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Three Okaloosa Students Named Finalists in the 2024 Florida Space Art Contest
The Okaloosa County School District is thrilled to announce that three talented students have been selected as finalists in the 2024 Florida Space Art Contest, a statewide competition for K-5 students. With nearly 2,600 entries from across Florida, the contest challenged students to design Florida’s future spacesuits. Okaloosa County finalists include: •Jason Ritnour, a second-grade student at Kenwood Elementary School•Vanessa Wesbur, a second-grade student at Wright Elementary School•Isabella Wesbur, a
The Northwest Florida Ballet announces Season 55
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) announces Season 55, a celebration of five and a half decades of excellence in performing arts, which includes Lightwire Theater’s Dino Light at Grand Boulevard and The Nutcracker and Cinderella at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center featuring live music by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (NFSO). The 2024-2025 season begins with Lightwire Theater’s Dino Light, sponsored by Grand Boulevard’s Coastal Culture Art, Entertainment and Events on Sat., Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at
NFB Pre-Professional Program, Company and Trainee Auditions
Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Pre-Professional Program (PPP), Company and Trainee auditions are now open for the 2024-2025 season. Auditions will take place on May 11 at the main studio building in downtown Fort Walton Beach and are by reservation only. Trainee auditions will take place from 9:00 am to 10:30 am, and auditions for the Pre-Professional and Company programs will be conducted from 11 am to 12:30 pm. Company auditions are open to students entering the eighth grade and up with no less than
Twelve Okaloosa County Schools Designated as “Schools of Excellence” by the Florida Department of Ed
On Friday, March 29, 2024, ten Okaloosa County District Schools, along with two charter schools, were designated by the Florida Department of Education as “Schools of Excellence” for the 2022-2023 academic year. The Schools of Excellence program was established by the Florida Legislature in 2017 under HB 7069 to recognize and reward Florida’s highest-performing schools. The program aims to promote continuous improvement and provide administrative flexibility to the state’s top schools so they can maintain
Auditions for NFB Académie 2024-2025 Academic Year Scheduled for April 20 & 21
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Académie is now taking audition appointment reservations for the 2024-2025 academic year. All auditions will take place at the NFB Studios, the Sybil Lebherz Center for Dance Education, located at 310 Perry Avenue SE in Fort Walton Beach. Incoming third-grade students will audition on April 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and April 21 from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Incoming fourth-grade students will audition on April 20 from 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Appointment reservations are required
Cox Recognizes Inspirational Student Heroes in Okaloosa County
Yesterday, Cox Communications hosted the annual Cox Inspirational Student Hero Awards in Okaloosa County, recognizing 37 students who have overcome extreme hardships in their lives. The Heroes were recognized at a ceremony on Wednesday, May 10, at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. “Hearing the struggles these students have endured reminds us how difficult life can be, but our response to those adversities is what really matters,” said Cox Gulf Coast Market vice president David Deliman. “It’s
Auditions for NFB Company, Trainee & Pre-Professional Program Scheduled for May 13
Auditions for the Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Company, Trainee and Pre-Professional Program (PPP) will take place on May 13, at the main studio building in downtown Fort Walton Beach. Trainee auditions will take place from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and auditions for the PPP and Company programs will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Company auditions are open to students entering the eighth grade and up with no less than six years of formal ballet training and two years of pointe experience for
Auditions for NFB Academie Scheduled for April
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Académie is now taking audition appointment reservations for the 2023-2024 academic year. Auditions for incoming third-grade students will take place on April 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and April 23 from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Incoming fourth-grade students will audition on April 22 from 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Appointment reservations are required and must be made by 2 p.m. on April 20 for all auditions. All auditions will take place at the NFB studios, the Sybil Lebherz
Support NFB: Year End Giving & Peter Pan Tickets
Happy Holidays, Friends! I hope this finds you well and that your holiday season is off to a wonderful start. First and foremost, thank you for your dedication and support of the Northwest Florida Ballet. I also wanted to update you on a terrific opportunity to consider for your year-end giving. As you may know, we initially kicked off our Académie Classroom Capital Campaign just before the pandemic and temporarily suspended it until last year, when we reinitiated it. Below you will find out how to access
Northwest Florida Ballet's 43rd Annual Production of The Nutcracker
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) proudly presents The Nutcracker on Fri. and Sat., Nov. 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 20 at 2:30 p.m. at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. In its forty-third year, NFB’s The Nutcracker remains the only full-length version of the classic holiday fairytale in the area and features live musical accompaniment by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (NFSO) under the direction of NFB Music Director David Ott. “Returning to the Mattie Kelly Arts Center stage is always
