Latest news with #VolusiaCountySchools
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Volusia County Schools deploys new gun detection AI
In an effort to improve school safety, Volusia County Schools is deploying a new artificial intelligence platform for detecting guns. The new software is called ZeroEyes. It will work by layering onto the schools' current digital cameras. If a gun is detected, the video will be fed back to the company's operations center, which is staffed by military and law enforcement veterans. The county says this will add another critical layer of protection. 'Our goal is to be a trailblazer for school safety in Florida,' Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin said in a news release. 'After seeing the Daytona Beach Police Department's success with ZeroEyes, we conducted a thorough evaluation of the technology. We began piloting it in a few of our schools and quickly recognized the critical value it provides. We want our students to focus on learning, building friendships, and preparing for their futures, rather than worrying about their safety.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Edith I. Starke Elementary School students awarded program for 2025–2026 year
Volusia County Schools will launch its first-ever elementary magnet program at Edith I. Starke Elementary School in DeLand next year. The innovative program, focusing on STEM and the Arts, will open for students in grades K-2 in the 2025–2026 school year. Volusia County Schools shares that STEM + Arts blends exciting science, technology, engineering and math lessons with fun, creative problem-solving using design thinking. The program aims to create a collaborative atmosphere encouraging innovation, critical thinking and creative design to provide all students with opportunities for meaningful, future-focused learning. Notable features of STEM + Arts include: For more information about applying, contact Nicole Yates at more information about the program, contact Amy Monahan at here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Volusia County Schools shares that STEM + Arts blends exciting science, technology, engineering and math lessons with fun, creative problem-solving using design thinking. The program aims to create a collaborative atmosphere encouraging innovation, critical thinking and creative design to provide all students with opportunities for meaningful, future-focused learning. Notable features of STEM + Arts include: For more information about applying, contact Nicole Yates at here. For more information about the program, contact Amy Monahan at here. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Integrated core benchmarks with arts-based learning Student-centered, real-world problem solving Emphasis on teamwork, communication, and creativity Research-backed practices that enhance engagement and understanding Inclusion of dance, music, and theatre Use of industry-relevant technology and concepts, including: Robotics Architecture & Structural Design Meteorology Coding Electronics Measurement Tools Raster Animation Vector-Based Design
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Once-homeless student wins Volusia schools' version of 'Shark Tank' with food-prep concept
DELAND – Healthy, fresh prepped foods for SNAP recipients. Nickel-free jewelry for people with sensitive skin. Kits of items newly independent college students don't yet know they need. Aspiring entrepreneurs from three Volusia County high schools dropped these and other ideas for businesses onto panels of judges with business backgrounds in a "Shark Tank"-like competition Thursday, with at least one – first-place winner Geo Hoffmann, a senior at Spruce Creek High School – qualifying for a similar regional event in Miami next month with the potential to move on to a national pitch competition. Students at Spruce Creek, Mainland and DeLand high schools are in a course aligned with standards established by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Each school had its own competition and 17 made it to the district-wide event at Stetson Baptist Church in DeLand. "This is taught in our high schools to give that entrepreneurial mindset to students," said Vince Roeshink, the career-technical education specialist at Volusia County Schools, "so that they can try to learn how to start a business, what it takes to do that from startup to operating costs, the finance portions of it and there's a pitch deck that has to cover a variety of items." Working through the competition gives students skills – not the least of which is public speaking and networking. School Board member Krista Goodrich, who has started several businesses herself, attended the event and said it's "wildly important" to provide entrepreneurial skill-building in high school. "I think if they start formulating those ideas now, and start learning about the entire process of starting a business, it will give them quite a few steps ahead of kids that aren't learning that," said Goodrich, who was 23 when she started building her first business. "I had no background of how to get a business license, how to start a business, how to get funding. Would I take a loan? Would I do (venture capital) money? How did all of that work?" she said. "We weren't taught this when I was in school. ... I was the first entrepreneur of my friend group." Hoffmann pitched PREP – Prepare Recipies, Expand Possibilities – a meal-prep service aimed at low-income families who rely upon government assistance programs, including SNAP, and can struggle to find fresh, healthy food both because of cost and the phenomenon of food deserts, neighborhoods without grocery stores. A New York native, Hoffmann knows of which he speaks. He said his family has struggled the point of being homeless at times. And his idea also stems from his job at Perrine's Produce in Port Orange. "We ship off meal-prep to families who can't really afford the super-expensive stuff," Hoffmann said. "It would be around $8.50 per meal, so super cost-affordable. "Pretty much the main goal is making sure everybody can afford healthy, nutritious meals," he said. Before learning he had won, Hoffmann said he was most proud of being cool while giving his presentation in front of a bigger audience than a high school classroom. "I wasn't really worried about what anybody else was presenting. I was just worried about me, doing my own thing," he said. "And I'm happy with what I've done today." Hoffmann intends to enroll at Daytona State College and become a certified public accountant, while minoring in firefighting. Asked about having an entrepreneurial mind, he offered a simple response: "I like solving problems." Hoffmann said he's learned the best way to build a business is by networking. "The biggest lesson that you can learn is how to talk to people," he said. Even after presenting, Payton Bonino, a Spruce Creek junior, admitted she felt "so scared, so nervous." Regardless, judges found her concept of affordable hypoallergenic jewelry to be worthy of second place. It wasn't her first idea, she said. She started, vaguely, with wanting to do something with jewelry. She wanted to do something to customize accessories with "detachable pendants," but a recent episode at school got her thinking differently. "I have a severe nickel allergy. I have scars on my finger and on the back of my neck from wearing jewelry that was not nickel-free," she said. "And I literally got sent home from lunch the other day because I wore a necklace that was not nickel-free, and 15 minutes later, I had rashes forming." So she came up with a company she called Bella. "I started realizing there was a much bigger problem that I could address other than just customization," Bonino said. "And I could address a much more toxic point in the jewelry industry, which was the hypoallergenic, where either you have to choose between comfort and spending hundreds of dollars in jewelry." Third-place finisher Payton Garner, a senior at Mainland High School and founder of the EssentialCube, said the transition from high school to college "can be very overwhelming and time consuming," particularly the part about moving into a dorm. "The EssentialCube is a cost effective and family-focused tote that comes with all the essentials that you don't know you need yet," Garner said during one of her pitches. "It also allows for being a dependent upon your parents to becoming independent." She presented the EssentialCube as a curated selection of items for students moving into dorms, including a power strip, a mini tool kit, ice tray, sponge, collapsible laundry basket and other items. One of the judges, Brad Harris, business manager for the Volusia County Division of Economic Development, was taken with Garner's idea. "In this case, I had a personal experience where a family member bought me kind of the essentials for college," he said. "I could relate to that." Harris said the best pitches are a combination of research and personal testimony that solve a real problem. "In my mind, whenever I hear a creative idea like you heard today, I start thinking of opportunities to expand and grow," he said, "and I saw potential in (Garner's pitch) to grow far beyond what I think she's envisioning right now." This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia students pitch business ideas in 'Shark Tank'-like competition
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Volusia County High School is launching a pilot of the Evolv weapon detection system
Atlantic High School will be the first district in Florida to implement this advanced security screening technology on Tuesday. Implementation of Evolv services such as the Evolv Express and eXpedite systems enhances student and staff safety by using AI-driven sensors to detect weapons while allowing for a smooth and efficient entry process. Atlantic High School is located at 1250 Reed Canal Rd in Port Orange. The cutting-edge system is another layer of protection to keep all students and staff secure. Volusia County Schools released the following details ahead of the new changes. Details include: All students entering campus will pass through the Evolv Weapon Detection System. Students will place bookbags and other items on the scanner while walking through with their cellphones in hand. The system processes up to 2,000 individuals per hour. If an alert is triggered, staff will conduct a secondary screening based on system guidance. Volusia County Schools - Danielle Johnson Community Information Services The Evolv pilot program, which will begin April 1st at Atlantic High School, will serve as a model for the full implementation of Evolv across all VCS high schools in the 2025-26 school year. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Bike Week child predator sting leads to Port Orange school employee arrest
A Bike Week sting operation led to the arrest of a Port Orange school paraprofessional on allegations of inappropriate interactions with a minor. Sixteen people were arrested during 'Operation Full Throttle,' which targeted alleged child predators. Among them was Jeffery Summers, who worked at Horizon Elementary School. Summers, 51, was arrested on two charges: traveling to meet after using a computer to lure a child and soliciting a child for unlawful sex. Volusia County Schools confirmed Summers worked at Horizon Elementary School. The district said he did not teach a specific grade but worked in many classrooms because he worked with exceptional student education, or special needs students. A school district spokesperson said a crisis team was on campus Monday and members were available to students who needed support or counseling following the arrests. On top of an investigation by the Port Orange Police Department, the school district is also conducting its own internal professional standards investigation. The situation made many parents feel uneasy. 'You're just like in this unknown. Like do I talk to my kids? Have they had any incidents?' said Erica Mitchell. 'I was actually skeptical about bringing my kid to school until I knew more about what was going on,' said Reinold Lujan. The school district said Summers is not allowed on any campus or to have interaction with students. Records show Summers bailed out Saturday. Eyewitness News is still waiting for more details about this case from Port Orange police. On Monday morning, the school district sent the following statement: 'We can confirm that the man arrested is a para professional at Horizon Elementary School. 'Most details will need to be provided by POPD since it's an active investigation. VCS has opened an internal professional standards investigation on the individual as well. Next steps will be determined by the findings of those investigations. ''Our staff is working with law enforcement to ensure their investigation can move forward appropriately,' said Sarah Lux, Spokesperson for Volusia County Schools. 'The individual has been placed on leave and will have no interaction with students moving forward. Further action will be determined based on the findings of the investigation.' ''Our priority every single day is student safety. Mental health resources will be available at Horizon Elementary School tomorrow to ensure we can assist any students or staff who need support,' said Sarah Lux, spokesperson for VCS.' The following is a letter sent to parents and read by the principal over a phone message: 'Dear Horizon Elementary School families, 'This is Principal Johnson with an important message. This morning, Volusia County Schools was made aware that a staff member at Horizon Elementary was arrested for inappropriate interactions with a minor. We take these charges very seriously and are working with the Port Orange Police Department to ensure the investigation can move forward without delay. 'Our most critical priority every day is the safety of our students. The staff member has been placed on leave while the POPD conducts their investigation. VCS is also conducting an internal professional standards investigation. The staff member will not be allowed on any VCS campus and will have no further interaction with students until the investigations conclude and a determination can be made. 'A crisis team will be on campus Monday to assist any students who need support or counseling. 'Thank you for your understanding on this matter.' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
