Excellentia, Volume 3

ISSUE

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DECEMBER 2023

Dear Prep Family, Thank you for reading the 2023 Fall/Winter edition of Excellentia magazine! Inside you will find articles discussing the opening of the new Lower School and how these students and their families have contributed to our community; the incredible production of My Fair Lady; the partnership of our 7th graders with Norma Cox as she traveled to Egypt; the service of our students with the Jackson Free Clinic; and other outstanding academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments of our students. As you read Excellentia, you will see why I am constantly inspired by our community, and I am excited about sharing their stories with you.

However, before you begin reading Excellentia, I want to share with you what I told our students on the first day of this historic year at Prep as we opened the Lower School and embraced our youngest students and their families. I addressed each division of our school—Upper, Middle, and Lower—and had a specific message for each group.

To our Upper School students, particularly our seniors, I challenged them to lead the school and demonstrate what it is to be a Prep student. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” All our younger students look to older students, particularly the seniors, for this inspiration.

Our Upper School students have met this charge, and the class of 2024 has helped us get off to a great start leading our school with talent, passion, and enthusiasm.

To our Middle School students, I encouraged them to be mindful of the words of Mark Twain, who said, “Always do right. You will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”

The Middle School years can be challenging as these students are given greater freedom and responsibility. Our students have balanced these opportunities with a focus on doing right and treating each other with kindness. In doing so, our Middle School students have influenced each other and enhanced everyone’s experience of Jackson Prep.

Finally, to our Lower School students and their families, I emphasized that we are glad they are with us at Prep. In the Lower School office, there is a verse from Psalm 118:24, which states, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I think that we can all agree that our students and faculty in the Lower School have rejoiced in their experience. They have been a force at our Pep Rallies; represented us well in the MAIS swim meet and chess tournament; worked hard in the classroom; and even persuaded a certain Head of School to dress up for a Halloween parade. The Lower School students simply have been a joy to our Jackson Prep community.

Walt Whitman encourages us, “Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and the shadows will fall behind you.”

We are facing the sun during this school year, and I am excited about the future. Thank you for reading this edition of Excellentia, and I hope that you find inspiration reading about our community’s accomplishments.

Go Patriots!

Lawrence M. Coco, III (class of 1992) Head of School

Editorial Staff Vicki King Editor

Norma Cox

In This Issue

Co-Editor

Nathan Devine Copy Editor

Lynn Miller Designer

Executive Leadership Team Lawrence Coco Head of School

Crisler Boone

Chief External Affairs Officer

Denny Britt

Chief Operations Officer

Will Crosby

Athletic Director

Reta Haire

Head of Middle School

Luke Nealey

Head of Upper School/Assistant Head of School

Amanda Slack

Head of Lower School

December 2023

THE LOWER SCHOOL

ACADEMICS Where in the World is Mrs. Cox? Can You Spell C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N?

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ACTIVITIES Community Service Partners with Free Clinic 18 Chess Team Conquers 30 Robotics Students Continue to Win 40 ALUMNI Randy Yates Talks with Marshall Ramsey 2023-2024 Patriot Award 2023-2024 Alumni Council An Interview with Andy Till Josie Duncan: National Champion Edward Wilson: Crowning a Career Brittany Wilson Writes In Place Jay Underwood: 22 Years Later ARTS

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Middle School Artists Explore Portraits Awards Season for Precis and Mindprints My Fair Lady Onstage at Fortenberry

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ATHLETICS Swim Team Makes a Splash Signing Day for Six Prep Athletes Konnor Griffin Wears USA

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HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 22 YOUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN 26

Thanks to the photographers whose work is in this issue: Sarah Atkinson, Jon Marcus Duncan (class of 1995), Lisa Patti, Don Regan, Ryan Sherman, Les Triplett (class of 2006), Libba Wilkes (class of 1975), Hubert Worley, Richard Younce (class of 1985).

The Beginning of an Era: Things to Know About the Lower School

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Our Lower School world language program is off to a great start! Spanish, Mandarin, French, and Latin are taught in 1st through 4th grades. We sing traditional songs, play games in the target language, and, on some days decorate pumpkins with mythologically inspired creatures. Our faculty and Upper School students visit Pre-K and Kindergarten classes for storytelling. The intent of our program is to expose children to languages at a young age and to share with them our appreciation for cultures from around the world. There is never a boring day on our Lower School campus!

--Valerie Abraham World Language Faculty

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The application of our mission will be intentional and clearly linked to our Christian heritage. For example, faculty in the Lower School may engage in daily prayer and devotion; have ageappropriate Bible classes; promote a weekly Bible verse for memorization; publish Bible verses in signage and on video displays in the building; engage in musical productions, artwork, and plays with a biblical influence; focus on service learning and socio-emotional health with an emphasis on biblical values; and have periodic chapel.

All of the faculty in our Lower School were hired understanding this intentional biblical focus.

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Being outside is an important part of the day. The Lower School not only has two fabulous playgrounds but also raised-bed planting gardens and mud kitchens as well as expansive green space.

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The Lower School injected a burst of vibrant energy into pep rallies, radiating enthusiasm as students cheered, dressed up in spirited attire, and actively engaged with the cheerleaders and Pacers, creating an unforgettable atmosphere of school spirit.

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Don Regan’s Upper School Virtual Reality classroom recently hosted Lower School students. Christy Rowland’s 3rd graders, supervised

by Mr. Regan’s current students, used VR equipment and applications to experience what the library-based Lab offers.

Mrs. Rowland’s crew later returned to participate in Haunted House projects that the VR Class constructed as a playable game using the Unreal Engine. “I’m not sure which class enjoyed the experience more,” Mr. Regan offered.

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As you enter the doors of our Lower School, you are immediately struck by the bright colors and tangible learning opportunities adorning the walls. From a larger-than-life ruler column to a three-dimensional open book above the cozy seating area in the reading nook, children are introduced to math and reading around every corner. Our first-floor Explore Hall allows students to walk through the woodlands of the Magnolia State while spotting native trees and animals. Classroom doors coordinate with the woodland theme by introducing students to animals they would encounter in a Mississippi forest or river: Mockingbird Lane, Catfish Corner, Possum Park, and more. Children also pass an acrostic word wall, encouraging them to play, read, explore, and pray, but that’s not all! In an effort to teach our youngest students what happens behind the scenes, doors that house electrical equipment, HVACs, or storage are accentuated with signage containing photos and descriptions from our World Languages curriculum.

As you continue upstairs, to our upper elementary, you’ll discover an oversized map of the United States that is used to teach students the 5

state capitals and to locate places they have traveled.

Directly across the hall is our interactive STEAM Lab and solar system wall complete with Stennis space shuttle in honor of the NASA rocket testing center in Hancock County. The dining and multi-purpose space is equally educational as it displays “Did You Know” facts about hometown foods and beverages as well as a beautiful watercolor graphic of the state with call-outs to special places such as Elvis Presley’s Tupelo birthplace, the Biloxi Lighthouse, and the infamous Delta Crossroads. When you reach the end of the hall, student pieces are proudly displayed on our “Works of Art” museum grid next to a color-splash door wrap that inspires little artists to “CREATE.” Making your way outside, you find that our curated areas are equipped with brightly-colored playsets for preschoolers and climbing structures for older students, promoting physical, cognitive, and social development. Our children are also given the opportunity to put their hands in dirt and to grow their own herbs while learning about botany in our mud-kitchens and raised bed-gardens. In addition to active movement, these areas can be harnessed for 6

outdoor instruction due to the all-weather turf and exterior seating.

It is evident that every space in the Lower School was thoughtfully planned to stimulate the imagination and to motivate learning. Its intentional design also serves as a love letter to the abundance of Mississippi.

--Emily Garner Director of Marketing and Branding

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Left to right: Kasey Shackelford, Amanda Slack, and Caroline Hunter.

Introducing the Lower School administration

AMANDA SLACK HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL Amanda Slack is a native of Nashville, TN, and has lived in Jackson, MS, since 1998. She is a graduate of the Harpeth Hall School and Baylor University, where she received her B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Kindergarten. Amanda also received her M.S.Ed. from Vanderbilt University in Early Childhood Education. After having taught at both elementary and middle schools in Texas and Tennessee, she spent years as a full-time mom and part-time volunteer. Slack then taught 2nd grade at First Presbyterian Day School for eight years before becoming the Children’s Minister at First Baptist Church of Jackson, where she served from 2018 to 2022.

Her proven and strong leadership were essential to her hiring as the first Head of the Lower School. “She possesses the leadership qualities and classroom know-how that enabled her to establish a strong foundation for the Lower School—a foundation that will benefit the students

arriving in the next few years and/or generations to come,” commented Head of School Lawrence Coco.

Slack is the mother of two sons, Noah (class of 2016) and Joseph (class of 2022) and is the widow of Chip Slack. She and her family are active members of First Baptist Church of Jackson. Amanda enjoys travel, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Slack is thrilled to be the Head of Lower School: “It is a joy to work alongside our amazing Lower School staff as we encourage the youngest of learners to reach their full potential through a nurturing, engaging Lower School experience that upholds the Prep tradition of excellence.”

KASEY SHACKELFORD ASSISTANT HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL Kasey Shackelford is a native of El Paso, TX, and has lived in Madison, MS, since 2005. She is a graduate of Madison Central High School and Mississippi College, where she received her B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Biology. Kasey also received her M.S.Ed. in 7

Educational Leadership from Mississippi College.

Kasey has experience in a variety of school systems including public and private schools in Texas, Mississippi, and Africa. After graduating from MC in 2011, Kasey moved to Botswana to start an Orphan Care Center in conjunction with the International Mission Board. She then taught in the Clinton Public School District and served as the Women’s Ministry Director at First Baptist Church of Jackson. She helped start the Mission First Early Learning Center, where she was Head of School, and most recently was Dean of Early Childhood at First Presbyterian Day School.

Kasey is married to Pate Shackelford and together they have two children, Luke (class of 2036) and Lily (class of 2038). She and her family are active members of First Baptist Church of Jackson. Kasey loves to spend time with family and enjoys running and traveling.

Kasey is honored to serve alongside Amanda Slack and learn from her leadership. “Mrs. Slack has raised the standard of excellence to be upheld in all that we do at the Lower School. As a staff, we seek to uphold this standard in and out of the classroom. It 8

has been a blessing to be the recipient of this excellent school both as a staff member and as a mother of a Preschooler. We love JPLS!” CAROLINE HUNTER LOWER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Caroline Hunter (class of 2004) is a native of Brandon, MS. She attended the University of Mississippi, where she received her B.A. in Communicative Disorders, then the University of Montevallo, where she received her M.S. in SpeechLanguage Pathology. After graduating from the University of Montevallo, Caroline practiced speechlanguage pathology in Rankin County schools and at the University of MS Medical Center. In 2019, she went to work for Trinity Rehabilitation as a PRN Speech-Language Pathologist. Caroline is married to Clark Hunter, and they have two children who attend JPLS: Nella, a 4th grader, and Fairley, a 1st grader.

They are members of First Baptist Church of Jackson.

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The Lower School kicked off the fall with a tailgate for new families — a fantastic way to build a sense of community and camaraderie. Hosting the tailgate prior to a football game added an extra layer of excitement and engagement. New families were able to connect in a welcoming atmosphere. Fostering this sense of belonging contributes to the overall positive school experience. Creating spaces for families to meet, share experiences, and enjoy good food strengthens the school.

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Where in the World is Mrs. Cox?

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That was the question asked by 7th graders just a few weeks ago. Leading up to my trip to Jordan and Egypt at the end of August, I began thinking about how I could make this into something more. Knowing that 7th graders take geography, wouldn’t it be exciting if they followed along? I teamed up with Les Triplett to bring my travels to life. “Every day, the students would come into the classroom and ask where she was today,” Mr. Triplett reported.

Maps of Jordan and Egypt lined the walls of his classroom the week before I left, and together with the students, we came up with a number of questions relevant to every city and place I would be visiting.

We divided students into groups of four, and their assignment was to write questions on a large piece of posterboard and, at the bottom, to translate their names into Egyptian hieroglyphics. Each group was photographed holding a board.

My departure date was August 25, with my return being two weeks later. Each night, I posted videos to Instagram (@where_in_the_world_is_mrs_ cox) and every morning, Mr. Triplett played them in his classroom, allowing students to listen as I answered their questions.

In addition, these daily videos provided fun

and interesting things such as hearing people speaking different languages. In the London airport, there was a lovely British man who allowed me to video him talking to the students so they could hear his accent.

I went beyond the questions, showing the sights and sounds of these countries, their clothing, and the foods I was seeing and eating. Students walked with me through an outdoor market in Cairo where people try to sell all sorts of things, and they watched as I waded into the Dead Sea. “It really felt like I was there learning about King Tut’s tomb!” said Madeleine McRae. We walked on a desert with camels running by and sat inside a Bedouin tent built on the sand. Inside, we were given steaming cups of mint tea. Regardless of the daily temperature, tea is always served hot! They watched as I stood in front of the pyramids and Sphinx holding up a Prep flag while the temperature was 123 degrees! And each day, they followed my route on maps, learning to find my location and understanding the great distances my trip involved. “It was really cool, especially the camels!” said Avery Warf.

This project turned out to be a wonderful twist on the traditional learning experience: a creative way for 7th graders to see the world. Baylor Berry offered,

“We learned all about the pyramids, the great sphinx, temples, and lots more.” Students learn so differently these days, and as educators we need to find ways to address their unique styles. The 7th graders responded with so much interest and enthusiasm, and weeks later they are coming to the library to ask more questions!

As a librarian I strive to bring creativity and a sense of possibilities to all of our students. I want them to see how big and exciting our world is, for them to dream of ways to experience it. One thing I have always appreciated about Prep is how open the administration is to “out of the box” ideas. All of us want the best for students, and we strive to widen their worlds and to light a spark inside them. This unusual collaboration brought them insight and knowledge from countries that were completely foreign to them.

Life is all about experiences, and I think we gave them a new experience in a creative, fun way.

--Norma F. Cox Director of Library Services

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Sit Down with Randy Yates and Marshall Ramsey at Ajax Diner

Mississippi Today Editor-at-Large Marshall Ramsey recently sat down with restaurateur Randy Yates (class of 1981). Yates founded and owns Ajax Diner on the Square in Oxford, MS. Opened in 1997, Ajax Diner fed Oxford as the city changed and grew.

Yates talks about the highs and lows of the restaurant business, including the challenges faced during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital Extra: See more with Marshall Ramsey and Randy Yates.

Mississippi Stories with Marshall Ramsey is a weekly series of discussions with some of Mississippi’s most interesting people. To view more interviews and learn more, visit the Mississippi Today website at www.mississippitoday.org 13

2023 Patriot Award: Kathleen and Mack Mitchell

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The Patriot Award is given to alumni who continue to be involved after graduation and have made notable contributions to the community. The 2023 recipients are Mack and Kathleen Mitchell.

Kathleen was the PAT Board Secretary and Teacher Appreciation Co-chair as well as serving as Applause Board Secretary, Membership Co-chair and Chair, and Show Choir competition Co-chair of events and a multi-year steering committee. She was also head mom for both Fusion and Reveillon. Mack is Senior Living Developer with Cardinal Living Ventures Incorporated. At Prep, he was coordinator of Tuesday Nights at the Theatre, the volunteer group that builds sets for show choir and drama. Mack is currently Treasurer for the Board of Trustees. Both Kathleen and Mack were on past capital campaign committees and were Booster Club members. They are the proud parents of Mary Margaret (class of 2018), Mont (class of 2022), and Elizabeth (class of 2023).

Photo above (L-R): Head of School Lawrence Coco (class of 1992), Mack Mitchell (class of 1989), Kathleen Mitchell, Alumni Council president Ben Lane (class of 2010).

Back Row (L-R): Michael Russ (1992), Danna O’Brien (1989), Jet Hollingsworth (1994), Matt Collins (1997), Brett Bailey (2000), Christopher Johnston (2002), Walter Newman (1977), Walker Dowell (2010), David Wilbanks (1983), and Secretary Lauren Warwick (2017).

Alumni Council 2023-24

Front Row (L-R): Douglas Strahan Loftin (2007), Vice President Melissa Lowther Boyd (2000), Harper Wise Jones (1999), President Ben Lane (2010), Cassidy Turnage (2013), Kaylie Reeves (2013), Missy Russell Ellis (2006), and Caroline Colbert Hunter (2004).

Not pictured: Ex Officio Jimmy Nix (2005), Kap Primos (1997), Travis Sledge (2005), Vaiden Clark (1997), and Patrick Lampton (2007).

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Can You Spell C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N?

As the 5th Grade Spelling Bee winner, Jackson Ratcliffe won the opportunity to represent Prep at the regional bee. Ratcliffe placed second in the regional contest, earning him a spot in the upcoming MAIS State Spelling Bee in January.

From L-R: First place winner Gane Boozer of East Rankin Academy, second place winner Jackson Ratcliffe, and third alternate Annilee Brown of Lamar School.

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Our swim team had an undefeated record this year, winning all meets we attended including—best of all—the overall championship. The team was led by senior girls Sara Beth Henson, Meredith McKay, Avery Williams, and senior boys Harrison Fulcher, Warner Russ, and Luke Smith. (Lake Womack and Emily Van Uden, also seniors, were out due to injuries.) Our athletes were willing to swim in whatever event they were needed, and everyone set high standards. They were respectful at meets, well prepared for heats, and had the most fun of any team.

Our younger athletes should continue to produce great things in the future, even as they relish this year’s well-deserved spotlight!

Top left, Lower School 2023 Swim Team (L-R): Back Row: Amanda Slack, Will Crosby, Lawrence Coco. Middle Row: Wilder Ratcliffe, Wyatt Woodall, Britt Baker, Nella Hunter, Liam Kneip, Barron Vance, Robin Shaw, Primm Strickland. Front Row: Linley Kate Davidson, Georgia Brown, Mae Vance, Fairley Hunter, Sayle Strickland, Holden Mincey.

Top right, Upper and Middle School 2023 Swim Team (L-R): Front Row: Stewart Russ, James Annison, Anthon Land, Brianna Wang, Adrianna

Making a Splash!

Wang, Trilby Cummins, Mary Louis Russ, Helen Fulcher, Lydia Jones, Lydia McCormick. Second Row: Coach Wendy Russ, Hayden Davidson, Thomas Werne, Maddie Webb, Avery Williams, Meredith McKay, Asher Reynolds, Evans Reynolds. Third Row: Wil Franklin Collins, and Helen Ruth Dieckman.

Fourth Row: Judson Colley, Warner Russ, Sparks Grenfell, Nan Sheppard, Piper McCalop, Olivia Smith, Taylor Caton, and Coach Erin Cummins.

--Wendy Russ and Erin Cummins Swim Coaches

Digital Extra: See additional photos and video of the Lower School trophy parade.

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Our Partner in Community Service: Jackson Free Clinic --Sarah Atkinson Director of Community Service English Teacher

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Every year, the Service Club chooses a local non-profit as our Community Partner. We focus our time, energy, and donations on that Community Partner throughout the year with the hope of making a lasting impact on our area through the mission of that partner. This year, we are excited to partner with the Jackson Free Clinic and their important work with some of our city’s most vulnerable populations.

Prep alums Katie Rose O’Quinn, Easton Sheffield, and Hadley Thompson are actively involved with running the Jackson Free Clinic and are passionate about their mission of providing free medical and dental care to the homeless and uninsured in the Jackson area. Last spring they invited the Service Club officers to come tour the clinic and see the ways that we could make a difference; we were so impressed by what they are doing there that we couldn’t wait to get involved! Prep students have helped with Hydration Stations on Saturdays during clinic hours, provided manual labor in the Community Garden area, helped to organize supply closets, and packed hygiene kits, just for starters! We have also provided donations of food, laundry detergent, and hygiene products through various club service projects that are shared

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with the patients who are in dire need of these supplies.

In addition to knowing what a difference the JFC makes, I love that our students are getting to be a part of the “full circle” family that extends even outside of Prep: from school parents who volunteered at the JFC as medical students or are currently giving their time as professionals, to current grad students who serve there running the clinic and treating patients, to college students who volunteer to gain valuable experience that will help them as they apply to their chosen grad school, so many of our community are involved there. And we get to be a part of that, too!

Picture identifications (L-R); 1. Josie Essary, Betsy Walters, Regan Reed, Emily Van Uden, Colby Ray, Sarah Headley, Delta Davidson, Bennett Carter 2. Betsy Walters, Haley Dennis, Olivia Smith, Aaron Lu, Regan Reed 3. Alex Guidry, Cameron Clune, Caroline Hammack, Katherine Habeeb, Sarah McKinley, Leighton Lewis, Rachel Hammack, Cage Puckett, Austin Craft, Eli Adams, Barrett Brown 4. Rachel Hammack, Eli Adams, Cameron Clune, Barrett Brown, Alex Guidry, Austin Craft, Cage Puckett

View the 2023-24 community partner announcement video.

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The Till Family (L-R): Riley, Lori, Andy, and Ethan

Andy Till

(class of 1988) Director of the Annual Fund & Head Cross Country and Boys Track Coach

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How has Prep changed since you were here?

There are so many more opportunities. For example, when I was here, there was an art room and one teacher. Now the visual arts are an impressive department. There are classes in Pottery, Painting, Drawing, Photography, Woodworking, Fiber Arts, Glass Design, Graphic Design, and AP Art. This is just the start of students’ academic art opportunities, not to mention the extracurricular activities.

When I was a student, there was a concrete drainage ditch that ran right through the middle of campus. On nice days, the students would sit along the ditch and eat lunch. It was our very own watering hole. There’s a new Dining Commons now, and there are a lot of intentional outdoor eating spaces.

Prep has grown to include a Lower School with PreK-3 through Grade 4, which rebrands our other buildings as a Middle School and an Upper School. It’s been so much fun to watch the Kindergarten students skip, hop, and sing on their way to pep rallies.

Members of the class of 1987 eating lunch in “The Ditch,” a popular lunch spot on campus.

What has stayed the same?

Why do you support the Fund?

My first event as an employee was Meet the Patriots, and when I heard the band and the familiar beat of the tenor drum, I felt the traditions and the calling. Prep has always been a community of passionate teachers and administrators with outstanding academics and athletics. A constant throughout the years has been the generosity of the community, which makes the campus family possible.

It’s my way of expressing gratitude to the teachers and coaches who invested in me. I think of Susanna Orr, who was a kind and constant encourager. She taught us how to work together. And, of course, Coach John McInnis, our track and field coach, constantly reminded us that no matter how tired we were or how many events we had already done, we could always get the ox out of the ditch.

What is the Annual Fund?

Prep became a non-profit organization a few years after I graduated. The transition enabled the school to accept tax-deductible donations, and the Annual Fund was born. It’s a yearly fundraising campaign that permits friends to make tax-deductible donations which go into the operational budget for that year. Tuition covers only 92% of what it costs to educate each student, so the Fund helps make so many of our programs possible.

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2022-2023 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

2022-2023 Annual Fund Honor Roll of Donors

Circle of Gold Yvonne and Bob Bertolet Ergon Foundation, Inc. Feild Co-Operative Association Pryor and Robert Lampton Circle of Excellence Anonymous BankPlus Morgan White Group Amy and DeFord Walker Founders’ Circle The Michelle and David Hobbs Foundation McMaster & Associates, Inc. Ashley and Hu Meena April and Kevin Nall Regions Trustees’ Circle Rhonda and Todd Bertolet Carrie and Philip Blount Barbara and Jason Craft Flowood Chamber of Commerce Jackson Prep Class of 1992 Ellen and Charles Johnson Dr. and Mrs. Don Mitchell Monty Montgomery Kim and Michael Nichols Amanda and Hastings Puckett Julie and Dudley Wooley Head of School’s Circle Laura Bishop Deanna and Adair Blackledge Mary Catherine and Justin Blackwell Crisler and Doug Boone Pam and Denny Britt Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Mayme and Thomas Couch Dr. Hilary G. Craddock and Mr. Benjamin Craddock Helen and York Craig Stacie and Bill Crim Marisa and John Davidson Marty and John Dunbar Lisa, Rosemary, and Michael Johnson Jackson Prep Class of 2008 Kroger Leila and Sam Lane Courtney and Rob Love Kelly and Sam Love Ashley and Chris Maddux Sally and Len Martin Kathleen and Mack Mitchell

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Mary and Michael Taylor Suzanne and Tommy Thames Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton Michelle and Jody Varner Kim and Will Walker M’Lee and Kelley Williams William Windham

Honor Circle Katie and Lewis Agnew Amanda and Andrew Annison Sarah and Mike Atkinson Leslie and Joel Bobo Joy and Don Cannada Ann and Jim Coggin Elite Roofing Services, Inc. Emily and Mack Garner Shelley and Patrick Gough Reta and Mark Haire Darlene Hall Marsha Hobbs Bridgette and Thomas Iupe Lucia and Dee Jones Libby and Ted Kendall Tracie and Joe Mallard Beth and Karl Mann Marilyn McClendon Spiller and Chan McLeod Lou Ann and Doug McKibben Shani and Jackie Meck Jan Mounger Cindy and Bubba Palmer Candace and Jay Powell Allyn and S. T. Ray Joanna and Joe Roberts Victoria and Bruce Robinson Sherri and Randal Russell Trina and Rance Sapen Rhonda and Terrence Shirley Catherine and Joe Stradinger Carolyn and Jim Tatum Julie and Chris Wyatt Patriot Circle Anonymous Valerie Abraham Melanie Aldridge Pam and David Allen Lindsey Anderson Sara Anderson Whitney and David Andress Mimi and Benje Bailey Brock and Mary Briggs Baker Lynda and Eric Balfour Tim Benton Carr and Gwain Black Martha and Dick Blount Sam Boone Will Boone Samantha and Tim Bowling Sharon and John David Box Brandon Boyer Nell Bradford Mary Kelly and Jason Branning

Lucinda McGarvin and Robert Breland Lynne and Nick Brewer Joe Bryant Mary Buchanan Leslie and John Buckley Rusty Burke Matt Butts Whitney and Marcus Canoy Adrienne Cox Carter Cory and Matt Caton Karen and Jimmy Chandler Gracie and Scott Chesnut Dr. and Mrs. John L Cox Mr. and Mrs. Jack Crawford Milicent and Will Crosby Abby and Reece Crumpler Laura Daniels Missy and Chris Davidson Lisa Davis Leslie and Cliff Decker Jane and Paul Degrood Nathan Devine Joanna and Donnie Dieckman Judge and Mrs. Ronald Doleac Patsy Douglas Kim and Jeff Downing Mary and Tom Dunbar Tammy and Jon Marcus Duncan Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo Graham Eklund Sharon and Paul Ervin Suzanne and John Eskrigge Mari and Sam Farrington Kelley Walton Fenelon Amy and Arty Finkelberg Lou Ann and Spence Flatgard Nancy Flowers Jayda and Wendell Fountain Whitney and John Fuller Ginny and Matt Futvoye David Gammill Josh Glidewell Donna and Doug Goodwin Helen and Jesse Graham Mr. and Mrs. Heyward C. Green Tisha and Coleman Green Bobby Gross Melissa and Alan Gunn Kelly and Blake Headley Abby and Brent Heavener John Hill Betty and Jerry Horn Jessica Leigh Long and Lain Hughes Tish and Haden Hughes Allison and Jeremy Hurley Allison and Andy Impastato Jackson Prep Booster Club Jackson Prep Class of 1981 Jackson Prep Class of 1984 Christina and Charlie Jackson Peggy and Lee Johnson Mr. and Mrs. B. Bryan Jones, III Kim and Kurt Jordan

Melanie and David Jordan Jackson Prep Middle School Faculty Mary and Ted Kendall Andrae and Steve Kincaid Vicki and Larry King Barbara Kroeze Paula and Steve Kuhn Bethany and David Lane Holly and Alan Lange Malika Lindsay Susan Lindsay Gail and David Litchliter Lelia and Mike Manning Toni and Ed Manning Lauren Markle Erin and Jeff Mathews Michael McAnally Ron McAnally Leesa and Silas McCharen Anne and Doug McDaniel Tara and Allen McDaniel Amanda and Frank McKeown Robert Sanford, Ann Marie Munn, and everyone at BMG Mimi and Robert Mehrle Kristin and William Merrell Jennifer and Henry Michel Mississippi Manufacturers Association Jane and Eddie Moak Sandra Mobley Helen and Red Moffat Allison and Jerry Montgomery Becky and Dennis Morgan Vicki and Ben Morgan Sara and Doug Morgan LeAnn and Luke Nealey Farrah and Troy Newman Mariclaire and Eric Nix Lisa and Gary Noble Keavy Noblin Waynette and Shane Noe Ric Nowell Martha and Dave Ollar Ramona and Lee Ozier Beth Collum Ozmun Lisa and Scott Parson Sarah Pitman Brianne Powers Jennifer and Cliff Powers Leigh Ann and Chris Purnell Sara Young Razi Jennifer and Richard Rebich Kimberly and Guy Reedy Jodie and Don Regan Bill Richardson Mary Mills and Spencer Ritchie Amanda and Ben Roberson Melanie Roberson Paige and Mark Robertson Kim and Kevin Robichaux Anne and Steve Rogers Alexander Romano Carol and David Rose

Jeanne and Rod Russ Sue and Richard Russ Norwood Sanders Sarah and Skipper Scruggs Sarah Shaw Amy and Dale Shepherd Alli and Anthony Sherman Mary Pryor and Joe Sherman Melissa and Ryan Sherman Frances Shields Lisa and Allen Shive Kathryn and Bill Shuff The D.L. “Billy” Simmons Family Elizabeth Lee Simmons Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Simpson Sitters, LLC Amanda Slack Cassie and Carter Smith Jina and Johnny Smith Martha Smith, Mac Smith II, and Marchman Smith Randolph Smith Valerie and Gregg Smith Bobby Spann Freda Spell Robert Sproles Mary Linley and Andrew Sweat Julianne and Jerry Summerford Mary and Matt Taylor Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas Muffin and Marcus Thompson Marc Treadway Les Triplett Charlotte and Larry Tyner Susan and Lee Tyner Caroline and Hunter Upchurch Kimberly and Robert Van Uden Mollie and Billy VanDevender Mr. and Mrs. William VanDevender, Jr. Jan and Johnny Wade Lee and John Waits Marita and Ben Walton Emily and Trey Waterloo Maret and Steve Watson Beth Watts Andrew W. Weeks, M.D. Beverly and Steve Weeks Christopher Weeks Stephen Weeks Amy and Ken Wiandt Bronwen and Newton Wiggins Penny Wilkerson Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson Ruth Willoughby Shirley and Mark Windham Nancy and Zeb Winstead Rachel and Tim Wise Mrs. Wirt Yerger, Jr. Richard Younce Laura and Johnny Young Jane and Jeff Zhu

GEORGIA BROWN Helen and Jesse Graham DAVID CHARLES Lee and John Waits

PAUL SMITH Lee and John Waits

Carolyn and Jim Tatum BARBARA HEDERMAN Stacie and Bill Crim

IN MEMORY OF

WILL CROSBY Amy and Arty Finkelberg

HAROLD AINSWORTH Jackson Prep Middle School Faculty

VIRGINIA HORNE Sharon and Paul Ervin Mr. and Mrs. B. Bryan Jones, III Sue and Richard Russ Mary Pryor and Joe Sherman

WINN CROSBY Paula and Steve Kuhn

BOB BERTOLET Crisler and Doug Boone

JAX HUGHES Ric Nowell

ANDREW CROSS Judge and Mrs. Ronald Doleac

WARD BRELAND Jackson Prep Class of 1981

LINDY CASTLE LEE Jackson Prep Class of 1992

CAROLINE CROSS Judge and Mrs. Ronald Doleac

PEGGY BRUCE Mary Buchanan Karen and Jimmy Chandler Lisa Davis Tisha and Coleman Green John Hill Lisa, Rosemary and Michael Johnson Melanie and David Jordan Robert Sanford, Ann Marie Munn and everyone at BMG Lucinda McGarvin and Robert Breland Mississippi Manufacturers Association Mary Sue and Don Mitchell Sandra Mobley Allison and Jerry Montgomery Melanie Roberson Martha Smith Julianne and Jerry Summerford Suzanne and Tommy Thames Charlotte and Larry Tyner Lee Tyner Ruth Willoughby

DOT MANN Laura Bishop Crisler and Doug Boone Brandon Boyer Mr. and Mrs. Jack Crawford Patsy Douglas Mary and Tom Dunbar Mr. and Mrs. Heyward C. Green Reta and Mark Haire Kelly and Blake Headley Marsha Hobbs Vicki and Larry King Barbara Kroeze Holly and Alan Lange Courtney and Rob Love Leesa Crim McCharen Spiller and Chan McLeod Jan Mounger Beth Ozmun Sarah Pitman Elizabeth Simmons Sitters, LLC Freda Spell Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas Mary Yerger

CLASS OF 1982 LOST MEMBERS Vicki and Ben Morgan

BILLY MANN Reta and Mark Haire Leesa Crim McCharen

ALLISON GRAVES COHO Ric Nowell

SUDIE MANNING Stacie and Bill Crim

BRIAN COLLINS Jackson Prep Class of 1981

MARY JO MCANALLY Michael McAnally

WILLIAM COOK Stacie and Bill Crim

B.B. MCCLENDON Stacie and Bill Crim Jane and Paul Degrood Lucia and Dee Jones Marilyn McClendon Anne and Doug McDaniel Mary Sue and Don Mitchell Jan Mounger Matt Taylor Marita Walton

THOMAS D. CROSS Judge and Mrs. Ronald Doleac BELLA DALLAS Cindy and Bubba Palmer LILY RUFFIN DALLAS Cindy and Bubba Palmer LAURA DANIELS Lee and John Waits LAWRENCE DEAS Jackson Prep Booster Club ANNA GRIFFIN Reta and Mark Haire Allyn and S.T. Ray SARAH HEADLEY Darlene Hall ASH HEDERMAN Betty and Jerry Horn LOU ANN MCKIBBEN Reta and Mark Haire Allyn and S.T. Ray AVA MOAK Jane and Eddie Moak EMILY MOSES Helen and Jesse Graham DR. LUKE NEALEY Bronwen and Newton Wiggins JIMMY NIX Lee and John Waits GARY NOBLE Jackson Prep Middle School Faculty

WILL COOPER Vicki and Ben Morgan JOHN COUCH Mayme and Tommy Couch MARK COX Jackson Prep Class of 1981

GRACE JEAN MCCLENDON Lucia and Dee Jones

IN HONOR OF

TRUDY POWERS Carolyn and Jim Tatum

RICHIE EDMNDSON Jackson Prep Class of 1981

COACH RICKY BLACK Libby and Ted Kendall

EMMA C. ROSE Carol and David Rose

JANICE FINDLEY Reta and Mark Haire

CRISLER M. BOONE Helen and Red Moffat

TRINA SAPEN Helen and Jesse Graham

DEAN GERBER Mary Sue and Don Mitchell

REV. SUKUMARI “SUE” MICHAEL Lynda and Eric Balfour

MARY KELLY BRANNING Shirley and Mark Windham

CAROLYN SISK Reta and Mark Haire

JIM HAWKINS Freda Spell

ANN MINOR Valerie Abraham

NAN MERRELL Jackson Prep Class of 1981

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JANE ANN MOORE Reta and Mark Haire Mary Linley and Andrew Sweat SARAH JONES NELSON Susan Lindsay LEROY PATTERSON Reta and Mark Haire GUS PRIMOS Stacie and Bill Crim Mary Sue and Don Mitchell The D.L. “Billy” Simmons Family VanDevender Family Foundation BILLY PRIMOS Stacie and Bill Crim BRODIE RAY Jackson Prep Class of 1981 DR. JIM ROBERTS Nell Bradford Adrienne Cox Carter BETSY ROSENBLATT Stacie and Bill Crim Reta and Mark Haire Jennifer and Henry Michael GEORGE LEE SANDERS, SR. Reta and Mark Haire HELEN HESTER SILLS Jackson Prep Class of 1981 ROBERT SPELL Jackson Prep Class of 1981 MARK STEELE Katie and Lewis Agnew WALKER WILBANKS Graham Eklund CHRISTY MARKLEY WILKES Jackson Prep Class of 1992 CHRIS YATES Mary Sue and Don Mitchell WIRT A. YERGER Stacie and Bill Crim BRICK CAMPAIGN Reta and Mark Haire Jackson Prep Booster Club Paula and Steve Kuhn Monty Montgomery Penny Wilkerson 2022 - 2023 ALUMNI GIVING * denotes Précis Club Class of 1971 Lee Johnson Class of 1972 Mary Briggs Baker Elizabeth Simmons

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Class of 1973 John Dunbar * Lucia Jones Jones * Ed Manning Marilyn McClendon * Class of 1974 Sara Anderson Larry King * Leesa Crim McCharen Lee Ozier Lisa Graham Parson * Allyn Mann Ray * Class of 1975 Kelley Walton Fenelon * Joe Roberts * Class of 1976 Leslie Joyner Bobo * Alan Gunn Rob Love * Johnny Wade Class of 1977 Bill Crim * Mary Yerger Dunbar Tom Dunbar Karl Mann * Class of 1978 John Cox Charles Johnson * Doug McDaniel Class of 1979 Robert Lampton * Mike Manning * Ashley Creekmore Meena * Beth Collum Ozmun Class of 1980 Anne Simmons Graeber Class of 1981 Todd Bertolet * Doug Boone * Class of 1982 Sam Farrington Henry Michel Ben Morgan * Anne Wells Rogers Class of 1983 Lou Ann Wilks Flatgard * Class of 1984 Lindsey Anderson Crisler Moffat Boone * Jim Coggin * Jeff Downing Chan McLeod * Will Walker * Kelley Williams * Dudley Wooley * Class of 1985 Spiller Burnham McLeod William Merrell Allen Shive M’Lee McMullan Williams * Richard Younce *

Class of 1986 Robert Breland Suzanne Hasseltine Eskrigge * Melanie Mason Jordan April Payne Nall * Valerie Hyde Smith

Class of 2001 Caroline McKibben Upchurch

Class of 1987 Jack Crawford Ben Roberson *

Class of 2003 Sam Love *

Class of 1988 Philip Blount * Will Crosby* Monty Montgomery* Marc Treadway Class of 1989 Lain Hughes * Thomas Iupe * Alan Lange Mack Mitchell * Ric Nowell * Mary Elizabeth Russ Upton * Class of 1990 Ashley Hollis Maddux * Robert Van Uden Class of 1991 Mike Atkinson * Adrienne Cox Carter Sara Young Razi * Class of 1992 Benje Bailey William Burnham * Lawrence Coco * Rebecca Thomas Coco * Bobby Gross * Cassie Anderson Smith Andrew Sweat * Beth Mason Watts Class of 1993 Sara Whelan Randall Morgan * Class of 1994 Mary Kelly Findley Branning * Class of 1995 Jon Marcus Duncan Zeb Winstead * Class of 1996 Michael McAnally Anthony Sherman Class of 1997 Erin Duncan Mathews * Class of 1998 Andrew Annison * Amy Lampton Walker * Stephen Weeks * Class of 1999 Amanda Wellington Annison * Christina Sandifer Jackson Mary Mills Lane Ritchie * Class of 2000 Lewis Agnew * Leslie Townsend Decker * John Fuller * Sarah Hobbs Shaw

Class of 2002 Christopher Weeks * Newton Wiggins *

Class of 2004 William VanDevender * Andrew Weeks * Class of 2006 Kathryn Mosley Shuff Les Triplett Class of 2007 Eric Nix Class of 2013 Keavy Noblin Class of 2016 Graham Eklund Class of 2017 Brianne Powers * Class of 2020 Joe Bryant 2022 - 2023 Parent Giving Class of 2030 Alli and Anthony Sherman Melissa and Ryan Sherman Class of 2029 Amanda and Andrew Annison Erin and Jeff Mathews Laura and Ron McMaster Emily and Trey Waterloo Class of 2028 Cory and Matt Caton Hilary and Ben Craddock Leslie and Cliff Decker Joanna and Donnie Dieckman Emily and Mack Garner Allison and Jeremy Hurley Mary Mills and Spencer Ritchie Julie and Chris Wyatt Class of 2027 Mimi and Benje Bailey Mary Catherine and Justin Blackwell Missy and Chris Davidson Allison and Andy Impastato Christina and Charlie Jackson Ashley and Chriss Maddux Farrah and Troy Newman Cassie and Carter Smith Amy and DeFord Walker Emily and Trey Waterloo Class of 2026 Carr and Gwain Black Samantha and Tim Bowling Adrienne Cox Carter Hilary and Ben Craddock Leslie and Cliff Decker

Tara and Allen McDaniel Laura and Ron McMaster Shanie and Jackie Meck Alli and Anthony Sherman Melissa and Ryan Sherman Mary Linley and Andrew Sweat Muffin and Marcus Thompson

Alum Surpasses Goal, Becomes a National Champion

Class of 2025 Mimi and Benje Bailey Deanna and Adair Blackledge Mary Catherine and Justin Blackwell Carrie and Philip Blount Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Cory and Matt Caton Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Milicent and Will Crosby Marisa and John Davidson Tammy and Jon Marcus Duncan Ginny and Matt Futvoye Bethany and David Lane Ashley and Chris Maddux Tracie and Joe Mallard Laura and Ron McMaster Sara Whelan and Doug Morgan Candace and Jay Powell Amanda and Hastings Puckett Paige and Mark Robertson Cassie and Carter Smith Catherine and Joe Stradinger Emily and Trey Waterloo Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson Julie and Chris Wyatt Class of 2024 Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Whitney and Marcus Canoy Barbara and Jason Craft Jayda and Wendell Fountain Shelley and Patrick Gough Kelly and Blake Headley Allison and Andy Impastato Ashley and Chris Maddux Erin and Jeff Mathews April and Kevin Nail Farrah and Tory Newman Amanda and Hastings Puckett Jennifer and Richard Rebich Amy and Dale Shepherd Kimberly and Robert Van Uden Amy and DeFord Walker Class of 2023 Sarah and Mike Atkinson Rhonda and Todd Bertolet Carr and Gwain Black Milicent and Will Crosby Kim and Jeff Downing Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo Ellen and Charles Johnson Malika Lindsay Tracie and Joe Mallard Erin and Jeff Mathews Tara and Allen McDaniel Spiller and Chan McLeod Kathleen and Mack Mitchell Waynette and Shane Noe Muffin and Marcus Thompson Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton Kim and Will Walker Beth Watts

The 2023 NJCAA Division 2 soccer tournament was held in Tucson, AZ, November 12-18. Twelve teams from across the country were grouped into four brackets of three teams with the winner of each bracket advancing to the semifinals. Jones College, out of Ellisville, MS, advanced to the semifinals where they knocked out in-state rival Holmes Community College by a score of 4-0. Jones would go on to play Johnson County (Nebraska) in the National Championship where they won 3-0, securing Jones College their first National Championship in women’s soccer.

Playing in the national tournament two years in a row has been very rewarding. It demonstrated our team had grit and compassion about the sport: we kept the intensity up when we didn’t win the district championship. Winning this year is such a surreal moment, and I know I’ll hold onto it forever. I can now say that I’m not only an Overall basketball champion, but I’m also a National Champion.

--Josie Duncan (class of 2022) Being able to watch Josie compete in the JUCO Division 2 National Tournament was really special. That is the pinnacle of the season, where you want to be when the season is over. Josie had an outstanding college career: from a soccer player who wasn’t looking to play college ball at all to a national champion is incredible. I’ve always preached to Josie that I hope she “one ups” me in her athletic career. Well, she did it. First in basketball, by winning an MAIS Overall Championship, which I never did. And now in soccer, by winning a national championship, which I never did either.

The furthest we advanced at University of Mobile was to semifinals my junior year. Being the father of a tremendous athlete and also having the privilege to coach her at Prep are memories I will cherish forever. I’m so proud of her on and off athletic fields and courts. Josie will always be able to say, “I am a National Champion.”

--Jon Marcus Duncan (class of 1995), Prep Girls Soccer Coach... and Josie’s Dad 25

YOUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN The Capital Campaign list is in alphabetical order as of November 1, 2023.

2020 Capital Campaign Visionaries Anonymous (2) Lakeland Square Partnership Mollie and Billy VanDevender Pioneers Anonymous (2) Laurie and Tony Huffman Selby & Richard McRae Foundation, Inc. Walker Foundation Leaders Anonymous Meredith and Graham Calvert Kappi and David Craddock Henry and Martha Hederman Charitable Foundation Maggi and Lee Lampton Melissa and Nash Neyland Beverly and Walter Shelton Laura and Tommy Stansell Trustmark National Bank Amy and DeFord Walker Julie and Dudley Wooley Catalysts Anonymous Yvonne Bertolet Mary Tison and Jay Brown Nikki and Ken Cleveland Clinton Dental Care, Inc Pat and Jim Coggin Barbara and Jason Craft Betsy and Wade Creekmore Sidney and Holt Crews Lesley and John Davis Jan and Lawrence Farrington Courtney and Thomas Hewitt Mamie and Jet Hollingsworth Ashley and Hu Meena Elizabeth and Kerk Mehrle Amelia and Joshua Metcalf Kathleen and Mack Mitchell Kim and Michael Nichols Beth and Chip Pickering Telos Foundation, Inc. The Michelle and David Hobbs Foundation Stacy and Jay Underwood Pacesetters Anonymous Natalie and John Baten Angelyn and Barry Cannada Ann and Jim Coggin Libby and Jack Crawford Martha and Davis Frye Ginny and Matt Futvoye

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Elizabeth and Clay Hays Jackson Prep Booster Club Jeanne and William Liston Ashley and Chris Maddux Laura and Ron McMaster Anne and Steve Rogers Marla and Warren Speed Heather and Will Vise Linda and Wirt Yerger Developers Anonymous (2) Whitney and David Andress Crisler and Doug Boone Pam and Denny Britt Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Nathan Devine Saundra and Duane Dewey Julie and Charles Galloway Kelly and Blake Headley Jennifer and Buster Mooneyham PPR2 Susie and John Puckett Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton Maggie and Christian Waddell Emily and Stuart Whitaker Frances and Phil Wilson Eleanor and Ryan Young Promoters Anonymous Sarah and Mike Atkinson Laura and Charles Barbour Laura Bishop Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Mike Campbell Jennifer and York Craig Catherine and John Cross Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo Shelley and Patrick Gough Reta and Mark Haire Hederman Family Ellen and Charles Johnson Harper and David Jones Bettye Mason Anna and Jimmy Nix Jennifer and Cliff Powers Leigh and Todd Reeves Trina and Rance Sapen Rhonda and Terrence Shirley Catherine and Joe Stradinger TCBC LLC Maret and Steve Watson M’Lee and Kelley Williams Prep Family Supporters Anonymous Zachary Allison Tim Benton Carr and Gwain Black Samantha and Tim Bowling

Donate Now

Sharon and John David Box Becky and Dennis Morgan Lynne and Nick Brewer Emily and Clinton Moses Georgia Brown LeAnn and Luke Nealey Rusty Burke Mariclaire and Eric Nix Daniel Burnett Lisa and Gary Noble Matt Butts Keavy Noblin Gail and Dan Cado Waynette and Shane Noe Whitney and Marcus Canoy Julie and Danna O’Brien Butch Case Ramona and Lee Ozier Cory and Matt Caton Silvia and Steve Page Keely and Taylor Charles Leigh Ann and Chris Purnell Gracie and Scott Chesnut Allyn and S. T. Ray Clear Lake Farms Jennifer and Richard Rebich Norma and John Cox Kimberly and Guy Reedy Milicent and Will Crosby Jodie and Don Regan Abby and Reece Crumpler Bill Richardson Megan and David Dallas Mary Mills and Spencer Ritchie Laura Daniels Paige and Mark Robertson Tammy and Jon Marcus Duncan Kim and Kevin Robichaux Anne and Ligon Duncan Teresa and John Romano Graham Eklund Zander Romano Entergy Corporation Amber Rose Suzanne and John Eskrigge Carol and David Rose Mari and Sam Farrington Sherri and Randal Russell First Commercial Bank Norwood Sanders Nancy Flowers Sarah and Skipper Scruggs Jamie and David Floyd Sarah Shaw Jayda and Wendell Fountain Amy and Dale Shepherd Patricia and Dave Gammill Alli and Anthony Sherman Natalie and David Gibbs Melissa and Ryan Sherman Helen and Jesse Graham Lisa and Allen Shive Anna and Ricky Griffin Kathryn and Bill Shuff Bobby Gross Carolyn and George Sisk Chere and Donovan Guilbeau Jina and Johnny Smith Abby and Brent Heavener Suzanne and Paul Smith Suprena Hill Randolph Smith Marsha Hobbs Bobby Spann Katherine and Adam Horlock Kristie and Steven Speights Jessica Leigh Long and Lain Robert Sproles Hughes Chris Sweatt Christina and Charlie Jackson Lynn and Hays Thompson Maio Jin and Yan Wang Muffin and Marcus Thompson Kim and Kurt Jordan Les Triplett Andrae and Steve Kincaid Amanda and Tyler Turner Vicki and Larry King Caroline and Hunter Upchurch Bethany and David Lane Ryan Upshaw Malika Lindsay Kimberly and Robert Van Uden Addie and Tommy Louis Lee and John Waits Tracie and Joe Mallard Gretchen and Brian Walton Lelia and Mike Manning Emily and Trey Waterloo Erin and Jeff Mathews Beth Watts Shelby Grace Mays Amy and Ken Wiandt Michael McAnally Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson Emily and Guy McClain Rachel and Tim Wise Tara and Allen McDaniel Richard Younce Amanda and Frank McKeown David Zhang Lou Ann and Doug McKibben Jane and Jeff Zhu Holly and Mart McMullan Kristin and William Merrell Lynn Miller Every attempt was made to ensure accuracy.

Helen and Red Moffat We apologize for any oversights or errors that Monty Montgomery may have occurred.

Crowning His Career --Richard Younce (class of 1985) Film, Speech and Debate, and Chess Teacher

Digital Extra: See Edward receiving his NSDA award at the 11:28 time mark.

Edward Wilson (class of 2023) is currently a freshman in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi.

Congratulations to recent graduate Edward Wilson for finishing 2nd Overall in Congressional Debate at the National Speech & Debate Association (“NSDA”) High School National Championships.

In the last four years, this two-year team captain earned over 3000 National Speech & Debate points in 14 different events and holds the national ranking of “Premier Distinction with 5 Rubies,” the highest rating available to students. He is consistently ranked as the best Speech & Debate student in Mississippi, was nominated for state Speech & Debate Student of the Year, and is listed in the top 50 of all Speech & Debate students in the country.

Edward also actively participated in Prep theatre productions, several academic quiz bowl teams, the Chess Club, and the French Club; he wrote for both The Sentry and The Patriot; and he was the 2nd Place National Finalist at the National Endowment for the Arts’ Poetry Out Loud recitation contest.

During his Upper School career, Edward qualified for 26 separate slots at 13 different national championship Speech & Debate tournaments, including eight slots in 202223. He chose to compete in Congressional Debate at NSDA “Nats” this year. In June, over 6000 students gathered in Phoenix, AZ, to compete in 23 categories. Starting with over 400 other best-of-the-best Congress delegates who qualified from around the country, Edward debated for almost 30 hours over five days to “make the stage” Friday night.

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Competing at the Next Level

Digital Extra: See Cole Cress sign with Jones College.

Digital Extra: See Kendal Moore sign with Delta State University.

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Digital Extra: See Olivia Smith sign with the University of Southern Mississippi.

Digital Extra: See John Woods Hollowell sign with Hinds Community College.

Digital Extra: See Konnor Griffin sign with Louisiana State University.

Digital Extra: See Warner Russ sign with Auburn University.

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Chess?

Check!

Congratulations to the 2023 MAIS Chess State Champions!

This marks the 8th year in a row that the team has brought home a state championship.

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UPPER SCHOOL (10-12)

At the 2023 MAIS championship, held on October 26, the Upper School team (above right) repeated as Senior High State Champions for the 8th year in a row. Out of 108 competitors, senior and captain Eli Biggs went undefeated to take the Senior High Individual Championship, followed by sophomore Vincent Sun, who finished 5-0 to capture 2nd place overall in a mathematical tiebreaker. Senior Garner Young earned 4th place, sophomore Caleb Zhu 11th, sophomore Roy Benjamin 12th, sophomore Zay Jones 16th, senior Cage Puckett 18th, and junior Parker Page 20th. None of Prep’s 18 Upper School team members had losing records.

LOWER SCHOOL (1-6)

In their first-ever MAIS chess competition, the Upper Elementary team (Grades 4-6) was led by 6th grader Triton Bryant, who finished 3rd out of 88 in the Division. The Lower Elementary team (Grades 1-3) was led by 3rd grader Britt Baker, who finished 18th out of 55 players. None of Prep’s Lower School players–some of whom have been playing chess for fewer than two months–lost all their games.

MIDDLE SCHOOL (7-9)

Our Middle School team (above left) earned third in the Junior High Division. Seventh grader Coleman Recore went undefeated in five rounds, mathematically finishing 2nd out of 101 players. Eighth grader Rose Hathorn contributed with a winning record, as did 7th graders Edward Coco, Jack Graves, Caleb Hinton, and Baxter Hughes.

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Writing In Place

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Over winter semester, I had the opportunity to take a writing class in the Yucatan Peninsula. The Yucatan is a beautifully rich cultivation of Mayan culture before and after colonization. Many cities continue to embrace their earlier heritage alongside the intermingling of the cultures of the Maya and Spanish peoples.

Our class focus was to write in place, where location and our experiences in different cities were at the core of our productions. I wrote poetry and creative nonfiction about a number of topics: Mayan lore, religious syncretism between Maya and Catholicism, and the cityscapes of Merida, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, and Progreso.

We visited many sites including Ek Balam, Uxmal, Kuiuc, Kabah, Labna, and Tulum. In Kuiuc, there is a research facility open to locals who are descendants of the Maya people who lived there, or to those connected to Millsaps. This facility hosts a number of beehives that belong to stingless bees whose honey is bitter and used for medicinal purposes. The facility also hosts a number of archeological studies to learn more about the people who once lived there.

I was able to take this trip with the assistance of the Robinson Scholarship, and I learned to look more

closely at my surroundings and appreciate them.

Culture drives our ingenuity and creativity. The Yucatan was a vivid, vibrant, immersive peninsula that deserves to be seen and felt.

--Brittany Wilson (class of 2020)

Maya Land here, water is white and gold is green. sour oranges skip and dance with sweet papayas. stingless bees sing to orchidias in the kiuic, where corn creates mankind and water sustains. limestone arches line the city streets where life awakens before sunrise and lingers after sunset. cathedrals bury temples under the horizon— limestone foundations peer through stucco. here, tsiltsilche and ceiba trees embrace the reclaim of a rich heritage.

--BW 33

Twenty-two Years Later...

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Today marked the end of an era. When I returned to Jackson from Nashville in 2001 to start my gastroenterology practice with GI Associates, I had an opportunity to provide services at Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest, MS (pop. 5339). Although I had never been inside, I knew it well…the tiny, one-story, 25-bed facility was located just six houses down from my grandparents. I began a weekly ritual of 6 a.m. breakfast with “Mama Wood & Daddy Wood”— homemade biscuits, fresh eggs, bacon, ham—and then walked up the road to see three or four patients. On my first day, the charge nurse asked if I was ready for lunch. I asked about my options, and she said that I’d get what the patients got: fried chicken, sweet tea, and for dessert, a peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich. I was home. Twenty-two years later, my grandparents have moved on/up, but my weekly treks have persisted, still beginning at 6 a.m. every Tuesday, but now lasting well into the afternoons. Today was our last day in that seafoam green room. Surgical services will be moving up the road to a beautiful, brand new facility, and our team will move with it. The hospital will remain, with the ER taking over the OR space. I’ll miss the tile, the nonfunctioning 1950s surgical lamp, and the three nonfunctioning clocks. But more than

that, I’ll miss the spirit of that single, frozen-in-time operating room. So many memories in there, a full emotional range. Of course, it’s ultimately people that make a place, and I’ll continue to be blessed by patients that ask about my family (and care about the answer), colleagues and staff who have other options but choose to tend to their friends and neighbors. But I WILL miss that place. Goodbye, 330 N. Broad St.

Reprint of Facebook post by Jay Underwood (class of 1986) on June 27, 2023.

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The Face of Design

Mixed media, led by Mrs. Decker, gives students the freedom to be creative in their own ways, especially during this project. They created portraits from media including newspapers, different paints, and canvases, then cut out facial features from magazines. Students used these pieces to make full faces. Canvases, cardboard, song sheets, blueprints, and maps were used. The base layer was maps, newspapers, paints, magazines, and words that described distinct personalities. They used paint and magazine cutouts to portray different facial angles including glancing to the side and staring directly ahead. Other projects tackled during the year were equally creative!

--Avery Dale, Maizie Hogan, and Rose Hathorn

Group picture (L-R) Back row: Maddie Webb, Avery Dale, Ellie Yerger, Marilyn Colley, Celeste Adams, Elise Hawkins, Mary Thomas Decker Front row: Olivia Collins, Rose Hathorn, Mia Covington, Maizie Hogan, Cece Stansell, Sophie Witcher

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Around the World and Back Home Again --Brent Heavener Head Varsity Baseball Coach Assistant Football Coach World History Teacher

Konnor Griffin has a great baseball career at Prep, and he has gotten to travel all over the country playing the game he loves. A High School AllAmerican, he signed to play college ball with the LSU Tigers on November 8. Perfect Game has ranked him second in the country, and he’s already won three State Championships at the high school level. Konnor has been invited to play in Perfect Game events, Future MLB events, and the Under Armour All-American game. In August, he made the 18U USA Team. Konnor is a true teammate, one who cares more about others than about himself. I have gotten to know and coach Konnor over four years, but I wanted to find out just what these opportunities have meant to him.

What did it mean for you to make Team USA? It meant the world to me to wear USA across my chest.

Making the 18U team has been a goal of mine for years now, and I am very blessed to have been a part of that team.

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What was it like to go to Taiwan and play baseball?

Would you like to play for Team USA again?

It was an amazing experience. The coolest part about it was seeing with how much passion other countries play the game. Teams like Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Korea all have unique cultures, which was fun to experience.

I would love the opportunity. I came back emptyhanded, without a medal, so I want to win gold for my country. Representing the greatest country in the world by playing the game I love is something I would do every day if I could.

What is something that you learned overseas that you can bring back to Prep?

You were gone for almost a month this fall. What did you miss the most, and what could you not wait to do when you got home?

I’d say, the difference between a team with a “team mindset” and a team with an “individual mindset.” To win championships, you have to play as a team and lay everything on the line for the guys on the field with you. I felt that we lacked that mentality over in Taiwan, but that’s something I can bring back. This season at Prep we’ll have a “team mindset.”

I definitely missed my family the most. It was extremely hard communicating with the people I love across the 12-hour time difference. I couldn’t wait to get home and eat my normal foods. I was tired of the Taiwanese food after about three days, so the first place I went when I got home was Cane’s.

Watch Konnor reflect on his experience on WLBT here.

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Robotics Wins Again

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The first Upper School VEX Robotics team won the Excellence Award on November 4, a top award that secured their footing as the best overall team at the competition. They competed against other high schools in interview and engineering notebook categories, where they ranked high across the board. Congratulations to team members Payne Stroud, Jefferson Keller, Jake Zhang, Bennett O’Quinn, Brock Young, Miriam Caballero, and Lola Burch. The team now qualifies for state championships.

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Get Me to the Theatre on Time!

--Lawson Marchetti (class of 2017) Geometry and Theatre Teacher

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In 1956 the musical that critics widely deem the most perfect, Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady, opened on Broadway. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s masterpiece Pygmalion (in turn a callback to Ovid’s Metamorphoses), this sumptuous story and score soar into the soul. A tale of transformation, My Fair Lady chronicles the makeover of Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower-girl with the grit to overcome her station, and her relationship to the most precocious phonetician Henry Higgins. This Golden Age musical was the perfect choice for Fortenberry Theatre’s decennial. Helmed by Director of Performing Arts Emily Waterloo, the production was classic and elegant, expertly performed from start to finish. With a beautiful, 24-piece orchestra, an array of seven scenic drapes, and over 200 lavish costumes, Prep’s thespians inhabited a stunning early 20th-century London. The cast consisted of 80 students led by Meredith McClain as Eliza, Will Dungey as Higgins, with knockout supporting performances by Blake Collins (Pickering), Charlie Faulk (Doolittle), Mari Lampton Walker (Mrs. Higgins), and Briggs White (Freddy).

Campus MINISTRIES

At Jackson Prep, we believe that a life of faith in Christ is central to developing successful life journeys for our students. Our prayer through the spiritual gathering is for our students to discover and grow in their identity in Christ and in their God-given purpose and potential.

Farrah Newman, MD

Campus Ministries Chair

OUR TIERED APPROACH Jackson Prep embraces the influence and practice of the Christian faith without limiting the community to a particular set of beliefs or worldview. We will continue the long-standing tradition of advancing our mission that “instills personal integrity through biblical values,” which has served our community well over many years, while introducing our new tiered approach. Prep has lovingly welcomed students and families from many faith traditions throughout our history, and we remain committed to doing so in all facets of our campus life. The application of our mission results in a tiered system through the different approaches in our Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. Jackson Prep will continue to emphasize biblical values in the development of our students emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually as we pursue our commitment to excellence in academics, arts, and athletics with all of our families regardless of their faith journey.

LOWER SCHOOL The application of our mission will be intentional and clearly linked to our Christian heritage. The natural extension of “instilling personal integrity through biblical values” will be curricular given the age of the students. For example, faculty in the Lower School may engage in daily prayer and devotion; have grade-appropriate Bible classes; promote a weekly Bible verse for memorization; publish Bible verses in signage and on video displays in the building; engage in musical productions, artwork, and plays with a biblical influence; focus on service learning and socio-emotional health with an emphasis on biblical values; and have periodic chapel. All of the faculty in our Lower School were hired understanding this intentional biblical focus.

MIDDLE SCHOOL As our students move to Middle School, our focus shifts to creating partnerships among the school, students, and their families. These partnerships provide opportunities for spiritual enrichment and encouragement through distinctly Christian activities and ministries welcomed on our campus.

UPPER SCHOOL In Upper School, our students are provided the opportunity to express their faith and spiritual beliefs with minimal prompting by the school, but with the full support of the faculty and administration. The goal of this approach is for our students to own their spiritual life by knowing what they believe and why; having the ability to express those beliefs in a positive and constructive manner; and then living out that faith in service to society.

Faith Opportunities The UNLEASH experience is for Prep students who desire to be spiritually encouraged and to unleash their potential in Christ. There is a student-led worship band with a message from local ministry leaders each month.

Middle School is not only a critical time for our students to UNITE their hearts to God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but we also believe its an ideal time for students to unite with one another, locking arms to walk a life of faith throughout their Prep experience.

YOUNG LIFE'S mission is to introduce teenagers to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. Prep students, along with other local independent school students, are invited to attend small and large group meetings weekly. Summer camps are also available.

THE PURSUIT is a student-led spiritual enrichment week held during the second semester of the school year.

WHO: WHEN: WHERE: FOR INFO:

WHO: WHEN: WHERE: FOR INFO:

Grades 5 through 12 TBD Patriot Avenue Sharon Box, sbox@jacksonprep.net

Grades 10 through 12 Most Monday nights beginning in September - May Follow @younglifejaprep on Instagram for times Elizabeth Nenon, efnenon@gmail.com

WHO: Grades 5 through 8 WHEN: Wednesdays at 7:15 a.m.

WHERE: Classrooms on campus FOR INFO: Amberly Collins, amberlywilsoncollins@gmail.com Ella Payne, ella.payne@hotmail.com

WHO: WHEN: WHERE:

MOMS IN PRAYER

This group of MOMS IN PRAYER of Jackson Prep students meets twice monthly to pray and fellowship together. It is a parent-led group.

WHO: WHEN:

FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES' purpose is to encourage the coaches and students of Jackson Prep in their faith through regular meetings.

WHO: WHEN: WHERE: FOR INFO:

Grades 9 through 12 Alternately Mondays and Thursdays Lyceum Coach Zach Allison, zallison@jacksonprep.net

All Prep Students Spring Semester 2024 Fortenberry Theatre

Moms of preschool through 12 graders 2023: 9/6, 9/20, 10/4, 10/18, 11/1, 12/6 2024: 1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/6, 3/20, 4/3, 4/17 TIME: 1:00 - 2:15 p.m.

WHERE: Convenant Presbyterian Church FOR INFO: Whitney Canoy, #601.519.6380 2023-24 Committee: Laura Barbour, Deanna Blackledge, Whitney Canoy, Caroline Hollowell, Ashley Maddux, Kathryn McCraney, Farrah Newman