Jalyx Hunt
A former Orange City University High School football player has been drafted to play in the NFL. Jalyx Hunt was drafted in the third round in the 94th selection by the Philadelphia Eagles.
He most recently played his college football at Houston Christian University, where he was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player at the FCS level.
In his two years at Houston Christian, Hunt recorded 133 tackles, 20.5 for a loss, 13.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He is the first Houston Christian football player to be drafted into the NFL.
STUDENT ART EXHIBIT — ArtWorks DeLand Board Chair Melinda Cummings, left, stands next to an exhibit of artwork from second-grade students at Starke Elementary School. Starke Elementary art teacher Nicole Steele shares the limelight. This is an inaugural exhibit of student art, which will run Saturday-Saturday, May 11-18, in the gallery at 111 W. Indiana Ave., in the heart of Downtown DeLand. ArtWorks DeLand is a cooperative gallery of local artists whose mission is to promote art and mentor the next generation of artists while expanding the art community in our own backyard. For more information, visit http://www.artworksdeland.com.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is offering several summer camp programs with scholarship opportunities. The camps with scholarships include three-day camps and two residential camps.
The day camps include GEMS (Girls Exploring Math and Science) for girls ages 7-12 June 10-13; Advanced Robotics for students ages 7-13 July 8-11; and Fun With Math for students ages 7-9 July 15-18 and for students ages 10-12 July 22-25.
Residential camps, which require a stay in the dormitories on the E-RAU campus, are Flight Exploration for students ages 12-17 July 28-Aug. 2; and 3D Printing for students ages 13-17 July 21-26.
For information and an application, go to summer@erau.edu or call 386-226-7945. A separate application must be filled out for each camp of interest.
Scholarship requirements include a completed application.
Minorities and girls are strongly encouraged to apply. The youth must be a student in the Volusia and Flagler counties school systems. Scholarships will be granted on a rolling basis, and all awards will be given out by Saturday, June 1.
Selected recipients will be required to write and submit a thank-you letter that includes what they learned in the program. This needs to be submitted within three days after completing the program. Failure to complete the required thank-you letter will result in forfeiture of the scholarship, and the total cost of the camp will be required in full.
Citrus Grove Elementary School
The last PTA general meeting for this school year at Citrus Grove Elementary School in DeLand will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 13, in the media center.
Deltona Middle School
The Deltona Middle School Charger Orchestra has been named the Orlando Philharmonic’s “Orchestra of Distinction.”
DeLand High School
Important senior dates are appearing on the DeLand High School calendar: Senior Exams take place May 6-9, with May 10 being a makeup day. The Senior Breakfast and mandatory meeting are at 8:15 a.m. Monday, May 13, followed by Baccalaureate at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, at Stetson Baptist Church.
Thursday, May 16, is Senior Awards at 7 p.m. in Stetson University’s Edmunds Center on East Pennsylvania Avenue in DeLand.
Deltona High School
The final meeting of this school year of the School Advisory Council at Deltona High School will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, in the Learning Commons.
Pine Ridge High School
Senior awards at Pine Ridge High School in Deltona will be presented Monday, May 13. This event is by invitation only.
FHSAA weightlifting
The FHSAA State Weightlifting Championships recently took place, with five of the 17 advancing from West Volusia making the top 10 in their division, classification and weight.
Francisco Perez of Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson had the best showing, as he placed second overall in the Traditional competition in the 238-pound division with a total lift of 660 pounds.
All the others who scored points came from University High School in Orange City. Liam Valle placed third in the 199-pound Traditional division with a 415-pound total. Nathan Thomas took fourth in both the Traditional- and Olympic-style lifting in the 238-pound division with lifts of 630 pounds and 485 pounds, respectively. Ethan Hemke was ninth in his division, while Ethan Fournier placed 10th.
FHSAA district track
Both DeLand High and Orange City University High competed in the 4A-2 District meet at Spruce Creek, with the DeLand boys finishing eighth and the University boys finishing 11th. The DeLand girls were seventh and the University girls eighth. Those in the top four places in each event qualified to advance to the regional meet at the University of North Florida Wednesday, May 8.
The DeLand squad had three district champions, with Kylie Neira winning the pole vault at 11 feet, 9.75 inches, Emily Lamb winning the discus at 115 feet, 9 inches, and Owen York winning the discus at 148 feet, 2 inches.
York was second in the shot put, while Lamb placed second in the javelin, and Anna Vandell took second in the high jump. Jamil Cunningham was third in the long jump, and Connor York took third in the javelin.
For Orange City University, Nyrania Barr-Miller won the 100 high hurdles with a 15.13 clocking, while she took second in the 200 meters. Hannah Judge was third in the 1600 and 3200, while teammate Morgan Harvill took fourth in the same two events.
In the 3A District 6 meet, both Deltona High and Pine Ridge competed, with the Pine Ridge boys placing fifth and the Deltona boys placing 10th. The Deltona girls were ninth.
Those earning the right to advance to regional competition for Pine Ridge include Ethan White in the long jump with a second-place finish, and the 4X100 relay team of Quintin Grant, White, Caleb Ray and Elijah Thompson, who finished second.
Thirds were gained by Prince Barnett in the 110 hurdles, and Grant, Thompson, Cavan Alston and Caleb Ray in the 4X400 relay. Thompson was fourth in the 100, and Kheron Duprat was fourth in the triple jump.
Deltona High had two 1600-meter runners advance, with Carlos Cerrud taking second and Lowell Cummings fourth.
Deltona Trinity Christian Academy placed second in the 1A District 6 competition, advancing 10 athletes to the regional meet at Mount Dora Christian. Firsts were claimed by Trenton Newton in the 110 hurdles at 19.0 and Gabriel Ponce-Arce in the triple jump with a leap of 36 feet, 3.50 inches.
Seconds were earned by Kristofer Medeiros in the 110 hurdles, G. Ponce-Arce in the 400 hurdles, and the 4X100 relay team of Newton, Joseph Brittain, Medeiros and Jaden Rodriguez.
Thirds were claimed by Rodriguez in the 110 hurdles, G. Ponce-Arce in the high jump and Nathanael Stites in the javelin, while fourths were picked up by Newton in the 100 and 200, Stites in the 400 hurdles, and Rodriguez in the high jump.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Bulldog baseball team lost two to University, 6-2, and Creekside, 11-5.
The Lady Bulldog softball team lost to Deltona, 3-2, with De-Niya Padgett hitting a home run and accounting for two RBIs in the sixth inning.
The beach volleyball team won one and lost one, with the Lady Bulldogs stopping Matanzas, 5-0, but losing to Spruce Creek, 3-2.
PHOTOS COURTESY SARAH SIEG
Stetson University Athletics
The Stetson University Athletic Department has announced the extension of the contract of men’s basketball head coach Donnie Jones through the 2030 season.
Stetson golfer Javier Calles was invited to compete in the 37th PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship in early May. The competition is open to all minority and women student-athletes playing collegiate golf at the D-1, D-2, D-3, NAIA and NJCAA level. The tournament was played at the TPC Sawgrass course in Ponte Vedra Beach.
The Hatter baseball team downed North Alabama, 4-1, lost to Florida, 13-3, and beat North Florida, 6-3 and 10-6, in which Kyle Jones, Logan Hughes and Jayden Hylton homered.
The Lady Hatter softball team lost to FGCU, 3-2, FIU, 12-0, and Queens, 4-3, but bounced back with a win over Queens, 3-0. Nadia English homered in the first Queens game.
The beach volleyball team took runner-up honors in the ASUN tournament to North Florida. In the tourney, Stetson beat Central Arkansas, 5-0, FGCU, 3-2, twice, and lost to North Florida, 3-0, in the quarterfinals and 3-0 in the championship.
The Stetson lacrosse team lost to Coastal Carolina, 24-17, with Jordyn Humphrey scoring five goals and two assists. She tallied 55 goals for the season, with 34 assists, while Kaitlin Pani had 50 goals and 19 assists.
The Stetson women’s tennis team claimed the ASUN Tournament title by defeating Austin Peay, 4-1, and FGCU, 4-1. With the win, they earned a seat in the NCAA Tournament.
The Stetson baseball calendar has the Hats at Queens May 10-12, with the first two games at 6 p.m. and the final game at 1 p.m. Then on Tuesday, May 14, they play host to FSU at 5 p.m., followed by a three-game series at home against Central Arkansas May 16-18.
