In 1987 a coalition of J.M. Tate High School teachers led by Ora Wills created the Mira awards to recognize talented and creative students in the arts.

Tate Principal Dwight Leonard approved the teachers’ proposal, and a three-person committee of Ora, Beverly Reinschmidt and Susan Soderlind planned and executed the first ceremony.  The first Mira medallions were designed by Soderlind and presented to the initial group of awards recipients at Tate.

The following year, the committee approached Pam Shelden - then Director of Escambia County School District’s Foundation for Excellence, to bring the awards under the umbrella of the Foundation and to initiate county-wide student participation each year initially in the areas of writing, performing, and visual arts.

Since 1987, over 1,000 of Escambia County’s brightest stars have been named Mira award recipients.  In the tradition of the inaugural award, all honorees are given a special medallion to wear at their high school graduation.  

Today the awards honor exceptional creative achievement in 14 categories:

• Chorus Orchestra

• Creative Writing

• Culinary Arts

• Debate

• Graphic Arts

• Instrumental Music

• Journalism

• Orchestra

• Photography

• Pottery

• Theater

• TV Production

• Visual Arts

• Vocal Music

Mira Definition:  Mira is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Cetus.  Tate Latin teacher, Katie Hampton called on her knowledge of the language to name the inaugural award in 1987.

Founding Mira Committee Members:

• Katie Hampton

• Marilyn Fischer

• Susan Donnelly