Spring Livestock Show, Blue Jacket Jamboree Are Saturday
March 30, 2017
University of Florida IFAS Extension in Escambia County is hosting the Gulf Coast Agriculture & Natural Resources Youth Organization Annual Spring Livestock Show and FFA Blue Jacket Jamboree Saturday, April 1 at the Escambia 4-H Livestock Facility located at 5701 Highway 99 in Molino.
This year’s show begins at 8 a.m. with over fifty 4-H and FFA youth exhibiting hogs, beef cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits from Escambia and neighboring counties. The day will conclude with youth exhibitors auctioning off their market animals beginning at 5 p.m. The event is open to the public and there is no charge to attend.
Youth exhibitors receive quality premiums for their animals as well as proceeds from the auction of their animals. The GCA/NRYO show and auction is the culmination of the projects that youth have invested months and numerous hours in preparation. The livestock auction has become a success through the generous support of local sponsors and businesses who purchase the animals.
The Northview High School FFA Blue Jacket Jamboree will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with plenty of arts and crafts, a car show, a tractor show and more. An Egg Drop will be held at noon, with over 2,000 Easter eggs dropped from a ladder fire truck for children to hunt for free.
Arts and crafts vendors are still being accepted….visit bluejacketjamboree.org or call (850) 712-6267 or (850) 572-1076.
The Blue Jacket Jamboree is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Names March Students Of The Month
March 29, 2017
The following students (pictured above) were named Students of the Month for March at Bratt Elementary School.
Landon Allcock
Kyle Blanton
Madilynne Cardwell
Jonah Carter
Malonie Curry
Irmani Dixon
JaCee Dortch
Elizabeth Gilley (not pictured)
Nathan Gilmore
Cate Greenwood
Kyndal Hadley
Joshlynn Helton
Fallon Hubbard
Camden Jacobson
KayLeigh Jay
Savannah Lowry
Kaya Mason
Carley Moore (not pictured)
Briley Moore
Gracie Norton
Brooklyn Reynolds
Cooper Rice
Braylan Shelly
Brayden Smith
The students pictured below, Cooper Rice and JaCee Dortch were chosen to represent Bratt Elementary School as Escambia County Students of the Month for March.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Honor Volunteers, Partners
March 27, 2017
The 2017 Escambia County School District Appreciation Luncheon was held recently to thank volunteers, mentors, business and community partners and teachers.
Those honored from the North Escambia area included:
Jim Allen Elementary
Teacher of the Year – Lacey Brown
Adult Volunteeer - LessLee Earnest
Senior Volunteer – Jill Hale
Bratt Elementary School
Adult Volunteer – Bonnie Reaves
Senior Volunteer – Carolyn Loggins
Partner – Walnut Hill Vol Fire Dept
Escambia Westgate
Adult Volunteer – Anna Dudenhofer
Senior Volunteer – Anthony Keligond
Youth Volunteer - Victoria Kent
Partner - Liberty Church, North Campus
Roy Hyatt Envir Studies Center
Adult Volunteer – Kay Uriz
Senior Volunteer -Tony Uriz
Lipscomb Elementary
Adult Volunteer – Ayako Chibano
Senior Volunteer – Arnie Zinck
Youth Volunteer – Anna Pearce
McArthur Elementary
Adult Volunteer – Kayla Henderson
Senior Volunteer – Lucy Timpson
Youth Volunteer – Carly Jo Johnecheck
Molino Park Elementar
Adult Volunteer – Marsha Marks
Senior Volunteer – Pat Levoy
Youth Volunteer – Brittanie McLemore
Partner Little Caesars
Ransom Middle
Adult Volunteer – George Foss
Senior Volunteer – Theresa Frazier
Youth Volunteer – Louis LeDuc
Partner - Jersey Mike’s Subs
Ernest Ward Middle
Adult Volunteer - Dr. Sheldon Harigel
Senior Volunteer – Henry Lewis
Youth Volunteer – Tristin Long
Partner - Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Northview High
Adult Volunteer - Mike Neese
Senior Volunteer – Jerry Fischer
Youth Volunteer – Mitchell Singleton
Partner – Town of Century
Tate High School
Adult Volunteer Arthur Porter
Senior Volunteer - Daniel Keely
Youth Volunteer -Zyreshia Jackson
Partner– Escambia Heat and Air
Pictured top: The Northview High School table at the 2017 Escambia County School District Appreciation Luncheon. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Saint Monica’s Cleans Up Along Highway 95A
March 27, 2017
Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment started a new ministry Sunday after their monthly potluck — their first quarterly Highway 95A trash pick up.
There were 16 people that set out on Highway 95 with trash bags in hand. In just 45 minutes, they group had picked up a pickup truck load of material from the roadside, including 12 bags of trash, five bags of recyclables, one tire and an old desk.
St. Monica’s is partnering with Keep Pensacola Beautiful who provided them the vests along with trash and recycling bags. The church will log their time and effort, and Keep Pensacola Beautiful will provide an Adopt-A–Road sign
The true rewards from starting this ministry is getting to spend time talking and singing with fellow parishioners while doing their part to help the environment and getting a little exercise at the same time, said Elizabeth MacWhinnie.
Photos for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
Program Honors Vietnam Veterans
March 26, 2017
The Atmore VFW Auxiliary hosted its fourth annual Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony (formerly known as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day) Saturday at the Atmore YMCA.
Vietnam veterans from South Alabama and Northwest Florida in attendance were honored for their service and sacrifice.
“You answered the call of your country and you did it well,” guest speaker Judge Jeff White told the veterans. “I pray there will always be heroes like you.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Grad To Depart On Unique College ‘Dorm Tour’ Concert Series
March 24, 2017
From day one Tate High School graduate Paul Vinson has had big dreams and on Monday his biggest dream yet becomes a reality.
At 18-years old Vinson has planned, organized, and booked an entire concert tour over the course of 18 days, 13 shows, and 3,500 miles of driving. Vinson will go as far north as New York City and as far west as Hattiesburg, Miss.. But here’s the catch — all of the shows are free and in college dorm rooms.
Vinson has been writing and performing his music all over the greater Pensacola area at places like Gallery Night and other local establishments. After graduating from Tate High School in 2016, Vinson decided that the route of college wasn’t for him in his pursuit of a music career. And now he will be playing shows in college dorms all across the east coast and will be documenting the whole thing for his YouTube channel.
“I had this idea about a year ago now, I thought it was awesome, slightly ironic and I knew it had never been done before. That inspired me to go through with it and to document everything, but all of this dreaming doesn’t come without a cost,” he said. “I figure most of my friends in college are broke and to make this work I couldn’t charge for shows.”
In about a week, a GoFundMe drive raised Vinson’s goal of $1,500 to fund his tour — mostly for the gas for his Kia Soul.
Vinson’s “The Dorm Tour” starts Monday at Troy University and ends April 14 at Florida State University. Along the way, tour stops include concerts at Southern Miss, University of Florida, the University of Alabama, Mississippi State and more.
Vinson will be debuting all of the songs on his upcoming EP “Leaving Home” which releases early this summer and will also be daily vlogging the experience on YouTube.
Pictured top: Paul Vinson at his Dorm Tour promo show January 11 at the University of West Florida’s Martin Hall.
Blessed Are The Peacemakers: Special Visitors At Century Sheriff’s Precinct
March 23, 2017
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Century Precinct had some special visitors Wednesday from Byrneville United Methodist Church. They presented the deputies with “Blessed Are The Peacemakers” coffee mugs. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Anonymous Donor Gives $3 Million Gift To UWF
March 22, 2017
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the University of West Florida will receive more than $3 million to assist deserving students in their pursuit of the American Dream.
This transformational gift will establish an endowment for need-based scholarships with preference given to immigrants and refugees and enhance accessibility to higher education for UWF students. UWF enrolled 290 students classified as immigrants in Fall 2015. With the additional scholarship funds, new student enrollment is projected to increase by approximately 30 percent over the next several years.
“Sometimes it amazes me how strong the power of generosity is in our region,” UWF President Martha Saunders said. “This gift will provide needed financial aid to students for generations to come. The donor does not want credit for this incredible act of giving. We are deeply grateful.”
Endowment dollars enable UWF to sustain growth, increase its reputation for quality and compete in the higher education marketplace to attract and retain a talented and diverse student body. Need- and talent-based scholarships to support students within all academic programs improve the lives of students and, in return, the community.
“Providing the opportunity for higher education ensures economic prosperity and mobility for our students as financial barriers can often interfere with academic progress,” said Dr. Meredith Brunen, interim vice president for university advancement. “The foresight of our benefactors is so noble. The ripples of this gift will be felt in perpetuity.”
Bratt Elementary’s Sanders Named School District Employee Of The Month
March 22, 2017
The Escambia County School District Stellar Employee for March is Chad Sanders.
According to a proclamation issued by the Escambia County School District:
“Mr. Sanders has been employed with the district for 22 years, the last five years in the Maintenance Department as a Maintenance Mechanic l. Mr. Sanders is the Maintenance Crewman assigned to Bratt Elementary School. Mr. Sanders was nominated because of his cooperative and “can-do” attitude. Mr. Sanders completes the work order requests for Bratt Elementary in a timely, efficient manner and maintains a pleasant, professional attitude toward school staff and his co-workers. If a request is out of his realm of expertise, he makes sure it is submitted to the correct person or department to be fulfilled.
“During his assignment to Bratt Elementary, Mr. Sanders has constructed “story stairs” for the school library, benches for the hallways and a reading gazebo, all from school recycled lumber.
“He has repaired numerous light fixtures and even evaluated the roof to determine the problem with the school satellite dish. After Mr. Sanders determined the satellite dish needed replacing, he and his crew replaced it with a new dish. Mr. Sanders has also been involved in the removal and replacement of outdated smart boards, tvs, overhead projectors and projector screens.
“In preparation for the library end of year Reading Celebration for the 2015-16 school year, Mr. Sanders hung ceiling decorations before the event and removed them after the event, saving teachers a great deal of time.
“Bratt Elementary feels they are very fortunate to have such a dedicated, caring, maintenance crewman assigned to their school.
Mr. Sanders personifies the pillars of “People” and “Service”. It is for these reasons that he has been selected as our stellar employee for the Month of March.”
Northview Majorette Smith Earns Straight Superiors At State
March 21, 2017
Northview High School majorette captain Brianna Smith received straight superior ratings Monday in the Florida Bandmaster’s Association state competition in Jacksonville. She performed to the song “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from the musical Hairspray.
Pictured top: Smith performs during a Friday night football game last season, NorthEscambia.com photo. Pictured inset: Smith in Jacksonville on Monday. Submitted for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.