Ransom Academic Team Finishes As Top Public School At Invitational Tournament
January 22, 2026
The Ransom Middle School Academic Team recently secured a top-tier finish at the Middle School Invitational in Cottondale, placing third overall out of 12 teams from across the Florida Panhandle and Alabama.
Ransom entered the playoffs as the undefeated top seed in their bracket, eventually finishing as the highest-ranking public school in the competition. The team narrowly missed qualifying for the national tournament.
Individual students also earned top honors among the field of 43 players. Cutter Rhodes took home a medal for second place individual and was the top-ranked public school player. Levi Cox placed seventh overall, and Calleigh Anderson finished in tenth.
The team members who traveled to the competition included Calleigh Anderson, Kyson Beck, Khloe Caldwell, Levi Cox, Sydney Cox, Megan Degan-Dorangricchia, Megan Gray, Madelyn McShane, and Cutter Rhodes.
Ransom’s next tournament is scheduled for Saturday, January 31.
Pictured: (L-R) Coach Jon Walker, Coach Madison Bass, Sydney Cox, Kyson Beck, Madison Degan-Dorangricchia, Khloe Caldwell, Cutter Rhodes, Megan Gray, Madelyn McShane, Levi Cox, Calleigh Anderson, Coach Maggie Brown, and Coach Clarissa Brown. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Names Students Of The Month
January 21, 2026
Ernest Ward Middle School named their November and December students and employee of the month.
November award winners were: Ella Grace Diller, Sanora Martin, Greyson Diz and teacher Kaylee Gibson (pictured above).
December award winners were: Rylan Johnson, Wayne Golson, Hayden Hollingsworth, and employee Courtney Barrow (pictured below).
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lipscomb Elementary Fifth Graders Explore Roy Hyatt Science Environmental Center (Gallery)
January 15, 2026
Fifth grade students from Lipscomb Elementary School recently enjoyed a visit to the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in Cantonment.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
January 11, 2026
Ransom Middle School recently named their November/December Winter Students of the Month.
They are Jeremiah Lewis and Leila Mosley.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview High Alum Earns Doctorate In Intelligent Systems And Robotics
January 11, 2026
Lawrence Dale Perkins recently earned his Ph.D. in Intelligent Systems and Robotics from the University of West Florida in conjunction with the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.
The 1999 graduate of Northview High School also attended Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle schools. He earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2005 as well as a master’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering in 2007 from UWF.
Perkins is currently an electronics engineer for the U.S. Air Force and a recipient of the Department of Defense SMART Scholarship. His doctoral dissertation was titled “A Predictive Model for Understanding and Enhancing Scalability of Human-Multi-Agent Team.”
Dale is the son of son of William and Betsy Perkins of Oak Grove.
NorthEscambia.com photo (above) and submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com (below), click to enlarge.
Ascend Cares Volunteers Start Work On New Roy Hyatt Sensory Trail
January 11, 2026
Volunteers from Ascend Cares participated in a work day on Friday at the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center.
They helped start construction of the new Roy Hyatt Sensory Trail. They worked on “Windows to the Wind,” a “Whirling Wind Station,” “Crunch Trail,” a huge xylophone, a human-sized bamboo wind chime, and a natural wood binocular station.
The Ascend volunteers will return to Roy Hyatt this week to complete the project.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Top Reader: Ransom Middle Student Reads 1.755 Million Words In December
January 7, 2026
Paige Ruhnow was recognized at the December Accelerated Reader (AR) Top Reader at Ransom Middle School.
Paige read 1,755,099 words and passed 20 AR tests.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hundreds of Escambia Students Receive Gift of Sight Through Non-Profit Vision Program
January 6, 2026
Hundreds of schoolchildren in Escambia County will enjoy the gift of better eyesight in 2026, thanks to a non-profit vision program.
In December, the Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program, a subsidiary of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, provided free comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses, if needed, to about 170 Escambia County Public School students at seven schools. The program is funded by entities that include the Florida Department of Health and the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
“We provide no-cost eye exams, and if the children need glasses, we give them glasses at no cost as well,” said Dr. Whitney Schubert, after completing eye exams at Bratt Elementary School. “We do a complete eye exam, complete with the dilation, the drops, and the full examination.”
At Bratt Elementary School, 19 of 29 students who received an eye exam needed glasses.
“They get to pick out their own glasses, which is really cool,” Schubert said. “The kids get so excited, and that’s important at this age.”
The doctor said that studies show one in four children have an undiagnosed vision problem.
“If you can imagine if you can’t see what the teacher is presenting to you, it’s going to be really hard to pick up on those concepts,” she said. “Just getting them a good pair of glasses really just sets the kids up to be able to learn, to grow, and to become confident little kids.”
The Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program free comprehensive eye examinations were offered by the program at Bratt, Lipscomb, McArthur, Ferry Pass, Ensley, Myrtle Grove, and Oakcrest elementary schools. Parents were eligible to apply for the program at 28 Escambia County schools in October, with the program requiring at least 30 approved applicants in order to provide the service at a school.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Megan Bryan Named Ernest Ward Middle Teacher Of The Year
January 4, 2026
Megan Bryan was named the Ernest Ward Middle School Teacher of the Year. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Holly Kendrick Named Ransom Middle Teacher Of The Year
January 4, 2026
Holly Kendrick was named the Ransom Middle School Teacher of the Year. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.