Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida Scholarship Award Program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida is excited to announce we have been selected to benefit from a scholarship award program that will provide a pathway to college for ten local high school students and graduates, who are involved in our mentoring programs.

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is partnering with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation to award $4.2million in college scholarships to students living in the most poverty-stricken zip codes in the state, providing 2-year scholarships to 1,000 students over the next four years.

FPL’s donation of $2.1 million, matched dollar-for-dollar by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, is the largest contribution to date since the Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program launched two years ago. The Path to Prosperity Scholarship Program is a partnership with the Florida Chamber Foundation, to reduce childhood poverty in our state by providing deserving students with the ability to afford higher education.

“Florida is our home, and we are dedicated to creating a brighter future for all who live here” says FPL Vice President and General Manager of Northwest Florida, J.T. Young. “Through this partnership, we are honored to help provide a more hopeful future for students who have so much promise and potential – and perhaps welcome them one day to the FPL team.”

The Florida Prepaid College Foundation and Florida Chamber Foundation is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida, along with other organizations, to identify students and provide mentoring as part of the scholarship award. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida contacted high school students who met the scholarship criteria and among those eligible, ten students were approved. These recipients will be able to use the scholarships at Florida public colleges and universities, as well as technical and vocational schools.

“Having a wonderful partner, such as FPL, makes our work extra special” says BBBS NWFL President and CEO, Paula Shell. “They are opening a door many of our Littles would never be able to walk through and are truly changing lives for the better, forever. We are so excited to see the path each Little walks with this opportunity.”

We are grateful to Florida Power & Light Company and their commitment to helping Florida students reach their full potential and their continuous support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida.

Autauga County Schools

Ferry Pass Middle School Odyssey Teams Rank Top Quarter at World Finals

Two teams from Ferry Pass Middle School competed at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan May 25-27. Both teams, representing the state of Florida, performed exceptionally, ranking in the top quarter of all teams! FPMS Problem 3 “Classics...The Walls of Troy” placed 16th out of 54 International Teams. FPMS Problem 5 “The Most Dramatic Problem Ever” placed 15th out of 66 International Teams. The competition consisted of a Long Term Problem solution performance for each Problem that teams have worked on for many months and a Spontaneous Problem the teams must complete and get scored on without prior knowledge of what it is. The FPMS teams met students from all over the world, exchanging ideas and culture at the International Fest and throughout the week. One such activity that brought all ages and cultures together was the very popular activity of pin trading. Each State/Region/Country produces special pins each year, which make collectors keen on collecting the most unique and hard to find individual pins and pin sets. The students made memories to last a lifetime and want to thank all of the community members that so generously donated to make this trip possible.

Booker T. Washington High School Choir Performs at Carnegie Hall in New York

18 choir students from Booker T. Washington High School in Escambia County received the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York. Last September, a recorded audition from the Booker T. Washington choir, consisting of three songs, was submitted for consideration into the “Festival at Carnegie Hall.” In October, the choir received an email confirming their acceptance. The choir got the chance to perform under the conductorship of Dr. Edith Copely.

Sunflower Science at St. Paul Catholic School

While studying the structures of life in our science unit, third graders at St. Paul Catholic School had fun learning about the life cycle of plants with a special visitor, Mr. Gasi. Mr. Gasi brought mammoth sunflower seeds for everyone to plant!

Beulah Middle FFA Aquaculture Team Places 2nd In Florida

Beulah Middle School

Future Farmers of America Aquaculture Team placed second in Florida. Join us in celebrating our Future Farmers of America Aquaculture Team at Beulah Middle School. Congratulations go to Jayden Williams, Harrison Vernier, Ezekiel Flores, and Henry Merritt. Vernier and Merritt were both top 6 scoring individuals in the state.

Tate High School Girls Tennis Team Won the District 1-3A Runner-up

The Tate High School girls tennis team won the District 1-3A runner-up spot. Coach Dave Bonucchi had a team of amazing athletes this year. Join us in celebrating this accomplishment by KJ Crow, Ansli Brown, Ashlyn Greeson, Riley Robbins and Neyanie Linares.

N.B. Cook Annual Senior Walk

On Friday, May 19, N.B. Cook Elementary hosted its 2nd Annual Senior Walk, where graduating seniors that once attended N.B. Cook were welcomed back to walk the halls and be celebrated by current students. Current students lined the halls with signs of congratulations, cheering and offering high-fives as our graduates walked past. This event brings former faculty/staff and administration together with the seniors and ends in a school-wide singing of our school songs.

“I believe this was an exciting moment for our current students as well as our graduating seniors,” said Principal Larry Knight. “Our students got a glimpse of where hard work and perseverance will lead them. We look forward to continuing this tradition for many more years to come.” Many of these seniors are off to college campuses or trade schools around the country.

Pensacola Catholic High Student Council Hosts Final ‘Crazy Competition’

Every year the Pensacola Catholic High School Student Council hosts a variety of student competitions on campus during which members of the four classes go against each other in friendly athletic events for “the win” and bragging rights. The 2022-2023 school year was no different except that this year a new competition, Dodgeball, was introduced. The Freshman Class of 2026 took bragging rights in October when they won the Crazy Crusader Kickball Challenge that was held on the Lady Crusaders Softball field. And then it is all “Seniors”, the Class of 2023, as they won the Conquer the Court competition that was held in March and the inaugural Dodgeball Competition that was held in April. Thank you to Julie Remke, English Teacher and Student Council Moderator, and all of the teachers who help coach and officiate these great competitions!

Pictured: Victors of the Dodgeball Classic – Seniors – Class of 2023.

Autauga County Schools

Creative Learning Academy Celebrates This Year’s Eighth Grade Graduates

Creative Learning Academy’s Eighth Grade Graduation ceremony was a heartwarming and memorable event held on Thursday evening, May 25, 2023, at 6pm in CLA’s Gymnasium. The graduating eighth graders, accompanied by their families and friends, gathered to celebrate their achievements and bid farewell to their middle school years. The ceremony was filled with nostalgic moments as the graduates shared their cherished class memories, spanning from their preprimary grades to their final year at CLA. This year, our graduating kindergartners took part in the festivities. They delighted the audience with their performances of “Everything Grows” and “Friend of Mine”. The kindergartners’ participation added a touch of innocence and joy to the event, reminding everyone of the transformative journey the Eighthgrade students had undergone during their time at CLA. Special recognition was also given to the dedicated faculty members who have been teaching at CLA for over ten years. Their unwavering commitment to education and the well-being of their students was acknowledged and appreciated by the students and administration. The valedictorian of the graduating class, Ella Mediate, delivered a heartfelt and inspiring speech that resonated with her fellow classmates and the attendees. Her words not only captured the essence of their collective journey but also offered encouragement and optimism for the future endeavors that lie ahead for each graduate.

With great pride and admiration, Kim Stafford, Head of School, and Elizabeth Daza, Board of Trustees president, presented the graduating students with their well-deserved diplomas, symbolizing the successful completion of their middle school education. This significant milestone marked the beginning of a new chapter in these students’ lives, as they prepared to embrace the challenges and opportunities of high school. As the graduates embark on their next journey, they carry with them the memories and lessons from CLA, ready to embrace the challenges and successes that await them in the years to come.

St. Paul Catholic Presents Alice in Wonderland

Bravo! St. Paul Catholic School’s Musical Theater students spent all semester working on their production of Alice in Wonderland. Students not only performed, but made costumes, designed the set, choreographed and managed the lighting and sound!

Pensacola High Seniors Sign to Play College Basketball

Brian Harris, the son of Pensacola High School’s athletic director and boys basketball head coach, inked his letter of intent to play basketball at Spring Hill College. While his teammate at Pensacola High, Jonah Carter signed to play for John Melvin University.

Montessori School of Pensacola Presents Ancient Civilization Fair

Upper Elementary students at Montessori School of Pensacola presented a special day of immersion into the history and traditions of six ancient civilizations: Mesopotamia, Greece, China, India, Egypt, and Rome. The class has studied these civilizations over the course of the school year, learning about the contributions and lifestyles of them each. The year’s study culminated in fair that students worked in groups to present to their families, as well as Lower Elementary students and staff. Each station presented about art, culture, government, clothing, and food from one of the civilizations. Each student brought a bowl as they visited each station, so that they could try food from each place, including eating dumplings with chopsticks. It was a fun and engaging way to share the rich cultural

Animals Visit Summer Camp at Montessori School of Pensacola

Montessori School of Pensacola campers took part in hands-on crafting fun at the first week of summer camp, which was animal themed. Campers created swirly snake crafts, animal puppets, and colorful animal costume headbands. There was also an opportunity for the children at camp to bring in photographs of their pets to share information with the rest of camp (those that do not have a pet at home, were able to bring a photo of their favorite animal). The week of camp ended on Friday with an exciting visit from Animal Tales. This live animal education provides safe and entertaining programs that provide up close and hands on experiences with animals. Campers got to see and learn about a Madagascar boa constrictor snake, an African bullfrog, a prairie dog, and a red-crested turaco bird. For more info about Animal Tales: https://www.animaledzoocation.com/southeast/#

Pine Forest Alum Devon Witherspoon Selected in First Round by Seahawks

For the third consecutive year, a premier college prospect from the Pensacola area has been drafted to the NFL. Pine Forest High School Devon Witherspoon and University of Illinois standout was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the fifth pick during the first round of the NFL Draft.

Pensacola Catholic High Crubotics Team Takes First Place

Pensacola Catholic High School Robotics Team, also known as ‘Crubotics,’ once again competed in the Gulf Coast Regional MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) competition, hosted by Dauphin Island Sea Lab in April. Crubotics, over 20 members strong, competed in two different classifications. The Ranger and Navi gator teams spent a combined 1,400 hours using the engineering process to plan, build and test two Remotely Operated Vehicles (underwater robots) to accomplish simulations of real-world scenarios such as making scientific observations as well as removal of obstacles and placement of simulated solar arrays and wind turbines. This year’s theme was aligned with the “United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.” It was intended to inspire our global community to embrace environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts to create a sustainable future on our ocean planet” (materovcompetition.org). For the second year in a row, the Ranger Team won First Place in their division and earned an invitation to the MATE International Competition which this year is being held in Longmont, Colorado on June 20-25.

St. Paul Catholic School Class of 2023

The St. Paul Catholic School 8th Grade Class enjoyed an end of the year trip to OWA! They kept a great attitude through the pouring rain in the morning and persevered to a sunny afternoon of fun and laughter- and dry clothes!