Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Donates Building To Ernest Ward FFA Program
April 29, 2025
The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, with the help of Circle E Buildings in Walnut Hill, recently donated and installed a brand-new building for the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA program. The project, coordinated by Brian Davis, will be officially dedicated soon.
Tate High Names 2025 Prom Royalty
April 29, 2025
The 2025 Tate High School Prom was held Saturday night. Prom court members included (pictured above) King Aiden Maher, Queen Hailey Locke, (pictured below) Prince Carson Hindsman and Princess Taylor Dyer. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Meet Byrneville Elementary School Principal (For A Day) Tripp Fowler
April 28, 2025
Last Friday morning, Principal Tripp Fowler started his day early by welcoming every student as they arrived in the car rider line at Byrneville Elementary School.
The it was off to visit every classroom, where he denied teacher requests to take off early since it was Friday. If Principal Fowler was going to put in a full day, so was his staff.
For second grader Tripp Fowler, Friday was a really big day at the charter school — he was Byrneville Elementary School’s principal for a day. He won the opportunity by being the top seller in a recent fundraiser.
Principal Fowler took a few minutes out of his very busy day to speak with NorthEscambia.com just before lunch duty Friday. When we met up with him, he was behind “everyday” Principal Ashley Trawick’s desk, hard at work on project to prepare for an upcoming student visit from the Century Camp Fire USA Learning Center.
Friday was a good day to be principal for a day at Byrneville. Students earned movie time at lunch for good behavior, there was pizza for students that met their AR reading goals, and field day winners had ice cream to celebrate.
But the workday was not all fun and games — Principal Fowler was faced with an emergency with an overflowing toilet. He quickly radioed for help, bringin the challenging situation under control.
His favorite parts of being principal for the day? The walkie-talkie and his ID badge. And looking inside a closet with computer servers and security camera feeds was a pretty big deal.
We had to cut our interview with Mr. Fowler short so he could use the intercom to call a student to the office, a task he easily handled (as soon as someone found him a step stool). He then headed to the lunchroom, walkie-talkie in hand, where kindergarteners were having lunch as the movie “Ratatouille” played.
When asked if he would like to be an elementary principal when he gets a bit older, Mr. Fowler was quick with his answer.
“I want to drive a truck and be like my dad,” he said, just a principal for a day.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County’s Isabelle Jenkins Nominated For Florida FFA President
April 25, 2025
Escambia County FFA member Isabelle Jenkins of Pensacola High School has been nominated for president of the 65,000 member Florida FFA Association.
With the nomination, she was automatically guaranteed selection as a state officer. After a vote at the 97th Florida FFA State Convention and Expo this summer., she will either be president or secretary of the organization.
The Florida FFA Association selected Jenkins and 11 other students as candidates for state FFA office from a field of 39 FFA members that took part in the selection process.
The student members were challenged with an intense interview process, which included an individual interview, individual problem-solving activity, state degree interview, agricultural knowledge Interview, and a conversational exercise.
High Schoolers Attend Northwest Florida Construction Career Days
April 24, 2025
Over 1,300 high school students from across the area rolled up their sleeves at the 2025 Northwest Florida Construction Career Days Tuesday and Wednesday at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds.
Students had the opportunity to operate heavy equipment and learn about bridge inspections, paving, concrete, traffic control, engineering, and more. Students were also introduced to the large number of career paths available in the transportation, structural, engineering, and building industries, and were able to interact with representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), as well as various engineering firms, and contractors looking to hire in the Northwest Florida area.
High school seniors who attended in-person or virtually are eligible to receive a portion of up to $50,000 in scholarship funds that will be awarded this year.
For more photos, including Northview and Tate high school students at the event, click here.
“FDOT District Three is working diligently to create a pipeline of workforce and economic opportunities for the next generation. Not only does this event give students a unique chance to explore career opportunities that have substantial benefits and add tremendous value to their communities, but it also allows FDOT and its industry partners to connect with young people of all backgrounds and skill levels,” FDOT said.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
EREC Awards Four Scholarships
April 23, 2025
Escambia River Electric Cooperative has announced four scholarships awards to students in the utility’s service area.
Four-year Herman D. Johnson Scholarships are being awarded to Colton Criswell from Northview High School and Braden Adams from Jay High School.
EREC Trade/Votech Scholarships are being awarded to Ayden Attalah from Northview High School and Lael Peterson from Jay High School.
The students will be recognized at the EREC Annual Meeting on April 26 at Wallace Lake K-8 School.
Pictured top: Colton Criswell (left) and Braden Adams. Pictured below: Ayden Attalah (left) and Lael Peterson. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Names Students, Employee Of The Month
April 22, 2025
Ernest Ward Middle School recently named their employee and student of the month for March. (L-R) Pictured with Principal Tyvanna Boulanger are students Camden Miller, eighth grade; Brooklynne Fountain, seventh grade; Hadley Weaver, sixth grade; and Michelle Thomas, science teacher. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Julie Luker Named Byrneville Elementary School Teacher Of The Year
April 22, 2025
Byrneville Elementary School on Monday named third grade teacher Julie Luker as their 2025 Teacher of the Year. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Senior Jamison Gilman Awarded Florida Sheriff’s Association Scholarship
April 22, 2025
Northview High School senior Jamison Gilman, the daughter of Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Senior Deputy James Gilman and Donan Gilman, has received a Florida Sheriff’s Association scholarship.
The program awards $2,000 each year to ten deserving children of full-time employees in sheriff’s offices across Florida. She is the first student from Escambia County to receive the scholarship.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click toe enlarge.
‘All Aboard!’ Soul Train Club Youth Center Opens Doors In Century
April 21, 2025
Pastor Evelyn Deterville stood in the doorway of a newly leased space in Century and tooted a wooden train whistle with a smile.
“Welcome, welcome to the Soul Train Club she said,” tooting the horn again. “Come on it, we are open for everybody.”
Deterville’s Extra Mile Club St8 Up nonprofit official opened the “Soul Train Club of Century” youth resource center Friday afternoon. It’s in a space in the Century Business Center on Pond Street — a space that was a classroom in a long-closed middle school. And with her Soul Train Club, it’s returning to its education roots.
For a photo gallery, click here.
As a non-profit, Deterville is leasing the space from the Town of Century for $75 a month.
“Welcome to the Soul Train Club. We are empowering youth, educating them about the wonderful town of Century and the foundation of the trains, as well as teaching them about morals, values different things like that, and then we’re also extending learning from school, teaching them how to help them with their reading their math, all the STEM programs by being engaged, so it’s a one-stop shop.”
With the help of volunteers and donations, she’s organized the classroom space into several functional areas. There’s a train table, serving STEM education and keeping the program on track. There’s a clothes closet (with the racks still on the way) with free new clothing from Walmart, an area for games, parent involvement and sometimes vendors. On Saturday, she had a Jamaican food vendor, and said she hopes to give children a taste of food from other cultures.
She is planning to take part in a summer youth feeding program and has backpacks ready for children to take a week’s worth of meals home at one time. And she’s looking to establish an American Heritage Girls Troop
Realizing transportation is a problem for children and youth in Century, Deterville is hoping to add a bus or other transportation to the program. She applied for an Escambia Children’s Trust CAREs microgrant but was rejected. Now, she’s in talks with Metro Rapid Transportation, her neighbor in the Century Business Center, about options.
Deterville describes herself as a life learner, always striving for knowledge and then sharing that knowledge with others. She recently hosted a free grant writing class for local nonprofits.
Plans call for the center to be open every weekday afternoon and Saturdays.
For more information on the Soul Train Club and how to involve youth or volunteer, call Deterville at (850) 480-9702. Volunteers will be required to complete a form and undergo a background check.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
