Northview Food For American Program Number Two In Entire State
June 19, 2009
The Northview High FFA’s Food For America program has been named one of the top two programs in Florida.
The local Food for America Program, sponsored the National FFA Organization and conducted by the Northview FFA in March, gave the students a chance to learn about agriculture firsthand as they got up close and personal with farm animals, farm equipment and more. About 800 elementary school students and 200 volunteers took part in the program.
The program is designed to encourage FFA members to participate in Agricultural Literacy and Awareness projects on the local level. The awards were announced during the Sixth General Session of the 81st Florida FFA State Convention in Orlando.
The Northview FFA has participated in the program for 14 years, placing second in the state two years ago. Northview has placed in the top five in the state for the last ten years.
Both the Northview and Ernest Ward FFA chapters attended the FFA state convention last week in Orlando. The chapters traveled together and were able to enjoy the convention and other planned activities as a group.
Individuals that attended from North Escambia were: Mark and Aimee Solari, Courtney Solari, Stephanie Solari, Allie Vidak, Brittany Thompson, Heather Kite, Lydia Weaver, Anna Donald, Cindy Wilson, Perry and Kay Byars, Andrea Byars, Shelby Lewis, Gavin Hinote, Micah Byars, Tyler Hester, Devon Bell and Nathan Waters.
For a photo gallery of the FFA students in Orlando, click here.
The following information was presented to the awards committee that judged the Food for American Program:
Northview FFA chapter members began implementing Food For America planning in early fall of 2008 with a letter of notice to both invited schools and potential vendors letting them know of the date for the 2009 activity on campus. Committees were formed and in January the Northview FFA chapter sent letters of invitation to all of the elementary schools both Escambia County, and two surrounding counties in Alabama. We requested that all of the schools RSVP with the number of students they would be bringing. There were approximately 100 FFA members that participated in running this program along with 38 off campus exhibitors and over 800 invited guests. We had several attention grabbers including tractors, poultry, cattle, horses, an apiary display and a helicopter from the Florida Forestry Division. Other vendors consisted of Pine Ridge Farms, Walnut Hill Fire Department, Northview 4-H, Escambia River Electrical Cooperative, Natural Resource Conservation Service, University of Florida-Milton, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Young Farmers and Ranchers, Humane Society, North Escambia Bee Association and Stewart’s Grist Mill. The NHS-FFA members were tour guides for the elementary students. They were responsible for their group and escorted each class of students to the different exhibits. We also had a safety related puppet show, and a film on the importance of agriculture that students were able to watch while they consumed animal crackers and half pints of milk. Funds for the food were provided by Escambia County Farm Bureau. Coverage of this event consisted of three local newspapers: The Atmore Advance, Tri-City Ledger, and NorthEscambia.com. Pensacola WEAR Channel 3 was also in attendance and ran a package that night on the evening news of the day’s activities.
Pictured above: FFA students from Northview High and Ernest Ward Middle schools in Orlando. Pictured inset: Students learn about making corn meal at the NHS Food for America Program earlier this year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Yummy Library Lesson: Tasty And Healthy Snack Choices
June 17, 2009
Snacking can be tasty and healthy — that was the message during a summer reading program “Kids Can Cook!” at the Century Branch Library Tuesday afternoon.
Angela Hinkle from the Escambia County Extension Office presented tips for making smart food choices at a school and home. Children of all ages had fun creating and decorating a lunch box and filling it with healthy snacks.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Next week, the library’s summer fun continues next Tuesday at noon with a free magic show with West Florida’s favorite local magician Beau Broomall.
For more information, contact the Century Branch Library, 7991 North Century Boulevard, at 256-6217.
Pictured above and below: Decisions, decisions — participants in the summer reading program Tuesday afternoon at the Century Branch Library were given the opportunity to choose four free healthy snacks. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Diverse Family: Bratt Mockingbird Is Raising Baby Blue Jay
June 15, 2009
A Bratt family has an interesting family of birds in their yard — a mockingbird is raising an orphaned blue jay along with her own young.
Here is the story, as related by Kim Godwin of Bratt:
My three daughters (Hannah, Shelby and Maegan) and I were driving down our driveway when I noticed a small ball of something just sitting on the ground. All four of us got out to check this little ball out. It just happened to be a tiny baby blue jay that had been orphaned.
We looked for the nest that it had apparently fallen out of but we couldn’t find it. Of course, we all wanted to pick it up immediately because it was so cute and tiny. I’ve always heard not to touch a baby bird with your bare hands because the mother would smell the human scent on it and leave it abandoned.
So, I grabbed a t-shirt and swaddled the tiny bird up in it. The next question for us was, “What do we do with this cute little bird?”. It just so happened that we have been watching a nest of mockingbird eggs hatch. The little mockingbirds could have only been a week or so old. I decided that we would see what happened if we stuck the blue jay in with the mockingbirds.
I didn’t really think that the mockingbird parents would just adopt the blue jay but I thought that is was worth a try. Well, then we had another obstacle — the nest was too small for the three tiny mockingbirds and the blue jay that is three times as big as the mockingbirds.
My nine-year old daughter Hanna looked up on the internet on how to create a make-shift nest. So, we found an old basket and filled it with pine straw. My husband tied it up in the tree where the old nest used to be. It wasn’t but just a few minutes and the mama mockingbird was checking out her new home which held her three babies plus one.
The mockingbird parents have fully adopted the bluejay and the whole family is doing well.
Pictured above: A hungry blue jay (the larger bird to the left) and two mockingbirds wait for mom to feed them. Pictured below: (L-R) Hannah Godwin, Maegan Godwin, friend Jadlyn Agerton, Shelby Godwin . Pictured bottom: More photos of the orphaned baby blue jay that is being raised by a mockingbird with her own young. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Over 5,000 Attend First Blueberry Jamboree (With Photo Gallery)
June 14, 2009
Over 5,000 people attended the first annual Escambia County Blueberry Jamboree Saturday at the Barrineau Park Community Center. The Blueberry Jamboree was a nostalgic throwback to the old fashioned festivals of years past with old fashioned music, food and about 60 vendors on hand with arts and crafts — and, of course, lots of blueberries.
For a complete photo gallery from the Blueberry Jamboree, click here.
For results from the 5K Race for the Blueberries, click here, and for results from the Blueberry Bake-Off, click here.
The event is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com, Farm Bureau Insurance, Wind Creek Casino, Casa Heating and Cooling, Navy Federal Credit Union, Scott’s Pharmacy, United Bank, DeLuna Lanes Bowling Center, Escambia Grain Corporation, Faith Chapel Funeral Homes, Greenhut Construction Company, Jus Because of Atmore, Janice Kilgore, The Silver Screen Theatre, Southern Dental Associates, A & N Blueberries, Adventures Unlimited, Cantonment Building Materials, Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Sam’s Fun City, the Escambia County Neighborhoods & Community Services, and UF/IFAS Extension.
Pictured above: Several bluegrass groups performed at the Blueberry Jamboree Saturday in Barrineau Park. Pictured below: About 60 vendors participated in the first annual event. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Care Residents Enjoy Summer Music Recital
June 14, 2009
A talented group from Mrs. Long’s Music Studio from Brewton, Alabama, performed for the residents of Century Care Center Saturday.
For more photos from the event, click here.
Pictured above and below: A summer recital Saturday at Century Care Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mmmm…First Annual Blueberry Bake-Off Winners Named
June 14, 2009
It was a blueberry lover’s dream Saturday at the first annual Blueberry Jamboree Bake-Off at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
Dozens of cooks entered their tasty pies, cobblers, cakes and other blueberry goodies in hopes of winning cash prizes in the contest sponsored by the Escambia County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. There was one basic rule — the homemade dessert must have included blueberries as an ingredient.
After the tempting treats were judged and the winners were announced, the public had the opportunity to sample the entries.
The winners of the first annual Blueberry Jamboree Bake-Off were:
Pies and Cobblers
First place: Blueberry Crunch Cobbler from Thelma Hickey. Second place: Blueberry Dream Pie (pictured above) from Marti Penland Koemmerer. Third place: Cream Cheese Blueberry Pie from Melissa Collie.
Cakes
First place: Groovy Blueberry Gooey Cake from Klyn Wilson. Second place: Blueberry Pineapple Crunch from Dorothy Cunningham. Third place: Just Blueberry Cheesecake from Cindy Criswell.
Other Desserts
First Place: Blueberry Delight from Cathy Vanderpol. Second place: Blueberry Muffin from, Laura Kerby. Third place: Blueberry Muffin from Nancy Fillingim.
Pictured above: The second place winner in the “Pies and Cobbler” division was Blueberry Dream Pie from Marti Penland Koemmerer. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Sherrill Receives Music Awards At Faulkner State
June 13, 2009
Kate Elizabeth Sherrill of Walnut Hill was recently honored for her musical accomplishments at Faulkner State Community College.
Sherrill was awarded the Faulkner State Freshman Music Major of the Year Award and the Faulkner Singers Award.
The awards were presented at the Department of Fine Arts annual banquet held at the Bienville Club in Mobile.
In addition to being a member of the Faulkner Singers, Sherrill is also part of Faulkner’s Sun Chief Sound.
Sherrill, who attends Faulkner on a music scholarship, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa where she will serve as communications Officer this year. She recently attended the Phi Theta Kappa International Convention in Dallas.
She is the daughter of Kent and Anne Sherrill and the granddaughter of Sam and Dean Graham and the late Hunk and Senie Sherrill.
VBS Continues At Area Churches
June 11, 2009
Vacation Bible Schools are underway at a number of churches across the North Escambia area this week.
For a list of VBS events in the area, click the “Events” tab at the top of the page. If you would like to submit photos from your VBS, email them to news@northescambia.com
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church sent us these photos, and the following info:
Bible School is underway at Ray’s Chapel. A big thanks to EREC for bringing the train for fun rides. Among other things the kids, big and small have enjoyed animals from the zoo, a water slide turned powder slide and great bible lessons. You still have time to join the fun 5:30-8:00 PM through this Friday!
PS DONT TELL THE PREACHER’S WIFE HE WAS KISSING ANOTHER !!!!!!!
Pictured above: Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church Pastor Nathan Brown at the church’s VBS this week. Pictured below: More scenes from the Ray’s Chapel VBS, including the EREC “train”. Submitted photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Juan Sebastián de Elcano Departs Pensacola
June 10, 2009
After an estimated 13,000 people toured the Spanish tall ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, she headed out of the Port of Pensacola late Tuesday afternoon. Many NorthEscambia area residents were among those that toured the ship during its week stay in Pensacola.
The Elcano and its crew of 300 sailors were in Pensacola for the 450th anniversary celebration of the city as well as the 60th anniversary of the Fiesta of Five Flags.
Pictured above and below: The Spanish tall ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano departs Pensacola Tuesday afternoon. Submitted photos by Brenda Kahalley of Molino for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Kids Learn About Funny Money At Century Library
June 10, 2009
The secrets of money were unlocked Tuesday as the summer reading program continued at the Century Branch Library.
In the “Funny Money Reading Fun” program, Dorothy Lee with the Escambia County Extension Service shared her know-how and secrets such as how to read a dollar bill and why there is a pyramid. Children of all ages had fun playing games and learning all about money.
Next week, the summer reading series will continue at the Century Branch Library with “Kids Can Cook”. The free program will be at noon next Tuesday, June 16. For more information, contact the library at (850) 256-6217.
Pictured: Children learn about money Tuesday afternoon during the summer reading series at the Century Branch Library. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.