Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach Middle/High School earned a prestigious state school safety award for the second consecutive year. Only nine out of 1,500 schools in Alabama received this honor. Attorney General Steve Marshall visited the school to present the award. Students and staff gathered for a special assembly to celebrate the achievement.

The ceremony took place on March 17, 2026, at the school in Orange Beach, Alabama. Attorney General Marshall presented two awards during the event. These included the 2025 Gold Medal of Enhanced School Safety and the 2025 Safe School Award.

Assistant Principal Scott Cook opened the ceremony by welcoming guests to the assembly. Cook helps oversee school safety at Orange Beach Middle High School. He reminded those in attendance that the honor was earned through hard work and teamwork.

"We are especially proud because this is the second year in a row that Orange Beach Middle School has received this recognition," Cook said.

Principal Chris Shaw thanked Attorney General Marshall for his office's commitment to school safety throughout Alabama. Shaw acknowledged key individuals for their roles in maintaining school safety. These included Chief Johnson and the Orange Beach Police Department, Mayor Tony Kennon, city council members, school board members, and state leaders.

Shaw also recognized school resource officers, Assistant Principal Cook, and Chief Operations Officer Joe Blevens. He said the resource officers play a key role in ensuring that students feel safe and supported every single day.

Shaw emphasized that earning the award requires genuine effort. "A safe school does not happen accidentally," he said. "It takes dedicated teachers, staff members, school resource officers, parents, and community partners working together each and every day to ensure our students feel secure and supported."

Shaw also spoke about what the honor means for the school's culture. "The award reflects the culture we strive to build at Orange Beach, a culture of respect, responsibility, and looking out for one another," he said.

Shaw noted that safety directly impacts student success. "When students feel safe, they are able to focus on learning, growing, and reaching their full potential," he said.

Attorney General Steve Marshall was sworn in as the 48th Attorney General of Alabama on February 10, 2017. He is a native of Atmore, Alabama, and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He earned his law degree with honors from the University of Alabama School of Law. Before becoming attorney general, Marshall spent 16 years as a district attorney for Marshall County. He and his wife Tammy, live in Montgomery and are proud parents of three children.

During his remarks, Marshall said Orange Beach is among the best examples of school safety not only in Alabama but across the country. He pointed out that the school follows best practices that others nationwide should adopt.

One of the most memorable moments came when Marshall called the school's resource officers to step forward. He praised their dedication and personal commitment to keeping students safe. Marshall said the officers have raised their right hands and are willing to sacrifice their lives for others.

He reminded students of the real reason the officers walk the halls every day. "Understand the true reason why they're here is to make sure that every day that you go home, despite whatever may happen," Marshall said. The audience responded with a round of applause.

Earning the award is challenging. The Alabama Attorney General's Safe School Initiative involves a thorough four-phase application and evaluation process. It assesses emergency preparedness, collaboration with local law enforcement, staff training, and safety technology use.

The school has implemented numerous safety measures to earn this recognition. Visitors must go through a secure entry process upon arriving on campus. A door access system enables the front office to verify and approve entry before anyone is allowed in.

A visitor management system monitors and tracks all guests on campus. A high-security camera system runs 24/7 to observe the grounds. The school's exterior glass doors and windows are secured with a protective security film.

Every staff member wears a strategic alert system badge that enables quick communication in any emergency from anywhere on campus. Every classroom is stocked with first aid and stop-the-bleeding kits. Staff members are trained to respond promptly when an emergency occurs.

The school also has a campus-wide emergency alert system. It is accessible to all staff and has clear authorization procedures. The system guarantees quick, effective communication when it is most needed.

After the awards were presented and a short video was shown, guests were then invited to the lobby for photographs.