Excellentia, Volume 1a

From the Editor

Goodbye, Patriot magazine! After much thought and discussion, it was decided to no longer print our annual magazine. You will still receive a magazine, but it will arrive in your inbox rather than your mailbox. The decision to go from a print to a digital format was a thoughtful and deliberate exercise. With the new format, we have the capability to make immediate updates. A digital format allows us to increase the number of issues per year from one to two (fall and spring), and possibly add another in the summer. You’ll also see some “Digital Extras” in this first issue – things you can access digitally that aren’t possible with a print magazine.

So this does not mark the end of the magazine, but rather a new stage in its evolution. We felt a rebranding was fitting to represent the new publication, so welcome to Excellentia, a word featured prominently in our school crest.

by Vicki King Editor, Excellentia Director of Auxiliary Programs

We want Excellentia to be a living, dynamic document. The inside cover includes an image of a ladder which aptly reflects Jackson Prep’s worldview. We are continually climbing higher, reaching, creating, collaborating, innovating, and providing our students with the best resources and educational opportunities possible - from academics to the arts, to athletics, to leadership. We hope this issue accurately reflects the breadth and depth of our Prep Family.

Please enjoy our new publication!

Vicki King Editor

Norma Cox Co-Editor

Lynn Miller Designer Executive Leadership

Lawrence Coco Head of School

Crisler Boone Chief External Affairs Officer

Denny Britt Chief Operations Officer

Will Crosby Athletic Director

Reta Haire Head of Middle School

Luke Nealey Head of Upper School/Assistant Head of School

Digital Extra: How do you pronounce Excellentia?

From the Head of School

Dear Prep Family, Welcome to Jackson Prep’s 2022 Excellentia magazine! As you can see from the cover, Excellentia is the new name for our Patriot magazine. Inside you will find articles covering the construction and opening of Jackson Prep’s new state-of-the-art Lower School; the incredible production of The Phantom of the Opera; our Prep families’ mission efforts around the world; and the accomplishments of our students, teachers, and alumni. We have an incredible community at Jackson Prep, and I am excited about sharing their stories with you. As you read Excellentia, you will see why I am energized about the future of Jackson Prep. These truly are exciting times!

We had an outstanding start to our school year. We have achieved much in the classroom, on the stage, and on the athletic fields. We have had this success because of the hard work and talent of our students and the dedication of our faculty. Working together, Prep continues to set the standard for secondary education. Our community is proud of the tradition of excellence we have established over the years, and we are particularly excited about expanding this tradition to our new Lower School.

As you will read in this magazine, the Jackson Prep Lower School will open in August 2023 under the leadership of Amanda Slack. We will welcome students in PreK-3 through grade four into our new stateof-the-art facility. While we can’t wait to share this innovative building with our students and families, the establishment of our Lower School consists of more than just facilities. As I have said before, the greatest strength of Jackson Prep is our faculty. To that end, we are working to hire the best faculty who will be teaching a creative and interactive

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curriculum that will engage our Lower School students. Our educational program, which has been developed based on research and consultation with other leading institutions and our faculty, will be vertically aligned with our Middle and Upper Schools focusing on the development of the whole child. In particular, we want our students to be prepared not only intellectually, but also emotionally and spiritually. Our curriculum will have an intentional focus on teaching biblical values with our Lower School students, consistent with our mission of “instilling personal integrity through biblical values.” We have a unique opportunity to build a Lower School, incorporating cutting edge and imaginative pedagogy, consistent with the tradition of excellence that makes Jackson Prep great.

I find my inspiration among our students and faculty at Jackson Prep. I hope you also find inspiration reading about their accomplishments and our plans for the future in this first edition of Excellentia. Enjoy the magazine, and I look forward to visiting with you throughout the 2022-2023 school year.

Go Patriots!

Lawrence M. Coco, III Class of 1992 Head of School

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Lower School Progress

The Lower School construction progress is continuing right on schedule to be completed in June 2023. We have been capturing the progress of the construction via drone footage over the duration of the construction courtesy of one of our faculty members, Bill Richardson. In looking through the photos, I was struck by a particular simple photo. The timing of this photo was just after dawn with the lighting enough to begin work and the sky still painted morning orange. The workers had started a new day on a new project. In the same sense, this building represents a new dawning in the history of Jackson Prep with not only a new facility, but also a new dynamic to our school culture with the addition of our youngest students. It is exciting to be a part of this transition.

As construction continues, we are beginning to see plans and concepts come to life. The exterior designs can be clearly seen and should be completed in early spring.

by Denny Britt Chief Operations Officer

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Design concepts that support curricular and age-appropriate developmental objectives will be what sets Jackson Prep apart. Functionality and flexibility in spaces will be an important consideration for the facility. We are beginning to see spaces evolve. On the first floor,

the entrance area will have a ruler -- a measuring column for parents to track their student’s physical growth along with an Explore Hall common space with books and reading zones.

Adaptability has been a key focus in the design and execution of the Lower School during construction. All classrooms are designed with writable wall paint, mobile furniture, and age-appropriate technology accessibility. Outdoor classroom areas are created to engage students in learning beyond the typical classrooms, and the playgrounds are designed to support motor, cognitive, and social skills development.

The second floor will house our STEM and robotics space, art room, additional classrooms, and dining space. We are pleased with the construction progress of this state-of-the-art Lower School building and will be fully operational to open school with an expanded Jackson Prep in August 2023. We are grateful for our partnerships with Ferguson and Associates Architecture along with Brasfield and Gorrie General Contractors in bringing this strategic initiative to life.

Digital Extra: Want a bird’s eye view of construction? Watch drone footage from an August 5 flight here and from a December 6 flight here.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

Jackson Prep welcomed Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads, Flowood City Aldermen, Board of Trustees members, representatives from the project’s architecture firm Ferguson and Associates, and construction company Brasfield & Gorrie to campus for an official beam signing of the Lower School. The beam was installed on the new building and will forever hold the names of those supporting our mission. On another occasion, Prep students, faculty, and administrators had the opportunity to sign one of the last beams to be installed as part of the structure for the new building. The names may not be visible from the outside, but the commitment to Prep keeps the school strong.

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Celebration and Collaboration!

This year marks the 10th anniversary since the creation of the Jackson Prep Visiting Writers Series which brought well known authors to campus. Authors spoke to the entire student body and met with small groups of students, allowing the opportunity to ask questions and dialogue with many remarkable people.

Remembering this anniversary got me thinking. Here at Prep, we have a special love and connection with books and authors. As a matter of fact, we are surrounded by a great host of writers right here in our library. There are twelve oversized posters on our walls depicting award-winning Mississippi authors, one of whom won a Nobel Prize, and many who won Pulitzer Prizes and National Book Awards. They symbolize our rich Mississippi history and our hope for an abundant future.

I am constantly trying to come up with inventive ways of engaging our students to notice and read these powerful Mississippians from the past and the present. This is the reason I lined the library’s walls with writers and why I started the Visiting Writers Series. Now, I am thrilled to present our latest endeavor to honor many of these writers and share them with the students in a new and creative way. I love art and appreciate what it takes to produce it. I am a fan of all

by Norma Cox Director of Library Services

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categories, but I am especially fascinated by the art form of collage which is defined as a creative work resembling a composition by incorporating various materials and elements such as paper, cloth, or wood glued onto a surface. I have always found them to be exciting, eye-catching, and fun. The thought hit me in the middle of the night that we could create our own unique collages featuring Mississippi writers and hang them in the library!

Having no idea of the magnitude of my innocent request, I went in search of our talented Art Department Chair Lisa Shive and asked if we could form a collaborative group composed of art teachers, art students, a local artist who is a Prep alum, and me, of course, to work together in creating a collection of works depicting writers in relaxed and interesting ways. Amazingly, after talking with the other art faculty, they said yes!

I chose six former Writers Series authors; Jesmyn Ward, Beth Henley, Rick Bragg, Richard Ford, Caroline Herring, and Natasha Trethewey. I also chose six Mississippi writers from our library walls; William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Margaret Walker, Tennessee Williams, Richard Wright, and Donna Tartt.

Next began the painstaking process of gathering countless photographic images and various and sundry paraphernalia such as old Prep library catalog cards, microfiche, postcards, and even guitar picks. Taking four large canvases, we divided up the writers and played around with placement which felt like a giant jigsaw puzzle and took far longer than any of us imagined.

But once we made it through that phase, the fun and creativity began to happen as we brainstormed and shared ideas. Lisa Shive and Prep alum Libba Wilkes planned and oversaw the entire process and put in many late afternoons in Lisa’s art room while never wavering on their insistence that this project be done right no matter how long it took. There was drawing and painting with colored pencils, charcoal, water colors, acrylics, and oils. Each of the art teachers found their unique spot. Lisa and Libba were fearless with a paintbrush or piece of charcoal and made brush strokes that initially terrified me but in the end were always right. Former art faculty Addie Louis popped in frequently to draw and paint and displayed a great eye for what was needed and what needed to go. Leslie Decker

worked on a gorgeous glass piece as well as helped with placement, and Donna Goodwin created amazing embroidery works of art that reflected what a master craftsman she is while projecting her quiet willingness to do whatever was needed. The level of expertise and vision these teachers possess is astounding, and I was constantly amazed at the ideas and creativity they displayed regardless of how tired everyone became. In the heat of battle, my favorite thing to hear was Lisa Shive saying, “I have an idea,” and it was always something perfect for the problem at hand. Current Prep faculty and renowned Jackson painter, Ginny Futvoye, worked with us towards the end and painted some finishing touches. There were also several students who jumped in at various stages to work as well as offer opinions! Everyone’s ideas were welcomed, discussed, and enthusiastically celebrated. At times, it felt like there were hundreds of cooks in the kitchen, but instead of chaos there was amazing harmony, but not necessarily silence as we could be heard loudly celebrating when something worked especially well! These collages are composed of millions of layers, yet when placed together they create an overall effect of beauty, pride, and achievement. This was collaboration at its finest and so indicative of the Prep community. I have always been amazed at everyone’s willingness to go the extra mile for students and each other. They outdid themselves this time, and it was a joy to watch them pour all their many talents into what became a huge project of which to be very proud. And the collaboration didn’t end in the art rooms as we carried the finished canvases across campus to Dennis Morgan in the woodshop who graciously built the frames.

Lisa Shive said, “I learned more about these writers by using my hands than I ever did in my English classes. I became so intrigued

that I began reading some of Richard Wright’s work in my ‘free time.’ This project was a labor of love that resulted in deeper friendships, real learning, sticky fingers, stained clothes, and collaboration.”

Now that the collages are hanging in the library, my favorite thing is seeing students connect to the writers on the wall and authors who came to Prep.

My hope is that they will see themselves in these collages, whether their inspiration comes from writer Jesmyn Ward or songwriter Caroline Herring, poet Natasha Trethewey, or playwright Beth Henley, there is so much richness and determination shown by each of these writers that they should provide sparks of imagination and motivation for years to come.

Students have asked me, “Mrs. Cox, if I become a great writer one day will you put my picture up on the wall?” What a great question and what a great dream! Hopefully, through countless and creative means it will happen, and I cannot wait for that day!

Here’s to CELEBRATION and COLLABORATION!

Photo above, left to right: Dennis Morgan, Leslie Townsend Decker (class of 2000), Libba Townsend Wilkes (class of 1975), Donna Goodwin, Lisa Shive, Addie Louis, Norma Cox, Ginny Futvoye

Jackson Prep Lower School... An Update

If you have driven down Lakeland Drive, you have likely seen the building that will house our Jackson Prep Lower School! Each day progress is made, and we are right on track to begin moving into the building on June 1, 2023. Our youngest Prep Patriots from PreK-3 to grade 4 will be ready to start the school year in August 2023. The application process for the Lower School has begun, and we are thrilled with the number of applicants we have thus far. We hosted three in-home gatherings around the area to help families learn more about the Lower School and have some additional informational events on the calendar. We also hosted a Prep Playdate at the LeFleur’s Bluff playground for Prep alumni and friends of Prep. We are excited about getting the word out about the Lower School to these young families!

by Amanda Slack Head of Lower School

The Lower School will be a 26,000 square foot, multi-level building that will house bright, colorful classrooms and common areas to promote collaboration and discovery. Spaces are being created for a STEAM lab, an art studio, a multi-purpose room for gatherings such as weekly chapel, and areas for outdoor learning experiences. The building will incorporate design elements that reflect the Jackson Prep Middle and Upper Schools while being developmentally appropriate for young learners. The Preschool at Jackson Prep will be exploratory, play-based,

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and designed with the best practices of early childhood education in mind. Preschoolers will be provided opportunities to discover the world around them while realizing their roles in the greater community. The Preschool will be a half-day program, and an all-day option will be offered as well. During the Preschool morning, children will participate in large and small group activities that foster creativity and promote socialemotional learning while providing a springboard for academic success.

Students in grades 1-4 will benefit from having received the solid Prep Preschool foundation and will be engaged in multi-sensory learning that develops the whole child. Not only will the core curriculum be solid, but learning will also be enhanced by a focus on STEAM education that promotes engineering, robotics, and design; foreign language; fine arts that includes dramatic arts; and an emphasis on service learning. Children will be nurtured and guided towards becoming problem-solvers, active learners, and compassionate members of the global community.

Jackson Prep is actively engaged in the school-wide expansion of its academic support programs. As a part of this focus, the Lower School will have a dyslexia program designed and run by dyslexia specialists. The director of this program is in place and is beginning to develop a comprehensive program to meet the needs of all students.

We are thrilled about the expansion of the Jackson Prep family! If you or someone you know would like to be added to the Lower School interest list, please contact Amanda Slack, Head of the Lower School, at aslack@jacksonprep.net or 601-939-8611 x259. Applications for the Lower School can be found at jacksonprep.net.

Season of Smiles

Prep Softball was blessed by the opportunity to volunteer at the Mustard Seed this fall and help our friends with Move It Monday. It was such an exciting time with the Seedsters as we moved together for an hour doing different activities. Wiffle ball was the highlight of our trip. There were lots of smiles throughout the day and friendships were made. The experience was so humbling and rewarding as we joined them in an afternoon of fun, competing while cheering on one another, and celebrating each accomplishment.

Additionally, we joined forces with the Special Olympics of Mississippi and invited an opponent to help raise money for Special Olympic athletes. This season we hosted MRA along with Vicksburg Special Olympics for our Unified game held at Jackson Prep. Players from both schools took the field with the Special Olympians for an intense competition. We look forward to this game every year because it brings so much joy to see the athletes succeed and share our love of the game. We are grateful for the lessons these moments teach us as they serve as a reminder of our blessings for the ability to play the game of softball and to savor every opportunity to put others before ourselves.

by Raylei McKinney Class of 2023

Behind the Mask

Emily Waterloo was hired as the Director of Performing Arts in the spring of 2021. In her first year, she was to direct the fall musical, the spring play, and the one act in addition to teaching high school theatre classes. Emily was able to gain her footing in the community and begin to understand the students: their strengths, passions, ethics. She found out quickly that there was a group of kids as hungry and determined as they were gifted.

by Lawson Marchetti Stage Manager, Phantom of the Opera Class of 2017

One morning in March, she arrived to her classroom to find her theatre students discussing the shows they’d seen on The Great White Way, and what they’d love to do one day—Hamilton, Mean Girls, Six—but one in particular, the longest-running show in American history, was top of mind. Emily had a growing feeling that, for next year’s opener, all the signs were pointing to a masterwork and a lifelong dream.

On closing night of Junie B. Jones, the audience was asked to remain in their seats for a post-show announcement. Jay Lusteck (Class of 1984), a Prep, Phantom, and Wicked alum, appeared on the projector screen as lights dimmed, and he wished the school the greatest success with a show that was nearest and dearest to his heart. The screen rose up to reveal a stage covered in blue light, fog, and a white mask on a pedestal, as Jay’s voice proclaimed, The Phantom of the Opera!! The audience roared as “The Music of the Night” swelled underneath them. Very shortly after the announcement, auditions were held. What materialized were three juniors in the leads followed by a sophomore, three seniors, a transfer student, and a freshman, at the helm of a cast of nearly one hundred students.

The students needed scripts in hand immediately. Usually, a licensing company mails the school vocal scores and librettos, often in

PHOTOS BY LISA PATTI

the same book. There were no librettos. It seemed we were putting on a true opera; more than anything, music would have to be the focus. For music direction, Emily scored local legend Eva Hart. In late May, Eva commenced music rehearsal with the nine leads. Lucy Allen, the junior transfer student who played Mme. Giry, was particularly grateful for these early rehearsals. “I was amazed by the kindness I received, even before I landed the role; at the school I was coming from, someone in my circumstances wouldn’t’ve dreamed of being cast. When we first started rehearsals, I had terrible imposter syndrome. I remember my mom picking me up after the first week, and I just cried because of how many real friends I already felt I had.”

The most difficult number soon presented itself: “Notes/Prima Donna.” “We fought that number from the first rehearsal until November 5th,” said Robbie Hight, the junior who played Raoul. “We would get so frustrated and even distraught—I mean it’s 11 minutes twice in the show where eight of us are all singing completely different operatic lines over one another.”

Another difficulty was the scheduling; Prep always seems to attract students with wonderfully varying interests, which always seem to produce wonderfully convoluted calendars. It was also over the summer that Eva chose Dr. Tim Walker to conduct the show and assemble the orchestra, the engineer-extraordinaire dads of TN@tS (Tuesday Nights at the Shop) designed and broke ground on the set, and the show was fully costumed.

Rehearsals trucked along as school and football started. About seventy percent of rehearsals were music rehearsals. With this score, it was necessary. The chorus were called to learn ensemble marathons, often operas-within-the-opera, such as “Hannibal,” and “Masquerade.” Robert “TJ” Thomas, football player and Phantom cast member, recalls, “I didn’t really understand how difficult it would be. I ended up really having to carefully plan to learn all the music, while, at the same time, maintain the focus I needed on the field and in the classroom.” There was, appropriately, a near-worship among the core company of the 25th anniversary cast and production, which, for several performers, threatened to lead to emulation over originality. When it clicked that Emily and Eva wanted original performances, it was beautiful.

Eva worked with the cast and Emily handled the many technical plans. After all, what other kind of show has a crashing chandelier, a life-sized elephant, a moving boat, and a trick mirror? Not to mention live gunfire and pyrotechnics, falling snow, and hundreds of remote control candles. While even the monkey music box was a challenge to assemble, perhaps the grandest feature was the chandelier. There was an entire fundraising campaign solely for this essential centerpiece. It was during this time that many of the technical plans were solidified and final decisions made on set and scenic design.

Prep is one of two educational programs in the United States licensed to produce Phantom in the 2022-2023 school year; no one does this show. It’s too difficult, too colossal, too expensive: point being, there are few costuming companies with 19th-century wardrobes stocked in their warehouses ready to send to high schools, community theatres, and even professional houses twice a year. And the show needed late-19th century costuming. Mary Frances Boyd, costume and make-up artist researcher extraordinaire, was enlisted. She drove to Jackson that day with a truck full of costumes she pulled from Brookhaven Little Theatre (BLT) that she thought might work for some ensemble pieces, and they began researching and reaching out at once to secure the rest. The cast would be dressed in costumes from New Stage Theatre, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Brookhaven Little Theatre, Spotlight Costumes, and key pieces from Broadway Costumes. Students put in long hours in the theatre, parents worked

endlessly on the set, and the Waterloos met a private plane full of costumes from Cookeville, TN, on a tarmac, among other things. The choreographers, performing arts power couple Amile and Kathryn Wilson, began instructing the ballerinas and teaching movement for the grand ensemble numbers. Gregor Patti (Class of 2017) and I returned from working on Rent in Nashville, eager to keep the creative flow alive. Gregor came to several rehearsals as a coach, zhuzhing key acting moments, and I assumed the role of stage manager. When I didn’t know where to begin, Robbie Hight, in many ways the MVP of the show, stepped up to the plate. When he wasn’t on stage, he was working on my computer and knew the entire show inside and out. What would’ve taken me an eternity of head-scratching was complete in a couple of days.

The next order of business was to make a run-list. Every furniture piece, prop, technical effect, quick change, and curtain movement had to be precisely tracked, assigned, and executed. Rachel Hammack, another brilliant junior, was the student stage manager I inherited when I arrived. She learned quickly and exceeded all expectations. A particular titan among this heroic crew was Madison Grimes, a sophomore. Originally cast in the show, she opted for doing crew instead. She single-handedly was responsible for turning on and off all the more than one hundred candles in the show, operating the upstage curtain, and caring for all the show’s glass props. “I think people see me work and think that I’m stressed,” Madison told me on a phone call. “I’m really not! Organizing is very calming for me.”

As we entered the last week of rehearsals, the largest of the remaining concerns all involved music. A sitzprobe, German for “seated rehearsal” in opera and musical theatre, is the first time the cast and the orchestra rehearse together, sans staging for the actors, solo la voce. Prep had also never done a sitzprobe before. Originally an eighteen-piece ensemble, it was now a twenty-four piece. It had been Dr. Walker’s intention to come to several of our rehearsals before adding the orchestra to become familiar with our voices and tempi, etc., but instead, he had to fly to Mexico City for two weeks to rescue a renowned Russian violinist and his brother (the former would play for us). We only had four days with the orchestra, a total of

twelve hours.

The two-and-a-half hour score was running twenty-three minutes over on final dress. The students were tired, confused, and distraught. Dr. Walker asked Emily for notes, which we would compile and send before Saturday’s opening, and gave us a message for the cast: I’m following you. We looked in all of their eyes after they got out of costume and said, “This is your show now. Yours. Your story. Dr. Walker has you all in his ear. All of the tech is in place and ready for you. You drive the car now. If something is too slow or too fast, Dr. Walker is going to follow you, but you have to drive it. Don’t hesitate.”

I say all this partially to point out that even with a fantastic facility, state-of-the-art equipment, the most extravagant bells and whistles, and the finest technical professionals, the problems we faced until opening were still problems for the adults. When we were able to do our jobs to the level needed, we found the kids had been there waiting to blaze down the path we’d been jamming. The junior chorus, as young as age seven, knew exactly where to be on stage and when. When there weren’t enough hands on crew for a quick transition, the seniors in the cast collectively handled it. Four upper school girls with their own makeup to do volunteered to do makeup for others. Saturday night, November 5, I looked down at my watch. Lights had dimmed on Anne Melton Hewitt, the freshman who played Meg Giry, and as the audience leapt into a standing ovation, I yelled, beaming, into my headset, “Guess what time it is! Guess what time it is! They did it!” It was 9:30 pm, two-and-a-half hours exactly after top of show. Eighty upper school students had just carried a twenty-four piece orchestra and hundreds of technical elements through the most difficult musical in the canon and shaved off twentythree minutes after one rehearsal.

The show was immaculate. The actors shocked even us when the chandelier first flew up. Several of the leads were completely possessed by their characters and the story. You couldn’t imagine you were watching an upper school production, and neither could audiences. The only performance that didn’t sell out was opening night. Madison said the most exciting part of the whole process was being able to glimpse audience reactions from hidden vantage points in the wings.

Closing night would come, however, and the students would

begin dreading it. They all wanted an extension, which, of course, would have been just; they’d been living in this drama for six months. Most other iterations of this show have lasted months, years, decades. When Will sang his last, “It’s over now, the music of the night!”, I’m not sure there was a dry eye in the building. Most photos I have seen from after closing are swollen-eyed actors and cheeks streaked with tears. Actors, crew, family, and fans slowly trickled out of the theatre. Bobby Gross (Class of 1992) found Emily and congratulated her on breaking the Fortenberry ticket sale record.

We’re still figuring it out. We had two seventh graders operating our spotlights for the entire run. The one live firearm was shot every night by an eighth grade boy. The song that nearly destroyed the cast is now being performed for competition at the Mississippi Theatre Association. As we comb through all these then and nows, we realize a certain attitude, a willingness, determination, and willful confidence accompanied every person at every turn. After closing, the mother of a featured seventh grade actress took Emily by the arm and said, “Do you know that no one has really seen her, for who she is and what she can do, before now? You’ve changed her life.”

The show is about seeing the human under the monster, the abandoned, trembling child under the mask. Can you see it, can you forgive, can you meet someone where they need it, despite everything? “There was a moment where all of us started building each other up instead of airing our frustrations,” said Lucy Allen. “I think that’s because of the story we were telling. It’s broken people, overcoming fear, seeing and loving how things really are.”

The sky’s the limit for the program. “If you had told any of us - me, Holly, Will—seven months ago [that we’d accomplish what we did], none of us would’ve believed you,” Robbie says. “I’ve never learned so much about acting before I did this, and I know now that this is what I want to do with my life.” And for some, like TJ, this musical was even a first. “If I have to say anything to younger students,” he tells me, “it’s look what can happen if you go out on a limb and just do something!”

Discovering Life a World Away

We moved to Africa when I was 10 years old. Living cross culturally really changed my perspective on life and American culture. I can attest that culture shock is a very real phenomenon, as I definitely experienced my fair share of it when we moved to Africa and then again when we moved back to the U.S. years later. One cultural difference I noticed, was the Kenyans’ attitude towards time. There’s a saying there: “Americans have watches, Kenyans have time.” Another one goes: “haraka, haraka, hakuna baraka,” which in Kiswahili means “hurry, hurry brings no blessing.” And indeed Kenyans live by this principle. If you have a plumber who is supposed to come by noon, it’s not surprising if he actually comes by dinner or even another day. Additionally, if you were invited to a Kenyan home for lunch, you should not plan to do anything else the rest of the day. It can be very challenging to tone down our American mindset of hurry and schedules and embrace the flow of Kenyan life.

by Baty Newman Class of 2024

My impression is that many of the significant cultural differences between American and Kenyan society stem from the simplicity of life, but also from poverty. It is hard to explain just how much the lack of development and resources in Africa radically changes people’s way of life. Medical care was one of the resources in short supply. This is what brought us to Kenya. My parents are ophthalmologists and were there providing care to people in the region at Tenwek Mission Hospital. One of my greatest experiences during that time was getting to help my parents

in surgery when we were on a surgical outreach in an even more remote part of the country. Witnessing the expressions on people’s faces when they could see for the first time in years was “eye opening” (pun intended). Beyond healthcare, almost any utility the average American enjoys is difficult to acquire in Africa. Think about water. Water seems like such a ubiquitous substance here, but in many parts of the world, including the region of Kenya where we lived, a person has to get their water from a river or well, then place whatever vessel they put it in on top of their head and carry it, potentially miles, to their house. The effort required to get basic necessities has toughened those people, but also instilled a sense of gratefulness for even the most basic provisions. A shining example of this truth was found in our housekeeper and nanny Mrs. Florence.

Florence had a hard life, even for a Kenyan. As mother of five, she would have struggled to keep them fed normally, but her situation was made even worse by the fact that she was a widow. The only way she could pay for her children’s food, clothes, and schooling was through money she made from selling her cow’s milk and nannying for missionaries. Perhaps one of my most distinct memories from Kenya is waking up one morning to the call that Florence’s cow had fallen into the river and died. She was devastated, as a young cow would cost as much as four months wages for Florence. Fortunately, a member of her church was able to donate a calf to her later, but it goes to show that seemingly innocuous commodities here are invaluable treasures in poorer places. Despite all these hardships, Mrs. Florence never stopped being an incredibly positive and happy person. Her smile would light up a room, and she wore it all the time. She would unhesitatingly credit her joy in her circumstances to her deep and abounding Christian faith.

HELPING HANDS

Philanthropic Physician

by Lucy Weir Class of 2023

Eleven years ago, Dr. Mary B. Taylor made her first trip to Kenya. She was accompanied by a team of roughly twenty specialists including cardiologists, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, heart surgeons, biomedical engineers, and nurses. They went to Africa primarily to treat teens with rheumatic heart diseases, but quickly, they recognized an immense lack in pediatric cardiac care. Filling this need became Dr. Taylor’s personal calling.

A Natchez native, Dr. Taylor studied at Southern Methodist University, earned her M.D. at UMMC, and specialized in pediatric cardiac critical care at Vanderbilt and Boston’s Children’s Hospital. She currently serves as Chair of Pediatrics at Children’s of Mississippi Hospital. Before being the first woman to hold her current position, Dr. Taylor served as Division Chief of Pediatric Critical Care and Pediatric Cardiology at Batson. Most professionals would be content with these accomplishments, but Dr. Taylor chose to dedicate her talents to a philanthropic, Christian mission. There is a saying, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Dr. Taylor and her team personify this proverb.

Cooperating with The Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization, she now travels to Tenwek Hospital two weeks per year with a rotating team of colleagues. Their goal is to perform complicated surgeries on pediatric patients, educate Kenyan medical staff, and supply hospital support. Education produces a ripple effect in the community, which allows for more life-saving treatments to emerge. Dr. Taylor says that serving in Kenya has been “a

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bigger blessing to me than it is to the patients,” and the experience gives her a greater appreciation for America’s medical system.

Dr. Taylor cares deeply for her patient’s physical and spiritual needs; before each operation, the patients are prayed over. Such care reinforces Tenwek Hospital’s core message: “We treat, Jesus heals.”

Although Dr. Taylor has faced challenges during her missions (including one fire), she perseveres. The hardest aspect, she maintains, is having to choose which patients to treat. Limited time and resources make it impossible to care for everyone. She recognizes the sacrifice and commitment of parents who travel miles on foot in hopes of having a sick child treated.

Likewise, her mission has become a family affair. Dr. Taylor’s husband, Michael, travels with her and oversees logistics. He also delivers medical equipment to remote areas around the hospital. One of her daughters, Cille, through a Prep MAD project, collected soccer balls for Kenyan children who were being treated at the hospital. Dr. Taylor remains inspired to continue her work in Kenya because, “You never know what that one life saved is going to accomplish.”

Dr. Taylor is mother to Prep graduates Aubrey (Class of 2021) and Cille (Class of 2014) and to son Jackson.

HELPING HANDS

Stitched Together With Love

One fearful day, during one of Dr. Taylor’s team’s heart surgeries, a fire sparked in the food service area of the hospital. The fire was three times the size of the canteen, and Kenyan people were ripping off shingles and pouring buckets of water on the building, in attempts to contain the fire. Eventually, all recovering patients were evacuated, and the fire was contained. Miraculously, the heart surgery was completed, and no one was harmed.

As it happens, the Newman family and Dr. Taylor, along with staff members from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, were working at the hospital at the same time. Pictured below are part of the group: Brennan Williams (nurse),Troy Newman (doctor), Will Newman, Mary Taylor (doctor and board member), Jenny Hong (doctor), Farrah Newman (doctor), Nicholas Newman, and Lynlee Newman. Author Baty Newman not pictured.

Responding with Care

John Roberts, MD, MPH, FACEP, (Class of 2003) was interviewed on 60 Minutes on Sunday, April 3, 2021. John is the son of Joanna Bass Roberts and Joe Roberts (both Class of 1975). John discussed his relief work in Ukraine through the nonprofit International Medical Corps (IMC), a global humanitarian aid organization that works in nearly 30 countries with 7,500 staff members, 96% of whom are local.

John is Medical Director for the Emergency Response Unit. One of his main functions at IMC is to get programs started, get them to a steady state with competent people (mostly locals), and then move on to the next project.

“I have since returned from Ukraine where I led a team that created a trauma training program for Ukrainian doctors, nurses, paramedics, and civilians with a goal of training over 3,000 people in the first round, as well as training instructors that could perpetuate the training. So far we have trained over 2,000, and the program is still ongoing. I was moved back to the U.S. to help start a healthcare program on the border for people seeking asylum.”

John’s team also led responses to Hurricanes Fiona and Ian.

Responding to Hurricane Ian, IMC has two medical clinics in Charlotte County, Florida, in the hardest hit areas of the storm, providing primary and urgent healthcare services to victims of the storm.

Asked about his memories of Jackson Prep, John responded: Igraduatedin2003…almost20 yearsago…andInevergomorethanaweek ortwowithoutsomethingremindingme aboutMrs.Middleton,Mr.Younce,or,most importantly,Mrs.Sorey.Everysuccessful orinterestingpersonIhaveeverquestioned hasateachertheyrememberwhochanged everythingabouthowtheylookattheworld.

Mrs.Middletontaughtmethatitwas okaytodisagreewithauthorityfigures aslongasyoudon’tcallthemnames,don’t embarrasstheminfrontofpeople,andmost importantlythatyouareright.Mrs.M-I stillthinkthatatsunamiisNOTaweather condition,andIwouldlikemy5pointsback onmytest.

Mr.Youncetaughtmethatit’smuch bettertobeinterestingthantobepopular, thatcuriosityisthemostimportantthing youcanlookforinaperson,andcreativityis muchmoreimportant(andinteresting)than intelligence.

Mrs.Soreygavemealoveforscience thatledtomyloveofmedicine.Shetaught metothinkbig,butthatpassioncauses destructionunlesschanneledintosomething useful.Istillthankherfornotfailingmeon myfinalcomplexmachinesproject-Ihad grandideasthatIwascompletelyincapable ofpullingoff.Shealsotaughtmethatjust becauseyoudon’tunderstandsomethingdoesn’tmakeitwrongorincorrect,itjust meansthatyou’remissingapieceandyouneedtofigureitout.

Digital Extra: See more about John Roberts and the work of International Medical Corps here.

Congrats, Ms. Abraham!

Last summer, I finally decided to apply for naturalization. It was long overdue. I had been reciting the pledge during the first class period for so many years that it had become second nature to me. After filing an application online and providing copies of documents such as proof of marriage and residence in MS, I was issued a date for a biometrics appointment at the federal building in Jackson. A month later, I passed an interview, again in Jackson, with an immigration officer who checked my knowledge of American government and history, and asked the same types of questions I had answered on my original application. A month later, on October 21, in New Orleans, I took the Oath of Allegiance to this country along with other permanent residents from all over the world. Close relatives were not allowed to attend the ceremony due to COVID restrictions. I did not think I would be so emotional at the ceremony but I did shed a few tears privately. It was the culmination of a long process and the sudden realization that I had become an American citizen. I now have the privilege to vote, serve on a jury, and carry an American passport when I travel abroad.

by Valerie Abraham Department of World Languages

A Day 41 Years in the Making

by Michael McAnally Head Coach, Girls Basketball Class of 1996

March 2, 2022, will long be etched in the memory of Jackson Prep basketball fans as both the varsity girls and boys teams captured the Overall State Championship. It was the first year since 1981 that both basketball programs won the Overall title. For the girls program the 37-34 thrilling victory over Leake Academy was the program’s sixth Overall title and first since 2006. For the boys program the 43-32 win over Jackson Academy was the program’s 15th Overall title and first since 2012. Not only did both teams secure the Overall state championships, both teams also captured the Class 6A title. That feat was also a first since the 1981 season. The teams were led by a plethora of seniors – seven for each team. The Lady Patriots were led by Madeleine Black, Josie Duncan, Andie Flatgard, Margie Frye, Annie Jicka, Olivia Smith, and Julia Stradinger. The Patriots were led by Cam Brent, Walker Craddock, Wayne

Hsieh, Haddon McLeod, Lampton Moore, Josh Powe, and John Camp Wise. Class 6A Player of the Year Andie Flatgard (Class of 2022) said, “Last season was one our seven seniors had worked toward for years. I can’t even put into words the feeling of finally winning the gold ball with my very best friends, and I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything.” It was a season that will not be soon forgotten by the Jackson Prep family. Go Prep!

Winning the Overall Championship has been our goal for the last three years. Being able to persevere and win with the guys you worked hard with make the experience even more special.

-Wayne Hsieh (Class of 2022)

A Book-Worm Goes to a Football Game

Yes, it’s true -- normally I would much prefer to be snuggled up holding a work of Thoreau or Hawthorne in the study, warm, peaceful, and serene in my mind rather than screaming myself hoarse in low-degree weather, desperately shaking like a wet dog, and willing my hand warmers to work. Yet that is exactly what I was doing this November at Prep’s championship football game against MRA.

by Edward Wilson Sentry columnist, Edward Explains Class of 2023

In true Southern fashion, it was a lively event featuring alumni, parents, fervent students, and of course a valiant football team! I think the biggest reason that draws so many people to football games, particularly students, is the friendship between cliques, but this game took that to a different level.

After a succession of non-stop victories, Prep’s current seniors were on a three-year drought from holding that coveted trophy. Everyone, especially the seniors, had suffered from a close loss to MRA earlier in the season and were more than ready to see the trophy in its rightful hands. Therefore, bonds spread far beyond tight knit pocketed groups and engulfed the Prep community eager to cheer on our team to victory. We did just that.

Though the first quarter was tense with MRA’s early first and second scoring plays, everything afterward went like a Jackson Prep Patriot would wish. What followed I could only describe as an onslaught of determination and fierce tactics that saw the Prep team take charge of the ball and prevent MRA from scoring again while getting three touchdowns of their own. Much like the famous Athena Parthenos, we

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held victory at the end of that freezing night. The storming of the field and community celebration will have a lasting impact. As I look towards the end of this road and the beginning of another when I walk across that stage in May, I hope for a life filled with moments like this: a collective hope and pride spurring me and others towards a common goal. In the end, that’s what society is all about, these moments when “the self” becomes “the us,” and we get to create extraordinary stories to remember far beyond upper school.

“It has been a challenging experience to have three coaches in three years of high school football. Coach Goodwin came in and got the team to buy into a new system. He made us believe that we could do anything. He was extremely approachable and wanted us to become better men not just football players. I am really glad Coach Goodwin came to Prep.”

–Will Upton, Class of 2023

The Trophy Returns to Prep!

The state championship soccer game was played at Jackson Academy in front of a massive crowd from Prep and JA. The atmosphere was more than electric. At halftime the score was 0-0, but early into the 2nd half freshman Torrey Polk put the Lady Patriots up 1-0. Eighteen minutes later, sophomore Emma Reeves scored a brilliant goal to put the Lady Patriots up 2-0, a lead they would not lose. The defense for the girls was solid all night as 8th grade goalkeeper Maggie Bailey kept the ball out of the net.

A special season highlighted by a special senior class

ROBERT SMITH

by Jon Marcus Duncan Head Coach, Girls Soccer Class of 1995

This team went through a few rough patches during the season but were able to lift the championship trophy at season’s end. An awards banquet put the season to an end as individual team members received recognition for their contributions throughout the season. Coach Jon Marcus Duncan won his 28th state championship as head coach of both programs at Prep, and 14th title with the girls program. Assistant coaches included Keavy Noblin, Ami Derrick, and TJay Busin.

“It was the best feeling being to take the gold back from JA and bring it home. Playing in that last game with all of my best friends was incredible. We all played our hearts out, and it was all worth it in the end. I wouldn’t trade that moment for the world.”

-Bradley Carter, Class of

2023

2021-2022 Patriot Award Adrienne Cox Carter

The Jackson Prep Patriot Award is presented to an alum who has maintained a sustained interest in and involvement with Prep after graduation. The recipient is honored for notable and significant contributions to the Prep community and reflects a commitment to Prep’s “Tradition of Excellence” in all aspects of life. Adrienne Cox Carter (Class of 1991) was named the 2021-2022 Patriot Award recipient. A graduate of Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi School of Law, Adrienne has served Jackson Prep in various roles as an alum and parent, including serving as president of the Alumni Council and PAT president. She is the daughter of Janice and Hayden Cox, the mother of Bennett (class of 2022), and 9th grader Henry.

Pictured are Lawrence Coco (Class of 1992), Head of School, Adrienne Cox Carter, and Jet Hollingsworth (Class or 1994), 2021-22 Alumni Council President.

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2022 Distinguished Alum of the Year: Lewis Agnew, Class of 2000

Lewis Agnew, began his career in real estate with summer jobs as a manual laborer on construction sites in and around Jackson. His early experience inspired him to study engineering in college, where he obtained a bachelor of civil engineering at Auburn University and then a Master of Science in architectural engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. After practicing as a structural engineer for several years, he received his MBA from Vanderbilt University and switched careers to commercial real estate. He is currently president of the Charles Hawkins Company, one of the oldest, full-service real estate companies in Nashville. The company employs 40 people and oversees a $550 million portfolio of commercial real estate in Nashville and surrounding counties. He also serves as a trustee for the NAIOP Research Foundation - a commercial real estate development association - and is past president of the Board for the Nashville Chapter of NAIOP. He currently serves as treasurer for the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee and was named one of Nashville’s Emerging Leaders, NAIOP Developing Leader of the Year, and Member of the Year in the Nashville Junior Chamber. He is an adjunct professor at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt and teaches 4th and 5th grade Sunday school with his wife at St. George’s Episcopal Church. His greatest accomplishment was convincing his amazing and lovely wife Katie to marry him in 2008. They are the proud parents of three daughters - Elizabeth, Mary Anne, and Rebecca.

The Distinguished Alum delivers the graduation address:

Show up: In my experience, there has been nothing more important than one simple, easy, principle: just show up. Yup, that’s it. I feel so strongly about this principle that I almost dedicated this entire speech to simply showing up. That would have been a very short and boring speech, but the concept of showing up has been a guiding principle of mine for years now.

a. Show up to class, show up to church, show up to your friends’ birthdays. If you meet a special girl, show up again and ask her out. Show up to the funeral for your friend’s parent. Show up to any wedding you get invited to. Show up to counseling if you need it.

b. If you don’t show up, no amount of “hard work” or “brains” or “luck” can dig you out of the hole. The smartest, coolest, and strongest person cannot overcome a “no-show.”

c. There are endless excuses for no-shows. Don’t be an excuse.

--Lewis Agnew, May 15, 2022, TRUSTMARK PARK

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Students and Graduates in the News

Noble Wilkinson: 2021 Poetry Out Loud Title Returns to Jackson Prep

In November, Prep’s school-wide Poetry Out Loud competition was held in Lindsay Hall. Noble Wilkinson (Class of 2025) was named school champion. This was his first attempt at competing in Poetry Out Loud, but he was no stranger to the competition. His sister Belle Grace (Class of 2021) was a state finalist twice. After the school competition, Noble worked with his coach, teacher, and mom Jessica Wilkinson, to prepare for the preliminaries, which took place virtually on January 31. Noble recited two poems during preliminaries via recording and scored first place, moving him on to the state competition. After the preliminary competition was finished, the nine finalists from around the state had virtual clinics from February 14 through February 18. These clinics were conducted with official clinicians hired by the Poetry Out Loud organization. Finalists had to recite three poems, which included one pre-20th century poem, one poem consisting of 25 lines or fewer, and one last poem with no particular requirement.

On February 26, Noble visited the Mississippi Public Broadcasting studio to record and perform his three poems to be judged and aired at a later date. The results of the state competition were announced in March. Noble came away with the state champion title and competed virtually in May at nationals with the state winners from all over the country, representing Jackson Prep and the state of Mississippi well.

Lila Murphy: 2022 Miss Dixie National

Congratulations to Prep alum Lila Murphy (Class of 2022), named Miss Dixie National 2022. Lila represented The Dixie National Rodeo by riding in rodeo performances, appearing in the February 12, 2022, parade and visiting schools and other groups in the Jackson area to teach students about the sport of rodeo and to promote the Dixie National Rodeo.

Alex Reichle:

Update on a Sarah Elizabeth Shelton Scholar A Letter to the Sheltons

My name is Holly Mason and my daughter, Alex Reichle (Class of 2018), was the 2017 recipient of the Sarah Elizabeth Shelton Scholarship. I just wanted to send you my heartfelt gratitude for selecting her and opening up some amazing possibilities in her life. I wanted you to know that Alex graduated this May from Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with an undergrad degree in neuroscience. Two weeks before graduation, she was nominated and selected for membership in Sigma Xi to recognize her achievements in scientific research. Alex is taking a gap year this year to work in a hospital to accrue clinical hours required for medical school (due to COVID and the many restrictions she could not volunteer or shadow during her junior and senior years). She is living in Pontotoc, Mississippi, and is already hard at work volunteering at a free clinic in Tupelo. Her dream is to become a neurosurgeon and thanks to Sarah Elizabeth, that dream can become a reality. Your precious daughter is still influencing the medical world today.

With much love and gratitude, Holly Mason

The STARS Shine Bright at Prep

The rewards we receive as teachers can be few and far between, and most often come in intangible ways: the aha! look from a student who finally gets it, the “thank you” from a student who has stayed behind for extra help, and my personal favorite, the “I finally like reading!” from a student who had previously confessed to never having actually read a book before. But no teacher chose this profession because of the tangible rewards; instead, when our students succeed, we succeed, and enjoy quiet satisfaction in knowing our part in their success. So when Lampton Moore popped in to my room back in March to ask me to be his STAR Teacher, I was surprised, delighted, and honored, just to name a few of the emotions that brought tears to my eyes in that moment.

by Sarah M. Atkinson English Department

STAR stands for Student Teacher Achievement Recognition and is a program sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council, the Kelly Gene Cook Charitable Foundation, and the M.B. Swayze Foundation to honor the student with the highest ACT score from each school. If multiple students in the school score a 35 or 36, however, each is designated as a STAR student and receives a medal and a scholarship, among other honors. Because this prestigious program also recognizes teachers, each STAR Student chooses one teacher to honor as the most influential on his or her academic journey. Kimberly Van Uden, a member of the STAR Teacher Hall of Fame, has been a STAR Teacher 13 times and said that “being asked to be a student’s STAR Teacher is the most humbling and rewarding moment,

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and each time I have been asked has been as special as the first time. I keep these student’s pictures in my ‘Reasons I Teach’ folder and am thrilled that they allow me to go through the journey of celebrating their STARdom with them!”

For the 2021-2022 school year, Jackson Prep had eleven STAR students, the most of any public, private, or parochial school in the state. They are: Bennett Carter, Walker Headley, Worth Hewitt, Charlie Hight, Rose Hsieh, Wayne Hsieh, Jeffrey Jordan, Landon Miller, Lampton Moore, Ellyn Waits, and Thomas Wasson. Rose Hsieh and Jeffrey Jordan were also designated as All-STARs, a distinction given to the top 20 scorers in the state with the highest ACT scores and GPAs. The students in the Prep Class of 2022 racked up an astonishing number of accolades, but these eleven also earned one that honors our whole school and faculty. At the statewide STAR program at the Clyde Muse Center on the campus of Hinds Community College on April 14, we were ecstatic to receive this year’s Peggy Howard Award, which honors the school with the most STARs out of the over 300 schools in our state.

It’s

-Bennett Carter, Class of 2022

I asked Prep STAR Wayne Hsieh his thoughts on being part of the group to earn this award and he said, “I think it’s pretty cool, considering that other schools have many more students per grade than us. But what’s better is that when there are more STAR Students, there are more STAR Teachers. As students, we are recognized and awarded for every small achievement we get, but our teachers are the ones making sacrifices so we can be successful, and they rarely get any recognition. So it’s nice to see all these amazing teachers finally get the recognition they deserve, and even better for those receiving it for the first time.”

A week after the official program, STAR Students and Teachers were honored again at the North Jackson Rotary Club. At this luncheon,

It’s really exciting being a part of the first Jackson Prep class to win this award. I think the award highlights just how capable our class is.

-Bennett Carter, Class of 2022

really exciting being part of the first Jackson Prep class to win this award. I think the award highlights just how capable our class is.

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(Above) Front row, left to right: Laura Hepner, Sarah Atkinson, Amanda Slack, Lee Waits, Anna Griffin, Kimberly Van Uden, Beth Watts, Paul Smith. Back row, left to right: Rose Hsieh, Wayne Hsieh, Lampton Moore, Worth Hewitt, Charlie Hight, Walker Headley, Landon Miller, Thomas Wasson, Bennett Carter, Ellyn Waits, Jeffrey Jordan.

the students were asked to each give a brief speech about their school, their STAR teacher, and their future plans. Repeatedly, our eleven Prep STARS said how grateful they were for the opportunities they received at Prep, the friendly competition of their classmates that urged them to work just a little bit harder every day, and the teachers who pushed them to succeed.

I am honored beyond words to have been a part of this group for the STARS of the Class of 2022, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them!

2022 STARS and their STAR Teachers

Jeffrey Jordan

Thomas Hewitt

Rose Hsieh

Bennett Carter

Thomas Wasson

Landon Miller

Charlie Hight

Ellyn Waits

Walker Headley

Wayne Hsieh

Lampton Moore

Dr. Paul Smith

Mrs. Amanda Slack

Ms. Laura Hepner

Mrs. Kimberly Van Uden

Mrs. Kimberly Van Uden

Mrs. Anna Griffin

Mrs. Lee Waits

Ms. Beth Watts

Mrs. Lee Waits

Ms. Laura Hepner

Mrs. Sarah Atkinson

Prep STARS receive the Peggy Howard Award, which honors the school with the most STARS out of the over 300 schools in the state.

Cracking National Merit

Approximately 1.5 million high school students enter National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (MNSQT) each year. A total of about 50,000 participants receive recognition in the National Merit® Scholarship Program. In early September, over 16,000 of the 50,000 high scorers are notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. NMSC notifies them through their schools and provides scholarship application materials explaining the requirements to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. The remaining 34,000 high scorers are named Commended Students and receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Congratulations to the Jackson Prep 2022-2023 National Merit Semifinalists Will Upton, Ben Tiller, Jake Mathews, Chase Thompson, and Kimmons Sheppard (top photo) and to Commended Student Tyler Reeves (right).

Congratulations to Prep Senior DJ Johnson (bottom photo), who was recently awarded the National African American Recognition Award from the College Board National Recognition Program. DJ earned this recognition because of his academic achievements in school and outstanding performance on the SAT/NMSQT®.

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Savoring Sicily

Although only a small slip of water separates Sicily from the mainland of Italy, the island seems centuries away from the culture of popular tourist cities such as Rome and Florence. Sicily’s beauty is natural and earthy, unchanged by the Renaissance and modern civilization that transformed most of the peninsula. The name itself, from “sica” meaning scythe, testifies to its agrarian roots which still dominate the landscape. Fields of wheat, vineyards of grapes, and groves of olive trees cover the island while the Mediterranean surrounds it, providing its bounty of seafood and sea salt.

Near Marsala on the southwestern coast of Sicily lie the shallow lagoons called saline. These salt pools have been there for thousands of years -- since the Phoenicians first took advantage of the scorching sun, wind, and lack of tides. Pure, natural sea salt is harvested from these salines at the end of each summer, and that salt flavors and preserves food all over the world. While we often take this seasoning for granted, in ancient times salt was a luxury. In fact, the English word “salary” has the same root as salt, “sal.”

by Beth Watts Department of World Languages Class of 1992

Anthony Bourdain perfectly expressed the desire for my summer 2022 trip to Sicily - something to soothe my shattered soul. Shattered may sound extreme, but every teacher knows that “shattered” is a perfect description of that utter

exhaustion in May. And Sicily offered much more than good pasta.

The Vergilian Society and the American Classical League gave me the opportunity to spend 12 days studying Roman poetry in the land that inspired the poets themselves. Sicily and Italy did not disappoint. I loved being a student for two weeks, soaking in the knowledge, interacting with other Classics enthusiasts, and conversing with the ancient authors on their home turf.

This trip breathed new life into Roman poetry and its mythology. In Sicily, we focused on the myth of Persephone - Hades’s kidnapping of her and Ceres’s search and mourning for her. From the Rocca di Cerere in Enna, I saw a field where I could imagine Persephone innocently picking flowers when Hades ascended from the underworld and kidnapped her. All over Sicily, we traced Ceres’s frenzied pursuit of Persephone as recorded by Ovid in Metamorphoses 5 and Fasti 4. It was truly amazing to read the pleas of Cyane as I looked down at the spring of Arethusa in Ortygia and to gaze up at Mount Etna while recounting the story of Typhoeus. We also studied Vergil’s Aeneid: its beginning at Erice where Venus plots with Juno, Aeneas’s journey around Sicily, and Anchises’s burial at Trepani. I have read and studied the Aeneid for years, but reading the words in the places that inspired the poet made the words leap off the page. The next time that I teach the Aeneid, my lesson will be full of photos and stories from my adventures in those same places. Additionally, we looked at the Phoenician influence on Sicily in Motya and Marsala, reading Aeneid 4 to relate the story of Dido and her curse on the Trojans.

Going to Sicily is better than going to the moon.

- Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Lastly, we read Cicero’s account of the riches of Sicily that Verres stole from there. Everywhere we went in Sicily, we found traces of the Roman authors.

We finished the tour in Naples and the surrounding areas, looking at Aeneid 6. While sitting next to the Cave of the Sibyl at Cumae, we read Vergil’s account of the underworld. We discussed the temple doors of Apollo and the myth of Daedalus after we had climbed over the ruins of the temple of Apollo. My understanding of Vergil’s words has increased immensely and will be evident in how I teach his poetry.

But more than the teaching of poetry, I was uplifted by the other group members. Since I am the only Classics teacher at Prep and one of only a few in the state of Mississippi, I am encouraged to now have fellow lovers of Classics all over the nation, easing the isolation that I often feel. I came home with new colleagues, new teaching ideas, and a whole list of book recommendations.

In addition to the Vergilian Society tour, I spent a week in Rome, visiting sites that I had never been able to before. I explored the baths of Trajan, toured the Villa of Hadrian, and viewed the Etruscan artifacts at Villa Giulia. I was also able to take advantage of the night activities available in the summer: an opera in the Baths of Caracalla, a sunset tour of the colosseum and its underground, and a “Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in the Roman Forum. From the Villa Barberini to the Capitoline Museums, I immersed myself in ancient Rome as much as possible. These three weeks filled my mind and nourished my soul. I am so excited to be in a new school year and to share my adventures with my students. I am thankful for this opportunity to travel, to learn, and to grow.

“You Play Like a Girl” -- My Take on a Male-Dominated Sport

When I first sat down at a chess board in the fall of my fifth grade year, I had no idea the strong impact that the game would have on my life. Soon thereafter, I started playing the game more and more throughout the later part of my elementary school experience. Chess soon became an integral part of my daily life; I was taught by my former coach Dr. Bulington, who has paved the way for hundreds of public school kids to succeed in the game of chess. Coming from Memphis, Dr. B came to the miniscule mark on the map that is Franklin County, Mississippi, and transformed the small town into a community that has the best chess center and some of the best chess players in the state of Mississippi. Being coached by Dr. B meant having daily after-school practices that consisted of solving puzzles and other challenges and learning new openings for the game. His coaching also meant traveling as a team to national tournaments all across the country, from cities like Nashville to Indianapolis – places that neither I nor my fellow players had ever been before. During that time, my team consisted of about half boys and half girls. That gave me the false impression that all chess teams across the country were of the same boy:girl ratio. However as I traveled to more tournaments, I became keenly aware of the lack of girls who participate in higher-level tournaments. Frequently, my opponents were teenage boys, nearly all having the same opinions about playing a girl. In the case that I beat my male opponents (which I usually did), they were not too enthusiastic about having lost to a girl. Although the fragility of teen males’ egos is rather great (all jokes, of course), fifth grade me had no idea of the prejudices against female players. Their impression of my skill in playing the game before I had even

by Megan Tomlinson Chess Club President Class of 2023

RYAN SHERMAN

played my first move was already predetermined. I had no room to mess up in my gameplay.

I was able to transform this tremendous pressure in the game to something that could be used to my advantage, becoming skillful at reading my opponent’s poker face and assessing as much as the next 10 moves of the game. While the meticulous strategy that I undertook as I combatted sexist opponents was strategic and helpful, it symbolized a response to a larger problem that female chess players all over the world experience.

As of March 2022, there are 134 women who hold the International Master title, and there are 39 female chess players who hold the title of Grandmaster. According to the International Chess Federation, only 15% of all the licensed players in the world are women. In terms of players online, the male distribution of players shows a peak rating of around 2016 points, while the female distribution shows a peak rating of around 1920 points. In short, there is a large difference between how female chess players are ranked versus how male chess players are ranked. This gives the public a perception that female players are not as good as male players, which is false.

Since the semi-recent success of the Netflix original series, The Queen’s Gambit, the public’s perception of the “idyllic” female chess player is one that seems to be a complete chess genius. While lead actress Anya Taylor-Joy portrayed an entertaining Beth Harmon, the show is an example of an extremely unrealistic chess prodigy. I have graciously been referred to as “Beth Harmon” in the past by some of my former chess opponents, but being referred to as a fictional character instead of some of the best (actual) female chess players shows another large problem. Some of the biggest names in the chess world, like the late Grandmaster Bobby Fischer or Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, are notably some of the biggest figures that the chess community has ever seen. Unfortunately, people do not immediately think of the amazing female players like the Polgár sisters or Hou Yifan when thinking about legendary players. Judit Polgár, a Hungarian chess Grandmaster, is the first, and to date, only woman to earn a 2700+ point rating. She ranked #8 overall in the world in 2005 – the highest ranking ever for a woman. Hou Yifan is ranked #106 in the world, and she is widely considered to be the second-

HUBERT WORLEY

strongest female chess player in history. Not only is the passive perception of female chess players offensive, the actual requirements for the female players are skewed in an extremely sexist manner. There are still, to this day, separate Girls State Championships and All-Girls National Chess Championships. There is a separate Woman Grandmaster title with lower requirements than the generally male-dominated Grandmaster title. The idea that women deserve a separate championship from that of men’s is offensive. There is simply no need for separate gender-based chess championships, especially when there is no National Men’s Championship in the United States. It is no secret that gender barriers extend past a societal level, having long-permeated the economic and political institutions of our time. The game of chess has taught me patience and the importance of strategy. Dr. Smith, the former coach of the Jackson Prep chess team, helped me and my team immensely in our journeys as chess players, and being named captain of the team is something that is immeasurable in importance to me. Our team now greatly benefits from the coaching of a fellow Franklin County native Joshua Griffin, a student at Mississippi College and avid chess player. We also travel to different tournaments around the state together, with some team events taking place at the Rankin campus of the Hinds Community College and at Roosevelt State Park. Our daily practices have proved successful, with our team taking home more trophies every year. While our current team has fewer active girls than I would like, I am always striving to see more equality and inclusion in the game of chess. In order to promote this, it is important to start on a basic level. This comes in the form of getting more girls involved in day-to-day practices and having them commit to the game. That will, in time, bring more girls to higher-level tournaments. The worldwide chess community needs to work harder to promote the confidence of women in chess. In a modern world that nearly always promotes equality among the sexes, the culture of chess should be no exception.

Photos above (left to right), “Rising Tension,” “The Cowering Crown,” and “Fallen Kingdom,” by Garner Young (Class of 2024).

Robotics Teams Begin With Wins

The machine pictured above is the VEX IQ Robot called Snapshot. Snapshot is a standard build future robot from VEX IQ Robotics that helps students develop basic skills to build future robots. In VEX Robotics there are no instructions, and students are encouraged to think outsidethe-box and to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills for their future.

The Jackson Prep VEX Robotics teams swept the first tournament of the season with four major awards.

Team 2035B, “VEX Girl Power,” (photo at left) won The Excellence Award, the highest award in the VEX system. They also won Tournament Champion, qualifying them for state championships. Team members are Leighton Marion and CeCe Stansell.

by Bill Richardson Technology Teacher

Team 2035A, “MIB,” (photo on page 51) won the Design Award for the best engineering notebook, and Tournament Finalist. Team members are Aiden Dungey, Ethan Graves, Bernie Jones, Jonathan Nations, and Bennett O’Quinn.

Santa Slapshot

PHOTOS BY BILL RICHARDSON

On December 3, Jackson Prep hosted the Jackson Prep Santa Slapshot tournament. This was Prep’s second tournament in the worldwide VEX IQ Robotics circuit. Twenty-five teams from Jackson Prep, Madison County, and the Hattiesburg area attended, with over 150

students competing in the tournament.

The Jackson Prep teams continued their hot streak, winning several major awards.

Top award (Excellence Award ) was won by Jackson Prep team 2035B - VEX Girl Power, whose members include Leighton Marion and CeCe Stansell.

Tournament Championship was won by Jackson Prep and Old Towne Middle School (JP and Olde Towne Middle teams were working together). Jackson Prep 2015A - Minions members include Bennett O’Quinn, Jonathan Nations, Ethan Graves, Aiden Dungey, Bernie Jones, and JT Tyra.

Design Award (Best Engineering Notebook) was won by Jackson Prep team 2015A - Minions. Both Jackson Prep teams are now qualified to move on to MS VEX IQ State Championships in March!

Looking Ahead

The future looks bright for the Prep Robotics program. Prep 6th graders (above) are already being prepared for advanced robotic skills, coding, and competition.

Team 2035A, MIB (left to right): Jonathan Nations, Aiden Dungey, Bennett O’Quinn, Ethan Graves, Bernie Jones

I Will Write Peace on Your Wings

In August 1955, Sadako Sasaki began folding paper cranes. A Japanese legend says that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a wish. Sadako, battling leukemia, wished for world peace. The 12-yearold folded more than a thousand cranes before she died in October 1955. She inspired people around the world. In 1958 a statue of Sadako, a golden crane in her hand, was placed in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with a plaque reading, “This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.”

Led by members of the National Art Honor Society, the Jackson Prep community folded more than 1100 cranes in October of 2021. AP Euro classes folded maps into cranes, the Precis staff folded yearbook promo pages, and advisories folded paper with their names on it.

The art installation hung in the Gallery for the month of November, highlighted by changing LED lights. As the doves swayed with the currents of air stirred by students walking through, the cranes silently offered up the Prep community’s wish for peace in the world.

Times They Are A-Changin’

Ok, close your eyes. What’s the first thing you think of when someone says “Let’s go to the library?” Hmmm, maybe not a very exciting thought for some, but that’s why God made librarians! I love what I do, and I thoroughly enjoy sitting in my catbird seat watching life happen in the Prep library.

It’s been said that the only constant in life is change. In this digital age, libraries everywhere are fighting for the right to exist and learning to adapt. Several years ago, we revamped Prep’s library into a more relaxed and collaborative space.

Gone are the days of complete silence with a strict librarian shushing people all the time. Today’s students have a vibrant and interesting space in which to work, both alone and in groups. Our library reflects Prep’s emphasis on excellence: small rooms are now collaboration rooms, interesting exhibits are scattered throughout the library, our book collection has been streamlined to a very manageable 10,000 works and comfortable seating for homework or group endeavors.

The Extended Reality Lab, Art Gallery, and new Learning Center are also housed within the library. We are humming! I have heard our library described as the heartbeat of the school, and nothing makes me happier. As I said earlier in this issue, Prep is all about creativity and collaboration and that includes the library. Adapting to change and being receptive to what today’s students need are what we take very seriously….but not too seriously!

by Norma Cox Director of Library Services

Honor Roll of Donors

Patriot Club

A gift to the Patriot Club touches students every day and improves the total educational experience. Through the generosity of parents, friends, and loyal alumni, Prep will continue to be successful in its mission year after year. If you wish to support the Patriot Club or YOUR JACKSON PREP CAMPAIGN, scan the Donate Now QR code.

Please contact Crisler Boone, Chief External Affairs Officer, at CBoone@jacksonprep.net or 601939-8611 ext. 275 for more information.

Circle of Gold

Yvonne and Robert Bertolet

Drs. Nicole and Ken Cleveland

Ergon Foundation, Inc.

Feild Co-Operative Association

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lampton

Deborah and Leslie Lampton

Ashley and Hu Meena

VanDevender Family Foundation

Circle of Excellence Anonymous

BankPlus

Ferguson & Associates Architects, P.A.

Elizabeth Fair Minor

Amy and DeFord Walker

Founders’ Circle

Kappi and David Craddock

Ellen and Charles Johnson

Shannon and Dan Lyle

Trustees’ Circle

Carrie and Philip Blount

Megan and David Dallas

Elliott Law Firm, PLLC

Shannon and John Elliot

First Commercial Bank

Laurie and Tony Huffman

April and Kevin Nall

Drs. Kimberly and Michael Nichols

Amanda and Scott Overby

Amanda and Hastings Puckett

Gretchen and Brian Walton

Julie and Dudley Wooley

Head of School’s Circle

4 R. Properties Inc.

Alison and Luke Abney

Jackson Prep Class of 1982

Mary Catherine and Justin Blackwell

Crisler and Doug Boone

Albert E. Breland Jr. MD

Pam and Denny Britt

Rebecca and Lawrence Coco

Drs. Barbara and Jason Craft

Stacie and Bill Crim

Lesley and John Davis

Ginny and Matt Futvoye

Susan and Joel Herring

Kroger

Susan R. Lindsay

Rebecca and Billy Long

Ashley and Chris Maddux

Sally and Len Martin

Tracy and Mike Mason

Kathleen and Mack Mitchell

Kristy and Scott Moak

Cynthia and Bruce Reynolds

Sherri and Randal Russell

Carol and Scott Swayze

Mary and Michael Taylor

Stacy and Jay Underwood

Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton

V.A. Sauls, Inc

Mrs. Guy T. Vise, Jr.

Heather and Will Vise

Kim and Will Walker

DeVane and Allen Yates

Kecia and Gene Yelverton

Donate Now

Honor Circle

Dr. and Mrs. Mike Atkinson

Rachel and Marvin Cochran

Ann and Jim Coggin

Craddock Oil Company, Inc.

Anne and Ligon Duncan

Elite Roofing Services, Inc.

Monica and Brad Fountain

Friends of Dean Kirby

Marsha M. Hobbs

Thomas and Bridgette Iupe

Von and Mark Jicka

Candis Jolly

Libby and Ted Kendall

Tracie and Joe Mallard

Patsy and Mike Malouf

Lou Ann and Doug McKibben

Lynn and Tom McKinley

Trudy and Sidney McLaurin

Kirk McRee

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Morgan, Jr.

Gray Mounger

Candace and Jay Powell

Christy and Billy Quin

Allyn and S. T. Ray

Amy-Allison and Weston Russ

Trina and Rance Sapen

Lori and Taylor Smith

Catherine and Joe Stradinger

Caroline and Hunter Upchurch

Meredith and William VanDevender

Melanie and Locke Ward

Sheila and David Wilbanks

Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Yerger

Patriot Circle

Katie and Lewis Agnew

Melanie Aldridge

Zachary Allison

Lindsey H. Anderson

Whitney and David Andress

Mary and Brock Baker

Lynda and Eric Balfour

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Beard

Karen and Barry Berch

Edith Berkebile

Sally and Jeremy Birdsall

Laura Bishop

Samantha and Tim Bowling

Sharon and John David Box

Mary Kelly and Jason Branning

Nick Brewer

Georgia A. Brown

Rusty Burke

Daniel Burnett

Melanie and Jamey Burrow

Greta and Matt Butts

Gail and Dan Cado

Angelyn and Barry Cannada

Mrs. Peggy Cannada

Whitney and Marcus Canoy

Adrienne and Keith Carter

Cory and Matthew Caton

Rachel Causey

Keely and Taylor Charles

Gracie and Scott Chesnut

Robin and Lawrence Coco

Amberly and Matt Collins

Myra J. Cook

Dr. and Mrs. John L. Cox

Libby and Jack Crawford

Milicent and Will Crosby

Abigail and Reece Crumpler

Beverly and Gary Davis

Nathan Devine

Chris Diethelm

Jackson Prep PAT

Jon Marcus Duncan

Donna Dye

Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo

Shawn and Ben Edwards

Graham Eklund

Suzanne and John Eskrigge

Mari and Sam Farrington

Kelley Walton Fenelon

Linda and Tom Fenter

Lou Ann and Spence Flatgard

Nancy Flowers

Jayda and Wendell Fountain

Dave Gammill

Susan and Alan Goodman

James W. Graf

Helen and Jesse Graham

Anna and Ricky Griffin

Bobby Gross

Melissa and Alan Gunn

Reta and Mark Haire

John A. Hall

Leigh Pearson Harwell

Kelly and Blake Headley

Brent M. Heavener

Blair and Doug Hederman

Sally Hederman

Camille and Jason Hellwig

Laura Hepner

Jill and Chuck Hiers

Emily and Kern Hoff

Dr. and Mrs. Reed B. Hogan II

Luanne and Phil Hogue

Caroline and Ashley Hollowell

Betty and Jerry Horn

Jane and Paul Howell

Jessica Leigh Long and Lain Hughes

Allison and Andy Impastato

Christina and Charlie Jackson

Jackson Prep Booster Club

Rita and Larry Johnson

Dr. Lee Johnson

Kim and Kurt Jordan

Mary and Ted Kendall

Andrae and Steve Kincaid

Vicki and Larry King

Paula and Steve Kuhn

Andy Lambeth

Bethany and David Lane

Malika M. Lindsay

Addie and Tommy Louis

Toni and Ed Manning

Lelia and Mike Manning

Shelby Grace Mays

Michael McAnally

Leesa and Silas McCharen

Emily and Guy McClain

Janie and Tom McCraney

Tara and Allen McDaniel

Diane and Drew McDowell

Lisa and Kevin McKay

Amanda and Frank McKeown

Spiller and Chan McLeod

Annie Laurie and Tom McRee

Mimi and Robert Mehrle

Kristin and William Merrell

Henry Michel

Dr. Lynn Miller

Mary Sue and Don Mitchell

Jane and Edward Moak

Helen and Red Moffat

Dawn and Steven Moore

Becky and Dennis Morgan

Dr. Emily A. Moses and Mr. Clinton Moses, Jr.

Molly and Eric Napier

LeAnn and Luke Nealey

Anna and Jimmy Nix

Mariclaire and Eric Nix

Lisa and Gary Noble

Keavy Noblin

Waynette and Shane Noe

Jo Ann Nowell

Ric Nowell

Risa and Galen Ohnmacht

Susan and Bill Osborne

Ramona and Lee Ozier

Silvia and Steve Page

Lisa and Scott Parson

Brianne Powers

Jennifer and Cliff Powers

Rachel and Kap Primos

Leigh Ann and Chris Purnell

Tricia and Vance Randall

Derek Rang

Kimberly and Guy Reedy

Jodie and Don Regan

Reservoir Smiles Dentistry, PLLC

Mary Mills Ritchie

Amanda and Ben Roberson

Paige and Mark Robertson

Dana and Bill Robertson

Kevin Robichaux

Bruce Robinson

Alexander Romano

Amber C. Rose

Carol and David Rose

Sherry and Richard Rula

Jeanne and Rod Russ

Sarah Louise and Ralph Scruggs

Sarah Shaw

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

Cassie and Carter Smith

Jina Smith

Paul D. Smith, Ph.D.

Marla and Warren Speed

Bev and Tom Stafford

Greer Sullivan

Mary Linley and Andrew Sweat

Chris Sweatt

The Southern Luncheon Club

Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Thomas

Muffin and Marcus Thompson

Les Triplett

Amanda and Tyler Turner

Jane Tyson

Ryan Upshaw

Kimberly and Robert Van Uden

Scarlett and Xan Vineyard

Lee and John Waits

Emily and Trey Waterloo

Maret and Steve Watson

Joseph Watts

Beth Mason Watts

Dr. Andrew Q. Weeks

Christopher Weeks

Dr. Stephen Weeks

Beverly and Steve Weeks

Parents

CLASS OF 2022

Kappi and David Craddock

Alison and Luke Abney

Karen and Barry Berch

Sharon and John David Box

Mary Kelly and Jason Branning

Adrienne and Keith Carter

Drs. Nicole and Ken Cleveland

Rebecca and Lawrence Coco

Beverly and Gary Davis

Jon Marcus Duncan

Lou Ann and Spence Flatgard

Jayda and Wendell Fountain

Ginny and Matt Futvoye

Kelly and Blake Headley

Jill and Chuck Hiers

Von and Mark Jicka

Shannon and Dan Lyle

Lisa and Kevin McKay

Kathleen and Mack Mitchell

Amanda and Scott Overby

Paige and Mark Robertson

Carol and David Rose

Lisa and Allen Shive

Cassie and Carter Smith

Bev and Tom Stafford

Catherine and Joe Stradinger

Mary Linley and Andrew Sweat

Scarlett and Xan Vineyard

Lee and John Waits

M’Lee and Kelley Williams

CLASS OF 2023

Dr. and Mrs. Mike Atkinson

Sally and Jeremy Birdsall

Rachel and Marvin Cochran

Milicent and Will Crosby

Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo

Ellen and Charles Johnson

Malika M. Lindsay

Tracie and Joe Mallard

Tara and Allen McDaniel

Spiller and Chan McLeod

Kathleen and Mack Mitchell

Waynette and Shane Noe

Cheryl and Cal Wells

Mary Alice and Donny White

Amy and Ken Wiandt

Dr. Newton Wiggins

Jessica Wilkinson

Shirley and Mark Windham

Rachel and Tim Wise

Mary and Wirt Yerger

Richard Younce

Eleanor and Ryan Young

Jane and Jeff Zhu

Cynthia and Bruce Reynolds

Amber C. Rose

Muffin and Marcus Thompson

Stacy and Jay Underwood

Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton

Scarlett and Xan Vineyard

Kim and Will Walker

Beth Mason Watts

Kecia and Gene Yelverton

CLASS OF 2024

Mary Kelly and Jason Branning

Whitney and Marcus Canoy

Drs. Nicole and Ken Cleveland

Dr. Barbara and Dr. Jason Craft

Shannon and John Elliott

Jayda and Wendell Fountain

Kelly and Blake Headley

Caroline and Ashley Hollowell

Allison and Andy Impastato

Shannon and Dan Lyle

Ashley and Chris Maddux

Emily and Guy McClain

Lisa and Kevin McKay

Kristy and Scott Moak

April and Kevin Nall

Risa and Galen Ohnmacht

Rachel and Kap Primos

Amanda and Hastings Puckett

Dana and Bill Robertson

Marla and Warren Speed

Kimberly and Robert Van Uden

Amy and DeFord Walker

Gretchen and Brian Walton

CLASS OF 2025

Kappi and David Craddock

Mary Catherine and Justin Blackwell

Carrie and Philip Blount

Mary Kelly and Jason Branning

Cory and Matthew Caton

Rebecca and Lawrence Coco

Kappi and David Craddock

Milicent and Will Crosby

Jon Marcus Duncan

Ginny and Matt Futvoye

Jill and Chuck Hiers

Bethany and David Lane

Ashley and Chris Maddux

Tracie and Joe Mallard

Lynn and Tom McKinley

Candace and Jay Powell

Amanda and Hastings Puckett

Christy and Billy Quin

Cassie and Carter Smith

Catherine and Joe Stradinger

Melanie and Locke Ward

Emily and Trey Waterloo

Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson

Eleanor and Ryan Young

CLASS OF 2026

Amye and Chad Shamburger

Sally and Jeremy Birdsall

Samantha and Tim Bowling

Adrienne and Keith Carter

Tracy and Mike Mason

Emily and Guy McClain

Tara and Allen McDaniel

Alli and Anthony Sherman

Melissa and Ryan Sherman

Mary Linley and Andrew Sweat

Muffin and Marcus Thompson

Eleanor and Ryan Young

CLASS OF 2027

Lynda and Eric Balfour

Amberly and Matt Collins

Megan and David Dallas

Ashley and Chris Maddux

Molly and Eric Napier

Lori and Taylor Smith

Cassie and Carter Smith

Amy and DeFord Walker

Emily and Trey Waterloo

CLASS OF 2028

Gretchen and Brian Walton

* denotes Précis Club member

Class of 1971

Dr. Lee Johnson

Class of 1972

Mary Briggs Baker

Dr. Greer Sullivan

Class of 1973

Dr. Ed Manning

Annie Laurie Heidelberg McRee

Class of 1974

Larry King

Andy Lambeth

Leesa Crim McCharen

Lee Ozier

Lisa Graham Parson *

Allyn Mann Ray *

Class of 1975

Kelley Walton Fenelon *

Class of 1976

Alan Gunn

Class of 1977

Bill Crim *

Jane Tyson

Class of 1978

Dr. John L. Cox

Charles Johnson *

Candis Wilder Jolly *

Tommy Louis

Gray Mounger *

Class of 1979

Mike Manning *

Ashley Creekmore Meena *

Dr. Scott Swayze *

Class of 1981

Doug Boone *

Class of 1982

Sam Farrington

Paul Howell

Alumni

Henry Michel

Ben Morgan *

Class of 1983

John Beard

Lou Ann Wilks Flatgard

Susan Bush Goodman

Leigh Pearson Harwell

Frank Yerger *

David Wilbanks *

Class of 1984

Lindsey H. Anderson *

Crisler Moffat Boone *

Jim Coggin *

Dr. John Davis *

Chan McLeod

Kelley Williams *

Dudley Wooley *

Will Walker *

Class of 1985

Spiller Burnham McLeod

Colonel William Merrell *

Kristin Reed Merrell

Allen Shive

Will Vice *

M’Lee McMullan Williams *

Gene Yelverton *

Richard Younce *

Class of 1986

Suzanne Hasseltine Eskrigge *

G.G. Ferguson *

April Payne Nall *

Dr. Jay Underwood *

Class of 1987

Jack Crawford *

Ben Roberson *

Warren Speed *

Class of 1988

Dr. Philip Blount *

Will Crosby *

Class of 1989

Lain Hughes *

Thomas C. Iupe Sr. *

Mack Mitchell *

Ric Nowell *

Mary Elizabeth Russ Upton *

Class of 1990

Luke Abney *

Daniel Lyle *

Ashley Hollis Maddux *

Robert Van Uden *

Class of 1991

Dr. Keith Carter *

Dr. Mike Atkinson *

Class of 1992

Lawrence Coco *

Bobby Gross *

Cassie Anderson Smith *

Andrew Sweat

Beth Mason Watts *

Rebecca Thomas Coco *

Class of 1993

Camille Morris Hellwig

Caroline Monsour Hollowell *

Nicole Duncan Cleveland *

Class of 1994

Mary Kelly Findley Branning *

Class of 1995

Jon Marcus Duncan

Class of 1996

Michael McAnally *

Anthony Sherman

Weston Russ *

Class of 1997

Melanie Largent Burrow *

Matt Collins *

Kap Primos *

Class of 1998

Amy Lampton Walker *

Dr. Stephen Weeks *

Class of 1999

Christina Sandifer Jackson

Mary Mills Lane Ritchie *

Class of 2000

Lewis Agnew *

Sarah Hobbs Shaw

Dr. Taylor Smith *

Class of 2001

Caroline McKibben Upchurch *

Class of 2002

Dr. Christopher Weeks *

Dr. Newton Wiggins *

Class of 2003

Kirk McRee *

Class of 2004

Emily Penn Hoff *

William VanDevender Jr. *

Dr. Andrew Weeks *

Class of 2005

Jimmy Nix *

Class of 2006

Kathryn Shuff *

Les Triplett

Class of 2007

Eric Nix

Class of 2011

Will Boone *

Class of 2013

Keavy Noblin

Class of 2014

Sam Boone *

Class of 2016

Graham Eklund *

Class of 2017

Brianne Powers *

Class of 2021

Joseph M. Watts

Précis Club Levels Alumni who give the recommended amount or more according to class year.

Michael Balfour and the Jackson Prep

Class of 2027

- Lynda and Eric Balfour

Linda and Ricky Black

- Julie and Dudley Wooley

Crisler Boone

- Helen and Red Moffat

Mary Kelly Branning

- Shirley and Mark Windham

Daniel Burnett

- Amy-Allison and Weston Russ

Gail Cado - Helen and Jesse Graham

Bennett Carter - Adrienne and Keith Carter

Mary Robinson Coco

- Robin and Lawrence Coco

- Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas

Bert Coleman

- Mari and Sam Farrington

York Craig - Jackson Prep Booster Club

Jacob Davis - Beverly and Gary Davis

Garrett Davis - Beverly and Gary Davis

Margaret Dye - Donna Dye

Andie Flatgard - Lou Ann Wilks and Spence Flatgard

Reta Haire - Gail and Dan Cado - Helen and Jesse Graham - Kimberly and Guy Reedy

Jackson R. Hall - John A. Hall

In Honor Of In Memory Of

Margaret Harvey - Helen and Jesse Graham

Kelly Headley - Lou Ann and Doug McKibben

Ash Hederman - Betty and Jerry Horn

Sara Hederman - Blair and Doug Hederman

Caroline Hiers

- Jill and Chuck Hiers

Katherine Horlock

- Helen and Jesse Graham

Malika Lindsay - Richard Younce

Madeline Leigh McKay - Lisa and Kevin McKay

Amanda McKeown - Candis Jolly

Elizabeth Mitchell - Dr. and Mrs. Don Q. Mitchell

Mont Mitchell

- Dr. and Mrs. Don Q. Mitchell

Ava Moak - Jane and Edward Moak

Dr. Luke Nealey - Dr. Newton Wiggins

Waynette Noe - Lou Ann and Doug McKibben

Livvy Robertson - Dana and Bill Robertson

Emma Rose - Carol and David Rose

Carol Rose

- Helen and Jesse Graham

Havens Smith

- Cassie and Carter Smith

Rebecca Stafford

- Bev and Tom Stafford

Kimberly Van Uden

- Helen and Jesse Graham

Jake Vineyard

- Scarlett and Xan Vineyard

Sheila and David Wilbanks

- M’Lee and Kelley Williams

Jeff Adams

- Andy Lambeth

Callie Swango Brandon

- Crisler and Doug Boone

Ward Breland

- Albert E. Breland Jr. MD

Scott Caraway

- Susan and Alan Goodman

- Leigh Pearson Harwell

Margaret Evans Clark

- Stacie and Bill Crim

Mike Clark

- Reta and Mark Haire

Lauren Clement

- Melanie and Jamey Burrow

Dr. Bill Cook

- Van Devender Family Foundation

Will Cooper

- Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Morgan

Barbara Fortenberry Hederman

- Laura Bishop

- Angelyn and Barry Cannada

- Mrs. Peggy Cannada

- Stacie and Bill Crim

- Sally Hederman

- Rita and Larry Johnson

- Dianne and Drew McDowell

- Annie Laurie and Tom McRee

- Dawn and Steven Moore

- Allyn and S.T. Ray

- The Southern Luncheon Club

- Mary and Wirt Yerger

Tait Hendrix

- Trudy and Sidney McLaurin

Jack Reynolds Holiman

- Addie and Tommy Louis

Peyton Houchins

- Trudy and Sidney McLaurin

Jackson Prep Class of 1982 Lost

Members

- Henry Michel

Angela Williams Lang

- Andy Lambeth

Dr. James Oliver Manning

- Leesa and Silas McCharen

Sudie Manning

- Edith Berkebile

- Myra J. Cook

- Stacie and Bill Crim

- Linda and Tom Fenter

- James W. Graf

- Reta and Mark Haire

- Rebecca and Billy Long

- Leesa and Silas McCharen

- Elizabeth Fair Minor

- Dr. and Mrs. Don Q. Mitchell

- Jo Ann Nowell

- Tricia and Vance Randall

- Allyn and S.T. Ray

- The Southern Luncheon Club

- Cheryl and Cal Wells

- DeVane and Allen Yates

- Mary and Wirt Yerger

Mary Jo McAnally

- Michael McAnally

Margaret McKibben LaRue

- Reta and Mark Haire

Jane Ann Moore

- Jennifer and Jamie Dryden

Missy Stevens Pitts

- Henry Michel

Alice Reilly

- Elizabeth Minor

Claude Smith

- Kristin and William Merrell

Walker Wilbanks

- Elite Roofing Services, Inc

- Trudy and Sidney McLaurin

- Susan and Bill Osborne

- Sheila and David Wilbanks

- M’Lee and Kelley Williams

Owen Williford

- Leigh Pearson Harwell

Dr. Gene Wood

- Paula and Steve Kuhn

Wirt A. Yerger Jr.

- Leesa and Silas McCharen

Blair and Doug Hederman

Lisa and Kevin McKay

Jackson Prep Booster Club

Dana and Bill Robertson

Jill and Chuck Hiers

Brick Purchases

Lou Ann and Spence Flatgard

Bev and Tom Stafford

Amy-Allison and Weston Russ

Jennifer and Jamie Dryden

Scarlett and Xan Vineyard

Mary Evalyn and Ed Thomas

Robin and Lawrence Coco

Cassie and Carter Smith

Gifts in Kind

Ferguson & Associates Architects, P.A. Gray Mounger

Risa and Galen Ohnmacht

Capital Campaign Update

In the fall of 2019, Jackson Prep embarked on a feasibility study to determine the success of another capital campaign. Interviews were conducted and an email survey was sent. The rate of response was exceptionally high and the feedback extremely positive. The Board of Trustees voted to engage campaign counsel and move forward with Jackson Prep’s fifth capital campaign - YOUR JACKSON PREP CAMPAIGN. The original goal for the campaign was $7.5 million, a very ambitious number. The campaign focused on four elements - doubling the school’s endowment, renovating the old junior high building, establishing an institute for innovation and creativity, and athletic improvements such as fully turfing the baseball field and renovating the Manning Center by adding air conditioning and new flooring.

by Crisler Boone Chief External Affairs Officer Class of 1984

We experienced immediate success as we began visiting with donors in the fall of 2019 and winter of 2020. Our momentum was cut short in March 2020 when COVID-19 spread across the world and our country. Campaign activities picked back up in the fall of 2020, and we experienced unprecedented success. During the 2020-2021 school year, we received our three largest donations in school history. With two gifts of $1 million and one of $1.5 million, we have been truly blessed by these donors’ prodigious generosity. A simple thank you seems inadequate given the amount of support, but we trust that knowing how much our Prep students will benefit from these gifts offers some sense of our appreciation. Even with the onset of a worldwide pandemic and recovery from its residual financial stress, support for this campaign continues to be monumental. At $9.5 million, we have surpassed our initial goal of $7.5 million and are close to reaching our stretch goal of $10 million. Please help us continue the forward momentum. If you wish to support YOUR JACKSON PREP Capital Campaign, scan the Donate Now QR Code.

YOUR JACKSON PREP CAMPAIGN

Every attempt was made to ensure accuracy. The list is as of December 5, 2022. We apologize for any oversights or errors that may have occurred.

VISIONARIES

Anonymous (2)

Lakeland Square Partnership

Mollie and Billy VanDevender

PIONEERS

Anonymous (2)

Laurie and Tony Huffman

Selby & Richard McRae Foundation, Inc.

Walker Foundation

LEADERS

Anonymous

Meredith and Graham Calvert

Kappi and David Craddock

Henry and Martha Hederman Charitable Foundation

Laurie and Tony Huffman

Maggi and Lee Lampton

Beverly and Walter Shelton

Laura and Tommy Stansell

Trustmark National Bank

Amy and DeFord Walker

Julie and Dudley Wooley

CATALYSTS

Anonymous (2)

Yvonne and Bob Bertolet

Mary Tison and Jay Brown

Nikki and Ken Cleveland

Clinton Dental Care, Inc

Pat and Jim Coggin

Barbara and Jason Craft

Betsy Creekmore

Sidney and Holt Crews

John Davis

Jan and Lawrence Farrington

Courtney and Thomas Hewitt

The Michelle and David Hobbs Foundation

Mamie and Jet Hollingsworth

Ashley and Hu Meena

Elizabeth and Kerk Mehrle

Amelia and Joshua Metcalf

Kathleen and Mack Mitchell

Melissa and Nash Neyland

Kim and Michael Nichols

Beth and Chip Pickering

Stacy and Jay Underwood

PACESETTERS

Anonymous

Natalie and John Baten

Angelyn and Barry Cannada

Ann and Jim Coggin

Libby and Jack Crawford

Martha and Davis Frye

Ginny and Matt Futvoye

Elizabeth and Clay Hays

Jackson Prep Booster Club

Jeanne and William Liston

Ashley and Chris Maddux

Laura and Ron McMaster

Jennifer and Buster Mooneyham

Anne and Steve Rogers

Marla and Warren Speed

Vise Family

Linda and Wirt Yerger

DEVELOPERS

Anonymous (2)

Whitney and David Andress

Crisler and Doug Boone

Pam and Denny Britt

Rebecca and Lawrence Coco

Nathan Devine

Saundra and Duane Dewey

Julie and Charles Galloway

Kelly and Blake Headley

PPR2

Susie and John Puckett

Mary Elizabeth and Charlie Upton

Maggie and Christian Waddell

Emily and Stuart Whitaker

Frances and Phil Wilson

Eleanor and Ryan Young

PROMOTERS

Anonymous

Sarah and Mike Atkinson

Laura and Charles Barbour

Laura Bishop

Mary Kelly and Jason Branning

Mike Campbell

Jennifer and York Craig

Catherine and John Cross

Kitty and Marcelo Eduardo

Shelley and Patrick Gough

Reta and Mark Haire

Hederman Family

Harper and David Jones

Bettye Mason

Anna and Jimmy Nix

Jennifer and Cliff Powers

Leigh and Todd Reeves

Trina and Rance Sapen

Terrence Shirley

Catherine and Joe Stradinger

TCBC LLC

Maret and Steve Watson

PREP FAMILY SUPPORTERS

Anonymous

Zachary Allison

Tim Benton

Carr and Gwain Black

Samantha and Tim Bowling

Sharon and John David Box

Lynne and Nick Brewer

Georgia Brown

Rusty Burke

Daniel Burnett

Greta and Matt Butts

Gail and Dan Cado

Whitney and Marcus Canoy

Butch Case

Cory and Matt Caton

Keely and Taylor Charles

Gracie and Scott Chesnut

Norma and John Cox

Milicent and Will Crosby

Abby Crumpler

Megan and David Dallas

Tammy and Jon Marcus Duncan

Anne and Ligon Duncan

Graham Eklund

Entergy Corporation

Suzanne and John Eskrigge

Mari and Sam Farrington

First Commercial Bank

Nancy Flowers

Jamie and David Floyd

Jayda and Wendell Fountain

Patricia and Dave Gammill

Natalie and David Gibbs

Helen and Jesse Graham

Anna and Ricky Griffin

Bobby Gross

Chere and Donovan Guilbeau

Abby and Brent Heavener

Laura Hepner

Marsha Hobbs

Katherine and Adam Horlock

Jessica Leigh Long and Lain Hughes

Christina and Charlie Jackson

Ellen and Charles Johnson

Kim and Kurt Jordan

Andrae and Steve Kincaid

Vicki and Larry King

Bethany and David Lane

Malika Lindsay

Addie and Tommy Louis

Tracie and Joe Mallard

Lelia and Mike Manning

Erin and Jeff Mathews

Shelby Grace Mays

Michael McAnally

Emily and Guy McClain

Tara and Allen McDaniel

Amanda and Frank McKeown

Lou Ann and Doug McKibben

Holly and Mart McMullan

Kristin and William Merrell

Lynn Miller

Helen and Red Moffat

Becky and Dennis Morgan

Emily and Clinton Moses

LeAnn and Luke Nealey

Mariclaire and Eric Nix

Lisa and Gary Noble

Keavy Noblin

Waynette and Shane Noe

Julie and Danna O’Brien

Ramona and Lee Ozier

Silvia and Steve Page

Leigh Ann and Chris Purnell

Allyn and S. T. Ray

Jennifer and Richard Rebich

Kimberly and Guy Reedy

Jodie and Don Regan

Bill Richardson

Mary Mills and Spencer Ritchie

Paige and Mark Robertson

Kim and Kevin Robichaux

Teresa and John Romano

Zander Romano

Amber Rose

Carol and David Rose

Sherri and Randal Russell

Norwood Sanders

Sarah and Skipper Scruggs

Sarah Shaw

Amy and Dale Shepherd

Alli and Anthony Sherman

Melissa and Ryan Sherman

Lisa and Allen Shive

Kathryn Shuff

Carolyn and George Sisk

Jina and Johnny Smith

Suzanne and Paul Smith

Randolph Smith

Bobby Spann

Kristie and Steven Speights

Robert Sproles

Chris Sweatt

Lynn and Hays Thompson

Muffin and Marcus Thompson

Les Triplett

Amanda and Tyler Turner

Caroline and Hunter Upchurch

Ryan Upshaw

Kimberly and Robert Van Uden

Lee and John Waits

Gretchen and Brian Walton

Yan Wang

Emily and Trey Waterloo

Beth Watts

Emily and Stuart Whitaker

Amy and Ken Wiandt

Jessica and Lenny Wilkinson

Rachel and Tim Wise

Richard Younce

David Zhang

Jane and Jeff Zhu