Okaloosa’s Brightest Scholars Recognized for 2026
Academic excellence was front and center as the Okaloosa County School District recognized some of its highest-achieving graduating seniors for 2026, led by Fort Walton Beach High School senior Brock Dugan, who earned the prestigious Peggy Gorday Bruner Award as the district’s top academic scholar.
Dugan was selected from an elite group of finalists representing all six Okaloosa County high schools and finished with an impressive 4.8214 GPA. The Peggy Gorday Bruner Award honors the county’s most outstanding graduating senior scholar each year.
Other top finalists included Addison Overton of Baker School, Anthony Bernich of Choctawhatchee High School, Daniel Barnes of Crestview High School, Aiden King of Laurel Hill School and Zachary Ott of Niceville High School.
The district also celebrated its 2026 National Merit Finalists: Jolie Jimenez, Pippa Netreba, Raymond Jiang, Danzel Chen, Chris Bankhead, Angelina Stidham, Hope Fahler and Lauren Kim.
Florida Prepaid Superintendent Scholarship recipients included Ainsley Bentley of Choctawhatchee High School, Jaivion Parks of Crestview High School and Caden Bell of Fort Walton Beach High School.
In addition, the Anne T. Mitchell Senior Honor Awards recognized 639 graduating seniors across Okaloosa County who achieved a weighted GPA of 3.75 or higher.
“He’s an unbelievably talented and hardworking senior at Fort Walton Beach High School,” said Parker Destin, Okaloosa County School Board member for District 2, speaking of Dugan’s achievement.
Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber Honors Peter Daniel
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce has named Peter Daniel of BELFOR Property Restoration of Fort Walton Beach as the recipient of its prestigious Above and Beyond Award, an honor presented only two to three times annually to individuals demonstrating exceptional service and commitment to the Chamber and community.
Daniel was recognized for his volunteer leadership and hands-on support of Chamber events, including Dog Daze, Military Family Appreciation Day and the Desert Storm 35th Anniversary commemoration. Chamber leaders praised his willingness to assist from event setup through final breakdown.
“Peter Daniel has been there alongside our team, staying until the very end,” said Ted Corcoran, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. “His commitment and volunteer spirit exemplify the intent of this award.”
Daniel also founded the Chamber’s Building and Trades Committee, now one of the organization’s most highly attended committees in 2026. The Chamber thanked Daniel for his continued leadership, service and dedication to the local community.
Dragon Boat Festival Raises Thousands for Mental Health
Bring Hope Now’s 2026 Dragon Boat Race and Festival drew strong community support May 2 at the newly renovated Fort Walton Beach Landing Park, raising more than $22,000 for youth mental health services and suicide prevention initiatives. Eglin Federal Credit Union served as a presenting sponsor for the fourth consecutive year, contributing more than $17,000 through employee fundraising and corporate donations. Emerald Coast Okinawa captured the overall championship during the races, while Bridgeway VictOars earned honors for team spirit and costumes. Funds raised will support Bring Hope Now’s future youth residential mental health care center and school-based CARE Crew programs.
A Birthday Celebration and A Love for The Ages
By Barbara Palmgren
Two wonderful, young at heart and patriotic Shalimar residents enjoyed their joint birthdays as they celebrate the octogenarian years together. How unusual to have a husband and wife share the same day of birth…although a few years apart.
Dr. Keith Kulow and his bride, Elizabeth, have resided in Shalimar since Keith’s retirement from the United States Air Force in the 1990’s. Both remained busy giving back to their beloved Okaloosa County through volunteer work at many places including Shalimar Methodist Church and Bridgeway Center.
Avid golfers as well, it was appropriate that they celebrated at Shalimar Point Golf Course on a “happy hour” Friday night where they hosted this private birthday party to include family from Ohio and friends from near and far.
Loving their country as they both do, the couple can be seen in red, white and blue on a special year where we all celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Inspirational patriotism for us all!
Zatitude Apartments Earn National Recognition
Zatitude Luxury Apartments at Freedom Tech Center in Fort Walton Beach has been named to the 2025 ORA® Elite 1% Power Ranking by J. Turner Research, placing the community among the top 1% of apartment communities nationwide for resident satisfaction and online reputation. The 312-unit community, developed by The Jay Odom Group and managed by RAM Partners, is the only apartment community in Fort Walton Beach to earn the distinction this year. Located near Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, the development features resort-style amenities, coworking spaces, community programming and military-friendly housing incentives.
Southwest Crestview Bypass Officially Opens
Okaloosa County leaders celebrated the long-awaited opening of the Southwest Crestview Bypass on May 1 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking one of the county’s most significant infrastructure projects in recent history. The new roadway is designed to improve traffic flow and provide additional travel options throughout north Okaloosa County while improving access to Pineview School, homes and businesses. The multi-phase project involved partnerships between Okaloosa County, FDOT, Triumph Gulf Coast and the City of Crestview, with total project costs reaching approximately $212 million.
