By Afi-Odelia E. Scruggs / Special Report from Teaching Tolerance
Vickie Malone’s students see integration when they gather in her classroom at McComb (Mississippi) High School. Black and white youngsters talk and study with peers they’ve known since elementary school. But Malone doesn’t want her students to see integration.
She wants them to think about it, to understand their families’ roles in the struggle that, to some extent, continues in their Mississippi town. She doesn’t want them to learn history; she wants them to do history.
In keeping with The Mississippi Tribune’s theme of “news from the community, about the community” one of the Mississippi Tribune publishers, Charles Ashley interviewed the Principal of Higgins Middle School, Kelli Little.
Ashley: Principal Little are you married and are there any kids?
Little: Yes, I’ve been married to Pat Little for 20 years and we have two (2) beautiful children. There is Lauren Little, who is in the 10th grade at McComb High and Jared Little, who is in the 5th grade here at Higgins Middle School.
Ashley: Tell our readers about yourself.
Little: I grew up in McComb, Pat and I both are graduates of McComb High and our children are following in our footsteps.
In keeping with The Mississippi Tribune’s theme of “news from the community, about the community”, one of the publishers of the Mississippi Tribune, Charles Ashley interviewed this week, from Otken Elementary School, the new Principal, Camita Nobles.
Ashley: Principal Nobles are you married and are there any kids?
Nobles: Yes, I’m married to a wonderful man, Mitchell Nobles. January 2010 will be 15 years. We have four (4) children, 3 boys and one (1) girl, ages 11 months, 5, 7, and 9. Two of my children attend Otken. Ashley: Tell our readers about yourself. Nobles: I grew up in McComb and attended Otken and McComb High.
A group of citizens have issued a memo to the McComb School District Board Members regarding the case of fired former teacher Willie Jenkins. Copies of the memo were also sent to the EnterpriseJournal and the Mississippi Tribune. Jenkins’ termination from the school district led to a series of long hearings over several months and left some of the district administrators at the center of controversy.
The school board is scheduled to meet this Tuesday after reviewing the transcript from the hearings and decide the fate of Jenkins.
|
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) held its Leadership Studies Program, June 14th through June 19th on their campus in Hattiesburg. The program was sponsored by the Frances A. Karnes Center for Gifted Studies. Students from across the state participated in the program.
|
|
South Pike High School Graduation May 23, 2009
(Photo: Boyd Webber/Mississippi Tribune)
|
South Pike High School Graduation ceremony held May 23rd
Pike County's 3rd Annual Youth Leadership Conference will be held in McComb next weekend. The conference will feature Cara Filler, America's Next Top Model, entertainment...
McComb School District Public Relations Director, Monique Gilmore has been named the president of the Mississippi School Public Relations Association. She will serve for the 2009 – 2010 school year.
Gilmore is a native of Cincinnati, OH and a 15 year Army Veteran. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree and has been employed with the McComb School District for 7 years. She is the former director of the McComb School District’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program which earned national recognition for collaborations with community partners.
By Monique Gilmore, MSD Public Relations Director
Our School Mascot is in the Mississippi Mascot Contest! We need you to vote! Visit the link below to support our Tiger. Get the word out! Tell your family and friends to vote. Our Tiger needs you! http://w ww.gulfcoastsite.com/wjtv_mascot_vote/mascots/
Congratulations to Coach Hilton Harrell! Coach Harrell will be inducted into the Southwest Mississippi Community College’s Sport Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is Saturday, October 10th at 12:30 pm. For more information or to order tickets, please contact Rhonda Gibson at 601-276-4809 or via rgibson@smcc.edu.
The Mississippi Tribune has since its inception promoted the good news stories of McComb. This week we are featuring an interview with the newest principal of the McComb School System, Ms. Katrina Hines.
Charles Ashley: Principal Hines, are you married and are there any kids?
Principal Hines: Yes I’m married and have been for 9 years to Ronald Hines. He’s the head basketball coach at Independence High School. He formerly coached Brookhaven High for 7 years. We have 1 son, LaRon who attends Otken and is in the 2nd grade.
The McComb High School 9th Grade Community is designed to assist the incoming freshman in making a smooth transition from middle to high school. According to one of the school administrators, Cynthia Lamkin, the program will promote teacher-student relationships, improve academic performance, decrease the failure rate, increase attendance, and reduce discipline problems.
|
|
Amite County High School award winning choir
(Photo: Alvin Burks)
|
The Amite County High School Singing Trojans were recently cited “2009 Performance Choir of the Year” during the Southwest Mississippi Gospel Music Awards sponsored by Trustmart Bank. The Singing Trojans are under the directorship of Alvin Burks who was also awarded 2009 Gospel Choir Director of the Year. ACHS Trojans soprano Kimberly Granger was selected as Female Vocalist of the Year.
Jazmine Baylor, 5th grade daughter of Teri and Timothy Baylor, was awarded the Higgins Middle School Idol with her song, Take A Bow, on Friday night, April 24, 2009 in the Higgins Middle School gym. Other students who placed in the Top Ten and who performed on that evening were Kelly Hart, Janejwa Brown, Skylar Gressett, Joshua Thomas, Kristina Nathaniel, BreeAshlee Jones, Quadijia O’Neal, Tywan Addison-Gardner, and Nyah McGhee. Special performances were also heard from Lea Anna Woodcock, Miss USM 2009 Idol, and Kahalia Wilson, 5 year-old daughter of Marcus and Shawanda Wilson. Proceeds from the competition supported the Higgins Middle School Relay for Life fundraiser.
