Student Spotlights – October 2024

Aletheia Christian offers several AP courses for its Upper School students, including AP English Language, AP Literature and Composition, AP Calculus, and AP Computer Science. Students in Mrs. Everett’s AP Language class last year had a 100% passage rate, far above the national average of 56%. She and her students celebrated this past summer with a trip to Wild Honey for some frozen yogurt.

At a recent School Board Meeting we welcomed Michelle Hill, program Director from ABC Group and Elizabeth Graham, P.E. (professional engineer) with the Florida Department of Transportation.
These two individuals were instrumental in providing an amazing opportunity for our high school juniors and seniors to participate in the Northwest Florida Construction Career Day last April. There were students from every high school participating in the all-day event. Some of our Board Members have also attended this event.
Ms. Hill and Ms. Graham presented scholarship awards to the recent high school graduates who participated in the event. Twelve students have been awarded $2,000 each, and five students will receive $500 each, totaling $26,500.

Families, students, teachers, district staff and alumni turned out in August for the ribbon cutting ceremony for Tate’s new state-of-the-art Agriscience Building.

Twelve volunteers from Members First Credit Union and several from Navy Federal Credit Union volunteered their time packing Tools for Teachers. Donations are also greatly needed to fund this project to give free classroom supplies to all teachers in Escambia County.

Greater Pensacola Figure Skating Club Associate Members Houston and Cameron Konetzki of Gulf Breeze finished their competitive Solo Ice Dance season with top 10 Eastern Region rankings. Participating in U.S. Figure Skating’s Solo Dance Series, which runs from March to September, the brothers recently competed at the Denver Invitational in Highlands Ranch, CO; Picken Classic in Reston, VA; Paradise Classic in Estero, FL; Chesapeake Open in Laurel, MD; Orange Blossom Open in Clearwater, FL; and Copper Cup Dance in Salt Lake City, UT.
At the Juvenile Combined level, which consists of a Ten Fox Pattern Dance and Free Dance, Houston was ranked 9th in the Eastern region and Cameron was ranked 10th. Cameron also competed in the Bronze Pattern Dance category, which included a Ten Fox and Willow Waltz Variation. Cameron ended the season ranked 8th in the Eastern Region. Houston also competed in the Pre-Silver Pattern Dance category, which included a FourteenStep and European Waltz Variation, and ended the season ranked 5th in the Eastern Region.
Houston qualified for the National Solo Dance Finals which are being held in Wesley Chapel, Florida this weekend. The top 6 ice dancers from the Eastern, Midwest, and Pacific regions in each of the 20 different categories will be in attendance.
The brothers are coached by Vitaliy and Katrina Shalin of The Dance Edge in Ashburn, Virginia and CG Lee in Kissimmee, Florida. They travel to train with their coaches in both of these locations at least once a month throughout the year, and more frequently in Pensacola’s “off-season.”
Pictured: Houston Konetzki (blue/white top) and Cameron Konetzki (black/white top)

As students return to Creative Learning Academy this fall, the campus is filled with anticipation for a new school year with the promise of an exciting future for 2025. This year marks a significant milestone for CLA, as our new Middle School building is underway, showcasing CLA’s commitment to providing an innovative, collaborative and enriching educational environment for current and upcoming generations of students.
The highlight of our first month back was the much-anticipated “Topping Off”
ceremony, which allowed for all current students to sign the beam”. This final construction beam was lowered to allow students, staff, and faculty to leave their mark—literally—on our school’s future by signing the beams that will become a permanent and visible part of the new structure. This tradition not only symbolizes the growth and expansion of our school but also the collaborative spirit of legacy and community that drives CLA’s mission. As students settle back into their routines, the construction site serves as a daily reminder of the exciting changes to come. This fall, CLA is not just welcoming students back to school; it is laying the foundation for the school’s future, building together, one beam at a time.

Take Stock in Children of Escambia County recently welcomed 40 new scholars at the annual Take Stock Kickoff Dinner. There are now 166 students in grades 7-12 in Escambia County’s program. Students will receive a college scholarship upon high school graduation as long as they maintain good grades, attendance and citizenship, remain crime and drug free, and meet weekly with a volunteer community mentor.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide non-profit organization operating locally under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. Take Stock provides “scholarships, mentors & hope” to deserving young people selected at the end of their 6th or 7th grade year through a need-based application process.
Scholarship donations from local foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals are matched dollar-for-dollar when scholarships are purchased from Florida Prepaid College Foundation each year and are held until students graduate from high school.
The new students were selected from the following schools:
Bailey Middle – Catalia Molina, Emma Willits
Bellview Middle – Daniel Finley
Beulah Middle – Crystal Gutierrez, Azaleah Ramos
Brown Barge Middle – Jade Bardoo, Ameria Jordan, Faith Lawson, Janiyah Roberson
Dixon School of Art & Science – Helen Cummings, Naomi Cummings, Amaya Hooper, Zalayvia Jones
Ernest Ward Middle – Amanuel Dubose Jr., Logan McClurg, Nevaeh Tidd
Ferry Pass Middle – Jordan Bain, Thomas Bain, Harmony Farrington, William Jemison, Sophia Palmer, Sariyah Washington
Florida Virtual School – Kydriah Badilishamwalimu
Montessori School – Reed Erb
Ransom Middle – Kaylynn Grzejka, Desiree Hicks, Abbie Huynh, Khale Moorer
Warrington Prep – Billy Dorsey, Dumarian Hawkins, Logan Kerr, Christian Rivera Jr., Tevin Robinson, James Smith, Arhianna Watts-Riley, Ja’Nae White
Workman Middle – Journey English, Harmoni Epps, Mahayla Epps, Trinity Marvray
For more information about the Take Stock in Children program in Escambia County, contact Sally Lee, (850) 341-6607, slee@ecsdfl.us. In Santa Rosa County, contact Monica Turner, (850) 983-5043, turnermd@santarosa.k12.fl.us.

Aletheia Christian is growing. With a high school building almost complete and record admissions, Aletheia opened its doors to more students and staff than ever before when school started on August 1st. Students adjusted well to the early start to the year knowing they would be rewarded with a “Fall Break” in October that most schools do not get. It’s a great year to be an Aletheia Lion!

The Redeemer Library has set sail on its maiden voyage. Its first destination? Wherever the students’ imaginations lead. Redeemer is thrilled to welcome this dedicated library, brimming with stories and knowledge. They are equally fortunate to have a librarian guiding students in book selection and leading captivating storytimes. Redeemer’s young readers are poised for adventure, as books unlock worlds beyond their wildest dreams.

At Redeemer Lutheran, chess isn’t just for older students – even our kindergarteners are getting in on the action. By learning chess, these young students are having fun while also developing crucial skills like visual memory, attention span, and spatial reasoning. Learning is always more enjoyable when games are involved.

Aletheia Christian’s Upper School students have an ‘activity period’ added to their schedules every Wednesday. Each quarter, students can choose from different enrichment activities like Self-Defense, Investments, Worship Team, STEM, Book Club, Crocheting, Yearbook, Drama, and more. Students love the break in the day and the ability to choose activities based on their interests.

It has become a tradition at Montessori School of Pensacola on early dismissal Fridays to have a Fun Day. On these days, students and teachers are invited to dress up in a fun theme. The first Fun Day Friday of the 2024-25 school year, was Animal Day. This year, there was such a variety of animals represented by staff and students. Everything from dinosaurs to cats, and axolotls to bats. An optional part of this Fun Day, was to bring in donations for the local animal shelter. Items donated included food and toys.

East Hill Christian School enjoyed its back-to-school Spiritual Life Retreat last month. In an effort to continue the positive, Christ-centered culture at EHCS, students K-12 enjoyed time outside of the classroom on campus and at Camp Baldwin in Elberta, Alabama to set the vision for the upcoming school year and build deeper relationships among all students. Students and faculty had a wonderful time enjoying games, worship and devotional times, ropes courses, bonfires, and more together! Students throughout the upper and lower schools were sorted into Houses that are representative of an attribute of God. These Houses will encourage one another throughout the entirety of the school year to strive for excellence in and outside of the classroom. It is going to be a great year at EHCS!

The Rally Club of Pensacola Catholic High School is a student-led organization that works closely with the Rally Foundation affiliated with the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital to raise money and awareness to help win the fight against childhood cancer. During halftime of the first home Crusader football game, the club invited ‘Rally Families’ who have a family member who has survived childhood cancer to celebrate in a small program that educated fans about the local efforts at the Children’s Hospital. The club then took donations via a QR code and passed their ‘Rally for Change’ buckets through the stands to collect the extra change from Crusader and Navarre fans in attendance. As a result, of their efforts, they were recently able to present the Rally Foundation with a donation of $1,000 that will be spent locally to support childhood cancer research.

Each year on the first Sunday in September after Labor Day our nation celebrates Grandparents Day and, in keeping with the theme of honoring our heritage and the essential members of our families, the Catholic High community gathered for our Annual Grandparents’s Mass on Friday, September 6. All CHS grandparents are invited to this special occasion. This year’s Mass was presided over by Bishop William Wack and we were delighted to have a record crowd. Various students who had grandparents in attendance participated as Lectors, Music Ministers, Eucharistic Ministers, Gift Bearers, etc. Following the Mass, a reception was held for grandparents and their grandchildren. Catholic High looks forward to this special event each year at which we honor our students’ wonderful grandparents.