May 2023 Student Spotlights

Escambia County middle schools are now accepting requests for applications for Take Stock in Children, a program offering “scholarships, mentors & hope” to qualified students. Students must be in the 6th or 7th grade, be eligible for free or reduced lunch, a U.S. citizen, and have grades of C or better with good attendance and behavior. Contact your middle school for the exact date, but most schools have a deadline of early April to request the application and then several weeks for applications to be submitted for consideration.
Take Stock in Children was established in 1995 as a non-profit organization in Florida operating locally under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. The program provides a unique opportunity for deserving low-income students to escape the cycle of poverty through education. Students are selected through a need-based application process in middle school, and comprehensive services continue through high school and include the students’ transition into college. Students receive college scholarships, caring volunteer mentors, college readiness skills, and hope for a better life.
Scholarships are funded through a unique public-private fundraising model in which local scholarship donations are matched by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation when scholarships are purchased each year. Currently, there are 141 students in grades 7-12, over 70 students in college, and there have been 133 college graduates thus far. For more information, Contact Take Stock in Children Coordinator Sally Lee at (850)496-5458 or slee@ecsdfl.us.

The 49th Annual Nicolas “Nicky” S. Walker Math Tournament, hosted by Milton High School, was held on Friday, March 31, and the Pensacola Catholic School High Math Team competed along with other area high schools including Escambia, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Niceville, Pace, and Tate High Schools. Teams from each of these schools completed math problems in Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus as part of Ciphering Matches to earn points for their team. The top three teams in each discipline were awarded prizes along with the overall winner. Pensacola Catholic High School once again earned 1st Overall. This is the 14th consecutive year that CHS has won the top honors at this tournament. CHS also took 1st Place in the Geometry, Algebra II, and Calculus categories, as well as 2nd Place in the Algebra 1 and Pre-Calculus events. Congratulations to the team’s members listed below as well as the entire Math Faculty at Catholic High School led by Department Chair, Maria Green. Mrs. Green and her fellow Math Teacher, Eric Requet, joined the team on Tournament Day. Teams: Algebra I – Maya Chavan, CJ McGowan, Riley Parker, Aston Tanner; Algebra II – Aidan Baker, Ace London, Caroline Royles, Owen Solether, Emma Thompson; Geometry – Jaylin Charlery, Clark Hubbert, Jillian Lacour, Maya Sandfort, Melina Snyder; Pre-Calculus – Mariana Contreras, Mackenzie Dobhan, Nate Flores, Finn Fritz, Harper Hubbert; Calculus – Lexi Foland, Elizabeth Owens, Tyler Ruble, and Quentin Wright. Way to go, Crusader Math Team!

Montessori School of Pensacola Middle School students (7th and 8th graders) went on a class trip to Dauphin Island Sea Lab, which is a marine education and research center. The Sea Lab was founded in 1971 to host research programs mostly with the Gulf of Mexico. It is located on the eastern tip of a barrier island surrounded by Mobile Bay, the Mississippi sounds and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Students got to engage in and enjoy a variety of marine science activities. They attended lectures, worked in the different lab facilities, and spent time exploring the water ecosystem by boat and by exploring by using nets. A particular captivating lab dealt with ROVs (remotely operated vehicles).

Pensacola Catholic High School’s quiz bowl team, the Quiz-Saders, completed their second year of competition in March. The team placed second overall in District 8 of the Florida Quiz Bowl Association. District 8 included teams from local high schools including Escambia, Pensacola High School, Washington, Tate, and Pine Forest. Team Captain Tyler Ruble scored the second-most points of all players within the district and the team qualified for the state tournament. Team members included in the photo (L to R): Luke Junck, Quintin Wright, Porter Hanley, Max Hubman, Tyler Ruble, George Golubev, Levi Junck, Clark Hubbert, Harper Hubbert. Not Pictured: Alastair Casler

CLA’s sixth grade students recently organized a fascinating class activity that brought together everyone in their class to participate in a reenactment of the ancient Greek Olympics as part of their study of Ancient Greece. This activity was incredibly engaging and designed to promote teamwork and competition. The students were divided into three groups – Sparta, Athens, and Corinth – and each group was assigned a unique color and emblem to represent their city-state, and they also created their own flags. The competition was intense, and the students engaged in various events such as lawn darts (the safe kind), ping pong ball and spoon races, jacks, tongue twisters, and an accuracy competition where students threw plastic rings onto cones.
The Sparta team, known for their fierce warriors, proved to be a formidable opponent. They demonstrated their strength and discipline, while the Athens team showcased their agility and speed. The Corinth team, known for their intellect and strategic thinking, surprised everyone with their exceptional performance in the tongue twisters. Despite the heated competition, the activity also provided an opportunity for the students to learn about the ancient Greek culture and history. Students were able to connect with their peers, develop new skills, and strengthen relationships. The Greek Olympics activity at the Creative Learning Academy was a huge success, and our gold medal winners were the Athenians!

East Hill’s chapter of the National Honor Society had the privilege of inducting 14 new members to the Junior Honor Society and 17 new members to the National Honor Society. By empowering, championing, and recognizing well-rounded students, the National Honor Society program empowers and equips our students with the knowledge and skills to be transformative leaders in our school, community, and beyond. We love celebrating the achievements of our dedicated students!

Ferry Pass Middle School has two teams that have been invited to represent the State of Florida at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Lansing, Michigan.
Ferry Pass had three teams that competed at the Florida Odyssey of the Mind State Tournament in Orlando on April 8th. They competed against winning teams representing other Florida regions. FPMS Problem 3 “Classics…The Walls of Troy” Team came in 3rd out of 19 teams. FPMS Problem 5 “The Most Dramatic Problem Ever!!!” The team came in 3rd out of 23 teams. Both qualified to move forward to the World Finals competing against teams from all 50 states and International Teams from Poland, South Korea, Germany, China, Mexico, and Canada.

Montessori School of Pensacola (MSP) Upper Elementary students have extensively studied ancient civilizations this year. Montessori Cultural studies encompass history and geography. With their study of ancient cultures, students have explored religion, traditions, building techniques, governments/royalty, weapons, and more. Egyptian studies allowed the class to imagine how the pyramids might have been constructed and more recently in conjunction with their study of their religion, they got to try methods of mummification. Students worked together to follow steps to mummify fish and made observations about the process. It was a hands-on, up close way to study this ancient tradition.

Northview High School named Kara Santorelli as prom queen last month. The 18-year senior died in a collision with a wrong-way driver early the morning of March 17 on Highway 29 just south of Quintette Road.
Students honored her by naming her prom queen, dedicating the prom to her, and with a mural on Graffiti Bridge.
“Kara. Your wings were ready, but our hearts were not.”
Pensacola’s Graffiti Bridge was painted Saturday in remembrance of Santorelli. Senior Rustin Pope was named prom king.

During Holy Week, members of the Catholic High School student body present the Stations of the Cross that commemorate Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man beginning with His condemnation and ending with Him being laid in the tomb. On April 5, in keeping with tradition, Campus Minister, Mrs. Rebecca Carter, directed a group of over 60 Crusaders who took part in performing The Living Stations. The Campus Music Ministry group also provided music during the presentation. This year’s original script incorporated the meaning of the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy- to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to travelers, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, and to bury the dead—into Christ’s life and Passion. The CHS theme for the 2022-2023 school year is “We are the Body of Christ” and the Corporal Works of Mercy have been focused on as a primary way in which we live as members of the Body of Christ on earth. These works have been highlighted throughout the year in CHS Religion Classes as well as in other activities.

Even the youngest students at MSP get their hands dirty in the garden. Toddler students at the Montessori School of Pensacola love working in their playground garden. They see the whole process from starting seeds indoors to watching plants sprout and grow. They take turns watering during their playtime. Teachers give lessons about what plants need to grow and encourage conversation about the colors and smells of plants. A key part of Montessori education is gardening and taking care of the environment, as well as the study of Botany.

George Stone Technical College has recently earned a ranking of #9 in the state of Florida in industry certifications earned by students. The mission of George Stone Technical College is to provide quality academic, career, and technical education opportunities for all learners through instruction that integrates rigor, relevance, and relationships. In fulfilling that mission during the 2021-22 school year, GSTC students earned 330 industry-recognized certifications across a multitude of industries and disciplines. Those 330 certifications ranked GSTC and the Escambia County Public Schools 9th out of 67 counties for the most certifications earned amongst technical colleges and centers throughout the state of Florida. “I’m extremely proud of the accomplishments of our students and the efforts of our teachers. These certifications are a result of their hard work and commitment to their craft,” said GSTC Principal TJ Rollins. In addition to the recognition and validation of these students’ knowledge and skills, these certifications resulted in $270,902 of performance funding for GSTC – funding that will be utilized to strengthen and align its programs with the needs of our local business community. George Stone Technical College offers a wide array of technical programs, which can be found at www.georgestonecenter.com. For more information, please contact Assistant Principal Stephen Brooks at sbrooks@ecsdfl.us or (850) 941-6200.