By: Patrick Fuller

Growing up, my family spent most of our family vacations in Daytona Beach, Florida. Usually known for the historic Daytona International Speedway, or to most spring breakers, the only beach that you could drive your car on. Over the years, as we would cruise down International Speedway Boulevard, I began to notice an unfortunate looking high school that never really seemed to show any improvement. Like some sort of ghetto establishment straight out of Compton in the early nineties.  A Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous Minds kind of place…  I always thought maybe they started rebuilding the school, ran out of money, and then just said f*ck it, we’re good here.  Meanwhile, every time we drove by, I’m just looking out the window, expecting to suddenly see Coolio come out and start rapping “Gangster’s Paradise.” Little did I know…this was a special place. This was Vince Carter’s alma mater. Mainland Regional High School, Daytona, FL. But if you ride past that same school now, you will see a much improved scene. The Mainland High School Arena, now named after him, complete with a life size suitted-up Vince statue out front. His name emblazoned across the top of the gym doors. Nowadays, this high school would certainly be one of the nicest you will ever see (or at least that I have ever seen). Read More