Class Notes: $500 reading scholarships for third- through fifth-graders

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The Florida Department of Education is providing $500 reading scholarships to eligible students for accessing services to improve reading. Detailed information and forms for each eligible student were sent home from your child’s school. The eligibility requirements are for third- through fifth-grade students currently enrolled in a Florida public school and who must have scored Level 1 or 2 on the ELA test in 2018-19.

The Volusia County Schools website at www.vcsedu.org lists more terms of eligibility. Parents must apply online via the www.stepupforstudents.org website.

The scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be used for the following services: tuition and fees related to part-time tutoring; summer and after-school literacy programs; or instructional materials and reading-related curriculum.

Volusia County Schools offers parents and legal guardians the opportunity to apply for their child to attend a school outside their regular attendance zone through the Controlled Open Enrollment process. This process allows a parent from any school district in the state to apply to enroll his or her child in and transport his or her child to any public school that has not reached capacity.

Volusia County Schools cannot guarantee placement at a specific school due to factors such as overcrowding, program placement, class size, etc.

The application period for School Choice is open March 1 through the last day of school for students. Go to the Volusia County Schools website (www.vcsedu.org) and look under “School Choice Application.” You will see an explanation of how to complete a School Choice application as well as the notes about applying. A family can also email schoolchoice@groups.volusia.k12.fl.us for additional information.

This is an early announcement for a fundraiser being sponsored by the DeLand High School bowling team that will take place in May. This will be the inaugural DeLand High Bulldog Bowling Fundraiser at Sunshine Bowling Center in DeLand 2-5 p.m. Saturday, May 8.

The entry fee will be $40 per individual or $120 for a four-person team, which includes three games of bowling, lunch and soda.

Awards for the top individual and top team will be presented.

Spaces are limited, so register with coach Garon Keuten at gpkeuten@volusia.k12.fl.us.

The event is sponsored by Georgia Avenue Hair Company, Page Insurance Agency and Sunshine Bowling Center, and is open to the public. Non-bowlers can donate via PayPal, check or cash on the day of the event.

Citrus Grove Elementary School

Groovin’ at the Grove 5K and Fun Run will take place virtually Saturday, Feb. 27, through Sunday, March 7. Visit https://citrusgrove5K.com for details. You need to register to participate.

The proceeds from this year’s virtual 5K go toward technology, classroom needs, and student and staff recognition. The event is sponsored by Trinity United Methodist Church, Stetson Baptist Church and Family Health Source.

George Marks Elementary School

Recently George Marks Elementary School in DeLand observed Literacy Week, with special readings, students dressing up as book characters, and much more.

Pierson Elementary School

Pierson Elementary School will have its Spring Book Fair from Feb. 26 through March 12. Students will have the opportunity to purchase books during the fair.

DeLand High School Athletics

DeLand High School Bulldog football defensive lineman Danny Brown has signed to continue his education and football career at St. Thomas University in Miami.

The Bulldog boys’ basketball team picked up two wins this past week with a victory over Lake Mary, 64-59, and a win over Ormond Beach Calvary Christian, 60-52.

In the Lake Mary victory, Kariden Hardrick scored 14 points, which is what Joseph Martinez added to the Bulldog total along with five steals. Welsey Snipes and Henry Gardner each collected 12 points, while Luke Van Bibber had 10 rebounds and eight assists.

In the win over Calvary, Noah Van Bibber scored 13 points, with Hardrick getting 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Martinez added 12 to DeLand’s total points.

The Lady Bulldog basketball team ended the season with a loss in the FHSAA District playoffs, 65-19, against Ocala West Port. Jiya Hastings scored 11 points for DeLand.

The DeLand Bulldog boys’ soccer team won one and lost one, which ended their 2020-21 season. The Bulldogs defeated Orange City University, 4-0, and then were topped by Lake Mary in the FHSAA district playoffs, 3-2. They closed the season with an 11-4-2 mark.

The Lady Bulldog soccer team was stopped in the FHSAA District playoffs to close out their season. The squad defeated University, 2-0, and then was halted by Spruce Creek, 1-0. They finished the season with a 4-10-3 mark.

The Bulldog sports calendar is beginning to show spring sports; be sure to check dates, times and locations due to changes frequently brought on by COVID-19.

Friday, Feb. 19, has the wrestling team at its FHSAA District Tournament at Flagler Palm Coast High School in Bunnell all day, while the Bulldog baseball team goes to Orlando Orangewood for games at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 22, has the Bullpup junior-varsity baseball team playing host to University at 7 p.m. at the Sperling Sports Complex.

Tuesday, Feb. 23, has the Bulldog baseball team playing host to West Orange at 7 p.m. on Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand.

Wednesday, Feb. 24, has the Lady Bulldog softball team at Flagler Palm Coast for games at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., while the DeLand boys’ weightlifting team competes at Flagler Palm Coast at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 25, has the softball team traveling to Seabreeze at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the girls’ flag football team hosting Seabreeze on the field at the Sperling Sports Complex at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 26, has the DeLand track teams going to a meet at Flagler Palm Coast at 1 p.m., while the softball team goes to Spruce Creek at 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The boys’ baseball team faces Deltona Trinity Christian Academy at 7 p.m. on the Sperling field, with the wrestlers competing in the FHSAA Regional Tournament at Flagler Palm Coast.

Saturday, Feb. 27, the junior-varsity softball team plays host on JV Day with three games on the DeLand campus, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Pine Ridge High School

Alyssa Richardson and Daniel Coursen, students at Pine Ridge High School in Deltona, are among the top five of the national “Reach for the Stars” Rocket Competition. They will compete at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The art students of Karen Richter keep racking up the honors for Pine Ridge. AJ Anello gained honorable mention for digital media at the 2021 Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, while Kirsten Jnbaptiste earned a silver key in oil and acrylic on canvas, with Elijah Wilson earning a silver key in watercolor and ink on paper.

Trevor Bullis won All-Star Team honors at the FHSAA State Bowling Tournament. He was coached by Charlene Tritt.

Pine Ridge is the new home of two EKG machines to strengthen its Healthcare Academy. These were gained through the efforts of School Board Member Ruben Colón.

Dylan Osterhous, Jordan Andrews, Jacob McIntyre, Alex Amaro and Michelle Solum were the winning students in the social-studies classes of John Navarra. They were noted as the most patriotic.

Girls’ Weightlifting State Championships

Last weekend, a number of Volusia County high-school girls competed in the FHSAA Girls’ Weightlifting State Championships. In the 3A Classification, Amarise Rodriguez, Destiny David and Amber Garcia represented University High School of Orange City, while Sarah Munar represented DeLand High.

In the 2A Classification representing Pine Ridge of Deltona were Kharisma Littles and Deidre Jones, while Riley LeBlanc represented Taylor Middle-High of Pierson in the 1A Classification.

The 3A competition took place at St. Cloud High School, while 2A and 1A competed at Suwannee High School in Live Oak. This column will have the results of the tournament in next week’s Beacon.

Stetson University

The Stetson University College of Law Trial Team has won the Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition for the 25th time in 38 years.

Stetson University has received $1.7 million in federal funding to help students with exceptional financial needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students can file an appeal for financial assistance with the Office of Student Financial Planning. Awards have already been made to more than 20 eligible students who had unpaid bills for tuition and fees from the fall 2020 semester.

Stetson University Athletics

The Stetson University Lady Hatter women’s soccer team has been predicted to finish in the Atlantic Sun Conference behind Lipscomb, Florida Gulf Coast, Kennesaw State, North Florida, Liberty and North Alabama in team standings. The Lady Hatters open their season on the road at Jacksonville University Feb. 28.

The Lady Hatter softball team has signed six players to begin competing as part of the program in the 2022 season. Five of the players hail from Florida, with one coming from Mississippi. The Lady Hats are slated to open their conference play March 13.

The Stetson women’s beach volleyball team is ranked 11th in the nation in the 2021 AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The team opens its 2021 season Feb. 27-28 with the Stetson Spring Fling, which pits teams ranked 11-15 competing, which are Stetson, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, South Carolina and TCU. The teams nationally ahead of Stetson starting with No. 1 are LSU, UCLA, Florida State, Southern California, Hawaii, Cal Poly, Grand Canyon, Loyola Marymount, California and Pepperdine.

The Stetson men’s basketball team gained a 110-56 win over Carver of Atlanta. Rob Perry scored 21 points with five assists, which helped him to be named the ASUN Player of the Week.

Joel Kabimba made 15 points; Chase Johnston, 14; Wheza Panzo, 12; Mahamadou Diawara, 11, with 14 rebounds; Christiaan Jones, 10, and four steals; while DeLandite Wyatt Hollmann scored 7 points with six rebounds coming off the bench.

The Hats also topped Lipscomb, 73-68, with Johnston scoring 21 points; Perry, 15, with seven assists and five steals; Josh Smith, 12, with seven rebounds; and Diawara getting 13 points, plus seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Lady Hatter volleyball team opened with a 3-1 victory over Florida Atlantic. The match scores were 25-20, 16-25, 25-19 and 25-20. Elena Djokovic had 22 kills, with Naina Ivanova collecting three aces, five blocks and 35 assists, while Cheicie Spence recorded 24 digs.

The Stetson women’s tennis team went down to defeat by the University of Central Florida, 7-0.

The sports calendar for the Hatters has home competition as mentioned below. Be sure to check on dates and times due to COVID-19.

Friday, Feb. 19, the Hatter men’s basketball team plays host to Kennesaw State in the Edmunds Center at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m.

The Lady Hatter basketball team is at Kennesaw State at 2 p.m. both Saturday, Feb. 20, and Sunday, Feb. 21.

Wednesday, Feb. 24, has the women’s tennis team hosting Oakland at 10 a.m.

Thursday, Feb. 25, finds the women’s volleyball team playing host to North Florida at 6 p.m. in the Edmunds Center and again on Friday, Feb. 26, at the same time.

Friday, Feb. 26, has the women’s tennis team playing host to Florida A&M at 11 a.m., with the men’s tennis team hosting Mercer at 3 p.m. The men’s soccer team greets Jacksonville University at 7 p.m. The men’s basketball team travels to Jacksonville University, with game time being 7 p.m., and again on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 27, has the Lady Hatter basketball team hosting Jacksonville at 1 p.m. and again on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m.

College honors

Kate Spellacy and Sarah O’Neill, both of DeLand, have been named to the dean’s list at Tallahassee Community College.

Nicole Vracar, of DeBary, and Ryan Wagner, of Deltona, have been named to the President’s List at Tallahassee Community College.

— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.