Seacoast Collegiate High School celebrates commencement ceremony for inaugural graduating class of 2016 By Jennifer McAlexander
On May 10, 2016, Seacoast Collegiate High School honored the inaugural graduating class of 2016 with an honors ceremony held at Watercolor Lake House. The commencement ceremony was held two days later at Seacoast High School campus. All students graduated with a high school diploma and an AA degree from Northwest Florida State College.
Seaside School, Inc., one of Florida’s first charter schools, was founded in 1996. Dr. Rosemary Williams spearheaded the movement to open a small neighborhood school in the town of Seaside. Seaside Neighborhood School began with 36 students, two faculty members and one administrator. The school was originally located in two portables on the grounds of Lyceum Lawn. Thanks to Robert Davis, founder of Seaside, land was donated for the first building. Location fees from the movie “The Truman Show,” filmed on location in Seaside in the late 1990s, were donated by Seaside homeowners to help erect the first building. As a result of a dedicated staff, involved parents, and the support of local businesses and community members, Seaside Schools, Inc., is one of the top performing schools in the state of Florida, recognized at the national and state levels for academic achievements.
Seaside Neighborhood School served grades 5-8 from 1996-2012. In 2012, grade 9 was added in response to parent and community request. The success of the school allowed for the expansion of a collegiate high school in 2013 serving grades 9 and 10. Seacoast Collegiate High School was formed on the South Walton campus of Northwest Florida State College in Santa Rosa Beach. In 2014, an articulation agreement was established with Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla. SCHS has become the leading academic institution in Walton County for two years, leading in PSAT, ACT/SAT, and state testing scores.
The students graduating with the class of 2016 have been accepted to colleges and universities including the University of Alabama, Florida State University, University of Florida, Ohio State University, Rice University, Pace University and Agnes Scott College. The graduating class has received more than $500,000 in scholarship and grant money for college. The honors of magna cum laude, suma cum laude, and cum laude were granted to 75 percent of the graduating class.
Seacoast Collegiate High School would like to extend thanks and appreciation to The Seaside Foundation, The Seaside School Inc., Board of Directors, Northwest Florida State College, St. Joe Club and Resorts, as well as all school staff, faculty, parents and community leaders.
Visit Seacost Collegiate High School online.