Escambia High School

Teacher Appreciation Week at Escambia High School was filled with fun, laughter, and well-deserved recognition for the incredible educators who make our school special every single day! 💙🧡

Each administrator selected seven students, and those students then chose the teachers they felt best matched a variety of positive and inspiring award phrases. Some of the recognitions included: “The Teacher Who Loves Their Job,” “The Teacher Who Won’t Stop Until You Understand,” “The Funniest Teacher,” “The Teacher Who Dresses the Most Professionally,” and “The Teacher Who Expects Us to Follow All of the Rules.”

It was incredibly meaningful to see students celebrate the teachers who impact them the most each day.

Teachers also had the opportunity to participate in riddle challenges throughout the week for chances to win gift cards and prizes, adding even more excitement and fun to the celebration!

A huge thank you goes to the amazing Kristy Davis and Escambia Alumni for collecting and providing gift cards to help us celebrate our outstanding staff.

At Escambia High School, we truly are home to the best teachers in the world, and we are thankful every day for the passion, dedication, and love they pour into our students.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland! What an imaginative and thoroughly delightful production, brought to life by the Drama Club on April 10th and 11th. Bravo to everyone involved for such an extraordinary performance!

A special shoutout to Ms. Lopez, the amazing theatre teacher who continues to inspire these students and bring out their creativity and confidence. If this is the kind of production she can put on in the Innovation Center, I can’t wait to see what she and her students will do in the new auditorium being built!

Special thanks to Brian Margavich for lights, sound, and photos—we couldn’t have done it without you!

Today, Escambia High School held our Underclassmen Awards Ceremony to recognize the hard work and achievements of our students.

Congratulations to all of our underclassmen on their well-deserved awards—your dedication and commitment to excellence make us proud.

Thank you to our families for attending and for your continued support of our students and school.

A special thank you to Brian Margavich for once again giving your time and talents to capture these meaningful moments for our students.

This week, we learned that Mr. Sandiford, former principal of Escambia High School, passed away. In his honor, a tribute sharing his accomplishments has been placed beneath his picture in the hallway for all to read.

Mr. Sandiford was more than a principal—he was a steady leader, a source of encouragement, and someone who truly cared about his students, staff, and school community. His legacy will continue to be felt in the halls of Escambia and in the people he inspired.

Keeping his family and all who knew him in our thoughts.

https://www.harpermorrismemorialchapel.com/obituaries/kenneth-sandiford

Mrs. Tarolyn Street, a proud Escambia High School parent and local baker, generously donated cupcakes for all teachers and staff. We are truly grateful for this thoughtful treat to help sweeten the end of the week.

Our Art Department hosted a wonderful evening at the Bright Images Artists’ Reception, celebrating the creativity and talent of our students. It was a great night recognizing the hard work and dedication that goes into each piece of art.

We are proud to share the following student achievements:
Nayomi Miller – Honorable Mention, Digital Arts
Liany Brito – 2nd Place, Drawing
Camya Pryor – 3rd Place, Sculpture
Gabrielle Osten – 1st Place, Textiles
Ashaya Thomas – Honorable Mention, Textiles
Meagan Sauceda – Fine Art Favorite Award

Art plays a vital role in education by encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Thank you to our amazing art teachers, Mrs. Pongetti and Mrs. Gifford, for the passion and dedication you pour into your students and for building such a strong and inspiring program.

Congratulations to our Escambia High School Latin students for an outstanding performance at the 77th State Latin Forum in Orlando. The team placed 3rd overall, earned 2nd place in Creative contests, and 5th in Academics—making Escambia the only school to place in the top five in both categories.

This success is the result of months of preparation, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. Our students proudly represent Escambia through their involvement in the National Junior Classical League, an organization that promotes the study of Greek, Latin, and ancient cultures while developing leadership, fostering community, and inspiring academic and personal growth.

Escambia students earned an incredible 54 top ten finishes across individual events:

First Place Winners
Nyla Correa – Charts/Posters
Benjamin Fendley – Geography II
Benjamen Kornelis – Latin Literature I
Miciah Matson – Maps
Rico Parker – Charts/Posters
Adelaide Remillard – Phrases, Mottoes, Abbreviations, and Quotations I
Emily Wallis – Costumes

Second Place Winners
Britley Bosso – History of the Roman Empire II
Eric (EJ) Campbell – Dramatic Interpretation I
Mia (Kai) Munoz-Saulnier – Games
Natalie Reid – Illustrated Book
Adelaide Remillard – Dramatic Interpretation I
Scott Stearns – Declamations

Third Place Winners
Cadence Abercrombie – Drawings
Lilla (Nix) Busby – Textile Arts
Lily Elmore – Digital Art
Michael Marrero – Heptathlon II
William Mitchell – Modern Myth
Cayden Sanchez – Models

Fourth Place Winners
Lily Elmore – Classical Art II
Michael Marrero – History of the Roman Republic II
Rico Parker – Customs II

Fifth Place Winners
Eric (EJ) Campbell – History of the Roman Republic I
Benjamin Fendley – Maps
Gabrielle Gholston – Hellenic History Advanced
Miciah Matson – History of the Roman Empire I
Leila Pagunsan – Customs I
Leila Pagunsan – 2D Non Graphic Art
James Smith – Games

Sixth Place Winners
Leela Cayson – Latin Literature Advanced; 2D Non Graphic Art; Club Scrapbook
Reese (Wren) Hernandez – Dramatic Interpretation Advanced
Noa (Frankie) Hudson – Greek Literature Advanced
Hannah Leonard – Phrases, Mottoes, Abbreviations, and Quotations Advanced; Modern Myth
Mia (Kai) Munoz-Saulnier – Latin Literature II
Kaliyah Owens – Sculpture
Natalie Reid – Club Scrapbook
James Smith – Mythology I
Eric Snyder – Illustrated Notebook

Seventh Place Winners
Britley Bosso – Mixed Media
Noa (Frankie) Hudson – Paintings
Kaliyah Owens – Greek Derivatives I
Emily Wallis – Greek Literature II

Eighth Place Winners
Emma Early – Games
Gabriel (Morty) Ethridge – Hellenic History I
Benjamin Fendley – Intermediate Certamen
Michael Marrero – Intermediate Certamen
Rico Parker – Intermediate Certamen
Cayden Sanchez – Customs

Ninth Place Winners
Cadence Abercrombie – Mythology II
Nyla Correa – Customs I
Kodi Ostrander – Classical Art I
Scott Stearns – History of the Roman Empire Advanced

Tenth Place Winners
Gabriel (Morty) Ethridge – Geography I

We also celebrate the leadership of our students beyond competition. Wren Hernandez, serving as a state officer, helped plan and lead events at the convention. Benjamin Fendley was sworn in as the 2026–27 State Treasurer. In addition, three of our students were selected to perform in the talent show “That’s Entertainment!” as part of Tu-BAD, the tuba ensemble that earned 3rd place.

Next up, these students will take their talents to the national level at Indiana University in July.

A special shout out to Mrs. Hornick for building such an incredible Latin program. Her dedication, passion, and commitment to students continue to create opportunities for success at the highest levels.

We are proud of each of these students for their accomplishments and for the way they represent Escambia High School.

Escambia High School is proud to announce Fletcher Forte as our new Head Basketball Coach. He brings a proven record of leadership, discipline, and organizational excellence to our program. With 15 years of high school coaching and mentorship experience, he is deeply committed to building a competitive basketball program grounded in teamwork, accountability, and strong fundamentals.

His coaching philosophy emphasizes player development, character, leadership, and academic success. He leads with high energy, a clear vision, and a results-driven approach that is already making an impact on our campus.

In his first year at Escambia, he led the Gators Freshman Basketball Team to the 2026 Freshman Basketball League Championship, setting the foundation for continued success both on and off the court.

We also want to recognize Coach Welch for his dedication and the impact he has made on our program and student-athletes. He will be greatly missed as he begins a new chapter, and we wish him all the best.

GO GATORS!

Last week we celebrated two incredible leaders, Ms. Teasley and Mr. Culp, during Assistant Principal Appreciation Week.

Their impact is felt in every corner of our school. From supporting teachers to guiding students, they show up every day ready to serve, solve problems, and build a positive school culture.

We are grateful for their leadership and the difference they make in the lives of our students and staff every single day.