FUTURES Foundation Names 2025 First Year Teacher of the Year Award Recipients and Recognizes Principal of the Year Nominees

Daytona Beach – FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools proudly announced its 2025 First Year Teacher Award recipients during its annual recognition celebration held May 6 at Mainland High School. Joshua Childers, a fifth-grade teacher at Ormond Beach Elementary, was named the elementary level award recipient while Victoria Bowrosen, Probability & Statistics Honors teacher at DeLand High, received the secondary level award. This year’s celebration was generously sponsored by Volusia United Educators (VUE).

Mr. Childers and Ms. Bowrosen were selected from a group of 47 nominees, each chosen to represent their respective schools. To be considered for the recognition, nominees must have earned a Baccalaureate degree, begun a full-time teaching career on or after January 2024, demonstrated outstanding performance based on standards established by Volusia County Schools and been nominated by their school principal.

Ormond Beach Elementary Principal, Shannon Hay, praised Mr. Childers, stating, “Mr. Childers embodies the core values of education and consistently demonstrates an unwavering commitment to student success, professional growth, and community involvement. He is an exceptional educator who not only understands his impact on the school community but embraces it wholeheartedly. A true champion for the underdog, he celebrates the whole child and ensures that every student feels valued and supported.”

With a background as a professional musician and actor, Mr. Childers brings creativity and energy to his classroom. “I envision my classroom as a stage,” he shared. “Creative expression enriches our classroom, and students thrive with the arts as a part of their learning experience. You may walk into our classroom to hear Kermit the Frog teaching a lesson, students performing readers theater, or students singing a song I wrote to reinforce concepts. By making learning engaging and enjoyable, accessible through differentiation, and reflecting on that learning, each student can discover the motivation to learn independently.”

In nominating Ms. Bowrosen, DeLand High School Principal Mike DeGirolmo stated, “Victoria Bowrosen is an educator whose passion, dedication, and innovation make her more than deserving of the distinction of first year teacher and she would be an excellent representative and model of the talent and dedication we have across Volusia County Schools. She has a profound impact on her students’ academic journeys, shaping them not only as learners but also as individuals.”

A Volusia native, Ms. Bowrosen was raised by educator parents with more than 30 years of teaching experience. “Growing up, I was able to see firsthand the impact that teachers make on their students. I knew that I wanted to do the same,” she said. “There are good and bad days, but the thing that keeps me motivated are my students. Teaching is not just a career for me, it is a passion that gives me fulfillment. Every time I step into my classroom, I see it as an opportunity to make a positive impact.”

FUTURES Foundation Board President, Eric Frain, reflected during the celebration, saying “As we celebrate 40 years of impact in 2025, FUTURES Foundation is honored to continue hosting this annual awards program and celebration for our exceptional new teachers. We are proud to recognize their efforts and value Volusia United Educators’ continuing support in sponsoring this event year after year.”

Each nominee was honored onstage while DeBary Elementary teacher leaders Valerie Marcus and Nicole, provided insights into each educator’s enthusiasm, dedication and impact. Attendees also heard inspiring remarks from district leaders, special guests and 2026 Volusia Schools Teacher of the Year Jeremy Davies from Spruce Creek High. Additionally, the 2024 First Year Teacher Award recipients, Sean Hyacinth and Karilis Sanchez, offered words of encouragement and presented the 2025 awards to Mr. Childers and Ms. Bowrosen.

The evening also included recognition of the 2025 Elementary and Secondary Principal of the Year nominees. The two winners will be announced during FUTURES’ annual Bus Brigade, which also surprises the Support Staff of the Year winners.

This year’s Principal of the Year nominees include:
Leigh Prokop – Beachside Elementary
Jennifer Williams – Citrus Grove Elementary
Kristina Kania – Cypress Creek Elementary
Jason Watson – Atlantic High
Dr. Rick Inge – Silver Sands Middle

This year’s 31 Elementary First Year Teacher nominees include:  

Kristin Lochte-Keeler – Beachside Elementary School
Jennifer Woolbert – Blue Lake Elementary School
Haylee McCullough – Champion Elementary School
Brooke Schleininger – Chisholm Elementary School
Keagan Grantham – Coronado Beach Elementary School
Brittany Schmidgall – DeBary Elementary School
Chloe Morgan – Deltona Lakes Elementary School
Cinthya Rivera – Discovery Elementary School
Jenna Corba – Edith I. Starke Elementary School
Crystal Chambers – Forest Lake Elementary School
Delanie Turner – Freedom Elementary School
Grace Vaughn – Friendship Elementary School
Jennifer Vento – George W. Marks Elementary School
Courtney Harris – Holly Hill School
Jessica-Ann Lee – Horizon Elementary School
Taylor Smith – Louise S. McInnis Elementary School
Joshua Childers – Ormond Beach Elementary School
Abigail Aycoth – Osteen Elementary School
Colby Carden – Palm Terrace Elementary School
Nicole Rose – Pathways Elementary School
Latronda Sparrow-Morris – Pine Trail Elementary School
Janice Isitt – Port Orange Elementary School
Zachary Owen – Pride Elementary School
Emily Scuteri – R.J. Longstreet Elementary School
Kylie Belanger – Read Pattillo Elementary School
Jessica Renee Floyd – South Daytona Elementary School
Caroline Coyne – Spruce Creek Elementary School
Morgan Davis – Sunrise Elementary School
Shawna Damato – Timbercrest Elementary School
Samone Green – Turie T. Small Elementary School
Leslie LaRue – Woodward Elementary School

This year’s 16 Secondary First Year Teacher nominees include: 

Krystie Lee – Atlantic High
Mikayla Filkins – Campbell Middle
Nathan Kerson – David C. Hinson Sr. Middle
Victoria Bowrosen – DeLand High
Timothy Weston – DeLand Middle
Travis Sinsabaugh – Deltona High
Jonathan Stoeckert – Deltona Middle
Tiffany Irvin – Heritage Middle
Kris Hudson – Mainland High
Danielle Steele – New Smyrna Beach Middle
Nicole Rusciano – Ormond Beach Middle
Jimmy Crum – Pine Ridge High
Cathrine Lewis – Riverview Learning Center
Michael Levanti – Seabreeze High
Michael Franco – Spruce Creek High
Ethan Brant – University High

FUTURES Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 to support Volusia County Schools. Its mission is to engage business, civic, and district leaders to promote and achieve educational excellence for Volusia County Public Schools. The Foundation’s 30-member board of directors consists of area leaders who direct and raise funds to facilitate a variety of programs in the school district. Through business and individual donations, FUTURES Foundation presents programs such as the First Year Teacher Awards. For additional information about FUTURES, please contact Executive Director Shimene Shepard at 386.255.6475, ext. 50730, or sashepa1@volusia.k12.fl.us, or visit its website at www.FUTURESVolusia.org.

Photo 1: L-R Joshua Childers of Ormond Beach Elementary, FUTURES 2025 Elementary First Year Teacher of the Year and Victoria Bowrosen of DeLand High, FUTURES 2025 Secondary First Year Teacher of the Year

Photo 2: L-R Principal of the Year nominees Leigh Prokop, Beachside Elementary; Jennifer Williams, Citrus Grove Elementary; Kristina Kania, Cypress Creek Elementary; Jason Watson,  Atlantic High; Dr. Rick Inge, Silver Sands Middle