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 Elijah Wheeler and Isabella Roman Secor.

Elijah Wheeler has Swam for DeLand High School for four years. Last year, Elijah went to States and was a finalist as an Individual and on the Relay Team. Elijah is the Sergeant at Arms in Renaissance and a Co-Publicist for the Senior Class SGA. Elijah has over 100 hours volunteering at the Special Olympics, Teen Court, and Youth Leader for Middle Schoolers at First Assembly DeLand. He is a senior-leader with a 4.08 GPA putting him in the top 15% of his graduating class. He is currently dual-enrolled at Daytona State College. Elijah will graduate with his Associate of Arts in General Studies. His ultimate dream is to Swim at a Division One College and pursue a career in Physical Therapy.

Isabella Roman Secor has Swam all four years at DeLand High and ran track one year. Last year, Isabella made it to Regionals in the Relay Team. She is Huddle Captain for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she is a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, National Honor Society, Student Government, Renaissance and the Leadership Team. Isabella has over 200 community service hours volunteering at the First Assembly of DeLand, and local nursing homes and soup kitchens. Isabella is a senior-leader with a 4.31 GPA putting her in the top 10% of her graduating class. She is currently dual-enrolled at Daytona State College and will be graduating with her Associate of Arts in General Studies. Her ultimate dream is to attend a four-year college to study International Business and then Law.