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Good morning!
Here’s what we’re covering today:
- Downtown Fort Walton Beach gets a sweet addition as THICK Cookie Co. announces its opening, while the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation secures $100,000 for agricultural education. Crestview gains a new music education option with Grow Your Gift’s expansion, and middle schoolers demonstrate their civic knowledge at Florida’s first National Civics Bee.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation receives $100,000 grant for agricultural education program
A major boost for agricultural education is coming to rural Okaloosa County as the local public schools foundation secures a $100,000 grant to prepare students for careers in agriculture.
- The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, partnering with The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, has awarded the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation the six-figure sum through its new Career Catalyst initiative. The grant will fund the “Growing Laurel Hill” program, designed to create hands-on agricultural career pathways for students.
The program will serve 150 students, with 69% qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch, offering hands-on experiences in horticulture, Agri-Technology, greenhouses, aquaponics systems, and internships.
“The ‘Growing Laurel Hill’ program is a shining example of how we can create meaningful career pathways for our students,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “This grant will provide them hands-on learning experiences, industry skills, and real-world opportunities to shape their futures.”
The Career Catalyst initiative specifically targets rural, underserved areas, funding innovative Career and Technical Education programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage jobs. The Okaloosa proposal was selected from among 13 applicants.
- Mary Chance, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, said: “The Growing Laurel Hill Academy is exactly the type of initiative that we hope to foster through our Career Catalyst program. We’re excited to see how local industry and community leaders have rallied around this effort.”
Additional funding includes $50,000 already secured from the Farm Bureau and a pending $100,000 from Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation. The USDA and local businesses are also supporting the initiative, which is set to launch in the 2025-2026 school year.
Assistant Superintendent John Spolski noted the program demonstrates what can be achieved through community partnerships, equipping students with skills for Florida’s evolving agricultural landscape.
The collaboration between public and private entities aims to ensure the program’s long-term success and sustainability while creating career opportunities in high-demand fields.
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SCHOOL
Fort Walton Beach Chamber hosts Florida’s first-ever National Civics Bee for middle schoolers
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce made history Tuesday by hosting Florida’s first National Civics Bee, showcasing the civic knowledge of middle school students from across Okaloosa County.
- The March 11 event, held at Gregg Chapel Life Center, brought together 14 finalists who had been selected from more than 40 essay submissions on civics topics relevant to the local community.
In collaboration with the Okaloosa County School District, the Chamber organized the competition for students in grades 6-8, with Eglin Federal Credit Union serving as the primary sponsor.
The competition featured two rounds of multiple-choice questions, with the top five contestants advancing to the final round. Technology sponsor Cox provided iPads for the event and surprised participants by allowing them to keep the devices afterward.
Noah from Destin Middle School claimed first place, winning $500 and a trophy. Addisyn from Northwest Florida Ballet Academie took second place with $250 and a trophy, while Arianna, also from Northwest Florida Ballet Academie, secured third place with $125 and a trophy.
- All three winners will represent Fort Walton Beach at the State Finals in Tallahassee on May 31.
“We are so grateful to the U.S. Chamber for creating this concept,” said Ted Corcoran, President and CEO of the Fort Walton Beach Chamber. “We were honored to be the first Chamber of Commerce in Florida to participate.”
Corcoran praised the students’ performance, noting, “Some questions stumped me, but these students excelled, making the competition intense.”
The panel of judges included Thedna YellowBear-Baskin of Eglin Federal Credit Union, David Deliman of Cox, Mitzi Henley of Sports Clips, Daniel O’Rourke of Chesser & Barr, and David Triana of Conexion.
For more information about the National Civics Bee or future initiatives, contact the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
BUSINESS
Grow Your Gift expands to Crestview, filling gap after recent music school closure
Grow Your Gift Conservatory of Music is expanding to Crestview with a new location opening at 928 North Ferdon Blvd. on April 1.
- The music school is filling a void left by the recent closure of another commercial music school in the area, according to founder Marlayna Goosby.
“As Crestview saw a music store close its doors, we saw an opportunity to continue delivering music education outside of the traditional school day,” Goosby said. “A community music school gives student musicians of all ages the chance to learn and perform music—whether after school, after work, or as part of a homeschool curriculum.”
The conservatory, which opened in Fort Walton Beach six years ago, has served more than 1,000 musicians across Okaloosa, Walton, and Santa Rosa Counties.
Pre-enrollment is currently open for classes designed for beginners ages 5 to adult. Offerings include beginner piano, intro to music, Boomwhacker classes, preschool music medley, and private lessons in piano, oboe, and bassoon. The school plans to add more instruments in the future.
- A grand opening celebration is scheduled for June 28 featuring live student performances, local vendors and food. The event is open to the community.
Students can enroll now at growyourgiftmusic.opus1.io/w/crestviewprograms.
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Origin Bank opens new location in Fort Walton Beach
Origin Bank has expanded its presence with a new financial center in Fort Walton Beach.
- Operating from a temporary building at 212 Racetrack Road NW (the intersection of Denton Boulevard NW), the center offers comprehensive banking services including small business and personal banking, home loans, and financial support.
The location currently operates Monday through Friday, with the drive-thru open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and appointments available by calling (850) 904-8613. For more information, click here.
BUSINESS
THICK Cookie Co. set to open in Downtown Fort Walton Beach
The smell of freshly baked cookies will soon fill the air at 180 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE as THICK Cookie Co. prepares to open its doors Saturday, March 15.
- Owners Matthew Minnix and Morgan Page have transformed the former Artesano Boutique into a modern bakery after almost a year of extensive renovations.
The journey to opening day has been anything but simple for the couple, who met while playing collegiate sports in Arkansas five years ago.
For Page, a Texas native from the small town of Giddings, baking has been a lifelong passion that started in her grandmother’s kitchen.
- “Growing up I always used to bake with my grandma,” Page said. “We always used to bake sweets together. I think that’s probably where my love for baking started.”
That childhood hobby followed her to college, where she began baking for friends.
“I played college football, and she played college softball,” Minnix explained. “Morgan started baking cookies for the football team and our friends, and she got a lot of compliments.”
What began as sharing homemade treats with teammates evolved when a friend suggested they start selling the cookies. Minnix came up with the name THICK Cookie Co. as a playful nod to Page’s interest in bodybuilding.
“We made our own little logo and started doing small markets in Russellville, Arkansas,” Minnix said. “People really responded well on Facebook.”
As their popularity grew, the couple expanded to nationwide shipping and local pickup operations from their apartment. The demand became overwhelming, with customers lining up 20 cars deep in their parking lot.
- After Page graduated with a degree in exercise science and struggled to find a job in her field, she began focusing on the cookie business full-time. Minnix, originally a pre-med student, eventually joined her.
“Morgan had the crazy suggestion to look at Florida,” said Minnix, who initially resisted the idea despite growing up vacationing in Destin. “We checked South Florida first and it wasn’t a good fit.”
The couple then looked further north along the Gulf Coast. “She was looking around the Destin area and pointed to Fort Walton Beach,” Minnix recalled.
When they saw the former Artesano building was available, they decided to visit. Within 15 minutes of arriving, Minnix said they were surrounded by local business owners and residents welcoming them to the community.
- “Everyone was super welcoming,” he said. “We just fell in love with it here.”
Despite seeing “a huge puddle of water on the floor” during their first visit, they signed the lease last June and began the renovation process.
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