Leadership students from Freeport High School, South Walton High School, and Walton High School recently participated in the annual mock trial competition at the Walton County Court House. A big thank you to the Honorable Judge Kelvin Wells for presiding over the competition.
Pictured: South Walton High School youth leadership students and the Honorable Judge Kelvin Wells.
Thanks to a community outreach event sponsored by First Assembly of God Church in DeFuniak Springs through Convoy of Hope, every student at West DeFuniak Elementary received new shoes. The students were thrilled as volunteers from the church distributed the canvas shoes on December 14, 2015.
Submitted by Chelsea Ellison, FMS
Congratulations to Mrs. Balentine's 3rd period class for winning Achieve3000's Read to Succeed contest, the national race to accelerated literacy achievement!
From all the classes in the school who completed Achieve3000 lessons over the contest period, Mrs. Balentine's 3rd period class completed the most. It's proven that the more Achieve3000 lessons students complete, the greater their reading gains, and her students have built remarkable reading gains over the contest period.
Great job, Mrs. Balentine & her 3rd period class!
Submitted by Chelsea Ellison, FMS
Freeport Middle School would like to present the 2015 Tropicana Speech Contest winners. They are as follows:
Fifth Grade: (Pictured with Mr. Morse, left to right)
1st Place: Eanna Rodriguez-Lombardo
2nd Place: Morrigan Burnham
3rd Place: Cassandra Head
Congratulations to Eanna Rodriguez-Lombardo, who was awarded "Most Persuasive" for her speech entitled, "The ABC's of Me" at the District Level.
Sixth Grade: (Pictured with Mr. Morse, left to right)
1st Place: Anni Rachels
2nd Place: Sydni Free
3rd Place: Abby Hamman
Submitted by Kendra Peloquin, FMS
Fifth grade students at Freeport Middle School are giving to their community to parallel the efforts of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Students are collecting toys to donate to the Professional Fire Fighters of Walton County I.A.F.F. Local 4413 for local families and animal supplies for Alaqua Animal Refuge and The Lucky Puppy Rescue. After creating and implementing the project, students will sign their names to the Declaration of Independence at www.archives.gov and receive a printed copy to take home.
Coach Woodrow Williams Retires After 38 Years!
-Nancy Currie, FES
Second grade students at WDE enjoyed making a Seminole headdress as part of their Native American unit. Students imagined what it would be like to participate in a Seminole celebration.
-Pam Leavins, WDE
WMS Science Fair Winners
By Cathy Mosley
Walton County held the annual Science Fair competition Wednesday, December 9. The projects were judged at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center. The winners were announced at the awards ceremony held Thursday, December 10, at 6 p.m. at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center. Walton Middle School is proud to announce that the following students were winners.
In the Junior Biological Division - Madison Phillips won Third Place. Tinsley Abbott, Kaitlyn Drake and Brooke Spicers won Honorable Mention. In the Junior Physical Science Division - Kage McMahon won Second Place. Jared Heady won Third Place and Ethan McKee and Atterol Walters won Honorable Mention.
Science Fair Winners
Pictured Top row (L to R) Brooke Spicer Jared Heady Kage McMahon Ethan McKee Bottom row (L to R) Atterol Walters Kaitlyn Drake Tinsley Abbott Madison Phillips
The first place winner in the 4th grade division was Raleigh Reed who delivered a speech entitled “My Pet Goat, Little Bit.” Second place winner was Aubriyah Smith “Gods and Goddesses.” Third place winner was Zoe Orange “Diabetes.” 4th grade contestants also placed in the following awards: Honorable Mention, Auburn Hamer “Happiness Is…,” Most Informative Piper Kurfurst “Polar Bears,” Most Entertaining Steele Marshall “My Three Year Old Grandpa,” and Most Persuasive Amelia Dykes “Why I have a Love/Hate Relationship with my Siblings.”
The first place winner in the 5th grade division was MacKenzie Campbell who delivered a speech entitled “My Pet Goat, Little Bit.” Second place winner was Hannah Shoaf “Living Life Fun-Sized.” Third place winner was Ava Adkinson “My Dad: Tough or Teddy.” 5th grade contestants also placed in the following categories: Honorable Mention Eanna Rodriguez-Lombardo “The ABC’s of Me,” Most Informative Riley Parmeley “Vocal Cord Polyps,” Most Entertaining Duncan Crittenden “Why Do Song Lyrics Not Make Sense?,” and Most Persuasive Morgan Reynolds “Life Beyond Technology.”
The first place winner in the 6th grade division was McCaid Paul who delivered a speech entitle “The Day the Ever Ready Bunny Went Down.” Second place winner was Haylee Hayes “The English Language.” Third place winner was Haley Permenter “North and South.” 6th grade contestants also placed in the following categories: Honorable Mention Lily Jameson “All Wrapped Up,” Most Informative Emma Salinas “Life with Diabetes,” Most Entertaining Foley Barrett “Babysitting,” and Most Persuasive Sara Thompson “Don’t Stop Believing.”
West DeFuniak K-Kids work diligently from August to December to raise money for their Christmas Angels. The group, then, goes on a shopping trip with their lists to make sure these wishes come true. What excitement for these Angels on Christmas morning!
-Pam Leavins, WDE
