A non-profit based in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, Food for Thought has worked to fight child hunger throughout Walton and Okaloosa Counties since 2010, providing 3,000 backpacks weekly that are filled with healthy ingredients for students who are dependent on free or reduced school meals.

With the support of a three-year $125,000 grant from the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Food for Thought launched its Full Circle Kitchen program in September of last year. Offered to high schoolers enrolled in Food for Thought, the program introduces students to fundamental cooking skills through classes taught by community restaurant partners and local chefs.

Walton Academy High school senior Lucy Lopez and junior Donnell Reed are two students benefiting from the program’s efforts to provide youth a foundation for basic cooking skills and access to kitchen equipment in a safe learning environment.

You can read more at: http://emeril.org/spotlight-full-circle-kitchen-students-lucy-lopez-and-donnell-reed

Submitted by David Schmidt

In Mrs. Parker’s 8^th grade science class students dissected American Leopard frogs. Students compared the organ systems of a frog to a human. Stay tuned next week, for our tie-dye t-shirt creations - Mrs. Parker.

Submitted by Angela Vance

Recognizing Our EPIC WCSD Teachers, Administrators, and Support Staff!!!

Nowhere in the educational community will you find employees more charitable and generous than right here in the Walton County School District, Florida!!! 

Cindy Holmes, Resource Development Director of United Way of Okaloosa and Walton Counties recently reported that the approximately 1,000 employees of WCSD supported the United Way campaign this school year (2017-2018) by pledging nearly $29,000 to help provide services in the local community!!! 

Superintendent A. Russell Hughes indicated this was no surprise to him knowing how big-hearted, dedicated and committed our employees are to making our corner of the world a better place.  “This tells the story of who we are!” stated Mr. Hughes. 

FMS welcomed guest speakers from a wide variety of career backgrounds.  Freeport Middle School’s PTO would like to thank the following Career-Day guests:

Dr. Jennifer Hawthorne/Specialist-Schools & Leadership Development

Florida House of Representative Brad Drake

Trey Nick/Nick’s Restaurant

Melanie Moore/Mattie Kelly Arts

Rick Hayes/Security Consultant

Leslie Harrison/Cyber Security

David Swanick and Mary Garner/Attorney and Paralegal

Theresa Devine/Farmer and baby goat Charlie

Sergeant Kristin Pond and her K-9 partner Kayne

Walton County Fire and Rescue Team

Bo Wilkerson/Historical Fiction Author

Mr. Hayard Dykes/Attorney

Register Family/Bee Keepers

Dylan Laird/Regional Utilities

Erika Zambello/Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance

Deputy Blake McCormick/Walton County

Jeffrey Powell/DeFuniak Herald

Thank you AVID students for serving our special guests!

Submitted by Chelsea Ellison