Baker High School’s Criminal Justice program brought home several top finishes from the Florida Public Safety Association Student Leadership Competition, held April 8-12 in Kissimmee.

• The event, themed “Empowering Student Success with Opportunities and Integrity!”, drew more than 300 students from programs across Florida, including established academies. Baker’s team competed against the state’s top programs in its first appearance at the state competition.

Students competed in events including Traffic Stop, Evidence Packaging, Obstacle Course, Latent Fingerprint Comparison, Extemporaneous Speaking, Digital Poster, Pamphlet, Trifold Display, Prepared Speaking, Public Information Officer, Forensic Investigations, Use of Force and Physical Assessment.

Baker students placed in the following events:

• Sophomore Morgan Robinson — 2nd place, Incident Report Writing
• Senior Sabrina Shultz — 4th place, Evidence Packaging and Latent Lift
• Sophomore Morgan Robinson, Junior Lyla Philpott and Senior Sabrina Shultz — 3rd place, Room Clearing
• Senior Zoey Garrett was recognized as a valuable team member for her dedication and hard work.

Superintendent Marcus Chambers credited the students and the district’s career and technical education programs.

“These accomplishments are a powerful reflection of our students’ dedication, passion, and perseverance, as well as the incredible strength of our career and technical education programs,” Chambers said. “It is truly inspiring to see young leaders who are answering the call to serve in public safety. Their commitment speaks to their character and compassion, and we are excited to see the positive difference they will make in our communities for years to come.”

Principal Mike Martello said the competition was a first for many of the students.

“We are incredibly proud of our students for representing Baker High School at the state level,” Martello said. “For many, this was their first competition at this level, and they rose to the challenge with confidence and teamwork. Their dedication and the strength of our Criminal Justice program made this success possible.”

Criminal Justice Instructor Demeika “Mac” McClendon said the results reflect the team’s preparation and noted the program’s place in county history.

“Their success is no accident; it is the direct result of unwavering commitment, discipline, and countless hours of training,” McClendon said. “Seeing these students perform on such a big stage is incredibly rewarding. Moments like this are exactly why I teach. We are proud to be the first Criminal Justice team in Okaloosa County to compete at both the regional and state level, and we will be back in full force.”