- December 23, 2024
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Updated 11:05 a.m. April 28
It was another big year for Flagler Schools in the Florida Future Problem Solvers competition, which was held virtually this year, in April. Many local competitors were invited, also virtually, to this year's International Competition in June.
There was great participation this year despite the nontraditional format, according to Sarah Reckenwald, a Flagler Palm Coast High School teacher, FPS coach and board member.
"Some students really wanted to participate, because this is the one thing that didn’t get canceled," Reckenwald said. "Other fairs got canceled — spelling bee, theater — everything got canceled, but this was still going on."
FPS consists of several categories, from writing to community service projects. It's part of a class in some Flagler Schools, so many students participate and learn problem solving skills.
"It helps them to understand that they can have an impact in the community," Reckenwald said. "They can implement solutions to something and see real results. We're not just dealing in hypotheticals."
Reckenwald was joined on the statewide board by two other Flagler County volunteers: Maureen Walsh and Beth Blumengarten.
The following are local results. Asterisks indicate the teams or individuals are invited to the International Competition this summer.
Elizabeth Wolcott, of Flagler Palm Coast High School, won this year’s Senior Scholarship from the Florida Future Problem Solvers.
JUNIOR
2nd Place Junior Team* Project: Tech Wizards. Rymfire Elementary, Coach Amy Kopach. Students Jovaun Anderson, Marion Clayton, Layla Croslin, Sophia D’Agostino, Nyla King, Julius Paden, Isaiah Penagos, Hannah Zublionis.
1st Place Junior Team* Project: The Hero Squad, Rymfire Elementary, Coach Tim Ruddy. Students Josiah Baccus, Abbie Blumengarten, Kaylee Cavas, Alyssa Fernandez, Anna Gimbel Aniyah Graham, Persia Hughes, Cameron Kalasnik, Timothy Kulev, Xavior Rodriguez.
MIDDLE
2nd Place Middle Team (Education and Environment Concerns) Project: We are HERE (Helping Everyday Rates Exceed). Buddy Taylor Middle School, Coaches Suzanne Stone and Erica Scudder. Students Wyatt Christlieb, Chloe Long, Jasmine Lopez-Coache, Shaun Rabatin, Khalyel Robinsom Daniela Salazar, Olivia Slaughteer, Haley Tarala.
1st Place Middle (Health and Civic Issues)* Project: COPE (Collaborating with Others to Progress Emotional Resilience), Indian Trails Middle School, Coach: Jennifer Colindres. Students Kyra Baldwin, Mary Foulk, Stanley Gatzek, Brynn Gifford, Jack Gilvary, Glynnis Gong, Malina Hreib, Leila Jackson, Emma Mittledorfer, Stephanie Ramatar, Carolina Sawicki, Samantha Simon, Austin Weeks.
2nd Place Middle Team (Human Services) Project: FARM (Flagler Agricultural Remedies by Mustangs), Indian Trails Middle School, Coach: Jennifer Colindres. Students Tanya Feldman, Jackson Lundahl, John Mikutel, Jeffrey Powell, Ava Wheaton.
1st Place Middle Team (Human Services)* Project: Flagler County Sports SWAP (Students Wanting Athletic Participation), Matanzas High School, Coach Amy Kopach. Students Jake Blumengarten, Ben Kopach, Thomas Sturman, Aiden White.
INDIVIDUAL
2nd Place Individual Abigail Taylor, Project: The Online Book Club, Buddy Taylor Middle School, Coaches Suzanne Stone and Erica Scudder.
1st Place Individual Ella Oshri, Project: Refashion, Buddy Taylor Middle School, Coaches: Suzanne Stone and Erica Scudder.
SENIOR
2nd Place Senior Team* Project: Language Without Limits, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Coaches: Jennifer Santore, Caitlin Hutsell, and Sarah Reckenwald. Students Kaylee Briggs, Sidney Colino, Ariana Lopez, Emily Marino, Chanté Miles, Rovina Seetaram.
1st Place Senior Team* Project: Project Renew, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Coaches: Jennifer Santore, Caitlin Hutsell, and Sarah Reckenwald. Students Arabella Borges, Isabella Colindres, Sean Gilliam, Paul Grau, Alan Hale, Madelynn Oliva, Emma Zverinsky.
MIDDLE DIVISION
8th Place Jack Mikutel, Indian Trails Middle School, Subject One, Coaches Jennifer Colindres and Judy Colindres.
7th Place Ella Oshri, Buddy Taylor Middle School, Just A Game, Coach Erica Scudder.
4th Place Jack Petocz, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Gifts From Above, Coaches Jennifer Santore, Sarah Reckenwald, and Caitlin Hutsell.
3rd Place* Cameron Driggers, Flagler Palm Coast High School, The Game of Life, Coaches Jennifer Santore, Sarah Reckenwald, and Caitlin Hutsell.
SENIOR DIVISION
3rd Place* Isabella Colindres, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Monotony, Coaches Jennifer Santore, Sarah Reckenwald, and Caitlin Hutsell.
2nd Place* Ele Barnaby, Flagler Palm Coast High School, The Void, Coaches Jennifer Santore, Sarah Reckenwald, and Caitlin Hutsell.
JUNIOR DIVISION
3rd Place J-02 Amira Dhopie (Freedom 7 Elementary), Casey Mullican (Holy Trinity), Raaha Sellamuthu (West Melbourne School), Aniyah Graham (Rymfire Elementary)
MIDDLE DIVISION
3rd Place M-04 Chloe Long (Buddy Taylor Middle), Anthony George (Lake Highland Prep), Tanya Feldman (Indian Trails Middle)
2nd Place M-06 Ella Oshri (Buddy Taylor Middle), Aarushi Vyas (West Shore J/S HS), Jack Gilvary (Indian Trails Middle), Hailey Tucker (Flagler Palm Coast HS)
1st Place M-01 Cameron Driggers (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Emma Kelleher (Edgewood J/S HS), Skylar Carroll (Buddy Taylor Middle)
Best Middle Writer: Cameron Driggers (Flagler Palm Coast HS)
SENIOR DIVISION
3rd Place S-04 Arden Spehar (Lake Highland), Delaney Gunnell (West Shore J/S HS), Elissa Figliuzzi (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Amelia Radan (Lake Highland)
2nd Place S-01 Eleshevah Barnaby (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Lucie Adams (Lake Highland), Maddy Russell (Lake Highland), Mackenzey Kologlu (West Shore J/S HS)
1st Place S-05 Riley Kuiper (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Asha Reddy (Lake Highland), Sophia Bailly (West Shore J/S HS), Alex Russell (Lake Highland)
1st Place Middle* Leila Jackson, Indian Trails Middle School, Coach: Jennifer Colindres.
5th Place Senior Angela Snider, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell.
2nd Place Senior* Elissa Figliuzzi, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell.
1st Place Senior* Isabella Colindres, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell.
MIDDLE DIVISION
3rd Place MA-02 Sabrina DaSiva-Carvalheira (Buddy Taylor Middle)
1st Place MA-10 Nitya Anthireddy (Hunter’s Creek FPS), Sami Samaan (Indian Trails Middle), Riya Koneru (Lake Highland Prep)
SENIOR DIVISION
3rd Place SA-06 Amanda Condrey (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Rovina Seetaram (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Stephanie Paquet (Viera High School)
2nd Place SA-04 Abbigail Carver (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Gabrielle Jackson (Flagler Palm Coast HS), Coby Isom (Palm Bay Magnet HS)
1st Place SA-02 Arabella Borges (Flagler Palm Coast HS)
MIDDLE DIVISION
7th Place Chloe Long, Buddy Taylor Middle, Coaches Suzanne Stone and Erica Scudder.
6th Place Brendan Wang, Indian Trails Middle, Coach Jennifer Colindres.
4th Place* Samantha Stone, Flagler Palm Coast HS, Coaches S. Reckenwald, J. Santore, and C. Hutsell.
SENIOR DIVISION
7th Place Yasmine Drysdale, Flagler Palm Coast HS, Coaches S. Reckenwald, J. Santore, and C. Hutsell.
6th Place Riley Kuiper, Flagler Palm Coast HS, Coaches S. Reckenwald, J. Santore, and C. Hutsell.
4th Place Aaron Cope, Flagler Palm Coast HS, Coaches S. Reckenwald, J. Santore, and C. Hutsell.
1st Place** Kyleigh Ruddy, Flagler Palm Coast HS, Coaches S. Reckenwald, J. Santore, and C. Hutsell.
JUNIOR DIVISION
4th Place J-117 Rymfire Elementary - A, Coach Tim Ruddy, Amy Kopach, Caryn Taylor, Kate Sturman, and Judy White. Students Desi Akmentins, Kyleigh Brown, Layla Croslin, Jasmine Vitkauskas.
3rd Place J-104 Bunnell Elementary - B, Coach April Adams. Students Faiith Rudy, Alexis McLaughlin, Alessandra Caballero, Brianna Long.
1st Place *J-118 Rymfire Elementary - B, Coach Tim Ruddy, Amy Kopach, Caryn Taylor, Kate Sturman, and Judy White. Students Reginald Bass, Abbie Blumengarten, Nicki Hollis, Lily Lisowski.
MIDDLE DIVISION
6th Place M-201 Buddy Taylor Middle School - A, Coach Suzanne Stone and Erica Scudder. Students Nicholas Groth, Jasmine Lopez- Coache, Ella Oshri, Khalyel Robinson.
2nd Place* M-212 Indian Trails Middle School - A, Coach Jennifer Colindres. Students Kyra Baldwin, Stanley Gatzek, Jack Gilvary, Leila Jackson.
1st Place* M-206 Flagler Palm Coast High School - B, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell. Students Jackson Castañeda, Cameron Driggers, Jack Petocz, Alysa Vidal.
SENIOR DIVISION
4th Place S-306 Flagler Palm Coast High School – E, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell. Students Taylor Carroll, Timothy King, Trinity Moment, Michael Scarcella.
2nd Place* S-303 Flagler Palm Coast High School –B, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell. Students Alan Hale, Haley Olsen, Layla Walls, Danny Wolcott.
1st Place *S-302 Flagler Palm Coast High School – A, Coaches Sarah Reckenwald, Jennifer Santore, and Caitlin Hutsell. Students Isabella Colindres, Sean Gilliam, Paul Grau, Madelynn Oliva.