Tate High Names Roehig, Santos-Alers As Students Of Month
March 8, 2021
Tate High School has named Nathan Roehig and Zahara Santos-Alers as Students of the Month. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Lt. Wesley Barnett Named Escambia County Employee Of The Month
March 8, 2021
Escambia Fire Rescue Lieutenant Wesley Shane Barnett has been named as Employee of the Month for March.
Barnett began as a volunteer at the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department in 2004 before becoming a fulltime firefighter with the county.
According to a proclamation presented by the Escambia County Commission:
Lt. Barnett began his employment with the county on Sept. 20, 2009 and provides excellent service to the citizens of Escambia County through all his assigned duties.
Lt. Barnett can be relied on as an independent decision-maker with issues inside the firehouse, as well as decisions concerning emergency incidents. Lt. Barnett works in a fire district that is isolated from other companies, which requires him, at times, to make decisions otherwise normally assigned to those of a higher rank.
In the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2021, Lt. Barnett and his crew made a successful rescue of a civilian under structure fire conditions. Lt. Barnett properly utilized his personnel to complete multiple fire ground tasks. Personnel under his direction properly pumped the apparatus, conducted forcible entry, extinguished the fire and completed an aggressive interior search. Lt. Barnett and one of his firefighters made entry through the rear door, went down the hallway and found the victim unconscious in their bed. The victim was removed from the mobile home and ECEMS provide patient care.
In the late afternoon of Feb. 4, 2021, Lt. Barnett and his crew were dispatched to a cardiac arrest incident. Lt. Barnett and the crew of E1 found the patient laying in the middle of the street as a friend of the patient was conducting hands-only CPR. Lt. Barnett and his crew provided rapid basic life support interventions which resulted in a return of circulation.
Lt. Barnett fully embraces the importance of his profession. He continually works hard at training the personnel under his leadership to perform at a high level regardless of time of day or incident. Very few people have the capacity to become quality firefighters. Fortunately, the citizens of Escambia County should be thankful that they have numerous quality firefighters like Lt. Barnett.
Pictured: Escambia County Battalion Chief Dan Brask (left) and Lt. Wesley Barnett, Escambia County Employee of the Month for March. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Super Delta: Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds Debut New Joint Flight Formation
March 3, 2021
For the first time ever, the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels flew a F-16 Fighting Falcon and F/A-18 Super Hornet flight formation known as the “Super Delta” during a joint training Tuesday afternoon over the Imperial Valley in California.
The formation grew out of a series of joint training opportunities held in 2020 and 2021, including joint training over Escambia County.
The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds will virtually debut a full flight this Memorial Day weekend during the nationwide broadcast of the National Memorial Day Parade: America Stands Tall that will air on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliate stations nationwide.
Photos top: SSgt Andrew Sarver, Thunderbirds. Photo below: MC2 Cody Hendrix, Blue Angels.
Ernest Ward FFA Presents ‘Golden Cow Dung Award’ To Assistant Principal
March 1, 2021
Ernest Ward Middle School Assistant Principal Tyvanna Boulanger received the annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from members of the Ernest Ward FFA recently. The award features a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color and mounted on a board painted in school colors.
Boulanger received the award during National FFA Week as a “thank you” for supporting FFA.
(Cow dung, in case you didn’t know for sure, is what you are probably thinking it is. It’s that natural byproduct that cows drop in the field. The award is 100% real dung spray painted a golden color. The golden piece is actually the original award piece created and painted in 2009.)
Pictured: Assistant Principal Tyvanna Boulanger received the annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
February 22, 2021
Tate High School recently named Students of the Month for December. They are Gwen Ward and Adam Lee. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Wins State Peanut Butter Challenge
February 20, 2021
Escambia County Extension was the winner of the statewide 2020 Peanut Butter Challenge.
Escambia County collected 2,191 jars weighing in at 2,867.5 pounds. The county’s collection was further boosted by an additional 2,880 jars, generously donated by local farmers Rodney and Mike Helton.
The premise of the event was simple — from October 1 until the day before Thanksgiving, participating counties collected jars of peanut butter, often with plenty of help from the local community and organizations. At the end of the event, the collections are tallied, bragging rights earned, and the jars were distributed to local food pantries to feed neighbors in need during the holiday season.
“The Peanut Butter Challenge continues to raise awareness of the importance of the state peanut industry, and helps provide a healthy product to families who do not have easy access to nutritious food,” said Libbie Johnson, agricultural agent for UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County and co-organizer of the Challenge since its inception. “Our communities come through year after year with tremendous responses to our calls for peanut butter donations, and we thank them.”
Peanut butter is an ever-popular item in food pantries for its nutrient density and shelf stability. The project’s expansion this year was partially inspired by the increased demand for food bank assistance as an economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s A Boy! Northview Ag Dept. Welcomes Calf, Works To Keep Him Warm In Frigid Weather
February 16, 2021
The Northview High School agriculture department had a little Valentine’s weekend surprise.
A healthy calf was born sometime Saturday afternoon in the pasture in front of the school. On Monday, students named him “Cupid”.
Ag students worked hard Monday to make sure the little guy would be nice and warm Monday night into a very frigid Tuesday morning.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click on enlarge.
A Very Special Night To Shine (A Valentine’s Story)
February 14, 2021
It’s been a special friendship and a love for each other since elementary school for Bryant McDonald and Hannah Hardy, and Friday night was their “night to shine”.
A Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation for people with special needs. The program looked a little different this year due to the pandemic as people across the world honored and served those with disabilities.
And it was an perfect night for Bryant, a 19-year old senior at Tate High School, and his girlfriend Hannah as they were named prom king and queen.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“Hannah made sure last night was planned to a ‘T’. She asked Bryant to pick out which dress he liked the best on her,” Bryant’s mother Tracey McDonald said. “They exchanged boutonniere and corsage, had Chick-fil-A, and she even picked out his tie. She chose the tie with X’s and O’s for hugs and kisses.”
Those that attended the Pensacola area event were invited to a drive-thru parade in Gulf Breeze. Despite the weather, there were costumed characters and plenty of people cheering them on and wishing them all a fabulous night.
“I liked when Elsa (from Frozen) blew snow all over us. She tried to freeze us,” Bryant said.
“They were treated like royalty and had the biggest smiles on their faces and giggles and laughter filled the car,” Tracey said.
And what’s a prom without a dance?
Hannah and Bryant had their own at-home prom dance.
Bryant said his favorite part of the date was “when Hannah and I danced the Cha-Cha Slide together at home,” and Hannah said she loved dancing with Bryant, her ‘Sugar Bear”, in his stand-up walker.
It was a Night to Shine for Bryant and Hannah.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Bryant McDonald and Hannah Hardy’s Night to Shine prom date. (The first photo below was Hannah’s favorite.) Photos courtesy Beth Lees and Tracey McDonald for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview High School Names Students Of The Month
February 11, 2021
Northview High School has named their January Students of the Month. They are Elianna Morales and Dallon Rackard. They are pictured with Northview Principal Michael Sherrill. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winners Announced In 67th Youth Art Focus (With Photos, Virtual Tour)
February 11, 2021
Winners have been announced from the 67th Youth Art Focus for the Escambia County School District with the Pensacola Museum of Art is now available.
Since 1954, Youth Art Focus has created an opportunity to expose students to the fine art world in a professional museum environment while giving the public a chance to experience and appreciate the accomplishments of Escambia County’s fine art education programs.
(Tip: To skip ahead to the student art in the virtual video tour, go to 27:55 in the video on the page linked above.)
