Invitation Tupelo: March 2015

MARCH 2015

Great performances start with great teams.

Recognized in Cardiac Care, Knee & Hip Replacement and Spine Surgery It takes teamwork and skill to be one of the best every day. That’s why North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo is proud to be named a Blue Distinction + Center of Excellence for Spine Surgery, Cardiac Care and Knee & Hip Replacement by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi members now have 24/7 access to our high level of care with out-of-pocket savings compared to other hospitals and health systems in the region. It’s a win-win for you and your health.

For more information on these distinctions, visit nmhs.net/blue_distinctions.php.

To learn more about Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care®, please visit www.bcbsms.com.

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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IN THIS ISSUE MARCH 2015

FEATURES 34 Taste Test The Growing Healthy Waves program is introducing new, healthful and locally sourced foods to Tupelo schoolchildren.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

42 Creative Cookie Missy Polley’s iced sugar cookies are a hit with family and friends year-round, but her festive Easter cookies are her favorites.

60 Buried Treasure From prehistoric shark teeth to Native American tools, north Mississippi dirt is rich with ancient artifacts waiting to be discovered.

34 EVENTS

49 Sharp Young Leaders, Bright Futures

Tupelo High School seniors Benton Barber (left) and William Ikerd (right) were recently accepted into West Point, the prestigious United States Military Academy. They are just two examples of the many young students from the Tupelo area who are focused on reaching their goals.

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 83

TCT’s Father of the Bride Krewe of Barkus Dog Parade Business After Hours Tupelo Muddy 5K Tupelo Furniture Market Evening of Jazz Tupelo Charity Ball Civic Ballet’s Coppelia Bluegrass and Bar-B-Que Jason Aldean Concert Amory Charity Ball Snowflake Ball NMSO Musical Majesty Silence Hides Violence 5K Beyond the Cover Pageant Jason Coleman Concert Empty Bowls

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Paul B. Farabaugh, M.D. Jonathan R. Kalish, M.D J. Timothy Posey, M.D.

C. Stephen Farmer II, M.D. Wm. Hughes Milam, M.D. Kristopher W. Whitehead, M.D.

68 DEPARTMENTS 8 10 14 16 84 88

Letter From the Publisher What’s Happening In Season: Asparagus Pets of the Month Out and About Tupelo Spirit March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

www.bcbsms.com Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, A Mutual Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. 速 Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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the publisher

LETTER FROM

N

orth Mississippi has many impressive young leaders, and this month we’re featuring a few with especially inspiring stories to tell. As our staff discussed how to best illustrate these students and their accomplishments, the terms “sharp” and “bright” entered the conversation over and over. We decided to photograph the pencils that you see on the front of the magazine to represent these young leaders in a fun and colorful way.

Flip to page 52 to read about Benton Barber and William Ikerd, both 18-year-old Tupelo natives who will attend West Point this fall. It’s rare for a region to have one cadet enter the military academy, so two friends from the same high school is certainly something to celebrate. Both of these young men say they’ve known for a long time West Point was the place they wanted to be. The decision about which college to attend did not come as readily to Destin McMurry, who attends Vassar, or Hunter York, who is studying at Harvard. Although they were exceptional high school students, both were surprised to find that such esteemed universities were realistic options.

In this issue, we’ve also highlighted others who are making big impressions on our region. Robert Langford and Pat Arinder, experts in fossil and arrowhead hunting, are constantly rediscovering history in north Mississippi dirt. Missy Polley’s homemade iced sugar cookies are worthy of special occasions, from birthdays to Easter. And the Growing Healthy Waves program is successfully teaching important lessons on food and nutrition to schoolchildren who are poised to become the next wave of extraordinary young leaders who call Tupelo home.

Read about all of that and more in these pages, and then spend some time this spring celebrating and encouraging the bright people in your own life.

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

For more photos and stories,

visit the redesigned invitationtupelo.com.

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

PUBLISHER Rachel Malone West EDITOR Phil West DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Cindy Semmes MANAGING EDITOR Emily Welly ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lena Anderson ART DIRECTOR Hallie M. Thomas PRODUCTION MANAGER Emily R. Suber STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Lisa Roberts, Joe Worthem STAFF WRITER Melanie Crownover ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson, Sheena Hagemann, Leigh Lowery, Lynn McElreath, Mary Moreton, Moni Simpson DESIGNERS Becca Bailey, Zach Fields, Courtney Sims CONTRIBUTORS Chasity Dees, Kimme Hargrove, Andrew Stanford, Sonia Thompson OFFICE MANAGER Hollie Hilliard COPY EDITOR Kate Johnson DISTRIBUTION Donald Courtney ADVERTISING INFORMATION (662) 701-8070 ads@invitationtupelo.com MAIN OFFICE (662) 234-4008 To subscribe to one year (10 issues) of Invitation Tupelo, send payment of $50 to: P.O. Box 3192, Tupelo, MS 38802 or visit invitationtupelo.com to pay online.

To request a photographer at your event, to obtain an event photo or to purchase an announcement, email Hallie at hallielandonmarshall@gmail.com.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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what’s happening March 15-April 15 A sampling of important, fun and interesting events in our area. For more events, visit invitationtupelo.com.

oppeli C A Tupelo Ballet presents

Director | Sharon Long

Saturday, March 21 at 2 pm at the Tupelo Civic Auditorium

ART AND PERFORMANCES Now through March 31 CrossRoads Quilters Exhibit CrossRoads Quilters from Port Gibson, Miss., exhibit at GumTree Museum of Art. The show features work by the nationally recognized quilting organization as well as quilts made by local artist Karen Asbury. gumtreemuseum.com

March 19-21

featuring the Tupelo Ballet Company & guest AND artists COMMUNITY EVENTS BENEFITS, FESTIVALS

Call 662-844-1928 for tickets & more information.

March 20

April 11

A Novel Affair

Corinth Green Market

Friends of the Lee County Library put on a benefit event featuring Mississippi master chef Robert St. John and noted Mississippi watercolor artist Wyatt Waters. Tickets $50. Proceeds support Lee County Library. 6:30 p.m., BancorpSouth Conference Center.

662-841-9027

The seventh annual season of Corinth’s monthly Green Accepted Market kicks off. Opening day is held in conjunction with the Crossroads Chili Cook-Off. The market is open 9 a.m.3 p.m. at the historic Corinth Depot. corinthgreenmarket.com

The Trip to Bountiful

March 21

Tupelo Community Theatre stages The Trip to Bountiful, a touching play about a woman wishing to revisit the small Texas town of her youth. Performances take place at the Lyric Theatre at 7:30 p.m. each evening, plus a matinee at 2 p.m. March 21. Tickets $18; $6 students. tct.ms, 662-844-1935

Tupelo Running Club sponsors a St. Paddy’s Day 10K and 20K race to benefit Regional Rehab Center. Starts at the Rockwell Center on Joyner Avenue at 9 a.m. racesonline.com

March 21 NMSO’s My Fair Lady North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra performs music from My Fair Lady with the Ohio Light Opera and the University of Memphis Musical Theatre Program. 7:30 p.m., Tupelo Civic Auditorium. Tickets $25; $10 students. nmsymphony.com

March 21 Tupelo Ballet’s Coppelia Tupelo Ballet is joined by guest artists from Ballet Alabama and Ballet Arkansas for the comical story ballet Coppelia.

Tickets $15-$30. 2 p.m., Tupelo Civic Auditorium. A doll tea with visits from the cast will take place at 10:30 a.m. the day of the show in Tupelo Middle School’s cafeteria.

662-844-1928

March 24 Brian Roman Concert Tupelo Concert Association presents entertainer Brian Roman, known for engaging audiences with classic tunes and inspiring stories. 7 p.m., Tupelo Civic Auditorium.

Tickets $25. tupeloconcertassociation.com

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

St. Paddy’s Day Race

March 21 Tupelo Mustache Bash The fourth annual Mustache Bash benefits Tupelo Autism Center and Tupelo Community Theatre. Tickets $20.

7:30-11 p.m., J.J. Rogers Building. tupelostachebash.com

March 21-22 Tupelo Craft Beer Festival Sample a variety of craft beer, try local food, and enjoy live music. A portion of proceeds will benefit Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association. rhizomeproductions.com

April 9-12

April 11 Color Vibe 5K Get sprayed with color while running the Color Vibe 5K race. Proceeds support Family Resource Center. Race starts at 9 a.m. in Fairpark. thecolorvibe.com/tupelo.php

April 11 Citywide Sidewalk Sale The Department of Parks and Recreation hosts the 2015 Citywide Sidewalk Sale. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Park community events. 7:30 a.m.-noon, Veterans Park.

662-841-6440

April 11 Children’s Fishing Rodeo Bring your family, along with your own bait, tackle and lawn chairs to fish at Veterans Park. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., with fishing from 9 a.m.-noon. Prizes will be given for tagged fish, and a free lunch will be provided by Bishop’s BBQ Grill.

662-841-6440

Amory Railroad Festival

April 14

Amory’s annual festival features live music, a pageant, a market, a car show, a 5K race and more. Takes place in Frisco Park in downtown Amory. amoryrailroadfestival.com

Humanitarian Award Dinner Regional Rehab Center presents the inaugural Red Rasberry Humanitarian Award Dinner, named for the organization’s first president. This year’s honoree is Vernon R. (Randy) Kelley III, executive director of Three Rivers Planning and Development District Inc., and the special guest speaker is David Kellum, the “Voice of the Rebels.”

Tickets $125. 6 p.m., The Summit. regionalrehabcenter.com

HOMES AND GARDENS March 24

Master Gardeners Vegetables Class Learn how to raise your own vegetables in a free class presented by the Master Gardeners of Lee County and taught by instructors Carl Oglesby and Lonnie Neaves.

3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Lee County Extension Office. Preregistration is required by calling 662-841-9000. leecountymastergardeners.com

April 10-11 New Albany Home & Garden Show This seventh annual home and garden show features speakers and demonstrations on horticulture and other garden-related topics, as well as vendors, local food and entertainment. Keynote speakers for both days will be Felder Rushing and Rick Griffin. unioncountymastergardeners.com, 662-534-6868

April 10-11 Aberdeen Pilgrimage Aberdeen’s 40th annual Spring Pilgrimage features home tours, carriage rides, luncheons, storytelling, a ghostly cemetery tour and more. For details and ticket information, visit aberdeenpilgrimage.com or call 662-369-9440.

April 14 Master Gardeners Organics Class Learn what an organic or natural garden is, as well as which insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers to use in your garden this summer in a free class presented by the Master Gardeners of Lee County and taught by Dr. Jeff Wilson. 6 p.m., Lee County Extension Office.

Pre-registration is required by calling 662-841-9000. leecountymastergardeners.com

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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14-1631

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Pierce cabinetry, large main level master suite, outdoor living space including fireplace & house is iehtake fhakpoqwh kjfh ;aksjchliaueylfka. cooking center. Located in athis private setting on the lake.

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Main St., Tupelo Tommy Morgan, Broker/Owner 2092 Old Taylor Rd., Oxford Jessica Harris, Managing Broker

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TUPELO | OXFORD TUPELO | OXFORD

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MainTommy St., Tupelo Morgan, Broker/Owner 2092 Old Taylor Rd., Oxford Jessica Harris, ManagingBroker Broker 210 East East Main Main210 St.,East Tupelo Morgan,Tommy Broker/Owner 2092 Old Taylor Rd., Oxford Jessica Harris, Managing 210 St., Tupelo

IN SEASON Asparagus WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

D

espite growing up on a 15-acre farm in Baldwyn, Miss., Jeanette Emmons didn’t taste her first asparagus until age 16 in a restaurant.

“We grew the traditional Southern things like tomatoes and peas, and we still do here, but we like to experiment with our garden more,” she said.

Jeanette and her husband, Ray, bought 80 acres when they moved to Mississippi after spending 25 years in his native Chicago.

When their first potted asparagus starter plants were fried by the sun in their raised garden bed eight years ago, Ray dedicated an area beneath the Mississippi grapes growing in their vineyard to the spear-like vegetable.

“I had almost given up by the time they started to spread,” Jeanette said. “It takes three years for them to really take root. The first couple of years, we only had enough to make two or three dinners.”

Now the couple get enough from their perennial crop to share their bounty with friends and family from spring until early summer. The key to the best fresh asparagus, they said, is in the harvesting.

“They don’t need chemicals to keep pests away. They love the morning sun under the vineyard and survive mostly on rainwater in the well-drained soil, but you have to break them off by hand to keep from spreading bacteria into the soil,” Jeanette said.

The Emmonses harvest their crop almost daily during the season, waiting until the stalks are 8 to 10 inches high and leaving about an inch standing in the ground afterward for the plant to keep producing. The snapped asparagus goes almost directly from the soil to the dinner table after a good washing, since the homegrown version doesn’t keep in the refrigerator as long as store-bought.

“Ray’s the chef around here, so he’s always looking for a new way to use the asparagus we have around the house,” Jeanette said. “Our favorite way to eat it is either grilled or steamed with our homemade hollandaise sauce.”

Grilled Asparagus Asparagus stalks Olive oil Garlic cloves, minced or crushed Salt Pepper Wash asparagus stalks. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Grill for a few minutes on each side, outdoors on a gas or charcoal grill or inside on a grill pan or electric griddle.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce 2 egg yolks 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup water, divided 2 Tablespoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons butter Beat egg yolks, and set aside. Mix cornstarch with ¼ cup water until smooth, and set aside.

Heat ¾ cup water, lemon juice and salt in a double boiler. Add cornstarch mixture to double boiler, and mix well. Slowly pour heated mixture over egg yolks, stirring constantly.

Pour mixture back into double boiler. Add butter, and stir until thick. Serve with steamed or grilled asparagus.

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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114 N Lehmberg Road Columbus, MS | 39702 662.329.2955 • CHCCSKI

PETS

of the Month

Adoption is just one way to help stray animals. Stop by the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society at 2400 S. Gloster St. to volunteer or adopt a pet, or visit tupeloleehumane.org to make a donation.

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86 S. Thomas St. 662.620.1120

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

3425 W. Main St. Opening May 2014

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

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photographed by Chasity Dees

events Father of the Bride View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Tupelo Community Theatre staged Father of the Bride Feb. 5-7 at the Lyric Theatre. The play is based on a novel that has also been made into two hit movies. TCT performs its next show, The Trip to Bountiful, March 19-21. Visit tct.ms for more information.

Gene and Charlotte Lass

Ray and Julie Arriola with Lori and Jai Eschete

Tori and Mitzi Davis

Shelley Boswell, Beverly Williams and Melissa Hamilton

Suchaya Wanasathop and Supitcha Leangcharoen

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Sadie Brown and Jacquie Sharp

Brittany Trimble and Anna Patterson

Maddie and Ryan Pressley

See Your Style Eye glasses help define your individual style. From savvy, business professional to hip, creative icon - we’ve got your style!

Wesson & Mothershed Eye Center Matthew B. Wesson, M.D. Fred H. Mothershed, O.D. Dax M. Eckard, O.D. Beth W. Eckard, O.D. Sonya M. Miles, M.D.

3353 North Gloster n Tupelo, Mississippi 844-3555 or 1-800-280-7372 www.wandmeyes.com

Ben Curtis is wearing Larrabee by Oliver Peoples in Black Classic, vintage-inspired frame, reminiscent of the earliest Oliver Peoples designs, is handcrafted in lightweight acetate.

SPRING VISIT DAY: Thursday, April 16

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Student Support Center at ICC-Tupelo 4 to 6 p.m., Advanced Education Center Lobby Learn more about programs, admissions requirements, scholarships, and financial aid. No registration required.

(662) 844-5622 • tupelo@olemiss.edu • olemiss.edu/tupelo March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Krewe of Barkus Dog Parade View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

The Department of Parks and Recreation sponsored the Krewe of Barkus dog parade on Feb. 14 in Veterans Park. The Mardi Grasthemed parade and celebration raised money for improvements to Tupelo Bark Park.

Val Voyles and Richard Hill with Maximus

Lanadia Spratt, Summer Knight and Shanta Bolden

Cindy Bivens with Brody

Amy Trapp with Bella

Ann Marie, John and Katie McMillan with Cooper

Cindy and Boyce Googe with Cracker

Kim Wade with Jap

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Sammy, Ana Sophia and Ana Gallardo

Jeffrey Willard with Bear

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events Business After Hours View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

The Community Development Foundation’s Feb. 12 Business After Hours took place at Community Bank. The quarterly networking events are free for CDF members, and nonmembers are welcome to attend for $10. Visit cdfms.org for more information.

Lacy Bennett, Ashley Lindley, Mary Beth Cantrell and Amanda Brown

Mark Monts, David Rumbarger and Mark Hodges

Larry and Charlotte Landry

Jason Brown and Denise Kennedy Brown

Courtney Holcomb and Tricia Bauer

Art Gentry and Trent Harmon

Pam Turner, Robert Dexter and Tracy Davis

Lisa Wadley and Beth Goobeck

Glen McCullough with Ashley and Mark Prince

Jesse Bandre and Emily Addison

James and Michelle Crowe with Jason Steele

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

photographed by Lisa Roberts

Dorie Kisner and Karen Dickey

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Tom Robinson and Charlie Brett March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Tupelo Muddy 5K View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Runners braved mud and hills but were grateful for a sunny day for the Tupelo Muddy 5K and 1-mile fun run that took place Feb. 8 on Tupelo Christian Preparatory School’s cross country trail. Proceeds from the annual event benefit the school’s athletic boosters.

Ron and Grant Yancey

Wendy Sparks and Cindy Kail

Stephen Whatley and Caitlin Francis

Paige Ramsey, Jacob Dunaway and Rachel Hodge

Janna Duke and Samantha Hester

Allison Nooe, Peter Straghan and David Theobald

David Minnis, Carla Durham, Mandy Smith and Kimberly Lee Kelly Santucci, Jan Smith and Missy Rhodes

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

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March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Tupelo Furniture Market View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

The Furniture, Gift and Home Accessories Show was held Feb. 5-8 as part of Tupelo Furniture Market. The shopping event was open to the public and features vendors selling furniture, home dĂŠcor items, appliances, jewelry, clothing and other fashion-related products.

Kim and Jay Stanley

Sean Thompson and Bill Benson with Jamie and Jim Johnson and Billy Holland

Carri Harder, Donny Edwards and Debbie Sullivan

Melanie Laumann and Amanda Word

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Megan Moore, Dawn Pilgreen, Jeff Perrigo, Jaxon Raper and Evelyn Prichard

Vera Holliday, Kay Morrison and Judy Posey

Terrie and Allie Hodges

Matthew Kelly, Mary Elisabeth Smith and John Hudson

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Evening of Jazz View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

The annual Evening of Jazz fundraiser was held Jan. 31 at the Summit. The event included dinner, a silent auction and live music.

Proceeds support the American Red Cross of North Mississippi, which serves the 31 counties comprising the northern third of the state.

Carolyn and John Salters

Fred and Mary Samuel with Audrey and Steve Swann, Pat Grayser and M.J. Hoffman

Henry Cobb, Ed Whitley, William Tucker and Sarah Rogers

Kim Gassaway, Shirley Bogan and Robbie Whitlow

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Jennifer Cook and Stacy Lipsey

Herbert and Curmie Arnold

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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events Junior Auxiliary of Tupelo Charity Ball View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

BancorpSouth Arena was transformed into a scene out of Hollywood on Feb. 6 for “Lights, Camera, Tupelo,” the Junior Auxiliary’s 52nd annual Charity Ball. The event included live music and dinner. The crown sponsor was Toyota Mississippi.

Brent and Jimma Smith with Reggie and Angie Haynes, and Jan and Earl Rogers

Andrew Ray, Cooper Joyner, Jake Hughes and Jackson Caldwell

Carla and Chris Weaver

Camille and Calvin Mangum

Jaylin Copeland and Brianna Holt

Jackie Deaton, Jana Eakes, Tricia Edmonson, Amy Littlejohn and Hope Huey

Ana Bryan, Warner Wills King, Alexandra McLarty and Rachel Hicks

Kirk Reeder, Christian Bean, Houston West, Noel Morgan, Scott and Amanda Angle with Susanne and Randy Keaton Halbert and Blake Harris Gammill

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Jordan and Grant Gatlin

Carson Roberts, Graham Taylor, Vaughan Davis, Garrett Hill, Andrew Lipscomb and Reece Hester

photographed by Lisa Roberts

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photographed by Chasity Dees

events Civic Ballet’s Coppelia View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Civic Ballet performed its spring recital, Coppelia, Feb. 28 at Tupelo High School Performing Arts Center. Following the matinee, the audience was invited to meet the cast, take photos and have light refreshments. To learn more about Civic Ballet, visit civicballet.org.

Grace Poplin and Blake Layton

Scarlett Von Strahl, Claire Carpenter, Laura Grace Hardy, Sara Catherine Wood, Eron Iva Hendrix, Erin Ruth Waters, Ainsley Ryan, Molly Billingsley and Madeleine Toole

Rina and Avery Coleman

Acelynn Salazar and Shassidy Aydelott

Hannah Baggett and Andrew Taft

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Deb, Wesley Caroline and Lillie Grace Shelton

Mia Hutcheson and Lisa Bennett

Emma Reid and Sarah Beth Stewart

Rachel Williams, Catherine Barkley, Adrienne Hildenbrand Rudee Friar and Summer Swinney and Julia Hardee

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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taste

TEST The Growing Healthy Waves program introduces elementary school students to new, healthful and locally sourced foods as it strives to revolutionize Tupelo lunchrooms.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

I TRIED IT 34

INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

I LIKED IT I LOVED IT

FoodCorps worker Lindsay Alade passes out cheese grits made by Georgeanne Ross of Oxford, Miss., to Joyner Elementary School students during a taste test event. Alade was hired to help implement Tupelo Public School District’s Growing Healthy Waves initiative to bring fresh and healthful food to school cafeterias.

THE CHILDREN’S FACES

are doubtful as steaming Styrofoam cups are passed around the lunch tables at Joyner Elementary School. There’s a standoff as the food cools to see which student will dig in first.

As soon as second grader Demetrius Duffy downs his first spoonful of local stone-ground cheese grits and gives a thumbs-up, the other students at his table try theirs.

“These are great,” he said while reloading his spoon. “I want my mama to cook some of this at home.”

The taste test with special guest George­ anne Ross from the Original Grit Girl was one of several brought to Tupelo schools in the past year by Growing Healthy Waves, an initiative to bring local produce to cafeterias and nutrition education to the classroom.

The program started with a $3,000 initial investment from the Healthy Tupelo Task Force and $2,000 from the Tupelo Public School

District – funds used to hire Lindsay Alade, an AmeriCorps-backed FoodCorps worker who moved from Washington state in August.

“There aren’t a lot of them [FoodCorps workers] in north Mississippi, so we had to lobby in Jackson to get a FoodCorps worker to help give kids a comprehensive understanding of where real food comes from and how it affects their bodies,” said task force member Donna Loden. “We’re starting on a small scale to perfect things before we take it district wide, but right now she works with all the pre-K to second grade schools.”

Since Growing Healthy Waves began with a sampling of sweet potato chips at Thomas Street Elementary School last fall, students at Joyner and King Early Childhood Education Center have tried offerings from zucchini Parmesan to berry smoothies made with spinach.

The students vote on each dish after they’ve tasted it, and if the tally goes well, it becomes a

regular item on the cafeteria menu.

In addition to arranging taste tests, Alade visits science classes to teach students about the nutritional content of what they’ve tasted.

She’ll help students at Thomas Street, Joyner and King plant in existing gardens this year to experience seed-to-plate plant cycles firsthand.

And Parkway Elementary School just received an Association for Excellence in Education grant to start its own garden this spring.

Older students aren’t left out either. Tupelo High School’s culinary class is planning the next elementary taste test. Not only will they prepare a chosen sweet potato recipe for the event, but they’ll also hand out the dish on site and market it to the younger students.

Boys & Girls Club members ages 10-12 participated in cooking classes with Alade, baking chocolate zucchini muffins and homemade sweet potato biscuits so far.

“There have been a couple of times I’ve March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

35

Joyner Elementary School students not only tasted the cheese grits that Georgeanne Ross, owner of the Original Grit Girl, brought to the school last month; they also met Ross and saw and touched the fresh corn kernels she grinds into products such as grits, cornmeal, polenta and corn flour and then sells to restaurants around the country.

had to really watch my facial expressions when I’ve tried their creations. They love it all just because they’ve cooked it themselves, whether or not they really follow the recipe,” Alade said. “That participation encourages them to try something healthy, and that could inspire them to stay with healthy choices later on.”

Bringing those choices to the lunchroom is a full-time commitment for Lynne Rogers, TPSD director of food services.

“The exciting thing is to watch these kids try something new and enjoy it, knowing that they’ll have a chance to have that here on a regular basis,” she said. “We want to do everything we can to bring them healthy food they want to eat because it tastes good and they know how good it is for them.”

Rogers, a registered dietitian, works through a Department of Defense program to bring produce from all over Mississippi to

36

INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Tupelo cafeterias. Now she’s adding offerings from local farmers as often as possible.

Area growers such as Topashaw Farms out of Vardaman, Miss., and the Original Grit Girl from Oxford quickly responded, providing pounds of fresh goods to the program in what will hopefully be long-term partnerships.

But encouraging that “eat fresh” mentality to follow students home is a whole other issue.

Coordinators send students home with recipes from their cafeteria taste tests, post recipes and nutritional tidbits on the program’s Facebook page and at tpsd.com, and offer parent education seminars. The group is also assembling an advisory board made up of parents, hospital nutritionists, local chefs and other experts.

As the program grows, coordinators want to include the community in regular events.

Ideas include offering grocery store specials on selected produce or bringing a local chef to the

culinary class to teach a recipe that will be on the cafeteria menu while the chef ’s restaurant runs a special on the item. They also hope to participate in Taste of Tupelo next year to show the community that cafeteria food can be healthy and delicious.

Luckily for Demetrius, cheese grits will become a permanent item on the TPSD menu this month after 190 students voted “Loved It!” at the Joyner tasting. The menu change is just one step toward a healthier lunch and life for him and his classmates, according to the Growing Healthy Waves staff.

“We’re expanding on what we’re doing because it’s already making a difference here,” Loden said. “Better food makes our kids more prepared to meet the academic rigors of the classroom, but we can’t wait to see how this will affect these students and our city as they grow up.”

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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WITH 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE grinding corn, Georgeanne Ross of Oxford, Miss., (pictured far right with TPSD’s Donna Loden) knows a thing or two about the importance of food that’s local and fresh.

With the assistance of a stone mill made in 1910, she grinds corn kernels into grits, cornmeal, polenta and corn flour to sell to 125 restaurants around the country. Ross uses only sun-dried, USDA-inspected corn from a co-op in Houston, Miss., for her Original Grit Girl goods.

Now she’s partnering with Growing Healthy Waves in Tupelo to bring local produce and hands-on education to the schools.

“I’ve worked with the Oxford schools [through the Good Food for Oxford Schools program] to bring grits there,” Ross said, “but this was my first time to do a show-and-tell with the kids to let them know where what they’re eating comes from, how it’s made and what all we can get from a stalk of corn. It’s good for them to make that connection.”

Cafeteria workers prepared Ross’ grits for the 468 students at Joyner, providing a healthy side that was ground and packaged only two days before.

“I don’t prepackage and keep a big back stock, so what you get has no additives or preservatives and is about as fresh as it can get,” she said. “That’s the great thing about what they’re doing here. The fresher the food, the more nutrition the kids get out of each meal.”

For more information on Ross’ wholesale products, visit gritgirl.net.

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Missy Polley’s iced sugar cookies are a hit with

family and friends year-round, but her festive Easter cookies are her favorites.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem Self-taught baker Missy Polley, a creative and crafty stay-at-home mom, has perfected the art of iced sugar cookies, and she bakes them year-round for family and friends. Her Easter creations include baby chicks, colorful carrots and, of course, bunnies.

M

issy Polley’s creativity was evident in her Tupelo home long before she took up cookie making five years ago.

From homemade picture frames and flower arrangements to a hand-stoned fireplace and hand-sewn throw pillows, the stay-athome mother of two added her crafty touch everywhere in her house.

Then she found she could make magic with a little flour and sugar.

“As a kid, I was always fascinated with the Christmas cookies in my mom’s magazines, so I decided to try to make some memories with the children,” Polley said. “It’s kind of funny. I have to let them decorate their own now when I’m doing orders because I’m too particular, but I’ll have a couple of good helpers when they get older.”

Polley consulted baking magazines and tried a few variations before creating her signature recipe. Armed with a secret ingredient she shares with no one and icing skills she picked

up in a cake decorating class, Polley started taking cookie orders from family, friends and neighbors for holidays and special events yearround.

“I hate it for her, but we have a big family that now looks to her to bring the cookies for every get-together,” Lynn Beadles, Polley’s mother-in-law, said. “They’re almost too pretty to eat. You take that first bite, and they’re gone.

I don’t know what she puts in them for that supersecret ingredient, but they taste as good as they look.”

Every batch of made-from-scratch cutout cookies has the same butter cookie flavor with detailed decorations that take two days to complete. Polley covers her creations with a watered-down version of her royal icing to fill in cookie backgrounds and uses a sugar-infused take on the same recipe to make a stiffer icing for the small details that are added with a piping bag.

At Christmas, there are endless trays of

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

43

smiling elf faces and holiday-hued candy canes.

But in the spring, Polley gets to make her favorite: Easter cookies.

“I have these bunny faces I make that just make me smile. Then I pair them up with some paw prints and these cute carrots. It just makes you want to get out and hunt some eggs,” she said.

To see what Polley is baking today, look her up on Facebook.

Missy Polley’s ROYAL ICING 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 3 Tablespoons meringue powder ½ teaspoon almond extract ½ to ¾ cup warm water Mix together the wet and dry ingredients in a bowl, adding the water slowly as the final ingredient until icing is the right consistency. Add more sugar to stiffen icing or more water for a runnier background icing. Keep icing in the bowl, covered with a warm towel when not in use to keep it from drying out. Stiffer icing dries out more quickly. Mix in colors using separate small bowls, and add to cookies with a piping bag.

Cookie BAKING TIPS Although her signature cookie recipe is top-secret, Polley shared these baking tips:

+ Invest in a good cookie sheet. + Always use flour on the tray when cutting out shapes.

+ Watch them. Oven timers are use-

ful, but watchful eyes are the difference between underdone and overcooked.

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Photograph taken at the Oren Dunn Museum

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Jason Warren, Broker/Owner Robin Walton, Broker/Associate Neel Dean, Broker/Associate

MLS# 15-252 $146,500

MLS# 15-90 $79,900

MLS# 14-3407 $425,000

MLS# 14-3356 $409,500

MLS# 14-3217 $325,000

MLS# 14-3332 $439,500

1737 CEDARWOOD DR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

3552 FAIR OAKS DR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

4543 LAKEWOOD LN. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

4338 MEADOW CR. BELDEN 6 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

4539 MEADOW CR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

4595 PINE CONE LN. BELDEN 5 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

SOLD MLS# 14-3223 $339,000

MLS# 15-520 $259,900

MLS# 14-3324 $410,000

MLS# 15-536 $205,000

MLS# 14-3255 $129,900

MLS# 14-3145 $125,000

4526 RIDGEMOOR BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

4434 RIDGEWAY DR. BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

2597 ST. ANDREWS BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

1687 TREELINE DR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

134 COLT LN. GUNTOWN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

133 SAINT THOMAS GUNTOWN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

SOLD

SOLD MLS# 14-3252 $175,000 932 DIXIE CREEK SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

in 14 days

MLS# 15-430 $330,000

MLS# 14-3432 $375,000

MLS# 15-275 $189,500

MLS# 15-293 $235,000

MLS# 15-288 $239,900

259 CROSSRIDGE CR. MOOREVILLE 4 Bedrooms; 5 Bathrooms

425 HIGHWAY 6 EAST NETTLETON 3 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

155 WESTBRIER SALTILLO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

2342 BARNES CROSSING RD. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

109 BENTGRASS CR. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

SOLD

in in 42 42 days days MLS# 15-350 $350,000

MLS# 14-3017 $310,000

MLS# 14-3300 $375,000

MLS# 15-489 $103,900

MLS# 14-3251 $249,999

MLS# 15-26 $275,000

3772 BIG OAKS BLVD. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

103 CORI CV. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

181 SCOTLAND DR. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

103 WILLOW CREEK DR. SALTILLO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

145 ACADIAN CR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

1943 BORDEAUX TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

Same Team, New Location 46 INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

307 WEST MAIN STREET TUPELO | MS | 38804

SOLD MLS# 14-3153 $105,000

MLS# 14-3277 $219,900

MLS# 14-3288 $299,900

MLS# 14-3471 $99,900

MLS# 14-3287 $619,500

MLS# 14-3014 $169,900

908 BEECHNUT TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1011 BELLEDEER DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

1952 BORDEAUX LN. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

842 CHESTER TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

5362 CHESTERVILLE RD. TUPELO 6 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

1806 CARDINAL DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

SOLD MLS# 14-3586 $239,900

MLS# 14-3311 $129,900

MLS# 14-3215 $249,900

MLS# 14-3539 $179,900

MLS# 15-421 $159,900

MLS# 15-338 $1,125,000

1209 CLAYTON AVE. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1701 CLAYTON AVE. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 1.5 Bathrooms

4741 CHESTERVILLE RD. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

972 COUNTY ROAD 931 TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1502 VALLEY ROAD TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

972 DEBEAU ST. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

MLS# 14-3450 $199,900

MLS# 15-186 $120,000

MLS# 14-3457 $200,000

MLS# 14-3649 $229,900

MLS# 15-199 $156,900

MLS# 14-3062 $425,000

38 CLARK BLVD. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

800 EAST BAY CR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1272 ELVIS PRESLEY DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

68 VALLEY BISTA DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

208 HARVESTERS SQ. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

3173 NORTH HILL DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-104 $339,000

MLS# 15-146 $299,500

MLS# 14-3136 $450,000

MLS# 15-253 $110,000

MLS# 14-3216 $250,000

MLS# 15-462 $219,000

1433 LAKESHIRE DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

4710 LAKEWAY DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

1546 LARKSPUR TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

1515 LEIGHTON DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

107 VALLEY VISTA DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

917 LYNN CR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

SOLD in in 12 12 days days

MLS# 14-3427 $195,000

MLS# 15-113 $159,900

MLS# 14-3134 $189,900

MLS# 14-3250 $229,900

720 NORTH MADISON ST. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

6002 WESTWIND DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

518 MAGNOLIA TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

4645 MEADOW BROOK DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-485 $534,700

MLS# 14-3585 $989,000

801 OAK GROVE RD. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 5 Bathrooms

3070 ORCHID CR. TUPELO 5 Bedrooms; 6 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-258 $109,000

MLS# 15-523 $139,900

MLS# 14-3214 $550,000

905 LINCOLN DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

1900 SWALLOW LN. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

611 NORTH THOMAS ST. TUPELO 5 Bedrooms; 5 Bathrooms

SOLD in 12 days

MLS# 14-3376 $525,000

MLS# 14-3207 $150,000

MLS# 15-64 $284,900

1935 NORTH PARC TUPELO 5 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

2116 REAGAN DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

2224 SOUTH CLA-WOOD PL. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

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JasonWarrenTupelo.com47 March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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skill BUILDER

ASCEND teaches area girls and boys skills they need to succeed in high school, college and beyond.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

DEFINING WHAT ORGANIZERS OF THE teen club ASCEND plan to teach their young members is as simple as breaking down the acronym: Achievement, Self-Awareness, Communication, Engagement, Networking and Developmental Skills.

The intent is a mouthful, but it’s been a 15-year-long commitment for the women of the local Nu Sigma Omega chapter of the national Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. “The program name has evolved over the years from King’s Jewels to Emerging Young Leaders to ASCEND, but our goal remains the same,” co-chairperson Debbie Jones said. “We want to set our youth up with the skills and determination to follow their dreams to college and beyond.”

This year the traditionally all-female organization opened ASCEND to males. For

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

young men like Tupelo High School sophomore Tristen Crowder, it’s an opportunity too good to ignore.

“They teach responsibility and how to reach your full potential,” he said. “I’d like to go to MSU for sports medicine or become a trainer one day. If it helps keep you focused and ready to get to college, I want to be a part of it.”

Now including 8th through 12th grade students from Lee, Monroe, Chickasaw and Prentiss counties, ASCEND meets at Lee County Library on the fourth Saturday of each month during the school year. The organization accepts new applications in August and January each year, convening from September through December and February until June.

Meetings include speakers on academic matters such as effective test taking and study-

ing, writing scholarship essays and time management. The group also addresses life skills in presentations on budgeting, resume writing, fitness, personal safety and public speaking.

“They helped me with better grades and figuring out how to get here,” Itawamba Community College freshman Patience Terrell said.

“But the biggest thing I learned there was overcoming my shyness. The speakers motivated me to do better for myself in every situation, and the girls encouraged each other. Being able to speak in front of people has given me the confidence to do other things I never thought I could.”

Community involvement comes through service projects, from book drives to collecting newspapers for the humane society. Students also go on group outings to events such as the Family Resource Center’s upcoming Healthy

Patience Terrell

Dating Program, a local ballet performance, or the annual Southeastern Regional Summit in Memphis, an event that gives them the opportunity to network with ASCEND members from other states.

Jones believes the addition of young men could help the 25-member club affect a much larger portion of the student community.

“I think catering to both genders is going to change our program in a good way, and word of mouth will follow,” Jones said. “We [had] a teen fashion show on what to wear and not to wear on the job and an alumnae speaking on the ICC STEM [Science Technology Engineering and Math] programs at our first meeting to interest everyone. That variety could broaden all of their opportunities. This kind of positivity and real hope for the future is a self-confidence booster that can uplift anyone, boy or girl.”

Tristen Crowder

responsibility

“THEY TEACH AND HOW TO REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL. I’D LIKE TO GO TO MSU FOR SPORTS MEDICINE OR BECOME A TRAINER ONE DAY. IF IT HELPS KEEP YOU FOCUSED AND READY TO GET TO COLLEGE, I WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.” -Tristen Crowder

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west point BOUND Two Tupelo High School seniors are preparing to embark on military careers after having received coveted appointments to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

IT’S RARE TO HAVE AN APPOINTEE TO the United States Military Academy at West Point in a graduating class, but this year Tupelo High School is celebrating two friends who will be there together.

Benton Barber and William Ikerd, both 18-year-old Tupelo natives, received their respective congratulatory calls from U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker on Jan. 27.

“It’s even weirder than that,” said Ikerd (pictured opposite page, right). “We got accepted on the same day within 30 minutes of each other. They accept less than 400 people in that first wave, so the chances of this happening to us both at the same time were unreal.”

The two seniors have been friends since the sixth grade. They take AP classes together; they work out together once a week. And despite no close family ties to the service, both have been determined to join the military by way of the academy since the ninth grade. The goal has confused many of their classmates.

“I’ve had several students ask me, since we got accepted and they put up that congratulations billboard, why it’s such a big deal that I’m going to West Point,” said Barber (pictured

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

opposite page, left). “I have to tell them it’s a school where you go to join the service and become a soldier, not a town down the road.”

Their paths to the appointments have differed. Barber, a 4.0 student, stayed involved after school with student council, basketball, Key Club, National Honor Society and cheerleading and as editor for the THS broadcast news team and president of the Future Business Leaders of America.

Ikerd also participated in National Honor Society and Key Club as an A student, and he was a member of the National English Honor Society and Teenage Republicans Club. His experience as a catcher for the THS varsity baseball team already earned him a spot on the West Point team in the Patriot League.

Both students report to the academy for “R-Day” on June 29, when they start pre-cadet training that lasts until they are formally accepted into the program on “A-Day,” when school starts in August.

Since there is no Junior ROTC program at the high school, the boys are training outside of school to prepare for the academy’s rigorous academic and physical training schedule.

Cadets take all the same classes for their first two years, including offerings each semester on military history, strategy or leadership.

Each week a physical training test includes a 2-mile run, sit-ups and push-ups. Half of the summer is also devoted to military training.

According to Barber, students choose majors their junior year, but he is already considering engineering or international relations, while Ikerd favors civil engineering. Their senior year, Barber said they will be assigned their Military Occupation Specialties (MOS), the jobs they will do as soldiers when they graduate.

After graduation, both Barber and Ikerd will enter the U.S. Army as second lieutenants.

They are required to serve for five years active duty and three years in the reserves, but both say long-term careers in the armed forces are distinct possibilities.

“It’ll take a lot to be successful there, but I think it’s a task I’m up for. I can’t wait to be a part of the Army and everything it has to offer,” Ikerd said.

“I hope we may be a little ahead of the curve already,” Barber added. “We’re going in together.”

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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The future is bright for these college undergrads who applied to their dream schools and are now studying at two of the country’s most esteemed universities.

destin McMURRY

INTERVIEWED BY Melanie Crownover

Destin McMurry, 20, is a junior at Vassar College in New York. Originally from Fulton, Miss., she is a graduate of Mississippi School for Math and Science (MSMS) in Columbus, Miss. She is majoring in urban studies with a focus in architectural design and studio art.

INVITATION TUPELO: How did you decide on Vassar?

DESTIN McMURRY: MSMS had lots of resources for students on financial aid, so I ended up applying for a Quest Bridge scholarship.

Those are associated with 31 partner colleges.

Once you’re approved, you pick up to eight of those colleges and rank them in order of preference. Then those colleges can pick you.

IT: Where did Vassar rank on your list?

DM: They were actually last because I knew very little about them and only knew one person who’d gone there. It ended up being a much better fit for me than some of the others.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHASITY DEES

IT: What was the application process like?

DM: I had to do everything much earlier than my friends. Everything was in by September of my senior year, and I found out what school I got in December. I was thinking about what college was going to be like here and getting together as much information about this place as I could while they were waiting for acceptance letters.

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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IT: Was it hard to acclimate?

DM: Everything about it was new and overwhelming at first, but the whole atmosphere made getting used to it easier. It’s the most liberal place I’ve ever been. There’s a lot more conversation about politics and rights than I’ve heard. It’s the extreme opposite of where I came from. Now I get to hear all sides and figure out where I stand.

IT: How did high school prepare you?

DM: The entire MSMS experience prepared me for college because it was still high school, but it was living on my own in a dorm with freedoms other students my age didn’t have but also with restrictions a college student doesn’t. That independence and the intense workload there transitioned me well. Applying to get into MSMS helped because it was so similar, but it also helped me realize what they would be looking for at college with grades and outside activities.

IT: How different was it?

DM: I’d never been north of South Carolina or been on a plane before I came here. Classes are small compared to state schools, but they’re more discussion-based than what I’d taken before. Being able to speak out in class was a struggle at first, but I think it’s been good for me. It’s made it easier to be open and talk about what I think outside of class too.

IT: What would you say to other students with big school dreams?

DM: Look at any school. Try to imagine what you would do if you had no financial restrictions, and find resources to make it happen.

They’re out there, even low-income scholarships like mine. You only get the chance to do this once, so shoot big. I never thought I’d be at a school like this – I almost stopped the application process because I thought I’d never have a chance – but it paid off big.

hunter YORK Tupelo High School alum Hunter York, 19, is a sophomore majoring in human evolutionary biology at Harvard University.

INVITATION TUPELO: When did you decide to go to Harvard?

HUNTER YORK: I don’t think I ever really thought about going there until I got my ACT scores back my senior year. I really hadn’t considered shooting any higher than the state schools, but those scores changed everything.

There was an initial shock, and then I realized it could take me further than I’d thought.

IT: Where did you go from there?

HY: I had to take even more tests to make sure I could apply because they need more scores.

Then I got out the applications as quickly as I could. I sent one out to Harvard in December and got the acceptance letter in March.

IT: How big was the adjustment?

HY: It was gigantic. I’d only visited once before I came to school here. The people and weather are so different I was taken aback. Academically, it was extremely different. Everyone is on the same playing field here, but it’s so much higher than back home, and they’re so much more competitive. It’s become a fun challenge.

IT: How did high school prepare you?

HY: I think the thing that prepared me most was my classes. I took a lot of AP [Advanced Placement]. I also got to shadow a doctor with Future Medical Professionals, and [I was] president of We Care About Animals.

IT: What do you want to do with your major?

HY: It combines anthropology and paleontol-

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

IT: How did your family react?

HY: They supported my enthusiasm but were worried at the same time. I had to explain that it was a lot more affordable than people think.

Scholarships are based on need. That’s why I was able to come, and I’m thankful every day.

ogy with biology. Right now, I want to get my medical doctorate and a master’s in public health to either go into medicine proper as a physician in something like pathology or work with an organization like the World Health Organization or Center for Disease Control to help monitor disease outbreaks.

IT: Do you think the goals would be that high had you not gotten in there?

HY: Probably, yes. Ole Miss has great programs,

and their honors college is one of the best in the nation. I might not be in the same kind of biology major, but I would have pursued public health and medical school either way.

IT: What would you say to other students dreaming of an Ivy League education?

HY: It’s possible for anyone. There’s a lot of help from Mississippi alumni. Reach out, do well in school, and pursue what you love because it is an attainable goal.

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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From prehistoric shark teeth to Native American tools, north Mississippi dirt is rich with ancient artifacts waiting to be discovered.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

MODERN DAY MISSISSIPPI EXPLORERS SCOUR THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE WITH KNAPSACKS IN TOW,

searching for fossils, arrowheads and other visual clues to our past. These artifact experts know there is still history to be discovered here despite the many people that have explored the same paths.

bare bones

Environmental geologist Robert Langford of Tupelo already knows where he’ll be spending at least one Saturday a month this summer. The table he sets up to identify newly recovered fossils is a seasonal fixture on the banks of Twenty Mile Creek at W.M. Browning Cretaceous Fossil Park just south of Booneville, Miss.

“In the early ’70s I came here on geology field trips with [University of Memphis] as a student, so I knew where to hunt when we moved here in 2007,” Langford said. “Now I go out and hunt for a few hours on Saturday and then set up to help people figure out what they’ve found.”

Langford is currently documenting fossil populations to publish a book on the site. While manning his booth, he conducts field research and promotes the North Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society (NMGMS).

The creek bed is known for an ample supply of prehistoric shark teeth that can be found along the sandy bottom, a remnant of when the area was an inland sea 65 million years ago.

“The sea ran from that section of north Mississippi down south of West Point and swung into Alabama. It disappeared at the large extinction, but you can see evidence of it in all the gray chalk and sand horizons in the soil,” he said.

Visitors to the creek sift through the silt with wire colanders to find not only shark teeth but also prehistoric bones and vertebrae. Other regular finds include the remains of the extinct clam

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exogyra, mosasaur and plesiosaur vertebrae, and the internal casts of shells called steinkerns.

One fellow NMGMS club member found a saber-toothed tiger’s molar on her first trip.

“Every once in a while, we have someone bring something up that I can’t even identify. I have to contact the Museum of Natural Science in Jackson for help once or twice a summer because you never know what you can find out there,” Langford said. “I do what I can to make sure they have the resources to figure it out. It’s nice to see that connection to the past bring these families out over and over again.”

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Ask Amory, Miss., resident Pat Arinder about his 50 years of arrowhead hunting experience, and he’ll politely inform you that the technical archaeological term for his finds is “projectile points.”

Arinder, named 2014 Natchez Trace Educator of the Year for his Mississippi Humanities Council-funded educational programs, is as much into the history of his collection as the hunt for it. Last year alone, he conducted 82 sessions about prehistoric native tools and life in schools and museums all over north Mississippi using items he’s found on hunts.

His display features 40 tools from his collection, including recognizable items such as a stone knife, a reloadable spear, and a bow and arrow, as well as less easily identifiable tools like bone drills used to start fires.

According to Arinder, the search starts with finding a site that is a high point, or mound, in the area with a water source nearby, where prehistoric natives would likely have lived. The next challenge is getting permission to search that area for flint chips, or flaked-off pieces of rock from natives making tools.

“If you can find a field or creek that hasn’t been completely gone over to search, you can find artifacts dating back way before the Chickasaws and Choctaws were ever here,” he said. “You used to be able to hunt practically anywhere, but things have changed a lot since I started looking.”

Arinder grew up on a farm where the Robert Langford, pictured at right, spends much of his summer at Twenty Mile Creek helping people identify fossils they’ve found there.

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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plowed fields allowed him to develop his pastime. Since that land sold in his adulthood, the 69-year-old learned the complications of hunting on other people’s property.

“In my understanding, the law says as long as you’re on private land with the owner’s permission you can collect anything on the surface of the ground,” Arinder said. “It’s illegal to search any public government property like the Natchez Trace, and it’s also illegal to ever dig artifacts on any property because it could be the site of a grave.”

Although there are hunters who break the laws for monetary profit, Arinder says the historic buried items are sacred and shouldn’t be disturbed for monetary gain.

He’s more interested in examining how the 6-inch grooved Clovis point spears used to hunt mastodons here during the Ice Age evolved to the small Madison points mounted to arrows to hunt deer by 800 A.D. “This is the history of how man became mankind right here,” Arinder said. “And it’s still out there lying in the dirt and in the creek beds after a good rain. We just have to look for it and remember what it all means.”

Visit invitationtupelo.com for tips from Langford and Arinder on hunting for your own buried treasure.

Pat Arinder, pictured above, has been hunting arrowheads (technically called projectile points) for 50 years.

Some of his collection is pictured at right.

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Bluegrass and Bar-B-Que View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Itawamba Community College hosted Bluegrass and Bar-B-Que, an annual ICC Foundation fundraiser, Feb. 28 at Davis Event Center in Fulton, Miss. In addition to barbecue plates, guests were treated to a gospel bluegrass concert.

Jessica Johnson and Shannon Prewitt

Jessica Howell, MaLisa Clayton, Courtney Petrowski, Jenny Smith, Ashlyn Swain and Mickie Dykes

Tori Bunch and Rebekah Crenshaw

Jimmy and Charlotte Stewart

Marty Murry and Kade Cotner

Martha Maxey and Mayola Holley

Grady Davidson, Buster Davis and Mike Eaton

John Stewart, Cecil Nabors, Antonio Hankins, Drew Troxler and Mark Stevens

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Ella, Ava, Lydia and Audrey Archie

Rhonda K. Bennett, Arlene Rankin and Lorene Umphers

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events Jason Aldean Concert View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Country music star Jason Aldean brought his 2015 Burn It Down tour to BancorpSouth Arena Feb. 20. Tyler Farr and Cole Swindell opened the show. For a schedule of upcoming performances and events at the arena, visit bcsarena.com.

Rachel Harris with Pam and Mandy Rose Blissard and Kaitlyn Cox

Anna Grace Dye, Ashley Jones, Lauren Collins and Adrianna Foster

Randy Groover and Regina Russell

Hannah and Mary Gregory

Cindy Evans, Rex Harris and Jerry Cowley

Ashley and Justin McDaniel

Courtney Allen and Clara McNatt

Kenzie Pennington and Jennifer Ham

Cody Hopkins, Alayna Parker, Tatum Weaver, Clayton Knight, Kensey Hopkins and Bryson Hunt

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Maggie Martin, Evan Smith, Zach White, Gracie Michael, Mallory Michael, Austin Martin

photographed by Lisa Roberts

Vivian Taylor and Adrianna Dickerson

Dustin Kirk and Paige Wood

Lindsey Downing and Parker Nelson

Barry McCarley and Kim Pharr March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Chasity Dees

events Junior Auxiliary of Amory Charity Ball View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Junior Auxiliary of Amory held its Charity Ball Feb. 28 at the National Guard Old Armory. Attendees enjoyed dinner, dancing, a silent auction and a raffle, and citizens of the year were announced. Proceeds from the event will fund the organization’s service projects.

Whitney Carroll and Beth Rock

Bo Balducci and Sarah Box

Jada Standifer, Brittany Farley and Katilyn Mask

Kelcie Sawyer and Misty Oswalt

Bryce Camp and Ashley Fullerton

Ajaysia and Michael Williams

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Wes Colbert and Anna Oswalt

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Snowflake Ball View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Daddies and daughters dressed in their best for a special father-daughter night out at the Snowflake Ball, held Feb. 28 at First United Methodist Church in New Albany, Miss. The ball is an annual event hosted by New Albany’s Pilot Club.

Delilah and Adam Roberts

John and Swayvie Crawley with Emma Young, Lilly and Chase Jeter

Eric and Leigha Davis with Ava and Robin Algee

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Michael and Camryn Rainwater with Michael Elliff, Abbie McLellen, and Riley and Rob Anderson

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events NMSO Musical Majesty View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Violinist Alexander Markov was the special guest for North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s Musical Majesty concert, performed Feb. 21 at the Link Centre under the direction of conductor Steven Byess. For a schedule of upcoming concerts, visit nmsymphony.com.

Jared Nastrom and Alex Rager

Ruth Johnson and Mary Ellis Smith

Linda Kingsley and Frances Nester

Rufus Van Horn, Lisa Martin and Melanie Deas

Karen and Sarah Barclay with William Bradford

Carolyn Jarnagin, Reinhart Eveslage and Charlotte Icardi

Ke and Mary Francis

Jackie Murphy and Amanda Mattox

Amy and Ruth Allison White

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events Silence Hides Violence View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

The fourth annual Silence Hides Violence 5K run/walk took place Feb. 21 to raise awareness about domestic abuse. The event benefits S.A.F.E. Inc., an organization that provides shelter, counseling and advocacy to victims of domestic violence and their children.

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events Beyond the Cover Pageant View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

S.P.O.T. Junior Civitan Club held its annual Beyond the Cover Pageant for people with developmental disabilities Feb. 21 at Tupelo High School Performing Arts Center. The event celebrates the beauty of the people club members have met through their projects.

Sarah Grace Poole, Cora Clark and Adrian Deaton

Mario Hardiman and Eddie Little

Ashley and Maddie Witcher with Alivia Harris and Meghan Hopper

Pat Landry with Chelsea and Shannon Christian

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Heather Davis and Madison Dennis

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Melody and Hannah Texada and Melissa Shumpert

Neel, Nora, Emmy, Courtney, Phoebe and Macy Dean

Cheryl and Bailie Edgeworth

Drew and Renee Creely

Ashley Witcher and K.K. Stewart

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Jason Coleman Concert View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Tupelo Concert Association brought pianist Jason Coleman to Tupelo Feb. 19 for a repeat performance at Tupelo Civic Auditorium.

Coleman’s current tour, The Legacy of Floyd Cramer, pays homage to his grandfather, a legendary keyboardist.

Charlie and Joy Hyatt

Peggy Buse and Betty Robbins

Faye and Bill Lowry

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Ann Womack, Wanda Nesbit, Judi Horne, Betty Brook Harris and Beckie McCullen

Urcle Lomenick, Betty Cayson and Jane Sullivan

Jane Hardin and Ann Ellis

Martha and Rich Potter

Shelby and Ancia Lowery

Becky Anderson, Leslie Tritsch and Barbara Winter

Darlene Rogers and Linda McMinn

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Empty Bowls Luncheon View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

Dozens of local restaurants participated in the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary’s Empty Bowls Luncheon on March 4 at Tupelo Furniture Market. Attendees at the annual fundraiser event received a handmade ceramic bowl and a hot soup lunch.

Bernice Baker and Jenny Hewitt

Juan Moody, Dot Lyons, Tomeka Johnson, Julia Lucius and Bonnie Berry

Lisa Hawkins and John Ingle

Ruby Beckley and Myra Jackson

Sherry Smith and Belvia Giachelli

Betty Baxter and Loretta Holland

Nadine Ball, Margret Collins and Janet Kahlstorf

Lynda Thornton, Sithina Yong and Pam Shields

Amelia Smith Murphree and Stephanie Baxter

Carolyn Bullard, Sandra White and Sherrie Publicover

Holly Rogers, Leslie Geoghegan and Judy Armentrout

Kim Hopmann, Andi White and Shirley Rice

Elizabeth and Brent Althouse with Harriet Miller

Barbara Vaughn, Katarsha White and Fran Hooper

March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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out and about

CONTINUED ON PAGE 86

AMAZA-VAPORS FIRST ANNIVERSARY

JASON WARREN REALTY GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING

Mike and Susan Roberts with Connor Holiman and Joseph and Amanda Stone

Hayley, Jason, Anne Reece, Jack and Braxton Warren

TOYOTA MISSISSIPPI CELEBRATES 500,000 COROLLAS

Tamala Robinson, Amy Robinson, Josh Berry and Fred Jones

Mickey Stewart, Vangie Jabil and Tim Hopkins

Toyota team members from the assembly and quality shop with the 500,000th car built at the Blue Springs plant

FIRST NATIONAL BANK RIBBON CUTTING AND GRAND OPENING

Bea Luckett and Mary Quana Winders

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

C.J. Roper and Ross Weems

Richard Alvarez and Johnny Barrett

AN EVENING WITH DR. BEN CARSON

Marcus Davis and Precious Montgomery

Kylie McFarling, Kellie Poole and Stephanie Weeks

My Fair Lady in Concert March 21, 2015

Whitney, Marcus and Sarah Caroline Ueltschey

The NMSO presents a semi-staged production of one of the greatest musicals ever written.

A grand collaboration of the NMSO, the Ohio Light Opera Company, and the University of Memphis Department of Musical Theatre.

THS Performing Arts Center, 7:30pm Tiana Allen and Keaton Kingsley March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

85

out and about

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 85

TROVE OPEN HOUSE

Sue Gardner, John Thomas Matthews and Chanda Cossitt

Ric White and Rebecca Lawrence

BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES CONFERENCE

Tammie Williams and Patti Burcham

Mandy Mitchell and Renae Vallas

Ronnie Crawford, Constance Cummings, Terri Whitely and Tom Velie

TUPELO COMMUNITY THEATRE PERFORMANCE OF MISSISSIPPI THEATRE ASSOCIATION FESTIVAL WINNER LONE STAR

Jamie Fair, Nathan Taylor and John McCustion

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

Amy Trapp and Danielle Del-Grande

Kim Wade, Patsy Thompson, Tracie Conwill and Cindy Googe

BELK ENGAGEMENT PARTY

I n -H o m e s e n I o r Care servICes “ I am thankful for the two years of service with Comfort Keepers, because it has allowed me to be taken care of in my own home. ”

Rebbeca Harris and Ryan Carey

- Ms. Virginia Taylor 91 years young

(662) 841-8477 w w w .C o m f o r t K e e p e r s . C o m

An international network of independently owned and operated offices © 2009 CK Franchising, Inc.

Amber Marsac and Tory Harris

Mckinzie Tyes and Pollie Floyd

Shae McQuoid, Tiffany Castle and Elizabeth Parker March 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

87

TUPELO SPIRIT Collin Ray Hutcheson

INTERVIEWED BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Andrew Stanford

Collin Ray Hutcheson, 22, isn’t a typical college junior. The Mississippi State University agricultural science major has had one goal since he was a kid: to be a farmer.

Q: How long have you wanted to farm?

A: Since I was 4 or 5. My grandfather had a small farm and custom hay baler business, and I loved getting to go out with him. Once that’s in your blood, you don’t get it out. He still helps me out on the farm today, so I guess he’s my proof.

Q: You already have a farm?

A: Kind of. We have about 100 acres of family land I help work, and I rent another 50 acres for my cattle in the spring and summer and another 50 for hay production.

Q: When did you start out on your own?

A: About five or six years ago I saved up around $5,000 and bought five heifers. It took about a year to save up enough. Some of my classmates thought I was crazy. They said there were way better things I could have spent that money on.

Q: Were those your first cows?

A: Nope. The USDA had a loan program in the seventh grade where I was able to borrow $5,000 for livestock. I got nine cows and put them with my father’s. Eventually, I sold them and paid back the loan and actually made a little money.

Q: What are challenges for modern farmers?

A: The major resource challenge is land. They’re not making any more, and people are buying it up when it comes available. Technology is changing, where you can work more land in less time, so getting more land is a must.

Q: How did 4-H help you?

A: I learned a lot in their livestock program

Q: What is your association with the Missis-

in school. That and my hard work with local farmers throughout school taught me responsibility, leadership, honesty, dependability and a lot of the lessons you need to get through life.

sippi Farm Bureau?

A: I was an ambassador for them in 2014.

It gave me a chance to tell the story of how agriculture has helped me. At the end of my

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INVITATION TUPELO | March 2015

junior year [of high school], my mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor and passed away two months later. The farming business and the people who took me under their wings didn’t let me off that narrow path to go astray.

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