PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) –The school with the longest continuous accreditation in the state of Florida is located here in Panama City.
Bay district school officials celebrated that 100-year accomplishment on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at Bay High School.
Bay High originally opened in 1924.
Cognia is a global non-profit accrediting agency with rigorous standards for education and quality administration.
Bay High’s accomplishments include being the first high school in the U.S. to start the AICE program and being named the most challenging high school in the U.S. by the Washington Post.
Bay High was one of the seven schools to receive the 100 Years of Accreditation award this year.
Dozens of alumni attended today’s board meeting in the new fine arts auditorium to mark the milestone.
“I certainly believe that we can continue to lead the charge academically. Athletically, there are just multiple opportunities that our students have. And I look forward to just continuing to open up additional opportunities as I get to lead Bay High into the next step,” said Bay High School Blythe Carpenter.
Carpenter graduated from Bay High in 1993 and became the first female principal of the school in 2022.
The oldest alumni to attend today’s event was a member of the class of 1958.
