By Jared Williams, GettheCoast.com
Fort Walton Beach High School honored three longtime educators who shaped generations of students when it inducted them into the Viking Hall of Fame on Friday, October 3, during halftime of the football game.
The 2025 inductees — Kevin Craig, Barbara Britt and Randy Folsom — make up a combined 93 years of service to the school and left lasting impacts across athletics, academics and the arts.
Kevin Craig
Coach Craig built the Lady Vikings basketball program into a powerhouse during his 22-season tenure as head coach from 1982 to 2003. His teams earned 509 wins, 10 district championships, seven regional titles, six Final Four appearances and two state championships. Craig, who served 25 years total at Fort Walton Beach High School beginning in 1979, coined the team’s enduring motto “Whatever It Takes.”
Beyond basketball, Craig taught physical education and coached multiple sports including JV football, softball, track, cross country and tennis. He and his wife Lisa have six children and seven grandchildren.
Barbara Britt
Barbara Britt transformed student leadership during her 36-year career at the school from 1977 to 2013. As a leadership teacher, she expanded the program from 30 to more than 300 students, creating a curriculum that prepared students for college and careers through personal portfolios and community projects.
Her leadership launched initiatives supporting military families, local schools and homeless feeding programs, including the Silver Sands Prom.
As Physical Education Department Head and head cheerleading coach, Britt ensured Title IX compliance and expanded athletic opportunities for female students by introducing competitive cheerleading, dance and weightlifting programs. She helped build the women’s field house and holds certifications in John Maxwell Leadership Training, DISC Personality Insights, and Diversity and Inclusion.
Randy Folsom
Randy Folsom helped lead the Viking band program to national recognition during his tenure from 1988 to 2020. Starting as assistant band director in 1988, he became Director of Bands in 1999 and guided the marching, jazz and symphonic bands to consistently earn the highest ratings at district, state and national events.
Under Folsom’s direction, the bands performed at prestigious venues including the Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Celebration and the National Band Festival at Carnegie Hall.
His honors include serving as president of the Florida Bandmasters Association, receiving the FBA Oliver Hobbs Award in 2006, the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Bandmaster in 2015, and induction into the FBA Hall of Fame in 2011. He was also named Fort Walton Beach High School Teacher of the Year in 2011.
Many of Folsom’s former students have become music educators themselves, with several serving as band directors in Okaloosa County. The band program was a family affair — his sons Wade and Grant graduated from Fort Walton Beach High School, while his wife Gail served in various positions including teacher, staffing specialist, testing coordinator and dean of students before they both retired in 2020.
