Sharon Dooley | School Scoops appears Mondays and Saturdays during the school year. Email school items for publication to sklscoops@cox.net.

Seven Niceville High School musicians earned tickets to the all-state honor program, which is held in January in Tampa Bay: Clara Brown, Carly Crist, Rhizza Lucena, Ian Zegouros, Ryan Murphey, Ashleigh Wallace and Jazzlyn Timper.

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As part of a three-year Virtues in Practice program, the St. Mary School students, faculty and staff focused on virtue during November. Applying the virtue of stewardship, the Student Council held a canned food drive for Catholic Charities, which received more than 2,000 food items.

In academic news, seventh graders Cole Armstrong, Aidan Beaty, Gia Paone and Sara Smith earned recognition by the Duke University Talent Identification Program.

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Freeport Middle School teacher Cheryl Carroll received a $9,600 grant toward the purchase of laptop computers for her science classroom, with support from the St. Joe Community Foundation.

The school’s instructional coach, Brianna Leavins, received a robotics grant from the National Defense Industrial Association Gulf Coast Chapter.

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Joan Kennett and Tammy Sasser, both received NDIA grants for their South Walton High School classrooms.

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Fort Walton Beach High School artists Savannah Bailey, Angela De Jesus, Kairah Johnson, Rori Lewis, Angie Ordonez, Kana Pitts, Mikhail Santos, Celena Waits and Ora Wolfgram saw pieces displayed in the Mattie Kelly Festival of the Arts, with Angela De Jesus taking a second place for a pastel portrait, “Queen.”

Lucy Rudman earned the October Advanced Placement and Association of International Credential Evaluators Student of the Month.

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United for a Good Cause, Inc., has scheduled its 13th annual Emerald Coast Christmas Miracle/Needy Children’s Fiesta from 2-7 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center. From 1-2 p.m., families with children who have disabilities will be allowed into the party so they can enjoy the activities before the general public arrives.

The party focuses on all children whose families face financial difficulties, particularly during the winter months.

More than 1,500 children and their families are expected to attend the event that includes food, games, music and family oriented entertainment.

Anyone interested in supporting the party or volunteering can find information at www.unitedforagoodcause.org or www.facebook.com/UnitedForAGoodCauseInc.

School Scoops appears Mondays and Saturdays during the school year. Email school items for publication to sklscoops@cox.net.