Student Spotlights – February 2024

The Daphne High School girls wrestling team remained undefeated on the season by defeating a talented Thompson team at the Southeastern Pools. The Daphne High School boys wrestling team finished 3rd. Way to go!
Champions:
100 Alanah Girard
107 McKenzie Nugyen
114 Emily Smith
132kalyse Hill
Second place
106 Micah Swiger
138 Toby Hymel
190 Colton Rainer
120 Jenna MacDonald
126 Ellawyn Laffery
138 Bella Harris
145 Kimber Alford
165 Taliah Wade
Third Place
Jacob Luna
Addy Hollis
Fourth
Ethan Curry
Jacob Sweet

Congratulations to Danielle Woods on being named Spanish Fort High School’s DAR Good Citizen. The faculty voted for Danielle because she possesses the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. Congratulations!

Thanks to the incredible support of the community, please congratulate the EIGHT members of the 2024 Dogwood Trail Court for the very first time in no particular order-
#7 Celia Cocke
#9 Emory Mitchell
#14 Mary Chapel Whitehead
#16 Abigail Nance
#22 Karlee Lambert
#25 Madison London
#29 Londyn Jane Norris
#45 Ella Shedd

During National Picture Book Month in November, the Elsanor Elementary School sixth grade students created the Second Annual Elsanor Mural as part of the Global Traveling Mural Project. The Traveling Mural Project is an art project about connecting with other school communities around the world to create murals of peace, friendship, diversity, and love. Students from schools around the world create their own ten-foot mural to tell others about themselves and their community. Once completed, the original mural is cut up into one-foot pieces and sent to nine other schools around the world. Elsanor Elementary also receive nine mural pieces from those schools that they put together to create a Global Traveling Mural.
Here are the students with their final creation (they designed and painted it) and then the Global mural after they received most of the pieces. Their mural incorporated so much about what makes the community and state great, including the works of two notable Alabama authors: Watt Key, author of Alabama Moon and Kathryn Tucker Windham, author of 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey and many others too.

Central Baldwin Middle School FCCLA members Yeimi Contreras, Alice Tejada and Laci Sanderson brought home 1st place medals at the county FCCLA competition for presenting their Focus on their project “UNO, Dis, Tres: Read!”
For their project, these students prepared a bilingual reading lesson for a group of elementary students at Elsanor Elementary. The project focused on encouraging students to grow academic language in both their first and second languages through reading. The students sewed each student a book pillow as a reading incentive and gave each student a donated bilingual book.
Great job, girls! Congratulations!

The Baldwin County High School students gained 9 points on the State Report Card improving from a C to a B. They are ranked 4th out of the 8 local high schools. Baldwin County High School was recognized and congratulated by Superintendent Eddie Tyler and his Senior Staff for a job well done. Baldwin County High is very proud of their students and staff for all their hard work!

Congratulations to Bay Minette Middle School’s NeKyiah Renea Steele-Ulmer who has been selected as a Baldwin EMC Shining Star Student. NeKyiah demonstrates the Touchstone Energy© characteristics of Integrity, Innovation, Accountability, and Commitment to the Community. Congratulations NeKyiah!

Please join Spanish Fort High School in welcoming the new members to their ACT 30+ Club! Congrats, everyone! What an accomplishment!
Peyton Cox
Lauren Garner
Sam Henderson
Crista Hoffman
Cooper Kelly
Abbey Lowe
Riley Osbourne
Weston Payne
Zahra Uddin
Helena Wilson Cherry

Pine Grove Elementary School’s Project Success teachers hosted an Italian themed dining experience for their students! Students practiced restaurant etiquette and table manners. A great time was had by all, and the students shined!

Baldwin County Virtual School’s Middle School Scholars’ Bowl team opened the season with a pair of victories, defeating Summerdale and Foley. Members include Mason Ard (07), Bobby McDonald (07), Jacob Franklin (08) and Evan Gann (08). Go, Pelicans!

Silverhill Elementary School celebrated their students in grades 1-6 who met their AR Goals for the first semester! Students enjoyed a movie and popcorn, pizza, and popsicles! Way to go Silverhill Readers! A big thank you to the wonderful Silverhill Elementary PTA for sponsoring Silverhill’s AR program!

Writer’s Week at Spanish Fort Middle School began with a bang! Madison Collins, a former Spanish Fort Middle student, talked to the 7th grade students about her success in the fashion world. She has accomplished quite a lot since she left Spanish Fort Middle. Students were enthralled as she explained why she began writing and where it is taking her in life. She had some great advice for all the students about following their dreams.

Congratulations to Daphne Middle School’s Anna D Robinson who has been selected as a Baldwin EMC Shining Star Student. Anna demonstrates the Touchstone Energy© characteristics of Integrity, Innovation, Accountability, and Commitment to the Community. Congratulations Anna!

Daphne High School competed in the Baldwin County FCCLA Competition and brought home 6 first place medals in Career Investigation, Food Innovation, Community Service Project Display, Repurpose Redesign, and Sports Nutrition. Also, Brendan Sternberg did an outstanding job in the Beef Cook Off for preparing Beef Wellington. Please congratulate these awesome students on their hard work as they now prepare for state in March!

Elsanor Elementary School students in Mrs. Mashburn’s class celebrated their victories for 2nd Quarter. Students were celebrated for the following achievements: reaching their AR Goal in Reading; STAR Reading Gains; STAR Math Gains. Congratulations to Harmony Finney for having the Highest STAR Math gains from Fall to Winter! Congratulations to Abby Newton for having the highest STAR Reading gains from Fall to Winter!

Out with the old- in with the new!! Thanks to community support through the 3 Mill Tax, Robertsdale High School students received a beautiful set of compound microscopes to replace the very outdated microscopes. Multiple science classes will benefit from this enhancement! Thank you community!

Fairhope West Elementary Students Anne Chapel Duell and Judd Determann will have their art on display in Montgomery as part of the State Superintendent’s Art Show. They are two of the handful of students representing Baldwin County Public Schools. Fairhope West Elementary is so proud of their talented artists!

The Fairhope High School archery team hosted the Fairhope Pirate Tournament at Fairhope Middle School. Freshman, Nathan Wiggins, shot a 293 out of 300 and won 1st place in the high school boys’ category. Nathan is now tied for #1 high school boy in the state of Alabama!

Congratulations to the Spanish Fort Middle School wrestlers who placed first in their weight classes:
Ashton Hoy
Maxwell Wilson
Colin McFadden
Kian Beekman
Other top four placers:
Eli McCarty
Keaton Mcrkazo
Ethan Schwal
Austin Best
Caleb Lewis
Christian Howerin
Patrick Fowler
Overall Spanish Fort Middle School finished second in the county overall in team points!

Congrats to Robertsdale High School student Trevor Coon on setting the indoor school record in the 60m hurdles in Birmingham! Robertsdale High is proud of you Trevor and all of their athletes who competed!

Another successful Blood Drive at North Baldwin Center for Technology with 16 units donated! Thank you to everyone that came to donate and thank you to LifeSouth for meeting the needs of our community!

The Gulf Coast Chamber Ensemble concert took place at the University of South Alabama. It was an absolute pleasure to see Foley High School students and alumna Zion Shoots (Class of ’23), Claudia Sebastian (Class of ’24), and Thomas Valenzuela (Class of ’26), perform as members of the Gulf Coast Saxophone Ensemble. You made the Foley High School Band proud!

Three Baldwin County High School Band Members, Michael Blanton, Warren Chestang, and Jameson Peak, participated in the Annual Tuba Christmas Concert in Mobile. This year was the 50th anniversary of the Tuba Christmas event. They did a phenomenal job representing our band and school!

The choral students of Fairhope High School were treated to a concert by the Choral Department of the University of Southern Mississippi. In turn, the choral students from Fairhope High School sang a couple songs for the special guests from USM. What a great morning of beautiful music.

Congratulations to the three Baldwin County Fine Arts teachers who have been selected to be members of the Alabama State Department of Education Fine Arts Course of Study Committee and Task Force. Over the next calendar year, these teachers will meet regularly with other educators and stockholders from across the state to update the Fine Arts Course of Study. Teachers selected include Michael Roy at Foley High, Griffin Hood at Daphne High, and Thomas Turner at Summerdale Elementary.

In the heart of Gulf Shores Middle School, there’s a sanctuary of healing and encouragement that transcends the traditional role of a school nurse’s office. Step inside, and you’ll find Nurse Jill Morgan, the embodiment of compassion, mentorship, and dedication. Her recent recognition as the School Staff of the Year is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the well-being and development of the students.
With 26 years of nursing experience, including roles in ER/ICU, cardiac cath/special procedures lab, nursing homes, and 18 years specifically as a school nurse, Nurse Jill brings a wealth of knowledge to her position. Beyond administering basic health care, she has become an integral part of the school community, building incredible relationships with students that extend far beyond the confines of her office.
Despite her impressive achievements, Nurse Jill remains humble. She emphasizes that recognition was never her goal; rather, she strives to make a positive impact on her students’ lives every day. Her commitment to creating a judgment-free and encouraging space during the challenging middle school years is a testament to her belief that an educated person is a successful person.
In Nurse Jill’s office, every student is encouraged to relax, be themselves, and find solace amid life’s challenges. As she rightfully points out, middle school may be tough, but with Nurse Jill, it becomes a place that is easy to talk to, easy to find encouragement, and easy to just be.

In the heart of Gulf Shores Middle School, Mrs. Martha Morales stands as an exemplary educator, embodying the spirit of dedication, versatility, and a relentless commitment to her students. Awarded the prestigious title of Gulf Shores Middle School Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Morales’s journey from a math teacher to a Spanish teacher and her unwavering dedication to fostering environmental awareness and gardening initiatives have left an indelible mark on the school community.
Born in Oviedo, Spain, Mrs. Morales embarked on her teaching journey at a remarkably young age. At 15, she taught English as a second language to 5 and 7-year-olds in a summer program at Palacio de La Ferrería in Asturias, Spain. Her passion for education only intensified as she worked in the Math Lab at her college, tutoring in mathematics and later serving as a Math TA at the ADVANCE summer program in Louisiana.
After obtaining her Master’s degree in Mathematics, Mrs. Morales’ journey took a transformative turn when she decided to pursue a teaching degree and simultaneously taught High School Math and Spanish at LSMSA.
Mrs. Morales is also known for her advocacy in environmental and gardening efforts across the school system. Her dedication to serving others and filling the needs of the community showcases her passion for continuous growth and excellence. In her own words, she expressed her admiration for her colleagues, stating, “My coworkers inspire me to think outside the box and embrace new challenges. Together, we create an environment that fosters continuous growth and excellence.”
Mrs. Martha Morales’s journey from Spain to Gulf Shores, from math to Spanish, and from teaching to environmental advocacy, is an inspiring testament to the transformative power of education. As Gulf Shores Middle School Teacher of the Year, she stands as a beacon of excellence, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of her students and colleagues alike.

Bayside Academy’s middle school math team finished as champions and the high school math team finished runner-up at the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) District Math Competition at Faith Academy yesterday. Each school in the competition is permitted a middle school and a high school team, with each team allowed five competing members and one alternate, and the top four scores are used to determine the winners. The high school team has a ciphering round where four members answer four questions each.
Middle school mathletes were 8th graders Braxton Bender, Huan Chen, Joey Dorman, and John Stephen Klimjack and 7th graders Don Chen and Owen Swagart. Huan Chen was the highest individual scorer of the middle school competition.
High school mathletes were seniors Michael Klimjack, Georgia McInnis, Jack Roussos, and Isabelle Rutland and junior Jared Dull. Michael Klimjack was the highest individual scorer of the high school competition.
The entire middle school team and Michael Klimjack will represent Bayside Academy at the AISA State Math Competition in Montgomery on January 31. The team sponsor is Joe Swagart.
Pictured: Front Row: Middle school math team members John Stephen Klimjack, Don Chen, Huan Chen, Owen Swagart, Joey Dorman, and Braxton Bender. Back Row: High school math team members Georgia McInnis, Michael Klimjack, Jack Roussos, Jared Dull, and Isabelle Rutland, along with sponsor Joe Swagart.

Meet Stella Thompson from Robertsdale High School. She is the first native English speaker in the Baldwin County Public Schools system to qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy. Students must demonstrate abilities in two or more languages to receive this award. Stella studied Spanish I with Ms Pitts & Spanish II, III, and AP Spanish with Ms Brunny Campos Vega at Robertsdale High School. She is also a member of: NHS, NSHSS, Spanish NHS, H.o.P.e., Mu Alpha Theta, Peer Helpers, Prom Committee, Band Leadership, Varsity Scholars Bowl, & Student Government. Stella plans to attend the University of South Alabama where she will major in Nursing & minor in Spanish.

The Mother Teresa Service Club at St. Michael held a Book Drive for USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital. The group was able to collect 261 books to donate to the hospital for their young patients. The books were donated in memory of Ann Briggs McCullough. Pictured from L-R, service club members Kendall Gorum, Townes Bowman and Haleigh Farrar.

The newly formed St. Michael Catholic High School wrestling team competed in their first team region meet on January 2, 2024! They were seeded last out of 8 teams, but the Cardinals battled all day and made a name for themselves, finishing 3rd overall! Pictured: Back Row, Left to right: Coach Adam Hicks, Sam Crosby, Cal Cella, Jesse Randolph, Toby Edmiston, Abe Faiupu, Coach Mac Hirsch
MIddle Row L-R: Colin Thompson, Landon Bodean, Parker Baas
Front Row, L-R: Eduardo Silva, Jimmy Roh, Chase Patterson, Christian Roach, Walker Box

Congratulations to Elberta Middle School FCCLA on their success at the 2024 Baldwin County FCCLA Competition participants!
• First Place Chapter Service Project Display: Addison Cranford and Mackenzie Santose
• Second Place Event Management: McCoy Ezell, Brylee Householder, and Maggie Thorjusen
• First Place Food Innovations: Blakely Kichler
• First Place Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation: Avie Busby and Ryleigh Fogos
• First Place Sports Nutrition: Emma Franks and Michlynne Shaver
Special thank you to our volunteers Brelyn Bowman, GG Goxcon, and Taylor Yates.
Next stop State Competition March!!!

Bayside Academy is proud to announce that senior Isabelle Rutland was named the chapter and district winner of the Good Citizen Program for the Ecor Rouge Chapter and Southern Alabama District of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Isabelle will now compete at the state level.
The DAR Good Citizen Program is a unique event as students are given a topic on the spot and are required to write a timed essay with no additional resources. All six high schools in our area (Bayshore Christian School, Bayside Academy, Daphne High School, Fairhope High School, St. Michael Catholic School, and Spanish Fort High School) choose one senior who best represents the quality of a good citizen to participate in the Good Citizen Program.
Bayside seniors Michael Klimjack, Jack Roussos, and Isabelle Rutland were selected by Bayside’s faculty members as finalists for the school nomination. Then, the senior class voted for Isabelle as the school’s representative. She wrote a timed essay and submitted other requirements for the contest.
Isabelle attended the Ecor Rouge DAR chapter’s luncheon on Thursday, January 11, where she was announced as the chapter and district winner. After being announced as the winner, she read her essay to the audience. Isabelle’s father, Arthur Rutland, and selected school representative Katie Ray were also guests in attendance at the program.
Pictured: Bayside Academy senior Isabelle Rutland

Fifteen spellers from Grades 4–8 competed in the Bayside Academy Spelling Bee on Tuesday, January 9. There were two sets of siblings competing in the tournament this year: Anne Riley and Mary Helen Williams (both 8th graders) and Griffin and Mary Kathryn Jacobs (4th and 6th graders, respectively).
After 22 rounds, 6th grader David Green was declared the winner and 6th grader Mary Kathryn Jacobs named the runner-up, with 8th grader Natalie Johnson and 7th grader Abby DiMatteo tying for third place. It should be noted that 4th grader Sarah Kell competed deep into the tournament. The 2024 championship word was bunions.
David will represent Bayside Academy in the Baldwin County Spelling Bee. The event will be held virtually on February 1.
Bayside Academy Spelling Bee Participants
4th Grade: Nicholas Goleash, Griffin Jacobs, and Sarah Kell
5th Grade: Nizar Morrar, Jeremy Ou, and Fenn Schlesinger
6th Grade: David Green, Mary Kathryn Jacobs, and William Roberts
7th Grade: Abby DiMatteo, Annabel Kimbrell, and Bennett Lieb
8th Grade: Natalie Johnson, Anne Riley Williams, and Mary Helen Williams
Pictured: Bayside Academy Spelling Bee winner David Green and runner-up Mary Kathryn Jacobs

Students at Bay Minette Elementary were greeted by members of Beta Chi Sigma as they arrived at school this morning. The members helped welcome students back to school as they arrived in the car rider line. Beta Chi Sigma is an elite service organization that was established in 2019 on the Baldwin County High School campus by Kayland Lamar and Norleisha Lewis. The organization is built on the principles of C.L.A.S.S. (Character, Leadership, Attitude, Sisterhood, and Scholarship). The purpose of Beta Chi Sigma is to promote positive interaction between young ladies who exemplify excellence through leadership, social and cultural awareness, character development, sisterly relations, and academic success.
News and photo courtesy Beta Chi Sigma.

The St. Michael Catholic High School Peer Helpers spread some Christmas Cheer at the Brennity on December 9th. They sang carols and visited with the residents, who loved interacting with the exuberant students!

Three J. Larry Newton students’ artwork has been selected by the county to be submitted to the 2024 State Superintendent Art Show. County-wide (elementary, middle school and high school) only 24 students are selected, three of those will be from JLN. The artwork will be sent to Montgomery where it will be judged and possibly chosen to be placed in the state art show.
A big CONGRATULATIONS to:
Third grader: Evelyn Ralston
Fourth grader: Tyler Adams
Sixth grader: Ansley Lane

Congratulations to the awesome Daphne East Elementary students who were chosen to receive the Crown of Character award for 1st and 2nd quarters by their homeroom teachers. We are proud of you!

Bay Minette Middle School students in Dana Markulj’s STEM classes have been learning how to apply the product design process and improve a prototype after testing. The eighth graders had to create a Supreme Sanitation Station using index cards and tape which must hold a UV light. News and photo courtesy BMMS.

Congratulations to all of the Bayshore Christian School Spelling Bee contestants for a job well done! First place winner of the 2024 BCS Spelling Bee was Connor Moore!

Daphne Elementary School celebrated our students in our Second Quarter Honors Day Parade! Congratulations to all the students!

Ordo Amoris Classical Academy invites you to their inaugural Christian College Fair, Thursday, February 22, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM at Fairhope Civic Center (161 North Section Street, Fairhope). The Ordo Amoris Classical Academy team has meticulously vetted and curated a list of exceptional Christian colleges that are committed to providing a nurturing and academically enriching environment. This fair is a unique opportunity for you to explore a variety of institutions that share a common foundation in faith, values, and academic excellence. For more information call 251-223-3404 or visit OrdoAmorisClassical.com.

Mrs. Gersonde’s class at Fairhope East Elementary use cooperative learning and silly sports for team building!

The 6th grade Lego Club at Foley Elementary had a blast at Friday Club Day! Creative minds worked together to build 3-dimensional structures!

Happy Friday from Spanish Fort Elementary School STEAM Lab! We are so excited to share our first flower bouquet from our hydroponic garden! Another tower is growing Salanova Red and Green Butter Lettuce and we were able to have another harvest! We are planting new seedlings and can’t wait to see what we grow!Thank you to the Gulf Coast RC&D Council for this amazing opportunity!

While Stapleton School is disappointed that the reading deck overlooking their beautiful back campus grounds had to be torn down, the school is excited to see their new outdoor patio taking shape. Stapleton is so grateful to the district for its consistent commitment to meeting the capital needs of the school, and thankful for the stellar Construction and Development Department which oversees the vast construction and maintenance projects underway in our county.
Stapleton can’t wait for our students to be able to enjoy this terrific new resource!

Natalie Gulledge was joined by Central Christian teammates as part of a signing ceremony on January 5th where she submitted her commitment to join Snead State Parsons. Gulledge helped the Saints earn their fourth panhandle Christian Conference championship this season.

Being successful takes hard work, perseverance, and drive!
These students in Mrs. Donald’s class at Stapleton School know that and that’s why they have been able to achieve such success. Mrs. Donald was so proud of the effort her students put in to achieve growth, that she wrote a positive office referral to recognize and thank them–“Congratulations to the following students for their exceptional gains on the STAR Reading and Math assessments. Reading: Ethan, Isaac, and Mabry Cate. Math: Lucy, Isaac, and Wyatt.”
Terrific job students!

Christ the King Catholic School acknowledges the importance of teaching lessons that go beyond the textbook. Students in grades five through eight, heard from speaker Mr. Ben Tracy, a speaker on digital citizenship, online safety, and responsible social media use. Mr. Tracy shared his story with our students along with challenging them to create a school culture filled with kindness and respect. The students were engaged and related to Mr. Tracy and all the topics he discussed.

Central Christian’s 8th grade Earth Science class learned about the strength of air pressure using two straws and a potato. When students held the air in, by covering the end of the straw, it made the straw stronger allowing it to puncture the potato without bending. Many of the open-ended straws bent when trying to puncture the potato. Science is so appealing!

6th grade art classes at Robertsdale Elementary have begun work on a collaborative bear painting to be hung in the office! Each 6th grade art student will be making their marks until the painting is complete!

Assumption Hall was packed for the Christ The King Catholic School Spelling Bee. Our junior high students went head-to-head spelling many challenging words! Congratulations to our 1st place winner, sixth-grader Brendan Schott, and our 2nd place winner, eighth-grader Quentin, a job well done!

Congratulations to BCS senior Alexandra Brousseau for being awarded the Good Citizen Award by The Ecor Rouge chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The chapter selected awardees based on an essay they wrote on citizenship as well as teacher recommendations.

Renaissance School Senior, Micah Zeitlin is awarded an in person acceptance letter by prestigious Marion Military Institute. Congratulations Micah! Marion Military Institute acceptance rate is 45%. Also, Renaissance School Senior, Matthew Brightbill is awarded an in person acceptance letter from Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida. Beacon College’s acceptance rate is 40%. Congratulations Mark!
#ReawakeningEducation #RenaissanceSchool

Renaissance School science classes produced a Winter Wonderland using sodium polyacrylate. What an incredible world Science creates! #RenaissanceSchool #ReawakeningEducation

Mrs. Manning’s 4th-grade class at Christ The King Catholic School was treated to homemade hot chocolate by Fr. Savoie, CTK Pastor, along with the help of Mrs. Garlock, CTKCS Principal. This treat was given as a thank you for helping Fr. Savoie teach a lesson during his homily. Two students from Mrs. Manning’s class modeled during the homily that even though they may be young and small, they are mighty, including their prayers. Hot chocolate and a breakfast treat of muffins and bananas was the perfect thank you on the chilly morning.

Renaissance School student’s love when Indie visits! Indie is a working therapy dog that brings joy wherever she goes. #RenaissanceSchool #ReawakeningEducation

Renaissance School student’s study forensics and finger printing! Science is amazing with Mrs. Jenny! #RenaissanceSchool #ReawakeningEducation

This semester, St. James kindergarten students begun reading with their 30 month “buddies” on Fridays. We love buddy reading days!

The Light of the City offers a free afterschool tutoring program for students in first through eighth grades. The program meets 3 to 5 p.m. each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Douglasville School of Arts & Recreation. For more information about openings, contact Barry Hurst at 251-349-9585 or email b.hurst1964@att.net. DSAR is located at 1000 Shedrick Hardy Parkway. Light of the City also offers a free summer camp for area youth, providing daily recreational activities, meals and snacks for area children. To learn more about this program, follow Light of the City on Facebook: Light Of The City