The Tivoli Historical Society held its Annual Black History Parade in Defuniak Springs on Saturday, February 17, 2018.  This year's parade included the Walton County School District's EPIC Van, and was one of multiple activities held to celebrate February as Black History Month. The parade route ended in food, fun, and fellowship at the Tivoli Complex, formerly Tivoli High School - Home of the Tivoli Tigers. 

Tivoli High School, currently the home of the Walton County School District Administrative offices, wasn’t the first black school in Walton County, but it was the first high school.

According to documentation by the Tivoli Historical Society, the Tivoli was an elementary and junior high school from 1908 until 1935.  It was one of the more than 5,000 Rosenwald Schools, which were schools built in the south, predominately for the education of African American children.  The program was the result of a partnership between Julius Rosenwald, president and part owner of Sears, Roebuck and Company, and African American educator, author and presidential advisor, Booker T. Washington.  There were two other Rosenwald schools in the area in Argyle and Bruce Creek.  The school became Tivoli High School in 1935, adding a grade level each year until 12^th grade was finally added in 1937-38.  By 1958, the total enrollment for Tivoli was 424 students.  The school had an active athletic program, with an award winning football team, as well as a marching band. 

“Tivoli High School was the heart of the black community,” said Eddie Williamson, President of the Tivoli Historical Society, Inc.  “We’ve had engineers, architects, lawyers and doctors graduate from this school…and we love to bring back our alumni so they can see all that we have accomplished.”

The Tivoli Historical Society, Inc. works tirelessly to keep the memories of life at Tivoli School alive.  They have an active tutorial program for African American students in Walton County, and also have a scholarship program to provide opportunities for continued education after high school graduation.  The Tivoli Historical Society has also created a museum located in the main Tivoli School building at 145 Park Street, Defuniak Springs, Fl.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.  Pictures courtesy of Laura Smith.

SWHS Health Science Academy students completed Bio-hazardous Waste Clean-up, First Aid, Basic Life Support CPR, and clinical rotations at Somerby Assisted Living Facility during their Nursing 3 course. Special thanks to the South Walton Fire Department life guards who volunteered for a student training day of CPR.

Submitted by Tammy Sasser - SWHS Health Science Academy Instructor.

Third grade students at Mossy Head School created their very own junkyard wonders, inspired by Patricia Polacco’s book, The Junkyard Wonders. Students were challenged to use recycled materials, such as toilet paper rolls, bubble wrap, pipe cleaners, and leftover sheets of paper, to create a new purpose for the recycled“junk.” This activity provided students with a hands-on opportunity to understand the central message from the book: Every thing and every person has the potential to be something wonderful for those who choose to look!  Submitted by Allie Lee Blanton.

Student-created goals are a tremendous part of learning at Walton Middle School.  In classes throughout campus, students craft measurable and attainable goals and strive to reach them.  On Thursday, February 15th, district leaders conducted a School Improvement site visit.  Several articulate Warriors chatted with district leaders about their personal learning goals, discussing how and why they set their goals and what specific steps they were taking to achieve them.  These conversations exemplified meaningful learning at WMS.  Submitted by Kristen Nelson.