School

Headline Surfer video and photos by Sera Frederick / Caitlyn Zona, president of the 2012 Class of New Smyrna Beach High School adresses her clasmates Saturday night at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, which you can watch by clicking the video. The 17-year-old New Smyrna Beach grad is headed to the University of Central Florida on an academic scholarship where she will major in education.

New Smyrna Beach High School 2012 Class President Caitlyn Zona encouraged her classmates to consider what the word "change" means to them at this point in their lives. Here is the full text of her address:

Headline Surfer video and photos by Sera Frederick /

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The 392 graduating seniors of the New Smyrna Beach Class of 2012 has received $2,218,368 in scholarship monies. That's a whopping $2.2 million.  

Photo for Headline Surfer / NSBNews.net

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A group of kids -- really good kids -- have a chance to showcase their talents, but they can't do it without help from the community that hungers for feel-good stories in a fast-paced world where teenagers are admired for what they can do on the football field or on the other extreme, getting into trouble.

Photo for NSBNews.net/ Headline Surfer

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Perhaps the middle initial "A" in Alexandria A. Spradlin's name is symbolic of her academic achiement at New Smyrna Beach High School. After all, the senior has been named finalist in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship competition.

"New Smyrna Beach High School is pleased to announce that Alexandria A. Spradlin is a finalist," Principal Jim Tager said.

Spradlin is one of 14,400 semifinalists in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship program. She is the daughter of Christina and Gregory Spradlin.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mullinax Ford is offering New Smyrna Beach High School the opportunity to raise $8,000. Members of the community can earn money for NSBHS by simply test-driving a new Ford at the school, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 7.

For each person who takes a Ford for a spin during the "Ford Drive One 4 UR School" event, Ford Motor Company will donate $20 to New Smyrna Beach High School for up to 300 drivers. Mullinax Ford will donate an additional $2,000 for an additional 100 drivers - 400 Drivers equals $8,000. What a deal!

Principal Jan McKee leads a ribbon cutting Tuesday for the Burns Science and Technology Charter School, 160 Ridge Road in Oak Hill, which welcomes 270 k-8th grade students on Monday.

OAK HILL -- With blue skies and a large tent to provide some relief from the hot sun, upwards of 300 people were welcomed Tuesday by Principal Jan McKee to the Burns Science Technical Charter School.

DELAND -- The School District of Volusia County will hold a union negotiation meeting with the Volusia Teachers Organization at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27.

The meeting will be held in the 2nd floor conference room at the DeLand Administrative Complex, 200 N. Clara Avenue, DeLand.