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Fort Walton Beach, Choctawhatchee and Niceville compete for ‘best student section’ in Florida

Three Okaloosa County schools are among four finalists competing for best student section in Florida as fan voting opens.

Okaloosa County is well represented in this year’s Sunshine State Spirit Showdown, with three local high schools earning spots among just four finalists vying for the title of Florida’s best student section.

  • The Florida High School Athletic Association announced Thursday that Fort Walton Beach, Choctawhatchee, Niceville and Oviedo have been selected as participants in the 13th annual competition, which is designed to promote positive sportsmanship across the state.

Fort Walton Beach High School won the title last year.

Fan voting opened Thursday and runs through Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Each finalist’s video submission is featured on the FHSAA’s YouTube channel and shared across the organization’s social media platforms, with a JotForm voting link at the bottom of each video.

The winner will be determined by a combination of fan votes and an evaluation by the FHSAA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which will meet March 2 to review the submissions. The winner will also be announced that day and will receive a plaque and banner from the FHSAA.

With three of the four finalists from Okaloosa County — and a defending champion already in the mix — let’s all get in there to vote and keep the title here locally.

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J Bridges commented on WordroW: April 9, 2026
“1min17sec”
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keoms commented on WordroW: March 30, 2026
“44 seconds”
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keoms commented on WordroW: March 31, 2026
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keoms commented on WordroW: April 2, 2026
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“So cool! Congratulations and best of luck to you, Bailey!! 💙💙💙🙏🏼🙌🏻🙌🏻”
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Patty from PA commented on WordroW: April 9, 2026
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“Isn't this a form of "socialized" medicine?”
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“A good example of confusing speed limit signage in school zones is in the stretch of Racetrack Rd. by Pryor and Choctaw.”
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J Bridges commented on WordroW: April 8, 2026
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“It is abundantly clear and easy to observe that scofflaws are rampant on our streets. Speed limits and stop signals are virtually meaningless absent effective enforcement. ‘I was going too...”
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