District News

As a kick-off to Fine Arts Education Month (March), the Visual Art instructors of the Walton County School District recently participated in a professional development Tour of South Walton Galleries. The teachers visited several Art Galleries in the South Walton/30A area and met with the artists to learn more about their artistic journeys, as well as their creative processes.

Galleries visited were Gordie Hines Gallery; Chroma/Kathleen Broaderick Studio and Gallery; Justin Gaffrey Art Gallery; Andy Saczynski Studio Gallery; Mary Hong Gallery; A. Wickey Gallery; and Adaro Art Gallery.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe

Vivian Komando, South Walton High School Art teacher, got to visit former student, Andy Saczynski, who shared the piece that he believes helped define his artistic style - created while a 10th grade student in Ms Komando's class!

The FHS Anchor club took 10 members to State Anchor Convention in Orlando where they earned 3 awards for different community service projects. These awards were:

1st place Community Service award for participating in and donating $1200 to Relay for Life

1st place Patriotism Award for hosting a reception after the FMS Veterans Day program

3rd place Anchors For Kids Award for raising money and shopping for 6 children from the Angel Tree at Christmas

Submitted by Patty Woodard.

Student Art exhibition

March & April 2018

Presented by Rosemary Beach Foundation, the 7th Annual Music in Pictures is an educational art initiative and juried art contest open to ALL students in grade K-12 in the Walton County school system – both public and private.

Created in collaboration with professional musicians and university faculty, Music in Pictures encourages lifelong appreciation of symphonic music, enhances learning and provides educational enrichment. During the Fall 2017, students discovered the power of music through visual arts, classical performances, and classroom presentations.

The Music in Pictures project promotes creativity through the juried art contest where over 4,000 Walton County students (Kindergarten – 12th grade) from 17 Walton County Schools* created a painting of their interpretation of classical music. The 7th Annual Music in Pictures celebrates the music of five diverse composers: Ludwig Van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Edvard Greig, and John Luther Adams.

Each school selected their student artwork for judging and public exhibition. The 2018 Judges’ Panel included visual and performing artists. The quality of the 367 submissions made their job extremely difficult.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe

PHS is proud to recognize two of our seventh graders who have recieved awards from Florida State Poets Association (FSPA) Student Poetry Contest. The FSPA received 611 entries and only 30 received awards for their work, including are two talented Bobcats. Kaylee Aplin received a certificate for Honorable Mention in the contest. For third place, Samantha Lee received a certificate, prize check, and she has been enrolled as a student member of FSPA. Also, Samantha's poem will be published in the Student Winners Section of the FSPA anthology. Way to go, ladies! We are so proud of you!

Submitted by Kalli McMillan

Mrs. Jill Smith’s AP Environmental Science students traveled to FSU-Panama City Friday, March 9, 2018, for the annual Envirothon.

The Seahawk team finished 1^st out of Walton County schools and 4^th overall.

Submitted by Barbara Stratton

South Walton High School Math students came home from the Northwest Florida State College Math Bowl with a second place overall finish.

Jordan, Gregory, Nadia and Fisher placed in the top ten in the individual round and Nadia won a tablet!

Pictured L to R: Gregory Garrett, Jordan Nichols, Nadia Bock, Mackenzie Williams, Jielle Paul and Fisher Marks.

Submitted by Barbara Stratton

Kicking off “Fine Arts in Education Month”, Walton County School District joined Okaloosa County with over 3100 students as guests of Sinfonia Gulf Coast for the Carnegie LinkUp Concert “The Orchestra Swings!” The students joined the Sinfonia Gulf Coast Orchestra and Jazz Band in an interactive performance, singing, dancing and playing recorders. The Emerald Coast Conference Center was filled with energy and excitement as the students performed with the orchestra on tunes that included “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing), “I Got Rhythm”, and “When the Saints Go Marching In!”
The Carnegie Link Up program “The Orchestra Swings” explores elements of swing and jazz in a year long curriculum that includes hands-on activities, choreography, audio and video resources, concert repertoire, and exploration of musical elements of singing, playing recorder, rhythm and melody.
Walton County students are grateful to the St Joe Community Foundation for a grant that provided the recorders for this curriculum, and to Sinfonia Gulf Coast for the opportunity to participate in this exciting event through their collaboration with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute!
Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe