Daniela Staton was introduced to volleyball in the spring of my 5th grade, and like most beginners, she struggled to serve the ball over the net. In 6th grade she made the “C” team, which was the lowest level, but immediately fell in love with the sport and played any chance she could. That included open gyms at the nearby community center and practicing for hours against the outside walls of her house and any open beach courts.
Around the same time, Daniela became involved in Science Olympiad at school, and realized her passion for science. A few years ago, Daniela founded STEM Squad, a volunteer group that teaches STEM through STEM-related projects with elementary and middle school kids at underprivileged community centers in her area. Projects have included building roller coasters, turkey robots (Thanksgiving-inspired), and straw bridges, as well as conducting photosynthesis labs, making lemon circuits, and designing chromatography flowers, to name just a few.
“This summer, STEM Squad dedicated our time at Milagro Center, a nonprofit organization that ensures the social and academic success of underserved children and youth through Cultural Arts, Living Values, Academic Support, and Mentoring, to create a math-based, ocean-themed board game, designed with the help of the kids! It is an intricate game with different sets of math questions so that it can be played by kids in Kindergarten all the way up to 5th grade. We are finishing up the game now and hope to sell copies of the board game, generating profits to give back to Milagro to help fund their student activities!” said Staton.
Furthermore, Daniela and her friend started SECME (Science Engineering Communications Mathematics Enrichment) at their school so interested students could get involved and compete. SECME’s mission is to engage and prepare more low-resourced students for careers in STEM. Today she serves as the vice president of her school’s SECME Club and her role involves organizing club meetings, designing and creating engineered products for the competition (balsa wood bridge, mousetrap car, etc.), advertising to attract more student participation at her school, and managing the club’s funds.
Daniela has become a fierce competitor, competing as the libero for Boomers Volleyball Academy 16 Elite last season. She feels that volleyball has honed her ability to think beyond personal glory and focus on the greater good of the team. “The discipline and commitment required for volleyball have seeped into other aspects of my life. As a libero, my role revolves around setting up my teammates for successful hits, a skill that requires observation, anticipation, and a selfless mindset. It has taught me how to communicate, whether it be new ideas for a play or simply adjusting the location of my digs or sets to their preferences.”
Family is so important to Daniela, who’s role models are her parents. “They’ve supported me in everything I’ve set my eyes on and are constantly encouraging me even when things get tough.”
Another one of her role models is her Pappou (grandpa in Greek), who recently passed away. He always told her to “squeeze the lemon,” another way to iterate taking advantage of every opportunity, and make the most of every experience. An immigrant to the U.S. from Greece, he always valued commitment and dedication, and Daniela believes he instilled those values in her.
A couple of years ago, Daniela and her older brother (by one year) created an app that provides information about architecturally interesting buildings across the state of Florida, with an interactive map to see the locations and information about each site. It’s called ARCH-IT. Her brother is especially interested in the intersections of architecture, real estate, and urban development. They combined their knowledge and skills to create the app, which took about two months to design and code, and involved using both JavaScript and HTML languages. They created the app using the VisualStudio code editor, and currently, the app is private, only used by high school Architecture class students.
Daniela juggles many hobbies and passions, but she disclosed that volleyball definitely brings her the most joy. “I love playing, watching, analyzing, and everything else volleyball!”
Next would be piano. “When I play volleyball or the piano, I am only aware of myself, my teammates, the volleyball – or the piano music – and nothing else.”
Since she first picked up a volleyball in fifth grade, volleyball has had a huge influence on Daniela. It has taught her how to overcome challenges, change, struggles, and so much more.
“Staying mentally strong and maintaining a positive outlook have become second nature. It’s not just about winning, but it’s about moving beyond setbacks as a team and learning about yourself as well as the people around you,” added Staton. “When I face a challenge, I try to think of everyone and everything that I am grateful for and express that gratitude to them.”
As for volleyball, Daniela aspires to play Division I College Volleyball at a high-academic university. She loves to travel and experience different cultures and, as well as learn new languages. It’s safe to say she’s dedicated to learning.
Boomers Volleyball Academy (Pompano Beach, FL) is a member of the Junior Volleyball Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the junior volleyball experience for players, coaches, clubs and fans.
To learn more about the JVA AthLeader Award click HERE. For related reading for junior volleyball athletes, click HERE.
