Silver Sands School is hosting a fish fry fundraiser on October 27 before the big crosstown high school football rivalry game between the Fort Walton Beach Vikings and the Choctawhatchee Indians.

• The fish fry will kickoff at 5pm on the school’s bus ramp, located at 349 Holmes Blvd., NW in Fort Walton Beach. 

For $10, attendees can enjoy a meal of fried fish, hushpuppies, french fries and coleslaw prepared by Dewey Destin’s Seafood Restaurant and Silver Sands students and staff. Students will also provide homemade desserts.

Proceeds from the fish fry will benefit Silver Sands School, a special day school that serves approximately 130 students ages 3-22 with disabilities from Okaloosa and Walton counties.

The fish served at the fundraiser will come from the school’s aquaponic greenhouse, which was funded by a grant several years ago. The tilapia have outgrown their tanks and need to be harvested, explained Principal Stephanie Wheat.

• “The purpose of our greenhouse is to help promote job skills with our students,” she said. “They come and work in the greenhouse, help with the fish, help with the plants.” 

Before the fish fry begins, the school will host a ‘fishing rodeo’ where the students will actually fish in the tanks through catch and release. 

• “Once the catch and release is finished for the day, then we harvest those fish and then we have a fish fry,” said Assistant Principal Pamela Tisza.

Local restaurateur Parker Destin, co-owner of Dewey Destin’s Seafood Restaurants, is supporting the fish fry by helping with the preparation and cooking. 

“This is your opportunity to support the wonderful children and programming here at Silver Sands School,” Destin said. “You can take the food and head over to the football game at Steve Riggs Stadium beginning at 7:30pm. But the fish fry begins at 5pm at Silver Sands, on October 27th.”