The high schoolers were honored with the Medallion of Excellence. The newspaper gives out the award annually to those with outstanding records of academic achievement, school activities, community service, leadership.
DAYTONA BEACH — An email from her guidance counselor flashed on Kelli Kline’s phone.
“Urgent — come see me, good news.”
Kline then rushed from Daytona State University, where she will be receiving her associate's degree this month, over to Deltona High School to hear the news that she had won the Medallion of Excellence.
“I didn’t know what was going on at first,” Kline, who plans on studying to become a corporate attorney, said with a smile. “I was freaking out I was so excited!”
Kline is one of 30 Volusia and Flagler county high school students honored at The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Medallion of Excellence awards ceremony Wednesday night. The newspaper has been giving out this award annually since 1983 to area high school seniors with outstanding records of academic achievement, school activities, community service and leadership.
“This is one of my favorite nights of the year!" said Bill Offill, publisher of The News-Journal. “We’re sitting in victory lane with a bunch of victorious people.”
The ceremony at the Daytona 500 Club at Daytona International Speedway housed the minds of future psychiatrists, engineers, computer programmers and lawyers.
Andrew Secunda, from Flagler Palm Coast High School, learned about winning the award from his friends.
"I immediately started texting my friends to see if any of them had gotten it too so that we could celebrate together," Secunda said.
Secunda's parents couldn’t be prouder of their son, who plans to pursue chemistry and medicine.
“We are extremely proud of him,” Rick Secunda said. “We’ve been very fortunate with him and Flagler County’s education system.”
The recipients have racked up an impressive array of accomplishments including sports team captains, mission trips, All State Band and even tutoring fellow students.
Deltona High School recipient Ashley Davis is adding this award to her already impressive resume which includes a 10-time science Olympiad Medalist, being accepted to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and graduating from high school a year early while receiving her associate's degree.
"I was obviously really excited when I heard that I got it but I was also happy for everyone else," said Davis who plans to dual major in electrical and computer engineering.
Davis had her grandparents, uncle and mother in attendance — all of them beaming with pride.
In addition to honoring the Medallion of Excellence winners, the night was a chance to celebrate the educators in the News-Journal’s Amazing Teachers series.
The night's keynote speaker Jayson Meyer, founder and CEO of Synergy Billing, gave words of encouragement to the recipients and thanked the educators for their hard work.
"This is a room of pure winners. I can feel the success in this room, you are going to do amazing things," said Meyer. “Don’t lose the sight of the moment right now this is the most amazing time of your life.”
For some award recipients, like Ross Pierson from Seabreeze High School, this honor is the icing on the top of a long list of accomplishments.
“I was pretty amazed that I won because my application was equal to everyone else,” said Pierson, who plans to study financial engineering. “This is my proudest accomplishment.”