Patriot Magazine - 2021

PATRIOT M A G A Z I N E

2021

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Lawrence M. Coco, III

HUBERT WORLEY

MISSION STATEMENT: Jackson Preparatory School inspires and challenges students toward academic, athletic, and artistic excellence, instills personal integrity through biblical values, and equips students to pursue lives of distinction in service to society.

Dear Prep Family, Welcome to the 2021 Patriot magazine! Inside you will find articles ranging from Jackson Prep’s Capital Campaign and the recent renovation of the Junior High building to the accomplishments of our students, teachers, and alumni, and to Jackson Prep’s plans for the coming years. As I reflect back over the last year, I am overwhelmed by Prep’s collective ability to overcome obstacles, rise to any challenge, and turn difficult circumstances to our advantage.

As you read the Patriot magazine, you will see why I am energized about the future of Jackson Prep.

These truly are exciting times!

Before you proceed, I want to share how Jackson Prep started this school year. Simply put, we began the year with confidence— confidence in our faculty, confidence in our administration, confidence in our board, confidence in our families, but, most importantly, confidence in our students.

Our students are our greatest asset, and their talents and passions consistently shine in the classroom, on the athletic field, on the stage, and in our community.

Even in these uncertain times, our students make us proud with their incredible spirit and unwaveringly positive attitudes. They have consistently demonstrated an ability to adapt to a multitude of circumstances, both good and bad, and not just achieve, but thrive. I cannot wait to see what our students accomplish during this new school year.

As we move into the coming months, I want you to be aware of YOUR Jackson Prep Campaign.

This capital campaign has already

resulted in the completed renovation of our Junior High building, enabled us to fully turf the baseball field, and put air conditioning in the Manning Center. Additionally, this campaign will allow us to double our endowment and expand our educational footprint through the development of an institute for innovation and creativity. These improvements to Prep facilities and programs are the result of the generosity of the Jackson Prep community. However, our campaign is not yet done, and we need your help to complete the projects that will directly impact all Jackson Prep Patriots.

Please look for articles in the Patriot magazine recounting the successes of YOUR Jackson Prep Campaign and the exciting projects to come. Your ongoing support will continue to make Jackson Prep the best independent secondary school in Mississippi and an educational leader in our region. You may assist us in this effort by going to page 65 and scanning the QR code or page 71 and filling out the Patriot Club Membership Form.

I find my inspiration in the halls and classrooms of Jackson Prep.

We are an incredible institution and community made up of outstanding students and their families. I look forward to visiting with you throughout the 2021-2022 school year. We are going to have a great year!

Be smart. Be safe. Go Patriots!

Lawrence M. Coco, III

YOUR Capital Campaign

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TALKING ABOUT MAKING AN IMPACT

The Legacy of a Prep Education

Campaign co-chairs discuss planning and possibilities

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TALKING ABOUT MISSISSIPPI

Discovering Welty

Eudora Welty’s relationship with Jackson Prep deepens

Familiar faces lead the way

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TALKING ABOUT REIMAGINING

Junior High Transformation

Recasting and updating facilities, technology, and space

From the Editor................................................... 4

MAIS Junior High Teacher of the Year............... 44

Class of 2021...................................................... 5

Leading by Example: The Impact Award............ 45

Strategic Plan.................................................... 20

STAR Teacher of the Year................................... 46

Let Me Do It!.................................................... 22

Fulfilling My Destiny......................................... 47

Prepped for Success.......................................... 24

The Jazz of Teaching.......................................... 48

Earthwinds 50th Anniversary............................ 26

Barbara Fortenberry Hederman........................ 50

AP Art Standards............................................... 28

Commitment to Diversity.................................. 52

Learning+Life.................................................... 29

Freedom Now: Civil Rights In Mississippi ......... 54

Word+Image..................................................... 30

Charlie Berry: A Baseball Story......................... 56

Innovating the Classics...................................... 32

Distinguished Alum........................................... 58

Literary Awards................................................. 34

Patriot Award.................................................... 59

Finding My Place............................................... 36

1981 Reunion Wedding..................................... 60

What I Wish I Knew in 10th Grade................... 37

Proudly Representing Mississippi...................... 61

Speech and Debate........................................... 38

Party for Prep.................................................... 62

EnrichMS........................................................... 39

Honor Roll of Donors....................................... 64

Pathfinders........................................................ 40

Hidden Prep: The Cross Country Trail............... 72

Does Engineering Float Your Boat?.................... 42

The Last Word: Who We Were in 7th Grade..... 73

GLI Make a Difference Projects........................ 43

IN THIS ISSUE

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TALKING ABOUT BUILDING

EDITORIAL TEAM Vicki King, Editor Norma Cox, Associate Editor Lynn Miller, Associate Editor Nathan Devine, Copy Editor Allyn Ray, Copy Editor Megan Seyfarth, Designer Hederman Brothers, Printing Cover Art and Endpapers by P.L. Miller EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM Lawrence M. Coco, III, Head of School Crisler Boone, Chief External Affairs Officer Denny Britt, Chief Operating Officer Will Crosby, Director of Athletics Reta Haire, Head of Junior High Luke Nealey, Head of Senior High and Assistant Head of School 2020-2021 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

From the

John D. Davis IV, President

EDITOR

Will Walker, Vice President Tony Huffman, Vice President Joe Stradinger, Secretary

VICKI KING

Director of Auxiliary Programs

T

he Gathering Tree that stands between the McRae Center and the Senior High served as the inspiration for this issue.

It has heard countless conversations from a myriad of voices, watching the growth of Prep since the school’s founding. The spot has hosted teachers and students for lunch, meetings, collaborations, art projects, photographs, and simple relaxation. It has provided shade and kept secrets.

During our remote learning days, we reinforced layers of technological support throughout the campus. Without our steadfast commitment to cutting-edge technology, students would be hindered in their exposure to creative and innovative ways of learning. However, COVID reminded everyone that in-person communication cannot be fully replaced by video conferencing. Vital as it is to the future of the school, technology does not lend itself to long or meaningful dialogues. Screens limit our understanding of nuanced behaviors and obscure the depth of facial expressions. We crave a conversation in its natural context, and those rich, human conversations and connections are now restored. We witness these personal connections every day in classrooms; talented teachers produce students who are innovative, inspired, and compassionate. As you read this issue, you will marvel at the diversity of voices at Prep.

The aging live oak has weathered the ups and downs of Prep right along with us. It serves as a reminder for us to never lose sight of the fact that it is personal relationships and connections that make the school what it is today. Useful as digital tools of the past year may have been, they cannot replace the growth in community that the Gathering Tree has fostered over the decades. There is no question that many of our alumni and current students have fond memories of that unique space.

I can see in the acorn the oak tree.

Maya Angelou

Marcelo Eduardo, Treasurer P. David Andress Jim Coggin, Jr. Duane Dewey Ashley Meena Thomas “Mack” Mitchell Terrence M. Shirley Laura Stansell Francine Smith Thomas Mary Elizabeth Upton Heather Vise J. Kelley Williams, Jr. Dudley D. Wooley 2020-2021 ALUMNI COUNCIL Jet Hollingsworth, President Lissa Middleton Kellum, Vice President William VanDevender, Secretary Matt Collins, Ex-officio Walter Newman Jay Underwood Ashley Hollis Maddux Kap Primos Melissa Lowther Boyd Douglas Strahan Loftin Dottie Dale Grubbs Britt Buchanan Burkhalter Amber Mabry Michael Russ Vaiden Clark Harper Wise Jones Ariel Cheng

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Congratulations Class of 2021 137 Graduates

10 National Merit Finalists 10 STAR Students 3 All-STAR Students $14.7M Scholarships Earned $6.1M Scholarships Accepted 32% OF THE CLASS OF 2021 SCORED 30 OR ABOVE ON THE ACT THREE STUDENTS SCORED A PERFECT 36 5

Members of the class of 2021 will attend the following colleges and universities: The University of Alabama Auburn University Belmont University University of California-Berkeley Chipola College Covenant College East Mississippi Community College Hinds Community College Holmes Community College Jones County Junior College Louisiana Tech University University of Maryland-College Park Millsaps College Mississippi College Mississippi State University University of Mississippi Pennsylvania State University Ringling College of Art and Design Rollins College Samford University The University of the South Southeastern Louisiana University University of Southern Mississippi Texas Christian University University of Utah University of Virginia Wake Forest University

KARLA POUND

YOUR Capital Capital Campaign co-chairs Will Walker, Ashley Meena, and Tony Huffman

T

HIS CAMPAIGN

continues the theme of “Your” and “Our”—the YOUR meaning that great things happen at Jackson Prep for both YOU and the school. YOU are our best asset, and WE can offer you endless possibilities. Our “Discover YOUR Possibilities” theme encourages prospective students to come to Jackson Prep to discover THEIR potential among the many possibilities we offer.

This is our fifth capital campaign. Past campaigns have built the tennis courts and Manning Center, Guyton Science Center, Dining Commons, and the Centre for Arts and Leadership.

Each campaign had multiple elements of focus with the priority determined through input from school leadership, the Board of Trustees, and constituent feasibility study feedback.

I have always been reluctant to ask people for money, so I was

reluctant when first approached about being a campaign co-chair.

However, in this process I have found it’s not difficult at all if you believe in the mission and projects. I believe we are at a very crucial time in the life of our school.

We need the resources now more than ever to remain competitive in our market.

One of the Board’s primary responsibilities is fundraising, both short term (Patriot Club) and long term (Capital Campaigns). We are charged with maintaining the financial sustainability of the school, and raising money is a large component of that. The Board of

Trustees is 100% in our participation of both the Patriot Club and Capital Campaign, and this sends a strong message to our constituents.

I was involved as a Board member during the last campaign.

Typically, the campaign chairs, Head of School, and Chief External Affairs Officer do most of the in-person asks, but Board members are often included if there is a relationship.

Most schools are in constant need of capital to maintain infrastructure, update technology, and build the endowment. Prep is no different. Our tuition typically only accounts for about 92% of

$4.5M

RENOVATING YOUR JUNIOR HIGH

This project will enhance our entry point and ensure that the infrastructure of the school matches the strength of the education within. Highlights include shared lab space, hubs for specific grade level collaboration, teachers’ suite, flexible classrooms and furniture, and technology space.

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$2.5M GROWING YOUR ENDOWMENT

Prep must continue to be the same rigorous, innovative, successful school it has been, while remaining affordable for those who desire a Prep education. Endowment funds can support faculty or help start or grow special projects or programs to benefit students. In the long run, a strong endowment can assist in controlling tuition, helping to cover costs that might otherwise come from larger tuition increases.

Campaign our operating budget—the cost to educate a student—and this doesn’t include capital improvements, so we are always dependent on philanthropic gifts to make up the difference. Our new strategic plan calls for the following: • Expand our educational footprint • Foster a spirit of innovation, agility, and creativity • Deepen and enhance the Prep experience • Ensure best-in-class faculty and staff • Broaden our affordability, accessibility, and financial sustainability

$2M

ESTABLISHING YOUR INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

To be competitive in college and to prepare for the careers of the future, Prep will provide varied, innovative offerings. From coding to extended reality experiences to pitching entrepreneurial concepts to building 3-D models, the Institute will allow for new opportunities for Prep students.

• Fortify our commitment to diversity in our Prep community • Invest in our core facilities Our consultant spent time with students, parents, alums, faculty, staff, and friends of the school. They concluded that we could raise $7.5–10M. We have current committed pledges of $8.8M, and we are confident that we will be able to reach our $10M stretch goal.

In Prep’s history the largest single gift we have received was $500,000. In this campaign to date we have received FOUR seven-figure gifts! That is unheard

$1M

UPGRADING YOUR ATHLETIC FACILITIES At Jackson Prep, athletics are an important part of who we are. In support of our champions, we intend to add turf to our baseball field and intend to add air conditioning and new flooring in the Manning Center.

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BY WILL WALKER Campaign Co-chair

of in our community, and I think it speaks to the commitment to our mission.

One might look at these monumental gifts and say, “With that kind of giving my smaller gift will not make any difference.” That can’t be further from the truth.

The key to every successful campaign is participation. If everyone in the Prep family gives to their reasonable ability, we will finish significantly above our goal. It is important to the success of the campaign that everyone does his or her part, no matter how large or small the contribution.

The independent school market in the Jackson metro area is more competitive than ever.

Prep must continue to differentiate itself as the value leader in this space. We currently have the best faculty and staff, among our most valuable assets, but we must strive to improve while keeping our tuition cost at a level our parents can justify. That leads me to the endowment.

Most schools our age and size have endowments of $25M or more. Prep’s is between $2.5–3M today. Growing the endowment ranked first in priority for this campaign. Gifts to an endowment are usually very difficult to get/solicit, but I think people are seeing how important it is for our long-term sustainability and to control the cost of tuition. To that end the Jackson Prep Board of Trustees has committed to double the endowment within the life of this capital campaign. In my opinion that will be the legacy of this campaign. As we can continue the commitment to increase the endowment, Prep will continue its success well into the future.

THE LEGACY OF A PREP EDUCATION

BY LOU ANN MCKIBBEN

CRISLER BOONE Chief External Affairs Officer

O

ne of the many lessons I’ve learned in my 22 years at Jackson Prep is that you can, indeed, go home again. I have had the privilege of working alongside Jackson Prep alums who were called back to the place that helped mold them into the adults they have become. For Head of School Lawrence Coco and Chief External Affairs Officer Crisler Boone, the Jackson Prep journey has truly come full circle.

When Lawrence was named head of school, one of the first things some of us did was pull out the yearbook from his senior year to see what activities he had been involved with; in short: everything.

Seriously, he excelled in academics, athletics, the arts, and school service. During Crisler’s years as a Jackson Prep student, she was one of those bright lights whose presence made the school a better place. As students, Lawrence and

KARLA POUND

Entrepreneurship Teacher

KARLA POUND

Familiar faces lead Capital Campaign

LISA PATTI OF PATTI PIX PHOTOGRAPHY

YOUR Capital Campaign

LAWRENCE COCO Head of School

Crisler immersed themselves in the Prep experience, taking every opportunity to learn, serve, and grow. Then they took their Jackson Prep foundation, went out into the world, and achieved great success in the private sector. The fact that they chose to return to Prep, to guide and shape the experiences of the next generation of students, speaks volumes.

In recent years, I have worked closely with Lawrence and Crisler as we have created and nurtured the Jackson Prep Entrepreneurship Program. I can say without hesitation that the program would not have been successful without their enthusiasm and advocacy.

Not only has Lawrence given his unwavering support, he continually encourages us to provide our students with more challenges and more opportunities. Crisler’s involvement goes back to her days in banking. I think she has judged

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every Jackson Prep Shark Tank since 2014. She is my “go-to” for anything we need from the community. It is not an exaggeration to say that Crisler Boone knows everyone. The two of them have been my sounding board, my lifeline, and my head cheerleaders.

When Lawrence and Crisler speak on behalf of the school, they are speaking for every aspect of the Prep community. They have been outstanding students, supportive parents, and deeply committed officers of Jackson Prep.

They bring to the capital campaign leadership, a wealth of institutional knowledge, and a tremendous love for this school. As the grandmother of soon-to-be Patriots, I am excited about our unlimited potential and grateful to those whose passion for Jackson Prep brought them back to us and is propelling us to an amazing future.

YOUR Capital Campaign

Inspiring a New Generation

MARTHA & DAVIS FRYE ❝

It is inspiring to think that our gifts support and encourage our future leaders, innovators, artists, and professionals.

KARLA POUND

❞

How long have you supported Jackson Prep, and what inspired you to make your initial gift?

Our family has a long history with Jackson Prep spanning back to the 1980s when Davis was a student, and his dad was a Board member. Since that time, we have seen first hand the growth and expansion made possible by generous gifts to the annual fund and capital campaigns. We were first inspired to give by the idea of making Prep an even better place, not only for our children, but for future Prep families.

What motivates you to give?

We appreciate the efforts by Prep’s leadership to keep tuition costs as reasonable as possible, and we understand that it takes gifts outside of regular tuition payments to provide Prep students with first class facilities and programming. Who would have thought in the 1980s that the “old gym” would be repurposed as a Fine Arts and Media Center or that a cramped cafeteria would be replaced by the Dining Com-

mons? These and other projects on campus have only made Jackson Prep better, and we want to be a part of that development.

What impact are you making with your support?

We know that every dollar donated is spent for the benefit of students at Jackson Prep. It is inspiring to think that our gifts support and encourage our future leaders, innovators, artists, and professionals.

What would you say to someone who is considering supporting the Capital Campaign and Patriot Club?

Do you remember life as a teenager? (Davis hopes you don’t remember him as a teenager, and Martha admittedly rocked some serious 80’s hair!) Whether you were a STAR student, an athlete, or just tried to stay under your principal’s radar, you know that teenagers need a safe space to learn, get challenged, grow, and develop. These are formidable years that require formidable ed-

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ucators. A donation to Jackson Prep may help one kid become a National Merit Finalist, another become an outfielder for the Mets or Ole Miss running back, and another just make it to graduation.

I hope all of us will consider donating to provide such incredible opportunities and needed support to kids in our community.

Why do you continue to give?

A quality education is vitally important to our future, and we trust the leaders and educators at Jackson Prep to work diligently in the best interests of their students.

Why do you feel it is important to give even if it does not directly impact you or your family?

While it may not directly impact us or our children, we want to continue to support kids in our community and prepare them for the challenges of college and beyond. It benefits all of us to educate our youth, so we will continue to give to Prep even after our last child graduates in 2022.

Previously unpublished photograph of Eudora Welty

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PHOTOGRAPH BY MARY MOORE MITCHELL. 1925.

Used by permission from the Norma Flora Cox Collection.

WELTY LYNN MILLER

Discovering

BY NORMA COX AND DR. EBONY LUMUMBA

Dr. Ebony Lumumba—professor and chair of English at Jackson State University—recently sat down with Director of Library Services, Norma Cox. The occasion was to discuss Norma’s soon-to-be published article in the Eudora Welty Review, an academic journal put out by Georgia State University. Dr. Lumumba researches, writes about, and teaches the work of Mississippi author, Eudora Welty. The following is a condensed version of their conversation.

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EBONY

NORMA

In 1988, Miss Welty gave Jackson Prep a remarkable collection of her books, mementos and personal photographs.

Also included were eleven signed photography prints from her renowned collection which is housed at the MS Department of Archives and History.

These prints were placed on permanent loan to us by a directive from Miss Welty. We recently created a new Welty Exhibit in the library and during that process, I was perusing [the archive’s website], looking for information regarding these [prints]. To my amazement, I discovered that Eudora Welty had taken twenty to thirty photographs at my cousin—Mary Moore Mitchell’s—home outside of Grenada, Mississippi.

This discovery has since turned into a very exciting story.

*Several of these photographs have been published in books of Eudora Welty’s photography. Ellen Goodall appears in Eudora Welty as Photographer; her husband John is in Eudora Welty Photographs; they appear together in Black and White: Photographs of the 30’s and 40’s, and the photo of Cindy’s apron is published in Eudora Welty: One Time, One Place.

Exciting to say the least.

I think one of the most remarkable things is that your family history led to this revelation, and it’s all substantiated and documented in texts and photographs. It’s germane to start at the beginning: that being the connection between your cousin and Eudora Welty, because even the sort of sisterhood that they forged is special to have documented.

NORMA: My grandmother grew up in Jackson’s Belhaven neighborhood on Peachtree Street, and four houses over around the corner was where Miss Welty and her family lived, on Pinehurst.

Eudora and her mother, joined

by Mary Moore, my grandmother and great-grandmother, regularly played bridge. As a result of this, Eudora and Mary Moore formed a friendship and decided that they would room together at the “W” [MS University for Women] during their freshman year in 1925. Years later, in 1931, Mary Moore’s brother, Billy, tragically killed himself while a student at Southwestern College in Memphis. Miss Welty traveled to attend the funeral and of course to be with Mary Moore. Several months later, she approached the Mitchell family and asked if she could write a story on the funeral weekend, and much to our subsequent dismay, they declined.

Obviously, our family has known of this special friendship between Eudora and Mary Moore and that Miss Welty enjoyed numerous visits to Myrtlevale, the Mitchell family home. What we had not known is that she not only took twenty to thirty photographs during these visits, but had also written an essay about one specific experience. So, even though she was unable to write about the funeral, she did indeed write a story about being with Mary Moore! In this archived essay, Welty wrote about a mar-

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ried couple living at the Mitchell home that Mary Moore wanted her to meet. They had formerly been enslaved people there but at that point were sharecroppers, and their names were Ellen and John Goodall.* In Welty’s essay [“Cindy and the Joyful Noise”], Ellen shares with Eudora and Mary Moore their remarkable life story and the story of a woman named Cindy.

EBONY: What you’re describing is on par with who Welty was as an observer of culture and community. We know that she worked for the WPA [the Works Progress Administration] and went all around the state taking photographs of communities that were not her own. When I discovered “Cindy and the Joyful Noise,” it had not been published; it was simply in the archives along with her other effects. And what stopped me at this story was that I noticed a pattern that Welty has in the way she writes stories like “A Worn Path,” and the way that she writes nonfiction like “A Pageant of Birds”: there were these moments where Black women were centered in this majestic, mystical, magical way. Welty could go to a place that she might not understand and write about it with no hint of condescension.

NORMA: As I set the scene in my mind, I imagine Eudora and Mary Moore sitting at the Goodalls’ cabin, which was fascinating

“Welty strove to produce equitable representation of humanity and I think that is significant to teach in a literary classroom…in an art classroom…in a history classroom…a political science classroom…..there isn’t a realm of academic study that I believe can’t be benefited by the way that Welty reproduced the world with her pen.”

DR. EBONY LUMUMBA in its own right as it was filled to overflowing with pieces from the past. Packed full with mementos and scraps of everything from old cards and letters to assorted trinkets hanging from the ceiling. As Welty describes, one of the things on their wall was an embroidered apron and looking at it, Ellen launched into what, I think, is one of the most amazing and unusual stories I’ve ever heard. She tells them how she and her husband John were the last surviving members of a religious group referred to as Cindy’s Band. The woman who started [the group] was named Cindy Mitchell. Miss Welty says that Cindy was also an enslaved person there at Myrtlevale and was a good bit older than the Goodalls. She started this [group] before she was freed and as its numbers grew so did her prestige.

She was a prophetess, preacher, musician and the final word on just about everything concerning her followers, which numbered around eight hundred.

EBONY: It is ethnography. [Welty] doesn’t just hear this story and then imagine the gaps. She goes further, to newspapers; she goes to folks in the town who all have their own narrative about Cindy and who she was.

NORMA: In her essay, Welty writes that Ellen took her apron off the wall and put it on for her guests. She explained that every member of the band had an exact

Mary Moore Mitchell and Eudora Welty

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PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN. 1925.

Used by permission from the Norma Flora Cox Collection.

Myrtlevale, Mitchell Family Home

“I find whenever I show a Welty photograph and have students write their own narrative about what they are seeing.... they always write, Power…they always write, Strength…. they never see through her lens and vantage point... moments of weakness or a lack of dignity...and for me that strengthens my interest in how she viewed the world and penned it down on paper.”

DR. EBONY LUMUMBA

PHOTOGRAPH BY EUDORA WELTY. DATE UNKNOWN. Used by permission from the Norma Flora Cox Collection

replica which through embroidery depicted Cindy’s version of heaven and hell and the pathway to each: there were sheep and goats and angels with golden tickets as well as people with black hearts and gold hearts. Cindy made up her own religion which included songs, dancing, and her own banjo playing. And her presentation was very theatrical. She wore countless beads around her neck, and every finger had at least three rings. She wore a shoebox on her head overflowing with hundreds of different colored ribbons. She baptized people at Myrtlevale and conducted several services each week, with churches spread out around the county. She named all of her followers’ children and was insistent that the members live upstanding lives and pay their debts. All of this happened at the end of the Civil War and extended into the early 1900s.

EBONY: It felt more autonomous for parishioners to follow

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this Black woman as their leader, who they believed had their best interests at heart. [Cindy] was functioning in a way that was helping them establish and build community. Taking ownership of this brand of Christianity was a huge, revolutionary, resistance movement, and we see other examples of this throughout American history, throughout Black history.

NORMA: Cindy—and it’s in Welty’s essay—declared that God had anointed her to preach the gospel and form this band. She claimed to be born at the right hand of God, and Jesus was at the left. She also believed that she would never die, but would go straight to heaven and sit with them on the throne. This was a divine message to her, and she fervently believed that she was told to do this. She told her followers that she had no need for the Bible in her sermons because she went off of her visions and what God had told her.

NORMA: Cindy was a Democrat, and since she controlled her followers so completely, they were also Democrats. She controlled over three hundred votes, and around election time, she was courted by every politician who was running for office, much more so than the white ministers. If Cindy was behind you in a county elec-

tion, you were guaranteed to win.

As a matter of fact, the first white man to be [hanged] for killing a Black man in Mississippi was because he killed one of Cindy’s followers. The local law enforcement believed that her people wouldn’t have done whatever this man accused the Black man of doing, because Cindy wouldn’t have allowed that. They believed the Black man’s innocence because of Cindy.

WATCH AN EXCERPT OF THIS INTERVIEW

Norma’s article was published in the Eudora Welty Review, Vol. 13: 2021.

EBONY: That’s so interesting.

Perhaps what her followers saw was this possibility of leadership from their own people and what that could look like. Everything we’ve talked about today, I think, contributes to why Welty is so valuable to teach. Her interest in people who were different from her, and the labor that she went through to represent these people with dignity makes her hugely relevant and important.

Dr. Ebony Lumumba is currently an Associate Professor of English at Jackson State University where she chairs the department of English, Foreign Languages, and Speech Communication and teaches courses in global and American literatures. She was named the 2013 Eudora Welty Research Fellow by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Eudora Welty Foundation.

LYNN MILLER

EBONY: And there’s a point to make there as well. She would not have been able to read the Bible, and most of her parishioners would not have been able to, by law. There’s a moment of sadness for me that there’s no narrative that comes from Cindy—we don’t have her narrative. What we do have is Ellen and John Goodall, but then it’s filtered through Welty. It’s telling of how many stories don’t exist. I’m quite interested in her connection to the political scene in Grenada.

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Norma Cox is currently the Head of Library Services at Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, MS. After earning her degree in Library Science at Ole Miss, she worked in several libraries in Mississippi and California.

Norma also worked at Lemuria Books as a bookseller and is the co-author of the book Camp DeSoto: a History.

HUBERT WORLEY

JUNIOR HIGH

BY DENNY BRITT Chief Operations Officer

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

BEFORE

What an exciting time that after five plus decades of service to students and faculty with minimal improvements, the Junior High building underwent a substantial renovation and transformation this summer! This is the space where the Jackson Prep experience begins for the majority of our students. While our faculty is still our most important asset, this renovation has given them the updated facilities, technology, and space to help in the development of our students in the most formative years of their lives.

Thanks to the YOUR Capital Campaign, this project was a complete interior demolition and rebuild of the entire 26,000square-foot building which was accomplished in a ten-week period. Our goal was to make our

new Junior High a student-centered space that embraces the preparation of students who will lead the transformation in the 21st century. We live in the most exciting, quickly changing, and disruptive time the world has seen to date. This update helps prepare our students to thrive in that environment.

The renovation included new classroom spaces and furnishings that assist interactive and collaborative learning. Rooms were equipped with large-format displays or Smartboards, student desks or tables that support flexible teaching styles and collaboration, and wireless presentation capabilities for teachers. The science rooms were designed to provide both teaching space and lab

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The Junior High faculty could not be more excited about the renovations to the Junior High building!

The collaborative spaces and cutting edge technology will provide years of dynamic learning opportunities. We are grateful to those who contributed to YOUR Capital Campaign and made this possible.

AMY WIANDT

Computer Applications Teacher and Technology Coordinator

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space, with the flexibility to easily reconfigure the space to accommodate a particular lab or group project A new computer lab was also included. Each room and the entire building is supported by a state-of-the-art Meraki Wi-Fi 6 network system.

Student space has become an important part of the school experience. The new Junior High design put a strong emphasis on creating common areas for students to gather, hang out, and work together. These areas incorporated diverse seating options, meeting tables, counter seating, and collaboration space. All these places have the capability for students to charge devices as they interact.

Offices and the teacher work space were updated to provide a place for both professional and social interaction.

Design elements create a 21st century learning environment from colorful and impactful graphics, architectural utilization of curves, ceiling height variations, and colors that all work together to create a feeling of comfort and home.

The design and functionality of this transformed space was a collaborative effort between the faculty, staff, and architect with a focus on what was needed for the future. Prep’s own G.G. Ferguson of Ferguson & Associates Architecture was the Architect of record on the project along with Brasfield and Gorrie as the General Contractor.

We are excited about this new innovative space that is unlike any other in the Jackson area. It will positively impact our faculty and students for years to come.

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HUBERT WORLEY HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

BEFORE

❝

I am very excited about the renovations since I have been a student and teacher in the original building. I think the new facilities will give us new opportunities to learn and new memories to be made.

KATHRYN SHUFF

Junior High English Teacher

❞

Designing+ +Curating A

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

fter seeing the architectural renderings, there were several motifs I knew I wanted to include as I began to curate artwork and graphic design elements for the new Junior High space. There are several round walls repeated throughout the building. In the artBY EMILY MCCLAIN work, one will notice circles Director of Marketing repeated on several pieces. A and Branding former faculty member, Cindy Townsend, explained to me that “the circle is always open at Jackson Prep”—meaning that a student can find a place to belong here.

Also, there is a touch of blue prints in some of the artwork. Everyone who comes to Prep has completed elementary school somewhere else, and no matter what school they came from, their “foundation” has already been laid. We start building on that foundation in the Junior High.

Finally, we tried to make the artwork both useful reminders of expectations and just plain fun! We wanted it to feel warm and friendly. In the foyer, there is a timeless watercolor mural of students. At the bottom of the mural, the text reads “Your home for endless possibilities.” We hope that each student feels that.

HUBERT WORLEY

Recent Prep graduate Mimi McCraney graciously donated her ever-popular graffiti-inspired diptych to hang in the new office space of the Junior High. Mimi’s use of color and icons such as hearts and stars are part of the majority of her body of artwork. For her Prep pieces, she painted in a few shield shapes reminiscent of the Prep crest as well as used broad strokes of the specific shade of Prep red and blue. Mimi’s work can be found in collectors’ homes all over the South and also on instagram: madebymimi_.

19

YOUR

FUTURE Cameron Moore, Jack Harvey, and Patrick Faulk with Coach Burnett

Jack Harvey and Coach Burnett

MARY KELLY BRANNING

MARY KELLY BRANNING

MARY KELLY BRANNING

STRATEGIC PLAN 2021

Julia Stradinger, Kimmons Sheppard, Havens Smith, and Rachel Rutledge with Coach Burnett

❝ When we think about the task of running, one aspect that continues to stay relevant is how individualism meets collectivism. In the sport of cross country, athletes can be conflicted between running a personal best time versus packing up with teammates.

When athletes find balance, the overall success of the team will always prevail.

DANIEL BURNETT

Head Cross Country Coach

❞ 20

GREG CAMPBELL

W

hen I was asked by the Chairman of the Board John Davis to serve as chair of the strategic planning committee, one primary question came to mind. If our objective in preparing a strategic plan was simply to “check the box” to meet our accreditation requirement, I was not interested. If, however, the interest in preparing a strategic plan was to create a true guide for a five-year plan to improve our school, I would be interested. I posed this question to Lawrence Coco and was overwhelmingly convinced that he not only wanted to have a viable strategic plan but that he wanted to be sure it addressed the major challenges that Prep, along with most independent schools, is facing.

Lawrence and I were privileged to sit in on many of the subcommittee meetings as they hashed through the tough issues we are dealing with. It was heartwarming to see how engaged these sub-committee members were—all serving selflessly with the objective of making Jackson Prep better than it is today. We are pleased to have completed the plan and anticipate with great excitement achieving the goals and objectives set forth in the plan as they become realities.

You can see how we are meeting our Strategic Plan goals, which are listed below, by referring to the color-coded lines across the top of the following pages.

BY DOUG MCDANIEL Strategic Plan Committee Chair

GOALS

1 2 3 4

5 6 7

Expand our educational footprint

Foster a spirit of innovation, agility, and creativity

Deepen and enhance the Prep experience

Ensure best-in-class faculty and staff

Broaden our affordability, accessibility, and financial sustainability

Fortify our commitment to diversity in our Prep community

Invest in our core facilities 21

LET ME DO IT!

BY LAURA BISHOP, Head of IT

At Jackson Prep, while we employ state-ofthe-art technology at all levels, our goal is to not simply display our technology, but to facilitate learning. While it may seem the “magic” is the technology, it is not. Jackson Prep teachers are effective in their useful integration of technology at every level while encouraging each student to harness the power of inquiry and innovation.

“LET ME DO IT!” If you are a person with experience around toddlers at all, certainly you have heard this phrase. This verbal and usually demonstrative expression is evidence of confidence in the ability to achieve a goal, even if the goal is only to pour a drink or open their own car door. Sometimes, students lose this desire to “show what they know.” In education phraseology, we want to build agency in students. Although there is no universally adopted definition, one definition of building agency is “the capacity and propensity to take purposeful initiative.”

In the summer of 2020, schools all around the world examined their systems and services through the lens of their ability to successfully deliver hybrid learning to students. Lawrence Coco, Head of School, led Jackson Prep’s comprehensive “COVID Response.”

As a result, the decision was made to upgrade the campus-wide wire-

Walker Headley, leader of the technology project

Thomas Wasson

less network. Global slowdowns and other delays prevented what, under normal circumstances, would have been a summer project.

The delayed arrival of the equipment allowed for the proposal of an unconventional learning experience for students.

A Jackson Prep education is intended to develop in students self advocacy, among other char-

22

acteristics. Prep students should be actively involved in preparing their learning path. A project was proposed for student-led planning and installation of the wireless network. Walker Headley, class of 2022, stepped up to lead this project. He assembled a great team, communicated effectively, and met some pretty aspirational goals. Walker’s student leadership team included classmates Mont Mitchell and Charlie Hight.

“While working on the project of replacing the Wi-Fi at Prep, I was immersed in a very non-typical learning environment. I had to recruit a group of students that I felt were capable of helping me with the job. Once I had gathered my team, I had to give a brief presentation on what we would be doing and how we would accomplish our goal. I had to assign each person to a different task, and I then had to tell each person how to do his or her job. This project, as a whole, gave me leadership

training that I wouldn’t have received otherwise. I learned that as a leader, you must choose people you can trust to work with you.

I learned that you have to lead by example to be a good leader.

I think it would be beneficial for other Prep students to have this kind of learning experience because it is one of the few things that can’t be taught in class,” said Walker Headley, class of 2022.

“I would highly recommend connecting with the Prep faculty and staff to explore learning opportunities that may be outside of a classroom. Being willing to join students in a less structured way of learning will reap many benefits including improvisation, leadership, teamwork, and plain and simple hands-on work. It doesn't have to be something like changing out all the Wi-Fi routers and access points in the school, but there are so many opportunities for creating new ways of learning,

From left: Lawrence Coco, Mayrant Gonwa, Brinkley Boswell, Maggie Boswell, Charlie Hight, Mont Mitchell, Graham Speed, Walker Headley, Preston Speed, John Henry Andress, Alex Roberson, Luke Nealey, Wayne Hsieh, Thomas Wasson, and Laura Bishop

and the faculty and staff are ready and available to help in any way they can,” said Mont Mitchell, class of 2022.

These students should have a feeling of meaningful accomplishment. Mr. Coco conveyed, “All of the Department Chairs said they have had zero problems with the

Mont Mitchell

Wi-Fi since the change over. In fact, they said that the new Wi-Fi has actually mitigated the loss of the ten minutes per class. Great job!”

Improvisation, leadership, and teamwork... plain and simple hands-on work.

They did it!

John Henry Andress and Walker Headley

23

DJ Johnson

Hunter Upchurch, Associate Director of College Counseling, and Malika Lindsay, Director of College Counseling

Romney McLeod

Hunter Upchurch, Scott Overby, and Avery Overby

Malika Lindsay, Max Van Pelt, and Akhila Adari

24

PREPPED FOR SUCCESS

BY MISTIE DESPER Hometown Rankin

I

want students to shift their thinking to ask which institution is going to be lucky enough to get me,” explains Malika Lindsay, Jackson Prep’s Director of College Counseling.

Malika has held her position for the past five years at Prep and helped countless students reach their highest potential. She said, “I am humbled by the opportunity to work with families and honored that they have decided that I am someone they will look to for guidance.”

Jackson Prep is known for its rich academic program. The academics not only offer rigorous courses but electives that are designed to enhance each student in specific areas of interest under the direction of inspiring instructors who are experts in their disciplines.

The college counseling portion begins as early as 7th grade.

The program eases the transition into thinking of life beyond high school. For many families and students, this can be a time filled with exhilaration and excitement but also anxiety and fear. Counselors are available for every step of the journey to guide families and students into making the best decision for them.

Associate Director of College Counseling Hunter Upchurch said, “Everyone’s process is a little different. I always tell people this is the best job at Jackson Prep

because I get to help [students] dream and explore their options.”

Malika has been involved in education for 27 years and Hunter for 14 years. Together they are combining their love for Prep students and helping them step outside of the box to see what is out there for them and how they can obtain the success of their dreams.

The program amps up in a student’s junior year. From there, counselors meet with each family and student to discover their interests, goals, learning styles, and what they hope to achieve from their personal college experience.

Hunter said, “We have a kick-off their junior year with sessions that detail the ins and outs. We begin laying out their timeline for the rest of spring to guide them into making good, strategic decisions.”

During senior year, they help students weed out certain schools or apply to schools they may not have considered before. Letters of recommendation are written during this time, as well.

Malika recalled, “We had one student who ended up going to Harvard. He was not initially thinking of schools like that. We were able to look at all he’d accomplished. He was a very humble student, and his college lists changed when he learned his assets. I want to change how they see themselves.”

She is just as excited and encouraging for the student whose

25

aspirations include something off the beaten path. She strives to help each student lay out the college experience they truly desire and helps give them the tools to get there. Being passionate and confident in the goals a student sets are large components to the overall successful college experience.

Jackson Prep provides a place where students of a variety of aptitudes, strengths, weaknesses, interests, and goals can find the resources to maximize their abilities in all areas.

The program and counselors become very invested in each family and each student. Malika added, “I am honored to work with each family. I want to help them, but I know part of that is letting them go on into the world. It’s about getting them to that next level and being successful.”

Hunter added, “I love the work I do. It’s such a great fit for me, and still teaching allows me to have daily contact with students, which I incredibly enjoy.”

Malika concluded, “We really focus on helping them find the best fit at an institution and encourage all students to think for themselves. We want them empowered and excited about life beyond high school and know that there is a place for them.”

Reprinted with permission of Hometown Rankin.

1972

1975

1976

1979

1984

1985

VOLUME 1 Produced on campus, 40 pages, construction paper (6x9), staple-bound, monochrome, handillustrated, three photographs ❖ “Earthwinds” named after the first poem in the volume, by Lynn Green ❖ Poetry, short stories, essays, humor, cartoon, drawings ❖ In-house awards for poetry, short story, and humor (adjudicated by guest judges from Millsaps and Mississippi College)

VOLUME 4 Fold-out centerfold spread, photo essay, image on back cover ❖ Guest judge, essay: Jimmy Faulkner (William Faulkner’s nephew)

VOLUME 5 Award for student photography added

VOLUME 8 First musical composition (for voice), “The Journey,” music by Dick Brown, lyrics

by Patricia Benton

VOLUME 13 Willie Morris serves as guest judge, fiction contest

VOLUME 14 Guest judges: Margaret Walker Alexander, fiction; Cleanth Brooks, poetry ❖ Prep student and future faculty member and Earthwinds sponsor Richie Younce serves on the staff

EARTH Earthwinds highlights the literary and artistic creativity of Prep students. It is also a microcosm of the history of high school literary magazines. Over half a century the magazine has reflected changes in technology and literary styles, but it remains committed to fostering student creativity and leadership. Timeline compiled by Dr. Paul Smith.

1995

1998

2000

2003

2004

2005

VOLUME 24 Inside back cover contains text and image ❖ Color artwork inside magazine

VOLUME 27 Landscape orientation

VOLUME 29 Returned to portrait orientation ❖ Transparent overlay pages, full bleed images

VOLUME 32 Harvey Dallas Printing and Graphics prints the magazine (and has ever since) ❖ Earthwinds becomes a full-color publication

VOLUME 33 Redesigned from magazine to journal format (machinepress perfect binding replaces staple binding; year, volume, and title printed on spine) ❖ New emphasis on formal poetry, including definitions of poetic forms (which will become a hallmark of Earthwinds)

VOLUME 34 Produced using Adobe InDesign®

26

1986

1987

1988

1989

1991

1992

VOLUME 15 Three poems by Prep student (and future author of The Help) Kathryn Stockett included ❖ Guest judge, fiction: Leroy Percy

VOLUME 16 First glossy cover (hand illustrated) ❖ Guest judge, poetry: Noel Polk ❖ Prep student and future faculty member and Sentry sponsor Lain Hughes contributes a short story and two poems

VOLUME 17 Guest judge, fiction: Margaret Walker Alexander ❖ Prep student and future faculty member and Sentry sponsor Lain Hughes contributes a short story and three poems

VOLUME 18 Largest size yet (7.75x10.75), spot color on cover, editorial policy included ❖ First volume to state a theme (“My Mind Steps Out,” from the Lynn Green poem) ❖ Guest judge, fiction: Richard Ford

VOLUME 20 Gloss paper used on interior pages ❖ Prep student and future Head of School Lawrence Coco serves on fiction staff

VOLUME 21 Full-image (no text) centerfold spread ❖ Prep student and future Head of School Lawrence Coco serves as cofiction editor ❖ Editor’s note included for first time, expressing a thematic emphasis for the issue

HWINDS 50th Anniversary

2006

2008

2010

2011

2020

2021

VOLUME 35 Prep student and future Prep faculty member Kathryn Mosley (Shuff) serves as Editor

VOLUME 37 High-gloss cover ❖ Prep student and future Prep faculty member Alix Zachow serves as Editor

VOLUME 39 First musical composition for piano published (“Le Soleil, Variations on a Theme in C# Minor,” Benjamin Smith)

VOLUME 40 Centerfold collage of all 40 covers ❖ 40th anniversary poster released

VOLUME 49 Produced offcampus remotely through Zoom because of COVID (InDesign® and Photoshop® installed on staff laptops) ❖ No Earthwinds Coffeehouse this year (COVID)

VOLUME 50 50th anniversary edition designed to reflect the evolving aesthetics of Earthwinds by decade ❖ Spread designers credited ❖ Centerfold collage of all 50 covers ❖ Original “Earthwinds” poem by Lynn Green Root reprinted

27

APArtStandards

I

n addition to completing the requirements for their AP Art & Design portfolios, Prep’s 15 AP Art students also took on additional responsibilities in 2020-2021.

AP Art teacher Dr. Lynn Miller introduced AP Art Standards. The new standards are in three categories: Studio Practice, Professional Growth, and Communication.

The Studio Practice standards encourage students to continue to develop

their skills as studio artists. The Professional Growth standards lead students to become good citizens in the wider arts community. The Communications standards set the stage for students to tell the world about their art through a logo or brandmark, an artist statement, and an online presence.

See a sampling of these artists’ online presence by pointing your phone’s camera at the QR Code.

mary robinson

COCO

carlie

GLEASON

brittany

JIANG

madie

VAN PELT

eli

VENARSKE

28

K

Learning+Life

acie Van Pelt (class of 2017) knows which words appear more than 25 times in the Greek New Testament. She’s helped write the book on them: Biblical Greek Vocabulary in Context.

“This book puts vocabulary into context for students. Instead of rote memorization in isolation, the vocabulary words appear through selected verses from the Greek New Testament. To know the meaning of a word in its lexical form is one thing, but to recognize it in context and understand how it is being used in a sentence is another,” she said.

Kacie’s father, Dr. Miles Van Pelt, had already written Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary in Context. When he decided to write a Greek companion to that volume, he asked if Kacie would be interested in helping. He knew she was more than prepared for the opportunity.

Van Pelt’s interest in languages was nurtured at Prep. She took four years of Latin and two years of Greek. “Some of my favorite Prep memories are playing Greek Scrabble in Dr. [Paul] Smith’s class,” she recounted. “When I was in sixth grade, I took Biblical Greek at Reformed Theological Seminary through the Summer Institute of Biblical Languages program led by my father. I also later studied Hebrew with him in high school.”

Kacie’s language studies culminated in a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Kentucky.

“In undergrad, I focused on German, but studying any language makes a student a more informed citizen of the world. Culture is deeply ingrained in language.

You cannot truly learn another people’s language without also learning about their perspectives, beliefs, and experiences.

Additionally, one of the best things about learning another language is how much it teaches you about your own. I love the quote from German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen, which translates to, “Whoever does not know a foreign language knows nothing of their own.”

Asked what she learned through the process of contributing to Biblical Greek Vocabulary in Context, Van Pelt replied, “It was incredibly rewarding to see just how much of the Greek New Testament a student can understand if they have a firm grasp of this vocabulary list.”

Van Pelt is currently starting her second year of law school at the University of Mississippi, but she is putting her previous studies to good use. “My background in linguistics has proven useful in studying the law, which has a language of its own.”

Biblical Greek Vocabulary in Context (Zondervan Academic.

ISBN-10 0310114667) is available for pre-order. It will be published in December 2021.

29

The energy of the mind is the essence of life.

Aristotle

+Image

Word T

he 2020-2021 season of exhibits in Prep’s Mary Katharine Loyacono McCravey Gallery opened in August 2020 with Spectrum, highlighting seven artists from Prep’s faculty and staff. The work ranged from paintings to woodworking to vessels to graphic design. Tenth grade English teacher Sarah Atkinson used the show to introduce her students to ekphrastic poems: poetry inspired by works of art.

The students toured the whole show, then let themselves be drawn to a particular work. Sitting in front of their selected piece, they worked through a “guided journal write” where they wrote about images, memories, and feelings inspired by the work. From that journal exercise, they wrote poems, editing and revising until the poems were complete.

The poems might have ended as classroom projects, but Atkinson made a classroom connection between visual art and poetry into a human connection between painters and poets. Copies of poems inspired by each artist’s work were presented to the artist. It was humbling, the artists agreed, to read the work of the 10th grade poets. “They saw things in my work that I hadn’t seen,” said Addie Louis, Visual Art faculty member. “I learned about my work from them,” echoed Lisa Shive.

Giving students the opportunity for a personal interaction with art is one of the benefits of having the Mary Katharine Loyacono Gallery on campus. Visual Art faculty members develop, coordinate, and install monthly shows of art by local artists, art groups, and students during the school year. But the more powerful outcome, connecting people, is one of the benefits of having faculty members committed to their students and the Prep community.

“HOME AND FAMILY”

BY LYNN MILLER A Safe Home Blues and browns line the outer walls A trio of fragile eggs, the color of blue a beautiful spring sky, Patiently waiting for what will happen next.

An organized nest, straw strategically placed all around.

A calming and quiet scene, results in a happy feeling.

Eggs sleeping like a baby, in the place they will soon call home When they wake up, their life will begin.

—Jordan Eduardo

30

“ON THE WAY TO ST. PETER’S”

BY ADDIE LOUIS Three Days Three days have passed in the time of completion.

Two nuns walk the same route walk the same route walk the same route.

The world seems muted through their eyes.

Repetition in muted colors, yet still crisp and clear like a winter’s day.

Always the same; The same problem yet no solution.

Shadows in front of the, empty, Dark, never changing like their time.

As the sad sun sets, the leaflets tumble by, The red and blue can lay lifeless on the cold stone street.

It is finished. What they have started is not; for them there is no end.

—Pete Downing

“SAN FRANCISCO CROSSING”

BY LISA SHIVE Unnamed painting Classic

Is the way the people dress,

Distracted Is the way they live.

Empty are the cars, Empty minds don’t go far.

The road reflects the blue sky, The line, the clouds.

I remember on that old record sleeve I saw the 4 Beatles strolling along, frozen in that famous picture.

Like dinosaurs frozen in ice, they stand waiting.

The cars were parallel parked, On the street of many destinations.

The old land cries out, Where am I, who are you.

—Harrison Jones

31

32

HUBERT WORLEY

INNOVATING the Classics

BY BETH WATTS

Chair of World Languages Latin Teacher

❝

Innovation in teaching involves new methods that engage students and their unique passions.

❞

M

ay 2021 marked the end of a stressful year. Students and teachers had been wearing masks, wiping down desks, and staying six feet apart from each other for months. I wondered how a change in the usual end-of-the-year assignment might allow students to conclude the year invested in their learning rather than going through the motions of memorizing and reiterating information.

It may seem paradoxical to talk about modern skills or innovation when teaching a classical language that hasn’t changed for centuries, but innovation is a derivative of the Latin “novus”: to make new.

Innovation in teaching involves new methods that engage students and their unique passions. And even if the subject matter stays the same across the years, one aspect changes every year—the students.

To meet the demands of an ever-changing class roll, a teacher can use a skills-based pedagogy to engage in self-directed learning.

In fact, the Greek word for child is pais or ped, and leader is agogus, so pedagogy literally means “to lead the children,” and in Latin, a “pedagogus” was the person who accompanied the student safely to school. Therefore, good pedagogy guides students safely to a place of learning. That place is where the

teacher creates student-centered activities, considers the needs of the students first, and lets the students connect with the curriculum based on their passions.

Focusing on 21st century pedagogical skills such as critical thinking and project-based learning led to amazing work: a cookbook of Roman recipes, a makeup tutorial demonstrating techniques used by Roman matrons, an original equestrian-themed fresco, an explanation of Roman curse tablets, and examples of ancient jewelry. These Latin III projects were as unique as the students who chose them. Over the course of the final nine weeks, third-year Latin students identified an aspect of Roman culture that interested them, developed a research question about that topic, and explored both secondary and primary sources to answer that question.

Students enthusiastically dove into their research. I connected students to experts to interview, helped locate journal articles, and answered hundreds of questions.

But mostly I observed. Although I expected students to learn something new about Roman civilization, I didn’t anticipate the excitement and perseverance of the students, especially at the end of this long year. I observed joy as

they worked and felt their passion as they presented their projects.

No longer was a thirty-page article on Roman law a chore; it was an act of discovery. The student athlete explored the sports of the ancient Olympics; the future doctor could compare early medical practices to modern science. Students became experts on their topic and wanted to enthusiastically share it with others. In short, they became the teacher and I the student.

One student remarked in his reflection, “I am loving this project, and I think it lets students be a genius in their own field that they enjoy.” Another commented, “It sparked my curiosity and led me to watching lots of documentaries about ancient Rome that didn’t even help me with my project.” “Love,” “genius,” “sparked my curiosity.” I could not have planned for a better outcome— outcomes achieved through 21st century pedagogy.

Since the teaching of Classics can be innovative, every subject can. As society steadily changes around us, everyone involved in education (teachers, administrators, students, parents) can embrace cutting-edge pedagogy and welcome innovation.

Top: Back row (L-R): Beth Watts, Lauren Nickles, Mimi McCraney, Grant Hughes, Joseph Watts, Ayden Kilpatrick, Reece Davis, John Garraway, Jane Gray Barbour, Mackenzie Shoemaker, Aubrey Scott Moak, Barnabas Spivey. Front row: Emma Dye, Lillian Noble, Ainsley O’Quinn, Anna Reagan Mask, Gayle Grantham, Olivia Moore.

Bottom: Rachel Watts illustrated her passion for horses, veterinary medicine, and art in this fresco. With the guidance of Dr. Lynn Miller, she learned the technique of fresco painting in addition to her research on Roman equine veterinary practices.

33

LITERARY Volume XIII

Engage in something...

The Literary and Art Magazine of Jackson Preparatory Junior High

2021

Mindprints Jackson Preparatory Junior High School

Engage 2021

Volume XIII

EARTHWINDS

MINDPRINTS

Senior High Creative Writing & Art

Junior High Creative Writing & Art

• Pacemaker Award Finalist, National Scholastic Press Association • First Class with three Marks of Distinction (Writing and Editing; Photography, Art, Graphics; and Design), Critique of Student Publications, National Scholastic Press Association • Gold Medal, International Critique of Student Publications Medalist Competition, Columbia Scholastic Press Association • Superior, Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines, National Council of Teachers of English • First Place with Special Merit, Annual Magazine Competition, American Scholastic Press Association • Superior, Evaluation of Student Publications, Southern Interscholastic Press Association • Best Layout and Design, Best of Mississippi Awards, Mississippi Scholastic Press Association • Best Quality of Visuals, Best of Mississippi Awards, Mississippi Scholastic Press Association • Finalist, Cover Design, Best of Mississippi Awards, Mississippi Scholastic Press Association • Finalist, Quality of Writing, Best of Mississippi Awards, Mississippi Scholastic Press Association • Finalist, Best Literary Magazine, Best of Mississippi Awards, Mississippi Scholastic Press Association

• Gold Crown 2020 (Our first Gold Crown!), Columbia Scholastic Press Association International Critique of Student Publications Crown Awards Competition • Gold Medal, Columbia Scholastic Press Association International Critique of Student Publications Medalist Competition • All-American with five Marks of Distinction (Our first All-American!), National Scholastic Press Association National Critique of Student Publications • All-Southern, Southern Interscholastic Press Association Evaluation of Student Publications • Most Outstanding Junior High School Literary-Art Magazine, American Scholastic Press Association Annual Magazine Competition • First Place with Special Merit, American Scholastic Press Association Annual Magazine Competition • REALM Superior, National Council of Teachers of English Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines • Best Cover Design, Layout & Design, and Theme Finalist; Mississippi Scholastic Press Association Excellence in Journalism Awards

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS • Gold Circle Awards, Columbia Scholastic Press Association • First Place, Traditional Fiction, Ainsley Sinclair, “You’re Good, Holden” • Second Place, Free-form Poetry, Ainsley Sinclair, “Why I Stayed” • Second Place, Traditional Form Poetry, Ainsley Sinclair, “Abandonment Issues”

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AWARDS

2019-2020 J A C K S O N

THE V OL . 51, I S S U E 6

P R E P A R A T O R Y

S C H O O L

S E N T RY

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE Paid Jackson, MS Permit #93

J A N UA RY 2 0 21

Varsity Patriots beat Raiders x2

Lady Pats dominate in stellar season

by Charles stephenson

SportS Editor

After a remarkable start to the season, the Varsity Lady Patriots team, coached by Michael McAnally, look to continue their streak and finish the season with one of their best records in the history of the program.

Led by a five year starter for the lady patriots, senior Olivia Sasser has been one of the key roles in helping control the court.

A new face to the program, Abby Witt, has also helped contribute since her arrival. Witt came from the Jackson Victors and has already proved to be a dominant force in the paint. After showing off her skills as soon as she arrived, Witt joined the starting lineup.

The key juniors on the team include Madeline Black, Josie Duncan, Andie Flatgard, Margie Frye, and Olivia Smith.

With such a great record and score differential in the majority of the games, many young faces have had the chance to showcase their skills for Coach McAnally to see. Prior to her recent injury, sophomore Bradley Carter began to prove herself as one of the prospective stars in the program. The lady patriots 48-11 blowout victory against the Meridian Flyers Home School team allowed for all of the girls to get

some playtime. All 15 players recorded a rebound, and 12 different players scored.

The lady patriots winning streak has not come easy. Despite starting the season 5-0, the lady patriots had to push through numerous cancellations and postponements. These obstacles managed to wear off on them as they lost back to back games against both Hartfield and Pillow.

After recomposing, the lady patriots continued on to a 10+ game win streak. One of which was a win over Hartfield and another over MRA. Following a recent overtime victory against cross town rival JA, they played PCS and now look to continue the season without any disruptions.

The lady patriots take on Parklane on January 29th and look to add yet another victory in the win column.

The nail biting game against the Raiders was arguably the best game of the season. After forcing overtime, the game went back and forth, seeming as if a second overtime was bound to happen. Standout junior, Andie Flatgard, nailed a 21 foot three pointer to secure the victory with just seconds on the clock. Flatgard led the team with 20 points.

Sasser finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. Olivia Smith led the rebounding column with 11 boards.

News/Features

News/Features - 3

Special Instructions: Deboss “STILL” on front lid and the line on the back lid.

Follow schools art for additional color placement.

BLIND GLOSS UV “WE ARE” AND “PRECIS 2021” ON FRONT. GLOSS UV ALL OTHER ELEMENTS F/S/B.

1 3/8 Spine Size

PRÉCIS

JOB# 00686-000

School: Jackson Preparatory School Base Material: PERMOCOTE Litho Colors: 4/C Process Grain None Emboss: None Deboss Deboss Metallay: None Die Cut None Laser Cut None Etching None Foil: None UV Coating: UV GLOSS

00686-000 Date: May 17 2021 Artist: DB Plant: KC

Things looking up for boys’ basketball

Photos by Lily Flowers

F I N A L S C O R E S

Girls:

50-47 50 47 Boys:

54-45 54 45

Entertainment

eNtertaiNmeNt - 7

Coach Tim Wise and his Patriot basketball team are closing the third month of their season on a high note. After a solid victory over rival Jackson Academy, Prep is crossing the halfway point of conference play with plenty of momentum. With several important matchups in the headlights and big wins in the rearview mirror, lets take a look into the Patriot basketball season.

Prep opened the season by playing teams outside of their conference and division, hoping to establish a winning rhythm before the beginning of conference play. However, this did not mean that the Patriots played easy opponents. The challenges in out of conference play came against high-quality teams like Simpson Academy, Hartfield, and Christian Brothers High School in Memphis. Although the Patriots came up short in two games against Hartfield, they claimed a marquee victory against Simpson Academy, the reigning MAIS champions. The team also tacked on convincing wins over East Rankin Academy and Brookhaven Academy, sliding past both teams by an average of 22 points.

Soon, the tough conference slate was upon them, an away matchup with Presbyterian Christian School looming large.

However, the Patriots trampled

the Bobcats by a score of 53-40, returning from the hostile environment in Hattiesburg with their first conference win. Unable to keep the momentum from their win down south, the team stumbled into a rough stretch. First, the Patriots were unable to pull out close games against Parklane Academy and Yazoo City High School. They also lost at home to an offensively-explosive Madison-Ridgeland Academy bunch, and despite keeping the score very close for much of the game, Prep was unable to pull ahead in the fourth quarter.

Hopes began to look up as the Patriots recovered with a convincing win against Copiah thanks to a 22 point game from junior guard Cam Brent. Now with a even record of 2 wins and 2 losses in conference play, Prep looked towards one of the biggest matchups of the season with cross-town rival Jackson Academy. As usual, the rivalry game did not disappoint. Amid attendance restrictions in the “Raiderdome,” the Patriots played a resilient brand of basketball, storming back from a deficit in the fourth quarter to claim a 54-45 victory. Cam Brent was excellent in the big game, hitting three-pointer after three-pointer, running his point total up to a familiar 22 points.

With the remainder of the season left, the Patriots look to finish the season strong with their momentum and silence their doubters.

Sports

Opinion

by

Around Town

arouNd towN - 9

Mason niChols SportS Editor

sports - 10

opiNioN - 13

THE SENTRY

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Yearbook

Student Newspaper

• The Columbia Scholastic Press Association announced the winners from its 38th Gold Circle Awards program.

Entries were accepted from student yearbooks and digital media publications published from October 2, 2019 through October 12, 2020. Student journalists working on these print or electronic media chose from 39 yearbook categories; judges cited a total of 623 winners for yearbook and digital media for either First, Second, or Third Place or for Certificates of Merit for those deemed worthy of honorable mention in a category.

• Mississippi Scholastic Press Association/Newspaper Division 2020, one of five statewide finalists in the categories of News and Feature Writing, Opinion Writing, Online Presence, and News Publication of the Year • Finalist, Feature Photo, Anna Blaire Bryant • Finalist, Reviews, Camp Carter • Winner, Sports Photo, Lily Flowers • Finalist, Graphics, Editorial Cartoon, Kalyn Giesecke

• First Place Gold Circle Award for Endsheets, Michelle Daschbach, Anna Reagan Mask, Cassidy ZumMallen, “You Don’t Know, But You Should”

• Finalist, News Photo, Staff Editorial, Selby Ireland • Finalist, Feature Story, Dax Murphy

• First Place Yearbook, American Scholastic Press Association

• Finalist, Sports Story, Infographic, Mason Nichols • Finalist, Page Design, Infographic, Covid-19 Visual, Headline, News Front, Graphics Winner, News Photo, Alex Roberson

• Mississippi Scholastic Press Association/Yearbook Division 2020 • Winner, Best Cover Design

• Finalist, Staff Editorial, Cass Rutledge

• Winner, Best Theme Development

• Finalist, Sports Photo, Lauren Anne Smith

• Runner Up, Best Yearbook

• Finalist, Single-Page Spread, Charles Stephenson

• Finalist, Best Photography

• Finalist, Single-Page Spread, Joseph Watts

• Best Academic Photo Finalist, Mallory Reedy

• Joanne Sellers Newspaper Advisor of the Year, Lain Hughes

• Best Sports Photo Finalist, Mallory Reedy • Best Feature Writing Finalist, Havens Smith • Best Sports Writing Finalists, Summer Wheat, Julia Sumrall • Best Student Life Spread Winner, Sam Leggett • Best Sports Spread Finalist, Abbie Mask • Best Sports Spread Finalist, Kathryn Weir, Paige Case • Best Feature Spread Finalist in two entries, Michelle Daschbach

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ThePREP Experience FINDING MY PLACE

by Nehir Baser (class of 2023)

F

Nehir in front of the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey

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I’m grateful to have a school that not only helps me grow academically, but also as a human being. I’ve gained a wider perspective here and realized the power of my voice.

❞

or me, Jackson Prep is where I began a journey of self-discovery. As the only Turkish student in an 800+-member student body, I had to find my place: you can either be lost or you can be yourself. When I arrived in 9th grade, I had very low expectations of the place, the teachers, and the students. I guess I was prejudiced; I saw myself eating lunch alone in a bathroom stall and going home every night with no friends. But this place surprised me, and then it won me over.

Prep is a magical place! I make friends easily and also actually enjoy classes. Sometimes my friends from Turkey call me to say that they Googled the school. They are jealous I have such an amazing campus that provides its students with freedom. Each day I lunch outside and get to see little squirrels running around, and I am grateful to be here.

Over two years, I’ve found friends for life. One of them is Megan Tang. We bonded instantly over being new students who are international. Talking about Turkey was fun, but it was also interesting to hear her talk about China. We love pushing each other to do our best, so last year we made a bet that whoever had the lower grade in English and math at the end of the year would buy the other person ice cream. We still have not gone for ice cream.

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I also found what I like doing and which classes are my favorites.

This might sound weird to some, but I really enjoy my classes. Subjects that I get to choose are a lot more fun to learn. Prep has so many options, and I want to do all of them. I want to take theatre, coding, painting, psychology, pottery, and more. Having this many options is new to me. I am accustomed to being handed a schedule completely set up and without my say (another thing my friends from Turkey are jealous about).

Last year I took Civil Rights.

Mrs. Griffin has been an amazing teacher and role model to me; she is very understanding and helpful. I am now in her AP English class. Prep’s efforts to diversify the school make me proud to be a student. The school shows that it cares by the resources it offers students to be successful. I love and appreciate all of my teachers; they really make Prep a special place for me and for other students.

I’m grateful to have a school that not only helps me grow academically, but also as a human being. I’ve gained a wider perspective here and realized the power of my voice. If it were not for teachers and friends, I would not have realized who I want to be in the future. No matter what happens, I will be ready for it thanks to Prep.

WHAT I WISH I KNEW IN 10TH GRADE

HUBERT WORLEY

by Ian Underwood (class of 2023)

M

y family makes funny Christmas cards. Well, we think they’re funny. I learned a long time ago the importance of laughing at myself, and those cards (and lately, videos) remind me not to take life too seriously. So when COVID changed the way student council elections were organized by replacing in-person speeches with pre-recorded videos, I was “all in.” Years of Christmas card embarrassment might finally pay off! I decided I would teach myself iMovie and fearlessly recorded an election video for 10th grade class president... and then hope for the best.

While planning, I asked myself, “What’s important? What would my fellow students prioritize?” I felt that we as a grade should be thinking about college now instead of waiting until our junior or senior years. In my house, I’m the youngest sibling with a sister and brother currently in college, so I’ve heard for years how important it is to think about college sooner.

With that in mind, I made a promise that if I were elected I would help my classmates to start planning.

When the results were reported, I was appreciative and humbled to be elected. But now the challenge began—how to fulfill

SEE THE VIDEO

Olivia Clapp

Sarah Gregg

Alice Ann Hollingsworth

Ben Johnson

Mary Parker Plunkett

Jimmy Underwood

Russ Upton

Brittany Wilson

my speech commitments. It was such a crazy COVID year; spring quickly arrived, with activities and schoolwork piling up, but I had campaign promises. Like most students, I get much of my advice from peers who have “been there and done that,” so I thought that gathering wisdom from recent alums would be a good idea. My initial plan was to host a live Zoom panel Q&A during activity period, but the impossibility of finding a sufficient number of busy college students who were free at 9:10 am quickly became clear.

Since everyone has become comfortable talking to a computer screen over the last year, the obvious next option was to ask alums to record themselves. I felt it was important to get differing perspectives from a range of colleges, so I contacted Ben Johnson from University of the Ozarks, Brittany Wilson from Millsaps, Alice Ann Hollingsworth and Russ Upton from Ole Miss, Olivia Clapp and Mary Parker Plunkett from Mississippi State, Sarah Gregg from TCU, and Jimmy Underwood from Harvard (he couldn’t say no!). When I watched all their responses, there was so much great information that I decided not to email them to my peers, but once

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again to put my iMovie skills to use!

My film editing skills are limited, but thankfully, the technical stuff wasn’t nearly as hard as choosing which parts of each video to include. I found it funny that, with no instruction, everyone started with “Hey, y’all!”

Each video contained really good advice like how important using Prep’s college counseling office is, and how colleges offer lots of options when it comes to clubs and ways to meet people. And, yes, our ACT/SAT tests really are important. What I found most interesting was that almost every person emphasized time management. To be successful, you must plan your days—even scheduling time for exercise and friends! Maybe planners should be sold in the backto-school book line in August.

The final video has so much great advice. If nothing else, I hope it reminds us that it’s never too early to be thinking about life beyond Prep. If you know any students thinking about college, please tell them to look up the video “What I Wish I Knew in 10th Grade” on Vimeo. Our past Patriots have a lot to offer.

As they say in the movie biz, “That’s a wrap!”

SPEECH AND DEBATE

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am elated every day that I chose to attend Jackson Prep, a place where the teachers teach and make me laugh, the students encourage and invigorate, and the lessons inspire and entertain. Here at Prep I enjoy a wide variety of options when it comes to academics and extracurricular activities, and I am not shy of attempting, that being the operative word, to immerse myself into as much as I can handle. Most notably, perhaps, might be the Speech and Debate team.

I remember my tour of Prep quite vividly even though it was during my eighth grade year.

What I remember most was visiting the speech and debate classroom. When you walk in you will be greeted by the eccentric, urbane, and abnormally humble Mr. Younce, Speech and Debate Coach, as well as a good number of other titles. His personality matches his room, which is adorned with books galore, a Viking helmet, and hand-drawn superheroes on the board, among other trinkets. Walking into this room during my tour and being greeted by Mr. Younce was

quite interesting to say the least.

It made a mark, and that coupled with my earlier interest in the format of debate, both formal and informal, ensured that I would join the speech and debate team when I enrolled in the fall of 9th grade.

Life comes with many regrets, but I have none about joining speech and debate. The multitudes of benefits I have gained socially, academically, and emotionally have truly shaped my experience here at Prep. The comradeship gained through shared anxiety about watching theater pros talking to walls or speaking 500 words a second and the intense level of analytical skills that had to be swiftly honed make speech and debate the best experience to learn that neither failure nor success is final. A champion is on top one tournament and can be at the bottom rung the next. Everyone around you, on the school team and the various state teams, is constantly improving, and if you don't grow yourself and instead become complacent in your “greatness,” you’ll be left behind, clapping for someone else’s win.

Friendship, better thinking skills, and understanding of growth are key dynamics of Speech and Debate, not even inclusive of the public speaking and recreational benefits.

It gives me great joy to have an excellent team, coach, and highly supportive administration for an event that gives me so many gifts.

None of my “success” would be possible without those three things, and being able to compete with so many incredible individuals is the honor of a lifetime. I only hope that in my last two years I can be as excellent a captain and leader as those who have shown the way for me and ensured I can vie on the level that I do.

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EDWARD'S AWARDS In two regular seasons on the team, rising Junior Edward Wilson has competed in Congressional Debate, Declamation, Extemporaneous Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, and Public Forum Debate. He has reached the bracket rounds in all those events except one, made finals (top 6) in all but two, and finished first in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Congressional Debate, and/or Declamation multiple times. Edward broke the 1000 competition points barrier in 2021 and earned a seventh-level national rating of “Outstanding Distinction.” In Congressional Debate at the 2021 National Catholic Forensic League (“NCFL”) Grand Nationals championship last Memorial Day weekend, he served as Presiding Officer for three sessions, made Semifinals, and finished 19th out of 246 competitors. At the 2021 National Speech & Debate Association National Championships in June, Edward competed in Congressional Debate, Poetry Interpretation, Extemporaneous Debate, and the Pro-Con Debate Challenge. Edward is the highest-rated, rising Junior in Mississippi and will serve as Jackson Prep Speech & Debate Team Captain for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

HUBERT WORLEY

HUBERT WORLEY

by Edward Wilson (class of 2023)

BY D’AMBRAH WATTS AND HALI HOLLMAN (class of 2022)

ver the past two years we have both been working for a non profit group called EnrichMS where we work to educate youth on topics like vaping, drug use, and mental health awareness.

Our first big project with Enrich was the vaping summit hosted in February of 2020 at Jackson Prep. Jill Gordon, founder of Enrich, taught us how to talk to our peers about the dangers of vaping.

Jill named us co-chairs for the youth leadership team made up of kids from all over the state of Mississippi, and we have had great success with this team! We divided up the social media platforms for Enrich and each led teams to make fun and educational content to post.

Our next big project was the virtual vaping summit partially funded by the Mississippi State Department of Health. We organized recording sessions with different panels to connect with the different people who would be watching. Our peer-to-peer panels consisted of youth leadership team members and high schoolers from around the state. They told stories of people they know who

had medical problems due to vaping and discussed facts about big tobacco companies. There were personal story panels of people who lost loved ones to vaping. Jill filmed a panel with lawmakers and medical professionals to talk about the legal side of things. Filming this virtual summit helped with our public speaking skills and increased our knowledge about the dangers vaping brings to the table. It was a huge hit and can be watched on demand. We have also turned the summit into podcasts which you can find on our website at www.enrichms.org/summit.

The next step we took with Enrich was filming a curriculum for 5th grade students. The “Catch My Breath” curriculum will be played in classrooms for kids all over the state of Mississippi, and this year we had the honor of filming it with Jill.

The opportunity we have received from EnrichMS has been amazing! We have learned so much about how to talk to our peers about serious topics. We are working on our next steps for the upcoming year and cannot wait to see what is in store!

RYAN SHERMAN

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WATCH THE SUMMIT From left: Dr. Luke Nealey, Head of Senior High; Jill Gordon, EnrichMS Executive Director; D’Ambrah Watts and Hali Hollman, EnrichMS Student Co-chairs; and Lawrence Coco, Head of School

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PATHFINDERS

BY AUBREY SCOTT MOAK

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me forever. I could never recount the opportunities it has provided me. I want to share one of the most special: When I was in the ninth grade I stumbled across a meeting and continued walking; I almost didn’t notice an upperclassman waving for me to come in and sit with her. What was going on in here? I decided to walk in and immediately turned my focus to Mrs. Tracie Mallard at the podium telling of an incredible vision

she had for the admissions process at Prep. She wanted a group of students to become the face of Jackson Prep. When families came to visit the school, she wanted a Prep student to tour the visiting student: student to student...She called them Pathfinders, and at that moment, I wanted to be one more than anything.

In short, a Pathfinder serves as a student recruiter, a tour guide, and overall a friend of prospective students and families. We believe

HUBERT WORLEY

ackson Prep means something different to everyone. Do you remember the exact moment, the exact building, teacher, friend, or game that sealed your decision on our school? Despite the differences in how we made our decision, every student at Jackson Prep has two things in common: we are members of a family; we are working parts of a great whole.

There are not enough good words to explain Jackson Prep, yet I could speak on what it means to

HUBERT WORLEY

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Tracie Mallard wanted a group of students to become the face of Jackson Prep. When families came to visit the school, she wanted a Prep student to tour the visiting student: student to student...She called them Pathfinders.

Back, from left: Tracie Mallard, Director of Admission and Pathfinders sponsor, William Deas, DJ Johnson, Megan Tang, and Kimmons Sheppard. Middle, from left: Win Speights, Bradley Carter, and Akhila Adari. Front, from left: Emerson Rhinewalt, Noah Mallard, Hannah Polk, and Edward Wilson.

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RYAN SHERMAN

From left: Win Speights, Olivia P. Smith, Sammie Zoog, Jake Vineyard, Emily Van Uden, Katherine Speed, and Will Upton

HUBERT WORLEY

that it is important to convey a welcoming environment, and we do this by surveying the prospective student to match him or her with a Pathfinder who has walked a similar path. For example, I have toured a young girl whose interests were athletics and writing. I was able to relate to her because of my involvement with the volleyball team and the newspaper staff. I shared with her the ways Jackson Prep had grown my abilities in these areas and was able to give her a glimpse into what her path could look like as a successful Prep student.

Another thing that is striking about Jackson Prep is our facilities.

It’s important for a family to see physically all that Prep provides before making a decision. Prep’s campus is so nice and wonderfully tended. Therefore as a Pathfinder, it is so exciting to show prospective students the beauty that could be their everyday life because we are so blessed that it gets to be ours. Seeing a 4th-grade boy run from endzone to endzone on the football field or encouraging a little girl to stand on the huge McRae Stage while you dim the lights is what makes Pathfinding so special. These experiences are not ones that prospective students would get to have if an adult was filling their ears with statistics and information about our school.

We work as the hands and feet to make tours for students special and memorable.

There are 42 Pathfinders. Each was selected based on his or her own individual Prep experience.

We are made up of students who came from many different elementary schools, entered Prep in different grades, and are involved in different campus organizations.

Pathfinders is not only a way to create relationships with prospective students, but also with other high schoolers whose path you may never otherwise cross.

The program selection process is complete after answering a se-

From left: Olivia Smith, Romney McLeod, and Olivia Thompson

ries of short essay questions and an interview. The application calls for prospective Pathfinders to describe their individual Prep experience and reflect on how they have been leaders in our community.

The next round, the interview, focuses more on the person’s interpersonal skills: personality, involvement, and ability to engage.

Being a Pathfinder has developed my leadership skills beyond my expectations and provided me with personal connections within and beyond the Prep family.

I became a Pathfinder when I was in the tenth grade, the first year the program was offered.

Over the past three years, I feel

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that I have grown up and developed parallel with the program.

Pathfinders has evolved from the day Mrs. Mallard shared her vision, and so have I. The school’s mission statement claims it is a place that challenges and inspires students. I can confirm that just from the experience of being a Pathfinder: it was a test of my skills, but it was some of the most pure fun I had in my time at Prep.

Altogether, I feel prepared for college, while at the same time I feel that I left a mark on the Jackson Prep community because of this program. Apply for Pathfinders. You won’t regret it.

D

on Regan’s 8th and 9th grade engineering students answered that question.

Junior high engineering students were tasked with creating boats that would float. Students were given materials—cardboard and duct tape—and basic guidelines on constructing a boat.

Engineering students are taught about the eight different areas of engineering, their key skills, job focus, and how it pertains to the students and society. Students use hands-on activities, along with class discussions and research, to get a deeper understanding of the information. In turn, they increase their retention rate of the learned material. Various speakers gave students a chance to see and hear from professionals who are using or doing what the students have been learning about.

So why cardboard and duct tape boats? This same type competition is held all over the United States in high schools and colleges as part of STEM weeks and celebrations. It challenges students to use skills learned to design and engineer a boat that will float on

HUBERT WORLEY

DOES ENGINEERING FLOAT YOUR BOAT?

BY DON REGAN

Junior High Engineering Teacher

water while a student or students are inside. Is it fun? Is it silly? The answer to both questions is yes.

But, it is also effective. Students become involved and work towards a goal. They design, test, build, and float (or at least hope to float) their boats all while using learned skills. Did some students get wet? They absolutely did. But I believe even if some got wet, they learned that engineering can be fun and also a possible career. So yes, engineering did float their boats.

Blake Collins

Nichols Katsaboulas

Campbell Wyatt, Meredith Hawkins, Dylan Dean, Lauren Hand, Holden Heigle

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Will Morgan

Make A Difference Projects WILLIAM MERRELL, Director of GLI • SHARON BOX, Assistant Director GLI

GOOD SAMARITAN SUPPLY DRIVE Lawrence Coco, Akhila Adari, Luke Nealey

SMILES FOR SENIORS GOODWILL ART SHOW FOR DISABLED ARTISTS Anna Clinton Lee, Jessica Jenkins, Veronica Chough Jerry Dearing, Emily Olander, Walker Box

MISSION FIRST COVID FOOD DRIVE Dylan Freeman Elise Jones Harrison Jones

Charlie Hight Wayne Hsieh Chambers Malouf Mont Mitchell Thomas Wasson

CENTER FOR PREGNANCY CHOICES LIFE WALK Carlie Gleason Emma Liddell

CARA: PLAYING WITH DOGS/AWARENESS Bella Brumfield Hannah Carter Ruth Emmerich Sydney Ray

SCHOOL FOR BLIND AND DEAF ART SUPPLIES Elizabeth Clarke Belle Grace Wilkinson

CARA: FOOD AND SUPPLY DRIVE Bennett Carter Henry Carter

SPANN ELEMENTARY SUPPLIES Mimi McCraney Lilly Noble GO FOR GOLD Kayleigh Canoy Ka’Miya Dillon HURRICANE LAURA FLOOD RELIEF Eli Venarske PREP WI-FI ENHANCEMENT John Henry Andress Alex Roberson Graham Speed Preston Speed Brinkley Boswell Maggie Boswell Mayrant Gonwa Wilkie Gonwa Walker Headley Worth Hewitt

VETERANS DAY VIRTUAL EVENT Evelyn Thornton

GOD’S HAVEN Hannah Carter Ruth Emmerich

SMILES FOR SENIORS Veronica Chough Anna Clinton Lee

PURSUIT Sarah Herring Aubrey Scott Moak Dax Murphy Mason Nichols Victoria Nowell

UMCOR HURRICANE RELIEF Ann Clayton Cain Grace Greenwood

SHOWER POWER Anna Leigh Allen Thaxton Berch

PREP MAINTENANCE RECOGNITION Halie Hollman Lilly Grace Sites MS FOOD NETWORK PEANUT BUTTER/ JELLY TIME Anna Blaire Bryant SHOWER POWER SLEEPING BAGS AND BLANKETS Kate Ferguson Molly Tipton GOOD SAMARITAN SUPPLY DRIVE Akhila Adari CENTRAL MS TURTLE RESCUE George Pittman

MISSION FIRST DENTAL SUPPLIES Benjamin Bays Will Gibbs

BLOOD DRIVE Bella Brumfield Rebecca Burrow Sarah Herring Brantley Johnson

LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE SUPPLIES Ainslee Johnson GOODWILL ART SHOW FOR DISABLED ARTISTS Walker Box Andie Flatgard Ben Futvoye Cooper Moore

MISSISSIPPI HORSE RESCUE Elle Lingle Wilkie Gonwa

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The GLI Medal is presented to a student or faculty for distinguished leadership and service to the school or community.

MAIS JUNIOR HIGH TEACHER OF THE YEAR HUBERT WORLEY

LISA PATTI OF PATTI PIX PHOTOGRAPHY

Lee Waits, Math Teacher

BY RETA HAIRE Head of Junior High isualize a teacher wearing a yellow hardhat dancing with her arms in the air and all the children singing along enthusiastically. Lee Waits maintains this high level of energy every day with seventh graders who adore her.

She teaches so effectively by making memories that students can make connections in math from all kinds of silly songs and sayings.

Children flock to her room early in the mornings and stay late in the afternoons. The atmosphere is incredibly positive and lots of fun. There are big bright circles on her wall with pictures of all her past classes. She has a wall of fame where she celebrates high scores. And the couch in her room is the best place for talking to friends or relaxing. Papers and tests are scored with bright col-

ored pens, and there are always lots of positive comments and big smiley faces.

From her resource students to her gifted MathCounts competitors, Lee finds a way to teach each child on their level, to make math relevant, and to push them to reach their greatest potential. She doesn’t accept “this is hard” or “I can’t” in her room. She will text mamas, daddies, tutors, or anyone else who has an interest in the child, because she truly believes in each child.

Lee’s coworkers describe her as full of energy, passionate, dedicated, hard-working, creative, and determined. She advocates for her students, is passionate about their success, and is determined to help her students understand the concepts of junior high math. One

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of the new teachers said, “She has been a wonderful mentor to me, always willing to help with honest and practical feedback and advice.” Lee is a team player and works extremely well with her colleagues.

We want every child to have the very best experience when they enter our school in the seventh grade. Without hesitation, the administrators and math department chair decided to ask Lee to teach all seventh grade math classes. We knew every child and parent would be grateful for the very best first year of math. She is such a strong teacher that no matter where we place her in the schedule, her students will be prepared for any course through junior high and high school.

As Head of the Junior High at Jackson Prep, I would describe Lee Waits as an “investor.” Lee completely invests herself in her job from the moment she steps in the front door of the school until she leaves in the afternoon. She never gives up on students, is always willing to go the extra mile for them, and gives of her personal time before and after school to work with them. She makes sure that every student knows they are valued and loved. The return she receives on her investment is excellent mathematicians, grateful parents, and devoted students.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE The Impact Award

Norwood Sanders

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Maintenance Staff Member

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or the past thirty years, a neighborhood deep in the heart of Houston, TX, has looked forward to the arrival of Norwood Sanders. Around Prep’s campus, he is the landscape guru, but in Houston, he is the Easter Bunny. Easter weekend becomes a backyard celebration where families gather to enjoy country cooking at its finest and where every child receives an Easter basket or a candy bag thanks to brothers Norwood Sanders and McKinsey Sellers.

When school ends Maundy Thursday, Norwood packs his truck and heads west. His destination is McGregor Park, a neighborhood in Houston, TX. After his family members and friends welcome him back with big hugs, they quickly put him to work.

Early Saturday morning, he begins frying the 300 or more white perch that he catches and cleans throughout the year. Once the grease begins to heat, he lights the smoker and loads it with brisket, chicken, and sausage. As the aromatic smoke billows across the streets, neighbors amble into the backyard. Throughout the day, he

BY KIMBERLY VAN UDEN Math Chair and AP Calculus Teacher

tends to the fish and meat while his brother cooks vegetables and sides. Between cooking fish for the afternoon meal and testing temperatures of the smoker, Norwood checks on the most important detail of the weekend—the Easter baskets.

He makes sure that the youngest child in each family receives a basket and all other children take home a bag of candy. In the house, non-cooks and children assemble Easter baskets, filling them with candy, small stuffed bunnies, colorful toys and new school supplies that have been donated by Norwood’s family and friends. After turning the meats, Norwood scurries inside to add another chocolate or an additional toy to as many baskets as possible. This past Easter was no different. On Sunday, April 4, 2021, Norwood saw the joy in the eyes of three hundred children as they happily left lunch with full tummies and a very special Easter basket.

For years, parents have been grateful for the Jackson, Mississippi, man who loves children and finds great joy in serving others.

At home, the teachers and stu-

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dents at Jackson Prep will describe him as kind, compassionate, and dedicated to ensuring that every classroom is meticulously maintained and always ready for students. The impact that Norwood has on the families in Houston earned him the 2021 Impact Award, presented by Lawrence Coco, Head of School.

Norwood is an invaluable member of the Jackson Prep community. His hard work and infectious spirit around the campus demonstrate a dedication to Jackson Prep that we all should aspire to emulate. This dedication is mirrored beyond Prep as he and his family have faithfully served his community, particularly at Easter, providing joy to countless children and their families during this special holiday. Jackson Prep is honored to have Norwood as part of our family, and we were proud to award him the Jackson Prep Impact Award in May for truly making an impact in his and our community.

Norwood’s dream is to start a similar block party a little closer to home where he can bring communities and families together.

STAR Teacher Hall of Fame Kimberly Van Uden

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The honor of being named to the Hall of Fame for the STAR program is a reflection of the great students and the supportive environment of Jackson Prep. The STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) program is unique to Mississippi. Sponsored by the M.B. Swayze Educational Foundation, each school in the state can name a student who has an ACT score over 25 and a minimum GPA of 93 to represent the school.

A school can be represented by more than one student if there are students with ACT scores of 35 or above who meet the GPA requirement.

BY KIMBERLY VAN UDEN

Math Chair and AP Calculus Teacher Whenever I walked by Mrs. Van Uden’s room as a junior high student, I noticed the collection of 5s hanging on the back wall, each representing a student who received a 5 on the AP Calculus exam. She seemed to be a tough teacher, but a teacher who nonetheless prepared all of her students. She was my Trig/Pre-Cal teacher when I was in 11th grade and my Cal BC teacher when I was a senior. I loved her hands-on teaching style and how she cared about the success of each of her students. She was always willing to chit-chat or to offer advice. Math was my favorite subject, and Mrs. Van Uden made all of our lessons fun!

KIMBERLY BLOUNT

RYAN SHERMAN

Recent graduate and 2021 STAR Student Pictured below

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he first year that I taught, my high school geometry teacher was my mentor. She told me to make a file folder and label it “Reasons I Teach.” She said there would be years when I wouldn’t want to continue or springs when new jobs would look more appealing, so when those times come, she recommended, pull out the file.

My 11 STARs are the greatest reasons I teach. For me, being asked to be a student’s STAR teacher is the highest honor. It means that I made a connection with a student and impacted their education in some small way. Today, I am thankful for my geometry teacher, Kaye Smythe, and for the eleven students who said, “Thanks for investing in my education.”

Sixteen years ago, while teaching at Murrah High School, Eric Davidson was the first student to ask me to be a STAR teacher.

Many math problems had been worked on in my classroom, and he had helped me create an Introduction to Engineering class and Discrete Mathematics class for a group of students who wanted to take more advanced classes. He continued his studies of engineering at Mississippi State and Georgia Tech and is now married with two adorable children. Another Murrah student, Evan Turnage,

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gave me my second STAR. His family graciously allowed me to celebrate with them through graduation. He graduated from Morehouse and attended law school.

After moving to Jackson Prep, Gracie Hubacek was the first student to give me a STAR. I still have the sweet card of math puns she made when she asked, and it will forever be in the file of reasons I teach. Ben Clark, Seth Lenoir, Robert Wasson, and Graham Roberson were my next five STARs. In 2019, Andrew Wasson became my first sibling STAR. What an honor to be asked by a younger brother. That year, Prep allowed multiple students to ask the same teacher. At Rotary Club that year, Eliza Burnham said, “I just love to work math problems.

They calm me.” That makes a math teacher swoon. Nicholas Dean and Kimberly Blount are my most recent STARs. These 11 young adults will never know how much encouragement they have given me. Encouragement to study more, plan better, and rethink lessons. They remind me that my words make a difference and that sometimes just listening to their tales about bunnies or basketball or buying their paintings means more than teaching them integral calculus.

FULFILLING MY DESTINY

BY DR. EMILY MOSES

Director of Instructional Technology & Student Information Systems

n the 7th grade, I became a member of the Technology Student Association (TSA). The opening line of the TSA creed states, “I believe that Technology Education holds an important place in my life in the technical world.” I recited the creed what seemed like 100 times over the next six years, and in 1991, I didn’t quite understand what technology education was and what a technical world would entail. I guess I spoke my destiny into existence because technology education’s importance is my daily reality.

I am Dr. Emily A. Moses, and I am delighted to be the Director of Instructional Technology and Student Information System at the Jackson Preparatory School. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s in Technology Education from THEE Jackson State University and my Doctorate in Community College Leadership from Mississippi State University. During my 20-year tenure as an Information Technology professional, I have worked in state government, higher education, and as an educational consultant for state, federal, and private organizations.

I have also served as an Adjunct Faculty member for the last 15 years for colleges and universities in Mississippi and a nationally known online university.

I am so excited about this upcoming school year! Last year the faculty showed how tough they were as they taught using different methodologies in uncertain times.

My goal is to ensure the faculty do not fall back to methods used before COVID but continue to push

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the envelope and employ technical resources for students. The faculty is absolutely “JP Tough,” and this fall we’ll take another step and go to the next level with technology.

Innovation is key. Technology is engaging. To aid in developing a culture of continuous innovation and align with the strategic plan, all faculty members will receive an iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, and Apple pencil this fall. The expected outcomes are to improve the digital grading process for teachers, reduce the amount of copying or printing, and promote creativity and innovation within the Prep curriculum.

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I cannot leave students out and am excited to be reintroducing eSports this fall. The students only got to play for three weeks last year before COVID shifted things at Prep. eSports is about teamwork, communication, strategic thinking, and leadership, just as traditional sports are. Some benefits to students are character development, STEM engagement, and college scholarships. Students will be introduced to three additional leagues this fall, and I believe a championship team will come from Jackson Prep this year!

It’s a great day to be a Patriot, and I am so thrilled!

The Jazz of Teaching

LYNN MILLER

Solo, Collaboration, and Improvisation

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ou could say there are three different Varsity Bands at Jackson Prep. The marching band starts with summer band camp and follows through football season in the fall.

Concert season gears up in January as the band prepares for the statewide MSAIS Band Festival. As Festival music is mastered, the band begins to lean into jazz music. This third wave—jazz—is easily band director Steve Kincaid’s favorite. Patriot magazine sat down with Kincaid to find out more about music, education, and how his favorite musical style informs his teaching.

ABOVE: Prep’s Director of Bands Steve Kincaid, far left, waits while the Varsity Band tunes up for their performance at the 2021 MSAIS Band Festival. For the 13th year in a row, the Band received all superior ratings.

How does learning to play a musical instrument help students grow?

Educationally, my students learn to set and accomplish goals, self-evaluate, reflect, re-evaluate, refine, and collaborate. As they progress, they practice those same things in relation to a group. Music practice is geared towards perfection. Unlike sports, there are no 4th downs or 3rd strikes. The performance is a one-off chance to achieve technical and emotional perfection.

A unique aspect of music education is that it is the only place that teaches students to read music.

Many people play an instrument by ear, but reading music allows for fast consumption of skill, style,

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vocabulary, and an understanding of music theory. Time spent learning to read music and becoming proficient on an instrument, mixed with the group dynamic, produces a myriad of well-documented social-emotional benefits.

How would you define jazz?

Jazz is a musical style, or, actually, styles, as there are many types, nationally and internationally. Musicians blend those types together to create even more types and then even more types. The variations keep coming.

When did you start playing jazz?

I had never played or really even listened to jazz music before I auditioned for the jazz band in

my freshman year in college. My high school band only had marching band and concert band.

What do you love about jazz?

At first, jazz was just something new. I really didn’t know what I was doing or not doing, I was just having fun playing music with my friends. As I progressed through my music education program and developed skills associated with jazz and jazz improvisation, I began to understand how to make that music come to life on my saxophone.

To appreciate jazz music, one has to have some understanding of its theory and complexity. Most popular music doesn’t require the level of understanding or education to play or listen to it, which leads to statements like “Jazz musicians play 30,000 chords for three people while pop musicians play 3 chords for 30,000 people.”

The technical and intellectual skills needed to perform jazz and jazz improvisation well are in part what feeds my desire to play jazz.

I also love that jazz has structure, but musicians have complete autonomy over how to recreate it. You may recognize a melody, but the music played under that melody is created in flow, many times with just chord symbols to guide the musicians. Chord sym-

bols tell you what notes are in a given chord, not what notes you should play or in what order. The voicing and re-voicing of chords, along with their note choices, enable a musician to change how the chords function and sound. How a musician interprets or voices those chords will be as individual as the words a person would use to tell a story. Like folktales passed down through the ages, jazz songs have been played for generations but seldom played exactly the same way twice. The mix of different musicians in a group creates a unique and almost non-repeatable version of a song and a completely different experience for the musician.

Inside the structure of the music and the freedom of interpretation and expression, there is cooperation with your fellow musicians. Experienced jazz musicians can seamlessly weave in and out of the music, allowing everyone the opportunity to express themselves musically without a lot of overlap. Playing with highly intuitive musicians gives you the security to be as creative and experimental as you want.

How do you teach students to play jazz?

Students learning to play jazz incorporate the traditional skills

used to play all music, but they also have to discover and ask questions about how jazz concepts work.

Being able to formulate the right questions is a valuable skill for a developing student. Jazz includes improvisation, which incorporates theory-related concepts like chord structures, chord patterns, and tonalities. Students create in real-time using skills that they have developed since they began playing. These improvised creations are representative of the musician’s thoughts and feelings about the music that they are playing.

Do you think there is a correlation between jazz and teaching?

Yes, if you think of jazz as creating in the flow. Assuming teachers are experts of the material they teach, they should have the ability to change direction, explore multiple or differing ideas and opinions, and allow for student creativity and differentiation of an individual’s outcome.

Is there jazz vocabulary that could be applied to the practice of teaching?

Improvisation—creating an alternate melody in real time. Musical terms I think you could use in teaching would be in concert (together, harmony) and dissonance (tension, problem, resolution).

What are three pieces of jazz that we should all know?

As music is individually touching, it would be impossible to prescribe songs from the unbelievably large library of jazz music. The three artists I name below are representative of different types of jazz that show freedom of expression, collaboration and aesthetic beauty. I am particular to early vocal versions of songs but these musicians are leaders in the field.

1 2 3

ANYTHING FROM ELLA FITZGERALD: “IT DON’T MEAN A THING” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myRc-3oF1d0

ANYTHING FROM THELONIOUS MONK: “ROUND MIDNIGHT” PERFORMED BY OSCAR PETERSONS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7yazIH4rAI

ANYTHING FROM DIZZY GILLESPIE: “A NIGHT IN TUNISIA” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkemox0461U

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On June 24, 2021, Barbara Fortenberry Hederman peacefully passed away with her daughter Tina by her side. Though saddened by her absence, Jackson Prep will forever hold the deepest affection for Barbara and profound gratitude to her for her life and legacy. Barbara, I know when we meet in heaven, the first thing you say to me will be, “Allyn, tell me what’s going on at Prep.” And I will!

Rest in peace.

HUBERT WORLEY

BARBARA FORTENBERRY HEDERMAN An Extraordinary Lady

BY ALLYN RAY

Director of Academic Support Services

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ow many of us can say that the legacy we will leave our community is arguably the finest secondary independent school in the South? Barbara Fortenberry Hederman can proclaim this proudly. Even at age 92, with a twinkle in her eyes, Barbara recently said to me, “Allyn, Jackson Prep was my first grandchild.”

And this is how the story goes.

In the fall of 1969, when driving home to Jackson from a dental convention on the Missis-

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sippi Gulf Coast, Barbara and her husband, Dr. Marshall Fortenberry, were discussing the education of their three children, Lisa, Tina, and John. Both desired an excellent college preparatory education for their children.

Barbara recalls looking at Marshall and saying, “Why don’t we start a school?” With that simple question and proposal, a creative whirlwind of collaboration and labor among a group of like-minded parents began.

In retrospect, Barbara pioneered educational pursuits as a young woman. Educated in Jackson public schools, she attended Draughn’s Business School and earned a business degree. Inspired by her love of the TV show Perry Mason, however, Barbara determined to be a lawyer. Encouraged by Standard Oil, her employer, she enrolled in the Jackson School of Law in 1950, one of only three female students at that time. In 1952 Barbara not only passed the Mississippi Bar Exam, becoming one of the first women to do so, but also posted a very high score.

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FORTENBERRY THEATRE Although fully credentialed and poised to become the first female Perry Mason in Jackson’s law community, Barbara put aside that dream for what she now considers a loftier journey. On a double date on the roof of the Heidelberg Hotel, she met a young dentist, Dr. Marshall Fortenberry, and within the year they were married; a year later they welcomed a daughter, Lisa. Three years later, a second daughter, Tina, was born, and in 1959, the birth of John Fortenberry put a period on the Fortenberry family.

Barbara devoted her time and energy to the care of her family, church, and community, always keenly attentive to the importance of an excellent education both for her own children and all children in the capital city. It is thus not hard to imagine that, in 1969, a group of men and women passionate about exceptional education assembled in the living room of Barbara and Marshall Fortenberry, at 1215 Belvoir Place, and dreamed a dream… Jackson Preparatory School. This fearless, focused group of men and women,

in the short span of a few months, planned a secondary independent school. A corporation was formed, and stock was sold to those families wishing to enroll. Barbara led the drive, joining other families to raise money through bake sales, garage sales, and raffles. Land was secured on Lakeland Drive, and construction of the school began.

Barbara relates that the weekend before Prep opened its doors, she and her family, along with Mr. Jesse Howell (our first Head of School) and his son Lee, cleaned the school to prepare it for the inaugural student body. When the doors opened in September of 1970, 648 students in grades 9-12 blessed the classrooms of Jackson Prep. The school flourished, adding a junior high building and more athletic facilities its second year. In 1979-80, an auditorium was built, aptly named the Marshall M. Fortenberry Auditorium in recognition of the school’s founder and first chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Barbara Fortenberry Hederman—lady, lawyer, leader, servant, mother, grandmother—a

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true Patriot—continues to follow “all things Prep” from her Belhaven home. Adored by many, she is described in flattering terms by her children and grandchildren.

“An amazing woman…strong, independent, elegant, and kind,” says Lisa, class of 1971. John, class of 1977, emphasizes her “surprisingly sharp wit and keen sense of humor.” Tess, John’s daughter, age 16, calls her grandmother, “a real lady.” Chance, John’s 14-yearold son, recalls how, “Gamma read many books to me.” But I think daughter Tina, class of 1974, sums it up perfectly: “[Barbara’s] excitement, curiosity, and adventure—her genuine love and concern—helped create a school of higher learning. A school that she thought of—a school that she imagined and that my father made happen—a school called Jackson Prep.”

Barbara Fortenberry Hederman, your first grandchild— Jackson Prep—says a heartfelt THANK YOU! This article was originally printed in the 2020 Patriot magazine.

“IT’S BEEN QUITE A YEAR!” That has been my reaction to many who have asked what my first year at Jackson Prep has been like as I began a new role in the midst of a pandemic. As I look back on the 2020-21 academic year, I honestly had no idea what to expect as I transitioned from many years working in public higher education to a private 6-12 school. Nevertheless, I am confident that this strange year has given me the opportunity to make an impact that will begin to have a ripple effect in years to come.

One of the first goals that I had was to begin listening, learning and developing relationships across campus. Part of that process included working to become engaged in the life of the school.

Over the course of this year, one could find me cheering on Prep at football games, singing along to the production of High School Musical (twice), accompanying our history and civil rights courses on visits to the Civil Rights Museum, supporting MAD projects, giving tours to potential families, and even teaching a public speaking class this past spring.

In addition to developing relationships, it was also my goal to begin having conversations. Discussions that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not always easy. I believe that diversity is essential to achieving educational and academic excellence, and that students’ learning experiences and personal development are enriched by the diversity of the curriculum, student body, and adult community. I have been so

BY RYAN UPSHAW

Director of Diversity and Outreach

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COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

appreciative of the students, faculty, administrators, parents, Board members, and alumni who either reached out to me or accepted my phone call or email request to have lunch, hop on Zoom, stop by my office, or just chat about how we can make Prep a more inclusive place for all students.

Those conversations allowed me to shape thoughts and ideas on

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where to focus attention during my first year at Prep. They also gave me the chance to formulate more long-term plans and ideas.

Over the past year, several goals have been accomplished in my world. A partnership with Tougaloo College, a historically black college in Jackson, was established to help us engage with their Division of Education and create a

Prep leadership has partnered with Tougaloo College leadership in educational initiatives. From left: Dr. Daphne Chamberlain, Assistant Provost; Dr. Carmen Walters, President; Ryan Upshaw; Lawrence Coco; and Dr. Leon Wilson, Provost pipeline of potential candidates for faculty positions at Prep. This will help us move the needle on diversifying our faculty. We have also developed a tuition remission program with Tougaloo that will provide reciprocal benefits for Prep students who may choose to enroll there and children of faculty/staff at Tougaloo who may choose to send their children to Prep. Conversations continue with other institutions about creating similar opportunities.

Another important partnership was established with the William Winter Institute that provided opportunities for training and community building among faculty and administration. In the fall, faculty participated in an initial Welcome Table experience during faculty development.

During the spring, school leadership including administration and department chairs participated in an extended six-session Welcome Table experience that led to recommendations being given by program participants.

Department chair Steve Kincaid was a participant in the Welcome Table sessions and found the experience to be insightful. “I was delightfully surprised about how united we were in our desire to affect change for our teacher and student population in terms of diversity,” he said. Kincaid looks forward to seeing how the group’s recommendations are implemented across the school.

We recognize that diversity alone does not lead to inclusion, and we are taking active steps to create an environment in which the identities and cultural backgrounds of our families, students, and employees are valued and respected. I am very thankful for the support of Lawrence Coco and Crisler Boone as well as all of the faculty, administration, parents, students, Board members, and alumni who continue to champion the DEI work being done. If you are interested in supporting this work, please contact me at rupshaw@jacksonprep.net.

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Other highlights from the year include: • A diversity strategic plan subcommittee was formed to review and provide feedback on the pieces of the school’s strategic plan that impacted this work.

The committee was made up of faculty, students, staff, and Board members • A student advisory board (senior and junior high students) and a faculty advisory council have been formed to provide continuous feedback, insight, and perspective into any DEI issues impacting the Prep community • Expansion of cultural heritage month engagement and visibility on campus

FREEDOM NOW:

RYAN SHERMAN

Civil Rights in Mississippi

Benjamin Saulsberry speaks to Jackson Prep students about the legacy of Emmett Till and the work of the Emmett Till Interpretive Center

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I am glad that Mr. Saulsberry came to visit Prep.

He opened my eyes and helped me understand the process of the Emmett Till case that we were discussing in class.

TAYLA WILSON 10th grader

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nna Griffin’s Civil Rights course spent time discussing the murder of Emmett Till in 1955 in Money, MS. As a result, Ryan Upshaw communicated with the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, located in Sumner, to help bring some additional historical perspective to the conversation.

Benjamin Saulsberry, the center’s public engagement director, agreed to visit Prep in person to shed more light on the story of Emmett Till and the continued work of the Emmett Till Interpretive Center.

Lawrence Coco’s Introduction to American Jurisprudence course was invited to hear Saulsberry’s talk as well. Students had the opportunity to hear the story of Emmett Till and understand more about his family’s

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impact on the Civil Rights movement. Students took time to engage with Saulsberry and ask questions to learn more about Till’s story and overall legacy.

Benjamin Saulsberry is a native of West Tallahatchie County, MS. He grew up surrounded by social justice activism, for which he credits his deep care and concern for his community today. Ben joined the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in 2016 and has spoken on race, racism, and racial reconciliation across the country on behalf of the Center, including at Harvard Law in 2017 and the University of Detroit at Mercy in 2019. He studied music as an undergraduate at Mississippi Valley State University and a graduate at the University of Mississippi.

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RYAN SHERMAN

It was great to have a speaker like Mr. Saulsberry come to Prep. His talk was very informative and expanded the knowledge I already had on the case.

AMISHA MADAKASIRA 10th grader

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From left: Veronica Chough, Landon Miller, Benjamin Saulsberry, Tayla Wilson, Rebecca Stafford, Amisha Madakasira, and Marilee Cleveland

BY ANNA GRIFFIN Civil Rights Teacher

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aftermath of the events on the lives of all participants.

What was most interesting to me and my class was the formation of the Emmett Till Interpretive Center as a way to address the evils of the past with a spirit of reconciliation. Mr. Saulsberry really engaged our students—it was clear how passionate he was about his work. I am so glad he was able to visit and interact with our students.

RYAN SHERMAN

ur Civil Rights class always begins with John Lewis’s last OP Ed which was published on the day he died. In it, he mentions that Emmett Till’s death awakened in him a need to do something to fight for equal justice.

Emmett Till’s death was a place to begin discussions about Mississippi’s troubled past regarding

racial inequality and injustice. We read about Till, watched videos, and even listened to Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of Emmett Till.”

We were honored to have Mr. Saulsberry come speak to us about Till. He was able to narrate the entire, horrible event in a way that made our students see and understand what happened on the night a 14-year-old child was killed by a group of white men. Saulsberry went on to speak of the trial and

From left: Ryan Upshaw, Anna Griffin, Benjamin Saulsberry, and Lawrence Coco

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JENNIFER MOONEYHAM

JENNIFER MOONEYHAM

JENNIFER MOONEYHAM

A Baseball Story

HUBERT WORLEY

Charlie Berry

BY BRENT HEAVENER

MAIS 2020-21 5A Baseball Coach of the Year

❝ Having Charlie with our team last year was a great experience for all of us. He brought so much joy with him around all the guys and put everyone in the best mood. Watching Charlie walk out to the mound showed how strong he is and helped our team to realize how thankful we were to be playing the game of baseball.

CLARK KELLUM It meant the world to me because Charlie is such a strong kid and having him on our side for a few games put into perspective that there was way more to this team, school, and community than wins and losses. Just seeing a smile on his face was awesome to see.

MASON NICHOLS

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his year the Prep Baseball Team had a season to remember. They won their 20th State Championship and finished the year with 35 wins and ranked 4th in the nation. There are so many things that go into a great year.

One of the things that would make this year memorable was having Charlie Berry throw out the first pitch. He was captain for the day and spent time with the guys. His presence would stick with them for the season. He made such an impact that the team gave him a Championship Gold Medal at the end of the season. Charlie’s love for baseball and time with the team reminded us how lucky we are to play this great game, and we are so blessed to have him a part of our program.

Charlie Berry is an 11-yearold 5th grader attending First

Presbyterian Day School. He has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that attacks the muscles, heart, and lungs.

Charlie was diagnosed at the young age of 10 months and has been fiercely fighting the disease since. He travels several times a year to see different doctors with expertise in DMD. He completed a round of infusion therapy in which he had over 100 IV infusions administered in his home every Monday for two years. He is currently enrolled in a clinical trial traveling to and from Atlanta once a month. He is accustomed to a daily routine of a home stretching program, a hefty dose of different medications and supplements, and splints worn nightly.

Aside from the challenges his medical condition creates he is a happy, carefree, rough-and-tum-

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ble boy. He has a strong will and finds great joy in creating laughter.

At a young age he was introduced to the sport of baseball by teaming up with his fellow 3-yearold buddies and spending Saturday mornings playing tee ball.

As each season passed Charlie’s parents would say just one more time, since his condition had a strict guideline of no contact sports. His love of baseball always won and he had another year playing his beloved sport. His heart is just as content standing in the outfield or hanging in the dugout as the “bat boy” for his favorite teams. Baseball brings him PURE joy and on any given day he will tell you that “one day he wants to play baseball at Prep.”

Distinguished Alum

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risti Morrison Henderson, DNP, NP-C, FAAN, FAEN, is a digital health leader and clinician with over 25 years of experience designing, implementing and optimizing the health care delivery system using digital health tools and technology. She is the SVP of The Center for Digital Health & Innovation for Optum Health, where she is creating a first-of-its-kind connected health ecosystem using industry-leading digital health tools and telehealth.

She most recently led clinical operations for Amazon Care, a healthcare initiative for Amazon employees and their families. Before joining Amazon, she designed and launched a national solutions center for patient access, virtual care, and care coordination for Ascension Health. She has a proven track record of delivering successful programs at scale that improve health and save money. She is an adjunct faculty member in Population Health at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas-Austin and at the University of Washington School of Nursing.

Henderson thrives on complex challenges and consistently delivers results that exceed expectations. She is known for her ability

to execute and sustain these models in advance of their becoming an industry standard as evidenced by her first launch of a telehealth program in 2003. Her program is recognized as one of only two of HRSA’s Centers of Excellence.

She is resourceful, collaborative, and known for her creative solutions that engage patients and empower clinicians. She has testified before multiple U.S. Senate committees and given numerous presentations across the country, including a TEDx, to advance telehealth policy and share innovative new models of care.

A few of her other leadership roles include service as a Honorary Dean at the University of Washington School of Nursing;

an executive board member for the American Telemedicine Association; Association of American Medical Colleges Telehealth Committee member, American Nurses Association co-chair for Committee on Connected Health and National Quality Forum Telehealth Committee. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the Emergency Nurses Association.

Henderson received her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she was recognized as the 2019 Distinguished Alumna from the School of Nursing. She maintains national certification as a family and acute care nurse practitioner.

HUBERT WORLEY

Dr. Kristi Morrison Henderson Class of 1989

KRISTI MORRISON HENDERSON DNP, NP-C, FAAN, FAEN

Dr. Henderson delivering 2021 Graduation Address

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Patriot Award T

ed the award to individuals who are not alumni of Jackson Prep.

The 2020-2021 Patriot Award was presented on the newly renovated and turfed Jackson Prep baseball field just prior to the opening game of Prep’s baseball season. The recipients of the award were William K. Griffin III,

John Andrew Griffin, and the late Anna Griffin Callender.

Each contributed countless hours of extraordinary service to the school and exhibited all that the Patriot Award represents. Pictured are scenes from the presentation just prior to the opening game of Prep’s baseball season.

RYAN SHERMAN

he Patriot Award is given to an alum who demonstrates a sustained interest in and involvement with Prep after graduation and has earned notable distinction in and made significant contributions to the Prep community. This year marked the first time the Jackson Prep Alumni Council present-

WILLIAM K. GRIFFIN III, JOHN ANDREW GRIFFIN, AND THE LATE ANNA GRIFFIN CALLENDER

From left: Head of School Lawrence Coco (class of 1992), Mary Jean Griffin Lobrano, Griffin Callender (class of 2016), John Andrew Griffin, William K. Griffin III, Alumni Council President Jet Hollingsworth (class of 1994), and Norwood Sanders, long-time family friend

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1 981 REU NIO N

Wedding

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ost of the questions to class reunion questionnaires are pretty standard: most children or grandchildren; oldest and/ or youngest child or grandchild; most gray hair; least hair; most recently married. Most of the responses are fairly predictable, but no would have expected that the most recently married couple would celebrate their wedding… at the reunion.

That is exactly what happened at the Class of 1981’s reunion in April. Dewitt DeWeese asked classmate John Brashier, an ordained minister, to officiate when DeWeese and his fiancé, Tracey Hurt, got married. Brashier, who has performed ceremonies for several other classmates, was happy to oblige and recalls asking DeWeese when the ceremony would be. “At Scott Carter’s house, at our reunion this weekend,” replied DeWeese.

The couple initially thought they would simply get Brashier

BY BECKY DEARMAN MERCIER Class of 1981

to walk out behind the barn with them, say a few words, and make it official. However, word of the wedding leaked and many of those in attendance made their way to the barn on the Carter compound, although it remains unclear whether they wanted to witness the wedding or get another dockrocker. The plan shifted, and the barn would now be the setting.

Homeowner Tracey Carter persuaded bride Tracey to reconsider the location, reasoning that the patio with lights over the pool was a much prettier setting than the barn, with its strip lights and Farah Fawcett poster (yes, that one!)

Within minutes, a small bouquet crafted from purple petunias pilfered from poolside pots materialized, a keyboard was carried in from someone’s car, and Michael Collum offered traditional wedding music as the couple processed from the barn. The couple exchanged vows, and Bro. John declared them married.

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The Class of 1981 celebrates every five years with an annual ladies’ Christmas party. Eighty-two classmates, along with 38 adventurous spouses, traveled from as far away as California to reconnect and visit with friends. The celebration began Friday night with a reception hosted by Allison Brown Simmons at Brown’s Frame Shop.

“Following our reunion in 2016, Jeff Zadroga suggested showcasing the incredible talent of some of our artistic classmates. I’m glad we were able to make this happen, but I hate that Jeff was unable to travel because of the pandemic,” shared Simmons. Classmates and friends who showed included Thomas Wilson, Stephen Prewitt, Suzannah McGowan, Cynthia Carter, Janet Shearer (wife of Dale), Rollins Parker (daughter of Guy), Mike Wharton (husband of Pam Webb Wharton), and Ed Becker shared some of his late father Jim’s work.

PROUDLY REPRESENTING MISSISSIPPI

Sara Hederman

Tori Johnston

Class of 2021 Miss Hospitality 3rd Alternate

Class of 2021 Miss Teen Mississippi 2021

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I was so impressed with Sara’s positive attitude and her work ethic in and out of the classroom. A word that comes to mind when I think of Sara would be versatile.

Tori was a pleasure to have in my classroom. Her positive attitude, motivation, and kindness will lead to great success in her future endeavors.

WAYNETTE NOE Business Teacher

MARICLAIRE NIX Junior High Science Teacher

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ara represented Ridgeland in the 72nd annual Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition. This competition consists of a one-on-one interview, a panel interview, 90-second Mississippi Speech, hometown commercial, cocktail dress modeling, and an evening gown portion.

In preparation for the competition, Sara studied current events and facts about economic development and tourism in Mississippi. She said the hardest part of the competition was writing and memorizing her Mississippi Speech.

She made the top ten and competed in the final event. During finals the contestants were asked on-stage interview questions which Sara said were very overwhelming because they did not know the questions they would be asked.

She then made it to the top five where they were asked more detailed questions on stage. Sara placed third alternate.

Throughout her week in Hattiesburg, she made new friendships and memories that will stay with her forever. This experience pushed her to work hard and step out of her comfort zone, and she is so thankful that she did it!

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his pageant was held in April 2021 in Vicksburg, MS. It is the teen pageant associated with the Miss America Organization. Thirty amazing girls from all over the state who won their local preliminary pageant competed to become Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen 2021.

This was Tori’s third year to compete. Her Social Impact initiative is “Shining A Light on Special Needs.” She has been working with the special needs community since 2017.

Tori represented Mississippi at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2022 in Orlando at the end of July 2021. Fifty-one girls (the 50 states and Washington DC) competed to become Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. Tori was thrilled to be named a top-ten finalist at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen.

In both Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen she competed in private interview, talent competition, evening gown competition, onstage question, and fitness. Tori was awarded over $10,000 in monetary scholarships for her to use to further her education at The University of Alabama.

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2021 Thank you to our sponsors!

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PARTY FOR PREP

From left: Co-chairs Ashley Pittman, Lissa Kellum, (Chair), and Mamie Hollingsworth

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fter more than a year of canceling, rescheduling, and deferring plans of all kinds, the Prep family was more than ready to gather for a celebration. Party for Prep 2021 provided the perfect opportunity for parents, teachers, alumni, and friends to come together and celebrate our Prep community while raising money to support the PAT. Held on April 9 at the District at Eastover, this year’s Party for Prep was a celebration of so many things: a long-deferred coming together of friends, the sustained efforts of Prep faculty and staff throughout a challenging year, and the light at the end of the tunnel of COVID restrictions—just to name a few. In spite of many challenges and uncertainties, Party for Prep Chair and Prep Alum Lissa Kellum and her co-chair Ashley Pittman, along with a committee of generous and talented Prep parents, worked hard to quickly plan an exceptionally well-attend-

BY MAMIE HOLLINGSWORTH PAT President

PAT Party for Prep volunteers from left: Amanda Puckett, Liz Mehrle, Jane Claire Williams, Barbara Craft, Laura Barbour, and Christy Marion

ed “Urban Cowboy”-themed event. “We were almost sure this event was not going to happen,” Lissa said. “From COVID to the threat of lightning and tornadoes the night of the event, we had to

Record turnout for Party for Prep 2021

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think through so many scenarios.

We were really happy it all came to fruition.”

Although the weather prevented outdoor mechanical bull riding, it didn’t stop many party-goers from dressing the part of Urban Cowboy and coming out to enjoy festive music by Mustache the Band, an extensive silent auction, and delicious cocktails crafted specially for the event.

Funds raised through the event not only support the work of the PAT but also provide welldeserved end-of-year bonuses for Prep faculty as well as classroom items from the teachers’ wish lists.

The PAT would like to extend our sincere thanks to each Corporate Sponsor, Super Friend, and Friend of the party as well as to the each of the many Silent Auction donors for their generous support. Your gifts make a tangible and significant difference in the life of each Jackson Prep student and teacher.

Photography by Katie Poole (class of 2024)

2020-2021

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS “A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need to be grounded and that no matter how high we go it is from our roots that we draw sustenance.

It is a reminder to all of us who have had success that we cannot forget where we came from.”

WANGARI MAATHAI Founder of the Green Belt Movement and winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, from her memoir Unbowed

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HUBERT WORLEY

“Every tax-deductible gift is important, no matter the amount.”

BY RYAN UPSHAW Director of Diversity and Outreach

SCAN HERE TO DONATE

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ach year, support provided to the Patriot Club Annual Fund impacts the outstanding student-centered educational experience at Jackson Prep. This support enhances many of the wonderful opportunities available to students every day. We are exceedingly thankful for the gifts from parents and grandparents, faculty and staff, alumni, and friends who make many of our programs a reality. Every tax-deductible gift is important, no matter the amount, as 100% of Patriot Club funds are invested directly into student programs and campus life. With your continued generosity, we will be able to accomplish much more.

PATRIOT CLUB CIRCLE OF GOLD ($15,000.00+) Yvonne and Robert Bertolet Ergon Foundation, Inc. Feild Co-Operative Association, Inc Jackson Prep PAT VanDevender Family Foundation CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE ($10,000.00+) BankPlus Amy and Barton Lampton Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lampton Ashley and Hu Meena Amelia and Joshua Metcalf FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE ($5,000.00+) Deborah and Leslie Lampton Mrs. Valda W. Miller Regions TRUSTEES’ CIRCLE ($2,500.00+) Alison and Luke Abney Anonymous Donors Megan and David Dallas Dallas Printing, Inc Lesley and John Davis Sherry and Mike Gleason Mamie and Jet Hollingsworth Huffman & Company, CPA, P.A. Dick and Bettye Mason April and Kevin Nall Trustmark National Bank Amy and DeFord Walker Julie and Dudley Wooley HEAD OF SCHOOL’S CIRCLE ($1,000.00+) Anonymous Donors Angie and Justin Baker Carrie and Philip Blount Pam and Denny Britt Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Kelley Walton Fenelon Ginny and Matt Futvoye Shelley and Patrick Gough Margaret and John Harvey JP Class of 1981 Ashley and Chris Maddux Sally and Len Martin Ron McAnally

Sandra and Jerry McCearley Ashley and Crymes M Pittman Candice and Michael Randall Randall Veterinary Hospital Dr. Rodney C. Richardson Sherri and Randal Russell Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Thomas Stacy and Jay Underwood Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton Heather and Will Vise Mrs. Guy T. Vise, Jr. Kim and Will Walker Dr. and Mrs. Allen R. Yates HONOR CIRCLE ($500.00+) Martha and Dick Blount Linda and Ricky Black Crisler and Doug Boone Rusty Burke Judi and Sam Carroll Adrienne and Keith Carter Ann and Jim Coggin Mayme and Thomas Couch Craddock Oil Company, Inc. Saundra and Duane Dewey Marsha M. Hobbs Carol and Steve Holly Jackson Prep Booster Club Ellen and Charles G. Johnson Dr. David F. Jones Libby and Ted Kendall Vicki and Larry King Linda and Carl Kuykendall Susan R. Lindsay Courtney and Rob Love Tracie and Joe Mallard Patsy and Mike Malouf Camille Van Uden Marks Lou Ann and Doug McKibben Candace and Jay Powell Allyn and S. T. Ray Amanda and Ben Roberson Anne and Steve Rogers Trina and Rance Sapen Laura and Tommy Stansell Janet and Bob Stephenson Catherine and Joe Stradinger The Citizens Bank Caroline and Hunter Upchurch Ryan Upshaw Dr. and Mrs. Robert Van Uden

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Meredith and William VanDevender Cheryl and Cal Wells Sheila and David Wilbanks M'Lee and Kelley Williams PATRIOT CIRCLE (UP TO $500) Amy Alderdice Katie and Lewis Agnew Joan Allaben Leigh Ann Allen Zachary Allison Lindsey Anderson Mrs. Fred A. Anderson III Whitney and David Andress Dr. and Mrs. Mike Atkinson Mary and Brock Baker Lynda and Eric Balfour Linda and Buddy Bartling Wendy and John Beard Tim Benton Brian Berry Lillian and Maurice Birdwell Laura Bishop Leslie and Joel Bobo Sam Boone Will Boone Samantha and Tim Bowling Sharon and John David Box Melissa and Stewart Boyd Nell Bradford Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Alisa and Russ Robinson Lynne and Nick Brewer W.P Bridges, Jr. Beth Bronson Georgia Brown Shannon and Jay Brumfield Joe Bryant Daniel Burnett Melanie Largent Burrow and Jamey W. Burrow Matt Butts Sally Byram Lauri Byrd Sally and Wettlin Treppendahl Gail and Dan Cado Joy and Don Cannada Whitney and Marcus Canoy Mr. and Mrs. George H. Carter Dr. and Mrs. Joey F. Carter Judy and Ken Carter

Butch Case Cory and Matthew Caton Gracie and Scott Chesnut Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Coco, Jr. Anna Cowles Dr. and Mrs. John L. Cox Libby and Jack Crawford Milicent and Will Crosby Abigail and Reece Crumpler Anne and Bob Cunningham Beverly and Gary Davis Nathan Devine Christina and Mark Dreher Jennifer and Jamie Dryden Jon Marcus Duncan Donna B. Dye Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo Kathryn and Steve Edwards Kathy and Eric Eilertsen Suzanne and John Eskrigge Mari and Sam Farrington Linda and Tom Fenter Nancy Flowers Monica and Brad Fountain Dr. Elizabeth Franklin and J. Mark Franklin III Whitney and John Fuller Julia and Tony Gaines David Gammill E.R. Glasgow Helen and Jesse Graham Anna and Ricky Griffin Bobby Gross Chere and Donovan Guilbeau Melissa and Alan Gunn Reta and Mark Haire Kevin Hayes Kelly and Blake Headley Brent M. Heavener Mr. and Mrs. Jason F. Hellwig Cynthia Hengst Laura Hepner Luanne and Phil Hogue Caroline and Ashley Hollowell Katherine and Adam Horlock Betty and Jerry Horn Lynn and Clark Huddle David Huffman Rob Huffman Sarah Avery Huffman Jessica Leigh Long and Lain Hughes Allison and Andy Impastato Christina and Charlie Jackson Dr. Lee Johnson Nina and Carey Johnston Sue Johnston Carmen Jones Harper and David Jones Lynn and Hamp Jones Lucia and Dee Jones Ryan Jones Reggie Jones Kim and Kurt Jordan JP Class of 2017 JP Class of 1983 Mary and Ted Kendall Kent-Mitchell Bus Sales, LLC Debbie and Andy Kilpatrick Andrae and Steve Kincaid

Paula and Steve Kuhn Bethany and David Lane Leila and Sam Lane Malika M. Lindsay Mr. and Mrs. Ken M. Link Gail and David Litchliter Lorrie Driver Interior Design, LLC Addie and Tommy Louis Dena and Chris Lundberg Val and Jon Mabry Lulu and Steve Maness Toni and Ed Manning Lelia and Mike Manning Stacy Maris Shelby Grace Mays Michael McAnally Leesa Crim and Silas McCharen Emily and Guy McClain Tara and Allen McDaniel Amanda McKeown Trudy and Sidney McLaurin Spiller and Chan McLeod Annie Laurie and Tom McRee Mimi and Robert Mehrle Kristin and William Merrell Henry Michel Kathy and Charles Middleton Dr. Lynn Miller Mary Sue and Don Mitchell Kathleen and Mack Mitchell Jane and Edward Moak Helen and Red Moffat Bryce and Jay Mooney Becky and Dennis Morgan Sara Whelan and Doug Morgan Mrs. Jean Moses Britney and Jimbo Moss Jane Moss LeAnn and Luke Nealey Glenda and Ronnie Neutzler Karen Newman Debra and George Nicholas Mary Hampton and Jamey Nicholas Emily and Terry Nicholas Anna and Jimmy Nix Susan and Jimmy Nix Mariclaire and Eric Nix Lisa and Gary Noble Keavy Noblin Waynette and Shane Noe Jo Ann Nowell Ric Nowell Ms. Brenda R. O'Malley Lee Ozier Silvia and Steve Page Parker Wealth Management Lisa Graham Parson Jeanne Marie Peet Linda Pitts Trudy and Dave Powers Brianne Powers Jennifer and Cliff Powers Leigh Ann and Chris Purnell Dyanne and Johnny Ray Kimberly and Guy Reedy Jodie and Don Regan Mary Mills Ritchie Paige and Mark Robertson Kevin Robichaux

GIFTS IN KIND Alison and Luke Abney

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Mr and Mrs. Doyle W. Rogers Alexander Romano Amber Rose Carol and David Rose Judy and Dusty Rosella Betsy and Steve Rosenblatt Sherry and Richard Rula Amy-Allison and Weston Russ Jeanne and Rod Russ Norwood Sanders Becky and Joe Schneeberger Sarah Louise and Ralph Scruggs Amy and Dale Shepherd Alli and Anthony Sherman Melissa and Ryan Sherman Rhonda and Terrence Shirley Lisa and Allen Shive Kathryn and Bill Shuff Judy and Doug Simpson Carolyn and George Sisk Sitters, LLC Sarah and Jeff Skelton Jessica and Adrian Smith Cassie and Carter Smith Jina Smith Paul D. Smith, Ph.D. Randolph Smith Valerie Hyde Smith Bobby Joe Spann Marla and Warren Speed Robert Sproles Bev and Tom Stafford Chris Sweatt The University of Mississippi Alumni Association Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas Muffin and Marcus Thompson Marc Treadway Les Triplett Jane Tyson Laurie and Miles Van Pelt Kimberly and Robert T. Van Uden III Nancy and Daniel Venarske Meagan Vinson Lee and John Waits Malinda and Jim Warren Maret and Steve Watson Beth Mason Watts Dr. Andrew Q. Weeks Christopher Weeks Dr. Stephen Weeks Beverly and Steve Weeks Robert Weiss Mary Alice and Donny White Amy and Ken Wiandt Dr. Newton Wiggins Penny Wilkerson Jessica Wilkinson Shirley and Mark Windham Zeb Winstead Rachel and Tim Wise Michael W. Wood Michael B. Yang Angelia and Jimmy Yelverton Mr. and Mrs. Frank York III Richard Younce Laura and Johnny Young Jane and Jeff Zhu

PARENTS CLASS OF 2021 Randall Veterinary Hospital Leigh Ann Allen Whitney and David Andress Dr. and Mrs. Mike Atkinson Angie and Justin Baker Carrie and Philip Blount Shannon and Jay Brumfield Whitney and Marcus Canoy Libby and Jack Crawford Lesley and John Davis Jennifer and Jamie Dryden Monica and Brad Fountain Sherry and Mike Gleason Shelley and Patrick Gough Caroline and Ashley Hollowell Carmen Jones Dena and Chris Lundberg Val and Jon Mabry Waynette and Shane Noe Candice and Michael Randall Kimberly and Guy Reedy Amanda and Ben Roberson Marla and Warren Speed Bev and Tom Stafford Janet and Bob Stephenson Laurie and Miles Van Pelt Nancy and Daniel Venarske Beth Mason Watts Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson Angelia and Jimmy Yelverton CLASS OF 2022 Craddock Oil Company, Inc. Alison and Luke Abney Sharon and John David Box Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Adrienne and Keith Carter Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Beverly and Gary Davis Jon Marcus Duncan Ginny and Matt Futvoye Margaret and John Harvey Kelly and Blake Headley

Amelia and Joshua Metcalf Kathleen and Mack Mitchell Ashley and Crymes M Pittman Jodie and Don Regan Paige and Mark Robertson Carol and David Rose Lisa and Allen Shive Jessica and Adrian Smith Bev and Tom Stafford Catherine and Joe Stradinger Lee and John Waits M’Lee and Kelley Williams CLASS OF 2023 WEW Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Mike Atkinson Milicent and Will Crosby Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo Ellen and Charles G. Johnson Malika M. Lindsay Tracie and Joe Mallard Tara and Allen McDaniel Spiller and Chan McLeod Kathleen and Mack Mitchell Waynette and Shane Noe Amber Rose Muffin and Marcus Thompson Stacy and Jay Underwood Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton Laurie and Miles Van Pelt Nancy and Daniel Venarske Kim and Will Walker Beth Mason Watts CLASS OF 2024 Leigh Ann Allen Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Whitney and Marcus Canoy Jennifer and Jamie Dryden Shelley and Patrick Gough Kelly and Blake Headley Mamie and Jet Hollingsworth Caroline and Ashley Hollowell Allison and Andy Impastato

Andrae and Steve Kincaid Dena and Chris Lundberg Sandra and Jerry McCearley Emily and Guy McClain April and Kevin Nall Amy and Dale Shepherd Jessica and Adrian Smith Marla and Warren Speed Kimberly and Robert T. Van Uden III Amy and DeFord Walker CLASS OF 2025 Craddock Oil Company, Inc. Carrie and Philip Blount Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Cory and Matthew Caton Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Milicent and Will Crosby Jon Marcus Duncan Harper and David Jones Amy and Barton Lampton Bethany and David Lane Tracie and Joe Mallard Sara Whelan and Doug Morgan Candace and Jay Powell Cassie and Carter Smith Angelia and Jimmy Yelverton CLASS OF 2026 Samantha and Tim Bowling Adrienne and Keith Carter Christina and Mark Dreher Mamie and Jet Hollingsworth Emily and Guy McClain Tara and Allen McDaniel Melissa and Ryan Sherman Muffin and Marcus Thompson CLASS OF 2027 Dallas Printing, Inc Leigh Ann Allen Lynda and Eric Balfour Megan and David Dallas Christina and Charlie Jackson Amy and Barton Lampton

ALUMNI *Précis Club. See page 71 for Précis levels.

CLASS OF 1975 Kelley Walton Fenelon*

CLASS OF 1981 Doug Boone*

CLASS OF 1971 Dr. Lee Johnson

CLASS OF 1976 Leslie Joyner Bobo Alan Gunn Rob Love* Rick Yelverton

CLASS OF 1982 Henry Michel Anne Wells Rogers*

CLASS OF 1972 Mary Briggs Baker Sam Lane Terry Nicholas CLASS OF 1973 Carol Miller Holly* Lucia Jones Jones Dr. Ed Manning Annie Laurie Heidelberg McRee CLASS OF 1974 Anne Manning Cunningham* Larry King* Leesa Crim McCharen Lee Ozier Lisa Graham Parson* Allyn Mann Ray*

CLASS OF 1983 John Beard David Wilbanks*

CLASS OF 1977 Jane Tyson

CLASS OF 1984 Lindsay Anderson* Crisler Moffat Boone* Jim Coggin* Dr. John Davis* Chan McLeod Will Walker* Kelley Williams* Dudley Wooley*

CLASS OF 1978 Dr. John L. Cox Charles Johnson Tommy Louis Frank York CLASS OF 1979 Dr. Joey Carter Mike Manning Ashley Creekmore Meena* Jimmy Nix Dr. Rodney C. Richardson*

CLASS OF 1985 Spiller Burnham McLeod Colonel William Merrell Kristin Reed Merrell

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Allen Shive Will Vise* M’lee McMullan Williams* Dr. Michael Yang Richard Younce* CLASS OF 1986 Suzanne Hasseltine Eskrigge* April Payne Nall* Valerie Hyde Smith Dr. Jay Underwood* CLASS OF 1987 Jack Crawford* Dena Kirton Lundberg Ben Roberson* Warren Speed* CLASS OF 1988 Dr. Philip Blount* Will Crosby* Sherry Shaw Gleason* Margaret Minor Harvey* Marc Treadway*

CLASS OF 1989 Lain Hughes* Dr. Sandra Speckels McCearley* Mack Mitchell* Ric Nowell* Mary Elizabeth Russ Upton* CLASS OF 1990 Luke Abney* Julia Minor Gaines Ashley Hollis Maddux* Robert Van Uden* CLASS OF 1991 Mike Atkinson* Adrienne Cox Carter* Dr. Keith Carter* Crymes Pittman* CLASS OF 1992 Lawrence Coco* Rebecca Thomas Coco* Bobby Gross* Cassie Anderson Smith Beth Mason Watts CLASS OF 1993 Camille Morris Hellwig

Caroline Monsour Hollowell Camille Van Uden Marks* Sara Whelan Randall Morgan*

John Fuller* Jay Mooney* Laura VanDevender Stansell*

CLASS OF 1994 Mary Kelly Findley Branning* Jet Hollingsworth* Mamie Lusk Hollingsworth*

CLASS OF 2001 Ryan Jones Caroline McKibben Upchurch* CLASS OF 2002 Britney Wilkes Moss* Dr. Jimbo Moss* Dr. Christopher Weeks* Dr. Newton Wiggins*

CLASS OF 1995 Jon Marcus Duncan Zeb Winstead CLASS OF 1996 Michael McAnally*

CLASS OF 1998 Amy Lampton Walker* Dr. Stephen Weeks* CLASS OF 1999 Christina Sandifer Jackson* Mary Mills Lane Ritchie*

CLASS OF 2012 David Huffman*

CLASS OF 2014 Sam Boone* Rob Huffman* CLASS OF 2016 Graham Eklund*

CLASS OF 2005 Jimmy Nix

CLASS OF 2017 Brianne Powers*

CLASS OF 2006 Sally Wells Byram* Kathryn Mosley Shuff Les Triplett

CLASS OF 2018 Sarah Huffman*

CLASS OF 2007 Jamey Nicholas* Eric Nix

CLASS OF 2000 Lewis Agnew* Melissa Lowther Boyd*

CLASS OF 2011 Will Boone*

CLASS OF 2013 Miss Keavy Noblin

CLASS OF 2004 Mr. William VanDevender, Jr.* Dr. Andrew Weeks*

CLASS OF 1997 Melanie Largent Burrow*

CLASS OF 2008 Anna Wells Cowles*

CLASS OF 2020 Joe Bryant*

IN HONOR OF ANNA LEIGH ALLEN Leigh Ann Allen

TANNER GOUGH Shelley and Patrick Gough

OWEN LUNDBERG Dena and Chris Lundberg

MIKEY BALFOUR Lynda and Eric Balfour

RETA HAIRE Mari and Sam Farrington Helen and Jesse Graham

BRAEDON MABRY Val and Jon Mabry

TIM BENTON Helen and Jesse Graham BAILEY BLOUNT Martha and Dick Blount KIMBERLY BLOUNT Martha and Dick Blount CRISLER BOONE Helen and Red Moffat MARY KELLY BRANNING Shirley and Mark Windham BELLA BRUMFIELD Shannon and Jay Brumfield HENRY CARTER Judy and Ken Carter BENNETT CARTER Judy and Ken Carter JOE COCHRAN Joan Allaben MILICENT CROSBY Paula and Steve Kuhn WILL CROSBY Paula and Steve Kuhn GARRETT DAVIS Beverly and Gary Davis JACOB DAVIS Beverly and Gary Davis SARA FOSTER DRYDEN Jennifer and Jamie Dryden EMME DYE Donna B. Dye JESSIE COVINGTON FOUNTAIN Monica and Brad Fountain

BLAKE HEADLEY Jackson Prep Booster Club ASH HEDERMAN Betty and Jerry Horn ELLIE HEDERMAN Betty and Jerry Horn HALI HOLLMAN Lillian and Maurice Birdwell JILLIAN HOLLMAN Lillian and Maurice Birdwell EMBRY HOLLOWELL Caroline and Ashley Hollowell MATT JONES Carmen Jones KURT JORDAN Helen and Jesse Graham STEVE KINCAID Richard Younce MIKE KINNISON Anonymous JOHN LOVE Courtney and Rob Love YANCY LOVE Courtney and Rob Love LUKE LOVE Courtney and Rob Love ROB LOVE Courtney and Rob Love SAM LOVE Courtney and Rob Love

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LOU ANN MCKIBBEN Gail and Dan Cado SARAH MCMILLAN Jina Smith AUBREY SCOTT MOAK Jane and Edward Moak AVA MOAK Jane and Edward Moak CATE NALL April and Kevin Nall WILL NALL April and Kevin Nall TRUDY POWERS Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Coco, Jr. Linda and Tom Fenter Helen and Jesse Graham Chere and Donovan Guilbeau Reta and Mark Haire Addie and Tommy Louis Emily and Guy McClain Kimberly and Guy Reedy Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas Mary Alice and Donny White 2019-20 Jackson Prep Junior High Faculty NICK RANDALL Candice and Michael Randall NORWOOD SANDERS Helen and Jesse Graham DENTON SMITH Mrs. Jean Moses OLIVIA ANSLEY SMITH Jessica and Adrian Smith RANDOLPH SMITH Helen and Jesse Graham

BOBBY JOE SPANN Helen and Jesse Graham ROBERT SPROLES Helen and Jesse Graham BRADLEY STAFFORD Bev and Tom Stafford AUSTIN TERRY Penny Wilkerson

KIMBERLY VAN UDEN Camille Van Uden Marks Dr. and Mrs. Robert Van Uden ELI SALVADOR VENARSKE Nancy and Daniel Venarske LEE WAITS Helen and Jesse Graham

LUCY WEIR Mrs. Valda W. Miller AMY WIANDT Helen and Jesse Graham HUNTER MITCHELL YELVERTON Angelia and Jimmy Yelverton

IN MEMORY OF IRIS BOSTIC Reta and Mark Haire REYNOLDS BOYKIN Linda and Ricky Black ALBERT E. (WARD) BRELAND JP Class of 1981 ETHEL MAE BRITT Reta and Mark Haire Jennifer and Cliff Powers DAVID BROOKS Linda and Ricky Black CINDY BROOKS Linda and Ricky Black Addie and Tommy Louis ANNA GRIFFIN CALLENDER Mrs. Fred A. Anderson III Linda and Buddy Bartling Brian Berry Linda and Ricky Black Crisler and Doug Boone Alisa and Russ Robinson W.P Bridges, Jr. Beth Bronson and Amy Alderdice Sally and Wettlin Treppendahl Judi and Sam Carroll Mr. and Mrs. George H. Carter Kathryn and Steve Edwards Kathy and Eric Eilertsen 2015-16 Jackson Prep Senior Football Moms E.R. Glasgow Kevin Hayes Cynthia Hengst Lynn and Clark Huddle Nina and Carey Johnston Sue Johnston and Robert Weiss Reggie Jones Kent-Mitchell Bus Sales, LLC Debbie and Andy Kilpatrick Vicki and Larry King Leila and Sam Lane Mr. and Mrs. Ken M. Link Lorrie Driver Interior Design, LLC Lulu and Steve Maness Leesa Crim and Silas McCharen Lou Ann and Doug McKibben Trudy and Sidney McLaurin Kathy and Charles Middleton Glenda and Ronnie Neutzler Karen Newman Debra and George Nicholas Emily and Terry Nicholas Jo Ann Nowell Ms. Brenda R. O'Malley Parker Wealth Management Linda Pitts Dyanne and Johnny Ray Mr. and Mrs. Doyle W. Rogers Judy and Dusty Rosella

Amy-Allison and Weston Russ Becky and Joe Schneeberger Sitters, LLC Sarah and Jeff Skelton The University of Mississippi Alumni Association Malinda and Jim Warren

LEE JOYNER Leslie and Joel Bobo

SCOTT CARAWAY JP Class of 1983

DR. J.O. MANNING Toni and Ed Manning

LAUREN ANN CLEMENT Melanie Largent Burrow and Jamey W. Burrow

MARY JO MCANALLY Michael McAnally Ron McAnally

LARA ASHLEY ROOT COLEMAN Julia and Tony Gaines

NAN MERRELL JP Class of 1981

BRIAN H. COLLINS JP Class of 1981

STREETY MINOR Joy and Don Cannada Margaret and John Harvey

JOHN COUCH Mayme and Thomas Couch MARK E. COX JP Class of 1981 BUDDY CROSBY Dr. and Mrs. Joey F. Carter Anonymous Milicent and Will Crosby Julie and Dudley Wooley JAMES MALCOLM CURRIE Vicki and Larry King Linda and Carl Kuykendall DAVE DAVIS Linda and Ricky Black Mr. and Mrs. Frank York III RICHIE EDMONSON JP Class of 1981 DIANE GOUGH OLSON Trudy and Dave Powers BARBARA FORTENBERRY HEDERMAN Susan R. Lindsay Leesa Crim and Silas McCharen JACK REYNOLDS HOLIMAN JP Class of 2017 Lou Ann and Doug McKibben Jane Moss JESSE L. HOWELL JR. Margaret and John Harvey JANE ELLEN HYDE Valerie Hyde Smith BARBARA JONES Lucia and Dee Jones Jeanne Marie Peet WOLSEY JONES Lucia and Dee Jones Jeanne Marie Peet

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L.D. KING, SR. Vicki and Larry King Linda and Carl Kuykendall Stacy Maris

BILLY MOUNGER Sally and Len Martin DELORES NAVARRETE Lucia and Dee Jones Trudy and Dave Powers BOB PITTMAN Jeanne Marie Peet MARK B. (BRODIE) RAY JP Class of 1981 JANE ROPER Linda and Ricky Black HELEN HESTER SILLS JP Class of 1981 ROBERT G. SPELL JP Class of 1981 MARK A. STEELE Katie and Lewis Agnew DR. GEORGE STURGIS Henry Michel ERNEST THOMAS II Henry Michel FRANCES WALTON Kelley Walton Fenelon BILLY WALTON Kelley Walton Fenelon Leesa Crim and Silas McCharen Jeanne Marie Peet CALVIN L. WELLS Anne and Steve Rogers Cheryl and Cal Wells WALKER WILBANKS Linda and Ricky Black Sharon and John David Box Sheila and David Wilbanks

YOUR JACKSON PREP CAMPAIGN The Capital Campaign list is in alphabetical order as of June 30, 2021. The campaign has now gone public.

4 the Family Healthcare Anonymous (9) Zachary Allison Whitney and David Andress Dr. and Mrs. Mike Atkinson Natalie and John Baten Tim Benton Yvonne and Robert Bertolet Laura Bishop Crisler and Doug Boone Samantha and Tim Bowling Sharon and John David Box Nick Brewer Pam and Denny Britt Mary Kelly and Jason Branning Georgia A. Brown Mary Tison and Jay Brown Carr M. Brown-Black Rusty Burke Daniel Burnett Greta and Matt Butts Gail and Dan Cado Dr. and Mrs. Graham C. Calvert Whitney and Marcus Canoy Butch Case Cory and Matthew Caton Gracie and Scott Chesnut Drs. Nicole and Ken Cleveland Clinton Dental Care, Inc Rebecca and Lawrence Coco Ann and Jim Coggin Pat and Jim Coggin Dr. and Mrs. John L. Cox Kappi and David Craddock Barbara and Jason Craft Jennifer and York Craig Libby and Jack Crawford Betsy Creekmore Sidney and Holt Crews Milicent and Will Crosby Catherine and John Cross Abigail and Reece Crumpler Megan and David Dallas Lesley and John Davis Nathan Devine Saundra and Duane Dewey Tammy and Jon Marcus Duncan Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo Graham Eklund Entergy Corporation Suzanne and John Eskrigge Mari and Sam Farrington Jan and Lawrence Farrington Nancy Flowers Jayda and Wendell Fountain Martha and Davis Frye Dave Gammill Natalie and David Gibbs Helen and Jesse Graham Anna and Ricky Griffin Bobby Gross Chere and Donovan Guilbeau

Reta and Mark Haire Elizabeth and Clay Hays Kelly and Blake Headley Brent M. Heavener Mrs. Barbara Hederman Henry and Martha Hederman Charitable Foundation Laura Hepner Courtney and Thomas Hewitt Marsha M. Hobbs Mamie and Jet Hollingsworth Katherine and Adam Horlock Laurie and Tony Huffman Jessica Leigh Long and Lain Hughes Christina and Charlie Jackson Jackson Prep Booster Club Ellen and Charles Johnson Harper and David Jones Kim and Kurt Jordan Andrae and Steve Kincaid Vicki and Larry King Bethany and David Lane Malika M. Lindsay Jeanne and William Liston Addie and Thomas M. Louis Ashley and Chris Maddux Tracie and Joe Mallard Lelia and Mike Manning Bettye and Dick Mason Shelby Grace Mays Michael McAnally Emily and Guy McClain Tara and Allen McDaniel Amanda and Frank McKeown Lou Ann and Doug McKibben McMaster & Associates, Inc Laura and Ronald McMaster Mr. and Mrs. Mart B. McMullan Ashley and Hu Meena Elizabeth and Kerk Mehrle Kristin and William Merrell Dr. Lynn Miller Kathleen and Mack Mitchell Helen and Red Moffat Jennifer and Buster Mooneyham Becky and Dennis Morgan LeAnn and Luke Nealey Melissa and Nash Neyland Kimberly P. and Michael R. Nichols Anna and Jimmy Nix Mariclaire and Eric Nix Lisa and Gary Noble Keavy Noblin Waynette Noe Ramona and Lee Ozier Silvia and Steve Page Beth and Chip Pickering Jennifer and Cliff Powers Susie and John Puckett Leigh Ann Purnell Allyn and S. T. Ray Jennifer and Richard Rebich

Kimberly and Guy Reedy Leigh and Todd Reeves Jodie and Don Regan Mary Mills and Spencer Ritchie Paige and Mark Robertson Kim and Kevin Robichaux Anne and Steve Rogers Alexander Romano Amber C. Rose Carol and David Rose Norwood Sanders Trina and Rance Sapen Sarah Louise and Ralph Scruggs Selby & Richard McRae Foundation, Inc. Dr. and Mrs. Walter R. Shelton Amy and Dale Shepherd Alli and Anthony Sherman Melissa and Ryan Sherman Rhonda and Terrence Shirley Lisa and Allen Shive Kathryn and Bill Shuff Carolyn and George Sisk Jina Smith Paul D. Smith, Ph.D. Randolph Smith Bobby Joe Spann Robert Sproles Laura and Tommy Stansell Catherine and Joe Stradinger Chris Sweatt TCBC, LLC The Michelle and David Hobbs Foundation Lynn and Hays Thompson Muffin and Marcus Thompson Les Triplett, Jr. Amanda and Tyler Turner Caroline and Hunter Upchurch Ryan Upshaw Mary Elizabeth and Charles Upton Mollie and Billy VanDevender Kimberly and Robert Van Uden Heather and Will Vise Lee and John Waits Amy and DeFord Walker Walker Foundation Maret and Steve Watson Beth Mason Watts WEW Foundation Emily and Stuart Whitaker Amy and Ken Wiandt Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson M’lee and Kelley Williams, Jr., George Williams, and Cliff Williams Rachel and Tim Wise Frances and Phil Wilson Julie and Dudley Wooley Mr. and Mrs. Wirt Yerger III Richard Younce Eleanor and Ryan Young Jane and Jeff Zhu

Every attempt was made to ensure accuracy.

We apologize for any oversights or errors that may have occurred.

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JOIN THE PATRIOT CLUB CIRCLE OF GOLD $15,000 or more

FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE $5,000 to $9,999

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S CIRCLE $1,000 to $2,499

CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE $10,000 to $14,999

TRUSTEES’ CIRCLE $2,500 to $4,999

HONOR CIRCLE $500 to $999

PATRIOT CIRCLE Up to $500

In support of Jackson Preparatory School’s 2021-2022 Patriot Club, I pledge $________________________.

Précis Club

■ A check (made payable to JP Patriot Club) in the amount of $_______________________ is enclosed for: ■ Full Payment ■ Partial Payment (balance to be paid by 6/15/2022)

Précis Club members are alumni who give the recommended amount or more according to class year.

■ I will set up a monthly bank draft for $_________________________.

■ One-Time ■ Monthly ■ Quarterly ■ Annually Bank Routing #____________________________________ Account #_______________________________ Bank Account Name (if different from above)___________________________________________________ Financial Institution________________________________________________________________________ Begin Date____ /____ /____ End Date____ /____ /____ Draft on the: ■ 1st ■ 15th I agree that each payment shall be the same as if it were an instrument personally signed by me. This authority is to remain in effect until the date designated above. I have the right to stop payment of a charge by timely notification to Jackson Prep prior to charging my account. I understand, however, that both the financial institution and Jackson Prep reserve the right to terminate this payment plan (or my participation therein).

Signature_________________________________________________________________________________ ■ Please charge my credit card a prorated amount each month.

■ I wish to charge my donation to: ■ American Express ■ Mastercard ■ VISA Card #____________________________________________________ Expiration Date ____ /____ /____ Billing Address_____________________________________________________________________________ City________________________________________________ State____________________ Zip__________ Name as it appears on Card__________________________________________________________________ Card Verification # _______________ Signature_________________________________________________ For your safety and security, our payment system requires that you enter your card verification number. The verification number is a three- or four-digit number printed on the back of your card.

■ I will donate by credit card online at www.jacksonprep.net.

Please complete pledge information above and sign at bottom.

■ I am not certain of the amount I want to pledge at this time, but please contact me in: ■ October ■ November ■ December ■ Yes, my company or my spouse’s company will match my gift.

Name (to appear in the Honor Roll of Donors) please print _________________________________________________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________________________________ City________________________________________________ State____________________ Zip__________ Email Address_____________________________________________________________________________ Home Phone___________________________________ Cell Phone_________________________________ Please indicate if applicable: ■ Alum of Jackson Prep, Class of___________ Maiden Name_____________________________________ ■ Spouse is alum of Jackson Prep, Class of___________ Maiden Name______________________________ ■ Précis Club member (see amounts at right) ■ Parent of student currently attending Jackson Prep ■ Parent of Jackson Prep alumnus ■ This gift is A Memorial to_____________________________________________________________________________ An Honorarium to_________________________________________________________________________ Return your tax-deductible gift to Ryan Upshaw, Director of Diversity and Outreach Mailbox located in McRae Center • 601-932-8106, Ext. 259 • rupshaw@jacksonprep.net Or mail to: Jackson Preparatory School • 3100 Lakeland Drive • Flowood, Mississippi 39232

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CLASS AMOUNT 2021 $ 10 2020 $ 20 2019 $ 30 2018 $ 40 2017 $ 50 2016 $ 60 2015 $ 70 2014 $ 80 2013 $ 90 2012 $100 2011 $110 2010 $120 2009 $130 2008 $140 2007 $150 2006 $160 2005 $170 2004 $180 2003 $190 2002 $200 2001 $210 2000 $220 1999 $230 1998 $240 1997 $250 1996 $260 1995 $270 1994 $280 1993 $290 1992 $300 1991 $310 1990 $320 1989 $330 1988 $340 1987 $350 1986 $360 1985 $370 1984 $380 1983 $390 1982 $400 1981 $410 1980 $420 1979 $430 1978 $440 1977 $450 1976 $460 1975 $470 1974 $480 1973 $490 1972 $500 1971 $510

HIDDEN PREP The Cross Country Trail U

nless you have a connection to Prep’s Cross Country team, you may never have seen the trail that cuts through the woods at the north end of the school campus. The course begins at the practice fields and enters the woods behind the tennis courts, emerging again behind the storage barn close to the north end of the football field. The route takes runners through an ecosystem of longleaf pine and hardwood trees that is home to deer and turkey, as well as a number of bird species, reptiles, and plants. Cross country runners cross wooden bridges over small streams that wander through Prep’s campus before eventually finding their way into

BY DR. LYNN MILLER Visual Arts Chair Art Teacher

the Pearl River. Several years ago Prep’s woodworking classes built nesting boxes that were placed in the woods to support both resident and migrating birds.

Between Prep’s Cross Country Trail and the Pear River is the Fannye Cook Nature Preserve.

Under the stewardship of Wildlife Mississippi, the preserve covers 2,700 acres of land from Jackson Prep along the Pearl almost to the reservoir spillway. Named for Fannye Cook, a pioneer conservation biologist and first director of the MS Natural Science Museum, the preserve is scheduled to include nature trails and recreational areas.

Discover this natural landscape that is part of Prep’s campus.

Photos by (from top clockwise): Joe Cochran (class of 2022), Katherine Cole (class of 2024), Katherine Speed (class of 2024), Mason Kimball (class of 2022), and Percy Oliver (class of 2024)

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THE LAST WORD Who We Were in 7th Grade

BY NORMA COX

A

s I worked with Vicki King and Lynn Miller putting the final touches on this issue of the Prep magazine and in rereading all of the articles, several overarching themes jumped out at me: the value of education, the importance of experiences, and how early events have the potential to shape the rest of our lives.

Two of our contributors in this issue mentioned how their time in the 7th grade largely influenced and helped guide them towards their future careers.

Dr. Emily Moses, our new Director of Instructional Technology talked about how joining her school’s technology student association in the 7th grade, and it’s ensuing creed, became a mantra over her next years of school. She didn’t understand, then, how that involvement would help her realize her passion for technology. But as she said, “I guess I spoke my destiny into existence because technology education’s importance is my daily reality.”

Dr. Ebony Lumumba had this to say during our interview about Eudora Welty: “I discovered her [Welty] in the 7th grade reading ‘Why I Live at the PO’ and then I heard her read it in her own voice from a record that my English teacher had, and I was struck at that point...at twelve years old…and I haven’t turned back from studying her work since.”

The 7th grade is Prep’s largest entry point, and there is no more pivotal time to engage with a student than at this age. They are open and excited about learning. They have enthusiasm for exploration and creative thought. They bring a quick agile mind to the table that is still alert and impressionable.

Jackson Prep understood this when it implemented forward thinking in its renovation of the Junior High and had the foresight

Director of Library Services

to see that collaboration, flexibility and atmosphere are crucial components in how today’s students learn and grow.

Our Head of Junior High, Reta Haire, knew how vital this grade was when she asked Prep’s MAIS Junior High Teacher of the Year, Lee Waits, to move into teaching all 7th grade math classes. Reta described Lee as an “investor.” She understands how this time in a student’s life truly matters.

And Lee knows this firsthand as she says, “I feel like 7th grade is a huge jumping off point for every student. It is the foundation. This is the year when most become independent of an elementary school and mom and dad. Every year my students have to learn how to navigate more freedom which gives them the space to realize their strengths and weaknesses. This independence helps them figure out what they really enjoy and helps them discover where they are talented.”

There is a huge difference between receiving a good education and receiving a GREAT education.

For that to happen there must be thought, ability, creativity and vision.

Jackson Prep strives for excellence in all aspects. While we are fortunate to have second to none facilities and state of the art classrooms and technology, we never forget that our primary goal is to educate people and educate them well. What we are engaged in today will have profound effects on their lives and there is no more exciting or important place to be!

When Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai was 16 years old, she made a speech before the United Nations wherein she said: “Let us remember. One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

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Emily Moses

Lee Waits

Ebony Lumumba

Norma Cox

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