When 麻豆原创 sophomore Melissa Gregory attended Winter Springs High School, she turned her passion for dance into an outlet for serving her community.

She danced in performances of the Nutcracker for underprivileged students from local middle schools. She brought the National Society for Dance Arts to high schools in Seminole County and led the organization鈥檚 efforts to teach younger students and volunteer in the community.

Gregory鈥檚 nearly four-year, 1,000-hour commitment to bettering herself as she helped others has earned her the Congressional Award Gold Medal.

The medal is the top national honor bestowed by Congress recognizing the service and achievements of youths ages 14 to 23. Recipients must achieve bronze and silver medals before earning the top honor, and less than one percent of those who begin that process qualify for the Gold Medal.

鈥淚t was a learning experience and quite a long journey, but it was definitely worth it,鈥� said the Microbiology and Molecular Biology major, whose older sister earned the award in 2008.

Gregory and Kaitlyn Chana, a 麻豆原创 sophomore studying Radio-Television, were among the 252 young people selected to receive the award this year.

鈥淓arning the Congressional Award was a mental, physical and emotional experience,鈥� Chana said. 鈥淭here were challenges, but those challenges helped me to become a stronger individual and establish myself as a leader.鈥�

Chana, a 2010 Olympic torchbearer, founded the international nonprofit organization Love Letters: Random Cards of Kindness Inc., while in high school.

Love Letters creates uplifting greeting cards and delivers them to children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. The organization is responsible for sending cards to more than 50,000 children around the world.

Chana, who also spent nearly four years earning the award, was honored with other Gold Medal winners at a ceremony earlier this year in Washington, D.C. The ceremony featured U.S. House and Senate leaders, and Chana was joined by her sponsor, Rep. John Mica.

Love Letters was selected as a volunteer activity for award recipients while they visited the capital. The group made more than 300 cards, and Chana connected with other young leaders whom she says will be her friends for life.

鈥淭o be in D.C. and be asked to lead a group of outstanding individuals was one of those life-changing moments,鈥� Chana said.

Gregory was unable to make the trip due to academic commitments, but she was honored during a campus ceremony that was attended by her parents and her mentors from 麻豆原创. She was presented with her medal by a representative from the office of her sponsor, Rep. Suzanne Kosmas.

鈥淭o be able to share my passion with others was really rewarding, and I鈥檝e become a better leader, role model and citizen in the process,鈥� Gregory said.

Established by Congress in 1979, the Congressional Award program encourages young people to set and achieve challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development and citizenship. The program receives no federal funding and relies on charitable contributions.

To qualify for the Congressional Award Gold Medal, Gregory and Chana each were required to log more than 400 hours of community service – a number that they both greatly exceeded. Each recipient also must complete at least 200 hours of physical fitness activities, 200 hours of personal development activities and an exploration activity with a stay of at least four consecutive nights.

Visit for more information on the Congressional Award program.

On May 6, the Volusia County Council approved a proposal to establish a business incubator that would nurture newborn ideas to grow into profitable companies with large payrolls. The incubator will also lure and cultivate high technology, Daytona Beach International Airport Director Rick Karl said.

“We spend a lot of effort trying to get manufacturing companies. Why don’t we spend time trying to get software companies?” Karl asked.

The new venture will be known as Startup Volusia.

The proposal envisioned by Karl and the County Council involves setting aside space inside the Daytona Beach International Airport terminal for small and promising companies that meet the standards for locating in the rent-free facilities.

The county will spend as much as $1.2 million of its economic-development funds to refurbish approximately 11,000 square feet of the terminal as the flagship site. Karl would not rule out having the space ready for occupancy by the end of the year.

The business incubator could spread out, according to Karl, and add satellite or branch facilities.

“It’s not a place; it’s a program,” he said. There may one day be affiliated operations in DeLand, Deltona, Ormond Beach or New Smyrna Beach.

The county will contract with the 麻豆原创 to operate the business incubator. In exchange for 麻豆原创’s services in managing the incubator and helping its clients, the county will pay the school $250,000 to $300,000 per year.

麻豆原创 has managed business incubators elsewhere, and Karl rates the university’s expertise quite highly.

“麻豆原创 has one of the top in the country,” he said.

Part of 麻豆原创’s management of Startup Volusia will be screening applications, “not just giving somebody free office space in a corner to do something,” Karl said.

As well as spurring local business efforts, the incubator may lure out-of-state or even foreign businesses to start small in Volusia County and grow.

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity for us to do something,” Karl said. “You’re creating jobs that are above-average.”

麻豆原创 will not be the only institution of higher learning involved. Other big-name schools 鈥� Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona State College, and Stetson University, as well as 麻豆原创 鈥� will have a role, helping to train the next generation of high-tech and high-skilled workers.

“The idea is to start small,” Karl said. “We would hope those people who are entrepreneurial would join the effort. There’s nothing like having your own business.”

The universities and colleges could also take advantage of the opportunity to develop and test a product or a service in the incubator.

“If Stetson has an idea that they want to promote, if it’s something that can help the community create jobs, they can develop a business plan and apply,” Karl said.

The county will request additional aid from Washington.

“Phil Ehlinger and I have also met with Congressman [John] Mica and Congresswoman [Suzanne] Kosmas. We’re pursuing federal economic-development money,” Karl added. “When you consider the layoffs at the Cape, we may have a good opportunity.”

Ehlinger is the director of the county’s Department of Economic Development.

County Chair Frank Bruno is optimistic about Startup Volusia, as a step toward broadening the county’s tax base.

“That’s really what we need more of. We need more of the commercial development to offset the residential because our residents are paying more in taxes than people in Orange and other counties, where there is more commercial and industrial,” Bruno said.

“I really do think we’re poised for growth,” Karl noted. “I don’t think it’s going to be exponential in the beginning … but I think we can get on the map.”

Source: West Volusia Beacon, Volusia County Council approves proposal to establish business incubator, by Al Everson, BEACON STAFF WRITER,聽 posted May 17, 2010 – 8:34:48am鈥� al@beacononlinenews.com