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.
Aggie Cheerleaders ‘Egg’ Yards Across North Escambia For Easter
April 20, 2025
Kids across North Escambia found eggs hidden in their yards Easter morning with the help of the Tate High School Aggie cheerleaders.
Tate Cheer held an “Egg My Yard” fundraiser. For donations starting at $20, the cheerleaders hid pre-filled eggs Saturday night in yards north of Nine Mile Road. Proceeds will benefit the Tate cheer program.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High’s Kristin Maum Places Second In Quarterfinals For ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’
April 20, 2025
A Tate High School teacher paced second in the quarterfinals of the “America’s Favorite Teacher” contest by the national magazine Reader’s Digest.
We first told you about Kristin Maum last week.
On other Escambia County teacher, Emerald Barton, advanced to the semi-finals. She is a kindergarten teacher at Navy Pointe Elementary.
About Kristin Maum
Maum admits she was a terrible student back when she was in school.
“I didn’t do my homework, I slept through class, but I was never disrespectful to my teachers—I just found school to be boring,” she said. “I decided to become a teacher so that no other students felt the way I did. I want students to love learning so much that they become lifelong learners. What inspires me most as an educator is the belief that every child can learn and deserves to feel known, valued, and inspired.”
“I love getting to work with kids on a daily basis—helping them fall in love with learning. In my class, we do whatever it takes to learn,” she said.
The Reader’s Digest contest will award the winner $25,000 and a trip to Hawaii. And if had won, Tate High would have received a school assembly from Bill Nye the Science Guy.
She had planned to use the $25,000 to pay off about $18,000 in medical debt that accumulated after she was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024 and began treatment. The remainder of the money she hoped would to go toward her son’s college tuition. He will be a freshman in the fall.
Local Elementary Students Shine At Sunshine Math Competition
April 17, 2025
Nearly 500 students from 23 elementary schools in the Escambia County Public Schools district participated in 2025 Annual Sunshine Math Competition recently.
Co-sponsored by the Escambia County Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the event brought together bright young minds from third, fourth, and fifth grades for a day of spirited academic competition.
For more photos from North Escambia area participants, click here.
Top Third Grade Individual Winners:
- Grayson Polk – Blue Angel
- Draper Dupree – Pine Meadow
- Samuel Goble – Bellview
- Liam Alamazan – Beulah
- Cambria Marroquin – Bellview
- Thien My Nguyen – Lipscomb
- David Menard – Pine Meadow
- Jackson Gray – AK Suter
- Abigail Kusy – Pine Meadow
- Benjamin Nguon – Lipscomb
Top Third Grade Teams:
- Pine Meadow Team B: Lucas Albano, John Butler, Draper Dupree, Natalie Smith
- Jim Allen Team B: Chase Dunlap, Bryson Salon, Penelope Clyburn, Desmond Mims
- Bellview Team B: Samuel Goble, Amarii Wilson, Emily Green, Princess Agcaoili
- Jim Allen Team A: Elizabeth Cooley, Piper Allen, Lukas Hattabough, Paisley Black
- Pine Meadow Team A: Benjamin Pearce, Abigail Kusy, David Menard, Gracie Ballwey
Top Fourth Grade Individual Winners:
- Dowling Butler – Pine Meadow
- Salvatore Gargiulo – Blue Angel
- Beatriz Diniz – Pine Meadow
- Geovanny Sanchez – Scenic Heights
- Jace Johnson – Kingsfield
- Keayon Fields – Pine Meadow
- Lyric McHenry – Jim Allen
- Parker Nichols – Beulah
- Bryson Windham – Beulah
- Daniel Ryan – Pine Meadow
Top Fourth Grade Teams:
- Pine Meadow Team A: Dowling Butler, Daniel Galvez, Beatriz Diniz, Evelyn Rowley
- Kingsfield Team A: Conner Gormely, Easton Bellringer, Jace Johnson, Haper Dove
- Pine Meadow Team B: Daniel Ryan, Allegra McCaw, Keayon Fields, Craig Macks
- Jim Allen Team A: Lyric McHenry, Taka Lindsay, Thea Helms, Easton Cobb
- Beulah Team A: Lana Pham, Bryson Windham, Carly Syverson, Parker Nichols
Top Fifth Grade Individual Winners:
- Pax Fisher – Pine Meadow
- Skylar Gibbons – Pine Meadow
- Liam Olson – Pine Meadow
- Deleia Marshall – Pine Meadow
- Jaxson Albano – Pine Meadow
- Avery Smith – Beulah
- Kenneth Eichelberg – Beulah
- Grayson Pettit – Scenic Heights
- Harper Peeterse – Pine Meadow
- Henry List – Beulah
Top Fifth Grade Teams:
- A.K. Suter Team A: Ezra Johnson, Isla Rex, Dempsey Henry, Nathalia Ramos
- Pine Meadow Team A: Skylar Gibbons, Deleia Marshall, Liam Olson, Harper Peeterse
- Hellen Caro Team A: Rowen Lefler, Skipper Ward, Lael Armendariz
- N.B. Cook Team B: James Chavez, Silas Chivers, Rylind Morgan, Lucas Senkbeil
- Scenic Heights Team A: Odette Brown, Alexandria Allen, Louis Tran, Grayson Pettit
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Kingsfield Elementary Shines With Literacy Night (With Gallery)
April 15, 2025
Kingsfield Elementary School recently transformed into a hub of literary excitement last week, hosting a movie theme literacy night for enthusiastic students and families.
Students explored a multitude of interactive stations. From interactive literacy-themed games that sparked creativity to bookmark-making stations, there was something for everyone.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Tate High School Drama Department hosted a Reader’s Theater. The school’s Book Fair was also a popular destination, providing students with the opportunity to discover new literary treasures.
Cosmos Kids Yoga provided a wonderful opportunity for families to participate in healthy activities, and the STEAM booths brought hands on learning to the students.
Special guests included Escambia County Schools Superintendent Keight Leonard, Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry, and Bullwinkle from Sam’s Fun City.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview High 2025 Prom King And Queen Named
April 13, 2025
Lacey Sapp was named prom queen, and Dee Jefferson was named prom king at the Northview High School 2025 prom Saturday night.
The prom court was Noah Goslee, Mary Catherine Hughes, Lacey Sapp, Dee Jefferson, Beau Daw, and Colton Criswell.
The prom, “Golden Hour” was held at the Sanders Beach Resource Center in Pensacola.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Geometry And Pre-Cal Teams Shine At Tournament
April 10, 2025
Tate High School’s geometry and precalculus teams recently placed at the Nicky Walker Math Tournament, held at Milton High School.
The Tate geometry team took first place, with members Kristina Vasileva, Bryan Chen, Aden Bailey, Fathi Abuokab, and Christopher Pennewell leading the charge. They were coached by Cody Nelson.
The precalculus team claimed 2nd place, thanks to the efforts of Courtney Reichard, Hayden Graybill, Carter Hayden, and Lawson Killingsworth. Their success came under the guidance of coach Rachel Wisdom.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Masonic Lodge Honors And Adopts Ernest Ward Middle School Educators
April 10, 2025
Cantonment Masonic Lodge #322 honored several educators from Ernest Ward Middle School recently.
The Lodge recognized Teacher of the Year Maria Willis. They also adopted two novice teachers, Courtney Barrow and MaryBeth Geary.
Additionally, the Lodge formally adopted Ernest Ward Middle School as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting local education initiatives.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
