Open House This Week, Grand Opening Next Week For Ernest Ward Middle School
September 27, 2015
Two big events are planned for Ernest Ward Middle School.
An Open House for parents and students will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29.
An official grand opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 6 at 10 a.m. The even will include remarks from school district officials, the architect and construction company.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Tate Aggies Start Game Days With Breakfast At Gonzalez UMC
September 26, 2015
If you are a Tate Aggie football player, how do you start your game day?
Many start at the Gonzalez United Methodist Church where church members cook and a provide a free hearty breakfast for the boys. The tradition began after Ronnie Douglas’ first season as head coach in 2013 and has continued under current head coach Jay Lindsey.
The Aggies players will usually find Tammie Penegar volunteering to serve, refilling juice cups and “waiting” on the players. She is the mother of Brandon Penegar, a Tate assistant coach who passed away unexpectedly three years ago. This is the last year for some of the players her son coached, “Brandon’s Boys”, to play for the Tate Aggies.
Pictured top and bottom. Tate Aggies football players enjoy a breakfast Friday morning at Gonzalez Methodist Church. Pictured inset: Church volunteeer Tammie Penegar. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Teens Put Down The Smokes, Pick Up E-Cigarettes
September 24, 2015
Florida high-school students have largely kicked the cigarette habit. But many have found another way to get nicotine fixes.
A state report released Wednesday shows that 6.9 percent of high-school students smoke cigarettes, part of a steady decline during the past two decades. But while students have stopped lighting up old-school tobacco, health officials are alarmed at a sharp increase in teens using electronic cigarettes.
The report, released by the Department of Health, found that 15.8 percent of high-school students use electronic cigarettes, which allow people to inhale vaporized nicotine in different flavors. That was up from 10.8 percent in 2014 and 5.4 percent in 2013.
“The use of e-cigarettes, and this dramatic increase that we’re seeing among youth, threatens to normalize smoking again,” said Shannon Hughes, director of the department’s Community Health Promotion Division. “We have worked for decades to de-normalize smoking.”
The report details results of the annual Florida Youth Tobacco Survey. The 2015 survey was conducted in the spring and included 5,877 middle-school students and 6,443 high-school students in 174 public schools throughout the state, according to data released Wednesday.
Overall, the report reflects teens’ continued move away from cigarettes. For example, while 6.9 percent of high-school students said they “currently” smoke cigarettes, that figure is down from 10.1 percent in 2012, 13.1 percent in 2010, 15.7 percent in 2005 and 22.6 percent in 2000. Current tobacco use is defined as having smoked at least once in the past 30 days.
High-school students who said they smoke “frequently” — defined as using tobacco in at least 20 of the past 30 days — also declined. That total was 2.5 percent in 2015, down from 3.9 percent in 2012, 5.1 percent in 2010, 6.5 percent in 2005 and 10.5 percent in 2000, according to the data.
But while smoking tobacco has dropped, the use of relatively new electronic cigarettes has grown quickly. Along with 15.8 percent of high-school students who said they currently use electronic cigarettes, 6.4 percent of middle-school students said they use the devices.
Florida lawmakers in 2014 approved a ban on sales of electronic cigarettes to minors, similar to bans on the sales of regular cigarettes and other tobacco products. Electronic cigarettes do not carry all the health risks of smoking tobacco, but critics contend that the devices can hook teens on nicotine, ultimately leading to the use of tobacco products.
Hughes and the state’s Tobacco Free Florida program want the federal government to come up with national standards to regulate e-cigarettes. While Florida passed the 2014 law, the availability of electronic cigarettes online has made enforcement difficult.
by Jim Saunders and Tom Urban, The News Service of Florida
Entries Being Accepted For Northview Homecoming Parade
September 24, 2015
The annual Northview High School Homecoming Parade has been set for Friday, October 9.
The parade will line up at noon and travel from Bratt Elementary School to Northview High. Entries are being accepted now; there is no cost to enter. For a printable entry form, click here. Entries are due by October 2.
Contact Perry Byars at (850) 327-6681 ext. 248 for more information.
The Northview Chief’s homecoming game will kickoff at 7 p.m. on October 9 against Liberty County.
Pictured: A float in the 2014 Northview High Homecoming Parade in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County 4-H Presents Annual Awards
September 22, 2015
Escambia County 4-H recently awarded youth, volunteer and club efforts in the past year.
Youth Awards
Beasley Junior Achievement Award – Leah Rutherford, Gracie Meredith
Intermediately Leadership Award – Dillon Conti
Extension Director Leadership Award – Allison Woodfin
Dave and Sylvia Timberlake Helping Hand Award – Danielle Tinker
Langley Bell Award – Tori Kelson and Karrigan Scott
Margie Gindl Public Speaking and Public Awareness Award – Amanda Tanner
Cecil Guidy Animal Science Award – Kaley Lashley
4-H’er of the Year Award – Jessica Conti and Hannah Thorne
Youth Standards of Excellence
Cloverbud
Nathan Jacobs
Senior
Emerald – Rachel Grammer, Tori Kelson, Amanda Tanner, Danielle Tinker, Michelle Tinker
Silver – Karrigan Scott
Intermediate
Emerald – Dillon Conti, Jessica Conti, Lauren Walsh
Silver – Raven Hollis, Ami Rodgers, Raven Thompson
Bronze – Avery DeStafney
Junior
Bronze – Tanner DeStafney, Brayten Workman
Volunteer Awards
Margie Gindl Volunteer Leader Award – Christine Rodgers
Jean Guidy Volunteer Award – Sarah Jane Conti
Volunteer Standards of Excellence
Emerald – Sarah Jane Conti, Christine Rodgers, Sharon Tanner
Gold – Teresa Myrick
Club Awards
Historian’s Book Award – Cool Clovers 4-H Club, by Ami Rodgers
Treasurer’s Book Award – Cool Clovers 4-H Club, by Dawn VanIderstine
Secretary’s Book Award – Barrineau Park 4-H Club, by Jessica Conti
Scrapbook Award – Escambia County Shooting Sports
Club Standards of Excellence
Emerald – Barrineau Park 4-H Club
Gold – Escambia County Shooting Sports
He Sent You: Local Principal’s Facebook Post About Homeless Man Goes Viral
September 21, 2015
An Atmore elementary school principal, John Brantley, watched as the man, down on his knees, checked fast food bags in the garbage can outsid the Mobile Best Buy store. The man found a few fries here, a few bites of a an old leftover burger there. The man never solicited those passing by him for money and cleaned up the area when he was done.
Brantley shared his experience on Facebook, in a post that has now been shared over 1.2 million times in less than a week.
“My heart literally hurt for him. I am not someone who just hands out money or even helps homeless people because so many are not truly homeless. I don’t guess I’ve ever seen someone actually go through a garbage can to try to find food to eat,” Brantley wrote in his now viral Facebook post.
Brantley approached the homeless man and told him to follow him on his bike to a nearby restaurant. He bought the homeless man the biggest meal on the menu and fulfilled his one other request…a big glass of sweet tea to go with the meal.
“When I brought him his food, he was so thankful. He told me his name was Steve and he’d been homeless ever since his sister died last September. He was trying to get off the streets, but it was so hard. I told him God loved him and I would pray for him. He told me again how much he appreciated the meal,” Brantley said.
Brantley drove off, but he felt compelled to return. He went back and talked to the man, and bought him a McDonald’s gift card for future meals.
“He broke down crying. He told me that he prayed for me today! I wasn’t sure what he meant (I was assuming he was praying for me for what I did for him) so I thanked him. He said, “No, you don’t understand. I prayed that God would send someone to buy me a hot meal today,” Steve told Brantley.
Then Steve would say three powerful words.
“He sent you.”
“I didn’t know what to say…I was speechless! Praying for a hot meal wasn’t a prayer I had prayed today! Come to think of it, that’s not a prayer I’ve ever prayed! I always pray over my food, but I’ve never prayed for a meal…it’s expected! I’ve never doubted that I wouldn’t be able to eat…Tears began to fill my eyes! Oh my…how blessed am I… Maybe God used me to answer this man’s prayer…to let him know that He cares for Him and knows what goes going through! But, maybe God used this man to show me just how blessed I am and what I take for granted,” Brantley wrote.
Then Steve pulled up his shirt, showing Brantley a huge mass sticking out of his stomach. He explained that he was dying from cancer, and he knew it would not be much longer.
“I asked him if knew Jesus. He told me that he did. I asked if I could pray for him and he said that I could. We prayed right there on the sidewalk of McDonalds. Tears just poured from his eyes,” Brantley said. “I stayed and encouraged him for a few minutes trying to fight back my tears. My prayer is that I showed him the love of Jesus today…that something I said gave him a hope.”
Since that Facebook post, offers to help Steve have came in….including an offer from a doctor in North Carolina that has volunteered to treat Steve’s cancer for free. And there are plans for an online fundraiser, perhaps through his home church, Cross Point Church in Atmore.
So far, no one has been able to find Steve again. The Best Buy store and many others are on the lookout.
To read and share Brantley’s original Facebook post, click here.
September Proclaimed Library Card Month In Escambia County
September 21, 2015
September was proclaimed “Library Card Sign-Up Month” in Escambia County, urging all residents to obtain a library card and use the services of the West Florida Public Libaries. Clifford the Big Red Dog stopped by the Escambia County Commission Meeting as the proclamation was approved and presented. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Celebrates Homecoming, Bell Named Queen (With Photo Gallery)
September 19, 2015
Tate High School celebrated homecoming Friday night. Alli Bell was named 2015 Homecoming Queen for the Aggies.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Keith Garrison, click to enlarge.
Teens Learn Employable Skills During Partnership Camp
September 18, 2015
During the summer, the Children’s Home Society of Florida YouthWorks Program partnered with Escambia County’s Department of Neighborhood and Human Services to provide youth with valuable skills working as “Play, Learn, Grow” summer camp support staff.
The youth worked alongside Escambia County employees and were trained on conflict resolution, dealing with difficult people in a work environment, working with diverse populations, responsibility, customer service, professionalism, teamwork and many other workforce skills. The training was conducted in several ways, including one-on-one, in a group setting and hands-on.
“The experience itself helped develop and prepare our youth for the future workforce and we, as well as the youth, are very grateful,” said Eunicia Giuchici, youth career placement coordinator for Children’s Home Society of Florida YouthWorks.
Some of the youth were offered jobs with the county next summer, while others went off to college with new employable skills, and some were hired in local jobs. All of the participants were successful on some level due to their involvement in the summer camp program.
“One youth, Kianna, has a future goal of becoming an educator for young children,” Giuchici said. “This was her first job working with at-risk children. She had some bumps along the way but was able to learn from her experience to guide her in her next job. Due to her hands-on experience at the Summer Camp, Kianna was able to secure a job as a retail associate at Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast. She will be attending Pensacola State College next semester to begin working toward her education degree.”
She added that all youth learn in different ways and that is why teaching alternatives are important to their success.
“Whether we tell them, teach them or involve them, we are making a positive effort in the future of our youth and workforce,” Giuchici said. “We applaud the hard work of the supervisors, staff, and support personnel from Escambia County’s Department of Neighborhood and Human Services including Shurlitha Jones, Leroy Williams, Kathryn Lovely and Nellie Washington, and the continuous employment support from Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast (Robin King and Ronald Rivera).”
Pictured: Summer camp participant Kianna was able to secure a job as a retail associate at Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast. She will be attending Pensacola State College next semester to begin working toward her education degree. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names Students Of The Month
September 16, 2015
Ernest Ward Middle School has named students of the month for August. They are (L-R) Anna Adams, sixth grade; David Lamb, seventh grade; and Keaton Solmonson. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.