
May 4, 2026
At this year’s Anne T. Mitchell Senior Honor Awards held at Northwest Florida State College’s Raider Arena, we proudly recognized 639 high school seniors from Baker, Choctawhatchee, Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Laurel Hill, and Niceville High Schools who will be graduating with honors this month.
These outstanding students earned a weighted GPA of 3.75 or higher, achieving the distinctions of Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude—often while balancing rigorous coursework with extracurricular activities, athletics, arts programs, and leadership roles.
Additionally, congratulations to the Peggy Gorday Bruner Award finalists, which honors the most outstanding academic scholar among all of the county’s graduating seniors:
- Addison Overton – Baker School
- Anthony Bernich – Choctawhatchee High School
- Daniel Barnes – Crestview High School
- Aiden King – Laurel Hill School
- Zachary Ott – Niceville High School
The Peggy Gorday Bruner Award winner was Brock Dugan from Fort Walton Beach High School.
Congratulations, Class of 2026. We look forward to cheering you on as you take the graduation stage and begin your next chapter.
These outstanding students earned a weighted GPA of 3.75 or higher, achieving the distinctions of Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude—often while balancing rigorous coursework with extracurricular activities, athletics, arts programs, and leadership roles.
Additionally, congratulations to the Peggy Gorday Bruner Award finalists, which honors the most outstanding academic scholar among all of the county’s graduating seniors:
- Addison Overton – Baker School
- Anthony Bernich – Choctawhatchee High School
- Daniel Barnes – Crestview High School
- Aiden King – Laurel Hill School
- Zachary Ott – Niceville High School
The Peggy Gorday Bruner Award winner was Brock Dugan from Fort Walton Beach High School.
Congratulations, Class of 2026. We look forward to cheering you on as you take the graduation stage and begin your next chapter.

