School

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Cheyenne Drews with 6-year-old Sam Hillier, two of the stars in the recent play, "A Christmas Carol" under the direction of Dan Blazi at the Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach. The kindergartner earned the role of 'Tiny Tim.'

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Many of you who are regular visitors to Headline Surfer® and its previous name, NSBNews.net know Cheyenne Drews, the New Smyrna Beach High School senior, who has been writing a community blog for the 24/7 internet newspaper since middle school.

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Ray Cornelius of Daytona State College has been recognized for his foreign language skills.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The chair of the School of World Languages and Speech at Daytona State College, has been named the 2013 College and University Instructor of the Year by Florida Foreign Language Instructors in Colleges and Universities, a member of the Florida Foreign Language Association.

Photo by David S. Williams for Headline Surfer / Stetson's Kevin Fagan, shown at far left, and teammate Patrick Mazeika, were both named to the 2013 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team.

Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / A bus leaves New Smyrna Beach High school for the afternoon commute as shown in this recent shot while students wait for their turn to board as shown in the inset photo.

DELAND -- With at last eight children hit by cars while walking or riding bicycles to or from schools across Volusia County, Sheriff Ben Johnson wants to make sure there are no such mishaps involving children coming onto or off school buses because of motorists not obeying the the rules of the road.

With that concern in mind, he's ordered his deputies step up traffic enforcement to protect students getting on and off school buses.

Headline Surfer video and photos by Sera Frederick / Alexandria Spradlin, valedictorian of the 2012 graduating class of New Smyrna Beach High School, addresses her classmates during commencement ceremonies Saturday at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, which you can watch by clicking the video. 

New Smyrna Beach High School Class of 2012 Valedictorian Alexandria Spradlin told her classmates the time has come for them to begin their journeys through life and not to cede decisions on where they're going to others. Here is the full text of her speech:

SAMSULA -- The Samsula Woman's Club will host a "community yard sale, 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 31, with proceeds to offer scholarships to local college-bound students who attended Samsula Elementary School or have close ties to the Samsula community.

Come shop the bargains or sell your own items. Spaces are available for $5; sellers must provide their own table. The sale will be held at the SNPJ Lodge, 421 Samsula Drive, Samsula, outside the New Smyrna Beach city limits in unincorporated Volusia County. For more information about the sale or to obtain a scholarship application, please email the group womansclub.samsula@gmail.com or call Ruthie McCormack at 386-428-0953.

NSBNews.net photos by Henry Frederick / Crossing guard Donna Bryant helps second grader Tyrek Colley, 7, cross Ronnac Lane at Palm Street in front of the Chisholm Elementary School in New Smyrna Beach Monday morning to open the 2011-'12 school year in Volusia County. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Crossing guard Donna Bryant had her trusty orange and yellow vest on and portable two-way stop sign in her right hand at 7:15 p.m. as she began the hour-long task of helping children -- and parents there with some of them -- cross Ronnoc Lane at Palm Street for the first day of school.

"I love it," she said with a smile, of her routine, which she has been doing now for 11 years. "I love being with the kids and meeting the parents."

NSBNews.net video by Sera Frederick / Volusia County School Board Chairman Stan Schmidt addressed the New Smyrna Beach Class of 2011 at Saturday's commencement at the Ocean Center. He was interviewed on camera after the graduation on stage by NSBNews.net on a number of issues, including his impressions of the graduation, the school district's finances and dealing with budget shortfalls. 

DAYTONA  BEACH -- Volusia County School Board Chairman Stan Schmidt encouraged the graduating seniors of New Smyrna Beach High School to get involved in their communities and to vote. After the ceremony, he told NSBNews.net he's worried about funding for schools after the next fiscal year because of uncertainty in government spending.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Council Chairman Frank Bruno has advice for the New Smyrna Beach High School Class of 2011: "Education is the key.

NSBNews.net video by multimedia editor Sera Frederick / Principal James Tager celebrates his first year at helm of 400-member graduating class after four years at middle school as principal. Tager led Saturday's commencement at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach where he sent 400 seniors into the real world as young adults.

DAYTONA BEACH -- James Tager may be a rookie principal at New Smyrna Beach High School, but he already knew many of the 400 graduates from their four years together at the middle school where he was also principal. NSBNews.net spoke with Tager immediately after Saturday's graduation at the Ocean Center attended by more than 4,000 parents, extended family members and friends.