Volusia, Flagler Teacher of the Year awards set to honor exemplary employees
The annual Teacher of the Year announcements are just around the corner and local districts are looking forward to honoring faculty members at this month's celebratory ceremonies.
Volusia County will name its District Teacher of the Year Sunday at a banquet hosted by the FUTURES Foundation and sponsored by AdventHealth. Superintendent Carmen Balgobin will also recognize three winners who exemplify this year's district theme: Achieving Excellence Together.
Flagler County will name its District Teacher, Employee and Rookie of the Year at a gala Wednesday presented by Flagler County Schools and the Flagler County Education Foundation.
Local 2025 Teachers of the Year will represent their respective district in Florida's Teacher of the Year program.
Volusia County has five teacher finalists
At the start of each academic year, every school in the district nominates one teacher who has positively impacted students.
On Oct. 18, all 70 nominees were recognized with a reception at Jackie Robinson Ball Park in Daytona Beach.
A selection committee — comprised of administrators, educators, community members and parents — reviewed all applications and selected five finalists in November:
Amy Dempsey, DeLand High School.
Emily Fagerstorm, Champion Elementary School.
Caryn King, Ormond Beach Middle School.
Tanner K. Norvell, Seabreeze High School.
Gina Marie Walker, George Marks Elementary School.
The committee then interviewed the five finalists and observed their classrooms to determine the district’s 2025 teacher of the year who will be announced at a banquet with more than 900 attendees on Sunday at the Hilton Oceanfront Resort in Daytona Beach.
Adrianna Swearingen, Florida’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, will also speak at the event.
The winner is awarded with a car to drive for one year, provided by Daytona Mitsubishi and Kia, according to Danielle Johnson, the district’s director of community information. And all five finalists will receive a three-day, two-night hotel gift certificate from Bob Davis, president of the Hotel and Lodging Association of Volusia County.
Last year, Vonda Morris, a Spruce Creek High School probability and statistics/AP statistics teacher, was selected as the 2023-24 Volusia County Schools Teacher of the Year.
Here are the remainder of nominees for the 2025 Teacher of the Year:
Shirley A. Anderson, Spruce Creek Elementary School.
Michele Lee Benson, Manatee Cove Elementary School.
Elizabeth Bing, Hinson Middle School.
Sandra Bordis, Ormond Beach Elementary School.
Rick Bowrosen, Atlantic High School.
Jeremy Brock, New Smyrna Beach High School.
Jonathan Brodie, New Smyrna Beach Middle School.
Tarell Butler, Read Pattillo Elementary School.
Heidi Campbell, Southwestern Middle School.
Dwayne J. Chatman, Deltona Middle School.
Cindy White Circelli, Silver Sands Middle School.
Amanda Marie Collier, Timbercrest Elementary School.
Jacquelynn Collins, River Springs Middle School.
Ashley Cowell, Woodward Avenue Elementary School.
Kelley Daly, Deltona High School.
Ashely Daughtry, Chisholm Elementary School.
Amy Dempsey, DeLand High School.
Adrienne L. Donald, Holly Hill School.
Dawn Drysdal, University High School.
Amanda Dunkins, Pride Elementary School.
Mary Dunn, Citrus Grove Elementary School.
Emily Fagerstorm, Champion Elementary School.
Stephen Gold, Mainland High School.
Heidi Gors, Riverview Learning Center.
Natasha Guidry, Discovery Elementary School.
Dashia R. Haws, Starke Elementary School.
LeeAnne Hockenberry, DeBary Elementary School.
Melissa Hoffman Heller, Beachside Elementary School.
Benjamin Johnson, South Daytona Elementary School.
Robin Johnson, Edgewater Public School.
Carhonda A. Jones, Palm Terrace Elementary School.
Fran Kennedy, Orange City Elementary School.
Caryn King, Ormond Beach Middle School.
Kristie Merklin, Port Orange Elementary School.
Jennifer Lambus, McInnis Elementary School.
Carol Langbecker, Highbanks Learning Center School.
Amanda Lee, Friendship Elementary School.
Jennifer Lupica, Pine Ridge High School.
Misty Maman, Indian River Elementary School.
Tara McCarthy-Ward, Sunrise Elementary School.
Bethany McClelland, Spruce Creek High School.
Ashlee McCowen, Westside Elementary School.
Linda McLean, Cypress Creek Elementary School.
Jamie Menard, Deltona Lakes Elementary School.
Tanner K. Norvell, Seabreeze High School.
Bridget Packey, Enterprise Elementary School.
Carolyn Pascoe, Pathways Elementary School.
Jeanne Ramsey, Horizon Elementary School.
Evelyn Robinson, Heritage Middle School.
Kristin Robinson, Tomoka Elementary School.
Sabantini Elissa, Freedom Elementary School.
Asma Sarah, Volusia Pines Elementary School.
Terri Schmidt, DeLand Middle School.
Naomi Schneider, Osteen Elementary School.
Tracy L. Sepanic, Creekside Middle School.
Brittany Shone, R.J. Longstreet Elementary School.
Donna M. Steinmann, Sweetwater Elementary School.
Whitney Sylvia, Taylor Middle High School.
Jasmine M. Taylor, Campbell Middle School.
Kevin Treur, Pierson Elementary School.
Darlene Tufariello, Spirit Elementary School.
Heather Turner, Sugar Mill Elementary School.
Jamier Turner, Port Orange Elementary School.
Lisbeth Velez, Galaxy Middle School.
Victoria Hamlin, Volusia Online Learning.
James Vollinger, Pine Trail Elementary School.
Gina Marie Walker, George Marks Elementary School.
Allison Waters, Blue Lakes Elementary School.
Melanie Anne Wendt, Coronado Beach Elementary School.
Brandon Wingfield, Turie T. Small Elementary School.
John Zillmann, Forest Lake Elementary School.
Flagler County will name top teacher, employee and rookie
Flagler County Schools will announce its District, Employee and Rookie of the Year at its Night of Legends Gala at Flagler Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24.
The district will also recognize its Principal of the Year, Belle Terre Elementary School's Jessica DeFord, and Assistant Principal of the Year, Matanzas High School's Sara Novak, who were initially announced in November.
Lee Winfree from Matanzas High School was named Teacher of the Year at last year's event. He teaches AP calculus, AP statistics, probability and statistics, college algebra and college trigonometry.
The nominees for Flagler Schools this year are below.
Flagler County Teachers of the Year nominees
Melissa Atkinson-Brock, Bunnell Elementary School.
Vanessa Ajayi, Belle Terre Elementary School.
Catherine Jerrells, Buddy Taylor Middle School.
Maria Godino-Faircloth, Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Bruce Winters, Flagler Technical College.
Erica Babcock, Indian Trails Middle School.
James Thrall, iFlagler.
Kay Feist, Matanzas High School.
Chris Knox, Old Kings Elementary School.
Allison Kucharski, Rymfire Elementary School.
Annette Clemons, Wadsworth Elementary School.
Flagler County Schools Employees of the Year nominees
Madelanie Ortega, Bunnell Elementary School.
Lisa Meade, Belle Terre Elementary School.
Jimmy Sorrentino, Buddy Taylor Middle School.
Nathalie Piedrahita, custodial services.
Lina Chhay, food services.
Ginger Smith, Flagler-Palm Coast High School.
Allison Catorino, Flagler Technical College.
Tony Coates, Government Services Building.
Bedie Barnes, iFlagler.
McKenzie Carter, Indian Trails Middle School.
Maryann Mlinac, Matanzas High School.
Alicha Willis, Old Kings Elementary School.
Ron Cacciolfi, plant services.
Lillian Delagado, Rymfire Elementary School.
Dawn Gilpin, technology/IS.
Graca De Oliveira, transportation services.
Cassie Bennett, Wadsworth Elementary School.
Flagler County Schools Rookies of the Year nominees
Haley Eubanks, Bunnell Elementary School.
Selah Gargon, Belle Terre Elementary School.
Megan Kisner, Buddy Taylor Middle School.
Ashlyn Wilkerson, Flagler-Palm Coast High School.
Hannah Anderson, Indian Trails Middle School.
Janel Walker, Matanzas High School.
Brian Seijo, Old Kings Elementary School.
Meghan Mazie, Rymfire Elementary School.
Andrea Puckrein, Wadsworth Elementary School.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia, Flagler schools to name top teachers, employees at annual event
