Ernest Ward Middle School Holds Incoming Sixth Grade Orientation
May 7, 2008
Orientation for students planning to attend Ernest Ward Middle School school next year was held Tuesday evening in the school gym.
The future sixth graders, mostly students leaving Bratt and Molino Park elementary schools, had the chance to meet the EWMS staff and teachers to learn about the transition to middle school.
After a short assembly, the students and their parents had the chance to meet the teachers. They were also able to learn about Ernest Ward’s various sports, band, club offerings and more.
For more photos from Tuesday evening’s Ernest Ward Middle School orientation, click here.
Pictures above and below: Ernest Ward Middle School sixth grade orientation Tuesday evening in the school gym. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FBLA Students From Northview High Tour USS Alabama Tuesday
May 7, 2008
Students from the Northview High School Future Business Leaders of America visited the USS Alabama Tuesday.
The students toured the 680 foot long World War II at Battleship Park on Mobile Bay.
The Northview FBLA is sponsored by Annie Gilmore, business education teacher.
For more pictures from the Northview High FBLA trip to the USS Alabama Tuesday, click here.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Principal Gayle Weaver To Receive Florida’s Top FFA Award
May 5, 2008
Gayle Weaver, Northview High School principal, will receive the Florida FFA Honorary Degree in June during the the 80th State FFA Convention in Orlando.
Weaver is one of just seven adults in the state slated to receive the Honorary Degree for their support of FFA.
The FFA Honorary Degree is given to administrators who are advancing agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment. The award also recognizes school administrators making valuable contributions and long-term differences in the lives of students. This is the highest award given to adults who support FFA programs of the local, state, and national associations.
“Accepting this honorary degree will be the highlight of my professional career, and I can not think of any recognition which could eclipse this symbolic compliment to not only myself, but also to Northview,” Weaver told NorthEscambia.com. “The honorary degree award would not have been possible without the wonderful Northview FFA Program, which has brought, and continues to bring, recognition to Northview High School.”
She said a great example is the FFA Food for America Program. Once again, Northview is in the top ten for the state in the program. The winners will be announced at the state convention. During the Food for America Program in March, about 900 elementary school students from nine schools visited the Northview campus the to learn about agriculture firsthand as they got up close and personal with farm animals, farm equipment and more.
“She supports our program in every way,” Perry Byars, Northview FFA teacher said. “She allows me as a teacher to do what I need to do for FFA. She is just a wonderful supporter of FFA.”
The feeling of respect is mutual between Byars and Weaver.
“Mr. Perry Byars is an exemplary teacher and FFA sponsor. Not only has he spent a career instilling the wholesome values and virtues of FFA to our students, but also he has traveled the state, through various leadership positions, expounding those values and virtues of the FFA organization,” Weaver said. “Remember, ‘Values are caught, not taught’, and American values are caught through FFA programs, projects, and activities.”
Weaver said she is excited about the FFA Honorary Degree. She said she thought she had reached the top when she was awarded “Life Member” recognition from the FFA Alumni Association back in May of 2003.
She said she is looking forward to the state convention in June.
“To see thousands of FFA members at the FFA National Convention, all with their FFA jackets on with their schools’ names on the back, is to see the best of America and the hope of America,” she said.
Fishing Rodeo For The Disabled Held In Walnut Hill
May 4, 2008
As the storm clouds approached Saturday morning, dozens of disabled people fished around Chester Jantz’s Walnut Hill catfish pond.
“That thing floating there in the water…it will move when the fish gets it, right?”, questioned one elderly lady as she sat by the pond in her wheelchair. “I’ve never fished before, so I am not sure what will happen. But I remember seeing that thing floating in the water move when the fish got it on this TV program I watched.”
“I’m just so excited,” she said. “I’ve never fished before.”
That’s what the Pen Wheels Fiesta of Five Flags 34th Annual Fishing Rodeo held Saturday was all about.
“It was organized to give disabled people a chance to get out,” Pen Wheels Vice President Pearline McLendon told NorthEscambia.com. “Many of these people have never fished before. This is just one way to get them out of their houses and the nursing homes into the community.”
As the rain got closer, Pearline had only caught one small fish “but it broke the hook and got away”. She had, however, hooked at least one volunteer that was helping out.
Over the 34 year history of the fishing rodeo, it has been held at locations ranging from Ft. Pickens to the Three Mile Bridge in Pensacola. Since 2001, it has been held at Jantz’s catfish pond on South Highway 99, just off Highway 97.
“Jantz just does us right,” Pauline said. “I can’t say enough nice things about him. We never want to leave!”
Dozens of volunteers stood ready to help the disabled fish. They baited hooks, tossed a line and offered words of friendly encouragement. Many of the volunteers were from the Walnut Hill Mennonite Church.
“There are some real Christian people here helping,” Pen Wheels President Warren Jernigan said. “They really show us Christian love.”
“I like seeing the joy of the people who catch something. I even enjoy the excitement of the people who don’t catch anything but get excited from those that do catch something.”
About 50 disabled people were registered in Saturday’s fishing rodeo. They were from around the area, including Pensacola and Century. Several residents from the Century Care Center participated.
Everything, including lunch, in Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo is provided to the disabled for free as a project of the Pensacola Fiesta of Five Flags organization.
For a complete photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured above and below: The Pen Wheel Fishing Rodeo for the disabled Saturday in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Leaning Post Ranch in Molino Dedicated Saturday
May 4, 2008
A dedication ceremony was held Saturday afternoon for the Leaning Post Ranch in Molino, a state-licensed facility and prevention program for developmentally disabled and at-risk young people.
The facility was established in1992 by Fran and Newman Gersin. They started with one horse, and a dream to use that horse to encourage kids and keep them off drugs.
Now the Leaning Post Ranch has 40 acres, a barn, a new open-air arena, a mulipurpose facility, a house, 16 horses and a pony…thanks to generosity of several local organizations and God.
“Above all to God by the glory,” Fran Gersin (pictured left) told the crowd at the ranch Saturday. “This place has always been by faith.”
“There is no way two people could do all of this. Only God could do this,” she said.
The grooming and multipurpose building was dedicated as the “Connie J. Greenhut Horses and Hope Center” for Connie Greenhut. She is the wife of Greenhut Construction owner Bill Greenhut. Greenhut constructed the building with the help of, and donations from, over two dozen other construction related businesses.
Also dedicated Saturday was the “Impact 100 Arena”, named in honor of Pensacola’s Impact 100 group that made a $113,000 donation to the ranch in 2006 to construct the arena.
The day’s events included a meal made possible by donations from Grocery Advantage in Cantonment, tours and entertainment.
There were horse drill demonstrations by two teams, including on comprised of four autistic youth (pictured top of page). Nona Freeman (pictured left), a popular 91 year old Pentecostal writer and speaker from Texas, addressed those in attendance.
The Leaning Post Ranch is located at 4150 Cedar Springs Road in Molino. For more information, visit http://www.theleaningpostranch.com.
For a complete photo gallery from the Leaning Post Ranch in Molino, click here.
Pictured below: The silhouette of a horse a disabled child in a wheelchair decorates the entrance to the Leaning Post Ranch.
Molino Students Hold Relay For Life Wagon Parade
May 2, 2008
Molino Park Elementary School held a storybook character wagon parade to celebrate after a successful Relay for Life fund raiser.
Each grade created a wagon float. They paraded around the school’s back parking lot Thursday afternoon, one grade at a time, to lots of clapping and cheering.
The kindergarten’s orange pumpkin Cinderella wagon (pictured above) was named the day’s first place wagon.
Other character wagons were: The Three Billy Goats Gruff, first grade; The Elves and the Shoemaker, second grade; The Princess and the Pea, third grade; Snow White, fourth grade; and Rumpelstiltskin, fifth grade.
The students raised money for the school’s Relay for Life team by taking home donation envelopes. The Molino Park Relay for Life team will compete in the Relay for Life at Tate High School beginning Friday night.
For a complete photo gallery from the Molino Park parade, click here.
Local Girl Named Rodeo Queen
May 2, 2008
Julia “Nikki” Kelly of Molino has been crowned Queen of this weekend’s 17th Annual Tate FFA Alumni Rodeo.Five young ladies from around Escambia County competed for the chance to be the rodeo’s queen.
Nikki was crowned Qunne after four “challenges” were completed. Those challenges included an interview, grooming and tacking, horsemanship (riding pattern) and Queen’s Salute. Each rider had to be enrolled or home schooled in Escambia County in grades 6-12 with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Nikki, a freshman at Northview High School, will ride Friday and Saturday night in the grand entry of the rodeo. The other participants in the court will ride behind her during the grand entry.
The horse named Miss Will Impress You gained a bit of local fame back in December when its rider was the second to fall off a horse during the Molino Christmas parade. Nikki has spent the last two months training Miss Will Impress You for the competition.
The other contestants were T.J. Martin, Catherine Steck, Victoria Benson and Amber William.
The Seventeenth Annual Tate FFA Alumni Rodeo will be continue at 7:30 aturday night at the Escambia County Equestrian Center. The Equestrian Center is located at 7750 Mobile Highway in Pensacola.
Pictured top: Nikki Kelly and her horse Miss Will Impress You. Submitted photos.
Molino Observes National Day of Prayer With Community Service
May 1, 2008
Dozens of people representing numerous churches gathered Thursday morning in Molino to pray on the National Day of Prayer.
“We pray for a special sense of You here in Molino, Lord,” Pastor Bryan Calhoun of Highland Baptist Church prayed. “We pray for revival here in Molino, and we pray that it would spread to Pensacola and around the world.”
About 125 people stood around the flagpole at Molino Park Elementary School at 6:50 Thursday morning to join in the non-denominational service. Those attending included pastors, moms and dads, teachers and others from the community. Children led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and in prayer.
“Dear Lord, we thank You for this day. Help the teachers get through the day,” one student prayed, bringing smiles to the faces of those in attendance.
“Thank you for letting us come here and pray at our school,” another student prayed.
About a dozen different churches were represented at the service. Baptists, Methodists, Catholics and more stood together and prayed.
“We pray for our churches. You told Peter that ‘upon this rock You will build Your church’,” Pastor Rob Hines from CrossFaith Church prayed. “Prayer affects the nation. Prayer is about to change something in this nation.”
A second Molino community-wide National Day of Prayer service will be held at 6:30 this evening at CrossFaith Church on Molino Road.
In the Bratt community, the sanctuary at the First Baptist Church of Bratt will be open for prayer until 7:00 tonight.
Pictured above: A student leads the group gathered at Molino Park Elementary School in prayer. Pictured below: The sun rises as people pray; people gathered to pray; and students lead the Pledge of Allegiance. (Scroll down to see all photos.) NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Women Attend Extraordinary Women Conference
April 29, 2008
Scores of women from the North Escambia area attended the annual Extraordinary Women’s Conference at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola this past weekend to hear inspiring messages and music, including a concert by Mandisa.
The following report is from one such woman…Joan Strickland from NorthEnd Community Church in Barinneau Park:
This year’s Extraordinary Women’s conference was held at Olive Baptist Church. On Friday night we were warmed up by Charles Billingsley and Michael O’Brien. We were touched by the performance of Children of the World. These are all orphans, most having lost both parents to AIDS. They performed song and dance in their native tongue and some in English. Visit their website at worldhelp.net ‘Meet the Children of Hope. Be touched. Be inspired. Be changed.’
Chonda Pierce had us rolling with laughter while taking in her sincere message of the need for churches to reach out, listen and be supportive of our communities. Mark Schultz wrapped up our Friday night with song and stories through those songs of inspiration. I have enjoyed learning more about him over the past year as he performed last year as well.
On Saturday the folks that came early were again blessed with a perfomance by World Help – Children of the World Choir. Helping us to ‘Discover God’s Dream’ were speakers throughout the day including Lisa Whelchel, Angela Thomas, Karen Kingsbury and Thelma Wells. We returned from lunch to a concert by Mandisa (pictured left), ‘that girl can sang!’ Mandisa has a gift from God in her voice and her personality as well, she is sincerely a Christian Music Artist. She signed her CDs and book and enjoyed photo opportunities with all who wished to do so. She was as kind as her beautiful smile implied she would be, truly genuine.
Next year’s E-Women conference is scheduled for April 24-25th and will be held at the Pensacola Civic Center. The 2008 conference was sold out a month before hand! Upon completion of the 2008 conference 2000+ women have already signed up for 2009! The 2009 theme is Free to be Real ‘The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and the Lord’s Spirit sets us free.’ II Corinthians 3:17 Learn more at www.ewomen.net or phone 1-800-526-8673.
For more photos from this year’s E-women conference, click here.
Story and photos submitted by Joan Strickland.
Northview High Student Running For State FFA Vice President Post
April 29, 2008
Northview senior Andrea Byars is a finalist for a position in state position in Florida’s FFA.
Byars, who is president of the Northview High School FFA, is one of two finalists for state officer from Florida’s Area I of FFA. The finalists were selected by the State Officer Screen Committee. They were challenged with an individual interview, written exam, individual problem solving activity, group problem solving activity, interviews and conversational exercises. Byars and the other candidates will seek election at the 80th annual Florida FFA State Convention.
If elected, Byars (pictured right) would represent FFA as Area I State Vice-President. Area I covers the area from Pensacola to Tallahassee, about 15 counties in all. She will be competing for the office against Carly Barnes (pictured left) from Malone High School.
“As a state officer I will travel the state, country, and internationally as a representative for Florida agriculture, Florida FFA, and Florida agricultural education,” Byars told NorthEscambia.com ” I believe that it is an opportunity to meet people and see things that I may not other wise have the chance to experience. Being a state officer really is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I have always had the idea in the back of my mind that I wanted to run for a state office and a s the chance grew closer I decided to take the opportunity and just see how far I could go.”
Students should consider FFA, she said, because it opens up the vast, changing world of Florida agriculture while teaching life lessons.
“Agriculture is no longer cows and plows and neither is the FFA. Ag technologies are advancing the way in which goods are produced and the FFA helps students to find their niche in any area that they can think of from farming to biochemical engineering,” she said. “The many areas of the FFA helps students to see the world around them and to test out their many interests before they enter the real world.”
Byars (pictured left) said she has enjoyed her years in FFA, especially meeting others her age that share similar interests. She said she enjoys FFA competitions, and meeting other students like her. And meeting some that are very different, like at the National FFA Convention a few years ago in Louisville, Kentucky.
“I knew that there was going to be a lot of people but I did really know how many. There were probably 50,000 FFA students there from everywhere, from Alaska to Porto Rico and From Maine to Hawaii,” she said. ” It was so cool seeing how many different states were at this one convention. But the coolest part was seeing the FFJ (Future Farmers of Japan) members at our convention.”
The 80th Annual Florida State FFA Convention will be held June 9-13 in Orlando. Byars is the daugther of Perry and Kay Byars of Oak Grove.