Melissa Venable Named Kingsfield Elementary Teacher Of The Year
October 21, 2025
v has been named the Kingsfield Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
From the school:
Family and friends are proud to celebrate Melissa Venable, who was recently named Teacher of the Year at Kingsfield Elementary.
With 18 years of teaching experience, Melissa has spent most of her career in kindergarten, shaping young minds with patience and love. When she was moved to 5th grade, she embraced the change with grace, humor, and heart. She’s known for her kindness, wit, and willingness to help anyone. Always putting others before herself.
This recognition is well-deserved for a teacher who gives her all to her students and school every single day.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Names Students Of The Month
October 19, 2025
Byrneville Elementary School recently named their September Students of the Month.
They are:
Kindergarten: Lillie Levins and Dean Barrow
1st Grade: Emberly Johnson and Bennett Little
2nd Grade: Nevaeh Carnley and Brooklynn Tamondong
3rd Grade: Kenzie Burkett and Annalee Faulk
4th Grade: Myah Gill and Harper Ellis
5th Grade: Grace McKenna and Evin Levins
Art: Cali Cottrell
Music: Kipton Little
PE: Jonah Levins
Northview High Names Students Of The Month
October 17, 2025
Northview High School recently named its Students of the Month for September. Pictured with Principal Michael Sherrill., they are Christian Callender (left) and Sydney Little. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High, Beulah Middle, Beulah Academy Place In District 1 FFA Forestry Event
October 16, 2025
More than 100 students from 17 schools competed for the District 1 FFA Forestry Career Development Event recently, with teams from Tate High School and Pleasant Ridge Christian Academy taking home the overall top team honors and will advance to the state competition.
The competition was held at the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center Training Center in Holt and tested students on their skills in diagnosing forest disorders, managing forests and forest inventory and applying approved silviculture practices. Participating students were from Escambia, Holmes, Okaloosa, Walton and Washington counties.
Participants competed in tree measurement, map interpretation, identifying trees and equipment as well as a general forestry knowledge. Luke Graham from Tate High won the top spot in the high school division while Nate Abbott of Pleasant Ridge Christian Academy in DeFuniak Springs took first in the middle school individual competition.
The first-place team for the high school division was Tate High School Team A, and Tate’s second team, Team B, took second place. (Both Tate teams are pictured as a group above.)
Pleasant Ridge Team A won first place for the middle school division. Beulah Middle School’s Team A finished second, and the Beulah Academy of Science Team A.
Full results are as follows:
High School Team Competition
- 1st place: Tate High School- Team A
- 2nd place: Tate High School- Team B
- 3rd place: Milton High School- Team A
Middle School Team Competition
- 1st place: Pleasant Ridge Christian Academy Team A
- 2nd place: Beulah Middle Team A
- 3rd place: Beulah Academy of Science Team A
High School Individual Winners
- Luke Graham, Tate High School Team A
- General Knowledge
- Dendrology
- Map Interpretation
- Equipment ID
- Emma Posey, Central High School Team A
- Timber Cruising
- Alex Apperson, Tate High School, Team A
- Tree/Forest Disorders
Middle School Individual Winners
- Nate Abbott, Pleasant Ridge Christian Academy
- General Knowledge
- Equipment ID
- Map Interpretation
- Giselle Rodriguez, Pleasant Ridge Christian Academy
- Dendrology
- Tree/Forest Disorders
- Payton Coon, Pleasant Ridge Christian Academy
- Timber Cruising
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Above: Tate Team A — first place
Above: Tate Team B — second place
Above: Belah Academy of Science — third place
Shelly Helton Named Jim Allen Elementary Teacher Of The Year
October 15, 2025
Kindergarten teacher Shelly Helton has been name the Jim Allen Elementary School Teacher of the year.
Helton’s career in education has spanned 30 years, including 25 years at Jim Allen.
From the school:
Mrs. Helton has dedicated her career to shaping the lives of our students and families.
A true mentor, Mrs. Helton has guided many along the way as 4 of our current teachers were once her mentees. In a beautiful full-circle moment, she is now teaching kindergarten in the very same classroom where she herself was a kindergartener.
We are so proud to honor Mrs. Helton and celebrate her incredible impact on generations of students.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Showband Of the South Earns Straight Superiors For 54th Consecutive Year
October 14, 2025
The Tate High School Showband of the South earned straight superior ratings in the Florida Bandmasters Association District 1 Marching MPA on Saturday. This marked the 54th consecutive year that the showband has earned straight superiors.
The Showband spent five months preparing for the competition.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Tate Friday Night Students, Fans, Cheerleaders
October 13, 2025
The Tate Aggies hosted the Pace Patriots Friday night.
For a bonus photo gallery with fans, cheerleaders and more, click here.
For a game action story and photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
‘A Night When Heaven Rejoiced’ — Community Baptism Service Held In Park In Molino
October 13, 2025
About 100 people gathered Saturday night in the park behind the Molino Community Center for an open community baptism service.
As the sun set behind the community center, the sound of laughter from children on the playground filled the air along with worship music and a message from Unashamed Fire Ministries President Morgan Hiebert.
After an altar call, 16 people embraced their faith and were baptized in a tub of water. Water baptism is identifying with the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is symbolic of washed away sins in the Christian faith.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
It was the fourth public baptism service in recent weeks for the Atmore ministry, with dozens more baptized in Atmore and Uriah in Alabama.
“People who had walked away from Him, People who had never known Him before,” were baptized as believers, according to Hiebert. “It was a night of freedom. A night of redemption. A night where heaven rejoiced.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bonus Gallery: Northview Cheerleaders, Fans, And More
October 13, 2025
The Northview Chiefs hosted the Jay Royals Friday night.
For a bonus photo gallery with fans, cheerleaders and more, click here.
For a game action story and photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Heritage Festival Celebrates The Community’s History (With Photo Gallery)
October 12, 2025
Under beautiful blue skies with an 1880’s log schoolhouse as a backdrop, the fifth annual Walnut Hill Heritage Festival on Saturday celebrated the community’s history Saturday.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The day, sponsored by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, featured vendors, live music, food, hay rides, antique vendors, arts and crafts, bounce houses, face painting, a family magic show and much more.
The one-room log schoolhouse was built around 1880 at a cost of $40. It was flattened by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and rebuilt at its current home next to the Walnut Hill Community Center on Highway 97.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
