Caribbean Crew to perform in Deltona SEE PAGE 8
EE FR
REV. JESSE JACKSON: President must recommit to eliminating nuclear arms SEE PAGE 4
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
STEDMAN GRAHAM INSPIRES CROWD AT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS DINNER SEE PAGE 7
JUNE 2 - JUNE 8, 2016
YEAR 41 NO. 22
www.daytonatimes.com
‘Ready to get to college’ Two 17-year-old high school graduates reflect on graduating early and their career goals. BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Best friends Charnee Irvin and Melinda JeffriesBeamon graduated last week from Atlantic High School in Port Orange.
Summer program options for kids still available BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Thousands of high school students graduated from the Volusia and Flagler counties school systems last week. Among them were best friends Melinda Jeffries-Beamon and Charnee Irvin, both 17 year-olds who graduated from Atlantic High School in Port Orange on May 28. They both skipped their junior years and graduated early. The grads will be attending schools in different cities come fall. “I was really nervous but excited and anxious during graduation. My family motivated me to graduate early, plus I was ready to leave high school,” Melinda told the Daytona Times.
Charnee echoed, “Melinda actually decided upon it first. She told me about it, and I agreed to do it as well. I was also ready to get to college.”
Extra classes The graduates took on additional challenges to walk the stage early. Extra classes, double classes and online classes were all part of the deal. “It was a lot more work at first. I just took multiple subjects. I took two English classes together,” Charnee explained. Melinda will attend Florida A&M University (FAMU) in the fall; Charnee will attend Daytona State College.
Raised by grands
er thing in common. Although they grew up around their parents, they were raised by their grandparents. Charnee is the granddaughter of longtime City of Daytona Beach employee Keith Willis and his late wife, Kim. “Charnee was a great kid. She actually got into sports later. Her mom and dad were also around helping us,” Willis said. Melinda was raised by Frankie and Mutrice Beamon. “Melinda’s parents were just young and not really ready to be parents. We’ve had her all her life. She’s just like one of my children even though her mom always been around,” Mrs. Beamon told the Times.
Dad was there The Beamons officially adopted Melinda about two years ago.
The new grads also have anoth-
See COLLEGE, Page 2
Campbell’s media center named in honor of former principal
With the school year officially set to end next week, parents are looking for things for their kids to do during the summer. Have no fear. There are summer camps and programs still available. Summer camps and programs are designed to provide constructive activities for the youth and could ease a load on parents. “The programs are well-rounded. We keep our prices reasonable. Many of our kids’ parents are everyday workers that need somewhere safe and secure for their kids to go. The kids are supervised and involved in constructive activities, so their parents can go to work and don’t have to worry,” said Percy Williamson, Daytona Beach Leisure Services director.
Swimming stressed Swimming is an activity that is emphasized in Daytona’s programs. “We have to push at teaching African-American kids to swim. They drown at higher rates than others. Many of the parents can’t swim and don’t see a need to teach the child. With this being a place mostly surrounded by water, we must teach them to swim,” said Williamson. Williamson pointed out there are are still opportunities and some parents may be able to get financial assistance. “Just continue to look. There are numerous programs out there,” he urged. “A significantly amount of kids get scholarships from the county. They can choose their camp or program. Our program has around 20 or more families that do this,” added Williamson. Here is a look at some other summer programs around Daytona Beach.
Daytona Beach Daytona Beach’s Leisure Services Department will hold summer camps at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center, 925 George Engram Blvd., as well as the Ortona Playground at 1206 N. Halifax Ave. The program runs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. beginning June 13 and ending Aug. 5. Participants will receive breakfast, lunch, swimming lessons, sports, crafts, games, specialty caps, movies, weekly events, field trip and some academic activities. Daytona residents pay $240 for the camp with a $25 registration
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VICKIE J. PRESLEY
Vickie J. Presley poses with Dr. Edison Jackson, president of Bethune-Cookman University, and James T. Russell, superintendent of Volusia County Schools. COMPILED BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF
The media center at Campbell Middle School is now the “Vickie J. Presley Media Complex.’’ The honor for Presley came on Monday, May 23, during a dedication and naming ceremony at the Daytona Beach school. Presley is the retired area superintendent for Volusia County Schools and former principal of Campbell Middle. At the March 15 school board meeting, the board unanimously approved the school’s request to name the media center after Presley.
‘Heartwarming moment’ Presley, a graduate of the historically Black Fayetteville State University, began her 36-year career in public education as a teacher at the then Campbell Junior High School and later served as administrative assistant, assistant principal and principal there. While principal at Campbell,
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VICKIE J. PRESLEY
The ribbon cutting is conducted by Principal Kelly Lewis and Mrs. Presley. she was named Volusia County’s 2010 Secondary Principal of the Year. She also served as the principal at other district schools and director of human resources before being appointed as area superintendent. Family, friends, and former colleagues joined her on May 23 at Campbell for the dedication and naming of the center. “This is, truly, a heartwarming moment, and I accept this recognition with pride but also with a sense of humility,” Pres-
ley said. “I realize full well the magnitude of such an honor and know that it would not and could not have come to fruition without having been hired and mentored by Mr. Earl C. McCrary, II, former principal of both Campbell Junior High and Campbell Middle School, as well as the support of all of you throughout the years and finally with staff at this school planting the seed for this day.”
‘Hub’ of the school She also shared that the rec-
ognition meant so much to her because Campbell is where her educational journey with Volusia County Schools began as an eighth-grade language arts teacher who endeavored to help students become better readers, writers and communicators. For 24 years, she was a teacher and administrator at Campbell. During her tenure as principal at Campbell, the media center became the “hub” of the school. Presley challenged students and staff to read books and to use the resources that the media center offered. Students were engaged in reading and discussing the same books schoolwide; they gathered in the media center before and after school to read, for tutoring, for homework assistance or to use the computers. Parents often used the resources in the media center too. Last month, Presley was recognized by the Volusia County Council of Parent Teacher Association for her contributions to the school district.
See SUMMER, Page 2
ALSO INSIDE
COMMENTARY: BARBARA REYNOLDS: SELF-IDENTIFY OVER BIRTH CERTIFICATES? THERE’S MORE | PAGE 4 HISTORY: MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE OPENS IN SEPTEMBER | PAGE 5