Ormond Beach Girl Scout teaches elementary students about ballet for Gold Award project

Ormond Beach Observer
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Ormond Beach Girl Scout Annalisa Peburn, 17, is making a difference in her community, one ballet shoe at a time.

As part of her gold award project for Girl Scouts, Peburn is incorporating her passion for dance with her love for the community she has been born and raised in. For the past couple of months, Peburn has been visiting a second grade classroom at Osceola Elementary to teach them about ballet and the Nutcracker, which she secured tickets for the kids to get to see in December at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach.

“Dance is a huge portion of her life," said her mother, Janet Peburn. "That’s why she incorporated dance into her gold award, kind of meshing her two worlds together.”

The gold award is the highest award for Girl Scouts, equivalent to the Boy Scout's Eagle award.

Annalisa Peburn is captain of the dance team at Father Lopez Catholic High School, where she is an honors student. She also dances 30 hours a week and for 11 years, has been part of the Civic Ballet of Volusia County, which is putting on the Nutcracker.

Annalisa Peburn will be dancing with a few of her teammates at this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. In January, she will take her talents over the pond to dance in the All-American team for the New Years Day parade in London.

Elite Academy of Music and Motion holds annual recital

Keith Gamble, Justin Knox, Lauren Weber, Damian Bonazzoli and Steven Levine perform "Steve's Blues" at the Elite Academy of Music and Motion's annual recital on Sunday, Nov. 12. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

With more than 70 performers, the Elite Academy of Music and Motion's annual five-hour recital featured a variety of performers, from piano, voice, guitar and wind players at the Anderson-Price Memorial Building on Sunday, Nov. 12.

Director Damian Bonazzoli said one of the best things about the performances was seeing the sense of community his school has cultivated, as well as the number of family members performing together. He himself performed a few numbers with his students, accompanying them with his mandolin and playing in the school's ensembles. The recital came to an end after two numbers by the Speed City Cloggers, Ormond Beach's clogging club.

Ormond Beach Lions Club names its SHS's student-athlete of the month for November

The Ormond Beach Lions Club honored senior wrestler and

First Vice President Tom Millen, Braden Buswell and Brittany, Steve Buswell and Principal Joe Rawlings. Photo courtesy of the Lions Club

captain of the football team Braden Buswell as it's Seabreeze High School student-athlete of the month for November.

Buswell also serves as captain of the wresting team and was first in the All-Area wresting team last year. In addition, he placed fifth overall in the state in the 220-pound weight class, and is looking forward to competing for a state championship this year.

Aside from sports, Buswell also works in the school office and helped Coach Pop Warner with the First United Methodist Church move. He is currently taking multiple college-level courses as well.