IP Donation Helping Kingsfield Elementary Students Keep Dry On Rainy Days
April 5, 2019
On rainy days like today, students at Kingsfield Elementary School are staying a little drier thanks to a donation from International Paper.
International Paper employees discovered there was a need for umbrellas at Kingsfield Elementary. The umbrellas would make sure students and teachers stay safe and dry while walking to the car rider line, bus line and getting into vehicles.
Mill employees Jennifer Waller, purchasing manager and Whitney Fike, communications manager, visited Kingsfield Elementary School and donated the umbrellas for the safety of the students, faculty and staff.
“Kingsfield Elementary is very grateful for the donation of 25 umbrellas for our faculty and staff to use while on car and bus duty. The umbrellas will provide much needed protection from the elements. We appreciate all that International Paper has done for our school this year,” said Maury Cowart, Kingsfield Elementary assistant principal.
Pictured: (L-R) Jennifer Waller, International Paper purchasing manager; Cassie Mense, Kingsfield Elementary teacher; and Whitney Fike, International Paper communications manager. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Thousands Attend Blue Jacket Jamboree, Livestock Show, Egg Drop (With Photo Gallery)
March 31, 2019
Thousands of people attended the annual Northview High School FFA Blue Jacket Jamboree and the Gulf Coast Agriculture & Natural Resources Youth Organization Annual Spring Livestock Show Saturday in Molino.
The event included plenty of arts and crafts, a car show and more, including a special visit from the Easter Bunny and an egg drop from a ladder fire truck.
The livestock show included 4-H and FFA youth exhibiting hogs, beef cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits from Escambia and neighboring counties. The day ended with youth exhibitors auctioning off their market animals.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jim Allen Elementary Names March Students Of The Month
March 30, 2019
Jim Allen Elementary School has named their March Students of the Month. They are Tristian Jones and Alivia McGlothlin. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Extension: Hang On, Don’t Fertilize The Lawn Just Yet
March 30, 2019
It may feel like Spring, but now is too early to begin fertilizing the lawn, according to Escambia County Extension.
Fertilizing now is a waste of money and time since research shows that much of the nitrogen is lost since roots are not actively growing now. It also may contribute to pollution of local waters waters with nutrient loss from the application site, the Escambia Extension said.
The best time is begin fertilizing the lawn is mid April or into May, according to the Extension Service.
Who? Who? Ollie The Owl Stops By Byrneville Elementary
March 26, 2019
Students at Byrneville Elementary School were excited to see who was spotted at the school Monday with a few important lessons.
Who? Who? Who you say? It was none other than Ollie The Owl. He found a perch on a campus utility pole, and that’s “owl” the school needed to get students outside and giving a “hoot” about science and nature.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ransom Orchestra Earns Excellent Rating At District MPA
March 24, 2019
The members of Ransom Middle School Orchestra III earned an overall excellent rating at the annual District MPA. In the sight-reading room, the Ransom Orchestra’s work earned them a perfect score. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Woman Named Top Mentor In Florida
March 22, 2019
Jeanne Meyer, a 13-year mentor in Escambia County’s Take Stock in Children program, was chosen as the statewide Mentor of the Year and was honored at the recent Take Stock Leadership Summit in Tallahassee.
Meyer has mentored six different students, including several at Tate High School, since 2006 and has been a huge inspiration to all of them. Of the five students who have graduated from high school, two have obtained college degrees and three are still in college. She has started mentoring another high school student this year and is excited to be able to help another student on the road to higher education.
“Now that I am in my third year of medical school, I have learned that many friends will come and go, but some people are fortunate enough to have some friends forever and Mrs. Jeanne has been one of these people for me. We still talk on at least a monthly basis despite my being in a different city for the last six years,” said Daniel Pierce, 2012 Tate High graduate.
Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, Meyer graduated from Michigan State University and became a teacher in Detroit. Jeanne moved to a number of communities in Illinois, Colorado, and Wisconsin, raising two children while expanding her professional experience through positions in editing, finance and sales. Her dream job happened in Milwaukee where she opened her own independent bookstore.
After moving to Pensacola in 2004, Meyer wanted to volunteer in her new community but hadn’t found herself drawn to a particular organization. While attending a luncheon presentation about Take Stock in Children, Meyer heard the description of Take Stock’s mission and program. She was inspired to play a part in transforming the lives of low- income students through “scholarships, mentors & hope” and signed up to become a mentor in 2006.
“Ms. Jeanne quickly became my favorite person to talk to. She was by my side through some of the toughest times and some of the best times of my life. Our talks were always personal, and she always listened to everything I said with an open mind. She always had a way of making me smile,” said Olivia Brown a 2018 Tate High graduate.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide nonprofit which operates locally under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. Students are selected at the end of sixth grade through a need-based application process. Selected students sign a contract to keep good grades, attendance & citizenship and remain crime and drug free. In return, students receive the support of a caring mentor, college readiness services provided by the college success coach, and a college tuition scholarship upon high school graduation. Donations for scholarships come from businesses, foundations, organizations and individuals and all donations are matched when scholarships are purchased from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.
“Mentoring is a huge reason for the success of the Take Stock program. Jeanne Meyer represents the many wonderful people who are volunteer mentors with Take Stock. She is the epitome of what we look for in a mentor — someone who is kind, encouraging, caring, dedicated, dependable, knowledgeable, and who wants the best for the student,” said Sally Lee, Take Stock Student Services Coordinator in Escambia County. “Jeanne not only met with her students on a weekly basis during middle and high school, but has stayed in touch with them through college and beyond.”
Tate High School Hosts District Special Olympics (With Photo Gallery)
March 18, 2019
The 22nd Annual Escambia County School District’s Special Olympics Spring Games were held last week at Tate High School with about 600 athletes from about two dozen schools and hundreds of Tate student volunteers assisting as “buddies” and event workers.
The event began with Special Olympic athletes running with the Special Olympics Torch around the track. There was also an Olympic Village with plenty of fun and games for the athletes to enjoy after they completed their track and field events.
Athletes received the traditional gold, silver and bronze medals for top finishes.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
.
Photo Gallery: Brandon Penegar Memorial Car Show
March 17, 2019
The annual Brandon Penegar Memorial Car Show was held Saturday at the Gonzalez United Methodist Church.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The show was held in honor of Branden Penegar. He was known as the “Gentle Giant” and was a 2011 graduate of Tate High School, an assistant coach for the freshman Tate Aggies’ football program and varsity tennis team, and a member of the Tate High School Student Hall of Fame. He passed away in March 2013 at the age of 20.
Penegar was an active member of the Gonzalez United Methodist Church and youth program. Proceeds from the car show benefit the youth programs at the church.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
It’s Tree Planting Time
March 17, 2019
by Cathy Hardin, Escambia County Forester
Planting a tree in your yard can be beneficial for years to come. Some of the benefits include reducing utility costs, landscape eautification, habitat for songbirds and other wildlife. If you are planting a tree, here are some tips to remember.
First, put the right tree in the right place. Consider the size the tree will become both above ground and below. Look up for potential interference with overhead wires and look down for driveways, sidewalks, and pipes that may interfere with root growth. Consider species suitable to the soil and planting zone where you live. Native species tend to be hardier and are easier to take care of.
Plant the tree at the proper depth. Do not make the hole deeper than the root ball of the tree. Look for where the roots spread from the base of the tree (trunk flare). Place the tree in the hole so that the trunk flare is slightly above the original ground level. This will allow for some settling.
Keep it simple. Soil amendments and fertilizers should not be added at the time of planting. Native trees are especially suited to their environment. Also, staking small trees is not usually necessary. If you have a large tree, simply staking the root ball in place will likely be more effective than tying the trunk off and will not require removal later.
Properly mulch. Put a couple of inches of mulch over the planting area. Do not let it touch the base of the tree and especially do not pile it deep on the trunk (volcano mulching), because moist bark can lead to wood decay. Good choices include pine straw, leaf litter and bark chips.
Finally, water the new tree weekly until it is established. Remember, springtime in Florida is the driest time of the year, and young trees often die from lack of water. The rule of thumb is 3 gallons per inch of tree diameter applied slowly at the root ball.
For more tree planting information, contact your Florida Forest Service County Forester or visit the Arbor Day Foundation.
Pictured top: Escambia County Forester Cathy Hardin demonstrates tree planting during an Arbor day event last month in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.