Students Showcase Craftsmanship in FWBHS Tiny House Preview
Fort Walton Beach High School’s Building Trades program recently hosted district leaders, school board members, business owners, and community guests for an exclusive first look at its student-built tiny house — a project that continues to turn heads across Okaloosa County.
Visitors toured the under-construction home and met the FWBHS Project Management group, which will represent the school at the 2026 NAHB International Builders’ Show® in Orlando this February. Students demonstrated professional-level skills in carpentry, electrical, plumbing and finishing work, all part of a program designed to prepare them for real-world, high-demand careers.
“Our Building Trades students are gaining real-world skills that directly translate into high-demand careers, and this tiny house project is a remarkable example of hands-on learning at its best,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “Supporting their journey to the International Builders’ Show is not just an investment in a trip; it’s an investment in the future workforce of Okaloosa County.”
The preview also kicked off the program’s official fundraising campaign. While the tiny house will ultimately be completed, inspected and sold to support the program long-term, the immediate goal is getting these students to Orlando.
“This tiny house is a true workforce-development project where our students are learning to become tomorrow’s skilled trades professionals,” said instructor James Martin. “Seeing our district leadership and the business community walk through a home our students are building from the ground up… means everything to these kids.”
Principal Lindsey Smith echoed that pride, adding, “This project represents the very best of Fort Walton Beach High School: innovation, dedication and a commitment to high-quality career and technical education.”
Businesses or organizations interested in sponsoring the trip, donating materials or receiving early information about the completed tiny house may contact Mr. Martin at James.Martin@okaloosaschools.com .
Big Green Machine at the Final Four
At the time of this printing, Superintendent Chambers was celebrating Choctawhatchee High School’s thrilling football postseason, sharing on Nov. 28:
“Congratulations to the Choctawhatchee High School Big Green Machine for pulling off an incredible upset! … This victory wasn’t just about the score — it was about grit, heart and determination.” The 31-28 road win over No. 1 seed St. Augustine sent Choctaw into the FHSAA 4A Final Four.
Chamber Brings National Civics Bee to Okaloosa County
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce — presented by Eglin Federal Credit Union — is partnering with the U.S. Chamber Foundation to bring the 2026 National Civics Bee® to Okaloosa County.
Middle school students will compete through a written essay and live regional, state and national competitions, with the local event set for April 2026 at Beachside Church. National finalists will compete for cash prizes, recognition and a $100,000 529 education savings plan contribution.
“As the first chamber of commerce in Florida to register and host the National Civics Bee, everything about the planning process was new,” said Chamber President/CEO Ted Corcoran. “This year, we’re eager to see even greater engagement from students, schools, and sponsors.”
The essay portal is open now through Feb. 3, 2026. Details: nationalcivicsbee.org.
Choctaw Students Build Life Skills Through Reality Check
Approximately 80 Choctawhatchee High School juniors and seniors participated in the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation’s 4th Annual Reality Check, a hands-on financial literacy simulation held Dec. 3 and sponsored by Origin Bank.
Students were assigned careers, salaries and family scenarios before navigating stations for housing, utilities, insurance, transportation and more. The goal: understand the real costs of everyday life.
Principal Michelle Heck said the students rose to the challenge sharing their impressions:
Ryan Taporco, Senior: “It was an eye-opening experience… to make practical decisions on wants and needs with the given salary and budget.”
Abby Heck, Junior: “It was a great real-world experience for opportunities and decisions we will encounter once we graduate high school.”
The event was supported by more than a dozen community partners, volunteers, educators and military members.
Fort Walton Machining Featured in FSU InSPIRE Manufacturing Month
Fort Walton Machining — a longtime leader in precision manufacturing and defense support — is a featured partner this fall in Florida State University’s InSPIRE initiative, highlighting high-tech workforce pathways in Northwest Florida.
As part of expanded Manufacturing Month programming, FSU launched new “Choose Your Adventure” virtual tours, including an inside look at Fort Walton Machining’s 65,000-square-foot facility and its 140-member skilled workforce. Students can explore workstations, complete guided challenges and submit solutions to industry experts.
“Our region is undergoing an exciting evolution, and we’re helping teachers prepare students for the rising demands in industry, education and the trades,” said Carrie Meyers, Co-Director of STEM Outreach, Education and Workforce Development.
InSPIRE aims to build a talent pipeline for aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing careers — with industry partners like Fort Walton Machining at the center.
Thanksgiving Recycle Run Collects 520+ Pounds of Food
More than 375 runners and walkers kicked off Thanksgiving morning at the Northwest Florida Track Club’s annual Recycle Run, donating over 520 pounds of food to Sharing & Caring in Fort Walton Beach. Participants contributed a $10 entry fee and non-perishable items, supporting Sharing & Caring’s emergency food services. In the spirit of sustainability, runners selected T-shirts and trophies recycled from past events. Donations will stay local, supporting the nonprofit’s food assistance programs on Beal Parkway.
Photo caption: NWFL Track Club President Drew Crete and Race Director Brian McMahon
Smalls Sliders Opens New Fort Walton Beach Can
Fort Walton Beach can now “slide thru!” Smalls Sliders® officially opened its newest Can this month at 822 Beal Parkway, marking the brand’s sixth Florida location.
The celebration included a ribbon cutting with Arc of the Emerald Coast, the Can’s Smalls Town Hero. “We’ve felt so much local support this year… and we’re proud to finish the year strong here in Fort Walton Beach,” said a representative from DPC Smalls Investments. “Smalls is all about bold flavor and supporting the community.”
Smalls Sliders has grown rapidly nationwide with its fresh, cooked-to-order cheeseburger sliders, fries, shakes, queso and fan-favorite Smauce®. Its bright Smorange™ walk-up/drive-thru Can stands out as the brand continues expanding across Florida. Learn more at smallssliders.com.
Forever Warriors Donates $50,000 to Support Mission United
United Way Emerald Coast has received a significant $50,000 investment from Forever Warriors, powered by Step One Automotive Group, benefiting Mission United, which serves active-duty military members, veterans, reservists and their families.
The support has already provided more than $10,000 in emergency financial assistance and supplied 5,000 pounds of food during a recent distribution event.
Mission United connects local military families with housing support, mental health services, employment resources and emergency assistance. Since launching in 2023, it has served more than 5,000 service members and veterans across Okaloosa and Walton counties.
“We are deeply grateful to Forever Warriors for stepping forward when our military families need it most,” said Kelly Jasen, UWEC President & CEO.
Learn more at united-way.org or by dialing 2-1-1, option 5.
Worthy Impact 100 Grant Recipients Receive Awards
By Barbara Palmgren
The Impact 100 Annual Meeting was called to order after a lovely hour of “meet and greet” at the Holiday Inn on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach. After approval of the meeting agenda and necessary reports, two finalists from non-profit organizations gave five-minute speeches asking for the membership to vote for their non-profit to receive a check of $100,000 to fund a specific project for that organization.
Impact 100 is an independent non-profit global organization with chapters in the U.S. Impact 100 Northwest Florida is one of those chapters. This group of women who each donate financially also may serve on committees to prepare non-profits to write and submit grant proposals. After a year of this work, 10 finalists in five categories were presented at the annual meeting for the final vote. Each organization received a check for $100,000 for their project.
Congratulations to these finalists!
Arts & Culture: Arts and Design Society
Education: Westwood Ranch
Environment, Recreation & Preservation: Healing Footsteps
Family: The Pearl Project
Health & Wellness: Elder Services
Pier Camera Gets an Upgrade
Following a recent outage of the popular underwater pier camera, Okaloosa County’s IT team is installing a new hard-wired fiber connection to boost reliability and streaming quality. Conduit installation is underway, and the camera is expected to return online in the coming weeks.
The live feed will be available at youtube.com/@DestinFortWaltonBeach.
