Scholarship Information
May
Family and Consumer Science Offers Unique Courses
Niceville High School’s Family and Consumer Science (FCS) department offers a varied and practical curriculum which interests students at all levels.
*Did you know that freshmen can register for any of the beginning classes that are offered?
*Did you know that the FCS department has certification classes in Fashion Design, Interior Design, Early Childhood Education and Culinary Ops?
*Did you know that Gold Seal requirements can be met through the FCS department? Gold Seal graduates receive scholarship dollars for secondary education.
No matter which course a student chooses, the life skills and experiences gained will last a lifetime.
The photos below give a glimpse of students actively engaging in a few of the many programs offered through Niceville High School’s Family and Consumer Science Department.
 Gabrielle Burkett |
|
 Krystin Dodson |
 Chelsea Tondreau, Gabrielle Burkett, Alisha Pendergast, Aaron Bockover |
 Alisha Pendergast |
 Abby Warren, Kelsey Suarez |
 Chocolate covered strawberries for catering event |
 Jessica Blixt, Chelsea Tondreau |
2010 Opus One Members Announced
Choral Director Michael Dye recently announced the 2010 Opus One members at a ceremony on June 1. They are as follows: Maggie Alexander, President; Chris Dugre, Vice President, Brandon Bubel, Chase Cloutier, Jessica Erickson, Rachel Guidry, Natalie Harris, Nick Harvey, Natasha Jackson, Elle Keenan, William Kortbein, Aaron Overton, Aline Rackley, Kim Schell, Colton Schniepp, Ryan Smith, Hillary Vest and Tasha Williams.
GradTrak® by Graduation Images has an exciting offer for our graduates. We are offering students a $5 discount on any photo order over $25 when you register your email address prior to graduation.
Niceville High School
Announces the
Commencement Exercises
Thursday Evening, June Fourth
Two thousand Nine
At Seven-Thirty
Niceville High School Stadium
(In the event of inclement weather, commencement will be held
on Friday, June Fifth, at Seven-Thirty in the evening.)
Baccalaureate
Tuesday Evening, June Second
At Seven O’Clock
First United Methodist Church of Niceville
Sponsored by the Twin Cities Ministerial Association
Voluntary activity
Niceville High School’s Class of 2009 and the faculty request that all seniors, parents and guests adhere to the guidelines of proper etiquette during the graduation ceremony. The graduation ceremony is a very proud time for all of us. Many years of hard work and effort by our seniors, family members and faculty members are finally being rewarded. Improper behavior such as screams, comments, air horns, etc. can put a damper on such a wonderful event and cause the name of the next person in line not to be heard. Please be courteous and remember to use the proper decorum for this serious, joyous occasion.
All parents and guests should be seated by 7:00 p.m. The area at the top of the stadium will be roped off at 7:15 p.m. For security reasons, only NHS seniors and NHS staff members are permitted in the 600 building. Family and friends should not enter the 600 building.
Also, for security reasons, any personal items left unattended prior to the ceremony will be confiscated. No one may enter the stadium and “reserve” seats prior to the gates opening at 6 p.m.
Additional handicapped parking will be located at the north end of the stadium behind the scoreboard.
Hsiang Takes Third Place at International Science Fair
Jeremy Hsiang , a junior at Niceville High School, won Third Place in the Microbiology category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in Reno, NV on May 10-17. His project entitled “Can it Change? Characterizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa Morphology Variants and Reducing Bacterial Virulence with a Biofilm Inhibitor” was in the competition with approximately 1500 other students who came from 47 countries to present their science fair research projects. In addition to Jeremy, East Panhandle Regional Science and Engineering Fair International finalists were Stephanie Hsiang, a freshman at Niceville High School and Jeremy’s sister.
“Gathering Genius” was this year’s theme for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. While in Reno, students were addressed and encouraged by distinguished speakers such as Craig Barrett, Intel CEO; Elizabeth Marincola, Science News Publisher; Jim Gibbons, Nevada Governor; Jim Tejinder, Chief Scientist of CERN Geneva; and a panel of Nobel Lariats. Students literally “rubbed elbows” with many of the world’s leading scientists as they avoided hand shaking in an effort to reduce the possibility of swine flu transmission.
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Karcher Earns National Latin Exam Award
William Karcher, a senior at NHS, has received the National Latin Exam’s Summa Cum Laude Award for four consecutive years. This outstanding achievement is earned by students who score high marks on the National Latin Exam. The philosophy of the National Latin Exam is to provide every Latin student the opportunity to experience a sense of personal accomplishment and success in his or her study of the Latin language and culture. William will receive a certificate and an Oxford Dictionary.
Eleven NHS Students Invited to Participate
in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program
The following juniors at Niceville High School have been invited to participate in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Heather Caulkins
Chase Cloutier
Jacob Davit
Kathryn Dawson
Chris Dugre
Noah Dutram
Bethany Gugliemino
Kelly Hensley
Jeremy Hsiang
Amelia Shermer
Kalena Thomhave
In September, the National Merit Scholarship Program will announce the semi-finalists and commended students from among the list.
Anne T. Mitchell Awards Ceremony Photos Available
If any student or parent would like a copy of a photo taken at the Anne T. Mitchell awards ceremony held on April 28, please email Donnie Pridgen at pridgend@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us. There are individual photos available for most all students. You will receive the link to the photos; then you will be able to copy and save your student's picture. Senior Award night photographs will not be available. The OCSD's webmaster, Tricia Branagan, and former NHS student, Kent Nguyen, created nice links to the photos. Please provide the student’s name and grade level when making a request.
2007-2008 School Financial Report for budgeted funds
NTV would like to invite you to the Annual NHS film festival.
You will be blown away by these amazing videos.
It's free to get in and we will be giving away prizes and yummy food.
Anyone is welcome to attend.
WHAT? NHS FILM FESTIVAL
WHEN? May 7 6:00PM
WHERE? Auditorium
WHY? To have fun
Official NHS Senior Trip to Disney World
Seniors and staff from NHS traveled to Orlando April 24-26 for the Official NHS Senior Trip. Students and staff visited Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Wet n Wild and Hollywood Studios for Disney's Grad Nite. Eighty-seven seniors and nine chaperones attended. Check out the photos and the video. If you have a photo from the trip you would like to include, email it to pridgend@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us. Check out the live video recorded at Grad Nite of Katy Perry singing her hit song "Hot n Cold."
Congratulations to the Students of the Quarter! Please thank these students for their outstanding contributions to Niceville High School.
Grade |
Students |
Freshmen |
Jordan McCall |
Dillon Cole |
|
Sophomores |
Lauren Markowski |
Shreyans Patel |
|
Juniors |
Carolyn Smith |
Michael Cooper |
|
Seniors |
Jordan Ezell |
Zack Cunningham |
|
Athletes |
Kelly Hensley |
Jordan Demos |
|
Musicians |
Sarah Privette |
Chase Cloutier |
Stanley Takes 1st Place at ACT-SO Competition
Jemila Stanley, a junior at Niceville High School, won First Place in the Oratory Division at the NAACP African Academic Cultural Technological Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition which was held April 25 in the Fine Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College. Jemila will advance to the national competition in New York on July 8-13. Best Wishes in New York!
NHS Singers Earn Superior Ratings at MPA
The Niceville Singers and the select Chamber Singers earned all superior ratings April 30 in Tallahassee at the Florida Vocal Association’s North State Music Performance Assessment. All six Niceville choruses earned straight Superior ratings at the District I Music Performance Assessment in March. NHS choirs and bands have the highest ratings from all concert judges at the highest level of assessment in our state. Only a few of Florida’s music departments earn this distinction yearly. Both the choral and instrumental departments are under the auspices of the interscholastic governing body of the Florida School Music Association. Michael Dye is the Choral Director.
NHS Students Donate Over $6,000 to Children in Crisis
The Niceville High School Leadership Class recently presented Ken Hair, Children in Crisis director, with a check for $6,757.57. The Leadership Class, along with the support of ADK, a teacher honorary sorority, raised the money by organizing activities such as the Faculty Homecoming Queen and King Court and International Food Night. The check was presented at the Change for Children’s annual celebration on April 22. Representing NHS at the banquet were Dr. Linda Smith, principal; Jennifer Russell, ADK representative and Spanish teacher; Lynette Prevatte, Leadership Class teacher; along with students from the Leadership Class.
Pictured L-R: Ken Hair, Mallory Parsons, Lynette Prevatte, Dr. Linda Smith,
Jennifer Russell, Artem Volos, Ben Umpingco, and Preston Bates.
NHS Freshman to Attend Forum on Medicine
Joshua Chinnaswamy, a freshman at Niceville High School, has been accepted to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine to be held in Atlanta at Emory University in July. Founded in 1992, the NYLF is an independent, educational organization established to help prepare extraordinary young people for their professional careers. Its mission is to bring various professions to life, empowering outstanding young people with confidence to make well-informed career choices. NYLF programs are held in eight cities throughout the United States.
Joshua will be faced with critical life and death scenarios involving patients as well as making significant public policy decisions.
Jeremy and Stephanie Hsiang Recognized for Excellence at Science Fairs
Congratulations to Jeremy Hsiang who took 2nd Place in the Senior Microbiology Division of the Florida State Science Fair. In addition, he was nominated by the Florida Institute of Technology for a $40,000 scholarship. Jeremy, a junior at Niceville High School, is to be commended for his hard work and dedication. Mrs. Regina Gaskin, NHS chemistry teacher, was his sponsor. Jeremy, along with his sister Stephanie, a freshman at NHS, will be attending the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) May 9-16 in Reno, NV.
Drivers' Education Plans Finalized for Summer
Once again, Niceville High School will be offering Driver’s Education during the summer. Two sessions are offered to provide flexibility to accommodate student and family summer plans.
The first session will start on June 9 and finish on June 22. The second session will begin on June 23 and finish on July 6. Each session will last two weeks and will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. The cost per student is $125. Students should register with Ms. Allen in the Discipline Office.
Each session will hold a maximum of 38 students. Feel free to register for either one, but once one session fills up then students may sign up for the remaining slots in the other session. No exceptions to increase the maximum number of students in either session can be allowed.
Students must be fifteen years old to register; however, a permit is not required. The permitting process can be completed during class along with the drug and alcohol course. Class work will occur along with driving so every student must bring paper and pen or pencil. Driving will begin right away so students should have the proper foot wear. Sandals or flip flops are not permitted when driving.
Registration dates for the class are as follows:
Niceville High School Students Only: Tuesday, April 28th and Wednesday, April 29th - 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (first-come, first-served basis).
If space is available, home-schooled, Collegiate High School and Rocky Bayou Christian School students may register Thursday, April 30, 2009.
Congratulations to Will Karcher and Jeremy Hsiang for making the All Star Academic Team. They will compete in the State Competition on April 20-23. Go Eagles!
Information Technology Students Place in State Competitions
Congratulations to Emilee Shuman who placed 1st in Desktop Application Programming at the FBLA State Leadership Conference and Connor McKelvey who placed 5th in the State of Florida for Technology Concepts.
April
2008-2009 Hall of Fame
Front Row: Sydney Simpson, Sarah Wainwright,
Mallory Parsons, Krista Schumacher.
Middle Row: Jessica Andrews, Tess Likens, Cynthia Milum,
Spencer Agnew, Jenna Testa, Brad Koszuta .
Back Row: Taylor Houghaboom, Jonathan Lemoel,
Connor Settlemire, Jordan Ezell.
“Local Store reports many mousetraps being bought for use at NHS! Is there a rodent Problem? No, just The 2009 NHS Mousetrap Car Competition”
Our NHS Eagles will have an opportunity to demonstrate their individual engineering talents to build Mousetrap Cars. Distance competition races will be held on April 17, 20, 22 or 24 and the FINAL RACE will be on the 27th. After each day, the overall top distances will be posted. Those students will hold those places until another student surpasses that distance. Contestants are allowed to update their car and try again on another day. Local merchants will be providing some prizes for the winners for the Distance Competition to be awarded after the Final Race on April 27th.
Students can see Mr. LaRoe in room 208 on Wednesday April 15, for a WORKSHOP after school. We will go over design strategies and look at a few examples. Some parts will be available from Mr. LaRoe at cost plus shipping while supplies last. Or you may purchase your parts from local stores.
NATIONAL LATIN EXAM RESULTS 2009
The American Classical League recognized the following Niceville students for their Outstanding Performance on the National Latin Exam given in March. Seventy-six Latin students tested; the American Classical League recognized 29. More than 135,000 students worldwide took this test. These students received awards based on their performance in relation to all students. The exam covered Grammar, Vocabulary, Classical History, Geography, Mythology, Literature, and Sight Translations.
| William Karcher (12) | Gold Summa Cum Laude - Latin Poetry IV Certificate and Gold Medal |
| David Partain (10) | Gold Summa Cum Laude – Latin II Certificate and Gold Medal |
| Juliana Schmidt (9) | Gold Summa Cum Laude – Latin I Certificate and Gold Medal |
| Slade Fulmer (11) | Silver Maxima Cum Laude – Latin Poetry III Certificate and Silver Medal |
| Lauren Markowski (10) | Silver Maxima Cum Laude – Latin II Certificate and Silver Medal |
| William Kortbein (10) | Silver Maxima Cum Laude- Latin II Certificate and Silver Medal |
| Victoria Doan (9) | Silver Maxima Cum Laude- Latin I Certificate and Silver Medal |
| Tyler Szymczak (9) | Silver Maxima Cum Laude- Latin I Certificate and Silver Medal |
| Hannah Needleman (12) | Magna Cum Laude- Latin Poetry IV |
| Sawyer House (10) | Magna Cum Laude- Latin II |
| Andrew Watson (10) | Magna Cum Laude- Latin II |
| Haley Leibach (9) | Magna Cum Laude - Latin I |
| Colton Sikes (9) | Magna Cum Laude - Latin I |
| Matthew Rouse (9) | Magna Cum Laude - Latin I |
| Emily Sherman (9) | Magna Cum Laude - Latin I |
| James Yoder (9) | Magna Cum Laude - Latin I |
| Mitzy Dennis (9) | Magna Cum Laude - Latin I |
| Briana Marquardt (12) | Cum Laude- Latin Poetry IV |
| Steven Calhoun (11) | Cum Laude- Latin Poetry III |
| Nicole Granade (12) | Cum Laude- Latin II |
| Trenton Kilbey (10) | Cum Laude- Latin II |
| Spencer Vandecar (10) | Cum Laude- Latin II |
| Sara Abate (9) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
| Shawn Esin (9) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
| Mary Karcher (9) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
| Matthew Wessner (9) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
| Meagan Balding (11) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
| Leslie Greene (9) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
| Gerrod Voight (9) | Cum Laude- Latin I |
Free Practice SAT Offered
The Princeton Review will be holding its annual National Testing Days April 18 at Choctawhatchee High School. This is a unique opportunity for your students to join thousands of their peers across the country and put their skills to the test by taking a FREE full-length PRACTICE SAT under actual testing conditions. Students who complete the practice test will receive a personal, detailed score report that breaks down their performance on each section of the test and highlights their strengths and weaknesses.
Students must register to attend. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 800-2Review.
What |
Practice SAT |
When |
Saturday, April 18, 2009 |
Where |
Choctawhatchee High School |
Register |
www.PrincetonReview.com/NationalTestingDay or call 800- 2Review |
Niceville High School Alumni are invited to participate in the NHS Alumni Relay for Life Booth.
What we need:
- Area grads to volunteer to help "person" the booth the night of the relay—May 1.
- Tell your friends to come out that night and visit our booth to see pictures of our earlier years.
- Donations. Please send donations to Pam Smith at 709 Bayshore Drive, Niceville, FL 32578.
Checks should be made payable to American Cancer Society. Our fundraising goal is $2000.
Many of our graduates (and their families) have been touched by cancer so any assistance you can give will be greatly appreciated! Won't you help support our Relay for Life!
If you are interested in purchasing an honor/memory display for our alumni display, please contact Pam Smith at (850) 678-5484 or (850) 621-6135. Let's make this an annual event for the Gathering of Eagles.
For more information about the event, go to Relay for Life.
Students and parents can check out “Student Edge” to access information on college readiness and school success. It’s a free online college and career planning site. You will need to create a user name and password.
March
Parents of active gifted students are encouraged to sign-up for the new Gifted Information Email Notification System. This email system will give parents of active gifted students updated information and opportunities for their student. To register for this email notification link, click here.
Would you like to receive information
about
what's going at Niceville High School? Then sign up to receive general and senior information electronically.
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Emily Parsons Named County’s Top Artist
Emily Parsons was named the Van Porter Senior Artist of the Year during a special program at the Arts and Design Society Gallery in Fort Walton Beach on March 12. Megan Scanlan and Casey See also received honorable mention. The Okaloosa County School Board recognizes one 8th grader and one senior each year with the Van Porter award. The annual event recognizes the most outstanding artists in Okaloosa County. The students are judged on three art pieces and an essay entitled “What art means to me?”
Emily Parsons holds her “Van
Porter Artist of the Year” award
which she recently won.
Megan Scanlan won Honorable
Mention recently at the Van
Porter Artist Awards held at
the Arts and Design Society in
Fort Walton Beach.
Casey See also won Honorable
Mention on March 12 at the
Van Porter Artist Awards
Program.
Greg Mitchell Selected as Candidate for Presidential Scholar
Greg Mitchell, a senior at NHS, was recently informed by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and the United States Department of Education that he was been selected as a candidate for the prestigious U. S. Presidential Scholars Program. Greg is now eligible for selection as one of the 500 semifinalists and ultimately as a Scholar. The program was established in 1964 by Executive Order of the President to recognize some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in academic success, leadership and service to school and community.
NHS Robotics Team competes in the FIRST
—For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology—
Robotics Competition
Thirty-one teams of budding engineers and robotics enthusiasts competed in FIRST’s Bayou Regional competition held in New Orleans on March 19-21. The FIRST competition is an annual robotics competition intended to spark students' interests in science, math, and technology. The NHS Robotics team competed against 30 other teams from across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.
All the teams were challenged to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. This year's Lunacy challenge attempted to simulate low gravity by playing on a low friction surface with the robots also equipped with special low friction wheels. Teams designed and built their robots during a six week period leading up to the competitions. At the competition, all teams were grouped together in sets of three to form alliances. The goal of the competition was to get as many "Orbit Balls" in the opposing alliance’s trailers in a 140 second match.
Our team, the RadioActive Roaches, advanced to the quarterfinals where we missed moving on by 6 points (54 – 48). One of our alliance partners lost power just as the match started and was a sitting duck for our opponents.
The team is now preparing for the Mini Urban Challenge on 8 May at the Air Armament Museum.
The Advanced Placement Initiative Committee will meet at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, in the NHS Media Center.
Richard Hernandez Named National Finalist by Cox Cable
Superintendent of Okaloosa Schools Dr. Alexis Tibbetts was on hand when NHS teacher of the gifted, Richard Hernandez, received a surprise phone from Washington D.C. announcing him as one of 47 national finalists for the Cox Cable in the Classroom Educator of Year. Watch the event at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4K6NzgEn0c.
What do Ten thousand popsicle sticks and Eagles have in common? The 2009 NHS Bridge Building Competition!
Our NHS Eagles will have an opportunity to demonstrate their individual engineering talents to build bridges from only popsicle sticks and Elmer’s Carpenter’s Glue.® Jacob’s Engineering will be providing the Bridge Buster and Local Merchants will be providing some prizes for the winners for the Big Bridge Break on April 8th immediately after school. Why break the bridges? In order to actually measure the maximum weight a particular bridge can sustain, it must be stressed past the point of breaking. And . . . . it’s fun. Students can stop by Mr. LaRoe’s room 208 before or after school to pick up popsicle sticks (at cost for $1.25 for 250 grams) while they last, weigh their bridges and to pick up some tips on bridge building. Click here for more information and official rules.
The Niceville High School IT CHOICE wins top honors in the Get Into Energy Florida Competition for the Florida Energy Workforce Consortium (FEWC).
The IT program did it again—they took away 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place in the FEWC competition to create a marketing campaign that appeals to teenagers. "We had 116 students participate in the contest, but they [Niceville students] were clearly head and shoulders above the rest," stated Jennifer Grove, Gulf Power's Workforce Development Coordinator. read more
(picture compliments of T. Branagan, L-3 Communications, Web Editor)
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) has determined that seven Niceville High School students have advanced to Finalist standing in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 500 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
Congratulations to the following seven NHS National Merit Finalists:
Victoria L. Hunter
Victoria Hunter is currently president of Key Club, secretary of National Honor Society, and a flute section leader in the Eagle Pride Marching Band. She is a member of the Junior Classical League, Leadership Council and Group Advanced Placement Studies. She is active in her youth group at the First United Methodist Church of Niceville. Victoria will have successfully completed eight Advanced Placement courses upon graduating. She plans to major in international policy and then pursue a career in international law. Victoria was also voted “Most Likely to Run for President” by her classmates, though she currently has no plans to seek a place on the 2012 ticket.
William T. Karcher
William is a trombonist for the fourth year in the Eagle Pride Marching Band, leading the section as a senior. He was also chosen for the all-county band for his sophomore and junior years. He has been a member of the academic team since his freshman year and a team captain as a senior. During his junior year, the Academic Team was champion for Okaloosa and Escambia counties. William’s hobbies include computer programming and table-top, role-playing games. He will have successfully completed 13 Advanced Placement courses upon graduating. He plans to pursue a doctorate and conduct high-energy physics research. He will attend the University of Illinois in the fall.
Jonathan P. Lemoel
Jonathan has been active in the National Geography Inshore Areas (NaGISA) for four years working with lab analysis and beach collections. He is a member of the Academic Team, Science Team, Ocean Science Team, Forensics Team, National Honor Society and Key Club as a committee chair. In addition, Jonathan is president of the Junior Classical League and Student Government Association treasurer. He won first place in the Physics Division in the 2006 Okaloosa County Science Fair. He has been a varsity tennis player for four years as well. He also enjoys filming movies and creating music. Jonathan will have successfully completed 12 Advanced Placement courses upon graduating. He plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering.
Gregory A. Mitchell
Greg is very active in the Information Technology program at NHS. He has taken a variety of courses including Photoshop, programming, video editing and 3-D modeling. As a member of the Forensics Team and co-captain of the Debate Team, Greg has traveled to over 40 tournaments. He is also the programming leader for the robotics team which won the Best Rookie award at the regional tournament in 2008. Greg participates in Civil Air Patrol and holds the position of First Sergeant and the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. Recently, Greg was selected by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars as a candidate for the prestigious Presidential Scholar. He will have successfully completed 13 Advanced Placement courses upon graduating. Greg will attend Georgia Tech to study aerospace engineering.
Hannah M. Needleman
Hannah has been an active member of the NHS Eagle Pride Marching Band for four years. She was Flute Squad Leader as a junior and Flute Section Leader as a senior. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Junior Classical League. As a four-year Latin student, Hannah was named a gold medalist recognizing her performance on the National Latin Examination. She has been accepted thus far to Georgia Tech, Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Florida. Hannah will have successfully completed nine Advanced Placement courses upon graduating. Hannah plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering followed by medical school.
Erik B. Peterson
As an active member of NaGISA for three years, Erik currently serves as a dive team leader. He is a member of Key Club, National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars. Erik won second place in the Physics Division in the 2006 Okaloosa County Science Fair. He also received the New Investigator’s Award for outstanding work and the U.S. Metric Association’s best use of SI (metric) in a science fair project. Erik received the 2006 International Foreign Language award for Spanish. He was a member of the tennis team for three years, sophomore class treasurer and junior class secretary. Erik will have successfully completed eight Advanced Placement courses upon graduating. He plans to attend Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Melissa L. Whitworth
Melissa was selected as Niceville High School's Hugh O'Brian Youth Representative to attend a state-wide conference in Tallahassee when she was a sophomore. As a product of the NHS Chorus Department, she spent four years in the All-County Chorus and as a member of the Niceville Singers (traveling to China in 2006 and Italy in 2008); three years in the All-State Reading Chorus (the top 100 sight-singers in Florida); two years in Opus One as the district's top alto singer; and one year as the president of Opus One and the Niceville Chorus. Upon graduating, Melissa will have successfully completed seven Advanced Placement courses. She plans to pursue a degree in music education.
165 Advanced Placement Scholar Awards Earned by NHS Students
At NHS, eleven students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. These students are Allyssa Anderson, Mark Gipson, Esther Hsiang, Maryam Mohammed, Mark Penner, Benjamin Rast, Curtis Rood, Jean Weatherwax, Matthew Webb, Erin Welch and Forrest Williams.
A total of 154 students at Niceville High School earned 165 AP Scholar Awards by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program exams. Students took AP Exams in May 2008 after completing challenging college-level courses at NHS.
AP Scholars With Distinction
| Charles Agnew | Allyssa Anderson |
Jessica Banks |
Nolan Brooks |
Heather Caulkins |
Ann Durrenberger |
Barry Dylewski |
Allison England |
Megan Fontaine |
Mark Gipson |
Jennica Hagberg |
Stefany Holguin |
Esther Hsiang |
Victoria Hunter |
Amber Jurgensen |
William Karcher |
Robert Kasse |
Meg Larson |
Jonathan Lemoel |
Zeyang Li |
Shannon Marlow |
Briana Marquardt |
Gregory Mitchell |
Steven Mitchell |
Maryam Mohammed |
Aaron Morell |
Allina Nunley |
Mark Penner |
Kelsey Peregoy |
Erik Peterson |
Benjamin Rast |
Keagon Rhodes |
Curtis Rood |
Loring Ross |
Alex Sincore |
Alex Smailes |
Scott Smith |
Nicholas Stinnett |
Jarrod Tredway |
Kyle Ulrich |
Kisa Valenti |
Jean Weatherwax |
Matthew Webb |
Erin Welch |
Forrest Williams |
Tyler Williams |
Dana Ziegler |
Alexandra Zins |
AP Scholars With Honor
| Deborah Barnette | Justin Chisholm |
Ryan DeCarlis |
Daniel Elsesser |
Jordan Ezell |
Jennifer Flowers |
Lauren Foy |
David Gruber |
Lannie Hartley |
Ryan Hill |
Jeremy Hsiang |
Joel James |
Kathryn Jones |
Brian Kane |
Ryan Kissam |
Brad Koszuta |
Jacob Lemaster |
Katherine Merts |
Cynthia Milum |
Sarah Morris |
Joshua Murphy |
Hannah Needleman |
Amy Newton |
David Riffle |
Nicholas Sarra |
Christopher Schwantz |
Connor Settlemire |
Walter Shuman |
Michelle Sinicrope |
Alec Stanton |
Crystal Thomasson |
Travis Thornton |
Veronica Vega |
Marissa Vonlanken |
Michael Whitfield |
Melissa Whitworth |
Caitlin Williamson |
John Wohleber |
|
|
AP Scholars
| Kenneth Akins | Michelle Angeloro |
Jacquelyn Babe |
Patrick Bagby |
Shelby Baumgartner |
Jeffrey Boyer |
Natasha Braget |
Maggie Brown |
Lauralee Buchanan |
Michael Christakos |
Lisa Claybrook |
Chase Cloutier |
Christopher Coleman |
Jason Conner |
Jacob Davis |
Kathryn Dawson |
Rebecca Deyerle |
Chelsea Echols |
Kyle Fontaine |
Jordan Gaddis |
Ana Garcia |
Antonio Gonzalez |
Bethany Gugliemino |
Cale Hansen |
Sean Hearn |
Sari Hernandez |
Matthew Herndon |
Jayson Heubusch |
Kyle Hodge |
Tatum Jacobson |
Taylor Johnson |
Mark Kampfer |
Kendra Keen |
Alyssa Kittell |
Jacqueline Komninos |
Kaylyn Kraus |
Jason Lentz |
Molly Lernihan |
Tess Likens |
Ian Lindsey |
Sarah Maton |
Logan McDonald |
Coral McNabb |
Aaron Meek |
Whitney Misiewicz |
Emily Noll |
Rhamah Norris |
Melissa Nunes |
Kyle Ochsenreiter |
Emily Parsons |
Mallory Parsons |
Sean Payne |
Lindy Peek |
Kaitlin Pfeiffer |
Michael Postgate |
Steele Rackley |
Lauren Rinke |
Christopher Sankey |
Justin Santasier |
Emily Scamahorn |
Stephanie-ma Sekas |
Kristen Shaneyfelt |
Michelle Sheridan |
Bethany Soehngen |
Austin Thompson |
Taylor Tiahrt |
Seth Turner |
Cagney Valloch |
Katherine Wainwright |
Sarah Wainwright |
Lauren Walker |
Geoffrey Watson |
James Watson |
Jessa Weekley |
Kinsey West |
Marta Wetzell |
Sydnee White |
Michael Williams |
Joseph Young |
|
Annie T. Mitchell Honors Awards Program Information
Freshman, sophomores and juniors must have a cumulative weighted 4.0 grade point average in all class work through last semester. The program to honor these students will be: April 28th in the Niceville High School auditorium. The freshman and sophomore program will begin at 7:30am and the juniors will be honored at 9:00am.
A list of students that qualify will be sent to all soar teachers by March 1, 2009. Students and parents should receive their invitation by April 10, 2009.
Seniors will be honored at the Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College on May 19, 2009. The reception will start at 5:00pm and the assembly and presentation of honors will begin at 6:00pm. The dress for the program is Sunday best. A senior must have completed 3.5 credits of English, Math, Science and History and 1.5 credits of a foreign language by the end of the 7th semester of this year. Please note: courses taken in the 8th grade do not count toward honors required courses. A senior must have a weighted grade point average of 4.0-4.19 for Cum Laude, 4.2-4.49 Magna Cum Laude and 4.5 and above for Summa Cum Laude in the courses listed above. In addition, a student cannot drop or change the level of the courses that they have qualified in first semester without loosing honor graduate status.
A list of individuals that qualify will be determined by March 1, 2009. The list will be sent to all soar teachers at that time.
Parents will receive their invitation by May 1, 2009.
There will be a video of all Summa Cum Laude honorees here on campus sometime during April. The date has not been set but I will make an announcement of this occasion when I have a definite date and time. Dress will be Sunday best.
For more information contact Damon L. Landingham at 833.1054.
Niceville High School Registers Incoming Freshmen
Hundreds of students and parents from across the area recently attended our Annual Registration Night for Incoming Freshmen. NHS faculty and staff from all disciplines were on hand in the gymnasium to assist students and finalize their registration for next school year. Here are some of the highlights from the two-night event.
 Susan Rasins (middle) and her son Rick speak with Cheryl Ross, ESE and Gifted Coordinator for NHS. The Rasins are from Destin Middle School. |
 Lewis Middle School student Taylor Helvie (left) and her mother Jennifer Bradley were among many who recently attended Incoming Freshmen Registration Night at NHS. |
 A group from Destin Middle School pauses for a photo during registration night. (L-R): Linda Herrmann, Katie Herrmann, Casey Evans, Wendy Winters and Ben Evans. |
 Alicia and Miguel Booker, along with daughter Amber Washington, assist Ean Booker (right) with his registration at NHS. Ean will become a freshman Eagle in the fall. They are from the Crestview area. |
 Christy McInnis (right), assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at NHS, assists Shelli Brown and her son K. C. Brown with registration. The Browns are from Lewis Middle School. |
 (L-R) Christy McInnis, NHS social studies teacher Brooke Harrison-James, Stella Verzwyvelt and Stella’s daughter Victoria stop for a photo. Victoria attends Ruckel Middle School; she will be an Eagle in the fall. |
 Phillip Mitchell (right) is accompanied by his mom, Cydne, during registration night. Phillip is currently an 8th grader at Ruckel Middle School. |
 NHS Guidance Counselor Willie Biggs (left) talks with Dakota and Jody Woodward. Dakota will be attending NHS as a freshman. They are from the Crestview area. |
 Dr. Linda Smith, NHS principal, and John Litscher pause for a photo. John’s daughter, Marianna, will be attending NHS as a freshman. Marianna currently attends Lewis Middle School. |
 Chasity Craft (left), a senior and member of the cross-country team, talks with Courtney Testa from Ruckel Middle School. |
 Carla Von Kaenel (left) and her daughter Laurie pause for a photo with Sharon Duron, yearbook sponsor at NHS. |
 (L-R) Joyce Brand, Elaine Crump and Patricia Mixon assisted students with registration for their freshmen English classes. |
 (L-R) Regina Gaskin, Lisa Jones and Gina Emery assisted students with registration for their freshmen science classes. |
Forensics Speech and Debate
The Niceville High School Forensics Speech and Debate team took 14 students, who qualified at the Florida Forensic League (FFL) regional tournament held in February, to the FFL Varsity State Championship Tournament held March 5-8 in West Palm Beach, Florida This tournament features the best of the best in Florida which means the best, or among the best, in the United States. Only a maximum of 36 students qualify in each event for the tournament.
The results for Niceville High School are as follows:
Connor Settlemire Senior Humorous Interpretation STATE CHAMPION
Kevin Pabst Sophomore Original Oratory STATE CHAMPION
Kevin Pabst Humorous Interpretation Semi-finalist
Team of Kyle Fontaine/Nick Sarra Seniors Public Forum Debate Top 12 in the State
Team of Jacob Davis and Chris Dugre Juniors Public Forum Debate Top 12 in the State.
Here is a somewhat brief explanation of what these exceptional students do on their weekends:
Forensics is speech and debate competition. The word “forensics” is taken from the Greek which means “to prove by argumentation.” There are three main leagues in which the Niceville HS forensics team competes:
The Florida Forensic League (FFL)
The National Forensic League (CFL)
And the National Forensic League (NFL)
We compete in 12 different events throughout each school year at the local, state and national level:
Debate Events;
Public Forum Debate (2 on a team)
Lincoln-Douglas Debate (one on one)
Student Congress (Run like the United States Senate with comparable rules)
Rhetorical Events:
International Extemporaneous Speaking
Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
Oratorical Declamation
Original Oratory
Interpretive Events:
Humorous Interpretation of Literature
Dramatic Interpretation of Literature
DUO Interpretation of Literature (2 students)
Oral Interpretation of Literature
Group Interpretation (3 to 8 students)
Forensics improves writing skills, speaking skills, critical thinking skills and even FCAT, SAT and ACT scores.
Here are the names of some former National Forensic Leagues members and competitors:
James Earl Jones
Oprah Winfrey (did Lincoln-Douglas Debate)
Brad Pitt
Shelly Long (Original Oratory)
Jane Pauley (Competed in Original Oratory against Shelly Long)
Richard Nixon
Hillary Clinton
Robin Williams
Adam Sandler
Bruce Springsteen (new Jersey High School Extemporaneous Speaking Champion)
Tom Brokaw
There are many more on the list.
Who’s Who lists Forensics Speech and Debate as the answer given most often to the question: “What in your high school and or college career has helped you the most in real life?”
The NHS Forensic Team has its own list of accomplished, intelligent honors students & recent graduates of Niceville High School. Some on this list are:
National Merit Finalists:
Brianna Bikker
National Merit Semifinalists:
Mark Penner
Mark Gipson
Greg Mitchell
Nick Sarra
Matt Haemmerle
National Association of Teachers of English Writing Awards:
Connor Settlemire
Greg Mitchell
Forrest Taylor Williams (nominated)
Sunshine Science & Math Student of the Year:
Kyle Fontaine
National AP Scholars of Distinction (3 of the 12 awarded at NHS this December were former debaters on the NHS Forensic Team):
Mark Gipson
Mark Penner
Forrest Taylor Williams
AP Scholars with Distinction:
Greg Mitchell
Nick Sarra
Brianna Bikker
Connor Settlemire
Mark Gipson
Mark Penner
Forrest Taylor Williams
Leadership Students:
Jamie Gontarek
Brooke DiSalvo
Top Students in Class Rankings at various times during their high school career:
Brianna Bikker
Matt Haemmerle
Katy Dawson
All-State Chorus:
Chris Dugre
Opus Chorus
Chris Dugre
All-State Band:
Katy Dawson
If you are interested in joining the forensics speech and debate team, contact Charlie Williams,
Niceville High School Forensics Speech and Debate Coach
Leadership Council to Host International Food Night
International Food Night is a fundraising event hosted by the NHS Leadership Council and scheduled for March 16 from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. All the proceeds will go to the "Children In Crisis."
Clubs and organizations from NHS will have their own table with varieties of food from all over the world. So come and join us for a fun, interesting, and very tasty evening.
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from Mrs. Prevatte in room 614.
Niceville High School’s AP Initiative Resources Committee will be meeting on Thursday, March 12, at 2 p.m. in the Media Center.
Advanced Placement students have received their school leave forms which are required for the AP exams in May. Please promptly complete the form and send it back to your AP student’s teacher no later than Friday, March 13. A school leave form is required for each AP exam. If you have any questions, email Donnie Pridgen at pridgend@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us.
Current 8th graders at Ruckel, Lewis and Destin Middle Schools who have not registered to attend Niceville High School in August should see their 8th grade counselor no later than Wednesday, March 4, for registration forms. Courses are currently being built so it is imperative that we have accurate numbers as soon as possible. You may call our Guidance Department at 850.833.4114 ext. 1312 if you have additional questions.
Local Dentist Offering Free Laptops
Dr. Nakaiye, of Cedar Pearl Dentistry in Crestview, would like to Pay It Forward! Let us know about your random act of kindness and you could win a new Compaq laptop! You must be 18 or younger; live in Okaloosa, Walton, or Santa Rosa County; do a good deed for someone or for the community without receiving anything in return for this deed. The deed must be able to be verified. You must also write an essay telling us about it. You cannot be affiliated with any of the staff of Cedar Pearl Dentistry.
Contest Dates |
|
| Entry deadline: | Winner Announced: |
| April 15, 2009 | April 29, 2009 |
| July 6, 2009 | July 22, 2009 |
| October 6, 2009 | October 21, 2009 |
| December 4, 2009 | December 16, 2009 |
For more information visit their Web site at www.cedarpearldentistry.com.
February
Any sophomores interested in joining the National Honor Society must attend an informational meeting with Mr. Reichard in room 302 after school Wednesday, February 25 or Friday Frebruary 27.Niceville High School’s Minority Council will be hosting a talent show in the NHS auditorium on Friday, February 27, 2009, from 6:30 – 8 p.m. Please join us for evening of entertainment and fun.
9th Grade (2009-2010) Registration Information
Curriculum Guide (pdf)
We are anxiously awaiting our registration night assemblies and helping you in this exciting transition to Niceville High School!
The Curriculum Guide (pdf) that is listed here on our website has had some minor changes since your student received it at their middle school, so we encourage you to browse through it prior to your evening arrival on February 24 (Destin and Lewis) or February 26 (Ruckel) for our registration assembly. Please remember that you are to bring your Curriculum Guide (pdf) with you to the night assembly with the registration form completed on page 33.
On Thursday, February 26, we will host Ruckel Middle School in Two Sessions. Last names beginning A-M will attend at 6:00 in the auditorium and be released to go to the gym by 6:15. Last names beginning N-Z will report to the auditorium at 6:45. By the time the second group is released from the auditorium at 7 p.m., the first group should be finishing in the gym.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
10th-12th Grades (2009-2010) Registration Information
Curriculum Guide (pdf)
Amazingly, it is already time to begin the registration process for the 2009-2010 school year! We have had an outstanding year thus far and are very proud of our students for their continuous progress that often exceeds our expectations!
Due to the budget constraints that we are facing, we will not be printing copies of our new Curriculum Guide (pdf) for individual students. You may access the guide here on our school Web site from your home computer or you may sign in at our Attendance Office and we will gladly allow you to visit our Media Center to obtain internet access. Also, if it is more convenient for you, the Niceville Public Library has a computer center as well.
We would like to continue to remind you of the ever-increasing number of students applying for college and the competitiveness of the college admissions process. As we are consistently told by college admissions offices, one of the major considerations in the admissions process is the rigor of courses taken while in high school.
We look forward to conferencing with our current juniors and their parents on February 18th/19th and with our current freshmen and their parents on February 25th/26th. SOAR conferencing letters containing your appointment time should be received in the homes soon.
Current 10th graders will be participating in the registration process during their SOAR homeroom and throughout the coming days in their current classes.
As always, parents are strongly encouraged to read the Curriculum Guide (pdf) with their student and assist in the decision-making process.
On Tuesday, February 24, we will host Destin Middle and Lewis Middle Schools. We will begin at 6:00 in the auditorium with a brief welcome and overview of the process that will be followed in the gym. Any other students who are considering attending NHS as a freshman in the fall are welcome to come on either evening. Zoning waivers will be available.
FBLA Students Advance to State Competition
Congratulations to the following students for their success at the FBLA District Competition.
All of them will move on to the state competition in Orlando. Michelle Cook is their advisor.
Place |
First Name |
Last Name |
Category |
1st |
Danielle |
English |
Computer Applications |
1st |
Emilee |
Shuman |
Desktop Programming Application |
1st |
Jennifer |
Barsky |
Digital Video |
1st |
Sara |
Poremba |
Digital Video |
1st |
Jack |
Prettyman |
Digital Video |
1st |
Sarah |
Talty |
Introduction to Technology |
1st |
Jaime |
Jordan |
Sports Management |
1st |
Whitley |
Jones |
Word Processing II |
2nd |
Hannah |
Alamo |
Desktop Publishing |
2nd |
Whitley |
Jones |
Desktop Publishing |
2nd |
Tyler |
Yanik |
Sports Management |
2nd |
Connor |
McKelvey |
Technology Concepts |
2nd |
Brooke |
Jones |
Web Design |
2nd |
Andrea |
Todd |
Web Design |
2nd |
Matthew |
Stover |
Web Design |
2nd |
Jessie |
Barth |
Word Processing I |
3rd |
Alex |
Starrett |
Business Calculations |
3rd |
Courtney |
Perry |
Desktop Publishing |
3rd |
Jaime |
Jordan |
Desktop Publishing |
4th |
Leanna |
Bass |
Business Law |
4th |
Timothy |
Berger |
Personal Finance |
4th |
Mark |
Felins |
Public Speaking II |
5th |
Gonzalo |
Yubi |
Business Law |
Congratulations to our dazzling dance team for taking first place at the "Cheersport National Cheer and Dance Championship" this past weekend.
Congratulations to Jim Evans for being selected as Okaloosa District’s Senior Outstanding School Volunteer. The staff and faculty at Niceville High School appreciate his service to our school and community. He will be recognized by the Superintendent and Board members on February 23 at 4 p.m. in Crestview. He will also represent our District in the Region I competition later in the year.
Joshua Hoover recently attended the Culinary State Competition in Orlando in the "Waiter Relay" and was awarded an astounding 5th place out of 20 different teams!
To vote for the calendar of your choice, follow these steps:
1. Logon to www.okaloosaschools.com.
2. Click on the “Vote for the 2009-10 School Year Calendar” link located near the top of the page.
3. Enter your student’s ID number (the same number used for viewing your student’s grades; if you do not know this number, call NHS at 833.4114).
4. Select the calendar of your choice and click “Submit.”
5. Click “Exit” to return to the school district’s home page.
Eglin Officers’ Spouses’ Club
Scholarship and Charitable Association (pdf format)
High School Scholarship Application
- This application must be returned to the School
Guidance Office no later than April 14, 2009
NHS Takes 3rd Overall in 2009 JCL Regional Forum
The Niceville Junior Classical League fielded a team of 28 Latin students against the Northwest Regional high schools on February 1st; Niceville placed 3rd overall. Keith Stafford is the faculty sponsor for JCL.NHS Varsity Football Team Banquet
Monday February 2, 2009 -
6:00 pm
Niceville Community Center
Congratulations to Jeff McInnis, Niceville High School Class of 1996, for his success on Bravo's Top Chef! Read his bio
New Personal Check Policy for District
The Okaloosa County School District has elected to use a new company to recover returned checks. No longer will the district or school staff arrange for the repayment of checks returned for non-sufficient funds. Federal Automated Recovery Systems (FARS) will be responsible for the electronic collection of non-sufficient fund checks turned in to any school or District account.
The District will gladly accept your checks. When you provide a check as payment, you authorize FARS to either use information from the check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction. You also authorize FARS to collect a fee through an electronic fund transfer from your account if your payment is returned unpaid. Please the following information on your check: full name, street address and phone numbers.
Krista Schumacher chosen as Niceville's Exchange Club Student of the Month
Congratulations to Krista Schumacher for being chosen as Niceville’s Exchange Club Student of the Month. Krista is a senior at NHS. Pictured left to right: Grant Meyer, NHS Assistant Principal, Krista, and Carol Mullins, Niceville Exchange Club.
NHS Takes 3rd Overall in 2009 JCL Regional Forum
The Niceville Junior Classical League fielded a team of 28 Latin students against the Northwest Regional high schools on February 1st; Niceville placed 3rd overall. Keith Stafford is the faculty sponsor for JCL. The following are our winning students:
Karly Hicks 1st Prose Comprehension, 1st (T) Poetry Comprehension
William Kortbein 1st Grammar II, 1st Greek Derivatives II
Hannah Needleman 1st (T) Poetry Comprehension, 3rd Latin Literature Adv
Slade Fulmer 1st Vocabulary Adv, 3rd Grammar Adv, 3rd Certamen Adv
Stephanie Hsiang 1st Grammar I, 2nd Derivatives I
Victoria Hunter 2nd Derivatives Adv, 3rd Hellenic History Adv,
5th Standing Broad Jump
Briana Marquardt 2nd Greek Literature Adv, 4th Hellenic History Adv
Alex Smailes 2nd Heptathalon Adv, 3rd Certamen Adv
Carolyn Smith 2nd Latin Literature Adv
Kevin Pabst 2nd Grammar II, 3rd Vocabulary II
Nathan Busovne 2nd Heptathlon II
Bellina LeMoel 3rd Hellenic History Adv, 4th Greek Derivatives Adv
Gabrielle Bikker 3rd History of the Empire II
Nathan Ritterband 3rd Grammar I
Justin Adolph 4th Customs Adv, 3rd Friscus Throw
Hunter Browning-Smith 4th Greek Literature
Jaime Jordan 4th Heptathlon Adv
Emily Day 4th Greek Literature II
Sawyer House 4th Vocabulary II
Molly Everitt 5th Vocabulary II, 1st 100 M Dash, 3rd Mile Run
Yana Young 5th Classical Art
Lacey Csaszar 2nd Mile Run, 3rd 100 M Dash, 2nd Friscus Throw
Michael Andrews 4th 100 M Dash
Mike Williams 1st Standing Broad Jump, 4th Mile Run
Team Events
3rd Adv Certamen (Slade F, Hannah N, Alex S, Jonathan L)
2nd 400 M Mixed Relay Mike Williams, Michael Andrews, Molly Everitt,
Yana Young
2nd Tug-o-War Slade Fulmer, Jordan Davis, Justin Adolph,
Lacey Csaszar, Carolyn Smith, Emily Day
2nd Human Chariot Stephanie Hsiang, Slade Fulmer, Justin Adolph,
Michael Andrews, Jordan Davis
3rd Human Chariot Victoria Hunter, Mike Williams, Alex Smailes,
Hunter Browning-Smith, Jonathan LeMoel
4th Atalanta’s Race Hannah Needleman, Alex Smailes
5th Atalanta’s Race Victoria Hunter, Slade Fulmer
January, 2009
The 2008 PSAT/NMSQT score reports are here and have been returned to your student, along with their original test booklet. Students are able to review the questions and their answers to identify their skills and weaknesses. For additional assistance, My College QuickStart is an easy-to-use, online, personalized college and career planning kit available free of charge to all students who take the PSAT/NMSQT. This useful tool incorporates student responses that were provided when they took the test, and it presents their data back to them in four main parts: My Online Score Report, My SAT Study Plan(TM), My College Matches, and My Major & Career Matches. Access is available using the access code printed on the student's paper score report and the tool can be utilized throughout high school. Take a tour of My College QuickStart at http://www.collegeboard.com/quickstart.
www.collegeboard.com/psattools also offers resources to help you with the next steps. You will find resources to interpret test results, plan for college or careers, and to help prepare your student for the SAT. You will also find other useful links to assist you and your student in making the most of PSAT results. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Biggs at: 833-4114 ext 1331.
Advanced Curriculum Information Night PowerPoint Presentation
School Meal Prices Will Increase on Jan. 20th
The School Board has approved meal price increases for all Okaloosa District schools. The price changes will become effective on January 20, 2009.
The Florida Prepaid College Plan enrollment deadline is January 21, 2009. To learn more or enroll, visit www.myfloridaprepaid.com or call 1.800.552.4723 to order an enrollment kit.
2008 - 2009 All-State Chorus Members
Alexander, Maggie
Barnette, Deborah
Bubel, Brandon
Cloutier, Chase
Coatsworth, Caleb
Dugre, Chris
Foley, Cari
Francis, Jordan
Guidry, Rachel
Harris, Natalie
Harvey, Nick
Helms, Jonathan
Hohman, Justin
Keenan, Elle
Kortbein, William
McLelland, Bayleigh
Musgrove, Braxton
Overton, Aaron
Owens, Michael
Schell, Kim
Schniepp, Colton
Simpson, Sydney
Smith, Ryan
Tredway, Jonathan
Whitworth, Melissa
Zins, Alex
First Semester Exam Schedule (pdf format)
NHS Plans Advanced Curriculum Information Night for
Middle School Parents and Students
We would like to invite the students and parents from Lewis, Ruckel and Destin Middle Schools to Niceville High School for an Advanced Curriculum Information Night on Tuesday, January 6, from 6 until 7 p.m. in the NHS auditorium. This will be an opportunity to learn about the advantages of taking Advanced Placement (AP) and Academic International Certificate of Education (AICE) courses during high school and what to expect from advanced courses. This presentation will focus on 8th grade students about to enter NHS; however, please feel free to bring any students from grades 6 through 8 so they may also begin preparing for a more rigorous academic high school track.
Currently, gaining admission to the college or university of a student’s choice is a highly competitive process. It is extremely important to remember that the number one factor colleges and universities use to determine whether or not to accept a student is the number of college prep courses (such as AP or AICE) a student takes during grades
9-12. In addition to a brief overview of the advanced curriculum programs offered at NHS, we will present some practical information on how these advanced courses can benefit you and your student.
After the presentation, we invite you to be our guests at the NHS vs. Tate HS boys’ basketball game being played in our gymnasium. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday evening, January 6. We will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.
December, 2008
Six Additional NHS Teachers Become NBPTS Certified
L-R: Jodi Maker (science), Becca Childress (math), Gordon Rahmes (history), Melody Kortbein (math), Allison Marello (English) and Kim Escoffier (English) recently received their certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. NHS now has a total of 17 National Board certified teachers.
AP Scholars Recognized on Dec. 16
Superintendent of Okaloosa Schools, Dr. Alexis Tibbetts, was the guest speaker at our annual AP Recognition Program held last Tuesday night. Current students and 2008 graduates celebrated their successes in Niceville High School’s Advanced Placement Program. The 165 AP Scholars who were recognized and awarded certificates included eleven National AP Scholars. AP Scholar Michael Postgate performed one of his original songs and AP Music Theory teacher Lois Van Dam provided piano music before and after the program. Okaloosa County District staff, NHS teachers, parents and students enjoyed refreshments following the ceremony. Below are photos from the event.
AP Scholars Recognition |
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Kortbein Receives Leadership Award
Congratulations to William Kortbein for receiving the Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Award. The mission of the HOBY program is to motivate and empower individuals to make a positive difference within our global society through understanding and action based on effective and compassionate leadership. The core values of a HOBY award are volunteerism, integrity, excellence, diversity and community involvement. William, a sophomore at NHS, will attend a conference in Tallahassee next May for all HOBY recipients from Florida.
NHS Student Experiences Zero Gravity
William Kortbein recently took the ride of a life time on G-Force One, a specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft designed to provide the feeling of zero gravity. William won the opportunity through a promotional competition while visiting NASA. This is the identical weightless flight experience used by NASA to train its astronauts and used by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks to film Apollo-13.
Haemmerle and Vanegas Nominated for Chelco Program
Katie Haemmerle and Miguel Vanegas, both juniors at Niceville High School, have been nominated to enter Chelco’s Youth Tour Program. Chelco sponsors the annual contest for high school juniors that allows deserving students to compete for a free week-long trip to Washington, D.C. Electric cooperatives all over the country hold this contest that was inspired by Lyndon Johnson in 1957 when he was a senator. That year, electric cooperatives in Texas began sending groups of young people to Washington to work during the summer in Senator Johnson’s office and learn more about their government. The program is designed for young people to increase their understanding of rural electric cooperatives, become familiar with the historical and political environment of the nation’s capital, visit elected officials and meet students from all over the country. CHELCO is a member-owned electric cooperative that serves the energy needs of approximately 45,000 homes and businesses in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Katie is editor of the school newspaper and a member of the lady’s eagle basketball team. Miguel is also on the newspaper staff and a member of the men’s soccer team. They were nominated by Donnie Pridgen.
ATTENTION PARENTS AND STUDENTS:
Pre-Approved Notes Required for Check-Out on Dec. 18
Students planning to check out on Thursday, December 18, must get their notes pre-approved no later than noon on Wednesday, December 17. Parents may call the Attendance Office (833.4114 ext. 1) now through noon on December 17 to get check out notes pre-approved. Students will not be allowed to call for check outs on December 18 except for emergencies. Students will be dismissed at 12:40 on December 18
School Meal Prices Will Increase on Jan. 20th
The School Board has approved meal price increases for all Okaloosa District schools. The price changes will become effective on January 20, 2009.
The meal prices are as follows:
Elementary Paid Breakfast $0.85 to $1.10
Secondary Paid Breakfast $1.00 to $1.25
Adult Breakfast $1.25 to $1.50
Elementary Paid Lunches $1.85 to $2.10
Secondary Paid Lunches $2.00 to $2.25
Adult Lunches $2.50 to $3.00
There is no change to the reduced meal prices at this time as these are set by federal regulations and are not published until after July of every year.
Reduced breakfast is $0.30 and reduced lunch is $0.40.
Yearbook Information
The yearbook order deadline has been extended to Dec 18. Order forms are in the office and in room 503. A $25 dollar deposit guarantees you will receive a yearbook. Total cost of the yearbook is $80. It is also possible to order the yearbook online through the publisher www.yearbooksonsale.com. Ms Duron, the yearbook advisor, can be reached via email if you have any questions. Her school email is durons@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us.
Senior Information Regarding Yearbooks
The deadline for Personal Ads (seniors only) for the Yearbook has also been extended to Dec 18. Order forms are available in the office and in room 503.
~Senior Directory forms were distributed December 2. Please fill out the form with a message that you would like to have in the yearbook. Turn in to your SOAR teacher or to room 503 no later than Dec 15.
~Senior Superlative forms were also distributed December 2. Seniors are to choose one boy and one girl from the senior class who, in your opinion, fits best into each superlative category. Turn in to your SOAR teacher or to room 503 no later than Dec 8. Ms Duron, the yearbook advisor can be reached via email if you have any questions. Her school email is durons@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us.
2009-2010 Calendar Meeting Scheduled
Dr. Alexis Tibbetts, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools, announces that a parent/teacher committee will hold a public meeting to receive input on the development of the student calendar for the 2009-2010 school year. Any person interested in attending is encouraged to bring ideas for the calendar with them to this meeting. The meeting will be held on the following date at the time and location as indicated below:
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Time: 4:30 pm
Location:
Nutrition Center Conference Room
202-B Hwy 85 N
Niceville, FL 32578
Advanced Placement Scholars to be Recognized on Dec. 16
Please plan to join us for our annual Advanced Placement Recognition Program. All Advanced Placement Scholars from the May 2008 testing session will be honored and awarded certificates on Tuesday, December 16, at 4 p.m. Letters of invitation were mailed on December 4th. Refreshments will be served. We look forward to seeing you!
Angie Wilkins was recently selected by the non-instructional
staff of Niceville High School as “Support Person of the Year.”
Angie has been employed at NHS for the past 10 years and is
currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in education at
Northwest Florida State College. She plans to become an
elementary school teacher. Congratulations, Angie!
NHS Chorus Presents Annual Holiday Concert
The Niceville High School Choral Music Department will present their annual holiday concert. This is one of the finest area holiday concerts you can attend!
The Choral Music Department’s holiday concert, "A Season of Song," will be held on Monday, December 15, at Northwest Florida State College in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. The house will open at 7:00 PM for the 7:30 PM Concert.
“A Season of Song” will feature a candlelight procession with the chorus performing J.S. Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and the concert will conclude with G.F. Handel’s “Hallelujah” from Messiah. Other holiday favorites will include “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “White Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “Deck the Hall” as well as many other holiday standards.
Tickets are $15.00 each andcan be purchased at Bayou Books in the Oak Creek Shopping Center, the Eglin ITT Office, the ticket box office at Northwest Florida State College, or on-line at http://www.mattiekellyartscenter.org.
The NHS Women’s Soccer Team will hold a yard sale on Saturday, December 13, from 8 a.m. until noon in front of the NHS band room. Please stop by and support our outstanding women’s soccer players.
Richard Hernandez Chosen Teacher of the Year
The faculty of Niceville High School recently selected Richard Hernandez as “Teacher of the Year” for 2008-2009. He currently teaches four classes of Gifted Education, one World History Honors and one American History Honors class. In addition Hernandez sponsors the Japanese Anime Club and Chess Club.
He also directs the the NaGISA project at Niceville High School which serves as a model for similar NaGISA High School Initiatives world wide. The NaGISA High School Initiative at NHS is a student- run organization with faculty mentoring assistance and is affiliated with the 50-year NaGISA biodiversity study of the world’s coastlines and the close-in waters to a depth of 20 meters.
Hernandez, a veteran teacher of Okaloosa County and Niceville High School, holds a Bachelors of Art in History and Masters in Education in Broad Spectrum Social Science.
Fudpucker’s Announces School Booster Program
The Fudpucker School Booster Program is one of the simplest fund raisers in which you will ever participate. The best part is there is no selling involved!
- Fudpuckers provides the customized discount coupons to each school for redemption at either of our locations. Cards may be picked up from Ms. Woodcock in the Main Office.
- The student lists their organization on the back of the card in the space provided and hands them out to parents, family members, and friends,.
- The card holder presents the card at the beginning of their visit to Fudpuckers and receives a 10% discount at Fudpucker’s (cannot be used in conjunction with other specials/discounts/coupons).
- That 10% savings is donated back to the school along with a report designating the breakdown by organization. The more cards redeemed, the more money Fudpucker’s donates back to the schools.
- The school that raises the most money in their category (elementary, middle, and high), will receive matching funds from Fudpucker’s.
- The program is valid through February.
Earn Christmas Cash
Would you like an opportunity for you or your child to earn some extra cash for Christmas? The University of Florida would like for you to participate in a research survey. The information is contained in the two links below, This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in what teens think about money.
Parent Survey Teen Survey
Holman Signs with Texas Pan American
Ijanae Holman, a senior at Niceville High School, has extended her volleyball career by recently signing with the University of Texas-Pan American, a division one school in Edinburg, TX. Pictured L-R: Coach John Hicks, athletic director; Dr. Linda Smith, principal; Kris Hagberg, Ijanae’s volleyball coach; Tonya Holman and William Holman, Ijanae’s parents. Ijanae and her sister, Talia, are seated.
Kyle Fontaine Named Okaloosa Sunshine State Scholar
Kyle Fontaine, a senior at NHS, has been selected to represent Okaloosa County in the 2009 Sunshine State Math and Science regional competition. Kyle is to be commended for his stellar accomplishments in the fields of math and science and for his dedicated service to his school and community. Kyle was selected from among four Okaloosa District nominees. He will participate in the regional competition on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 and if selected as a regional scholar, will compete in the statewide competition on March 7-10, 2009.
Connor McKelvey Wins Logo Contest
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Niceville High School CHOICE IT student, Connor McKelvey, designed the winning Florida Virtual School “Votes” logo for their Web site. Connor McElvey created the winning logo for an election initiative at the Florida Virtual School. His logo won first place out of 73 state-wide entries and was selected by a board of FLVS teachers.
Florida Virtual School American History Instructor Nancy Hale and CHOICE IT Specialist Patti Bonezzi surprised McElvey during his Web design IV class Wednesday afternoon. Hale congratulated the junior, and handed him a bag full of promotional items from the school.
Connor is currently taking Networking II, a class which he takes after school as an "eighth period", and Web Design IV. He has already earned four national industry certifications so far, and plans to take five CHOICE IT courses next year.
(okaloosaschools.com)
Niceville's Paint-N-Color Makes Generous Donation
Niceville’s Paint-N-Color store has generously donated paint for the refurbishment of one of our student centers. We appreciate the generosity and help from Niceville’s only paint store, Paint-N-Color. Stop in at 1043 John Sims Parkway and tell them “thanks” for helping out in our community.
NHS Announces 2008-2009
All-State Chorus Members
November, 2008
Dr. Sharon Richardson, NHS guidance
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NHS Welcomes New Guidance Counselor
Dr. Sharon Richardson is the newest member to the NHS faculty. Dr. Richardson will be our new guidance counselor for students whose last name begin with P through Z. She has eight years of experience in Okaloosa County and nine years as a guidance counselor. She has a daughter who also attends school in our district. Her husband is retired from the Air Force.. Dr. Richardson is replacing Ms. Claudia McEachern who retired in October. We welcome her to Eagle Country!
Artwork by Dylan Marshall Influenced by Anime
By Gabrielle Bikker
Niceville High School has many talented artists, but some are yet to be discovered. Dylan Marshall, a junior at Niceville High School, is passionate about his work. “Dylan is extremely creative and very artistic. His diligent practice is evident as I see his work getting more and more impressive,” said Christal Pruitt, NHS teacher.
Art comes in many great forms: cartoon, realistic, impressionist and even abstract. As for Marshall, there is not one specific influence on his art; however, he often is influenced by anime and goth-like artwork. “I like to draw cartoons best because it’s a lot like the animations,” said Marshall.
Marshall’s favorite piece of work is his drawing, Gundom. This drawing is a realistic, cartoon-like drawing of a robot that tells the story of war. “I enjoy drawing pictures of war, robots and things like that,” said Marshall. When Marshall is an adult, he would like to be either an anime designer or a movement designer.
Cole Early, NHS senior, wins $1000 for his performance
at the NWFS Competition.
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Cole Early to Perform with NW Florida Symphony Guild
Cole Early, a senior at Niceville High School, won the Senior Division of the Northwest Florida Symphony Guild’s 22nd Annual Concerto Competition. The Guild only allows one high school student from northwest Florida to enter. Cole performed the Concerto in D Minor, Opus 69 (by Molique) with his flute at the competition on October 18, 2008 at the Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College. In addition to receiving $1000, he will perform with NW Florida Symphony on February 20 at the NWFL Arts Center.
Allyssa Anderson Scores Highest in the Nation on AICE Exam
Allyssa Anderson, a 2008 graduate of Niceville High School, has gained the highest mark in the United States in the June 2008 Cambridge International Examinations for General Paper. Allyssa was also one of ten AP National Scholars from NHS. She currently attends the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Allyssa is to be commended for her outstanding accomplishments!
Congratulations to the Students of the Quarter!
| Sarah Gold | Freshmen |
| John McDorman | |
| Branden Ta | |
| Taylor Boisjolie | Sophomores |
| Sarah Talty | |
| Hayden Meyer | |
| Halee Sommer | Juniors |
| Blake Hinely | |
| Nels Nelson | |
| Krista Schumacher | Seniors |
| Connor Settlemire | |
| Sidney Simpson | Musicians |
| William Kortbein | |
| Taylor Tiahrt | Athletes |
| Roy Finch | |
| Lynn Prevatte | Teacher |
| Joe Brown | Non Instructional |
NHS Students Win at Destin Arts Festival
 Jonathan Yubi and Alison Steadman display their artwork with NHS Principal Dr. Linda Smith. Both students tookhome ribbons from the Destin Festival of Arts show on Oct. 25. |
Jonathan Yubi and Alison Steadman both took home ribbons and certificates from the 13th Annual Destin Festival of the Arts held on October 25, 2008. Jonathan received First Place in the Student Division for his pen and ink drawing. Alison received Best in Show in the Collaborative Division for her photography entry. The art show was sponsored by the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation. The NHS art teacher for both students is Ms. Cheri Mulhearn.
NHS Eagle Gets Opportunity to Soar
 (l-r) Ryan DeCarlis, NHS Asst. Principal Grant Meyer, Will Morgan and Justin Chisholm. The three NHS Cadets participated in Meyer’s flight preparations. |
Niceville High School Assistant Principal Mr. Grant Meyer had an experience he will not soon forget. On Friday, October 24, he received a taste of what it is like to be a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force.
Mr. Meyer’s journey began one week in advance when he took part in EGRESS training, which provides crew members practice for handling emergency situations that could arise during a flight. He also had to pass a medical exam to ensure his body could withstand the physical demands of an F-16.
NHS ROTC Instructor Colonel Ron Westenbarger and three ROTC Cadets, as well as Mr. Meyer’s family, accompanied him to the pre-briefing and were able to be part of the preparations, take off and return of Meyer’s one-hour flight onboard the F-16. Colonel Plumb of the 46th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base was the pilot who flew with Meyer on Friday. “It was an extraordinary opportunity of a lifetime that was full of adrenaline,” said Meyer after his flight.
He now has another perspective of the military. “Because we live in a military community, it is valuable to be able to relate personal experiences with students who may be interested in a military career.” Meyer is also a former U.S. Army infantryman.
The Lady Eagles Golf Team members are Regional Champions! They will compete at the state level the week of October 27 - 31!
The Lady Eagles Volleyball team recently won the Southeastern Challenge
in Tampa as well as our local Jean King Classic held at NHS.
Catholic Forensic League Tournament Results
Hosted by NHS on Saturday, October 18
Fort Walton Beach High School, Choctawhatchee High School, Marianna High School and Niceville High School participated.
Winners from NHS are listed below.
Original Oratory
Danielle Fox Freshman First Place
Oral Interpretation
Jenny Jesse Senior First Place
Alex Smailes Senior Third Place
DUO Interpretation
Aislinn BaileyKevin Pabst Sophomores First Place
Carlene Benke/Rhamah Norris Senior/Junior Third Place
Dramatic Performance
Connor Settlemire Senior First Place
Regan Demsey Freshman Third Place
Student Congress
Tyler Corbin Junior Second Place
Extemporaneous Speaking
Alyssa Kittell Junior Second Place
Public Forum Debate
Greg Mitchell/Nick Sarra Seniors First Place
Kyle Fontaine/Alyssa Jesmain Senior/Soph Second Place
Jacob Davis/Chris Dugre Juniors Third Place
The team will be traveling Oct. 30th to the University of Florida to attend the prestigious Blue Key Forensics tournament. Charlie Williams is the Forensics Speech and Debate coach
October, 2008
Five NHS Students Chosen for All-State Reading Chorus
Niceville High School’s Choral Music Department is proud to announce that Melissa Whitworth, Sydney Simpson, Jonathan Tredway, Natalie Harris and Maggie Alexander have earned a seat in the 2009 Florida Vocal Association’s All-State Reading Chorus.
The Reading Chorus, Florida’s most prestigious all-state choral ensemble, is selected by head-to-head competition from singers statewide. Names of the top 100 music sight-readers were recently released. The Reading Chorus will practice and perform in January at the 2009 Florida Music Educator’s Association’s convention in Tampa. Michael Dye is the director and Leah Brown is the accompanist.
Two NHS Students Receive National Award for Excellence in Writing
 Connor Settlemire (center) receives the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Writing. NHS English teacher Jennifer Sjostrom (left), who nominated Connor, and NHS principal Dr. Linda Smith (right) present him with a certificate. |
 Greg Mitchell (center) receives the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Writing. NHS English teacher Patricia Mixon (right), who nominated Greg, and NHS principal Dr. Linda Smith (left) present him with a certificate. |
Greg Mitchell and Connor Settlemire have received the Award for Excellence in Writing given by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in recognition of excellence in writing by high school juniors. Mitchell and Settlemire are two of only 525 students in the nation selected for the award, as well as the only students from Okaloosa County. These two outstanding seniors have demonstrated not only superior ability but also notable versatility in writing. Greg was nominated by his junior English teacher, Ms. Patricia Mixon and Connor was nominated by his junior English teacher, Ms. Jennifer Sjostrom. The NCTE also commended the English Department at NHS for their part in producing outstanding writers.
For more information contact
Donnie Pridgen
pridgend@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us
Are you under 18 years of age and want to vote?
Channel One News, the preeminent news and content provider for teens, reaching more than six million students in middle schools and high schools across the country, recently announced the launch of “One Vote 2008,” marking the network’s fourth run of the largest student mock-election held in advance of the national Presidential election. Students will be able to cast their One Vote ballot at www.OneVote.com from October 20 through October 24, with election results to be announced on October 29.
OneVote enables students 18 and under to cast a vote for the President of the United States and share their opinions on the issues that matter most to them. Plus, it helps teens personally understand their civic responsibility. Lean about the rights and freedoms Americans enjoy through the electoral process and realize how much of a say they have in the future. Check out www.OneVote.com for complete coverage of the election and other news.
National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists The 2009 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists are pictured above. L-R: Hannah Needleman, Jonathan Lemoel, Victoria Hunter, Gregory Mitchell, Melissa Whitworth, Erik Peterson and William Karcher. |
Victoria Hunter, William Karcher, Jonathan Lemoel, Gregory Mitchell, Hannah Needleman, Erik Peterson and Melissa Whitworth have all been named Semifinalists in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Corporation Program (NMSC). These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $35 million, that will be offered next spring. The NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Program. Scholarships are underwritten with its own funds and by approximately 500 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence. We congratulate these outstanding Eagles for their accomplishment.
College Board designates 162 NHS Students as AP Scholars
One hundred and sixty-two students at Niceville High School have earned the designation of 2008 AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program exams. NHS showed dramatic increases over 2007 in the number of students earning this honor.
About 18 percent of the more than 1.3 million high school students in 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.
Students took AP Exams in May 2008 after completing challenging college-level courses at NHS. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on the student’s performance on AP exams.
At NHS, ten students qualified for the prestigious National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. These students are Allyssa Anderson, Mark Gipson, Maryam Mohammed, Mark Penner, Benjamin Rast, Curtis Rood, Jean Weatherwax, Matthew Webb, Erin Welch and Forrest Williams. This represents two more National Scholars than in 2007.
“AP Scholars commit themselves to achieve far beyond the requirements of high school. They know the value of rigorous courses that stimulate them intellectually, and they understand the kind of preparation needed for success in our nation’s most prestigious universities. The real measure of the success of AP Scholars is not just that they enter universities with nine or more credits, but that they continue to thrive in extremely competitive institutions and programs of study,” said Dr. Linda Smith, NHS principal.
Forty-eight students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. This shows a 2% increase over 2007.
Thirty-eight students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. This represents a 58% increase over 2007.
Seventy-six students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher. This is an increase of 10% over 2007.
“Our AP Program is open to any student who is willing to accept the challenge,” said Donnie Pridgen, AP Coordinator. “More and more students are realizing the benefits of taking an AP course.”
Currently 1,441 AP exams will be given at NHS in May 2009, a 15% increase over the number of AP exams given in May 2008.
Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement, or both based on successful performance on the AP Exams. More than 1,400 institutions award a full year’s credit (sophomore standing) to students presenting a sufficient number of qualifying AP scores.
For more information contact:
Donnie Pridgen
pridgend@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us
AP Information Night Scheduled for Oct. 14
We would like to invite you to our annual Advanced Placement Information Night on Tuesday, October 14, from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in the NHS auditorium. This will be an opportunity to learn about the advantages of taking AP courses during high school and what to expect from an AP course.
In addition to a brief overview of the AP Program, we will present some practical information on how AP courses can benefit you and your student. At about 6:00, our AP teachers will be available to answer any individual questions that you may have.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday evening, October14. We will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m.
College Board designates 161 NHS Students as AP Scholars
One hundred and sixty-one students at Niceville High School have earned the designation of 2008 AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program exams. NHS showed dramatic increases over 2007 in the number of students earning this honor.
About 18 percent of the more than 1.3 million high school students in 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.
Students took AP Exams in May 2008 after completing challenging college-level courses at NHS. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on the student’s performance on AP exams.
At NHS, ten students qualified for the prestigious National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. These students are Allyssa Anderson, Mark Gipson, Maryam Mohammed, Mark Penner, Benjamin Rast, Curtis Rood, Jean Weatherwax, Matthew Webb, Erin Welch and Forrest Williams. This represents two more National Scholars than in 2007.
“AP Scholars commit themselves to achieve far beyond the requirements of high school. They know the value of rigorous courses that stimulate them intellectually, and they understand the kind of preparation needed for success in our nation’s most prestigious universities. The real measure of the success of AP Scholars is not just that they enter universities with nine or more credits, but that they continue to thrive in extremely competitive institutions and programs of study,” said Dr. Linda Smith, NHS principal.
Forty-seven students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. This shows a 2% increase over 2007.
Thirty-eight students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. This represents a 58% increase over 2007.
Seventy-six students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher. This is an increase of 10% over 2007.
“Our AP Program is open to any student who is willing to accept the challenge,” said Donnie Pridgen, AP Coordinator. “More and more students are realizing the benefits of taking an AP course.”
Currently 1,441 AP exams will be given at NHS in May 2009, a 15% increase over the number of AP exams given in May 2008.
Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement, or both based on successful performance on the AP Exams. More than 1,400 institutions award a full year’s credit (sophomore standing) to students presenting a sufficient number of qualifying AP scores.
For more information contact:
Donnie Pridgen
pridgend@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us
Congratulations to the Girls’ Cross Country Team
The team placed 1st out of 15 teams at the Wildcat Invitational in Pensacola!
Laura Nelson placed 5th
Chanelle Cox placed 6th
Abby McCool placed 13th
Lauren Eschbach placed 19th
Casey Luzius placed 25th
Taylor Adams placed 30th
Kristin Denison placed 37th
Friends of the Media Center
 Dr. Peavy’s Early Childhood Development Class is providing the bulletin board each month for the Media Center. |
The Media Center would like to thank the Student Government for providing the daily subscriptions to the following newspapers: USA Today, Pensacola News Journal and the Northwest Florida Daily News and an online subscription to the Northwest Florida Daily News.
The Media Center is grateful for the generous support of the Niceville High SAC. Through their generosity current fiction and nonfiction books have been ordered which support our curriculum.
Finally, the AP finance committee will fund the Student Resource Center database. Student Resource Center features:
Full-text articles from more than 700 magazines and newspapers, updated daily
More than 1.7 million full-text magazines and newspaper articles
More Than 45, 000 biographies, criticisms, essays and overviews
More than 15,000 photos, maps, and graphics
21, 000 timeline references
Hours of audio and video clips
This data base maybe accessed at www.infotrac.galenet.com ;
Username: NICE90882;
Password:NICE90882.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
CONCERNING PROGRESS REPORTS
Due to an error in printing the 1st nine weeks progress reports, there will be a delay in sending them home. Progress reports went home on Tuesday, September 23.
As part of the Okaloosa County School District’s paperwork reduction initiative and pending School Board approval, this will be the last time that paper copies of progress reports will be sent home. For future reference, parents are encouraged to utilize the Parent Internet Viewer to see their student’s progress in classes. If at any time you need access to a computer to view your child’s grades, please feel free to sign in at our Attendance Office and you will be directed to the NHS Media Center.
For details on how to log on to the PIV, please read below. You will need your child’s 10-digit student identification number which can be found on previous report cards, schedules, or other official school documents.
- Log on to www.nicevillehighschool.org or www.okaloosaschools.com
- Under “Quick Links” on the left side of the page, click on “Grades Online”
- The “User Name” is the 10-digit student number
- The “Password” is the last 4 digits of the 10-digit student number
- Select the school “Niceville High School”
If additional assistance is needed, please call 833-4114.
Homecoming 2008
Niceville will be celebrating their Homecoming game on Friday, October 3. The parade will be begin at approximately 6 p.m. before the game. The parade will be held around the track. Come enjoy the floats and banners and see this year's Homecoming Court as they are introduced during half-time and the King and Queen crowned.
NHS Homecoming Court
2008
Freshmen
Peyton Snyder Anthony Provost
Sophomores
Gina Mork Trenton Kilbey
Juniors
Lindsay Foy Robert Smith
Seniors
Mallory Parsons Spencer Agnew
Krista Schumacher Tyler Dunaway
Rachael Stalnaker Michael Postgate
Kacey Ziegler Alec Stanton
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Under the Sea
Homecoming Dance 2008
Saturday-October 4 OWC, K building
8:00-11:00 p.m.
Tickets Advanced Tickets sales only
$10
September 29-October 3
During Lunch
Dress
Girls Dressy, Sunday dress etc.
Guys Dress shirts and tie, dress slacks
No tee shirts, shorts or flip flops.
Must be dressed appropriately to gain entry.
Notice
Because Niceville High School offers such a large selection of courses within academic disciplines, sometimes a faculty member will teach one or more periods outside of the specific area of their certification. The following teachers are pursuing additional certification, waiting on their certification documents to arrive via mail, or will be taking the appropriate certification area test later this year:
Regina Gaskin German (1 period)
Marcia Thompson Reading (1 period)
Susan Lipnicky ESOL (1 period)
Laura Creighton ESOL (1 period)
Stephanie Cyr ESOL (3 periods)
Amy Holt ESOL (1 period)
Donna Ellis Reading (5 periods/certificate applied for)
John Martin DCT (5 periods)
Open to NHS students and alumni only. NHS ID and ticket will be required.
C-SPAN’s Campaign 2008 Bus Stops at NHS
C-SPAN’s Campaign 2008 Bus made a stop at Niceville High School on Tuesday, September 23, as part of its “Road to the White House” Tour.
With the 2008 election season in full swing, C-SPAN's two Campaign 2008 Buses are currently traveling across the country following candidates on the campaign trail. The 45-foot Buses are equipped with mobile multi-media demonstration centers and TV production units that can be used as studios during live programs, such as C-SPAN's Washington Journal. This allows C-SPAN the opportunity to interview students, authors, journalists and politicians aboard the buses from anywhere in the country.
The Campaign 2008 Bus is continuing its educational mission with a focus on middle and high schools and first-time voters, offering presentations about the political process and C-SPAN's unique coverage of politics to students. “This is an opportunity for students to relate what goes on in the classroom with real world events and that makes it particularly valuable,” said Gordon Rahmes, NHS Social Studies Department Chair. For educators, the Bus provides seminars on how to use the C-SPAN Classroom.
The Campaign 2008 Bus also promotes and enhances C-SPAN's extensive coverage of the historic 2008 presidential race. The "Road to the White House" tour includes stops at major political events in battleground states and tours of state capitals. The Bus will stop in Pensacola on Wednesday and then head to Oxford, MS for the McCain and Obama presidential debate.
Swim Team Starts Season with Great Success
The Niceville High School swim team has begun its season with a new coach, returning seasoned swimmers and many new swimmers. Ms. Kathy Ritacco is the new head coach for the swim team. “This team is a very exciting group of swimmers that are willing to do anything to get better and fill their school with pride,” said Coach Ritacco of her new team.
Ryan DeCarlis, Garrett Martino, JJ Ott, Christian Ritacco and Jack Wohleber are the senior co-captains of the boys’ swim team. Shelby Baumgartner, Lindsey LeBeau and Brittney Ringler are the senior co-captains of the girls’ swim team.
The swim team has already successfully competed in four meets with many of the swimmers improving on their personal times and contributing to the team’s overall standing. First-year swimmer David Clauson stated of his first high school meet, “They [the pentathlons] are fun and pretty strenuous.” David improved his time in all of his events during the pentathlons. Senior Shelby Baumgartner reported, “My 50 [yard] butterfly lost one or two seconds. The butterfly and breaststroke are my main [events]… I’ll loose some more time… at least two more seconds.”
There are only three more meets left in the season before the district, regional, and state meets. Ross Spock, one of the fastest swimmers in Okaloosa County and the only Niceville student to qualify for state last year, stated, “I feel that I have do my best. Otherwise, I feel I’ll let down the team.” Ross’ winning attitude and dedication is a good reflection of the whole team. NHS principal Dr. Linda Smith, who was able to attend the swim meet on Saturday, September 13, said “The dedication it takes to get up at four in the morning and be in the water by five is absolutely incredible. I am so proud of all of you!” This year promises to be another great swim season.
(Garrett Martino contributed this article.)
All juniors and seniors interested in joining the National Honor Society must attend an application information meeting on Wed. Sept. 17, or Friday Sept. 19, in Room 302 after school. See Mr. Reichard if you have any questions.
FIC Cards Given to Students on September 15th
FIC cards will be sent home with students on Monday, September 15. Please ask your child for his or her FIC card Monday night. The instructions for completing and signing the cards are located on the back. Our school’s federal funds are directly related to the FIC cards; therefore, it is extremely important that you or your student return the FIC cards in a timely manner. Ms. Bridget Allen would like to thank parents and students for their overwhelming response last year in returning the FIC cards promptly. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Allen at 833-4114 x1196.
All juniors and seniors interested in joining the National Honor Society must attend an application information meeting on Wed. Sept. 17, or Friday Sept. 19, in Room 302 after school. See Mr. Reichard if you have any questions.
September, 2008
NHS Earns A from Florida Dept. of Education
NHS was formally presented with its “A Award,” the highest
academic ranking that can be earned by a Florida Public School,
on August 29th at the NHS vs. FWBHS Kickoff Classic.
NHS has earned an “A” from the Florida Department of
Education for the past four consecutive years. Receiving the
award for NHS was Christy McInnis, NHS assistant principal.
Open House will be held Monday, September 15, from 5-7 p.m.
Parents and students will report to their SOAR homerooms at 5 p.m. and then follow their class schedules with 10 minutes in each class. We look forward to seeing you at 5 p.m.
eKnowledge Corporation and NFL Players Extend
Multi-Million Dollar SAT/ACT Program Donation
August 18, 2008: Atlanta, GA eKnowledge Corporation and a group of National Football League players have decided to extend their multi-million dollar free donation of SAT and ACT PowerPrep test preparation programs valued at $200.00 to military service members and their families for another year. Those who request the free SAT/ACT products pay only a small fee to package, process and ship the products anywhere in the world.
Some of the patriotic NFL players who pledged to support the eKnowledge donation program include: Jon Bradley (Detroit Lions), Scott Young (Philadelphia Eagles), Garrick Jones (Calgary Stampeeders), Corey Williams (Green Bay Packers), Jason Radar (Miami Dolphins) and Ahmaad Galloway (Frankfurt Galaxy).
Now in its fourth year, this generous eKnowledge/NFL player donation effort has delivered more than 100,000 free SAT/ACT test preparation programs valued at $20 million to military service members and their families worldwide. One parent wrote back saying, "My son used the PowerPrep Program and increased his SAT score by over 300 points and received an appointment to the United State Air Force Academy. My daughter will now be able to benefit in the same way my son has; thank you"!
Charlie Beall, CEO of eKnowledge Corporation and a former Marine infantry officer, said in a recent interview: "Several years ago, we learned that many of our active duty military service members were returning to civilian life and taking the SAT and ACT exams, but they were not scoring very well. The principal reason was because they were trying to take these college entrance exams without thorough preparation. Most of them could not afford to purchase an expensive SAT/ACT test prep course or program. So eKnowledge, with the support of a group of NFL players, decided to provide the SAT/ACT PowerPrep Programs free to military service members and their dependents. We're proud of our men and women in uniform and appreciate their sacrifice for our Country—it was the right thing to do for them," Mr. Beall said.
All active duty military service members, veterans and their dependents who would like to receive this free eKnowledge SAT/ACT PowerPrep program should visit the new website www.eknowledge.com/district.asp. Requests can also be made by directly contacting eKnowledge at 951-256-4076 or email support@eknowledge.com.
Adam Jenson, Sponsorship Coordinator
adamJ@eknowledge.com
Board Approved Calendar
2008 - 2009 School Year
School pictures for students in grades 9 - 11 will be taken on Tuesday, Sept 9 during English Class. If a student does not have an English class at Niceville High School please contact Susan Campbell in guidance to make arrangements. This is the photo that will be used in the school yearbook.
Taylor Reid Haugen
The students and staff of Niceville High School extend their thoughts and prayers to the family of Taylor Reid Haugen who passed away Saturday, August 30, 2008, after he was tragically injured in a football game on Friday night.
Taylor was a member of the Niceville High School junior varsity football and wrestling teams, National Honor Society, Key Club and NaGisa dive team. He was also a member and volunteer at the First United Methodist Church of Niceville. Prior to NHS, he was a member of the Lewis Middle School marching band and football team and secretary of the National Honor Society. He was also a PAL soccer referee.
Taylor was loved by all and he touched many lives. He loved football, weightlifting, scuba diving and running and never ran out of energy. He will be greatly missed.
Sign Taylor's guest book at Heritage Gardens.
NHS Students Receive AICE Certificates
Forty-one students at Niceville High School received passing scores on their AICE Thinking Skills or General Paper exam last May. The Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) is an international pre-university curriculum and examination system administered by the Local Examinations Syndicate at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Like an AP course, students take the AICE exam at the end of the course and, depending on their score, possibly have additional credit(s) to apply toward college. Three current students who received certificates are pictured below.
 Jonathan Helms, |
 Kyle Fontaine (left) is presented |
 Morgan Campbell, an NHS |
|
August, 2008
NHS vs. FWBHS
Catch Niceville vs. Fort Walton Beach in the 2008 Kickoff Classic tonight at 6:45 p.m. at 98.1 FM or log onto www.thenewfishradio.com. Arty Goodman will be your host along with guest game analyst Taylor Noon, NHS Class of 2008.
Important Dates
Monday, August 11th - Friday, August 15th - Students can continue to register and rent lockers in the Attendance Office. Locker fees: Freshmen: $5.00; Sophomores: $15.00; Juniors: $10.00; Seniors: $5.00. Parking permits will also be available in the Discipline Office. Cost: $20.00.
Wednesday, August 13th - Students can pick-up schedules in the Niceville High School Auditorium from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 14th - Students can pick-up schedules in the Niceville High School Auditorium from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 14th - Ninth grade and New Student Orientation, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Students are to report to their SOAR homeroom. Students will walk their schedule and meet their teachers. Students can also test their lockers during this time.
Monday, August 18th - Students first day back to school! School begins at 7:00 a.m. All students are to report to their SOAR homerooms.
Join Us for Meet an Eagle Night
Meet an Eagle Night will be August 22 from 6-8 p.m. with a scrimmage at 8 p.m. Booths will include a cake walk, moon walk, soda bottle ring toss, 50/50 raffle, football toss, lollipop pull, putt-putt, go-fish, basketball, hair painting, face painting and dunking.
The Eagles will be on the field for autographs and pictures from 6-7 p.m. There will be a passing contest for all kids.
Admission is $3.00
NHS Seniors Earn Almost 10 Million in Scholarships
Graduating seniors from the Class of 2008 earned $9,988,266 in academic and athletic scholarships. Seniors received from $500 to $387,000 in individual scholarships which totaled almost $10,000,000. These scholarships represent the hard work and dedication from the students and staff at NHS. Congratulations!
DRESS CODE INFORMATION FROM THE
OKALOOSA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
With respect for individual expression and fashion trends, parents are primarily responsible for their student’s appropriate grooming and attire while attending NHS. In adopting a code of student dress, however, it is the intent of the School Board to insure that a student’s personal hygiene, appearance, or attire is such that it does not disrupt or interfere with the educational process or endanger the health or safety of others. Moreover, a direct relationship exists between dress/conduct and success in school. If in doubt, please don’t wear it!
The administration reserves the right to modify the Dress Code Guideline to determine what might be disruptive and unsafe.
Failure to adhere to the appropriate school dress attire will result in disciplinary actions:
Dress Code Guidelines:
- Extremes in attire, hairstyle, make-up, and jewelry are discouraged. Jewelry that contains any type of sharp objects or chains hanging are not permitted. Hair must be neat and clean and must not interfere with the student’s vision.
- Shoes must be worn at all times.
- Shorts, Skirts, dresses must be within 3” of the kneecap.
- Clothing with cuts, holes or extreme slits are not permitted.
- Pajamas, house slippers, trench coats are not permitted school attire.
- Clothing bearing inappropriate slogans or pictures is not permitted (i.e. alcohol, drugs, racial remarks, sexual connotations, gangs, or violence).
- Hats or head coverings such as visors, bandannas, sweatbands etc are not to be worn in the buildings.
- Facial hair is not permitted. Students may obtain a shaving waiver form from their grade level administrator. School shaving waiver forms must be completed by a physician stating student’s medical condition. Student Identification Cards with approved waivers must be carried by student all times while on campus and when attending school sponsored activities.
- Male sleeveless tops, female low cut tops which expose cleavage, thin-strapped tops (less than 2” wide), strapless tops, and similar shirts, blouses or dresses are not permitted. The midriff must be covered while standing or sitting, and undergarments are not to be exposed at anytime.
FCAT results show Niceville High School at the Top
FCAT scores released on June 10th show NHS leads the district in math, reading and science.
Niceville High School—The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) results were released by the Florida Department of Education early Tuesday morning. The scores show that Niceville High School earned top ranking in all areas when compared to the District’s other four traditional high schools.
In mathematics, 91% of the 541 sophomore students tested scored at Level 3 or higher. (A student who scores at a Level 3 or higher is considered proficient in that subject area.) In reading, 61% of the 543 students tested scored at Level 3 or higher. The science scores show that 65% of the 500 juniors tested scored at a Level 3 or higher.
“Students reap the benefits from good solid teaching by our instructional staff. The implementation of specialized programs and scheduling are also an intricate part of the success of our students,” said Christy McInnis, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction.
OWCC Charter High School is the only other high school in Okaloosa County showing higher marks than NHS. The Collegiate High School, which screens students for admission, tested 70 students in reading, 72 in math and 86 in science.
More detailed information will be forthcoming as the FCAT results continue to be analyzed.
PARKING PERMITS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
Parking permits will be sold on July 28 and 29 for seniors only. On July 30, parking permit sales will be open to all students who possess a valid driver's license. Times for sales on all three days will be from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In order to obtain a parking permit, students must present a current driver's license, the tag number of the car to be permitted, and owe no money to the school for unreturned books, uniforms, etc.
Eagles NEST
(register and read more...)
The Eagles NEST (New Eagles Soaring Together) is a new initiative to introduce our freshmen students to the experiences and challenges of their years at Niceville High School. The Eagles NEST symbolizes how the Class of 2012 are entering an exciting and important phase of their life – High School.
Much of their future success will depend on the efforts and choices they make starting now - academically and socially. To help them get their high school career off to the right start, all freshmen are invited to attend an exciting Summer Transition Program.
What? The Summer 9th Grade Eagles NEST
Where? Niceville High School
When? Tuesday, July 29-Thursday, July 31
8 am – 2 pm (breakfast and lunch provided)
Next Steps? Please return your application form to
NHS by June 3, 2008.
Need More Call NHS at (850) 833-4114 ext.1193
Information? or email
rogersc@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us
(After June 3, please contact Mrs. McInnis at NHS
at 833-4114, ext. 1360 or via email at
mcinnism@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us )
The Summer Eagles NEST Transition Program will include lots of important information and activities. All students who attend will meet their classmates of 2012, have some fun, learn about high school life and discuss graduating with a plan for the future. Every 9th grade student in attendance will receive an Eagles NEST t-shirt, a freshman handbook, a journal and other school items just for participating.
In addition to the information about high school life and opportunities, there will be team-building activities, an ice cream social, a pizza party and other exciting events.
Reserved Season Football Tickets
Anyone who holds reserved season football tickets may purchase them on August 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, or 12 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Main Office at Niceville High School. On August 14 at 8 a.m. any remaining reserved season football tickets will be available for the general public on a “first come” basis. Contact Margo Higdon at 850.496.1690 for additional information.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Watch all the ntvnew
morning shows on
"watchntv.com"
Web site!
LINKS
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Once you click on any one of the following links, you will leave this Web site. Please note that we are not responsible for any content posted on these Web sites or the design of these Web sites.
ATTENTION PARENTS!
It is vital that you inform the school of any
home or cell phone number changes.
Having a current phone number is important
for your child's safety. Please call Ms. Allen
at 833.4114 X1196 to verify that we have the correct contact information on file.