Category: Community

Panama City Beach Community News

  • Panama City Beach Welcomes New Deputy Fire Chief

    Panama City Beach Welcomes New Deputy Fire Chief

    Busch Fire CheifPanama City Beach Fire Chief Ray Morgan has tapped Battalion Chief Justin Busch for his old job as Deputy Fire Chief.

    “I am confident he will serve the Department well and will be an asset in the future growth and development of this Department, both internally and externally,” said Morgan. “I want to say thank-you to all the applicants. It was humbling to see the number of talented fire personnel who wanted to join our Department.”

    Approximately a dozen applications were initially received for the post, left vacant after Morgan’s promotion to the Chief’s position in August. The Civil Service Board narrowed the selection to three, which also included PCB Fire Capt. Jacob Gorman and an outside candidate. Three more rounds of interviews were conducted Thursday.

    Busch said he is humbled by the promotion.

    “I am grateful for the support of our City’s leadership, our Fire Chief and especially our Department members. The team’s belief in our vision is what propels us to success,” he said. “I look forward to this opportunity.”

    Busch joined the PCB Fire Department in 2003 after having served as a volunteer with both the Callaway and Parker Fire Departments. He began volunteering while a student at Rutherford High School. He worked his way up through the ranks from Firefighter-EMT to Lieutenant and Captain before being named Battalion Chief in 2016. In that role, he supervised the 16-member A Shift.

    He holds an Associates of Science degree in Fire Science from Gulf Coast Community College and has obtain numerous certifications including Florida Fire Instructor II. He is also a graduate of the elite training course FLAMES (Firefighters Laboring and Mastering Essential Skills), where he serves on the advisory board and is an instructor.

  • PCB Completes its First Ever Community-wide Survey

    PCB Completes its First Ever Community-wide Survey

    Pcb MayorBy Mayor Mark Sheldon

    It is a good thing to periodically take the pulse of the community and see what the residents think about local government and the services it provides. The recent survey, conducted by National Resource Center, a leading national research firm for the public sector, gave us great results and helped us identify our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, as perceived by the public. These opinions, as well our recent Strategic Planning process, provide the roadmap for the City’s future.

    Survey respondents had high praise for those elements of the City that have to do with our quality of life and livability. Eight-nine percent ranked Panama City Beach as an excellent or good place to visit. Eight in 10 of those surveyed praised our shopping opportunities and seven in 10 said PCB is an excellent place to live and retire. Seventy-one percent of respondents said we have a good or excellent quality of life. To many of us who call Panama City Beach home, this comes as no surprise.

    Residents also praised our water resources, with 72 percent believing the overall quality of our natural environment is excellent or good. This is important because we have to take care of our number one resource and community asset – the beach.

    Public safety was also very highly ranked by our residents who responded to the survey. Ninety-six percent said they feel save in our neighborhoods and another 91 percent said they feel safe in commercial areas. This is great news for our City, as communities with high crime, or the perception of being dangerous, do not continue to grow and prosper.
    We also asked residents if they are in favor of a citywide beach lifeguard program to keep our residents, visitors and responders safe. An overwhelming 73 percent said a citywide program is very important or essential. The City continues to work to security condo, HOA and hotel partnerships to help expand our beach safety program.

    We were very pleased with the results when we asked you to rate individual services of the City. Public safety ranked the highest, with 87 percent of residents saying fire services are excellent or good and 78 percent ranking police services as excellent or good. Also ranking over 70 percent as excellent or good were ambulance/EMS services, fire prevention, and emergency preparedness.

    Our parks, recreational programs and public library, were also ranked excellent or good by more than 70 percent of respondents. Our water and sewer services, debris pick up and garbage collection were also ranked excellent or good by more than 70 percent of those surveyed.

    While the City has its challenges in the areas of traffic, mobility and commercial and residential growth, we continue to work on those issues, forging partnerships and developing relationships with agencies like the Florida Department of Transportation and Bay County.

    We can all appreciate having a very good quality of life on the beach. We have a lot to be thankful for. As we move into the holiday season especially, we are grateful for our breathtaking sunsets, our mild winters and being able to call our beautiful white, sandy beaches home. We are grateful we live in a safe community with excellent fire, police and parks services. And we are optimistic life on Panama City Beach will continue to improve, that we will move past the COVID-19 pandemic and life will return to normal.
    I wish all of you a blessed holiday season.

  • PCB Senior Center Annual Christmas Bazaar Nov. 21

    PCB Senior Center Annual Christmas Bazaar Nov. 21

    PCB Senior Center Annual Christmas Bazaar Nov. 21Join the PCB Senior Center for their Annual Christmas Bazaar this Saturday. November 21st and get in the holiday spirit!

    Shop for one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts and holiday decorations. There will be jewelry, hand made cards, crafts, a wide assortment of gifts for the little ones and delicious baked goods.

    Come one and all this Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2  p.m. to the PCB Senior Center, 423 Lindell Lane.

  • School Spirit: Breakfast Point Academy

    School Spirit: Breakfast Point Academy

    By Clinton Whitfield, School Principal, Breakfast Point Academy

    School Breakfast PtWelcome to Breakfast Point Academy, home of the Stingrays! At Breakfast Point, we believe in “Every Ray, Every Day!” We are the only public K-8 school in Bay County, and we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our students, our staff, and our community! We are an “A” school as designated by the Florida Department of Assessment and Accountability. We are so happy to be back in school with all of our Stingrays!

    At Breakfast Point, we believe that all children are capable of learning, and our teachers have done such an amazing job of helping our students reach their maximum potential. We realize that these are unprecedented times, but the Stingrays are taking unprecedented measure to learn, achieve, and succeed. The benefit of being a K-8 is being able to offer a wide array of opportunities for our students!

    For our elementary students, we are able to offer opportunities to engage in the Arts, Science, and also Community Services. Our 5th grade students are able to join the Art Club and Choir, and we are also in the early stages of creating a MakerSpace in our newly revamped Media Center. We are also in the process of creating an afterschool STEAM club through partnerships with community members. Anchored 4 Life is an opportunity for some of our 4th and 5th grade students to connect youth while building transition and resiliency skills. The club provides opportunities for peers to enhance social skills, learn leadership skills, build character, improve self-esteem, and integrate into their community.

    Our middle school students are afforded many opportunities to excel, whether it is in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, or in local, state, and national competitions. Last year, our Beta Club received honors on the state level, and one of our 6th grade students placed 6th in the nation for the Language Arts Competition. We also excelled in our local and regional MathCounts and Invention Convention competitions, as well as securing accolades at the state FFA competition. Our students had the most awards at the Tom Barefield History Fair, and we had students go on to place at the state level, and we were the only school in Bay County to receive such honors. We offer CTE courses with the possibility to obtain industry certifications, and we also have a Drone Club that grants unique opportunities for our students. We also offer Band, and we are always so proud of their talents as the represent BPA. We offer a full lineup of sports, and our Boys Soccer team went undefeated last year and never gave up a goal.

    We have also been selected to pilot a program known as the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, and we are excited to be involved in something so important to our youth. We have also been recently designated as a PBIS Bronze Level School, the first in BPA’s history! We promote positive behavior initiatives through following our RAYS pledge: Rays are- Responsible, Accountable, Young Leaders, Showing Respect! Breakfast Point Academy is not only a school, we are a community of learners. We help each other, and we help our community through service projects such as the recent assistance with Rachal’s Recovery to provide goods and supplies to those affected by the recent hurricanes.

    As we embark on another school year, we are excited to work together to learn, achieve, and succeed. One school, one heart, one vision… Every Ray, Every Day! #RaysRise

  • Addressing Food Instability in Bay County

    Addressing Food Instability in Bay County

    By Bill Husfelt, Superintendent, Bay District Schools

    Food instability is a real challenge for thousands of families in our community and Bay District Schools is determined to do all we can to help!

    Food Insecurity1For the third year in a row since Hurricane Michael ravaged our community, Bay District Schools has been able to offer all children a free breakfast and a free lunch at school thanks to a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). At some elementary schools, children can also take advantage of a free afternoon/early evening meal when participating in our after-school programs.

    While thousands of children take advantage of these free meals each day, we know that there are still hungry children in our community and that’s troubling. We can offer the most innovative, supporting learning environments at our schools but it’s a fact that hungry children cannot focus on academics.

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 11 percent of Americans faced food instability during the month of September. In Florida that number is even higher with 13.1 percent of Floridians reporting trouble securing food on a regular basis (msn.com).

    The situation locally is even more troubling according to the United Way which tracks families who are characterized as ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. United Way notes, “ALICE workers educate our children, keep us healthy, and make our quality of life possible, yet do not earn enough to support their own families. ALICE households are forced to make tough choices, such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent, which have long-term consequences not only for ALICE, but for all.”
    As you can see from the most recent chart available (2018 statistics), 33 percent of the families in Lynn Haven are characterized as ALICE and 49 percent of the families within the city limits of Panama City were in that same group. Approximately 36 percent of beach families are considered ALICE compared to 38 percent in Southport and 50 percent in the Youngstown area.

    So what this means is that we know our families are struggling and we know that food instability is real in our community. Free meals at school are a component of the solution but we know that even those don’t address all of the needs. And that’s just one of the reasons why we’re proud to partner with Mercy Chefs to assist in the delivery of free, fresh food boxes throughout our community.

    Food Insecurity2These food boxes, which often also contain milk, cheese, bread and chicken, are available at countless sites throughout the week to anyone in need … there’s no paperwork, no ID required and no income verification. You can always check the BDS Facebook page for the latest schedule for Mercy Chefs and there are plenty of other organizations in our community who are sponsoring their own food drives, mobile pantries and distributions. You can call United Way’s information line, 2-1-1, to get more information.

    Food instability is also the reason why we partnered with ChartwellsK12 back in March when schools were closed to ensure we were keeping the food flowing into our community. With about 40 buses on the road at one point, and 12 school-based pick-up sites, we served close to ONE MILLION meals from March to August of this year. We were able to keep this program going thanks to the generous support of the Bay County Commission/Bay County Emergency Services who funded the transportation piece all summer long. When we partner together, we can accomplish GREAT things!

    We had never before implemented an innovative “meals on the bus” program and I am immensely grateful to all of the employees who made that happen. This program was logistically challenging, new to us and very labor intensive but our employees made it work.

    Many of you are already doing your part to help with food instability by contributing to the “Blessings in a Backpack” program through your churches. Hundreds of backpacks filled with food are distributed throughout our schools on Fridays and many children count on those meals and snacks to get them through the weekends. We are so grateful for this support for our students.

    Our teachers and administrators are also on the front lines of our efforts to curb food stability and I know they spend countless dollars of their own money to ensure they have a snack stash for those students who are late to school and miss breakfast or those who just can’t quite get enough to eat throughout the day. I wish they didn’t have to do that but I know them and their love for their students and I know for sure the need exists in our community. On that note, if you’re ever out buying groceries and notice a great deal on individually-packaged snacks, there’s not a teacher in our county who would not gratefully accept your donation! And you could rest assured that your donation will be going directly into the hands of hungry children in our community.

    Food instability is a significant barrier to education and it’s something that impacts children throughout our community since the pandemic. Families that were stable before March are now facing job losses, evictions and other unexpected financial challenges and their access to food has changed. As a community, however, we can change the lives of our neighbors by contributing to those organizations who support families with food instability, by making direct donations of our own and by talking with friends and neighbors about solutions and concrete actions.

    Our children deserve to live in a community where they have ready access to the food they need. BDS is so proud to be just one of the many community agencies working towards that goal. We appreciate your support and the hard work and dedication of all of our employees.

    Together, we CAN make a difference!

  • Let’s Get Growing with Julie: Winter Color in the Garden

    Let’s Get Growing with Julie: Winter Color in the Garden

    By Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS Extension Bay County

    Julie Mcconnell Uf Ext 1My favorite time of year has always been the fall. College football, lower temperatures and humidity, and approaching holidays are seasonal activities I start to look forward to as soon as the thermometer hits 90. Just like some people enjoy hot summer months while others prefer the cool of fall and winter, our annual color plant palette has preferences, too.

    Annual flowers and foliage plants fall into two general categories: warm season and cool season. Warm season annuals are typically sensitive to hard frosts but perform well during the spring and summer. Examples of warm season annuals are begonias, impatiens, coleus, zinnias, and vinca. If your home has a warm microclimate (sheltered from winter winds or near a large body of water helps) then you may be able to grow warm season plants year-round with just reduced growth in the winter. However, if your landscape gets exposure to winter winds and frost can settle you may want to consider switching to cool season annual color this month.

    Here are a few frost tolerant plants to consider for your landscape to offer color through fall and winter!

    Grow Raised Bed Cabbage CauliflowerOrnamental Cabbage and Kale
    Just as this is the ideal time to plant edible cabbage and kale in your vegetable garden, you can also use ornamental versions of these plants for your landscape. The ornamental versions aren’t very tasty, but their foliage is outstanding. Variations of straight edge or ruffled leaves, and colors that include all shades of green, white, cream, purple, and even pink tones are available. Be sure to check tags for mature width and spread and give them space to expand – some can get over a foot wide and tall!

    Swiss Chard
    This brightly colored ornamental plant can be eaten or just display showy colors in the garden. A few cultivars I like are ‘Bright Lights’ which has green leaves with green, orange, or red stems and ‘Rhubarb’ which has red leaves. You can harvest the leaves and stems and it will grow back repeatedly if given adequate water and nutrition.

    Snapdragon
    Grow Pink SnapdragonSnapdragons are a great way to add some vertical interest and color to your winter garden. Spikes of brightly colored flowers bloom all throughout the cool season in Florida. There are many sizes and colors available, so be sure to check the label for mature size – some get 2-3 feet tall! These taller varieties make a wonderful backdrop for compact flowers and foliage plants. Flower colors range from white, yellow, pink, red, lavender to orange.

    Pansies
    Pansies thrive in cool weather and full sun. Be careful not to overwater pansies since they are susceptible to several fungal diseases that are favored by extended periods of wet foliage. Pansies have compact green foliage growth topped by large colorful flowers in white, blue, yellow, orange, purple, red, or black. Many varieties have a distinctly different center or ‘eye’ color.

    Violas or Johnny Jump-ups
    This close relative of pansies has a smaller, more delicate looking flower. Although not as showy as pansies, violas tend to be a little easier to care for so may be a better option for busy gardeners. Available in similar colors as pansies.

    Swap out your warm season annuals for cool season plants a few weeks before the first anticipated frost date to ensure they have enough time to get established before a severe cold snap. Late October to mid-November is a good time to plan to make that transition in Panama City Beach.

    An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Single copies of UF/IFAS Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county UF/IFAS Extension offices. Contact our office at 850-248-8091 or Email juliebmcconnell@ufl.edu. Follow us on Facebook @bayifas and Instagram @ufifasbay.

  • Charity Chatter November 2020

    Charity Chatter November 2020

    Junior League to Host Annual Holly Fair Market November 12th to 15th
    The event, now in its 30th year, will be held at the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resor. All proceeds to benefit programs impacting local women, children and families. For more information about Holly Fair, visit jlpanamacity.org/HollyFair.

    Axe of Kindness Nov. 12
    An Axe Throwing Competition to benefit Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center will be held Thursday, November 12th at 525 R. Jackson Blvd. from 6 – 9 p.m. Registration is $600 per team of six. Participants may pay online at www.gulfcoastac.org or send their check to the Center’s headquarters GCCAC, 210 E 11th St., Panama City, FL 32401.

    Panama City Mission Hosts Open House to Unveil Its New Vision Nov. 20th
    The Panama City Mission is inviting the general public to their Gateway Open House, Friday, November 20th 11 a.m to 3 p.m, to see their new programs, people and campuses. The event will be held at their women’s and Children’s Campus, 1313 E 11th St. Panama City.

    County Approves $5 Million in CARES Act Funding
    United Way of Northwest Florida has been selected to disburse $5 million in CARES Act funding the county has received. The $5 million of funding comes from the federal $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) bill in response to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    United Way will be responsible for identifying and vetting agency partners to eventually distribute funding to the general public. At a later date, the general public will be instructed on how to apply for CARES Act assistance through the various agencies selected to disburse the funds.

    Dementia and Parkinson Support Groups Meet Monthly
    The Dementia Support Group meets the 1st Tuesday of every month. The topic for the December meeting will be “The Power of Music for Memory – Alive Inside.”

    The Parkinson’s Support Group meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month. The topic for
    This month is ‘SpeechVive – an electronic medical device that improves loudness and communication.. The December topic will be ‘CBD as a treatment option for PD.

    Both meetings are held at the PCB Chamber of Commerce, 309 R. Jackson Blvd. from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

    Fitness for Those with Parkinson’s
    850 Strong Rock Steady Boxing, offers fitness training specifically tailored for people living with Parkinson’s disease, every Monday and Wednesday 1:30 to 3 p.m. CST at Anytime Fitness, Tyndall Pkwy., Callaway.

    The 2nd Annual Dementia and Parkinson’s Wellness Expo is Going Virtual
    The entire day will be conducted as a live webinar January 21st 2021. To register and to learn more about their lineup for both events visit dementiafamilypathways.com.

    Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida’s Sean of the South Event is Going Virtual
    The charity will host its annual Sean of the South event virtually on Thursday, December 3rd. For more information about how to purchase tickets to watch the live stream, go to – bbbsnwfl.org.

    Support the Arc of the Bay St. Andrew Bay Center This Holiday Season
    Support the Arc of the Bay/St. Andrew Bay Center by purchasing your smoked holiday meats and Dean’s Cakes directly from the organization this year. They are now accepting orders for Smoked Hilltop sausages, turkeys, hams and Boston Butts and 7-layer cakes. All proceeds in aid of the Center. The Arc of the Bay is one of Bay County’s oldest non-profits serving the needs of individuals with disabilities for 63 years. Order forms for their holiday fundraiser are now available on their website www.bayarc.org.

    Adopt a Beach Access
    If your family, church or office would like to adopt a beach, contact Keep PCB Beautiful on Facebook @ keeppcbbeautiful. Or visit them at the Captain Anderson’s Farmers’ Market November 21st and 22nd.

    On November 14th, the charity will host a Shredding Event at Panama City Beach Senior Center, 9 to 11 a.m.

  • When You Change the Way You Look at Things, the Things You Look at Change

    When You Change the Way You Look at Things, the Things You Look at Change

    By Aether Van Dyke

    Panama City BeachPanama City and the surrounding area have been heavily impacted by a myriad of events over the last couple of years. Hurricanes have battered the area, destroying businesses and homes alike. Economic collapses, which are happening all over America, have made their appearance known in Panama City as a result of the COVID pandemic, causing many residents to quarantine themselves for months. Because of these events, many residents in the community are often left without jobs, homes and hope, contributing to the already overwhelming population of homeless individuals that were living in Panama City previously. These individuals, in the midst of their devastation, have often found themselves in hopeless situations, turning to drugs, alcohol, or other unhealthy coping means. In spite of this, Panama City Rescue Mission (PCRM) is shining as a beacon of hope for all those whose lives have been affected by these and other unfortunate situations or circumstances.

    Panama City Rescue Mission LogoPanama City Rescue Mission was formed in 1973 by a group of Christian men who had a dream to provide a Christ-centered safe haven for those in need. The goal was and is to provide rescue, recovery and restoration to individuals who have found themselves in the destructive cycle of homelessness and poverty. PCRM provides emergency food and shelter to those who find themselves in desperate situations. This has been such a needed service for this area, as so many men, women, and families have found themselves lost when put out on the street. In addition, the organization offers further assistance for those who are truly seeking to turn their lives around. “If they are serious about changing their lives, they enter our new Life Transformation Program which focuses on the outcomes of Relationships, Health, Economic Stability, and Housing,” President and CEO of PCRM, Stephen Fett, commented.

    The organization credits its success to its program design and the people who implement it. Based on time-tested principles of leading a successful life, the PCRM strives to change people’s attitudes by aligning their thoughts, feelings and actions toward a common objective. However, these positive changes have also come with challenges. The community’s perception of PCRM is being shifted through a strategic public relations campaign, as many people remember the way it was run before the new program design. The old way of operation often left the individuals in the program with very little true, life transformation. When discussing PCRM’s new model, Stephen had this to say, “Our new model empowers people to take responsibility for their results and do the hard work to change, otherwise they are exited from the program. After all, the resources are limited, we only want to invest in those that are willing to invest in themselves. The previous model fostered a Toxic Charity environment where the initial compassion and care progressed to dependence, then entitlement, and finally resentment. We never want to do for others what they could do for themselves.”

    The thing that really makes PCRM stand out is their incredible ability to integrate Christian beliefs and values with life success principles for high achievement. All too often organizations with similar goals to PCRM, while wonderful at displaying compassion and love towards other people, are missing the key components of giving these individuals practical tools that propel them towards a better future. Many times, these organizations are operated by people who are unfortunately barely above the desperate situation they are trying to pull others out of, and thus lack the necessary professional resources to implement a successful program. For the team at PCRM, the best thing about being a part of this organization is to watch people grow exponentially when they recognize the wisdom behind the Life Transformation Program. There is something incredibly powerful that takes place when people truly grasp the simplicity of faith over fear. Stephen put it this way, “I love to eradicate ignorance. People that lack understanding need knowledge through study. When they study the principles and apply them, their knowledge and understanding increase, and their life changes. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

    Going forward, Panama City Rescue Mission plans to expand to the point they can always be meeting the new influx of people seeking assistance. The organization also looks forward to starting several social enterprise businesses, which will be operated and staffed by individuals who have come to PCRM for life transformation.

    Panama City Rescue Mission has two locations in Panama City. The Gateway Men’s facility is at 609 Allen Avenue and the Gateway Women and Children’s facility is at 1313 E. 11th Street. They can be contacted either by telephone at (850) 769-0783 or via their website at www.pcrmission.org. Be sure to reach out to PCRM if you or someone you know finds yourself in a desperate situation. There is always hope for a better future.

  • Community Policing at its Finest

    Community Policing at its Finest

    DeputiesLast month the Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) responded to a structure fire on Magnolia Drive at about 3:43 a.m. As BCSO Deputy Erin Williams arrived, he noticed the whole roof and the south side of the home was on fire, with the thick smoke inhibiting visibility outside the home. Deputy Williams knew the 64-year-old man who lived at the residence and knew that the gentleman struggled with both mental and physical challenges.

    Although the emergency notice on the door said the house was empty, Deputy Williams saw the man’s walker outside, and knowing the resident could not go anywhere without it, Deputy Williams began calling out. When he did not get a response, Deputy Williams entered the home, running as he searched for the occupant. Visibility was terrible, but Deputy Williams was able to locate the gentleman, who was sitting calmly in a chair, unaware anything was amiss. Deputy Williams explained to the gentleman that the house was on fire, he then grabbed the occupant and started walking him out of the home. As the room filled with smoke, Deputy Williams began having difficulty seeing, and the victim was having difficulty breathing. Fortunately, that is when Deputy Clint Clemens arrived on the scene. Together, using the man’s walker, the two Deputies were able to get the occupant to safety through the garage.

    By that point, the house was fully engulfed in flames. EMS arrived shortly thereafter and transported the resident to a local hospital. While the fire department began extinguishing the blaze.

    Several minutes later, Deputies Clemens and Williams noticed the fire was getting close to a neighbor’s property. So, they knocked on the door to warn the elderly couple that lived in the home, but there was no response. As the bushes on the property caught fire, the Deputies made a forced entry into the home and woke the couple. Deputies Williams and Clemens then helped the couple grab a few belongings and led them outside to safety. Fortunately neither were hurt and the fire was contained.

    Commenting on the heroic actions of his Deputies Sheriff Tommy Ford said; “Every day in our county deputies put their uniforms on accepting the fact they could face any number of dangerous situations that could take their life. I am so proud of Deputies Erin Williams and Clint Clemens who met the challenge and, with no hesitation, saved three lives today. And I am grateful to the firefighters who also met danger head on. They contained and doused the fire and kept the neighborhood safe. And to EMS who treated and transported the first victim to medical care. This is but one example of Public Safety at its best for Bay County.”

  • School Spirit: Arnold High School

    School Spirit: Arnold High School

    By Britt Smith, Principal, J.R. Arnold High School

    J.R. Arnold High School prides itself in providing our Marlins a “A-A-A” education. As a result, our students excel in Academics, Arts, and Athletics.

    Our ACADEMIC program is designed to prepare students to be successful in the pursuit of the college or career of their choice. Arnold High School was the first high school in Bay County to provide students the opportunity to earn the College Board’s Capstone Diploma. This special diploma designation is earned through a rigorous course of study and viewed by upper tier universities to be an indicator of a student’s preparedness for success at the collegiate level. Over the past two years alone, Arnold graduates have been recognized as National Merit Scholar Finalists and have earned appointments to military academies across the country.

    Arnold prides itself in providing 14 career-technical education (CTE) certification programs. Our newest CTE program is the Unmanned Aircraft System, UAS. Students completing this program will earn their pilot’s license to fly drones and be sought after by companies for one of the most rapidly growing career opportunities. Arnold’s Construction Trades Academy was recently awarded a grant to expand its program to include simulators for Heavy Equipment Operation. Our other CTE programs are equally exciting and are expanding to meet the diverse needs of our community and interests of students. We pride ourselves in providing diverse CTE learning opportunities as our students can earn industry certifications ranging from Engineering and Computer Science to Culinary Arts and Hospitality.

    The ARTS play a vital role in the education of students at Arnold HS and our programs are award winning. Arnold’s Theatrical program has earned the International Honor Award for six years in a row. This past year they were awarded a $10,000 scholarship to attend the International Thespian Conference where one of our students was elected an International Officer and received first place in the International Monologue category. Of course our Blue Thunder Band is an award winning group that excels during both marching and concert competitions. They regularly and consistently are awarded Superior ratings!

    Arnold 3Finally, Marlin ATHLETIC programs have been recognized for their excellence in competition and sportsmanship. Our Lady Marlin Weightlifting team has earned Back-to-Back State Championships! During this most recent school year, Arnold’s male and female athletic teams were the highest ranked in the area earning a 6th place finish in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports rankings. In addition, our school was awarded the Fred E. Rozelle Sportsmanship Award. This prestigious award was only given to 14 schools in the state of Florida.

    J.R. Arnold High School is proud to be part of the Panama City Beach community and serve as its high school. As we begin our 21st school year, Arnold Marlins are helping to make our community a great place to learn, live, and work!

    #GoMarlins

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