. With the win, Leesburg improved to 14-10 on the season, while the Buffalo fell to 5-17. LEESBURG Carsen Bridges scored 30 points and Jada Bedford poured in 20 to lead the Leesburg High School girls basketball team to a 64-42 Senior Night win on Tuesday against The Villages in the Hive. With the win, Leesburg improved to 14-10 on the season, while the Buffalo fell to 5-17. Besides Bridges, Bedford and Ingram, Leesburg got three points from Wilson and one from Reed.

Each of Lake Countys school saw an increased graduation rate in May 2019 as the district caught up the rising state average. Umatilla High School had a landmark year with nearly a 10 point jump. TAVARES Lake County Schools saw a third year of increasing graduation rates at every school at the end of the 2018-19 school year, while Umatilla High demonstrated an explosive leap according to data recently released by the state. I definitely think its sustainable and I think the systems are in place for the graduation rate to remain high, Gerds said. The schools 97.8% graduation rate, and its ability to remain consistently within the 90s, suggests the method is successful.

Leesburg High School construction students showed community members around the home and guests wrote positive messages for the eventual homeowners. LEESBURG Leesburg High construction students celebrated with their community Friday at a dry-in ceremony for the house theyve been building with Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter since the start of the school year. Students took in their work and had a meal in the house, which they have been building since the beginning of the year. Russ said he was very impressed with the scale of the project and the work of the students. Students were well prepared and extremely serious about the work even while he acted like he didnt know the first thing about construction.

click to enlarge Photo via Google MapsIt's Leesburg, not "Skeezburg," High SchoolIf you spotted "Tatas High School" on Google last week, that's not the name of a new Lake County magnet school. It turns out, hackers changed the names of schools in Seminole and Lake counties on the world's most popular search engine.Fox 35 reported that Leesburg High School administrators discovered their new "Tatas" rebranding, along with the location changed to "Skeezburg," and the principal's name to "Megamind. "Lake Mary High School, unfortunately, had their name on Google changed to the lazily homophobic "Lake Mary Gay School," putting a serious damper on the fun.Officials from both school districts immediately set out to have their search results changed back. This juvenile prank, however, hasn't been so easy to reverse.Lake Mary Schools officials say that when they changed their name back on Google, it remained stalled as "Lake Mary School" on the site, without the "High." As of Monday night, a Google search still displays the abbreviated "Lake Mary School.

The Yellow Jackets recorded wins in six weight classifications and topped nine other teams with 58 points in the inaugural Buffalo Invitational. The Yellow Jackets recorded wins in six weight classifications and topped nine other teams with 58 points in the inaugural Buffalo Invitational. South Sumters Alyssa Lake (second, 119), Haley Heibrock (third, 129) also scored, as did MDCAs Ui Mullen (sixth, 154). The district finals for East Ridge, Lake Minneola and South Lake, which compete in Class 2A-10, will be Jan. 24 at Hudson Fivay. Other teams with solid weeks included MDCA (3-0), Leesburg (2-0), Umatilla (2-0) and Lake Minneola (2-0).

The Yellow Jackets improved to 10-4 after its second road win of the week, a 57-39 victory on Thursday against Gainesville. Leesburg improved to 10-4 after its second road win of the week, a 57-39 victory on Thursday against Gainesville, using a 16-6 run in the third quarter to break open what was a five-point lead at the half. Akiem Nickerson led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high 30 points after going for 21 in Tuesdays 73-54 win against Lake Minneola. (NIckerson) has been playing really well of late, and has been shooting the ball well of late, Leesburg coach Sean Campbell told the Gainesville Sun after Thursdays win. For the season, Douglas is averaging 28 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

MINNEOLA The Leesburg High School boys basketball team got 27 points from Dandre Seward and 21 from Akiem Nickerson on Tuesday in a 73-54 win against Lake Minneola in a battle of Class 5A-District 5 rivals. With the win, Leesburg improved to 9-4 overall and 1-0 in district play, while Lake Minneola fell to 6-9 overall and 0-1 in the district. The Yellow Jackets built their first-half advantage largely from the free throw line, where they outscored Lake Minneola 13-3. Lake Minneola will host Eustis at 7 p.m. on Friday. Val Belvu added 14 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and four assists.

Nearly every school in Florida would be envious of the success enjoyed by the Leesburg High School boys basketball team over the past three seasons. LEESBURG Nearly every school in Florida would be envious of the success enjoyed by the Leesburg High School boys basketball team over the past three seasons. The Yellow Jackets went on to win 16 straight games, including a 57-53 win against Cape Coral Mariner for the Class 6A state title. That mark the start of stretch that saw Leesburg win 46 or 47 games, drawing comparisons to some of the best public-school programs ever produced. If the Yellow Jackets can get there, Campbell knows anything is possible.

The Leesburg High School girls weightlifting team continued with its dominant start to the season with a recent 63-26 win against Lecanto. The Yellow Jackets won 8-of-10 weight classifications, along with establishing numerous personal marks, including one new school record. The Leesburg High School girls weightlifting team continued with its dominant start to the season with a recent 63-26 win against Lecanto. The Yellow Jackets won 8-of-10 weight classifications, along with establishing numerous personal marks, including one new school record. Next up for Leesburg, which is the defending Class 1A runners-up, will be tournament on Saturday in Vero Beach, home of the Class 2A runners-up.

TAVARES Leesburg High School football coach Mark Oates believes the best is yet to come for his team. And Yellow Jackets fans might have gotten a glimpse into the future on Friday when Leesburg traveled to Tavares to renew its annual rivalry with the Bulldogs. I saw a lot of Yellow Jacket pride on that football field (Friday).It was a total team effort for the Yellow Jackets. Our guys were so effective that we didnt need to throw a pass the entire game.Byrd was the workhorse for the Yellow Jackets. Tavares tried to make a run at the Yellow Jackets to start the second half.

LEESBURG, Fla. - The Macy's Great American Band likes to choose more than 200 students from all over the country to march in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, but this year, the band will be led by one student from Leesburg High School. Timothy Rodriquez, 17, is one of two drum majors chosen to lead the band Thanksgiving morning. A drum major is a student conductor tasked with leading a marching band in formation and on tempo both on the field and in a parade. Fielder said he's not only proud of Rodriquez, but proud of how he represents Leesburg. "When I see him that morning, I think it will be like, 'There is another one that's going to go out and do great things,' I'm going to be so proud."

The buyer is the Benchmark Group, a New York-based developer that has handled many local commercial projectsTAVARES The Lake County School Board entered an agreement Monday to sell roughly 27 acres formerly used as the Leesburg High School agriculture farm on County Road 466A in Fruitland Park. That's why, when the group was looking for more property in the area, Miller called the school district to see if the land was for sale. Theyve worked with many large companies in Lady Lake, including Kohls and Sams Club. Benchmark was the developer behind Lady Lake Commons and Lady Lake Crossing, as well as the Village Crossroads and the Sams Club on County Road 441. Currently, theyre working on setting up an Earth Fare grocery store in Lady Lake, Miller said.

TAVARES The Lake County School District was named one of 34 "Districts of Distinction" across the nation in the July/August edition of District Administration magazine for the revitalization of the Leesburg High School construction academy. The magazine recognized the district for putting the $866,000 received from the state in 2018 toward bringing in new technologies and state of the art supplies as well as establishing strong ties to area construction organizations. They also recognized Leesburg's program, which serves over 70 students, for offering a wide variety of certifications and for teaching students business management, safety, communication and customer service skills. All of the schools recognized across the U.S. were lauded for launching programs to help their students in ways that include career training, as with Lake, or which highlight literacy or use music in classrooms in innovative ways. District Administration Magazine is aimed at K-12 school leadership and provides news and information for school district management through its monthly magazine, website, newsletters and the District Administration Leadership Institute.