North Central Florida students win big in Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2024

North Central Florida students win big in Florida 4-H Forest Ecology Contest

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Several students across North Central Florida earned top spots in a competition at the University of Florida.

More than 70 students attended the annual Florida 4-H Ecology Contest at UF’s Austin Cary Forest on March 30.

Participants prepared for the challenge by brushing up on their wildlife and nature skills.

Alachua County’s William Pruden took home the gold for having the highest individual score in the Intermediate group.

Meanwhile, Marion County’s Lane Taylor, Kylie Goodson, Cora Taylor, and Ada Perryman earned the title of first place senior team.

Here is a full leaderboard showing how top contestants stacked up across the state:

Junior Division:

· 1st Place Individual: Jada Foucha, Sumter County

· 2nd Place Individual: Joycelynn Gardis, Leon County

· 3rd Place Individual: Addalynn Upton, Marion County

· 1st Place Team: Sumter County – Addilyn Childs, Jada Foucha and Caroline Cattrell

· 2nd Place Team: Marion County – Addalynn Upton, Callie Rae Cassidy, Jax Adamiak and Joshua Force

· 3rd Place Team: Sumter County – Eden Wilkins, Ava Baltzersen and Lily Toman

Intermediate Division:

· 1st Place Individual: William Pruden, Alachua County

· 2nd Place Individual: Isabella Wise, Okaloosa County

· 3rd Place Individual: Madison Wall, Marion County

· 1st Place Team: Marion County – Caleb Force, Forest DeRoy, Jacob Metzgar and Madison Wall

· 2nd Place Team: Okaloosa County – Isabella Wise, Kaden Wise and Kayleigh Thames

· 3rd Place Team: Pinellas County – Charles Wood, Charlotte Watkins, Christian Galiano and Ellis Godfrey

Senior Division:

· 1st Place Individual – Jocelyn Wood, Pinellas County

· 2nd Place Individual – Ada Perryman, Marion County

· 3rd Place Individual – Helena Perryman, St. Johns County

· 1st Place Team: Marion County – Ada Perryman, Cora Taylor, Kylie Goodson and Lane Taylor

· 2nd Place Team: Pinellas County – Annalise Watkins, Jocelyn Wood, Maleah Godfrey and Wesley Wood

· 3rd Place Team: Duval County – Kaela Weaver, Mina Shippey, Skye Burgos and Ziva Ponciano

TRENDING: Forestry officials offer reward for arsonist in Levy County

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FuelFest kicks off at South Florida Fairgrounds this weekend

Published

7 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

FuelFest kicks off at South Florida Fairgrounds this weekend

One of the hottest car shows in South Florida kicks off this weekend at the South Florida Fairgrounds. FuelFest Founder Cody Walker and actor and singer Tyrese Gibson joined CBS News Miami on Friday morning to break down what you can expect to see at the popular event.

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Florida

Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing

Published

19 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was named in a Florida court order that is connected to a robbery and kidnapping case. Court records show that the robbery and kidnapping were allegedly orchestrated by 23-year-old Boakai Hilton, by an associate of Arnold, in retaliation for two robberies that happened at an Airbnb Arnold was renting in Largo.

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Florida

Video: Injured Florida manatee rescued by authorities, receiving medical care at ZooTampa

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Video: Injured Florida manatee rescued by authorities, receiving medical care at ZooTampa

FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.

What we know:

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.

READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD

Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.

Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office

Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.

What we don’t know:

LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.

By the numbers:

As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.

Dig deeper:

Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.

READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week

The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FloridaManateesZooTampa

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