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. 

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

The first place winner in the 4^th 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.”  4^th 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 5^th 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.”  5^th 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 6^th 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.”  6^th 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.”

Tropicana Speech Contest News Release

PICTURES

Fifth Grade Picture back row left to right:  Brantley Betts, Jaden Wallace, Laney Kelley (not pictured), Christopher Leath, Matthew Wilson, Hannah Shoaf (not pictured) Fifth Grade front row left to right:  Gracie Wood, Cooper Douglass, Fisher Gainey, Phylicia Hooks, Kimberly Glenn

Fourth Grade Picture back row left to right:  Audrey Nelson, Aaron Wilmoth, Chris Laird; Fourth Grade Picture front left to right:  Graison Dorr, Raleigh Reed, Addison Cook

Third Grade Picture back row left to right:  Jackson Davis, Jacob Wood, John Grimes; Third Grade Picture front row left to right:  Maya Abbott, Lavaris Randle, Fisher Burgess