Class Of 2009 Graduations; With Flomaton Photos
May 26, 2009
Several North Escambia area schools held graduation exercises this weekend, and other area schools will hold commencements over the next week.
Graduation was held Friday night at Flomaton High and Escambia County High School in Atmore.
Northview High School’s graduation will be at 4:00 Saturday afternoon in the school gymnasium.
Tate High School will hold graduation services at 1:00 Thursday afternoon in the Pensacola Civic Center.
Jay High School’s graduation will be at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.
For more photos from Flomaton High School, click here.
Pictured above: Graduation for the Flomaton High School Class of 2009. Submitted photo by Alisa Hart for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Memorial Day: Honoring Our Heroes
May 26, 2009
Pictured: Flags fly on the grave of PFC Russell William Stewart on Memorial Day. PFC Stewart died April 14, 2007, while serving at Camp Lejeune, NC. His grave at the Walnut Hill Baptist Church was one of many military graves in North Escambia where people paid their respects over the Memorial Day weekend. After the September 11 tragedy, PFC Stewart penned the following poem, a very fitting Memorial Day tribute:
“Soldiers”
Killed in battle, laid to rest
We fought to free those oppressed
We died a valiant death
Served our country, not for glory or fame,
But for our brothers in arms who shared our pain.
For we are soldiers tried and true,
We died on the field of battle
Let our death not be forgotten
For we fought for you. Soldiers.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Memorials Honor Those That Served
May 25, 2009
People across North Escambia and the country paused to remember the brave men and women that have served our country today as we celebrated Memorial Day on Monday.
In North Escambia, there are memorials that honor those that have serviced in the military:
Walnut Hill
The largest such memorial in the North Escambia area, the Veteran’s Honor Wall has stood in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center since its dedication in 2003. There are nearly 300 names on the wall, including 13 names of soldiers killed in action. The wall honors those from the Walnut Hill area that have served in the nation’s military.
The Walnut Hill Veterans Wall is located in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97.
Century
About 30 of those that served from the Century area are now honored on the Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor that was unveiled in the Fourth of July ceremony at Century’s Roadside Park on Highway 29.
Barrineau Park
The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center honors over 100 people that have served in the military. The wall was a project of the Barrineau Park Historical Society.
Pictured above: The names of those killed in action on the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall. Pictured below: The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center. NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Go After God In A Big Way: NHS Class Of 2009 Holds Baccalaureate Services
May 25, 2009
The Northview High School Class of 2009 held their Baccalaureate service Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church of Bratt — the first time in the history of the school that Baccalaureate has not been held at the school.
The class motto sums up the story of the students’ struggle to hold a Baccalaureate service: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
The school was not able able to organize a Baccalaureate service due to a new Escambia School Board policy preventing the school from promoting any religious ceremony. That policy was implemented after a federal judge issued an order against any policy or practice where school district employees promote or take part in prayer or religious services organized by the Santa Rosa County School District.
The Baccalaureate service was organized by the Northview senior class, led by class President Luke Killam.
“I am glad that we could gather to praise God,” Killam said after the service.
“I was proud of our class organizing the service,” senior class Vice President Briana Halteman said. “A lot of the community got involved and helped us stand up for what we believed in.”
“You can’t keep God out of schools,” Jason Oxodine, youth minister at the First Assembly of God in Atmore, told the graduates. “You went against the grain..and stood up for God.”
Oxodine said the school board and court decisions concerning religion in schools have made it hard for school personnel to function as leaders in the community “when they know that what you need most in your life is Jesus Christ.”
“Go after God in a big way,” the youth pastor urged the 42 students that took part in the service.
“Everlasting God”, “Glorious One”, and “My Saviour, My God” were among the songs performed by the Senior Ensemble at Sunday morning’s service.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Northview Principal Gayle Weaver and other school personnel were at the service but did not speak during the service.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the service, click here.
Pictured above and below: Scenes from the Northview High School Baccalaureate Service Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
In The Game: Brain Surgery Allows NHS Player To Take The Field
May 24, 2009
Friday night’s Garnet and Gold game at Northview High School ended in a tie, but it was a huge victory — and answered prayers — for one family.
On November 19, Nathan Therrell underwent brain surgery at the Miami Children’s Hospital to remove something the size of a grain of rice that has caused years of problems for him. It’s called a hypothalamic hamartoma, also called an “HH”. The HH is not a tumor, nor is it a cancer; it is a tissue growth.
Last season, Nathan was sidelined by the HH, serving as the team’s manager and water boy. He stood on the sidelines, watching every play, dreaming of the day he would be on the field. Friday night, that dream became a reality as coaches put Nathan Therrill #72 in the game.
Nathan’s aunt, Kelly Sims, said Nathan has done well since the surgery. Best of all, he has been seizure-free since the surgery, receiving an “all clear” from his doctor.
“Nathan has recovered from the surgery far better than expected. He seems like a total different kid,” Sims said of her nephew. “God does answer prayers and Nathan’s family would like to thank everyone that helped during the time of fund raisers and for any donations that were given.”
“The family is very thankful for everything including the prayers that were sent out for Nate,” she added.
A typical HH like the one removed from Nathan’s brain causes seizures, a problem Nathan had for four years. His were originally controlled by medication, but the medicines failed to work, his mother Tina Therrell said. Doctors tried radiation and laser treatments, but none worked. That led the family to decide to have the surgery to remove the HH from the middle of Nathan’s brain.
Pictured top: Nathan Therrell ready to play in the Garnet and Gold game Friday night at Northview High School. Pictured middle: Nathan Therrill watches a Northview football game last season. He served as the team’s manager water boy. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Byrneville Students In The Box
May 24, 2009
Students at Byrneville Elementary recently presented a musical that centered around the imagination of a child and a simple brown box.
Byrneville students presented “The Box”, a musical celebration of the imagination of a child that turns a piece of brown cardboard into a world of possibilities.
Pictured above and below: Byrneville Elementary School students present “The Box” by Mark Burrows. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friendship Freewill Fishin’
May 24, 2009
The youth from the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church from the McCall (Ala.) community recently took a fishing trip to Steve’s Catfish Ponds in Walnut Hill.
If your North Escambia area church would like to share news and photos, email news@northescambia.com.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE Names Maille Kilcrease Little League Queen
May 24, 2009
Maille Kilcrease was crowned the 2009 Little League Queen at Bradberry recently. The girls sold votes for a penny each, with a portion of the proceeds to sponsor the park.
The first place winner was Kylie Brook. Other contestants included Amber Gilman and Ronnie Belanger.
Pictured above: 2008 NWE Baseball Queen Brianna Parker crowned her successor recently, 2009 NWE Baseball Queen Maille Kilcrease. Pictured inset: Contestant Amber Gilman. Pictured below: Contestant Kylie Brook, 2008 Queen Brianna Parker, 2009 Queen Maille Kilcrease and Ronnie Belanger. Submitted photos by Wendy Aliff for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Welcome To The Real World: NHS Students Juggle Work, School
May 21, 2009
During her senior year, Northview student Ashley Snow maintained her GPA, cheered on the varsity cheerleading squad and was involved in other extracurricular activities. She also worked as an office assistant five days a week. And she worked at the Atmore YMCA. And she worked at the Movie Gallery.
Ashley is one of 27 students enrolled in the Diversified Career Technology/Career Education Clubs of Florida class at Northview High School. It’s a program that is sometimes called OJT, or on the job training. Students like Ashley take three to six periods in school at Northview; then they earn classroom credit for working their jobs under the watchful eye of DCT instructor Tommy Weaver.
“We call it the ‘world of work’,” Weaver said of his class. “It’s a welcome to the real world.”
At one point during the year, Ashley was juggling school and a 40-45 hour work week under the DCT program.
“I didn’t have a social life. I didn’t have time to sleep,” she said. She’s since quit her job at the YMCA, but continues to work at the Movie Gallery. She also will continue her job as a paid student aide in the Northview office until the end of the school year.
For senior Amie Sutton (pictured left), the DCT program has allowed her to advance in her job. She started as a cashier at the Piggly Wiggly in Century, and now her duties include working as an office clerk, managing cash, checks, money orders and more. She’s learned that advancing in a career has its perks.
“I can tell people what to do,” Sutton said. “But I hate when a customer is rude.”
“Yeah, sometimes when they have late fees they don’t want to pay, people can be so rude,” Ashley said. It’s that “welcome to the real world” that Weaver mentioned.
“It can get real hectic at times,” Jessica Mothershed said of her job as a paid aide in the Northview office. “Sometimes you can lose track because so many people want you to do so many different things.”
Jessica said she is glad she had the opportunity to get the Northview office job through the DCT program. “It’s been a great chance to get real experience, and the people I work with are just wonderful.”
Summer Sanders said it was necessary for her to work while attending school and that she was thankful for the opportunities presented by the DCT class.
“They are a great group of students who have work extremely hard to maintain jobs as well as attend school,” Summer said, thanking Weaver for helping her find her first job at David’s Catfish and her current job at Century Care Center.
I Enjoy working at the Care Center,” she said. “The staff is really nice and caring, and the residents just have a way of brightening my day when I’m having a bad day. It is a great environment to work in.”
Tiffany Chance found her job, well, by accident. An accident landed her at the chiropractor. She found chiropractic work interesting, and now she works at Newlin Chiropractic in Pensacola through the Northview DCT program.
“I just fell in love with the people at the chiropractic office after my accident, and they offered me a job,” she said. “I love having a job where I can help people. There’s nothing bad about it; it is all positive.”
But without the ability to take part in the NHS DCT program, Tiffany said it would be unlikely that she would have the job that she believes will prepare her for life after high school.
“It has taught me to accomplish tasks for myself,” Tiffany said. “It has definitely prepared me for the real world.”
Classroom time in the DCT program does work to prepare students for the real world.
Students learn how to write a resume, conduct an interview and even file their taxes.
Students receive both a classroom grade and a grade from their work supervisors. Good performance is important to maintaining or improving a GPA; students can earn up to five A’s per nine weeks in the DCT program. It is possible for a senior to take DCT, English and Government/Economics during the first three periods of the school day, then leave for work. Their employers are required to provide them with one hour of work for each period they are out of school.
But Weaver encourages the students to not be all work and no play; they are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities and to return to campus for school events like pep rallies.
“They are a great group of kids,” Weaver said.
Amanda Barrow, manager of the Atmore Movie Gallery where Ashley works, agrees.
“I couldn’t ask for a better employee. She accepts responsibility. Everyone would wish for an employee as work oriented as Ashley,” Barrow said. “I think it (DCT) is a great program. It gives students the hands-on training they need before they are pursuing their careers.”
Ashley worked as a night nursery attendant during her time at the Atmore YMCA and found out that the DCT program can even provide life lessons.
“I don’t want kids anymore,” she said.
Members of the Northview 2008-2009 DCT program are listed below with their employer:
- Michelle Bellamy, Century Care Center, Century
- Joshua Black, Ernest Ward Middle School, Walnut Hill
- Gretchen Boughner, Whataburger, Century
- Andrew Bowlan, Whataburger, Cantonment
- Richard Braun, Northview High School, Bratt
- Brittany Brown, Country Charms, Atmore
- Tiffany Chance, Newlin Chiropractic, Pensacola
- Matthew Coffee, Winn-Dixie, Cantonment
- Stephanie Doucette, Grocery Advantage, Cantonment
- Whitney Flurnoy, Buster’s Restaurant, Atmore
- Melissa Garrett, Grocery Advantage, Cantonment
- Jasey Gibson, Whataburger, Cantonment
- Jesse Grimes, Piggly Wiggly, Davisville
- Denise Hart, Northview High School, Bratt
- Blaine Jeter, Pee Wee Construction, Atmore
- Dalton Justice, Right Lead Ranch, Walnut Hill
- Ryan Lamber, Smith Tractor, Atmore
- Adam Martin, Pee Wee Construction, Atmore
- Steven Meadows, Chuck E. Cheese, Pensacola
- Jessica Mothershed, Northview High School, Bratt
- Dustin Odom, Subway, Atmore
- Caitlin Roley, Northview High School, Bratt
- Summer Sanders, Century Care Century, Century
- Haley Smith, Northview High School, Bratt
- Ashley Snow, Movie Gallery, Atmore
- Amie Sutton, Piggly Wiggly, Century
- Kayla Wheeler, Winn Dixie, Cantonment
For more on the DCT program at Northview, click here.
Pictured top: Jessica Mothershed (left) and Tiffany Chance are two of 27 students in the DCT program at Northview High School. Pictured inset: Amie Sutton works at Century’s Piggly Wiggly in the DCT program. Pictured below: Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas visits with DCT student Ashley Snow, who works as an office aide at NHS. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Friends And Neighbors Show Support For FNB&T After Armed Bank Robbery
May 21, 2009
Friends and neighbors have reached out to the First National Bank & Trust following the Tuesday afternoon armed robbery of the Atmore bank.
Rene Godwin, FNB&T vice president, said that all day Wednesday, customers and friends took the time to offer words of encouragement following the frighting events of Tuesday afternoon when a man armed with a rifle robbed the bank.
United Bank, whose main office is located just across the street from the FNB&T, even sent a gift basket filled with “goodies” to the FNB&T.
“The FNB&Trust team would like to send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our customers and the citizens of the Atmore area for the concern shown us during the recent robbery,” Godwin said. “A special thank you to the United Bank employees for their generosity and well wishes.”
Shep Marsh, president of FNB&T, offered his praises to local law enforcement and his staff following the holdup.
“The quick and professional actions of our well trained staff, excellent security technology, and very competent local law enforcement officers resulted in an identification of the individual within two hours,” Marsh said.
Pictured above: A gift basket from United Bank to the FNB&T following their Tuesday robbery. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.