All Smiles At EWMS: Somer Bridges Named A Teacher Of The Year
May 27, 2009
Ernest Ward Middle School teacher Somer Bridges was all smiles Tuesday as she learned that she had been selected as the Teacher of the Year in a contest sponsored by a local orthodontist.
Brooks Orthodontics, which has locations in Pensacola, Pace and Jay, sponsors a contest in which patients are asked to nominate their favorite teacher for the Teacher of the Year contest. Of the hundreds of entries, Ernest Ward’s Somer Bridges was the only teacher nominated twice.
She was nominated by eighth grade students and classmates, Stephanie Roach and Chad Smith.
“She has always been there for me. She is more than my teacher, she is my friend. When my dad passed away she brought cards from my class and checked on me everyday,” Smith wrote about Bridges.
“She inspires me and all her students to do their best. She treats us as she would her own children. She does whatever she can to help us learn,” Roach wrote in her essay. “She even goes out of her way to talk to us if we need someone to talk to. She listens and talks us through our problem. She is a wonderful person and deserves this after all she’s done for me and my classmates.”
Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry noted that she was proud of Bridges, having encouraged her when she was in the eleventh grade to become a teacher.
“I taught her in high school,” Perry said. “I told her in her eleventh grade anatomy and physiology class that she would make a good teacher. Then I ended up being the one to hire her.”
Pictured above (L-R): EWMS student Stephanie Roach, Teacher of the Year Somer Bridges, student Chad Smith and Stacey Peaden from Brooks Orthodontics. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Rescue ‘Victim’ From Burning McDavid Building
May 27, 2009
Firefighters entered a burning building in McDavid Tuesday night to search on their hands and knees for a person trapped inside.
That was the scenerio that played out again and again at the old McDavid School on Highway 29 as firefighters from the McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue conducted a training exercise.
A simulated “victim” was placed inside an interior room of the abandoned building. Firefighters were forced to crawl on their hands and knees in full gear, searching a room filled with smoke created by a smoke machine. It was not possible to see directly in front of one’s face in the room due to the thick smoke.
Each time, the groups of firefighters were able to rescue the victim, dragging him to safety.
Outside the building, firefighters received a refresher course in safety and rescue techniques.
Pictured top: Firefighters prepare to enter a smoke filled room. Pictured below: Firefighters locate the “victim” in a simulated McDavid building fire Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Class Of 2009 Graduations; With Flomaton Photos
May 26, 2009
Several North Escambia area schools held graduation exercises this weekend, and other area schools will hold commencements over the next week.
Graduation was held Friday night at Flomaton High and Escambia County High School in Atmore.
Northview High School’s graduation will be at 4:00 Saturday afternoon in the school gymnasium.
Tate High School will hold graduation services at 1:00 Thursday afternoon in the Pensacola Civic Center.
Jay High School’s graduation will be at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.
For more photos from Flomaton High School, click here.
Pictured above: Graduation for the Flomaton High School Class of 2009. Submitted photo by Alisa Hart for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Memorial Day: Honoring Our Heroes
May 26, 2009
Pictured: Flags fly on the grave of PFC Russell William Stewart on Memorial Day. PFC Stewart died April 14, 2007, while serving at Camp Lejeune, NC. His grave at the Walnut Hill Baptist Church was one of many military graves in North Escambia where people paid their respects over the Memorial Day weekend. After the September 11 tragedy, PFC Stewart penned the following poem, a very fitting Memorial Day tribute:
“Soldiers”
Killed in battle, laid to rest
We fought to free those oppressed
We died a valiant death
Served our country, not for glory or fame,
But for our brothers in arms who shared our pain.
For we are soldiers tried and true,
We died on the field of battle
Let our death not be forgotten
For we fought for you. Soldiers.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Memorials Honor Those That Served
May 25, 2009
People across North Escambia and the country paused to remember the brave men and women that have served our country today as we celebrated Memorial Day on Monday.
In North Escambia, there are memorials that honor those that have serviced in the military:
Walnut Hill
The largest such memorial in the North Escambia area, the Veteran’s Honor Wall has stood in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center since its dedication in 2003. There are nearly 300 names on the wall, including 13 names of soldiers killed in action. The wall honors those from the Walnut Hill area that have served in the nation’s military.
The Walnut Hill Veterans Wall is located in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97.
Century
About 30 of those that served from the Century area are now honored on the Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor that was unveiled in the Fourth of July ceremony at Century’s Roadside Park on Highway 29.
Barrineau Park
The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center honors over 100 people that have served in the military. The wall was a project of the Barrineau Park Historical Society.
Pictured above: The names of those killed in action on the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall. Pictured below: The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center. NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Go After God In A Big Way: NHS Class Of 2009 Holds Baccalaureate Services
May 25, 2009
The Northview High School Class of 2009 held their Baccalaureate service Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church of Bratt — the first time in the history of the school that Baccalaureate has not been held at the school.
The class motto sums up the story of the students’ struggle to hold a Baccalaureate service: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
The school was not able able to organize a Baccalaureate service due to a new Escambia School Board policy preventing the school from promoting any religious ceremony. That policy was implemented after a federal judge issued an order against any policy or practice where school district employees promote or take part in prayer or religious services organized by the Santa Rosa County School District.
The Baccalaureate service was organized by the Northview senior class, led by class President Luke Killam.
“I am glad that we could gather to praise God,” Killam said after the service.
“I was proud of our class organizing the service,” senior class Vice President Briana Halteman said. “A lot of the community got involved and helped us stand up for what we believed in.”
“You can’t keep God out of schools,” Jason Oxodine, youth minister at the First Assembly of God in Atmore, told the graduates. “You went against the grain..and stood up for God.”
Oxodine said the school board and court decisions concerning religion in schools have made it hard for school personnel to function as leaders in the community “when they know that what you need most in your life is Jesus Christ.”
“Go after God in a big way,” the youth pastor urged the 42 students that took part in the service.
“Everlasting God”, “Glorious One”, and “My Saviour, My God” were among the songs performed by the Senior Ensemble at Sunday morning’s service.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Northview Principal Gayle Weaver and other school personnel were at the service but did not speak during the service.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the service, click here.
Pictured above and below: Scenes from the Northview High School Baccalaureate Service Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
In The Game: Brain Surgery Allows NHS Player To Take The Field
May 24, 2009
Friday night’s Garnet and Gold game at Northview High School ended in a tie, but it was a huge victory — and answered prayers — for one family.
On November 19, Nathan Therrell underwent brain surgery at the Miami Children’s Hospital to remove something the size of a grain of rice that has caused years of problems for him. It’s called a hypothalamic hamartoma, also called an “HH”. The HH is not a tumor, nor is it a cancer; it is a tissue growth.
Last season, Nathan was sidelined by the HH, serving as the team’s manager and water boy. He stood on the sidelines, watching every play, dreaming of the day he would be on the field. Friday night, that dream became a reality as coaches put Nathan Therrill #72 in the game.
Nathan’s aunt, Kelly Sims, said Nathan has done well since the surgery. Best of all, he has been seizure-free since the surgery, receiving an “all clear” from his doctor.
“Nathan has recovered from the surgery far better than expected. He seems like a total different kid,” Sims said of her nephew. “God does answer prayers and Nathan’s family would like to thank everyone that helped during the time of fund raisers and for any donations that were given.”
“The family is very thankful for everything including the prayers that were sent out for Nate,” she added.
A typical HH like the one removed from Nathan’s brain causes seizures, a problem Nathan had for four years. His were originally controlled by medication, but the medicines failed to work, his mother Tina Therrell said. Doctors tried radiation and laser treatments, but none worked. That led the family to decide to have the surgery to remove the HH from the middle of Nathan’s brain.
Pictured top: Nathan Therrell ready to play in the Garnet and Gold game Friday night at Northview High School. Pictured middle: Nathan Therrill watches a Northview football game last season. He served as the team’s manager water boy. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Byrneville Students In The Box
May 24, 2009
Students at Byrneville Elementary recently presented a musical that centered around the imagination of a child and a simple brown box.
Byrneville students presented “The Box”, a musical celebration of the imagination of a child that turns a piece of brown cardboard into a world of possibilities.
Pictured above and below: Byrneville Elementary School students present “The Box” by Mark Burrows. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friendship Freewill Fishin’
May 24, 2009
The youth from the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church from the McCall (Ala.) community recently took a fishing trip to Steve’s Catfish Ponds in Walnut Hill.
If your North Escambia area church would like to share news and photos, email news@northescambia.com.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWE Names Maille Kilcrease Little League Queen
May 24, 2009
Maille Kilcrease was crowned the 2009 Little League Queen at Bradberry recently. The girls sold votes for a penny each, with a portion of the proceeds to sponsor the park.
The first place winner was Kylie Brook. Other contestants included Amber Gilman and Ronnie Belanger.
Pictured above: 2008 NWE Baseball Queen Brianna Parker crowned her successor recently, 2009 NWE Baseball Queen Maille Kilcrease. Pictured inset: Contestant Amber Gilman. Pictured below: Contestant Kylie Brook, 2008 Queen Brianna Parker, 2009 Queen Maille Kilcrease and Ronnie Belanger. Submitted photos by Wendy Aliff for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
