sia yorker brain awareness scholarship
MEDICAL-SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS — The Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation awarded area students a medical-science scholarship at the 10th annual Medical Scholarship Banquet March 5. On June 21, 2011, Sia Christine Yorker transitioned from Earth to heaven due to a sudden acute brain hemorrhage. To maintain Sia’s dream of becoming a pediatrician, the foundation gives scholarships to high-school seniors pursuing a medical- science degree in the state of Florida. In the first row, from left, are first-place winner Braylin Maxwell, who received $1,500; second-place winner Willianis Nieves Rodriguez, who received $1,200; third-place winner Lindsey Brooke Boger, who received $900; and fourth-place winner Nadiya Harris, who received $600. In the second row, same order, are Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Advisory Board members Leslie Flynn Yarde, Debbie Settles, Dantrel Johnson, Tiffanie Trent, Dorothy Mowbray and Valerie Olude. Sia’s parents are in the front row, with Albert Yorker at the far left and Paula Yorker at the far right. PHOTO COURTESY PAULA YORKER

The DeBary Parks and Recreation Department has announced the launch of 10 new children’s sports camps for the 2022 summer-break season. The various day camps include football, soccer, baseball, softball, wrestling, disc golf, tennis, tumbling, cheer and golf.

These camps are a new program launched by the city to accommodate even more youth in the city’s sports programs.

Each camp will introduce participants to the basics of the sport, while teaching the values of teamwork and respect.

Residents and nonresidents will have access to 15 sport-camp sessions encompassing the 10 different sports.

Camps are contracted through local professionals, coaches and youth groups, and are held throughout the city of DeBary.

For more information on contracted sports camps, visit debaryrecreation.org. To learn more about cheer and tumbling camps, call DeBary City Hall at 386-456-5150.

More specific information for each camp will be shared in this column as we move into May.

On April 12, the Volusia County School Board appointed Rachel Hazel as interim superintendent for the school district. She has agreed to serve in this role as the School Board finalizes its decision regarding the next permanent superintendent.

Hazel is certified in educational leadership and working with mentally handicapped individuals. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree from Stetson University, and is currently working toward her doctoral degree from the University of Central Florida.

For the seventh year, Food Brings Hope will sponsor the Tour of Homes for 150 invited TeenZone middle- and high-school students and their chaperones. This educational tour of ICI Homes Mosaic Community will highlight careers available at different stages of the homebuilding process.

These students will learn about the many careers available in construction and gain knowledge about educational requirements, job responsibilities and the earning potential of each career.

This event takes place at the Mosaic Community on Friday, April 29.

Last week, this column spoke about the Volusia County World Languages Festival. This week, the column announces the names of the students who took first place in the Spanish program under the direction of Linda Lopez Rivera at University High School in Orange City: Aniyah Baker, Eva Prescod, Jada Saez, Manuel Narvaez, Paula Nieves, Mariana Medina, Planas Rivera, Johalys Coralis, Karelys Torres, Zuleyka Santiago, Victoria Ortiz, Bianca Sanabria, Maria Bautista, Juliana Barrios and Nylyam Santiago.

5-Star Conference Track Championships

The 5-Star Conference Track Championships were held recently at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, with Flagler Palm Coast High School claiming the boys’ title and Spruce Creek High winning the girls’ championship.

Among the boys’ teams, the DeLand High Bulldogs took second place, with Flagler Palm Coast scoring 150.25 points to outdistance DeLand by 37 points.

Mainland was third with 102 points, followed by Spruce Creek, New Smyrna Beach, Atlantic, Seabreeze, University and Deltona.

The Spruce Creek Lady Hawks scored 197 points to earn the crown, with Flagler Palm Coast taking second with 140 points, followed by DeLand, University, Mainland, Seabreeze, New Smyrna Beach, Atlantic, Deltona and Pine Ridge.

Two members of the DeLand squad won two events each: Freshman Emily Lamb claimed first place in the discus throw, with a toss of 100 feet, 6 inches, and the javelin throw at 108 feet, 9 inches, while also taking third in the high jump with a 4-foot-7.75-inch effort; and senior Kevar Williams, who won first place in the 100 and the 200, with clockings of 10.51 and 21.39, respectively.

The Lady Bulldogs also found Shamia Allen winning the long jump at 17 feet, 10.25 inches, and gaining second in the triple jump at 33 feet, 4.5 inches.

Those Bulldogs taking second included freshman Avian Edwards-Pla in the 200 at 21.78, and Edwards-Pla also took third in the 100 at 10.77. Ethan Myrick took second in the 800 at 2:02.41, as did freshman Owen York in the javelin at 162 feet, 1 inch.

The DeL and boys’ 4×100 relay team (Jamil Cunningham, Michael Soto Jr., Erick Gilbert and Arden Myrie) also took second with a 44.18 timing.

Thirds were earned by Riley Garrison twice, in the 1,600 and 3,200 at 4:48.90 and 10:32.29, respectively, and Fabian McKnight hurdled to third place in the 110 high hurdles at 15.85.

The DeLand boys’ 4×800 relay team (Diego DeLaVega, Arthur Francisco, Noah Ennabili and Riley Garrison) took third with a 8:33.79 timing.

Orange City University High claimed three first-place finishes: Junior Royce Eggert grabbed two of these, the 1,600 and the 3,200, with times of 4:44.25 and 10:19.41, respectively. And Nyrania Barr-Miller earned first in the 200 meters at 26.29, and took second in the 400 at 59.78 and the high jump at 4 feet, 7.75 inches.

Morgan Northey claimed two top-three finishes, with a second in the discus at 85 feet, 4 inches, and third in the shot put at 32 feet, 4.25 inches.

Vivienne Merk placed third in the discus at 77 feet, 8 inches.

Scoring points for DeLand in places four through eight were Ai Hancock, Sydney Bordeaux (2), Magdalena Schricker (2), Kylie Neira, Lilly Clements (3), Arthur Francisco, Khareem Lane, Arden Myrie, Ian York (2), Owen York, Joseph Pullen and Gabe Snyder, along with the girls’ 4×100 relay and the boys’ 4×400 relay.

Scoring points for University High in places four through eight were Morgan Harvill, Veronica Meyer, Kiley Stahlman (2), Nyrania Barr-Miller, Vivienne Merk (2), Caleb Elkind, Chase Penna, Payton Posamilia, Prophet Williams and Angel Labron (2), with the girls’ and boys’ 4×100, 4×400 and 4×800 placing.

The following individuals from Deltona High earned individual points in places four through eight: Dianna Pineda, Carlos Cerrud, Noah Watkins and Chandler Mitzo, and the girls’ 4×100 and the boys’ 4×800 also collected points.

Maya Heard was the lone athlete from Pine Ridge High School in Deltona to earn points.

College honors

Veronica Marin, of DeLand, has been accepted for enrollment at the Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida Campus in Port Orange.

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

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