Champions of Character Student Athlete Scholarship Nominations

The NAIA Champions of Character program is designed to instill an understanding of character values in athletics, and provide student-athletes, coaches, and parents the training to help them know and do the right things, inside and outside the athletics setting... Our nominations for this award were Connor Painter and McKenzie Bostic. 

Connor Painter has played Varsity Golf all four years at DeLand High. This year, he was the Medalist for Districts Individual and awarded DHS Athlete for the Month of August. He has also participated on the All-District Boys Golf Team three times. Connor is part of the IB Program, secretary of the National Honor Society, and a Member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Club. With his free time, Connor enjoys volunteering at the Soup Kitchen of the United Methodist Church of DeLand. His unweighted GPA stands at 4.58 and he is ranked number 3 in his graduating class. Connor plans to pursue a career in higher applied mathematics and/or astrophysics. 

McKenzie Bostic has played Varsity Soccer all four years at DeLand High, as well as Varsity Flag Football for the last three years. This year, she was awarded DHS Athlete for the Month of November. She earned the Iron Horse Award for Soccer in the 2013-14 season and was given the Coaches Award last season. She has volunteered in the Renaissance Club for three years and also coaches the Youth Soccer Players at Stetson University (Ages 2-6) in her free-time. McKenzie is dual-enrolled at Daytona State College and her unweighted GPA is 3.8 which places her in the top 20% of her class. McKenzie plans to study Early Childhood Education at the University of Central Florida.  

Pictured from left to right: Mr. Painter, Connor, DHS Athletic Director Mr. Ryder, McKenzie, and Ms. Bostic.