Six students at Pryor Middle School in Fort Walton Beach were selected to participate as “Sophisticated Educators” for the day, an initiative that allowed them to step into leadership roles at the school. 

• The students, normally dressed in their Pryor Middle School shirts as part of their uniform, had the opportunity to get dressed up.

The idea for the leadership day came from long-time Okaloosa educator, Ms. Gloria Parish, who has been at Pryor Middle School for 27 years. Ms. Parish’s career began with her work with special needs students at Florosa Elementary for her first 11 years.

• In her time with the school district, she has taken a vested interest in listening to the students and although she is firm, she makes sure to show them just how much she loves them and wants to see them succeed.

The students selected to participate in the “Sophisticated Educators” day were Destiny Cortez, Fernando Martinez, Oluwapelumi Adeniji, Anoviyah Wilson, Jamaarie Alcide, and Andre Bridgewater. All are 8th grade students.

Principal Brooke Barron praised Ms. Parish for her dedication to the students, stating, “She has a true gift of getting to know her students on a personal level and building relationships that last beyond the classroom. When she approached me with this idea, I knew it would be something special.”

Ms. Parish’s idea was to provide these students with the opportunity to step into leadership roles and demonstrate the importance of making the right choices in life while also being a good influence on the rest of the student body at Pryor.

“I wanted to show the students that it’s okay to struggle sometimes in education and in life, but that you can do it,” she said. “There is nothing out there in life that is easy. You will go down some rough roads, but then you will smooth them out. That’s what I want these kids to know.”

The day began with the students greeting their peers as they got off the bus, a responsibility typically reserved for school staff. They then took on the role of hall monitors and greeted their fellow students and staff throughout the day. The students dressed up in a mix of shirts and ties, slacks, and dresses, showing the entire school that they were serious about their leadership roles.

Principal Barron said that not only have the students been helpful in making sure other students are getting to where they are supposed to be, but making sure their uniform is correct and that overall behavior is positive.

“It definitely seems a lot more calm in the hallways today,” smile Barron.

For these students, the day was an opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to lead by example and be role models for the younger students.

• “It feels good to be a leader and be able to step out and be an example of what students should be doing and showing them what not to do,” said Oluwapelumi Adeniji, Student Council President and one of the participating students.

Jamaarie Alcide added, “If you want to be successful, you have to make the right decisions that will lead you to success. We can show other students at Pryor that they can do and be anything they want by making the right choices.”

The response from their fellow students and staff was overwhelmingly positive, with some teachers even shedding tears of pride. Their peers greeted them as if they were real educators, offering compliments and support throughout the day with many taking pictures with them.

In terms of the impact on the 6 students, they were all happy to have been chosen and spoke of the importance of having Ms. Parish in their lives.

• “They both care about the students a lot,” Andre Bridgewater said of Ms. Parish and another teacher, Ms. Randolph. “I think of them both as family, like a grandmother.”

• Oluwapelumi Adeniji agreed and added that “they both love to take actions to show that they care,” with Jamaarie Alcide saying “I push myself to make the right choices whenever I see them.”

For Ms. Parish, the day was an opportunity to show her students that they are capable of achieving greatness. One of the students shared with Ms. Parish that he felt like a different person waking up that morning because of what he knew was happening at school.

• “Looking at these kids this morning, it showed me that these kids can be anything they want to be in life, they can accomplish anything they want to,” she said.

Not just these 6, but students across the school mean the world to Ms. Parish, who says they have made a difference in her life too. 

“There are kids who really need someone to respect them and let them know that there are people out there in education that really care for them,” she said. “These kids really touched me today. I never thought it would touch me like it has. It was just something that came across my mind and I wanted to give them this experience.”

Long before he was Superintendent of Schools in Okaloosa County, Marcus Chambers was the principal at Pryor and worked with Ms. Parish.

“Teachers are crucial in shaping the character of their students and helping guide them toward future success,” said Mr. Chambers. “While principal at Pryor Middle School, I witnessed firsthand Mrs. Gloria Parish’s genuine care for her students and her passion for teaching. It is not only the knowledge that she imparts to her students that is inspiring, but it is also the love and encouragement she gives her students to succeed academically and in life.”

For the six 8th graders, they told Get The Coast they were all looking forward to continuing with leadership roles the rest of this school year, and hope to continue it as they move across the street to Choctawhatchee High School next school year.