George Washington Honor Medals Presented at 39th Annual Awards Banquet

Freedoms Foundation Pensacola Chapter held their 39th Annual Awards Banquet on November 1, 2023. We presented nine George Washington Honor Medals and five Youth Essay Medals on neck ribbons. In addition we recognized three teachers who participated in Summer Freedoms Foundation Programs and five Youth Conference students.

Colors were presented by the Pine Forest High School NJROTC

CDR Mark Schmitt, USN (Ret.) led the Pledge of Allegiance

The Blue Anchor Belles provided patriotic music

Dr. Anita Schmitt introduced each award recipient and shared their stories.

Adult Community -George Washington Honor Medal recipients included:

Valerie’s House – Crista Brandt and Jenni Elzweig

Valerie’s House, Pensacola Chapter is a special place where children connect with one another and acquire tools to heal after they have experienced the death of someone they love.

Muscogee Creek Historical Marker – Chief Dan “Sky Horse” Helms

Chief Dan “Sky Horse” Helms and supporters acquired a historical marker in Milton, FL to educate the community about the Lumberton Incident, where Muscogee Creek Indians were attacked and killed by a local mob.

J.U.S.T. Pensacola – Rick Branch

A coalition of 17 congregations from 12 different faith traditions in Pensacola and other surrounding areas of Escambia County strive to fulfill their religious mandate to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society by uncovering injustice and mobilizing the community to create and win just, fair, and effective solutions.  J.U.S.T. Pensacola offers remedies that benefit not only the public at large but also the perpetrators of non-violent crimes.

Military Award – SSgt Cheyann Smith

SSgt. Cheyann Smith is a model servicemember and citizen who leads by example, both in her bearing and her actions. By volunteering in her temporary duty stations, she  encourages others to do the same. Her involvement in base activities and local events demonstrate what we have long known, that military personnel who are assigned to Pensacola enrich and enhance our community. SSgt. Smith was home with a new baby. Her mother and brother accepted for her.

Public Communications – George Washington Honor Medal

Righting the Past – Robin Reshard

A group of Pensacola community members is working to revive those important narratives and to share with the public the impact each had on the development and the vitality of our city, including memories from their descendants. Righting the Past  strives to share these stories in the long overdue obituaries of African Americans so that the circle of knowledge increases and is not in danger of vanishing forever.

Special Events- George Washington Honor Medal

Wall South: Reading the Names – Paul Entrekin

A major project of the Veterans Memorial Foundation observed Veteran’s Day 2022, the 30 year anniversary of the National Vietnam Memorial. The Reading of the Names Ceremony, from November 5 through November 11, from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., twelve hundred volunteers read 58,316 names on the wall. The end of the Reading of the Names occurred at 11:00 a.m. during the Veteran’s Day Ceremony.

Teacher Award – George Washington Honor Medal

Beyond Backpacks – Michele Ledoux

During the past school year, teachers identified sixty-five students who would benefit from an out-of-school feeding program. Their solution was to supply backpacks filled with nutritious, non-perishable food for these students to take home for the weekend and long holidays, when school meals are not available to them.

School Award – George Washington Honor Medal

Heritage Day at Beulah Elementary School – Krystal and Jeremy Gibson, Monica Silvers, Principal

Heritage Day is a traditional event at Beulah Elementary School for 5^th grade students. Students learn about the heritage of the area and/or country.  In addition, students can also dress to represent their family heritage.

Youth Essay – George Washington Honor Medal on neck ribbon

Youth Essays – Carlo Ghiglino, Audrey Foss, Seren Conway, Caroline Amentler, Alice Zhang

This year’s Youth Essay Contest asked high school students to consider ways to become better and informed citizens.  Five young people from our community who demonstrate a great deal of maturity and innovative ideas that reveal the kind of understanding and commitment to democracy that we hope all citizens possess.

Extra Florida Recipient – Special Event – George Washington Honor Medal

Incubate Debate: MLK Symposium – James Fishback

Incubate Debate is a non-profit high school debate initiative for students from Florida’s urban and rural underserved communities. At no cost to students or their families, it teaches public speaking skills, critical thinking, and knowledge on policy issues affecting our nation. 

Additional Recognitions

We recognized three teachers: Melanie Hendrix, Michael Williams and Dana Anderson, who participated int the 2023 Summer Freedoms Foundation Programs at Valley Forge. In addition, we recognized five students who received the 2023 Youth Leadership Conference Scholarships: Serene Conway, Carlo Ghiglino, Josh Juntunen, Ava McIntosh and Andrew Riely.