
Volusia County Schools has selected the Volunteers and Mentors of the Year for the school year of 2024-25. The Outstanding Adult Volunteer of the Year represents Citrus Grove Elementary in DeLand. He is Eugene Perrino, who has spent 14 years volunteering at Citrus Grove. Some of the things he has done over the years include serving on the PTA Executive Board, dedicating his time and talents to support students and staff at the school, chaperoning field-study trips and offering a positive impact felt by all. He will now represent Volusia County Schools for the state award.
Others honored include Marlene Mercurio of New Smyrna Beach Middle School as Mentor of the Year, Rachelle Kirton of Spruce Creek Elementary School in Port Orange as Outstanding Senior Volunteer of the Year and Sophia Hazelbaker of Volusia Online Learning as the Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year.
In January, this column mentioned the James T. “Tom” Russell Memorial Scholarship application with a deadline of Saturday, Feb. 15. This scholarship offers $500-$1,000 to a Volusia County public high-school student.
Call 386-255-6475, ext. 50730, for information, or email FuturesFoundation@Volusia.k12.fl.us.
Monday, Feb. 17, is the next day away from school for students and staff so that all can observe Presidents Day. The early-release days for February are the 12th, 19th and 26th.
Citrus Grove Elementary School
Kathryn Marsh is the nominee for Citrus Grove Elementary School in DeLand for the Crystal Apple Award, which is presented yearly by the DeLand and Greater West Volusia Chamber of Commerce. Marsh volunteers and leads special projects, creates kindness initiatives, volunteers to help after school and during school events, serves as the school’s resident disc jockey and, away from school, volunteers and gives back for veterans.
DeLand High School
DeLand High School International Baccalaureate senior Adalyn Foster has been named the Distinguished Young Woman of Florida. This award recognizes her accomplishments in the areas of academics, talent and leadership. She will now represent Florida at the national competition in Alabama later this year. The Distinguished Young Woman program empowers high-school girls with life skills, scholarship, and opportunities to succeed in college and beyond.
DeLand High also, from time to time, highlights employees in the Bulldog Spotlight. Recently honored were Lou Ann Moffatt, a data office specialist; James Jones, the head custodian; and Carlos Mendoza, the senior IT specialist.
The Grad Bash for DeLand High will be 4 p.m. Saturday, April 5, through 2 a.m. Sunday, April 6. The cost is $145, which includes access to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure as a “park hopper,” early entrance to both parks and transportation. Ticket sales began Feb. 5 and end Friday, Feb. 28. Field-trip permission forms must be completed and signed before purchasing a ticket. Forms can be picked up in the front office or the Activities Office, and ticket sales are done only through the Activities Office, only before or after school and during lunch. Seniors must be graduation-ready and have no obligations in order to purchase a ticket.
Pine Ridge High School
The Mr. and Miss Pine Ridge program will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21.
Grad Bash ticket sales end Friday, Feb. 14. Grad Bash for Pine Ridge High School in Deltona is Saturday, April 5. The charter buses leave at 4:30 p.m. and return to the school at 3:30 a.m. The cost is $155, which includes charter-bus transportation and park ticket. Permission slips are required.
Wyatt Blair, a FFA student at Pine Ridge, placed first in the district Safe Tractor Operations competition. He will be competing next on the state level in February.
DeLand High School girls weightlifting
The DeLand High School girl weightlifters were the FHSAA District runners-up in Olympic-style weightlifting. Addie Ruocco took first in her weight division, while Payton Mathis took second. Yanelie Echevarria and Ashleigh Mina each picked up a fourth-place finish, with Amelia Rizzo gaining a sixth-place finish. The team is coached by Damion Dunn.
Earlier in the month of January, the team traveled to Lake Wales to compete in the Ariana Segarra Pizarro Invitational Meet. Six of the DeLand lifters won spots on the podium. Elena Cruz took thirds in both Olympic- and traditional-style lifts, while Katherine Rodriguez took a third in traditional and a fourth in Olympic. Mathis took fifth in Olympic and sixth in traditional. Sarah Lamay was fifth in Olympic, while Sierra West and Mina took sixth-place finishes in Olympic. Each girl competed in a different weight division.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Bulldog boys basketball team downed DME, 61-54, with Justin Suarez dropping in 19 points, with four steals and one blocked shot. Robert Davis added 12 points, with one block shot. The Bulldogs then lost a close one to Orlando Boone, 55-53.
The Lady Bulldog basketball team defeated Viera on the Bulldog home court, 42-36.
The DHS boys soccer team won their first match in the district playoffs over University, 4-1.
The Bulldog wrestling team will be competing in the Five Star Championships Saturday, Feb. 8, at Deltona High School.
The Lady Bulldog weightlifters who qualify for the state championships will compete in Lakeland Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14 and 15.
The DeLand High boys weightlifters compete at home Wednesday, Feb. 12, against Deltona and Father Lopez at 4:30 p.m.
Stetson University basketball
The Stetson University Hatter men just got by Eastern Kentucky on a last-second, half-court shot by Mehki Ellison to win 67-66. Ellison finished with 15 points, while Abramo Canka made 12 points, with six rebounds and two steals. Jordan Wood dropped in 11 points with one block, while Josh Massey finished with 11 points.
The Hats then defeated Bellarmine, 81-76, with Treyton Thompson getting a career-high 23 points, while collecting seven rebounds. Ellison followed with 17 points, Wood made 14 points, six rebounds and one block, and Jamie Phillips Jr. collected 12 points with eight rebounds.
The Lady Hatters defeated Eastern Kentucky at home, 83-68, with Cameron Thomas scoring 25 points while collecting two steals. Quentarra Mitchell scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. Mary McMillan scored 12 points with two steals, and Jorah Eppley dropped in 10 points.
The team then lost to Bellarmine, 67-52, with Thomas scoring 16 points, with one block and two steals, while Diawna Carter-Hartley added 10 points and collected 10 rebounds for a double/double, four blocks and two steals.
Saturday, Feb. 8, has the men at home against Eastern Kentucky at 4 p.m., and the women playing at Bellarmine at 2 p.m. The men’s game is sponsored by Sonny’s BBQ.
Wednesday, Feb. 12, has the women hosting JU at 11 a.m., and the men play at Lipscomb at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13.
Stetson University baseball/softball
The Stetson University softball team plays host to a tournament Friday-Sunday, Feb. 7-9. They face Fairleigh Dickinson at 3 p.m. and Binghamton at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, followed with games against FDU at 3 p.m. and Chattanooga at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and against Chattanooga Sunday, Feb. 9.
Other games among the participating teams will take place during the three-day tournament.
On Wednesday, Feb. 12, the softball team travels to UF for a 6 p.m. game and Friday-Sunday, Feb. 14-16, the team plays host to another tournament featuring Wofford, Fairfield and Bethune-Cookman.
The baseball team opens the 2025 season with a trip to Puerto Rico, where the Hats face UConn, Penn State, Missouri and Michigan Friday-Monday, Feb. 14-17.
Stetson University Athletics
The Stetson University men’s tennis team has announced the addition of Santiago Padilla and Mihnea Maftei to their fall roster for 2025. Padilla hails from Plantation, while Maftei is from Romania.
The men’s tennis team lost to UCF, 5-2, and defeated Kennesaw State, 4-3. During those two matches, single-play victories were posted by Christian Kuehne, Lucas Olivier (2), Eder Blanco, Sami Ozzor and Xavier Sarda Marti.
The Stetson women tennis players topped Bethune-Cookman, 7-0, Kennesaw State, 4-3, and South Carolina State, 5-2. During the three matches, those players winning single matches included Katsiaryna Tuliakova (2), Cheri Darley (2), Alanna DiFrancesco (2), Clelia Lombardi (3), Audelie Lesauvage (3) and Elicia Kim.
The Stetson spring sports calendar has the women tennis players hosting FAMU at 10 a.m. and Bethune-Cookman at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7.
On Sunday, Feb. 9, the lacrosse team travels to face Butler in Eugene, Oregon, and Oregon Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Friday, Feb. 14, sends the women’s tennis team to UCF at noon.
College honors
Wallace State Community College is proud to announce that Kaylee Roman, of Deltona, has earned a place on the President’s List for the fall 2024 semester. Wallace State Community College is in Hanceville, Alabama.
Sienna Peele, of DeLand, has been named to the fall 2024 Chancellor’s Honor Roll at the University of Mississippi. Peele is working on a Bachelor of Arts in Allied Health Studies. The school is in University, Mississippi.
Kat Blazetic, of DeLand, a graduate of DeLand High School majoring in business administration, has been named to the dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.
The University of Alabama has named the following students to the dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester: Ava Flaute of DeBary, and Adeline Franz and Riley Myers, both of DeLand. The following were named to the President’s List: Samantha Flaute of DeBary, James Gorman of Deltona, and Sydney Anne Healy of Orange City.
Sara Foster and Julio Patino, both of DeLand, were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2024 term at the University of Maryland Global Campus.