Braxton Parker always knew he wanted to be a chef; he just didn’t know he would be recognized for it at such an early age. Parker, a third-grade student at Rhodes Elementary School, won Santa Rosa County District Schools’ 2023 Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge. His official title after winning the competition is Santa Rosa County Future Chef Grand Champion.

Pace High School NJROTC program is proud to announce that it has won the Navy National Academic Athletic & Drill Championship for the third time. This prestigious championship is a test of academic, athletic and drill skills of Navy Junior ROTC cadets from around the nation. The competition was held in Pensacola and teams from all over the nation competed in the event.

“We’re going to Chicago!” members of the King Middle School Academic Team shouted after accepting a $5,000 check from Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society that will help them pay their way to the national championships in May.

Families of East Milton Elementary School students got a taste of what their children have been learning in school when they came to the March 23 STEAM night event. STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. According to East Milton Elementary principal Nadia Colin, they hold a STEAM night for families once a year in spring. Throughout the rest of the year, they host quarterly parent involvement events focusing on literacy, math and other topics.

Families of East Milton Elementary School students got a taste of what their children have been learning in school when they came to the March 23 STEAM night event. STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

The Santa Rosa County School Board met March 9 at Woodlawn Beach Middle School. A number of issues, including school libraries and a Juul lawsuit, were discussed and appointments were made to county schools.

The future visited Pace for a few hours last week. Pace schools presented the first Patriot Fest – “a community event focused on infusing STEAM activities and lessons into the history of America” – Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Pace High School’s football stadium.

Across the United States, there have been multiple school districts struggling to fill in the gap when teachers take leave or are absent. Substitutes have been in high demand since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In some states, such as New Mexico, they have had to call on volunteers from the National Guard to help cover classrooms.

There are many educational opportunities available to students in Santa Rosa County. Take Stock In Children is one such opportunity. Started in 1995, Take Stock In Children is a multiyear, statewide nonprofit scholarship program in which students are paired with mentors to help them build academic success toward college. It began as a way to combat public school dropout rates.

Henry Merrill, 76, was sitting in a Bagdad Elementary School classroom when superintendent Dr. Karen Barber and staff from the school came into the room holding flowers. At first Merrill, who is a substitute teacher, thought he might be in trouble, but soon realized Barber was there for a much different reason.