Jim Allen Elementary Students Vote For Their Favorite Books
April 24, 2023
Students at Jim Allen Elementary School recently had the opportunity to vote for their favorite books from the Sunshine State Readers list.
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections provided official ballots, voting booths, tabulation machines and “Future Voter” stickers.
Voting ended in a tie between Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston and Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz with 10 votes each. The other top vote getter was Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte with eight votes.
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Local Schools Named Winners In Wellness Challenge
April 20, 2023
The Escambia County School Board has recognized the winners of the superintendent’s “Choose Wellness Challenge”.
The challenge was to see which school or major department could achieve the highest level of participation in the challenge by the end of the school year. Participants completed steps to promote health and wellness, potentially reducing the district’s health care and lost work time costs.
The 2022 overall winner was Spencer Bibbs Center at 87.5%. They received a plaque and $1,000. Holm Elementary School was awarded $500 for most improved with a 18.2% increase in participation.
At 64.29% participation, the highest percentage participation at the elementary level was Molino Park Elementary School.
The highest percentage participation award at the middle school level went to Ferry Pass Middle School at 44.55%, and the highest percentage participation award at the high school/secondary level went to Northview High School at 43.75%.
Northview, Molino Park and Ferry Pass each received $250.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
April 20, 2023
Ransom Middle School has named their Students of the Month for March. They are Ryan Yelverton and Rylie Gibbs. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lipscomb Elementary’s Yohn Named School District’s Employee Of The Month
April 19, 2023
Lipscomb Elementary School administrative clerk Laura Yohn has been named the Escambia County Public Schools Stellar Employee of the Month for April 2023.
She was honored by the Escambia County School Board and will receive a plaque, pin, and a check for $100 from a local credit union.
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Freeze Takes A Big Toll On Walnut Hill Farm’s Peach Crop (With Gallery)
April 19, 2023
This year’s peach season at a 10-acre Walnut Hill farm was much shorter than owner Glen Wiggins had hoped.
The big freeze during the winter took a big toll on the size of the crop at The Peach Farm on Pine Forest Road.
“Nature at its worst,” Wiggins said, noting that trees from two varieties were completely fruitless.
The U-pick farm was open just a few days this year.
When we visited last Saturday, many of the peaches showed obvious damage from the freeze, and many smaller ones had fallen to the ground. While it was a bit of a scavenger hunt, decent size sweet peaches could be found across the orchard.
“Maybe better luck next year,” Wiggins said.
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Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
April 16, 2023
Tate High School recently named their students of the month for February. They are Erica Langton and Kamran Stackpole. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drake Driskell, Elisabeth Stowers Named EREC Scholarship Winners
April 16, 2023
Drake Driskell from Escambia County and Elisabeth Stowers of Santa Rosa County have named as the winners of Escambia River Electric Cooperative’s 2023 Herman D. Johnson Scholarship Awards
Drake Driskell is a senior at Northview High School and is the son of Allen and Michelle Driskell. He would like to study anesthesiology. Driskell is the academic commander and command master chief of Northview’s NJROTC, class treasurer, and is involved in several sports including baseball, cross country and track. Driskell is the Beta Club president and participates in Math Club and Phi Theta Kappa and an Atmore Rotary Club scholar. Drake was an EREC delegate for the 2022 Tallahassee and Washington youth tours.
“This scholarship would allow me to dive deeper into my studies and focus on my education,” Driskell said. “Thank you to EREC for investing in me.”
Elisabeth Stowers is a senior at Central School and is the daughter of Myra Cole Robinson. Elisabeth plans to use this scholarship to pursue a nursing degree. She is the senior Beta Club president and National Honor Society officer. She participates in the Spanish Club and the Debate Club. Stowers has many hours volunteering for New Life Baptist and at events in her community.
“The Herman D. Johnson Scholarship will definitely benefit me,” said Stowers. “It will help me achieve my goals of becoming a nurse and helping children with cancer. I want them to feel loved and safe through their toughest time.”
“These scholarships are going to two very deserving students, and we are excited to watch them as they follow their dreams,” says Ryan Campbell, CEO of EREC. “EREC has such a rich history of helping our youth, and we are proud to be able to give them a head start on their college careers.”
Elisabeth and Drake will receive $1,000 each for four years providing they continue to meet the scholarship criteria.
In the past, capital credits issued by EREC that were unclaimed had to be turned over to the state. But state legislation now allows such funds to be deposited into a qualified, educational charity fund. The EREC membership voted to use these funds in the form of scholarships.
Beulah Middle School FFA Aquaculture Team Places 2nd In Florida
April 16, 2023
The Beulah Middle School FFA Aquaculture Team placed second in the state during competition last week. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tracy Barberree Is Byrneville Elementary Teacher Of The Year
April 14, 2023
Byrneville Elementary School has named Tracy Barberree as their teacher of the year. Barberree has over 30 years in the classroom — all at Byrneville Elementary School — where she currently teaches kindergarten. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Honor Career Academies, Students
April 12, 2023
The Escambia County Schools recently recognized career academies, schools and students of the year.
The winners included:
- Middle School Student of the Year: Jayden Williams, Vet Assisting Academy, Beulah Middle School (Teachers are Charlotte Trudeau and Leanne Jenkins)
- Middle School Career Academy Teacher of the Year: Libby Sears, Digital Discoveries Academy, Ransom Middle School
- Middle School Career Academy of the Year: Digital Discoveries Academy, Ferry Pass Middle School (Teachers are Allison Cameron, Bridgette Egly, Kolby Jernigan, and Tonya Jackson-Hall)
- High School Career Academy Student of the Year: Tydun Joy, Health Sciences Academy, Booker T. Washington High School (Teacher is Nancy Barger)
- High School Career Academy Scholar: Erich Amerson, Graphic Arts Academy, Northview High School (Teachers are Megan Carroll and Robert Myrick)
- High School Career Academy Student Intern of the Year: Lindsay Samojedny, Biomedical Sciences Academy, West Florida High School (Teacher is Jessica Rutherford, DCT Coordinator is Katherine Brand)
- High School Career Academy Teacher of the Year: Tom Connors, COX Telecommunications Academy West Florida High School
- High School Career Academy of the Year: Culinary Arts Academy, Northview High School (Teacher is Ashley Salter)
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“We are so fortunate in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties to have such active and robust career academies in our high schools and middle schools,” said ECPS Workforce Education Director Steven Harrell. “It is an honor to be a part of this enterprise. We are truly preparing our students for success after graduation.”
Pictured: Teacher Ashley Salter accepted the High School Career Academy of the Year award for the Northview High School Culinary Arts Academy. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.