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Florida KidCare is Florida’s free or low-cost health program that provides comprehensive health coverage for children under age 19. Florida KidCare services include doctor visits, checkups and shots, hospital, surgery and emergency services, vision and hearing screening and prescriptions.
Eligibility for Florida KidCare is based on income and family size; children may be eligible even if both parents are working.
Florida KidCare includes four different programs. When you apply for the insurance, Florida KidCare will check which program you may qualify for based on the child’s age and family income.
Call Theresa Watson, R.N., M.S.N., Health Services at 386-734-7190, ext. 20516, for information on the application process.
FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools has named Margaret Williams of Port Orange Elementary School as the recipient of the Superintendent’s Most Creative Mini-Grant Award. Her project “Florida Plants: Friend or Foe?” earned Williams $250 for her creativity, in addition to fully funding the grant that was sponsored by Rue & Ziffra.
Six additional projects were recognized for their creativity: Wendy Warfield, “Eagle Sensory & Fitness Journey,” Deltona Lakes Elementary; Maria Rosado, Sandi Johnson, Heather Murphy and Brittany Murphy, “Facing the World With Love,” Manatee Cove Elementary in Orange City; Marianne Dolce, “Outside Learning Space,” Sunrise Elementary in Deltona; Lisa Gaboury, “Live Kids Can Plant, Too!” Heritage Middle in Deltona; Stacy Gilmer, “Big Business: Management, Marketing, and Development,” Heritage Middle in Deltona: and David Peralta, “Training Tomorrow’s Sound Engineers: Expanding Vocal Arts to Recording Arts,” Pine Ridge High in Deltona. These recipients received an award certificate and a classroom supply bag courtesy of 3M and Office Depot.
This year’s mini-grant sponsors also included Alexis Lenssen, CFP at Ameriprise Financial; BRPH Architects Engineers; Cobb Cole Law Firm; Duke Energy; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Florida Health Care Plans; Florida Power & Light Company; Heart of Volusia; Jean Greenlaw Children’s Literature Mini-Grant Program; Latitude Margaritaville Daytona; Launch Credit Union; the State of Florida School District Education Foundation Matching Grants Program; and Stetson University.
Volusia officials have been granted permission from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Food and Wellness Division, to continue the meal program that allows all children under age 18 in schools to eat for free until June 4, 2021, the last day of school. All students attending in-person classes in Volusia County schools will continue to receive their breakfast and lunch meals at no charge.
For children not attending in-person classes, families may register weekly for the free curbside meal service.
Families pick up those meals 6:30-7 a.m. each Tuesday, with the last pickup day scheduled for June 1. Meals provided through the curbside service are free and bundled, with five breakfasts and five lunches.
Registration is required and must be completed weekly between Tuesday morning and Thursday night for the following Tuesday’s pickup.
Visit the Volusia County Schools website at www.VCSEDU.org for the link to register for meals.
Parents must show their ID when picking up meals, as well as a form of ID for each student requesting meals.
Current student ID cards or birth certificates are accepted.
Parents can register to pick up meals at any participating curbside school, regardless of which school their children attends.
Starting on Dec. 1 and continuing through the end of the school year, the pickup sites for the weekly curbside meal service will be limited to these West Volusia sites: Citrus Grove Elementary in DeLand, DeBary Elementary, DeLand Middle, Discovery Elementary in Deltona, Galaxy Middle in Deltona, Heritage Middle in Deltona, McInnis Elementary in DeLeon Springs, Osteen Elementary, Pierson Elementary, River Springs Middle in Orange City, and Volusia Pines in Lake Helen.
The Thanksgiving Holiday begins at the end of school Friday, Nov. 20, with students returning to class Monday, Nov. 30. Students will have the entire week off, unless students are required to make up days due to inclement weather. These dates would be either or both Monday, Nov. 23, or Tuesday, Nov. 24.
Friendship Elementary School
The Parent-Teacher Organization at Friendship Elementary School in Deltona will meet at 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16. The School Advisory Council will meet at 4:15 p.m. that same day.
George Marks Elementary School
Students attending George Marks Elementary School in DeLand observed Red Ribbon Week with Spirit Days, including Groovy Day (We believe in peace, love and kindness), Superhero Day (We have power to stand up for others) and Future Career Day (It’s our job to be kind to others). Students also contributed to a food drive that completed 35 boxes for community families in need, part of the Volusia County Basket Brigade organized by Amy Hall.
McInnis Elementary School
Four outstanding employees at McInnis Elementary School in DeLeon Springs retired Oct. 30: Chris Evans, an office specialist for 32 years in Volusia County Schools; Marilyn Havenner, a Volusia prekindergarten teacher who attended McInnis as a student and now retires from the same school; Kristy Grant, a PreK ESE teacher; and Tim MacHardy, an ESE teacher. The teachers provided more than 80 years of combined service to students in Volusia County schools.
The PTA at McInnis will have a Zoom meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19.
Woodward Avenue Elementary School
The School Advisory Council at Woodward Avenue Elementary School in DeLand will have a virtual meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16.
DeLand Middle School
The School Advisory Council at DeLand Middle School will have a virtual meeting at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16.
Deltona Middle School
Deltona Middle School is hosting its fall Scholastic Book Fair Friday, Nov. 13, through Friday, Nov. 20.
Tanae Harris finished 10th in the third leg of the Volusia County Middle School Cross Country Championships, while Dayanara Suarez-Delgado was fifth with a time of 15:08.84.
Galaxy Middle School
Galaxy Middle School in Deltona has been added to the list of schools in the Afterschool Meals Program on Wednesdays only. The Afterschool Meals Program provides nutritious meals to students at schools with a free and reduced percentage of at least 50 percent that also have after-school programs with supervised enrichment programs or activities.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is administered in Florida by the Department of Health, Bureau of Child Care Food Programs.
This is scheduled to run through Friday, Dec. 18. Students must be enrolled in an enrichment program, such as extended day, tutoring, school clubs or athletic programs, at an eligible school to receive a supper meal.
Ivy Hawn Charter School of the Arts
The girls’ cross-country team at Ivy Hawn Charter School of the Arts in Lake Helen placed first in last week’s round of the Volusia County Middle School Cross Country competition with 47 points — 40 points ahead of River Springs Middle of Orange City. Lana Magoc took sixth, with Uma Kraskin finishing eighth and Veronica Meyer coming in ninth.
In the boys’ race, Devin Buster was ninth and Connor York was 10th.
Southwestern Middle School
The boys’ cross-country team at Southwestern Middle School in DeLand won the third round of the Volusia County Middle School Cross Country competition. The team scored 36 points to outdistance New Smyrna Beach Middle by 26 points.
Sajid Chowdhurry placed second overall with a 2-mile time of 13:28.24, while Broderick Gordon was fifth and Joshua Edgecomb sixth.
Kylie Neira placed seventh for the Lady Tiger girls’ team with a time of 15:22.54.
DeLand High School
The DeLand High School Homecoming queen is Jiya Hastings, and Brooks Dawson was crowned king. Junior royalty includes Princess Ryleigh Feliciano and Prince Jamont Britt, and the sophomore royalty are Lady Karsen Clements and Lord Ginaluca Dawson. Lady Jaliyah Powell represented the freshman royalty.
The Renaissance Club selects a Teacher of the Month. The first two selections were Sandra Ryder and David Finkle.
DeLand High School Athletics
DeLand High School junior Anna Monette placed 19th in the state in the 100-yard butterfly at the FHSAA State Swimming Championships. Her time was 58.1.
At the FHSAA Regional Cross Country Meet in Lake City, the DeLand boys were eighth and the DeLand girls were 11th. The boys were led by sophomore James Gannon, while the Lady Bulldogs were led by sophomore Sydney Neira.
Senior Brady Bierwagen tied for 16th in the preliminary round for the FHSAA State Bowling Championships in Orlando with an 888. Unfortunately, under the tiebreaker rules, he was eliminated from the championship round of top 16. There were 77 bowlers trying to get into the top 16.
Deltona High School
Deltona High School Lady Wolf Emma Noel placed 87th at the FHSAA cross-country meet.
Pine Ridge High School
The senior class of Pine Ridge High School in Deltona has made several selections, including their song (“Count on Me” by Bruno Mars), the class flower (the hibiscus), and the class quote (“Together we experience life, separately we will pursue our dreams, forever, our memories will remain.” — Anonymous).
At Homecoming, the senior class won the annual Kickball Contest, as well as the Homecoming Olympics.
The Pine Ridge Healthcare Academy has selected registrar Evelyn Santos as the “Positive Panthers Strike Again” award-winner.
The Pine Ridge boys’ cross-country team didn’t make the top four of 16 to advance to the state meet. Joshua Anderson placed 53rd in the 5K race held in Lake City last weekend.
Taylor Middle-High School
The School Advisory Council at Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson will meet at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in the Principal’s Conference Room.
University High School
The boys’ cross-country team of University High School in Orange City won its district meet. However, the team placed ninth in the regional meet and will not advance to the state level. The front-runner for the Titans was Justin Martinez in 43rd place. Olivia Litwiniec was the sole Lady Titan running in the regional; she placed 66th.
West Volusia high-school football
This past week was the final week of the regular season for the six football teams in West Volusia. DeLand defeated Seabreeze, 39-7, while Orange City University stopped Lake Howell, 40-19, and Pierson Taylor topped Deltona Trinity Christian, 36-0. Deltona ended up having to take a forfeit with Lake Mary because of transportation problems.
This current week finds the first rounds of the FHSAA playoffs taking place. If you win, you advance, but if you do not win, your season is over.
The DeLand Bulldogs play host to the Orange City University Titans in Spec Martin Memorial Stadium Friday, Nov. 13, while the Deltona Wolves play host on campus to Tampa Freedom. The Pierson Taylor Wildcats travel to Winter Park to face Trinity Prep, and the Deltona Trinity Christian Eagles go to Maitland Orangewood Christian. All games are at 7:30 p.m.
The winner of the DeLand/University game will host Sanford Seminole the following Friday, while if Deltona is victorious, they play host to the Largo/Dixie Hollins winners from the Tampa area. With a Taylor win, they would face the winner of the Melbourne Central Catholic/Ocala Trinity Catholic game, and if Deltona Trinity Christian wins, they would travel to the winner of the Foundation Academy/St. Francis game.
Stetson University
The Stetson University Business School Foundation Inc. has announced it’s continuing to support Stetson University School of Business Administration students by way of a recent $13,000 donation to Stetson’s COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund. Combined with previous donations totaling $13,000 last spring, the foundation has contributed a total of $26,000 for business students with needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it one of the largest donors to the fund.
Stetson students took first place in the 18th annual Collegiate Ethics Case Competition held and hosted by the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona. This international competition invited 30 teams from public and private business schools from the U.S., Mexico, Europe and Canada. The Stetson team of Abby Jagos and Zachary Blum claimed the title for Stetson.
Stetson University School of Music students are taking the stage and performing to a virtual audience during the fall semester. Viewers can watch recorded competitions and other performances on the School of Music YouTube channel, including the 2020 Christmas Candlelight Concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@ hotmail.com.
