Every month we compile a list of students and schools doing great things across our community. We have so many talented students in our area. Greater Pensacola Parents joins with these families and schools to celebrate their achievements!
The Florida 4-H Public Speaking District Competition
North Escambia students take top honors at district 4-H public speaking competition. Escambia County Public Schools winners were:
4th Grade 1st Place: Bennett Campbell, R.C. Lipscomb Elementary
5th Grade 1st Place: Elliot Reeser, R.C. Lipscomb Elementary
6th Grade 1st Place: Ryann Gibbs, Ransom Middle
Fellowship of Christian Athletes Sport of Champions Awards Honors Cheerleaders
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes Sport of Champions Awards were presented recently at a banquet hosted by the First Baptist Church of Pensacola. The winners were chosen by their teammates based upon their integrity, dedication, character, and FCA values.
The honorees were:
East Hill — Khenedy Dukes
Escambia – Trinity Jordan
Gulf Breeze – Jadalynn Rorabaugh
Jay – Ansley Nowling
Milton — Mikayla Bouie
Northview — Maddy Pittman
PHS – Arianna Simpson
Pensacola Catholic – Lennon Lusane
Pine Forest – T’Ericka Walker
Tate – Alyssa Clarke
Washington – Cameron Wilcox
West Florida Tech – Adalyn Brown
Project SEARCH Celebrates Graduations for Students with Disabilities
Twenty-four graduates across Northwest Florida are celebrating a major milestone after completing Project SEARCH, a transition-to-work program that prepares young adults with disabilities to enter the workforce.
As one of the nation’s largest employers of people with disabilities, Global Connections to Employment (GCE) has established Project SEARCH sites at five locations across Northwest Florida: Baptist Hospital, Gulf Breeze Hospital, Santa Rosa Medical Center and Innisfree Hotels in Escambia and Okaloosa counties.
Over the course of their senior year of high school, Project SEARCH interns receive classroom instruction and hands-on training through worksite rotations, which give them experience in a variety of jobs and work environments.
During the graduation ceremonies, the graduates reflected on their time as interns, listing major personal growth areas, such as overcoming social anxiety, strengthening their customer service and communication skills, learning how to work on a team, improving their eye contact and learning how to utilize new technology.
These graduations reflect a partnership between the business sites, GCE, Vocational Rehabilitation, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Santa Rosa County District Schools, Escambia County Public Schools and Okaloosa County School District.
Learn about Project SEARCH at gce.org/project-search.
CHS Spanish Club Celebrates Cinco De Mayo
The Pensacola Catholic High School Spanish Club, moderated by Spanish Teachers Concepcion Jimenez and Raul Vellos, held their annual Cinco De Mayo celebration after school on May 5. Students had a grande time taking swings at the pinata’ and eating Mexican-themed snacks.
Idol's Keyla Richardson Honored
At a May School Board meeting, school board members unanimously passed a resolution in honor of Pensacola’s own Keyla Richardson for her outstanding showing on American Idol. Keyla represented Escambia County with elegance and grace, and shined an invaluable positive light on our community. Thank you, Keyla.
ECPS Launches New Web Page to Help Parents and Students with the Middle School Transition
A centralized resource hub called Your Middle School Journey is now live on the Escambia County Public Schools website — bringing key information, timelines, and support services into one easy-to-find place.
What you’ll find on the page
• Academic programs
• Middle school curricula overviews, elective options, and academic planning resources.
• School information
• Links to individual school websites, contact info, and orientation event details.
• Support services
• Student counseling, academic support, and information on extracurricular activities for 6th graders.
• Timeline & key dates
• Open houses, transition workshops, and registration deadlines — all in one clear schedule.
The middle school transition is one of the biggest academic and social milestones in a young student’s life — new buildings, new teachers, new schedules, and new expectations all at once. For many families, especially those without older children who’ve been through the process, figuring out where to start can feel overwhelming.
ECPS’s new resource addresses that gap directly, putting critical information where families can find it without having to navigate multiple sites or make multiple calls. Visit the new resource at escambiaschools.org/departments/communications/middle-school-journey.
Pensacola High Speech and Debate Compete Nationally
The Pensacola High School Speech and Debate Team recently returned from the National Catholic Forensics League Grand National Championship in Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day Weekend. During this competition, four Tigers competed among over 1,700 students from across the nation. Each of these competitors has worked incredibly hard to qualify for nationals, and has shown amazing perseverance, poise and kindness throughout the competition. Sophomores Charlotte Combes and Henry White competed in Original Oratory and Congressional Debate respectively. Freshmen Ashton Carter advanced to Semi-Finals in Congressional Debate and Berkley Allen placed 5th in the nation for Dramatic Performance, beating out competitors with much more high school experience.
The team would like to extend a special thank you to the parents and judges that joined us on our trip: Brian and Ashley Carter, Daniel and Nicole Allen, Frank White, and Paul Queija.
We would also like to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors: Michles and Booth, Florida Adoptions, Cardoso Law, E Bruck Studio, TBS Comics and Phil Hall, P.A.
Northwest Florida Fellowship of Christian Athletes Presented Game Changer Awards
Northwest Florida Fellowship of Christian Athletes presented their “Game Changer” awards to local high school athletes. The awards honored their participation in flag football, lacrosse, and tennis. The winners were chosen by their teammates based upon their integrity, dedication, character, and FCA values.
Lacrosse:
Abigayle Keever- Tate
Ashley Saiter- Gulf Breeze
Graham Pennington- Gulf Breeze
Maisy Archangel- Milton
Gavin Archangel- Milton
Gretchen Lamar- Pensacola
Ella Adams- Pensacola Catholic
Dade Cutter- Pensacola Catholic
Tennis:
Manera Lampe- Escambia
Christian Villarreal- Escambia
Lilly Dye- Milton
Winston Ward- Milton
Zella Trahan- Pensacola
Cash Schweigert- Pensacola
Mayan Chavan- Pensacola Catholic
Gavin Tubban- Pensacola Catholic
Syndey Grace Hudspeth- Washington
Linxi Niedbala- West Florida HS
Jack Cavnar- West Florida HS
Girls Flag Football:
Makenzie Levins- Northview
Rivers Gurney- Gulf Breeze
Aurianna Luckett- Pine Forest
Dani Slattery- Washington
Ransom Middle's Academic Team Competes at Nationals
Ransom Middle School’s Academic Team qualified in March to compete at IAC (International Academic Competitions) Middle & Elementary School Nationals in May.
With over 2200 public, magnet, private and homeschool students from across the United States, this was IAC’s largest tournament ever. The competition at Nationals was intense – qualifying alone was no easy feat. The teamwork and exemplary sportsmanship these players demonstrated through these events continues the proud tradition of academic excellence at Ransom Middle School and Escambia County Public Schools.
In the National Science Bee, Levi Cox, Sydney Cox, James Corvin and Cutter Rhodes qualified for the 2028 International Science Championships in Washington, DC. Cutter Rhodes’ final ranking is #79 nationwide. In the National History Bee, James Corvin and Sydney Cox scored even more points after qualifying for the 2027 International History Olympiad in London. In the team event National History Bowl, James Corvin, Levi Cox, Sydney Cox, and Cutter Rhodes were joined by Zackary Cox, a rising-sixth grader playing for Ransom. The rounds were exciting, and these players played so well against much more experienced teams, keeping the scores close through the afternoon. Cutter Rhodes also participated in the Spelling Bee and took the Map and Flag Exam. He placed third in the Spelling Championships and won first place in the Jeopardy Charity Games.
The players on the Ransom Middle School Academic Team appreciate their elementary and middle school teachers for the lessons they’ve learned and remember for the events at practice, regionals, and now Nationals. They’ve learned a lot from the experience and are already looking ahead to studying, practicing, competing, and fundraising for next year.
Northview High, Beulah Middle FFA Programs Named State Agriculture Advocacy Award Finalists
The FFA programs at Northview High School and Beulah Middle School are among five in the state to be selected as 2026 Chapter Agriculture Advocacy Award finalists.
Formerly the Food for America program, the program is designed to encourage FFA members to participate in agricultural literacy and awareness projects on the local level. The overall chapter winner will be awarded on stage this June during the 98th Florida FFA State Convention at the Caribe Royale in Orlando.
Catholic High School’s Class of 2026 Top Ten
The Pensacola Catholic High School Class of 2026, 166 students strong, participated in their Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises on May 15 and 16 respectively. 97% of the Class will pursue post-secondary education with 126, or 75.9% of the students, receiving at least one merit-based scholarship. Sixteen members of the Class signed athletic scholarships and at least 78 students, 47% of the class, will be designated Florida Bright Futures Scholars. The students pictured were honored for their academic achievements at their Senior Awards Ceremony on May 14. From left to right: Valedictorian- Maya Chavan, Salutatorian- Ava Galinis, Third- Sara Gray, four students tied for Fourth- Kristen Gaubert, Jillian Lacour, Ellie Nissim, and Maya Sandfort, Eighth – Aston Tanner, Ninth- Aidan Dolan, and Tenth- McKenna Hindman. Congratulations, Crusaders.
Catholic High Blood Drives
During the 2025-2026 academic school year, the students and faculty at Pensacola Catholic High School participated in two Blood Drives during which 53 individuals donated blood that impacted the lives of 159 individuals who needed blood in our community.
Escambia Public Schools Foundation Grant Powers Northview Electrathon Team
The Northview High School Electrathon team shifted into high gear following a successful performance at the Emerald Coast Classic. Led by instructor Michael Amerson, the team recently earned a third-place finish at the Five Flags Speedway race. The project, supported by a Grants for Excellence spotlight from the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, focuses on hands-on learning within the realms of electrical systems and sustainable energy.
The program aims to expand the school’s current fleet from one car to three. Throughout the process, students are responsible for building, testing, and adapting their vehicles to various track conditions. The competition itself challenges students to maximize efficiency by getting the most laps possible out of a limited energy supply.
Beyond the mechanical skills gained, the initiative allows students to earn state-recognized certifications, providing a technical foundation for future careers in innovative industries.
The project was made possible through the support of the Florida Education Foundation and a matching grant from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. Local leaders, including Rep. Michelle Salzman, Rep. Alex Andrade, and Sen. Don Gaetz, were also recognized for their continued advocacy for the program.
The Northview Electrathon team grants was one of 20 totalling over $100,000 presented by the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation in October 2025.
CLA Graduates are Ready for High School
Creative Learning Academy’s eighth grade Dragons are ready to spread their wings. This May, 35 CLA graduates have wrapped up their middle school years and are ready to take on the exciting new challenges of high school. At CLA, these students have spent their days asking big questions, collaborating with classmates, and discovering how they learn best. Along the way, they’ve become confident communicators who know how to share their ideas, listen to others, and take ownership of their education.
This eighth grade class, one of the largest in years, has embraced CLA’s mission to learn, lead, and become the creative problem solvers of the future. Through hands-on
projects, discussions, and opportunities to practice leadership in and out of the classroom, these students have learned that “leading” can look like many things – mentoring the Lower School students, starting a new After School club, or simply being the first to ask, “How can our class help?” They leave CLA understanding that real problems rarely have simple answers, and that patience and persistence are some of their most powerful tools.
As they head off to high school, CLA’s newest alumni are carrying a strong sense of self, a spirit of service learning, and a readiness to tackle whatever comes next. Parents and teachers have watched them grow from lower school students into capable young teens who are prepared not only for high school academics, but also for high school life – clubs, teams, friendships, and new responsibilities. Wherever they go, Creative Learning Academy’s graduates are ready to keep learning, keep leading, and keep solving the challenges of tomorrow.
