FAMU DRS to Host 2nd Annual Awards Gala Feb. 13 | The Locally Times
The Feb. 13 gala, a partnership with the city and Javacaya Arts Conservatory, will feature trombonist Gamaliel Harris and offer 300 free tickets to the school community.
The Florida A&M University Developmental Research School (FAMU DRS) will hold its 2nd Annual Distinguished Awards on Friday, February 13, 2026. According to an announcement on the school’s website, the event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Lee Hall Auditorium in Tallahassee. The school’s notice specifies a black-tie dress code for the evening, which it describes as an experience designed to celebrate achievement, legacy, and community impact. The ceremony is set to feature a live performance by trombonist Gamaliel Harris. The event aims to honor distinguished leaders and trailblazers, though the announcement does not specify the names of the 2026 honorees or the criteria for their selection. ## A Collaboration for Community Arts Records from the school show the awards ceremony is a collaborative effort. A news posting on the FAMU DRS website states the event is presented with the City of Tallahassee and the Javacaya Arts Conservatory. The stated goal of the partnership is to celebrate the arts within the community. This partnership brings together a public educational institution, a municipal government, and a local arts organization. To encourage participation from the school community, the announcement offers free admission for the first 300 FAMU DRS faculty, staff, students, and parents who register. For the general public, tickets are available for purchase through a website, www.thedistinguishedawards.com, though the public ticket price is not listed in the initial announcement. Announcements posted by FAMU DRS showcase successes across academic, extracurricular, and faculty activities, painting a picture of a school community focused on celebrating achievement. At a January 31, 2026, competition in the Al Lawson Center, the FAMU DRS STREAMroBotics VEX Robotics Competition Team won awards, though the announcement did not specify the number. The school also recently announced its 2026 Teacher of the Year, Jade Smith. In student academic honors, the school recognized La'Zaria Thurman as its 2026 Best & Brightest Scholarship Nominee in the Health Science category. These individual and group achievements reflect the culture of excellence the Distinguished Awards ceremony intends to honor on a broader community level.