DARE to Derby: Pathways Elementary holds 20th annual 'Most Spectacular Awe Inspiring' derby

Pathways Elementary included 28 teams and 56 drivers — including Ormond Beach Police Department officer Danielle Henderson — at the annual event on Friday, May 16.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 1:00 p.m. May 21, 2025
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Neighbors
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Ormond Beach Police Department officer Danielle Henderson arrived at Pathways Elementary on Friday, May 16, where she runs the nine-week D.A.R.E. program. This time, she showed up with a custom-made OBPD derby car complete with working cop lights and decals to compete in the 20th annual “Most Spectacular Awe Inspiring Derby.”

This year’s race consisted of 28 entries with 56 drivers, including Henderson. She has been a DARE officer for five years.

“It’s important for us to come out,” she said. “These are all of our DARE students that created these cars so (at the derby) we can continue our relationship with them that we have been building the whole year. My dad Mike Reagan built this for us. He put a lot of time and effort in and it looks awesome.”

Reagan said it took him two months to remodel the donated chassis for his daughter. After its completion, and getting signatures on the derby from his grandsons — ten-year-old Alex and six-year-old Nathan — it was race ready. 

Students gathered under tents along the race course as Kona Ice trucks were on standby to offer cool treats on the blisteringly hot morning. Seabreeze senior and Pathways graduate Annabel Thistle sang the national anthem before the start of the derby.

Race director and Pathways third grade teacher Matt Coleman said he hopes to get the fire department involved next year — a play into their friendly rivalry with the OBPD.

“I feel like this event is as much an Ormond Observer tradition as it is a Pathways tradition,” he said.

This year’s derby winners were:

Drift Race (Classic)

  1. Black Inferno — Mason Georg and Samuel Rodriguez
  2. Banana Boyz — Nolan Apperson and Gavin Forester
  3. Stars and Strikes — Gabby DuBose and Ryleigh West


Drift Race (Future)

  1. Fortnite Kids — Kenney Lewis and Anthony Scaber
  2. Block Breakers — Tessa Cyr and Blake Shaub
  3. Speed Demons — John Bennett and Woodrow Shipman


Push Race (Classic)

  1. Black Inferno — Mason Georg and Samuel Rodriguez
  2. Banana Boyz — Nolan Apperson and Gavin Forester
  3. Sugar Rush — Aaliyah Kazazian and Avery Still


Push Race (Future)

  1. Fortnite Kids — Kenney Lewis and Anthony Scaber
  2. Block Breakers — Tessa Cyr and Blake Shaub
  3. Speed Demons — John Bennett and Woodrow Shipman


Creative/Original Design

  1. Coral Reef Riders — Lillian Klinck and Gabby Richardson
  2. Feisty Felines — Juliana Del Bagno and Ellamy Remington 
  3. Hello Kitties — Abby Bond and Kalie Torres


Pathways Spirit

  1. American Oilers — Ethan Keech and Walker Teate
  2. Stars and Strikes — Gabby DuBose and Ryleigh West
  3. The Alliance — Bryten Hawley-Mixon and LeSean Moses


Team Spirit

  1. Coral Reef Riders — Lillian Klinck and Gabby Richardson
  2. The Espresso Express — Kynleigh Croinex and M.J. Schwarz
  3. The Mighty Ducks — Ava Haase, Ava Kargar and Alexia Koulouris


 

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