GIVING BACK

Destin Elementary teacher, Lisa Brown, surprised with “Thank a Teacher” honor

On Tuesday morning, Destin Elementary School 4th grade teacher Lisa Brown was surprised with the “Thank a Teacher” recognition, a monthly program highlighting outstanding local educators.

• Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers and CEO of HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital Zach McCluskey walked across the Destin Elementary campus around 9:20 a.m. to surprise Brown with the honor. 

Brown was nominated by the parent of one of her students, who wrote a heartfelt submission emphasizing Brown’s dedication to providing both academic and personal support.

“I just want to say congratulations,” Chambers told Brown as he presented her with a plaque. “We have HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and one of the things that they wanted to do this year was partner with us and they wanted to give back and thank a teacher each month.”

Out of over 115 nominations submitted so far since November, Brown was chosen as the January recipient and third overall this school year.

McCluskey noted the heartfelt nomination submitted by one of Brown’s students’ mothers that clinched her selection for the recognition.

• “We received an amazing nomination. It is really sweet, and very thoughtful, and I think it embodies why you’re such a special teacher,” McCluskey said. “Again, many nominations, and this one really goes to the top.”

In the nomination, the parent highlighted Brown’s dedication to finding customized solutions to support each student’s academic and personal growth. This includes tutoring struggling students in reading, as well as taking time to listen and collaborate with both students and parents.

“Teaching is more than academics, and Mrs. Brown is the standard when it comes to providing a holistic approach to learning,” the nomination stated. “She thinks outside of the box and she is constantly researching ways to improve her teaching/approach to provide the most effective learning environment for those she is teaching.”

The “Thank a Teacher” program was created by HCA Florida Healthcare to show appreciation for outstanding Okaloosa County teachers making a difference. One teacher is recognized every month during the school year.

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SCHOOL

Destin Elementary School unveils new ‘hands-on’ STEM/AI Lab

Destin Elementary School opened a new STEM and artificial intelligence lab Tuesday, aimed at propelling students toward careers in those high-demand fields.

• The lab is funded through a $5.7 million dollar grant by Triumph Gulf Coast and the Okaloosa County School District to fund the Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Python and Data Science (AMPD) Elementary STEM program. Officials seek to nurture elementary students’ interests in emerging technologies while also building a local workforce pipeline to drive high-wage jobs.

“One of the Okaloosa School District’s pillars is modern innovation,” said Destin Elementary Principal Amy Meyer at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. “I want to thank Superintendent Chambers and Okaloosa County for pushing to get STEM in our elementary schools because this is where it lights a fire under the kids.”

The grant helped transform what had been a small nook in the school library into a vibrant new space with hands-on science activities. It will also allow the purchase of coding and robotics equipment for students to tinker with artificial intelligence concepts.

The lab is named after former principal Joe Jannazo, who first set plans in motion to create a dedicated STEM facility at the school. Though he moved to a new position before seeing the lab fully realized, staff named the lab after him as a tribute to getting it started.

• “I saw a need in an area that could match it in our media center,” Jannazo said at Tuesday’s event. When early ideas took off with backing from the district and state grant program, he said, “to have an idea and then see it come to fruition with the support from our career and technical education department and the Triumph Grant is amazing.”

After connecting with district leaders, current principal Meyer tapped the C.T.E. Department to bring the lab to life. LaTavia Deliford spent her summer designing curriculum, training colleagues and decorating the space with colorful inspiration for young scientific minds.

Jerral Horton, Career and Technical Education Program Administrator stated, “One of the primary goals of the AMPD Elementary STEM program is to inspire students to pursue careers in fields that have a profound impact on the world. By introducing them to the exciting and dynamic realms of AI and Data Science, educators hope to ignite a passion for discovery and innovation.”

Horton said the district has always strived to make advanced learning accessible for teachers. The book of lesson plans aligned with lab supplies and equipment should set instructors up for seamless STEM integration.

• She also applauded students already charging ahead with complex coursework at the middle and high school level. Last school year, middle and high schoolers were supposed to earn 50 certifications. They earned 215. This year they are projected to earn 250.

Officials envision the lab as the first phase of a full pipeline from elementary exposure to future careers. Superintendent Marcus Chambers suggested the hands-on experiments tap into pure academic passion at an early age. Learning through fun tinkering and programming, students gain inspiration to pursue technical training throughout their education.

“When you go to classes such as at the middle or at the high school, this is high level stuff that these students are doing,” Chambers said. “These are college level, industry level certifications that they have to pass.”

Supporting students as they integrate that technical know-how into professional skill sets remains a priority moving forward, he said.

“We want to take this artificial intelligence to another level,” Chambers said. “When we started this, we were one of two districts in the state of Florida to have artificial intelligence in the school system. We want to continue to make you all proud, but more importantly, we want to make our students proud.”

With the lab now open as an inspiring springboard, staff say they look forward to enriching young minds.

• “Our hope is to continue making this available to all the kids. We have our teams that meet after school, but we want to open it up to kids during the school so that all of our schools can get involved,” Meyer said.

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SCHOOL

Destin High School Principal resigns, search underway for replacement

The principal of Destin High School has resigned, school officials announced Monday.

• Principal Christine Cruickshank submitted her resignation to Destin High Executive Director Donald “Willy” Williams on Friday, citing a need to focus on family and health. Her last day as Principal will be March 3.

“While we will miss her leadership as principal, we fully support her decision to prioritize her family and well-being,” Williams wrote in a letter to parents.

Cruickshank has served as principal since the inception of the school. In her resignation letter, she said the decision was made after “much prayer and thought.”

• “I have loved my tenure as Principal over the last 3+ years. However, for family, health, and personal reasons I feel this is the best choice for me currently,” she wrote.

Cruickshank said she hoped to continue playing a role at the school in some capacity. Williams said she will stay on in a part-time position helping with dual enrollment processes.

The search for Cruickshank’s replacement starts immediately. The open principal position has been posted on the school’s website.

As the school navigates this leadership transition, Williams says he is actively working on a plan to “ensure academic continuity and growth for our school.” He said further details of a transition plan will be communicated to all stakeholders in the next few days as they are finalized.

“Change presents opportunities for growth and new beginnings,” he wrote. “I am confident we will continue to build on our strong foundation and will move forward with a shared commitment to excellence in education.”

NEWS

Local woman raises awareness of Rare Disease Day, shares her medical journey

Today, February 29, 2024, marks Rare Disease Day, an internationally coordinated effort to raise awareness about rare diseases and promote equity in access to treatments.

• Rare diseases are those that affect a relatively small percentage of the population. There are over 6,000 identified rare diseases worldwide, many of which have a genetic origin.

Regardless of the cause, people living with rare diseases face substantial challenges. These include difficulties obtaining an accurate diagnosis, finding medical providers familiar with their particular illness, and accessing appropriate treatments. Rare Disease Day aims to call attention to these issues and advocate for the rare disease community.

Brenda Fregger knows those challenges all too well. The Fort Walton Beach resident spent six painful years searching for a diagnosis after developing mysterious symptoms in her mid-30s.

• “I was born with a rare gene called HLAB27 that laid dormant until my 30’s,” Fregger explained. “This gene causes severe inflammation that spontaneously and randomly tears my tendons and cartilage.”

After being examined by five different physicians, including three top specialists in rare diseases, Fregger finally received a diagnosis: an extremely rare inflammatory connective tissue disease so unusual it doesn’t have a formal name in medical literature.

“My disease is not life threatening; it is severely life altering,” said Fregger, whose husband Michael Fregger owns Family Eye Care in town.

For Fregger, her illness meant enduring 14 orthopedic surgeries to repair her deteriorating joints, in addition to an intensive treatment regimen of 17 pills a day, weekly chemotherapy injections and monthly IV infusions to suppress her inflammation.

The chemotherapy in particular, causes Fregger to battle intense nausea, vomiting and other flu-like side effects for days at a time. She also participates in experimental stem cell and platelet-rich plasma procedures in hopes of regenerating her damaged cartilage.

Despite the debilitating symptoms and harsh drug protocols, Fregger considers herself fortunate compared to others with rare diseases. She credits her relentless optimism and self-reliance in the face of long odds.

• “I never thought about what I couldn’t do!” said Fregger. “I had to teach myself how to function differently.”

Whether that meant learning to drive with her left foot, becoming adept with using her left hand or figuring out how to carry things and open doors while on crutches, Fregger remained fiercely independent and defiant in the face of her disease.

She also rejected the grim prognosis offered by one of her early physicians: that she’d spend her 50s confined to a wheelchair, sustained only by steroids, pain pills and antidepressants.

• “Absolutely not, that will not be my future!” Fregger remembered thinking after receiving the devastating prediction. “I refused to accept that prognosis.”

Today, she 15 years past the predicted arrival of the wheelchair.

“I’m healthy and strong, my life is full and happy, full of love, joy and hope,” Fregger said, “and in every other way, my life is completely normal!”

A large part of that normalcy stems from the support Fregger receives from friends and family, including husband Michael, as well as patient advocacy groups dedicated to rare disease causes. She stressed that even small gestures to let those suffering know you’re thinking of them can provide a vital morale boost.

• “People feel helpless, they don’t know how to help someone or even what to say,” Fregger said. “The most meaningful way to help is to just be there for them, tell them you’re thinking about them − it truly means so much more than you realize!”

As for her advice to others facing their own rare disease diagnosis, Fregger emphasizes an almost Zen-like acceptance of one’s circumstances as the path forward.

“You have to learn to accept what you have, you can’t change it so you have to learn to live the best life you can!” she explained passionately. “You can be lost in self pity and watch your life fade away, or you can get up and enjoy everything you can.”

Fregger also continues to share her story during Rare Disease Awareness events as a way to educate the public and promote more inclusion for rare disease patients within the healthcare establishment.

• “We need to have more courses in medical schools on rare diseases, we need more specialists,” she said. “We need research! We need to work with the FDA to approve off label use of medications and treatments!”

Without raising awareness and promoting change, Fregger stresses that people with rare illnesses have little hope of leading normal, fulfilling lives.

“By publicly talking about it, we create a ripple,” she said. “The more we talk the bigger the ripple becomes and then it turns into a wave!”

COASTAL RESOURCES

First-ever 3D printed artificial reefs sunk off Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast

The first 3D printed artificial reefs were deployed on Monday off the Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast, sinking 25 concrete modules to the Gulf floor to establish new marine habitat.

• The Okaloosa Coastal Resource Team successfully completed the deployment of these innovative man-made reefs in state waters (within 9 miles of the shore), ranging from 60 to 90 feet deep across five permitted areas, said Alex Fogg, Coastal Resource Manager.

The $403,262 project is just part of a $1.26 million grant received from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Artificial Reef Creation and Restoration Project, which distributes BP oil spill recovery money for loss of use of the resource during the spill.  

This is the second batch of funding from this granting source (first project completed in 2020). Environmental projects like artificial reefs are a great use of these funds as they provide numerous recreational opportunities to divers and fishers while also creating habitat that benefits the ecosystem, according to Fogg.

“We went out to bid and selected two contractors to handle this new reef project,” Fogg explained. “We selected Walter Marine to construct and deploy more than 250 concrete modules and 1Print to pilot a new artificial reef construction method, 3D concrete printing.”

1Print was historically involved in creating housing and mitigation structures such as breakwaters.  They proposed the concept of 3D printing artificial reef modules and it was well received. Fogg collaborated with their team to create larger-scale versions of their models, aiming for substantial structures with plenty of nooks and crannies.

The finalized dimensions measured approximately 14 feet long, 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide, weighing 15,500 pounds each. The company can print 3 per day in their south Florida facility. Following construction, 1Print shipped the reefs to Orange Beach, AL and coordinated with Walter Marine to deploy their structures.

• “It was cool to see two reef contractors working together to make this first-of-its-kind project happen here in Destin-Fort Walton Beach,” Fogg said.

The raw material for the reefs is concrete containing fiberglass rebar rather than traditional steel rebar. This is intended to improve durability in the marine environment. 

Printing the reefs presented some new challenges for 1Print compared to past projects. Transporting the modules required some trial and error but they are confident with the process moving forward.

• “We found some efficiencies that allowed us to go to mass scale and we’re confident we can go into mass production for future projects as well,” said Adam Friedman, co-founder of 1Print.

For a 3D construction company previously focused on real estate development, marine infrastructure provides a meaningful shift toward improving marine ecosystems.

The artificial reefs may tower 8 feet tall on the production floor, but they settle into the sandy bottom and act as a base structure welcoming marine residents.

“We’ve been deploying artificial reef modules here for many years, but these 3D printed reefs offer some nice diversity to the underwater landscape and may open the door to developing more complex structures,” Fogg said.

That diversity could come in the form of additional 3D printed artificial reefs in the future that Fogg says could be anything from structures designed to mimic familiar structures like concrete tanks to airplanes or abstract structures that have never been developed before.

• “We’re hoping that this 3D technology will open the door for us to get a little more creative. We could have additional military designs that are constructed out of concrete, as opposed to having to source an actual plane or a tank that needs to be demilitarized,” he said. “At the end of the day, after a few years underwater, the growth on the structure will make it hard to tell the difference between a real or printed structure.

The designs provide a departure from typical secondary use materials like concrete culverts or retired ships. While Fogg said their more common reefs (prefabricated modules and vessels) effectively sustain sea life already, introducing different shapes and textures is welcomed by his team.

“We’re going to be monitoring these new reefs over time to see how they perform and see if there are design tweaks that we need to make, to make them more attractive to marine life,” said Fogg. “Time will tell how they perform, but this new technology is exciting and the variations from our existing projects continues to show that our area is at the forefront of artificial reef development.”

For 1Print, they could not be happier with the success of sinking these reefs offshore Destin-Fort Walton Beach. 

• “Alex and his team have been really supportive and they’re very passionate about this,” said Friedman. “It’s great to contribute to the area, the tourism and the ecosystem. We know it’s important to the residents and it’s important to us.”

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