The Pike County Chamber of Commerce gave out 68 scholarships Friday night worth $34,000 — not quite a record, but still a measure of great accomplishment for graduating seniors in Pike County who achieved the Mississippi Scholar or Techmaster designation.
Eight $1,000 scholarships from Southwest Mississippi Community College boosted the academic awards to 76 scholarships and $42,000 given, while Sanderson Farms presented a raft of $500 stipends to a group of the Scholars and Techmasters.
“Each year this program is growing and honoring more students,” said Shawn Lowery, the chamber’s program coordinator. “That means we’re working harder to raise money for scholarships.”
Brig. Gen. Philip Parker of Summit, assistant adjutant general of the Mississippi Army National Guard and keynote speaker at the annual scholars’ banquet, pronounced himself impressed by the level of accomplishment present in the room.
“I wouldn’t have been sitting in here when I was a senior,” he quipped.
Parker said attaining the Mississippi Scholar and Techmaster designations set those students apart from their peers, and demonstrates their sacrifice, discipline and motivation.
However, “you were not alone,” Parker said. “
Along the way you had a counselor or a mentor or a coach who helped and encouraged you when you demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond. That’s what helps set you apart are those intangibles.”
He told a story about a man who applied for an accounting job, with the same knowledge and skill set as other applicants, and who had played baseball and been a member of a number of other organizations at Millsaps College.
“That’s not what got him the job,” Parker said of the extracurricular activities. “It was the demonstrated potential that he showed by being successful in doing those things.
“You have shown you have ability ... What will set you apart going forward? Keep working and showing what you can do.”
He also urged the students to explore all options available to them, even if they don’t think they would be interested.
“I’m not telling you to join the military,” Parker said. “I had never thought about joining the military in 1984, but a mentor of mine at (SMCC) said I should explore that. ... I stepped out and explored it, and 33 years later, here I am.
“Don’t let thinking that something is not for you sway you from exploring it.”
He said living by a set of values can lead to success, and that the students should keep doing what they’ve been doing to succeed.
“You are our future leaders,” Parker said. “Don’t take that lightly.”
Recipients of the Mississippi Scholar, Techmaster or both designations included:
• McComb — Deleasha Anton, KeyMiriah Barnes, Jalek Barton, Damion Butler, Kimbriona East, Aaron Fleming, Gracie Gautreaux, Nyla Jackson, Essence Lewis, Braeden Love, A’Brejha McKennis, McKenzie Moses, Tejay Patel, Callie Sanders, ShaKayla Smith, Alexis Thornton, Zabreana Tucker, Talya Walker, Aldrian Waller, Jio Watkins.
• North Pike — Madison Adams, William Anderson, Shaylon Barr, Hailey Biggart, Julius Boyd, Kaleigh Brister, Jenna Brock, A’sha Brumfield, Kya Butler, Kimberly Coon, Joseph Cooper, Destiny Davis, Dandolyn DeBlanc, Bailey Didon, Parker Esch, Madison Etheridge, Carter Gholson, David Greer, Lyndey Greer, Za’nahri Hamilton, Stephen Harbour, Jacob Harvey, Clayton Hooks, Kenna Hutto, LaJuan Jackson Jr., Brady Johnson, Lauren Johnson, Zach Kennedy, Tyler Lewis, Alexis Martinez, Kaylan McDaniel, Joanna Moak, Kaitlyn Moak, Madison Newman, Abbey Norman, Thomas Powell, Donneisha Quin, Hailey Richardson, Kiarra Rollins, Jordan Rosenbohm, Alexander Scott, Savannah Scott, Grace Shipman, Kaitlyn Simpson, Jake Smith, Eli Swarts, Jackson Tate, Treazure Taylor, Troy Thames, Taylor Tucker, Shelby Tullos, Braydon Weber, Britt White, Donald Welch-Dick, Shaniya Williams, Michaela Wilson.
• Parklane — Anna Baughman, Taylor Boyd, Abigail Burns, Allye Byrd, Amber Byrd, Toby Byrd, Brayden Coffey, Brendan Digiovanni, Brooke Dunnam, Grace Ervin, Jacqueline Ervin, Ryan Fairburn, Lysandra Fegan, Eliza Felder, Hannah Ferguson, Rachel Frank, Anne Riley Glass, Dylan Guidry, Ethan Holmes, Bailey Hughes, Gabby Hutson, Trevor Jenkinson, Matthew Konzelman, Riley Leake, Adam Leonard, Emmy McCafferty, Kristen McElveen, Grace Mims, Aaryan Panchal, Caitlyn Raborn, Ayden Robinson, Ramsey Sanders, Quentin Smith, Zachary Stinson, Sydney Stutzman, Hayes Tisdale, Karsyn White, Ben Wilkinson, Madison Winters.
• South Pike — Patricia Allen, Takia Badon, Tyreaccus Bateaste, Arnisha Bates, Genesis Brown, Nasya Burton, Shalunda Carter, William Egan, Demarcus Ellzey, Shuntasia Felder, Briunna Grady, JaMya Green, Jarvonta Green, Brianna Jefferson, Angelina Jones, Molly Lawson, Malik Leonard, Zejah Marsalis, Carin McCoy, Alvin Mixon, Kaylan Richard, Jordan Rushing, Tinya Slocum, Demetria Smith, Freddrica Varnado, TaDajah Walls, Shabrieka Wells, Osylice Woodard.
• Jubilee Performing Arts Center — Victoria Richard.
