- December 13, 2025
Matanzas High School’s Ethan Tincher has been selected as the 2026 Sunshine State Scholar from Flagler Schools, and Flagler Palm Coast High’s Suki Liu has been named the district’s alternate.
Each year, Florida’s school districts honor their top 11th graders in the areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the Sunshine State Scholars program.
The program will be held March 5-6 in Orlando. The scholars will meet with representatives from Florida colleges and universities to discuss higher education opportunities available to them. There will be workshops for the scholars and their parents for college applications and informational sessions on college funding.
Contributions from State Farm and Florida Prepaid College Foundation allowed the Sunshine State Scholar program to provide 43 one-year college scholarships for the 2025 Sunshine State Scholars class.
The Flagler County Education Foundation presented 54 teacher grants through its partnership with Beaver Toyota and the matching-grant program from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.
The grants were presented with Bucky the Beaver from Beaver Toyota over two days across 11 schools.
“Beaver Toyota's commitment to matching these funds has exponentially amplified our reach,” the Ed Foundation said in a press release. “These grants empower our educators to implement creative, hands-on learning experiences that directly address student needs and lead to greater achievement.”
The grants cover a wide range of subjects, including STEM initiatives, literacy programs, hands-on career and technical education projects and positive behavior supports.
The second annual Flagler Schools College and Career Fair will take place on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Palm Coast Community Center. More than 150 colleges and businesses are expected to participate. The morning session, from 9 a.m.-noon, is reserved for high school upper classmen in Flagler Schools. The second session from 12:30-3 p.m. is open to students from other schools and the general public.
Matanzas High’s George Biedenbach has been selected to the Florida All-State 9-10 Concert Orchestra. He is Matanzas Director of Bands Ryan Schulz’s first student to be accepted to an auditioned all-state ensemble.
Flagler Schools’ controlled open enrollment for the spring semester is underway through Nov. 20. Students can enroll in a school outside their zone during this period. There is limited enrollment at all of the district’s elementary and secondary schools. Visit FlaglerSchools.com/SchoolChoice for details and applications.
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