91猎奇

ELLISVILLE- Seventeen Jones College students came home with top honors at the SkillsUSA state competition Jackson in April.聽 However, only the 11, first-place winners will leave for Louisville, Kentucky for the National SkillsUSA competition in June.

鈥淛C SkillsUSA team is extremely excited to travel to Louisville, Kentucky this year with our first place state winners. The competitors are focused and believe they have the skills to represent Mississippi and Jones College in their respective competitions. They demonstrate a level of professionalism that we鈥檝e tried to cultivate over the years. We are excited to afford them the opportunity to showcase their talents,鈥� said Jones College SkillsUSA advisor, Ryan Hearn.

Jones College students, C.J. Hoodless of Ellisville, Preston Hammonds of Leakesville and Lakelin Smith of Lucedale managed to keep a winning streak alive by capturing first place in the Engineering Design and Technology category. The category was introduced last year at SkillsUSA with Jones students winning with the invention of a manual trash-compactor for the garbage can. As avid musicians, this year鈥檚 team was inspired to create a guitar strap and stand and they proved once again, Jones students are the team to beat in this newly introduced competition category.

鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud our invention performed well,鈥� said mechanical engineering major, Hammonds. He credits his Greene County High School teacher, Deborah Neel for helping him find his career path.

鈥淲e spent a lot of time preparing for this competition and coming up with something anyone could relate to and appreciate,鈥� said Hoodless, a CAD Engineering Technology major.

Smith, who is also majoring in CAD Engineering Technology, praised his instructor, Karen Kirk for preparing him for this type of competition.

鈥淛ones helped us learn skills on an advanced level to compete confidently. Our invention had to pass inspection with industry leaders.鈥�

This team has been preparing for their competition since early January. While Hearn is very pleased with the win, he was impressed by the team鈥檚 score.

鈥淏esides winning first place at state, the team also must garner 70 percent or above of the judges鈥� scores to attend nationals. This year’s team performed very well, receiving almost 80 percent,鈥� said Hearn.

The guitar strap and stand is made of three-inch wide by four-inch squares, printed on a 3D printer and linked together to a piece of nylon and leather strap bindings to attach to the guitar. To switch from a strap to a stand, an aluminum rod is inserted through the squares and is attached to the base stand, which was also made from the 3D printer.

鈥淲e are improving on our invention and will further develop the idea with the hopes of producing a better quality strap and stand for mass production. We鈥檝e already secured a 鈥榩oor man鈥檚 patent,鈥欌�� said Hammonds. 鈥淎lso, the squares can be customized with logos and colors. We also designed the strap to make it easy to add or remove the links.鈥�

Freshman, Savannah Holifield of Soso said she is looking forward to returning to the National SkillsUSA competition. She took first place honors in the Promotional Bulletin Board state competition as a sophomore and junior at West Jones High School.聽 Returning to national competition as a college student is even more exciting to Holifield.

鈥淭his will be my third year at the National SkillsUSA competition. Even though I have experience competing on the national level, I鈥檓 a little nervous because this is the first time I鈥檓 competing in a drafting and design skill group,鈥� said the first place state winner in the Architectural Drafting category.

She further explained, judging takes place throughout the entire week of competition, regardless of whether you are actively competing, or at a workshop.

鈥淭he way you present yourself, even when you鈥檙e not competing, reflects on the college. Judges take all of that into consideration.聽 Your character and how you present yourself could influence your score. Your first and the last impression can have a big influence on earning scholarships too,鈥� said Holifield.

Also headed to the national competition are civil engineering technology majors and first place winners in the Quiz Bowl competition, Steve Lambert of Miller, Missouri, Colton McLeod of Richton, Levi McLain of Waynesboro, Dylan Butler of Ellisville and Mayson Norton of Mobile, Alabama. Freshman, Daniel Patterson of Sumrall, and Joseph Blake Pryor of Laurel, also earned first place honors in Automotive and Extemporaneous Speaking, respectively.

Jones College students earning second place in the State SkillsUSA competition were Cameron Sullivan of Laurel in the Job Skill Demonstration Open competition; Tanner Bryant of Ellisville in the CNC Technician category; Jose Garcia of Hattiesburg in the CNC Milling competition; Logan Pippen of Ellisville in the CNC Turning/Lathe category and Adam Backstrom of Richton in the Sheet Metal competition. Jacob Ledet of Laurel came home with third place honors at the SkillsUSA State competition in the Technical Drafting competition.

The SkillsUSA National Competition will be held June 24 through 28, where Hearn said hundreds of student competitors are getting real-world experience and recognition for their skills.

ELLISVILLE- Jones College radiologic technology graduate from Heidelberg, Malik Rashad Porter received a $400 scholarship from the Mississippi Radiological Society. Porter鈥檚 scholarship was based on the MRS鈥� requirements for recipients which include having a high academic achievement, being of sound moral character and having a financial need.

鈥淢alik was an outstanding student while in the program and I know he will be an asset to the imaging profession. I appreciate the Mississippi Radiological Society for providing this opportunity for Radiologic Technology students in the state of Mississippi,鈥� said Jones College鈥檚 Radiography Program Director, Mandy Pearson, M. S. R. T. (R).

Porter was also honored to be voted as the 鈥淐linical Student of the Year鈥� by the staff at the colleges鈥� six, clinical affiliates. The part-time radiologic technologist is currently employed at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel and at Magee General Hospital.聽聽Porter plans to continue his education to complete a Bachelors of Radiological Sciences through the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Photo by Megan Clark

ELLISVILLE 鈥� First through six graders will have the opportunity to check out college this summer as a part of Jones College鈥檚 Kids鈥� College summer camp.聽 Campers will gather Monday, June 3, through Friday, June 7, from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.聽 The $95 non-refundable tuition includes all supplies and snacks.

Kids鈥� College courses include Food Science, Zoology: Animals Up Close and Personal, Art, Survey of Science and Physical Education.

Limited space is still available for some grades. For more information, email program director, Missie Meeks at missie.meeks@jcjc.edu or check out the webpage at www.jcjc.edu/camps.

 

ELLISVILLE 鈥� Whether it鈥檚 continuing their education or working in a medical facility, 21 Jones College students earned their Associates Degree in Nursing and are ready for the next step in their lives. The graduating class captured a piece of history with a group photo of everyone before they departed from the two-year college.

Pictured in random order are: Courtney Bass, Columbia; Jessica Byrd, Hattiesburg; Madelyn Cooley, Laurel; Kaitlyn Cox, Ellisville; Karrigan Eidt, Natchez; Megan Fewell, Mendenhall; Emily Frometa, Richton; Carlie Guthrie; Hattiesburg; Andrew 聽Hargrove, Ovett, MS; Lauryn Hicks, Laurel; Katelyn Ekes (Hinton) Laurel; John Holland, McLain, MS; Jessica Ingram, Mt. Olive; RaNeisia Jordan, Hattiesburg; Kristi Kavanaugh, Hattiesburg; 聽Brandi Logan, Hattiesburg; Marli Malone, Richton; Kimberly Graves (Miley), Purvis; Bethany Poole, Ovett; Leigh Stubbs, Collins and Dalton 聽Walley, Petal.

 

ELLISVILLE 鈥� At the 92^nd Annual Spring Commencement Ceremonies at 91猎奇, Mississippi鈥檚 42^nd State Auditor, Shad White challenged graduates to 鈥渙wn鈥� their destinies, work hard and set a course towards achieving their goals. The University of Mississippi graduate earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science and is a Truman Scholar and a Rhodes Scholar. Additionally, White earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Harvard Law School and has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He shared with the nearly 700 Jones College graduates and guests at the two ceremonies, that with all of his education, White was confident he would be successful in his pursuit of making positive, public policy working on the East Coast.

However, he realized his success was dependent upon something else. While explaining the difference between independence and ownership, White shared, 鈥淣o one will sacrifice for you or work harder to find success than yourself.鈥� While being independent has its benefits, White explained, 鈥淚f you have taken ownership of your own life, you won鈥檛 want to sleep through the alarm clock because you know that would stand in the way of your goal.鈥�

While watching his dad work hard all day as an oilfield pumper in Sandersville, as well as being the current Mayor and former alderman of Sandersville, White learned through his dad, it was also his responsibility to give back to his community. However, the Northeast Jones High School graduate said he discovered not all service was created equal.

鈥淚 watched my friends embark on careers with a similar goal of (myself), making a difference in public service. Many of them, within a short amount of time started to realize that their ability to make change depended not just on their willingness to work hard, but also on whether their boss had enough political power to make change happen,鈥� said White.

The Auditors鈥� 鈥渓ightbulb鈥� moment forced him to change his thinking. Instead of working in Washington D.C. he returned to Mississippi to take ownership of his life. His admiration of former Congressman, Alan Nunnelee inspired him to volunteer for his campaign. After sweeping floors, White was given bigger responsibilities that eventually caught the interest of current Governor, Phil Bryant, and earned his appointment as State Auditor in 2018.

鈥淲e both had a passion for policy that helps working people鈥�.聽 He had served as state auditor and we both had a passion for law enforcement and stopping corruption,鈥� White said. 鈥淚 realized that I needed to set a goal and make sacrifices to achieve that goal (even if I would be) making a little less money than I would otherwise, working much longer hours, sleeping less, (and) tending some random landlord鈥檚 tomato garden, that I got lucky and met Governor Bryant. There鈥檚 truth in that old adage that, the harder you work, the luckier you get.鈥�

Non-traditional Jones College graduate, Carolyn Holifield identifies with that old adage. The 71-year-old and Bell South service representative retired after 35 years but still felt called to 鈥渄o something.鈥� 聽She plans on returning to Jones in the fall because she wants more than her associate in arts degree in general studies.

鈥淚 appreciate education so much. It is important for everything.聽 An education changes the way people look at you, even though it doesn鈥檛 change your self-worth. I realized I want to do more. I may come back for a degree in paralegal, culinary arts or real estate,鈥� said Holifield

One Greene County graduate and the Student Government Association president, Jared Woullard is also known for taking ownership of his future. He pursued greatness throughout his two years at 91猎奇 as Freshman Class President before earning the confidence of his peers to be SGA president. Woullard also served as a Bobcat Brigade student ambassador and he was a member of the Presidential Student Advisory Task Force, the Charles Pickering Honors Institute, Jones Concert Choir, a Tullos Scholar, Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society鈥檚 All-Mississippi Academic Team, and he was elected Mr. JCJC. 聽As a result of his hard work, college administrators allowed the engineering major to begin a new tradition. At future commencement ceremonies, the SGA President will have the honor of carrying the College Mace as part of the procession of administrators and special guests.

鈥淚 was so excited!! This was such an honor and I鈥檓 humbled to be the first one to start this new tradition,鈥� an overwhelmed Woullard exclaimed. 鈥淚 just can鈥檛 believe this happened!鈥�

While taking ownership of your life is a recipe for finding a fulfilling career according to White, he cautioned graduates to also focus on relationships.

鈥淢y relationship with God, my relationship with my wife, and my eight-week-old baby give me a sense of power and purpose that I need, too.聽 So do the things that will make your career a success, but also know that your life outside of work requires just as much dedication as your life inside it.鈥�

White concluded by announcing his desire that the new, Jones College graduates who received either, an Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Applied Science degree, a Technical Certificate or a Career Certificate will stay in Mississippi as they pursue their callings in life.