A new era of education has begun in South Walton. Recently, Seacoast Collegiate High School (SCHS), part of the SEASIDE SCHOOL™, and Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) held a ribbon cutting with the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the opening of the expanded South Walton Center—home to new facilities for both the College and Seacoast Collegiate High School.
The event drew state and local leaders including Gov. Ron DeSantis, Congressman Jimmy Patronis, Sen. Jay Trumbull, Rep. Shane Abbott, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas, and MLB Hall of Famer Tom Glavine. Their presence underscored the project’s significance in expanding access to high-quality education for Walton County students.
“This center is more than a building—it’s a bold investment in the future of Walton County,” said Dr. Tom Miller, Executive Director of SEASIDE SCHOOL™. “Together with Northwest Florida State College, we’re creating a center that expands access, inspires achievement and prepares our students to lead in a rapidly changing world.”
The new facility marks the SEASIDE SCHOOL™’s 30th anniversary and strengthens its partnership with the SEASIDE SCHOOL FOUNDATION™. It houses both high school and college classrooms, offering dual enrollment, labs, workforce training, and advanced academic programs.
“The South Walton Center is a model for how collaboration between K-12 and higher education can change lives,” said Mel Ponder, President of Northwest Florida State College. “We’re not just opening doors to classrooms – we’re opening doors to opportunity for every student in Walton County.”
The project was made possible through significant investment, including a $9.5 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant, $10+ million in state appropriations, and a $1 million leadership gift from the Glavine Family Foundation.
“We are proud to invest in educational infrastructure that meets the needs of Florida’s future workforce,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis. “This center is an example of how public dollars, strategic vision, and local leadership can come together to make a real, lasting impact.”
“As a longtime advocate for education and youth development, I’m proud to support this incredible initiative,” added Glavine. “This center gives students the chance to dream big, work hard, and succeed in ways that impact their entire community.”
Superintendent A. Russell Hughes summed it up: “Students in Walton County now have a homegrown path to higher education, career advancement, and personal growth. This is what it means to invest in people, not just buildings.”
