HIGH SPRINGS ‒ A local High Springs student was among just a handful of students statewide to be named winners in the state’s 2021 Black History Month Contest. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis held a student essay and art contest with six winning students receiving a fully paid four-Year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.

“The Governor and I are honored to celebrate this year’s Black History Month student and teacher award winners and their achievements,” DeSantis said in a news release from the Governor’s Office. “It is our hope that today’s award recipients continue to share their gifts and serve as inspirations across our great State of Florida.”

This year’s contest theme was “Community Champions – Celebrating the Contributions of African Americans in Florida’s Communities,” sponsored by the Florida Lottery and other partners. The contest received thousands of student entries across the state. On April 22, 2021 First Lady DeSantis announced the six winners, two of whom are from Alachua County. Brynley Ashraf from the High Springs Community School had the winning essay and Immanuel Howard from W. A. Metcalfe Elementary won the art contest.

Ashraf wrote the top elementary school essay, while Howard was one of just two Florida students to win the art contest.

When Ashraf chose the person she considered a ‘community champion,’ she didn’t have to look further than her own school. Ashraf featured Officer Adam Joy, her school resource officer, who serves their community not only through his profession, but also by giving back through his involvement with numerous organizations and as an Ordained Minister at the Deeper Purpose Community Church.

Ashraf, who is a fourth grader at High Springs Community School, bypassed a list of suggested subjects and instead decided to write about Officer Adam Joy. In her essay, entitled “The ‘Joy’ of Our Community,” she outlined the many ways Officer Joy serves the High Springs community, including organizing programs like Meals on Wheels, No Son Left Behind, back-to-school haircuts, backpacks with school supplies, senior citizen Valentine meals, Easter and Christmas gift giveaways, and even raising money to donate cars to families in need and a variety of giveaways and community events. This past January, Officer Joy rallied the community to gather necessities for a family whose home burned down.

“I believe Officer Joy should be recognized for his amazing work,” wrote Ashraf. “From mentoring kids, supporting families and helping senior citizens, there’s no limit to his kindness. I cannot think of anyone more worthy of recognition. My family has contributed to the toy drive and I gave Officer Joy some stuffed animals, which he keeps in his patrol car to help calm kids that are scared or have been in accidents,” Ashraf said.

Joy grew up in High Springs where he currently serves as a police officer and as of this year he is also assigned as the School resource Officer for the Community School. As a boy he always wanted to be a police officer and make a positive impact on the community. In 2007, Adam graduated from the Police Academy.

Joy is also an Ordained Elder at his church. Over the 14 years, he has sponsored over 300 events and programs that are completely free to the public. Some programs include Meals on Wheels, where he cooks and delivers meals to senior citizens in need. He also runs “No Son Left Behind,” a program for boys K-12th grade. “The purpose is to provide a positive male role model while focusing on mentoring, behavioral updates and goal setting. It's all about the children, they are our future,” Joy said.

He was surprised when Ashraf chose to make him the focus of her essay and asked to interview him. “It was very humbling,” he said. “You just never know who may be watching what you do. I’m really honored. When they announced she had won out of the thousands of entries it reminded me how good this school is to help nurture students like Brynley. She did a great job and put a lot of work into this project,” Joy said.

For Brynley Ashraf it was a story she felt needed telling, never expecting the scholarship. But despite being in fourth grade, she already has plans laid out for that scholarship. “I want to be a sign language interpreter and translator. The University of North Florida has a good program so I am planning to go there,” she said.

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HIGH SPRINGS - After a year on hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pioneer Days was in full swing April 17 and 18 with locals in full attendance at the annual celebration. The town of High Springs took a trip back in time to the 1880s when the town was known for its rowdy ways. For more than four decades, the High Springs Chamber of Commerce has hosted the Pioneer Days festival to celebrate the town's colorful past.

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ALACHUA ‒ J ennifer Blalock has defeated Malcolm Dixon in the May 4 runoff election to become the next commissioner on the City of Alachua Commission. Blalock clinched the race for Seat 5 on the commission with 452 votes, or 58 percent, compared to 327 votes, or 42 percent for Dixon.

Blalock faced Dixon and Gary Kocher in a three-way race on April 13, which led to the runoff election as no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote. In that race, Blalock received 389 votes, Dixon received 263 votes and Kocher received 231 votes. Commissioner Gary Hardacre did not seek re-election to Seat 5, leaving the post open to the three candidates.

Alachua Commissioner Shirley Green Brown was re-elected to Seat 4 during the April 13 election, defeating Gregory E. Pelham. Brown claimed victory with 51.4 percent of the vote as compared to Pelham’s 48.6 percent of the votes counted.

Blalock has lived in Alachua for 20 years and is currently the regional manager for O2B Kids, an early childhood learning center. About winning the election Blalock said, “I am extremely honored and humbled by the results of this election. I love this community and I love the people who call the city of Alachua home. I am ready to take on this great responsibility and to work tirelessly for all of my neighbors here in the city of Alachua. I promise to be a diligent leader and a compassionate listener. Thank you for this great opportunity.” Blalock stressed her knowledge of the community in the race. She said she likes the direction of the current commission and is particularly interested in maintaining quality recreation and education, adding jobs and repaving and maintaining roads.

Blalock will be sworn into office during the regular City Commission meeting on May 10, 2021 at 6 p.m.

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HIGH SPRINGS – Get ready for some western style family fun. Every year on the fourth weekend of April, the High Springs Chamber of Commerce hosts the Pioneer Days festival to celebrate the town's colorful past. This year, the 44^th Annual Pioneer Days Festival will be held in downtown historic High Springs on Saturday, April 24, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is held in and around James Paul Park, located behind City Hall in the heart of downtown.

The event is presented by the High Springs Chamber of Commerce. Admission and parking are free. There’s something for everyone this year including Kids Korral with many free activities, and pony rides for a fee, plus a bounce house that will be sanitized regularly throughout the day, face painting and more. Other attractions for the weekend-long event include over 60 crafters, artist and various vendors as well as seven food vendors featuring a wide variety of food and deserts.

High Springs is now known for its peaceful small-town charm with antique and art shops, eateries and recreation areas. People come for the unique nature that surrounds the town with the rivers and springs for swimming, boating and scuba diving. But the town’s beginnings had little to do with recreation.

One of the earliest settlements in the vicinity was established at Crockett Springs, located about three miles east of present-day High Springs. Settlers and ranchers moved into the area during the 1840s, but no town developed in the area before the latter part of the nineteenth century. In 1884, the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad was extended from Live Oak to Gainesville, passing through High Springs. A post office and train station were established in the town, which grew due to the rail lines. In the next few years, High Springs boomed as a result of the development of phosphate mining in the area as well. In 1892, the town was incorporated. During the next year, the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad completed its South Florida Division which connected High Springs with Port Tampa. By the beginning of the twentieth century, High Springs had become an important railroad center.

The railroad and mines brought a lot of workers into the area, along with vices, entertainment and services they required, along with general merchants, an opera house, hotels and boarding houses came the saloons, gambling halls and houses of prostitution. Early High Springs was a wild rough town with a bad reputation. The first sheriff was shot down in the street and a few years later another one was ambushed and wounded.

By the early 20^th century, a large railroad terminal was located in the town. There was a huge roundhouse, machine shops, two large water towers, a two-story hospital and boarding houses that are all gone now. When the phosphate mines declined in the 1920s High Springs lost much of its population and businesses. By the 1960s the railroads had stopped running and High Springs reverted back to an agricultural and recreation based small town. It's a much quieter place than its wild past.

The annual Pioneer Days festival celebrates that rough and rowdy bygone time, while also holding a family friendly event. Free entertainment will include the popular historic cowboy gunfight reenactments from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on both days. The High Springs Museum, located by the police station will also be open for visitors. The historic St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, which is celebrating its 125^th Anniversary this year, will also be open for tours.

There are also live music concerts in James Paul Park featuring four bands on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, April 24, featured performers are Wild Blue Yonder at 10:30 a.m. performing a combination of classic rock songs and originals. At 2 p.m. on Saturday, it’s The Imposters, which include a who’s who of Gainesville’s finest musicians. Some form of the band has existed for 37 years and the current lineup is comprised of Brad Bangstad, keyboard; Ron Thomas, vocals and bass; Don David, vocals and guitar; Mike Boulware, vocals and guitar; Rob Rothschild, drums; and Michael Derry on vocals and guitar. The Imposters will be playing a combination of classic rock and acoustic music from the 1960s -70s.

On Sunday, Sides-Morris Band takes the stage at 10 a.m. featuring a semi-acoustic vocal duo comprised of local favorite Barry Sides and recent Nashville transplant Gary Morse. The duo’s playlist encompasses The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Howlin’ Wolf, Neil Young and Tom Petty, in addition to roots country and Americana.

Bringing the weekend festival to a close, local favorites Fast Lane will play at 1 p.m. with a unique combination of blues, rock & roll, funk, and soul.

For more information visit the Chamber website at www.highsprings.com, or call the chamber at 386-454-3120.

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