Anonymous Donor Gives $3 Million Gift To UWF
March 22, 2017
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the University of West Florida will receive more than $3 million to assist deserving students in their pursuit of the American Dream.
This transformational gift will establish an endowment for need-based scholarships with preference given to immigrants and refugees and enhance accessibility to higher education for UWF students. UWF enrolled 290 students classified as immigrants in Fall 2015. With the additional scholarship funds, new student enrollment is projected to increase by approximately 30 percent over the next several years.
“Sometimes it amazes me how strong the power of generosity is in our region,” UWF President Martha Saunders said. “This gift will provide needed financial aid to students for generations to come. The donor does not want credit for this incredible act of giving. We are deeply grateful.”
Endowment dollars enable UWF to sustain growth, increase its reputation for quality and compete in the higher education marketplace to attract and retain a talented and diverse student body. Need- and talent-based scholarships to support students within all academic programs improve the lives of students and, in return, the community.
“Providing the opportunity for higher education ensures economic prosperity and mobility for our students as financial barriers can often interfere with academic progress,” said Dr. Meredith Brunen, interim vice president for university advancement. “The foresight of our benefactors is so noble. The ripples of this gift will be felt in perpetuity.”
Bratt Elementary’s Sanders Named School District Employee Of The Month
March 22, 2017
The Escambia County School District Stellar Employee for March is Chad Sanders.
According to a proclamation issued by the Escambia County School District:
“Mr. Sanders has been employed with the district for 22 years, the last five years in the Maintenance Department as a Maintenance Mechanic l. Mr. Sanders is the Maintenance Crewman assigned to Bratt Elementary School. Mr. Sanders was nominated because of his cooperative and “can-do” attitude. Mr. Sanders completes the work order requests for Bratt Elementary in a timely, efficient manner and maintains a pleasant, professional attitude toward school staff and his co-workers. If a request is out of his realm of expertise, he makes sure it is submitted to the correct person or department to be fulfilled.
“During his assignment to Bratt Elementary, Mr. Sanders has constructed “story stairs” for the school library, benches for the hallways and a reading gazebo, all from school recycled lumber.
“He has repaired numerous light fixtures and even evaluated the roof to determine the problem with the school satellite dish. After Mr. Sanders determined the satellite dish needed replacing, he and his crew replaced it with a new dish. Mr. Sanders has also been involved in the removal and replacement of outdated smart boards, tvs, overhead projectors and projector screens.
“In preparation for the library end of year Reading Celebration for the 2015-16 school year, Mr. Sanders hung ceiling decorations before the event and removed them after the event, saving teachers a great deal of time.
“Bratt Elementary feels they are very fortunate to have such a dedicated, caring, maintenance crewman assigned to their school.
Mr. Sanders personifies the pillars of “People” and “Service”. It is for these reasons that he has been selected as our stellar employee for the Month of March.”
Northview Majorette Smith Earns Straight Superiors At State
March 21, 2017
Northview High School majorette captain Brianna Smith received straight superior ratings Monday in the Florida Bandmaster’s Association state competition in Jacksonville. She performed to the song “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from the musical Hairspray.
Pictured top: Smith performs during a Friday night football game last season, NorthEscambia.com photo. Pictured inset: Smith in Jacksonville on Monday. Submitted for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The Blue Angels Return Home
March 21, 2017
The Blues are back! The U.S. Navy Blue Angels buzzed downtown Pensacola and Pensacola Beach late Monday afternoon on their way back to their home at NAS Pensacola for the air show season..
The 2017 Pensacola Beach Blue Angels Air Show will be July 9, and the Pensacola Naval Air Station Homecoming Air Show is coming up on November 11 and 12. There are also numerous opportunities to catch a Blue Angels practice aboard NAS Pensacola. Click here for a schedule.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge
Camp Fire Kids Celebrate Incredible Kids Day; Camp Fire Birthday
March 20, 2017
The children at Camp Fire Century recently celebrated Camp Fire’s 108th Birthday and Absolutely Incredible Kids Day.
Camp Fire’s Absolutely Incredible Kid Day honors our nation’s youth by asking adults to write letters of encouragement and inspiration to the incredible kids in their lives. It is a simple, meaningful way to let youth know how much they are appreciated. This year, the staff at Camp Fire Century wrote 207 letters for Byrneville Elementary school to pass out to their students.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Tribal Beat Band Names New Drum Major, Assistant
March 20, 2017
The Northview High School Tribal Beat Band has named Clayton Findley (left) as drum major for 2017-2018. Camilla Windham (right) has been named assistant drum major. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
25th Annual Sawmill Pageant Held (With Photo Gallery)
March 19, 2017
The 25th Annual Miss Sawmill Pageant sponsored by the Century Lions Club was held Saturday.
Overall winners were Khloe Hamilton and Skylar Crawford. NorthEscambia.com will publish a complete winner’s list and photos after the information is made available to us.
In the meantime, click here for a photo gallery from Saturday afternoon’s events.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
4-H County Event Youth Winners Named
March 19, 2017
The UF/IFAS Escambia County Extension Office recently hosted 4-H County Events, consisting of competitions in public speaking, demonstrations and illustrated talks, fashion, photography, graphic design, and share-the-fun (talent) activities.
The event featured 14 youth, submitting 25 different entries. Blue ribbon winners will advance to district competition.
Escambia County 4-H Event winners were:
Poster Art: Elizabeth Atkins, Levi Nelson, Trista Wolk, and Taylor Nelson.
Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks: Jasmine Guillory, Brayton Workman, Von Littlejohn, Taylor Nelson, Danielle Tinker, and Michelle Tinker.
Photography: Lacie Kittrell, Tucker Padgett (3), Dillon Conti, and Taylor Nelson (3).
For more information on Escambia County 4-H, call (850) 475-5230.
Weekend Gardening: March Tips
March 18, 2017
Here are gardening tips for the month of March from the University of Florida IFAS Extension office:
Flowers
- Annual flowers that can be planted in March include: ageratum, alyssum, amaranthus, asters, baby’s breath, begonia, calendula, celosia, cosmos, dahlia, dusty miller, gaillardia, geranium, hollyhock, impatiens, marigold, nicotiana, ornamental pepper, pentas, phlox, rudbeckia, salvia, sweet Williams, torenia, verbena, vinca and zinnia.
- Caladium bulbs are extremely sensitive to cold soil. There is no advantage to planting early. Purchase caladiums while there is a good selection, but wait until late March or April before planting them in shady beds.
Trees and Shrubs
- Finish pruning summer flowering shrubs such as althea, hibiscus, abelia, oakleaf hydrangea and oleander.
- Delay the pruning of azaleas, camellias, spiraeas, gardenias and other spring flowering shrubs until after flowering is complete.
- Prune any cold weather-damaged plants after new growth appears.
- If needed, fertilize shrubs and small trees with a slow release fertilizer. A good general-purpose landscape fertilizer is a 15-0-15.
- Mature palms should receive an application of granular fertilizer. Use a special palm fertilizer that has an 8-2-12 +4Mg (magnesium) with micronutrients formulation. Apply one pound of fertilizer per 100 sqft of canopy area or landscape area.
- Last opportunity to spray shrubs with dormant horticultural oil.
- Pick up all fallen camellia blossoms and remove them from your property. This practice helps to prevent petal blight next season.
- Prune ornamental grasses.
- If you are in the market for specific colors of azaleas, visit the local nurseries and garden centers this month. Though this is not the most ideal planting time you are assured of the right flower color without having to wait until next blooming season.
Fruits and Nuts
- Time to finish planting bare-root fruit trees.
Vegetable Garden
- This is the month for establishing a spring vegetable garden. Early March plantings have about an even chance of avoiding a late frost.
- The warm season vegetables that can be planted this month are: bush beans, pole beans, lima beans, cantaloupes, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, southern peas, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
- The cool season vegetables that can be planted this month are: beets, carrots, celery, collards, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, bunching onions, parsley, English peas, Irish potatoes, radish and turnips.
- More conservative gardeners might wish to wait until the middle to latter part of the month to risk tender plants such as tomatoes and peppers.
Lawns
- Remove excessive accumulation of leaves from the lawn. This will increase the effectiveness of fertilizers and pesticides applied to the lawn.
- If a preemergence lawn herbicide is needed to control summer weeds, it should be applied in early March. Make certain to choose one that is safe on your kind of grass.
- Keep lawn herbicides away from the root zones of desirable flower, shrubs and other plants.
- Fertilize the lawn only after the danger of frost has passed and when the grass has greened up. Fertilize using a complete fertilizer applied at 0.5 lbs nitrogen per 1000 sqft containing 50% soluble and 50% slow-release nitrogen.
- Service the lawn mower: include a sharpening of the blade and adjusting of the cutting height for your type of grass.
- Anyone considering establishment of centipedegrass from seed should hold off until the soil warms up and stabilizes above 70°F. Add Item Here…
Tate High FFA Provides Meals Of Hope To The Needy
March 16, 2017
The Tate High School FFA is lending a hand to local families in need along with Feeding the Gulf Coast and Meals of Hope.
The group raised $5,000 to purchase bulk commodities to be packaged in single family portions and redistributed to help feed families in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Wednesday, the FFA students packaged thousands of macaroni and cheese meals — carefully measuring, pouring, weighing labeling and counting each bag. Each family receiving one of the mac and cheese meals will know from the label that it was packed by the Tate High School FFA.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos by Kim Stefansson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
