Gulf Breeze Elementary School Principal Warren Stevens and Assistant Principal Kim McChesney led competing boys and girls teams against each other in a reading competition Florida Literacy Week was Jan. 23-27, and this year’s theme was ‘Take the Lead and Read!’

Gulf Breeze Elementary School celebrated Literacy Week with a reading competition between the boys and girls.

The boys’ team was led by Principal Warren Stevens while the girls’ team was led by Assistant Principal Kim McChesney. Reading minutes were tracked and logged all week with the help of teachers and parents. School librarian Dodi Stringfellow organized the event and compiled results daily to let the two teams know who was in the lead. The boys and girls were extremely motivated to read to see which team leader would get to “pie” the other team leader at the end of the week. Students read a total of 233,310 minutes! It was a very close race between the boys (116,321 minutes) and girls (116,989 minutes). The students were so excited about reading and the “pie” event was televised throughout the school on Friday.

to mark Florida Literacy Week. Stevens was “pied” after his boys lost to the girls, but winner McChesney also wound up with a pie in the face to students’ delight. Submitted photos Although the girls won the competition and McChesney was able to “pie” Stevens, she was such a great sport when Stevens decided she needed to take a pie in the face, also, in honor of the boys’ reading effort.

All girls in the school are being allowed to check out extra library books (along with bragging rights) this week. This reading event was a huge success and a complete school effort. Many thanks go out to all involved in motivating our students to read!

Kildare Atkinson, Modern Woodsmen aid cause

Gulf Breeze insurance company representative Mike Atkinson recently held a fundraiser at his home to help the Gulf Breeze Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association.

During the gathering, freewill donations generated $2,500. That money raised was matched by Modern Woodmen of America.

As a tax-exempt fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen sells life insurance, annuity and investment products not to benefit stockholders but to improve the quality of life of its members, their families and their communities.

For more information about the local chapter and how you can get involved, contact Atkinson at 932-8165

Kildare places sixth in area spelling bee

Quinlan Kildare, a fifth grader at GBES placed sixth at the 36th annual Sandy Sansing Spelling Bee at Pensacola State College last week.

McDonald WBMS recognizes its top student spellers

Woodlawn Beach Middle School announced the winners of its 2011-12 Spelling Bee. Sixth-grader Sam Kegley, seventh grader Ryan Cook, and eighth-grader Jamie Seabrook took top honors.

These students won not only their class spelling bee, but went on to win their grade level bee as well. They represented Woodlawn Beach in the Sandy Sansing Spelling Bee in Pensacola.

GBHS’ Good Character Committee stages event

The Gulf Breeze High School Student Government Association’s Good Character Committee held a breakfast on Friday, Jan. 13 to honor students who were nominated by their teachers to attend.

Teachers were queried about students who they felt demonstrated respect, good behavior and the willingness to help others. More than 80 students representing all grade levels and all groups of the student body were invited.

Mike Atkinson (left) of Modern Woodsmen and Leeann Burkholder of the GBES PTA present a check to Principal Warren Stevens for $5,000. Principal Jason Weeks spoke to the students and emphasized the importance of good character. Several local businesses including Publix, Chick-Fil-A, Bagelheads and Apple Market generously donated food.

“We plan to make this breakfast an annual event and hope to grow each year,” said Good Character Committee spokesperson Anamarrie Wright.

Woodlawn’s McDaniel earns special notice

Woodlawn Beach Middle School is proud to announce Laurie McDonald as its 2012 School Related Employee of the Year (SREY).

This dedicated employee was nominated and selected through a voting process by her WBMS colleagues. McDonald will be honored in March at a district banquet held for all Santa Rosa School Related Employees of the Year.

McDonald was born in Cleveland, Ohio and now resides in Holt with her husband, David. She has five children: Bri (25), Nina (23), Carre’ (21), Kyle (17) and Caila (16). She has been employed at Woodlawn Beach Middle for 10-plus years and has been in the district for 11½ .

She recently received her teaching certification and hopes to acquire a teaching position within the district. She loves interacting with people on a day-to-day basis.

“I absolutely love working with the middle school students and really enjoy being at Woodlawn,” McDonald said.

GBMS’ Carperter shines at Honor Band event

Kaela Carpenter of Gulf Breeze Middle School recently traveled to Tampa to perform with the Florida Middle School All-State Honor Band and enjoyed a wonderful experience.

Carpenter was seated first chair after the auditions, and she had a beautiful solo in one of the pieces. She was a wonderful representative of the GBMS band program.

GBMS Band director Susan Smithey received a five-year ‘Superior’ plaque during the convention in Tampa. This plaque was given to the GBMS band program in recognition of receiving Superior ratings at District Festival for five consecutive years.

The GBMS band has received Superior ratings for 20 consecutive years.

Movie Night coming to Oriole Beach Elem.

Friday, Feb. 10 will be Oriole Beach Elementary Movie Night in the cafeteria. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m.

Yearbook order forms went home this week. Yearbooks are $27 until March 1. After that day, the price increases to $32. Order yours early! Make checks payable to OBE PTO.

Area schools impact global literacy

Generous donations from local schools and individuals made the recent African Library Project book drive at Gulf Breeze High School a tremendous success.

The book drive, sponsored by the GBHS National English Honor Society (NEHS) brought in 5,082 books, which were donated by students and staff from Gulf Breeze High, Gulf Breeze Middle and Woodlawn Beach Middle schools, as well as individuals from the Gulf Breeze and Pensacola areas.

“The project was overwhelmingly successful,” said senior William Farmer, who chaired the book drive. “Surpassing our initial goal by over 4,000 books is really moving, and I am glad I could be part of it.”

The success of the book drive and fundraiser will make it possible to establish four libraries: two primary school libraries in Botswana and two high school libraries in Swaziland.

A “$1,000 in a Minute” fundraiser, where GBHS students collected class donations within the span of a minute, and private donations netted $1,100 toward the cost of shipping the books to libraries in Africa.

NEHS and First Priority members packed up the books Jan. 25 to coincide with Florida’s Literacy Week.

“The African Library Project is an extremely worthy cause,” said senior NEHS member Olivia Wise, who is also the GBHS debate team’s public forum captain and editor-inchief of the school newspaper. “While we take reading for granted, the children and teenagers in Africa do not have that privilege.”

The African Library Project matches schools and organizations in the United States with African communities to create libraries. Books are collected in the U.S. through book drives and shipped by volunteers directly to the communities requesting them. Log on to www.african libraryproject.org.