Student Spotlights – February 2026

Students from West Florida High School and the Cheerleading team from Tate High School helped sort and prepare Thanksgiving meals for families in our community.
West Florida High Celebrates Swim Champion: Meet Taylor Clements, West Florida High School’s first swim state champion! Clements won the 2A state titles in the girls 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. She was named PNJ Girls Swimmer of the Year for two consecutive seasons and earned an athletic scholarship to West Virginia University. We are united for every student to succeed. Clements is one of our 36,156 students who are succeeding in the pool, in the classroom and in life.

Escambia County Public Schools partnered with Manna Food Pantries for an annual holiday season food drive. ECPS Warehouse Services personnel delivered collection boxes to all schools and centers. This year’s theme is “Let’s Tackle Hunger!” and our goal is to collect 20,000 pounds of food for those in need in our community.
“Last year, our district collected 16,885 pounds of food! That’s truly a difference maker in the lives of many of the families we serve,” said ECPS Coordinator of Community Involvement Wanda Kotick. “It is wonderful that our relationship with Manna Food Pantries allows us to assist with the food needs of many of the students in our district.”

Aletheia Christian Academy’s Middle School students rotate to a different “Specials” class every quarter: Music, Art, Coding, and Life Skills. Seventh-grade coding students practiced their coding skills by designing and building accessories for their robots. Then they programmed the robots to move and tested their code to see what worked best. This hands-on activity helped students build problem-solving skills while having fun with robotics and coding.

Creative Learning Academy is excited to introduce The Book Nook, a crafty new addition to our school library! This modern book vending machine brings a fun twist to promoting literacy on campus, turning books into prizes students can earn. With every token dropped into the vending machine, our young students experience the power of choosing a brand new book, developing a love for reading and discovering the many worlds found in these stories.
Students earn these special tokens for academic effort, positive reading habits, and personal growth, which they can then use to “purchase” a book from The Book Nook. This simple yet powerful incentive reinforces the message that reading is both rewarding and meaningful. By encouraging students to set goals and take pride in their achievements, CLA hopes to nurture lifelong readers who see literacy as an adventure rather than an assignment.
What makes The Book Nook truly special is how it empowers students to take ownership of their reading journey. Each child selects a book that matches their interests and reading level, supporting the student’s independence and preference. The “Book Nook” vending machine not only reinforces literacy goals but also strengthens the school’s positive, student-centered culture, one that promotes creativity, effort, and a shared understanding that literacy is essential to our learning.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes Going the Distance Awards were presented this week at a banquet hosted by the First Baptist Church of Pensacola. Athletes from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were honored for their participation in cross country, golf, swimming and volleyball. The winners were chosen by their teammates based upon their integrity, dedication, character, and FCA values.
Volleyball
Allie Hepworth, Gulf Breeze
Danielle Lee, PSC
Emree Long, West Florida
Baylie Lowry, Jay
Emma Messer, Miltonon
Gabi Moulton, UWF
Brynleigh Roth, Pace
Maggie Stewart, Northview
Riley Walsh, Catholic
Emma Ward, Washingotn
Armani Westbrooks, Escambia
Swimming
Lauren Armstrong, Tate
Parker Brooks, Milton
Addison Chambers, Milton
Marialys Dekom, Navarre
James Dekom, Navarre
Landon Garcia, Catholic
Sara Gray, Catholic
Ian Malone, Washingotn
Qijuan McGhee, Pine Forest
Marie Prestwood, PHS
Abigail Robinson, Washingotn
Collin Scott, Tate
Carley Smith, Pine Forest
Lawson White, PHS
Golf
Kinzlee Biggs, Tate
Riley Bounds, Gulf Breeze
Jackson Bridges, Northview
Meghan Cole, Escambia
Brayden Dadisman, Gulf Breeze
Lillian Day, Catholic
Hunter Kroll, Escambia
Kaden Lightbourn, Milton
Evana Lin, PHS
Dawson McCullough, Jay
Caroline Mitchem, Jay
Kaitlyn Roberts, West Florida
Anna Rudd, Pine Forest
Eli Semore, Washingotn
Madison Smith, Milton
Lisa Taing, Nav
Clayton White, PHS
Will Zoesch, Catholic
Cross Country
Sarah Boyles, PHS
Hunter DeGraff, Jay
Addison Garrett, Catholic
Raul Gonzalez-Garcia, Washingotn
Danica Hoffman, Milton
Gracee Hood, Gulf Breeze
Braeden Hunt, Gulf Breeze
Jack McAuley, West Florida
Mateo Moreno, Milton
Charlotte Nesmith, West Florida
Claire Pennell, Jay
Peter Ruiz, PHS
Bowen Spear, Catholic
Brooke Stubblefield, Washington

The Beulah Middle School FFA Horse Judging Team just earned 2nd place at the State Preliminary Competition. They were tied for 1st before the official tiebreaker placed them 2nd overall. This impressive finish came out of 75 teams statewide.
What makes this accomplishment even more special is that the team was 100% coached by Beulah Middle School alumna Bella Trivison. Bella is currently a senior at West Florida High School and serves as a student intern through the ACE program, coming to Beulah multiple times each week to work with agriculture students. She hopes to one day become an agriculture educator, and she’s well on her way.
Team members include Baylei Andres, Kaylee Mendoza, Kyler Mendoza, Dixie Edwards, Alyssa McIntosh, and Maizy Davidson. Baylei, Kaylee, Kyler, and Dixie will advance to the State Competition at the Florida State Fair in Tampa this February.

Students in Aletheia Christian Academy’s 3rd grade class wrapped up their class novel, “The Boxcar Children,” with many fun-filled activities. Students created and delivered their own handwritten mini-books to kindergarteners—just like the characters in the story. They raced in a “boxcar free-for-all,” with the winner receiving a special trophy from our School Administrator, Mr. James. They also feasted on the same foods the characters in the book did: beef stew, baked potatoes, bread and butter, milk in pink cups, and cherry dumplings.

Students and staff at Lipscomb Elementary School enjoyed spreading kindness for World Kindness Day.

Tate High School is thrilled to announce that senior Gage Coates has advanced to and won the Esports Fall 2025 Madden NFL Central Region Championship Game, defeating his opponent from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, Florida.
Gage earned the #2 seed in the playoffs with an impressive 7-1 regular season record. The national league, hosted by PlayVS, features 32 teams from across the United States, including competitors from states like Iowa, Alabama, and Kansas.
“I enjoy playing Madden because we get to play as our heroes and compete with people around the world,” Gage said. “Sometimes, we’re lucky enough to play as a guy we watched on Friday night, like Graham Gano.”
This victory marks the latest achievement in Gage’s esports career, following his impressive performance last season when he won the Central Region Madden NFL Championship with a 9-1 regular season record and an overall 14-1 performance. Gage’s win in the finals this year is another testament to his skill, dedication, and competitive spirit.
In addition to Gage’s success, Tate’s esports program continues to thrive across multiple games. This year, multiple Tate teams qualified for the PlayVS playoffs, including two teams in Super Smash Bros. and two in Fortnite, showcasing the ongoing growth and success of Tate’s esports program.
The esports program at Tate High School was made possible through a DoDEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) grant, which has allowed students like Gage to excel in competitive gaming at the highest levels.
Principal Laura Touchstone expressed her pride in Gage’s accomplishments, saying, “We are incredibly proud of Gage and the dedication he brings to our esports program. His hard work, leadership, and passion have set a high bar for our students. Our esports teams continue to demonstrate excellence, and Gage’s championship victory is a testament to the talent and commitment found here at Tate High School.”
PlayVS (Play Versus) is North America’s leading platform for scholastic and collegiate esports. Gage’s championship victory underscores the exceptional talent at Tate, and the support of the DoDEA grant has been crucial in making these achievements possible.

After earning 2nd place in Dramatic Performance at the Magnum Opus International Speech and Debate Competition, PHS freshman Berkley Allen represented our district and community at one of the most prestigious venues in the world: Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Berkley performed a powerful interpretation of “Don’t Tell Me to Relax” by Sophie Riegel, a piece that explores the challenges of growing up with anxiety and OCD. Her performance was captivating, moving the audience in Weill Hall to tears. Following her presentation, Foresight Leadership Foundation President and Magnum Opus Board of Directors, Alex Lim, personally praised her as “extremely talented and impressive.”
Throughout the weekend, Berkley’s piece became a fan favorite with competitors, parents, and coaches from across the globe approaching her to express how deeply her heartbreakingly believable performance touched them. Event emcee and professional comedian Moody McCarthy also praised Berkley for her performance and was visibly moved.
Berkley shared the stage with top young performers from across the United States, Sri Lanka, Canada, and beyond, including signed actors and internationally recognized students, making the experience both humbling and inspiring. While in New York, Berkley also toured the NYU campus and attended a masterclass with actress Laura Zee, gaining valuable insight into her craft.
“Performing at Carnegie Hall was an incredible experience, and spreading a message I truly believe in made it even more meaningful,” said Berkley.
Inspired by her experience, Berkley has added NYU to her shortlist of dream schools and hopes to one day see her face among the bright lights of Times Square.
Congratulations to Berkley for this incredible accomplishment and for continuing to make ECPS and PHS proud on both the national and international stage!

The Beulah Academy of Science Robotics Team, led by Mrs. Bruening, completed a successful eight-week journey, culminating in their participation in the BEST Robotics Competition 2025 Game Day on Saturday at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama.
The Bobcats, competing as Team 2296, “Slightly Smarter than a Toaster”, showed exceptional resilience and teamwork throughout the day. Despite finishing 11th out of 13 teams in the regular rounds, the team secured a surprise spot in the Wildcard Round. The advancement was due to the strength of the team’s presentation, as their Engineering Notebook scored in the top four of all entries. This unexpected wildcard berth marked an amazing achievement for the team’s inaugural year.
While they did not advance to the semi-finals, the students were celebrated for their tenacity and their impressive Expo Booth, built by Wesley and Allison Moore and featuring a logo designed by Lucas Stammer. The team demonstrated great problem-solving skills, perseverance, and passion in their first competitive season.

Aletheia Christian Academy 5th graders enjoyed a field trip to NAS to participate in the Department of Defense’s youth program STARBASE—an educational program full of “hands-on, mind-on” steam activities, including experiencing the flight simulator.

Meet Taylor Clements, West Florida High School’s first swim state champion! Clements won the 2A state titles in the girls’ 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. She was named PNJ Girls Swimmer of the Year for two consecutive seasons and earned an athletic scholarship to West Virginia University. We are united for every student to succeed. Clements is one of our 36,156 students who are succeeding in the pool, in the classroom and in life.

West Florida High School had the unique opportunity to host the esports Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) Southeast Central Regional Championship. Mandeville High School’s team Skippers Smash made the trip from Louisiana to take on West Florida’s Black SSBU team. WFHS Black (Stefano Bitjoka, Jordan Foster, Justin Guello, and Cameron Powell) came out victorious in the best-of-five challenge.
The event had an incredible energy as WFHS students packed the South Auditorium to cheer on their classmates. The decorations, lighting, and staging added to an amazing atmosphere. Several Brown Barge Middle School esports students came to watch in person, and a few UWF esports athletes were in attendance for this rare event, as well.
Thank you and congratulations to Coach Dampson and our athletes for providing an exciting match.