Volusia County Schools has announced that meaningful progress has been made on student success. According to data released by the Florida Department of Education, the Volusia County School District’s overall 2022-23 College and Career Acceleration (CCA) rate rose to 65.7 percent, which is an increase of 1.2 percentage points over the previous year’s rate of 64.5 percent.
The CCA rate reflects the percentage of high-school graduates who have earned college credit or career certifications by the time they graduate. These achievements give students a head start on their postsecondary education or careers.
The Museum of Art – DeLand is offering spring classes, which begin Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the 600 N. Woodland Blvd. location. There are classes for children ages 6-12. The classes meet 3:15-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays or 10-11:15 a.m. Thursdays. Teens meet 4:15-6 p.m. Wednesdays. Tuition costs $90 for museum members and $100 for nonmembers.
The museum has also announced that Camp Create and the Teen Arts Academy will take place this summer and that early registration will open Friday, March 1.
Volusia County Schools wants to safeguard our schools, and has a motto, “Safeguarding Futures. One Door, Gate and ID at a Time.” You can go to the Volusia County Schools website at www.vcsedu.org to learn more about this program.
Taylor Middle-High School
The girls weightlifting team of Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson won the FHSAA Region 2-1A tournament. Junior Amya Ramos won the 139-pound division, Taylor Lane earned runner-up honors, Jacky Bastidas and Terianna Carruthers collected third-place finishes, and Mia Cruz earned a fifth-place medal.
Team Doomba, part of Taylor’s STEM Robotics Club, represented the Pierson school at the FIRST Robotics competition. The group won a Design Award, an Innovate Award and a Winning Alliance Award. All of this makes it possible for the team to go to the FTC Robotics State Championships Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3.
The team is seeking anyone who would like to sponsor or donate to the club, so that they can make this trip possible for all the students. The team is made up of five students, along with Jonathan Herstein, the club sponsor. Contact Taylor Middle-High if you wish to help the team make it to the state championships. Call 386-740-9800.
University High School
It has been noted that Jaeden Franco, a senior defensive back football player at University High School in Orange City, has signed to continue his education and football-playing days at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.
DeLand High School Athletics
Eight members of the DeLand High School football team have signed to continue their playing days and education: MJ Smokes and Caleb Oliver, both to Wofford College, Justin Brown to Albany State in Georgia, Javon Ross to Bethune-Cookman, BJ Campbell to Iowa Western, Wyatt Darlington to Georgia Southern, TJ Moore to South Carolina State and Rameir Gordon to Navy.
DeLand High student Elena Cruz, who competes for the LVL UP weightlifting team that is directed by Damion Dunn, competed in the OLY Concepts Open II. She completed five of six lifts at the meet, earning qualification for the USAW 2024 Nationals Week in Pittsburgh in June. She had a 112-kg. total (or 246.9 pounds) to earn this honor.
The Bulldog wrestling team placed third in the Five Star Wrestling Conference Championships behind Flagler Palm Coast and New Smyrna Beach, with Deltona taking sixth and University seventh. Ty Bracero and MJ Smokes won their division, Garrett Perkins, Mason Perkins and Peyton Senez gained silver medals, and Rico Pierre and Ben Morris picked up bronze medals.
Ana Soto, a member of the Lady Bulldog weightlifting team, has signed a scholarship to continue her education and weightlifting at Louisiana State University – Shreveport.
The Bulldog boys basketball team won one and lost one in the FHSAA District Tournament. They topped West Port, 59-44, with freshman James Rushing scoring 13 points, while senior Julian Morales matched that output and also collected 10 rebounds.
Next, the Bulldogs faced Sanford Seminole, losing, 72-49, with junior Robert Davis scoring 23 points. The team closed out their season with a 9-11 mark.
The Lady Bulldog basketball team lost to Seminole in district play, 50-30. They closed out their season with a 13-7 record.
The spring sports calendar for DHS has the softball team facing South Sumter at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, and Nature Coast at 4 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 26, has the tennis team hosting University at 4 p.m., while the baseball team greets Pine Ridge at 4:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, the softball team plays host to Mainland at 4 p.m., while the flag-football team competes at Mainland at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the junior-varsity baseball team facing Pine Ridge at home at 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 28, has the boys weightlifting team going to University at 4 p.m., with the softball team hosting Atlantic at 4:30 p.m., and the beach-volleyball team greeting Spruce Creek at 4 p.m. on campus.
Thursday, Feb. 29, is a busy day for DHS sports, as the softball team travels to Seabreeze at 6 p.m.; the tennis teams host Pine Ridge at 4 p.m.; the baseball team goes to Flagler Palm Coast at 7 p.m.; the flag-football teams play at Pine Ridge at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.; the junior-varsity baseball team is at Flagler Palm Coast at 4 p.m.; and the junior-varsity softball team faces Seabreeze in Daytona Beach at 4:30 p.m.
Stetson University
Stetson University is adding an elevator in Elizabeth Hall. Construction will take place from May to August. The elevator will access all three floors, including the raised section of the building’s south end of the third floor.
Stetson’s Beckerath Organ has been added to College Cliffs, a provider of higher-education rankings, among its listing of “20 Oldest and Most Amazing Organs in College Campus Chapels.” The organ was installed in 1961 in the Lee Chapel of Elizabeth Hall.
Stetson University College of Law has won the Association of American Law Schools’ LGBTQ+ Inclusive Excellence Award.
Stetson University Athletics
Stetson University’s baseball program has promoted Shane Gierke to associate head coach.
Stetson basketball player Josh Smith has now surpassed the 500 career-rebound mark as a Hatter.
The Stetson Lady Hatter tennis team lost to the University of South Florida, 4-3, and the Hatter men downed Florida National twice by a 7-0 score.
The Lady Hatter lacrosse team opened its 2024 season with a win over Presbyterian, 20-7. Jordyn Humphrey scored 6 points, while Kaitlin Pani added 4 points and Georgia Goering had 3.
The Stetson women’s basketball team won two games, downing North Alabama, 62-55, with Quentarra Mitchell leading the way with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Lady Hatters also topped Central Arkansas in a close, 57-56, game, with Mitchell scoring 12 points while grabbing nine rebounds, making three steals and recording one blocked shot.
The Hatter men also won two recent basketball games. They stopped Bellarmine, 84-77, with Jalen Blackmon scoring 26 points, and Josh Smith scoring 19 points with 11 rebounds. Aubin Gateretse added 17 points with eight rebounds, and Stephan Swenson made 13 points, while creating five assists.
The Hats then topped league-leading Eastern Kentucky, 87-79, with Blackmon scoring 27 points, and Smith getting 24 points and 11 rebounds. Gateretse scored 12 points, with 12 rebounds, five assists, three blocked shots and two steals.
Lady Hatter softball opened the season losing to Boston University, 10-0 and 7-2; Binghamton, 7-5 and 6-5; and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, 7-4.
The basketball calendar has the men at Jacksonville University at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, and the women hosting Jacksonville University at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29.
The Stetson calendar has the baseball team hosting Army at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24; Fordham at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25; and the University of Florida at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27.
The softball team faces Long Island at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, and Green Bay at 5:30 p.m.; and then plays Maryland at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25. The team goes to the University of South Florida Wednesday, Feb. 28, for games at 3 p.m. and at the end of the first game.
The home calendar for the minor sports at Stetson has the women’s tennis team facing South Carolina State at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, while the beach-volleyball team greets Southern Mississippi at 10 a.m. and FGCU at 4 p.m. that same day.
Sunday, Feb. 25, brings Georgia Southern to the Hatter men’s tennis team at 2 p.m.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the women’s tennis team greets Oakland University at 10 a.m.
College honors
Jovanny Chinea, of DeLand, has been named to the President’s List for the fall 2023 semester at Des Moines Area Community College. Chinea is majoring in criminal justice.
Tristan Himes, of DeBary, has been named to the President’s List for the fall 2023 semester at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
