Student Spotlights – September 2025

On Tuesday, July 29, Ransom Middle School Principal Dr. Al Marsh was selected to fly with the United States Navy Blue Angels in the F/A-18 Super Hornet. When his staff barged into his office playing the “Top Gun Theme Song,” he had no idea they were about to stun him with such an unexpected honor.
The timing couldn’t be better with Ransom becoming an “A” school for the first time in 14 years! As a Retired P3C Navigator/Mission Commander, this really meant a lot to Dr. Marsh, his family, and to the faculty, staff, and students at Ransom Middle School.

A team of volunteers met at the ECPS Central Warehouse to sort and pack the school supplies collected at last week’s Stuff the Bus event. Sixty volunteers from Navy Federal, ECPS Social Workers, ECPS IT Department, ECPS Students Services, ECPS Office of Community Involvement, ECPS Warehouse crew, United Way, and our Teacher of the Year, Kelly Reed, teamed up in the heat to get the job done.
We do not have the words to express our profound appreciation for this community and those who serve our students. United, we will create better futures for our students, their families, and this community.

High school and middle school string students from ECPS and surrounding areas collaborated at the 10th Annual UWF Senior StringFest in June. Students had intensive training in chamber music, focusing on intonation, style, tone production, phrasing, and ensemble awareness, culminating in a final stellar performance by each ensemble.
Repertoire included pieces by Frank Joseph Haydn, Felix Mendelssohn, and Antonin Dvorak, to name a few. Students also had the unique opportunity to perform in violin, viola, and cello choirs.
ECPS orchestra directors included Catherine McConnell (Tate High School, Ransom Middle School) and Maeanna Callahan (Pensacola High School, Pine Forest High School, Bellview Middle School, and member of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra). Additional faculty included PSO members Audrey Naffe (ECPS graduate), Dr. Sasha Gregg, and Dr. Leonid Yanovskiy, who is the chair of the UWF String Dpt. and the Concertmaster of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra.
Fine arts at their finest. Way to go students and teachers.

An Escambia Westgate staff member has been selected to attend the Special Education Legislative Summit 2025 later this month in Washington. Lucy Waters is an instructional behavioral assistant at Westgate. She is currently enrolled in the ParaToTeacher scholarship program through UWF, which is designed to remove financial barriers for paraprofessionals who want to earn a degree in exceptional student education.
As part of the program, Waters was selected to attend the summit in the nation’s capital from July 13-16. She will have many opportunities to speak with different legislators about the importance of funding for Exceptional Education. Waters said she is excited to go and “carry the voices of all my colleagues and students to the people that make changes happen.”

This summer, the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) hosted its Centennial National Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Out of nearly 7,000 competitors representing 1,500 schools nationwide, only 54 were crowned national champions, and Berkley Allen emerged as the tournament’s most decorated student, earning Middle School National Champion in Storytelling, Middle School National Champion in Duo Interpretation with teammate Ronin Navarrete, and Middle School National RunnerUp in Dramatic Interpretation.
In Duo Interpretation, Berkley and Ronin performed a 10minute rendition of the beloved ’90s classic FernGully, blending impeccable choreography and comedic timing to educate audiences on rainforest conservation. Her humor and stage presence also shined in her Storytelling performance of Josh Gad’s Pictureface Lizzy. Shifting from comedy to drama, Berkley showcased her range in Dramatic Interpretation with Don’t Tell Me to Relax by Sophie Reigel, offering a powerful glimpse into the life of a teenager navigating mental illness. This performance also earned her second place in the Magnum Opus International Speech & Drama Competition, an NYU Tisch School of the Arts masterclass, and the rare honor of performing at Carnegie Hall this November.
Leaving behind an unforgettable legacy at Thomas L. Sims Middle School, Berkley is continuing her passion for the performing arts in Theatre, Speech & Debate, and Mock Trial in the Pre-IB Program at Pensacola High School.
Building on Berkley’s accomplishments, Sims Middle School, led by Coach Ashley Carter,
celebrated four additional top15 finishes. Eighth-grader and National Champion, Ronin
Navarrete, ranked 15th in Storytelling; Ian Moffatt, a Pace High freshman, placed 12th in
Program Oral Interpretation; and Ashton Carter, a PHS Pre-IB freshman, earned 15th in
Congressional Debate.
Sims Middle School and these remarkable students accomplished what few programs and
competitors ever achieve. In doing so, they gave themselves, and Northwest Florida, a powerful voice on the national stage. Pictured: Ashton Carter, Berkley Allen, Ronin Navarrete, and Ian Moffatt.

Each summer, leadership students from Aletheia Christian Academy have the opportunity to attend Student Leadership University (SLU). With a mission to inspire, prepare, and equip young people across the globe, SLU challenges students to embrace the call of leadership with confidence and purpose. This past summer, over 25 of our Upper School students participated in three levels of the conference—SLU 101 in Orlando; SLU 201 in Washington, D.C.; and SLU 301 in Europe.
At SLU 101, participants worked to strengthen their leadership abilities, deepen their faith, and develop a strong Christian worldview. SLU 201 immersed students in the founding principles of the United States, offering lessons in history, heritage, and values. They visited national monuments, the Holocaust Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, and other landmarks, gaining insight from leaders both past and present.Students in SLU 301 explored history through a distinctly Christian perspective, traveling to Normandy, Oxford University, Holy Trinity Church, and other significant sites.

Pensacola Christian Academy kicked off the school year just a few weeks ago, and excitement filled the campus! Students were all smiles as they caught up with friends, met their teachers, and got back into the rhythm of learning. Summer brought a few updates—like refreshing paint and remodeling the restrooms—to make school life even better. But the real highlight was seeing classrooms full of eager learners ready to grow academically and spiritually. With supportive teachers, caring families, and students ready to give their best, PCA is looking forward to a year filled with new challenges, great memories, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Lawson Killingsworth’s Eagle Scout project will benefit students with disabilities on campus and Tate’s ESE (Exceptional Student Education) Department. Lawson Killingsworth, dedicated student and Boy Scout with Troop 415 in Pensacola, coordinated the design and construction of specialized benches for Tate’s ESE Department. After consulting with ESE teachers to identify their greatest needs, Lawson led a project to build sturdy, durable benches that provide a safe and comfortable waiting area for students who arrive early each morning.

Over 200 local youth gained valuable on-the-job experience while working toward their future career goals during the annual Escambia County Summer Youth Employment Program. Through the paid internship program, participating youth worked up to 30 hours per week in various county departments and with partner agencies, learning a variety of practical job skills along with workplace etiquette such as professional dress, timeliness and respect.

Members of the Northview High School Class of 2026 had a chance to paint and personalize their parking spaces before the start of the new school year.

Escambia Children’s Trust funding has helped local organizations improve children’s school attendance and standardized test scores; helped student athletes raise their GPAs; helped build soft skills and resumes to successfully enter the workforce; addressed basic needs for food, health care and safe housing; and helped children chase dreams like performing on stage, learning robotics and seeing the world beyond the narrow confines of their neighborhoods.

The Class of 2029 and incoming transfer students were welcomed by Sister Kierstin Martin, Principal at Pensacola Catholic High School, on August 7.

The start of the 2025-26 school year marks a milestone for Creative Learning Academy, as students and faculty celebrate the grand opening of the new middle school building—the first addition to our campus in over three decades. The excitement could be felt as the doors opened on Tuesday, August 12, with children, families, and teachers eager to explore a facility designed for 21st-century learning. This state-of-the-art building is a testament to the enduring spirit of character, innovation, knowledge, and leadership that defines the CLA student body. For years, CLA has set the bar high with its academics, nurturing creativity and critical thinking in every classroom. Now, with a modern middle school facility, the physical spaces finally reflect the caliber of learning that has always been the cornerstone of a CLA education. Thoughtfully designed with modern architecture and flexible learning spaces, the building helps support our commitment to academic excellence. The middle school building houses classrooms for science, math, language arts, technology, Spanish, and Launch Pap – CLA’s design courses for students in both lower and middle school. Our current community is thrilled that CLA’s newest learning environment now mirrors the innovative, dynamic education that has been offered here to students for well over 50 years.