Community Problem Solving project builds confidence

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

The Flagler Palm Coast High School Community Problem Solving project Project SELFConfidence, which stands for Students Evolving Lives Full of Confidence, is striving to enhance the experience of students who may be encountering anxiety during their progression into middle school.

Last year, the group focused on giving presentations to sixth-grade students at Flagler County elementary schools, talking about boosting self-confidence, health and hygiene, and middle school preparation.

The focus of their project this year was implementing a mentorship program in the middle schools as well as making their presentations more sustainable. This program would pair one eighth-grade student with one incoming seventh-grader. The group recently held an event at the Buddy Taylor Middle School for mentors and mentees to get to know each other. To ensure the sustainability of their presentations, they are working to convert them into movies and curriculum to distribute to all elementary schools.

“We hope to have a positive influence on middle school students in our county,” wrote team member Will DeAugustino. “Our group understands the challenges that come along with growing up and moving onto middle school, so our goal is to ease that transition for them as much as we can.”

Email [email protected].

Palm Harbor Academy adds director of VPK
Palm Harbor Academy announced that Ameena Shields is the new director of VPK.

Born in New Jersey and raised in North Carolina, Shields moved to Palm Coast in 2007. She received her child development associate degree as well as her director's credentials from Flagler Technical Institute.

“I’ve always found myself working with children,” Shields said. “I encourage our students in a fun and educational way, making them feel that whatever dream they have can come true."

The Palm Harbor Academy is located at 95 Old Kings N. Call 447-9692, or visit palmharboracademy.net.

Andrew Butler named First Team Scholastic All American
Indian Trials Middle School seventh-grade student Andrew Butler was selected last week as a First Team Scholastic All American by the Pop Warner Little Scholars organization. He is one of only 35 seventh-grade football players selected nationally for this award.

Pop Warner received over 8,850 All American applications this year. The first team scholars are selected based on the following criteria: grades — 85% (students must be in fifth grade or higher and have a 96% GPA across all subjects for the previous year in order to apply), and activities and achievements outside of sports — 15%.

Butler achieved a 100% GPA and his participation in National Junior Beta, church youth at Trinity Presbyterian Church, a mission trip to Tampa last summer, and various other activities helped qualify him for this prestigious honor.

Although Butler is the only participant from Flagler County PAL Pop Warner this year to be recognized as first team, the program also boast 22 second-team selections and six honorable mentions between both the football and cheer divisions.

Belle Terre, Indian Trails Problem Solvers win big
Future Problem Solving teams from both Belle Terre Elementary and Indian Trails Middle School attended the state competition bringing home six awards. First place awards went to Grace Ledrich, Belle Terre, for junior multi-school scenario writing, and Augusto “Trey” de'Leon, Indian Trials, for middle multi-school scenario writing.

Other winners from Belle Terre are Teagan Howard, third place for junior multi-school scenario writing and Ledrich, Kate O'Mahoney, Colin Hubbs and Vanessa Sanabria, fourth place for junior team global issues.

Other winner from Indian Trails are Hannah Umpenhour, second place, and Kylie Miller, third place, both for middle multi-school scenario writing.

Other participating students are as follows: Hunter Perez, Kaitlyn Gerhard, Nicholas Villa, Zoe Estburg, Maggie O'Mahoney, Nathan Hubbs and Delaney Booth.