Teriauna Carruthers, a recent graduate of T. DeWitt Taylor High School in Pierson, has been named the 2026 recipient of the David H. Staples Scholarship by the West Volusia Branch of the NAACP.
The scholarship, established in 2019, honors the legacy of David H. Staples, a DeLand native, educator, and civil rights advocate who led the West Volusia NAACP as president for 18 years until 2012. Staples, a graduate of Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University, spent 36 years with Volusia County Schools, serving as principal at 4 elementary schools and retiring as a district administrator in 1994.
Carruthers finished high school with a 3.78 GPA and simultaneously maintained a 3.8 GPA at Daytona State College through dual enrollment. She will attend the University of North Florida in Jacksonville this fall to major in Psychology.
During her high school career, Carruthers competed in weightlifting, cheerleading, volleyball, and basketball, earning medals in weightlifting at the regional level. She served as president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and participated in local volunteer initiatives, including Martin Luther King Jr. events and breast cancer awareness campaigns.
“David H. Staples believed that education opens doors and transforms lives,” Dr. Craig Scott, Education Chair for the West Volusia NAACP, said. “Teriauna Carruthers represents the very best of our community—a young leader who has excelled in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in service to others. Her accomplishments reflect the values Mr. Staples championed, and we are honored to recognize her as this year’s scholarship recipient. We have no doubt that she will continue to achieve great things as she pursues her dreams.”
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