Escambia County Commission Honors Students at the Cox Heroes Awards 2024

Last Thursday, the Escambia Board of County Commissioners approved a proclamation in support of exceptional students in our community that were recognized last night at a ceremony at UWF.

I was honored to be asked to bring greetings on behalf of the board--and humbled to be asked to read the proclamation for those in attendance who are dealing with adversity much more profound than most of us could even imagine.  

These students that were celbrated last night have overcome tremendous adversity in their lives; the types of hardships that could destroy grown adults.  And yet, these students overcame.

Loss of limbs, tremendous physical challenges, the death of parents, and other unimaginable hardships--hearing the stories of these 54 students was moving.

Many of us who feel like we deal with frequent adversity could learn a lot from hearing the stories of these children and their families. 

Thanks go out to Cox Communications and the Escambia County Council of PTA's/PTSA's for recognizing these exceptional students and their families.

Cox Heroes Awards-An AMAZING Night!

Yesterday afternoon the folks from Cox Communications honored some exceptional district students.

The very nicely conducted ceremony was held in UWF's conference center, and included students, parents, dignitaries from government, and staff from Cox Communications.

4 of the 5 members of the Escambia County School Board, as well as Deputy Superintendent of Schools Norm Ross attended this very memorable ceremony.

A total of 47 students and their families were recognized.  Tears were flowing throughout the room.  People in my row, myself included, were swallowing hard and wiping tears from our eyes--these stories were soooooo touching...

One student was born with half of a heart and has had to endure multiple open-heart surgeries.  Several students had major, life altering debilitating disabilities.  Several students have lost family members.

One young student, when it was announced that he had lost his older brother, started to break down on the stage.  I broke down with him in the audience....it was heart-wrenching watching this young