54 | VIPPensacola.com
Admiring the Hush Arbor:
Memorial and Remembrance of
Enslaved People
The Florida Public Archaeology Network
(FPAN) and UWF Historic Trust’s Arcadia
Mill Archaeological Site are hosting an event
called Admiring the Hush Arbor: Memorial
and Remembrance of Enslaved People on
Friday, February 2nd beginning at 5:30 p.m.
with light refreshments served. Guests must
RSVP prior to this free event to reserve a spot,
and space is limited. To RSVP go to http://
www.historicpensacola.org/explore-arcadia-
mill/ and follow the event link. The event will
be held at the Arcadia Mill Archaeological
Site located at 5709 Mill Pond Lane, Milton,
Florida 32583.
In honor of Black History Month, the
Admiring the Hush Arbor event is an evening
of learning and remembrance through music
and stories, all framed by a traditional hush
arbor. During the antebellum period, a hush
arbor was a meeting place, usually secret, that
took place outdoors where enslaved African-
Americans practiced religious traditions.
These sacred spaces were typically wooded
and secluded.
Welcoming remarks will begin at 6:00 p.m.
inside the Arcadia Mill Visitor’s Center/
Museum and the event will conclude
outdoors at 7:30 p.m.
Event sponsors and participants for the
event include the Florida Public Archaeology
Network, UWF Historic Trust, African
American Heritage Society, and UWF Offi ce
of Equity and Diversity.
Episcopal Day School Announces
New Head of School
It is with great pleasure that Episcopal Day
School announces Robert Stephens, Jr. has
been unanimously selected by the Board of
Trustees to serve as the next Head of School.
Mr. Stephens will come to EDS from St.
John’s Episcopal School in Tampa, Florida
where he has been Head of School since 2014.
This appointment is the result of a national
search in which Mr. Stephens distinguished
himself from an extensive pool of candidates.
He is a proven leader with 25 years of
experience in Episcopal and independent
school education. The EDS Board of Trustees
are confi dent and enthusiastic about his
ability to honor our past, respect the school’s
rich traditions and hold fast to the values the
community holds dear as he moves Episcopal
Day School forward as the benchmark in our
community for education.
The extended EDS community warmly
welcomes Robert Stephens. “I am absolutely
thrilled to join the EDS Family and the
greater Pensacola community. Pensacola
is one of America’s great treasures and
fi lled with incredibly warm and friendly
people. Episcopal Day School and Christ
Episcopal Church, together, make up a
wonderful nurturing family where students
can grow, thrive, excel, and serve. It has
been a dream of mine for many years to work
with the teachers, administrators, parents,
and parishioners to continue the traditions
and success of EDS. I am humbled and
immeasurably excited to begin this journey
together!”
For more
information or
to learn more
about Episcopal
Day School in
Pensacola, Florida,
please call Alyssa
Tucker, Director
of Development at
850-434-6474 or visit
www.edscc.org.
PSC announces Foundation staff
changes
Pensacola State College is welcoming
two new staff members and celebrating
the promotions of two others in the PSC
Foundation.
Gaye LaCasce is
the Foundation’s
new director of
development. Before
her recent move
to Pensacola, she
was a lifelong New
Englander and had
worked in development
and community relations for more than 25
years.
Laura Hill is the
Foundation’s new
donor relations
manager/events.
Previously, she served
as the vice president
of United Way of
Escambia County and
led the development
team in building strong lifelong relationships
with United Way’s constituents.
Stephen Whiting has been promoted to
director of fi nance and
business operations
for the Foundation.
Since 2015, he
has led successful
implementations
of the Foundation’s
purchasing card
program and the
college’s new, online
scholarship application
and fulfi llment system.
Layla Zandi has been promoted to donor
campaigns and
reporting manager
after serving in this
capacity as interim at
the Foundation. Her
previous experience
at PSC covers almost
a decade, working in
the library, admissions,
advising and student affairs before coming to
the Foundation as executive assistant.
For more information, contact PSC
Marketing Director Sheila Nichols at 850-
484-1428.
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