Excellentia, Issue 2

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 Amanda Slack Head of Lower School

ALUMNI

2023 Distinguished Alum of the Year: Shannon Rogers Duckworth, Class of 1993

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth was ordained and consecrated the 12th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana on November 20, 2022. She is the first woman to serve as bishop since the diocese was formed in 1838.

Bishop Duckworth is a native of Mississippi. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Millsaps College graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors in 1997. She was ordained a priest in 2001 after receiving her Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary. In the years since her ordination, she has served in many roles including curate, vicar, school chaplain, associate rector, and canon to the ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

Bishop Duckworth is married to James Duckworth and has two sons, Nicholas and Tucker. She enjoys walking and hiking and spending time with her husband at their home in New Roads, LA.

Digital Extra:

Watch the 2023 Jackson Prep graduation ceremony here.

The Distinguished Alum delivers the graduation address:

Back when the woolly mammoth roamed the region around the present-day state of Missouri, the Osage tree provided food and shelter for these wandering herds. And, as time passed, and their tracks replaced by those of humans, the Osage remained a tree of prime importance. Yet, in these later days, the focus shifted from its fruit to its wood.

...However, if you take a look at this bow [and I have brought one with me today] it doesn’t look like one might expect. The wood is strong, but it is challenging for the bowyer. The Osage tree is crooked and its trunk is rife with twists that lead from one knot to another.

Yet, anyone who truly understands this particular tree sees that its strength and beauty reside deep within what might be falsely seen as an imperfection. In the process of crafting a bow, a tree is carefully chosen, felled and then split down its length. The wood (called a stave) is then scraped carefully with attention to every detail. The knots are meant to be embraced… and the twists...within them the trained eye will see opportunity…careful not to violate the growth rings that serve as your guide as you carefully craft the bow.

...So, why did I feel like it was important to share this? The answer is in this bow. I want you to know that, like this bow, the twists and turns of life are something that make it what it is…and what makes you who you are.

PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY HUBERT WORLEY

ALUMNI

Prep Golf team alum Will Burnham (class of 2022) was named 2023 NJCAA Division II Phil Mickelson

Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine Recipient.

Congratulations to 2019 alum, Jerrion Ealy, current member of the Kansas City Chiefs organization, for being a part of the Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVII! A two-sport star at Jackson Prep, Jerrion was a two sport standout at Ole Miss, excelling at football and baseball.

Trey Currie (class of 2018) recently graduated from the United States Naval Academy and has been commissioned as a U.S. Navy Ensign. At the Academy, he was an active member of the Varsity Offshore Sailing Team, squad leader, and conduct officer. He will be stationed in San Diego aboard DDG Chafee.

ATHLETICS

William Laird finished in style by winning the state championship in 6A triple jump.

Congratulations to Cole Allen for winning the 6A discus state championship!

These ladies dominated throwing events. Congratulations to Claire Crosby (right) for winning the shot put state championship and to Taylor Caton (left) for winning the discus state championship!

MAIS STATE TRACK MEET

What a day Olivia Smith had at the recent MAIS State Track Meet! She became state champion in the 800 meters, 1600 meters, 4x800 meter relay, and 4x400 meter relay.

Knox Davidson brought home the 6A 100 meter hurdles state championship.

Elliot Davis is your 6A 1600 meters state champ for 2023.

These ladies doubled up on relay titles: 4x800 meters and 4x400 meters. Congratulations to Ann Magee Stradinger, Olivia Smith, Gracie Atkinson, and Kimmons Shepherd!

ATHLETICS

Congratulations to the baseball team on their 6th straight championship!

Jackson Prep boys basketball defeated Clinton Christian Academy to repeat as MAIS Overall Champions #BackToBack

Cameron Jacob and Nathan Werne won the mixed doubles state championship in tennis.

Prep Band Delivers Again

Congratulations to the Concert Band on their all-superior performance in the MAIS State Concert Festival. It is always great to see students shine on the big stage!

The Jackson Prep band shapes self-confidence, gives a sense of self-accomplishment, and fosters teamwork. We are providing our students a safe social setting to make long lasting friendships and a feeling of belonging through training in all levels of instrumental instruction and the opportunity to perform in the color guard.

Describing Akhila Adari

Service is a word that describes Akhila Adari (class of 2023). Hometown Rankin magazine agrees. Akhila was the subject of an article under the broader theme of “Kids Who Care.”

Read the entire article here on pages 40 and 41 of the January issue of Hometown Rankin

CHESS

Opening Moves

The chess program continued to shine in 2022-23 with players participating in at least 15 tournaments across the state.

In October, junior Cage Puckett went undefeated in his division at a Mississippi Scholastic Chess Association tournament at the Children’s Museum in Jackson. In addition, the Middle School team took second at the MAIS tournament, led by freshmen Caleb Zhu (who went 5-0, finishing 3rd overall), Roy Benjamin, Vincent Sun, and seventh grader Rose Hathorn, who all went 4-1, placing 4th, 6th, and 15th, respectively. The Upper School team won the championship for the sixth year in a row; all 11 US members finished in the top 50% with juniors Eli Biggs at 15th, Cage Puckett at 12th, Nate Walton at 10th, William Shepherd at 7th, and Hayes Elliott at 3rd.

In November, Eli Biggs finished 3rd individually in his division of the Bienville Fall Classic at Roosevelt State Park. Led by team captain Megan Tomlinson, the team (including Biggs, Cage Puckett, Garner Young, and Caleb Zhu) missed the team trophy round by ½ point. In December, freshmen Vincent Sun and Caleb Zhu finished 2nd and 4th place, respectively, at the St. Augustine School winter tournament in Ridgeland, earning Prep a 2nd place team finish in the K-12 Division. In January, eight team members played in several tournaments, picking up wins and increasing their national ratings with the Us Chess Federation. At the Ole Miss Scholastic Chess tournament in February, Vincent

by Richie Younce Chess Sponsor

Sun took 1st place with four wins (including over a 1500-rated player) and drew against a 2100-rated player. That same month, the team of junior AJ Johnson, sophomores Laquarrious Finley and Aaron Lu, and Vincent Sun earned first place in the K-12 Team Division at the St. Augustine School spring tournament.

In March, the team finished out of the trophy round at the Mississippi Chess Association (“MCA”) Team Champions at St. Andrew’s. Sixteen members competed in four rounds each led by Hayes Elliott (4-0 record), Roy Benjamin (3-0-1 record), and Eli Biggs (a 3-1 record). The team finished 3rd overall at the Mississippi Scholastic Chess Association (“MSCA”) Team & Individual Championships in Starkville. Eli Biggs took 4th in the Open Division K-12 Section and Vincent Sun was 3rd. Roy Benjamin was 5th and Megan Tomlinson 4th (and “Top Girl”) in the Under-1200 Division K-12. Freshman Zay Jones went 3-2 in the Under-700 Division at his first, rated tournament. In the MCA Girls’ Chess Championship held at Jackson Prep on March 25, junior Elizabeth Polk won 1st Place in the Reserve Division.

In April, Hayes Elliot took 1st place in his division at an MSCA tournament at the Children’s Museum in Jackson, and Megan Tomlinson took 3rd place.

Opposite page: Upper School team after winning MAIS State Championship for the 6th year. Back row, left to right: Hayes Elliott, Cage Puckett, team captain Megan Tomlinson, William Shepherd, Garner Young, Laquarrious Finley; middle row, left to right: Zay Jones, Houston Vaughn, Eli Boggs, Elizabeth Polk; sitting: Nate Walton; not pictured: Roy Benjamin.

This page: (Top) Elizabeth Polk receives her Reserve Division 1st place trophy from Beth Thrasher, Director of the MCA Girls’ State Championship on Saturday, March 25, 2023. (Second) Competition floor at Bienville Fall Classic in November 2022. (Third, left) Middle School team with MAIS 2nd Place trophy (left to right) Vincent Sun, Caleb Zhu, Roy Benjamin, and Rose Hathorne. (Third, right) Eli Biggs with medal won at Bienville Fall Classic in November 2022. (Bottom) Seventh grader Rose Hathorn prepares to face off against senior and team captain Megan Tomlinson in the final round of the MCA Girls’ State Championship.

COLLEGE BOARD

Recognizing Hard Work

College Board’s National Recognition Programs award the hard work of African American, Hispanic, Indigenous, and rural students by granting eligible students academic honors they can include on their college and scholarship application.

Sophomores and juniors with a 3.5 or higher and take eligible administrations of the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSATTM 10, AP® Exams will be considered for awards. Students must also identify as African American, Hispanic, Indigenous, or attend high school in a rural area or small town. Congratulation to both DJ Johnson and Maggie McMillan!

COLLEGE COUNSELING

Serving on the Board of Directors

Prep’s Director of College Counseling & Diversity Initiatives Chair, Malika M. Lindsay, will serve on the SACAC Board of Directors for the next three years. The Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) is a nonprofit, professional association. Over 2,200 members from secondary schools, colleges and universities, independent educational professionals, and community based educational organizations work to promote high professional standards in the college admission process by exchanging ideas, sharing common goals, and preparing counselors to serve students in the transition from high school to college. The SACAC region spans the Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as the Caribbean.

Malika’s three-year term began on April 23, 2023. Congratulations, Malika!

COMMITMENT

Honoring Forty-Five Years (but not retiring!):

Mr. Bobby Joe Spann

It was the best of times the day Mr. Bobby Joe Spann came to work, a huge Prep win that has continued for 45 years! Bobby Joe had worked for Caldwell Manufacturing and was ready for a change. Lucky for us, a friend of his already working at Prep told him about an opening on the maintenance crew. Bobby Joe applied, was hired, and as we say…the rest is history!

A master “fixer of all things broken,”Bobby Joe is, and always has been, a true gentleman, consistently wearing an engaging smile and delivering a kind word to those in his path. For over four decades he has served every facet of the community with selfless dedication and a work ethic we should all strive to replicate.

Athletic Director Will Crosby says his father, Buddy, thought the world of Bobby Joe. After retiring from an esteemed coaching career, Buddy was head of maintenance and worked closely with Bobby Joe. Will recalls a time when Buddy and Bobby Joe were working on a broken piece of machinery that appeared fit for the graveyard. Several people observing their resuscitation efforts told them it was a lost cause. Later, Will saw Bobby Joe and asked if they had gotten the machine running. Bobby Joe very humbly said, “Coach, when me and your dad work on something together, there’s not a whole lot we can’t fix.”

Janet Smith, Prep’s first guidance counselor, remembers many days when she worked late. Bobby Joe would always find her before he left and say, “Ms. Smith, you are locked in and safe.” She recalls him as a good and faithful friend, as much to her as to Jackson Prep.

by Allyn Ray Director of Academic Support

PORTRAIT OF BOBBY JOE SPANN BY STACY UNDERWOOD

PHOTO BY LISA SHIVE

(See next page for Stacy Underwood’s comments about creating the portrait of Bobby Joe Spann above)

COMMITMENT

Head of School Lawrence Coco echoes those sentiments: “Bobby Joe is an institution … the hardest working man on campus.” Kurt Jordan, our current Director of Physical Plant, says of his working relationship with Bobby Joe, “In all my years of working with and managing others, I have never met or worked with a more pleasant and conscientious person.” Finally, COO Denny Britt adds, “He [Bobby Joe] is an example to everyone with his commitment, work ethic, and tremendous knowledge both institutional and practical. He is one of the best individuals I have ever had the opportunity to work with over the years.

I am thankful for Bobby Joe.”

You and I began our Prep career together, Mr. Bobby Joe Spann, and I offer a personal, deeply sincere “thank you” for making my many years at school better, and I know I speak for the community at large as well as the faculty and staff in particular when I say, “Thank you, and don’t leave!”

When I am searching for what to paint, I usually choose a portrait. There’s something soulful in a face…in the eyes...and trying to capture someone’s spirit through an oil painting is the ultimate challenge for me. I don’t just paint anyone I come across; I have to be interested in his or her story. I paint slowly, and my best work takes several days, so I really need to connect with whom I am trying to paint or I’m in trouble. Painting Bobby Joe was a true privilege. I had heard there was a Prep employee who had been at the school for over 35 years, so without even looking up his photograph for a reference, I knew he was a special person. ANYONE who would work at a school for that long had to have patience, perseverance, and a work ethic I could barely fathom. I was right. I immediately saw all those attributes in his eyes. When I finished the painting I felt like we had been friends for years. I was so nervous for him to see it; I wanted so badly for him to be pleased with it. I was told he liked it, and when I did meet him a few days later, I was starstruck. Bobby Joe is everything and more than what I was able to capture on a canvas.

Stacy Underwood is married to Jay Underwood (class of 1986 ). They have three children - Greer (class of 2018), Jimmy (class of 2020), and Ian (class of 2023).

CYCLING

The Passenger is the Engine

Prep has a new club that possesses something a little different. It’s dangerous, a little dirty, and a whole lot of fun. JP Cycling is all about riding trails and having a good time doing it. Every student interested will participate: no one gets left out.

The team will be participating in the newly-formed MS NICA League next school year. We will compete in five competitions. NICA has as motto, “Nobody rides the bench, they ride bikes.” Every student is welcome to join.

by Don Regan JP Cycling sponsor

DRONES

Taking on the World

The drone team scored a huge victory at the Aerial Drone Competition Opportunity Division National Championships 2023 in Jackson, MS. The team of Maddox Noe and Grey Thompson went to the competition and competed against 54 schools from 14 states. Coach Bill Richardson led the team when Prep held its first drone tournament of the season in January 2023. Team Patriot Pilot Pack practiced with no field, in a hallway/classroom, and prepared their notebook prior to competition, a mix of logbook (game strategy, leadership, and more), tournament play, skills, and interview. With the team scoring high in four of five categories, we won the highest award, the Excellence Award, and were named national champions!

ENGINEERING

Underwater Engineering Tour

In February, Mr. Bill Richardson took an Introduction to Engineering class to tour the Underwater Engineering and Hydrography Programs at the University of Southern Mississippi Long Beach campus. Seven students got to talk with professors and to learn about career opportunities in these fields. These extremely rare programs have a 100% job placement rate with an average starting salary of $60-70k per year! Students conversed with a master hydrographer, underwater engineering professors, and as current students mission planning to measure tides for an upcoming job.

If We Build It...

In 2021, Prep announced that it would be adding a Lower School. Beginning August 2023, we will serve students in PreK-3 through grade 12. Though we have been accustomed to welcoming students in our Middle and Upper Schools, we are now actively enrolling and encouraging applications at all grade levels. This has created a new marketing opportunity.

This year’s primary goal has been filling classrooms with bright young minds. We were therefore tasked with reimagining a marketing approach that would attract a younger audience. Our Lower School promotion has been both strategic and focused. Through ad campaigns, evening gatherings for prospective parents, recruitment tents at selected events, coffee and conversation mornings on campus, and individual hard-hat tours of the Lower School, we have been able to reach a multitude of interested families.

by Emily Myers Garner Director of Marketing and Branding

Priority number one was rebranding collateral materials to present Prep’s softer side: to show our “warm and fuzzy.” Our first project was the creation of an application packet featuring the new JPLS logo, brightly-colored tabs with smiling faces on informational pages, and a soft-blue outer folder with signature red accents.

PHOTO BY HUBERT WORLEY

Once a prospective family started the process, their child was invited to an interview/playdate with the Head of Lower School Amanda Slack. After the playdate assessment, children who had been accepted were notified of their status as an inaugural student. Special gifts were then hand delivered to each new student.

In addition to taking a personalized approach with new students and families, we determined that reaching out to the community through grassroots marketing efforts would be beneficial. After researching demographics from our digital and on-demand television campaigns, we found that the highest performing zip codes were in our own backyard. Rankin County–specifically Brandon and Flowood–was fascinated by what was going on at Prep.

These efforts, combined with traditional marketing strategies of print, television, and transit advertising, have helped us secure strong start-up numbers for inaugural classes at the Lower School. While we continue to promote Prep in these ways, they do not replace the best advertising of all: word of mouth! If you know of a potential student, please help us recruit him or her. Invite interested parties to visit. Direct them to our website. Give them our phone number. Bring them to an event. Share your own success story. You, too, can be part of our marketing efforts.

With JPLS on the horizon, the future is very bright. Help us spread the word and watch our Prep family grow.

Digital Extra: Jackson Prep Lower School teachers wrote their favorite Bible verses on the floors of their classrooms before tile was installed. See the video here.

Adding It Up at Year’s End

by Kimberly Van Uden Math Department Chair

If math teachers selected a Dandy Dozen, the competition would be fierce. Prep has a tradition of excelling in Mathematics. Each year, math teams compete at the Mississippi School for Math and Science, the Mississippi College Science and Mathematics Tournament, the MAIS district and state tournaments, the Mu Alpha Theta State Convention, ALA-LA-MISS (three state series of tests), and the AMC-10 and -12 (national tests).

For the 2023-24 year, these students are mathletes to watch:

8th graders ALICE MOORE and ANDERSON PAYNE. Both competed in the MATHCOUNTS competition and MAIS district and state tournament in 2023. Anderson says math runs in his family and proudly introduced his grandmother, a former math teacher, to the MATHCOUNTS team. Alice is as fierce a competitor in mathematics as she is on the soccer field.

9th grade twins ADRIANNA and BRIANNA WANG are a dynamic duo. During the year, they ranked in the top ten ALA-LAMISS leaderboard ahead of most sophomores, juniors, and seniors. In spring, Adrianna advanced from district to state and represented MS at the National MATHCOUNTS competition in Orlando. Math is not their only passion; they’re often spotted in their neighborhood garden or in the pool where they swim competitively.

10th grader JACK VOYLES was discovered at the State MATHCOUNTS competition in 2022. In an attempt to find an academic environment where he could compete, he transferred to Prep as a freshman and enrolled in the sophomore-level Honors Algebra 2 class. In ALA-LA-MISS, he quickly moved to the top of the field where he finished in first place. AMRRAN AKLILU won first at the Mississippi School for Math and Science Algebra 1 competition and fifth in the Geometry competition at the Mu Alpha Theta state convention. She consistently maintains over a 100 average in Geometry.

11th grader NICHOLS KATSABOULAS transferred to Prep after learning about the MATHCOUNTS program and the opportunity to compete. He has definitely achieved a special spot on our team.

12th graders WILLIAM SHEPHERD and LYTLE MOORE have proven to be strong mathletes over the years. Watching them enter senior year will be exciting. William ended 2023 as the second ALA-LA-MISS leader. Both young men competed in the Mu Alpha Theta state convention. William placed second on the College Algebra written test, and Lytle placed 7th on Precalculus.

Sisters CAROLINE HAMMACK (10th grade) and RACHEL HAMMACK (12th grade) could not be more different unless you are comparing their love for math. Caroline scored one of the highest grades on the entrance exam, and Rachel earned the Honors Precalculus award. Rachel competed at Mississippi School for Math and Science where she placed in the top ten and 5th in the state at Mu Alpha Theta on the College Algebra written exam. Rachel plays softball, and Caroline volleyball.

Teacher, Coach, Friend

Many great teachers, coaches, and administrators have walked these halls, and Gary Noble is no exception. In his forty-year tenure, he has left so many positive marks on our school. Prep is a better place because he put in so much hard work.

Athletic Director Will Crosby works with Noble on fields and off, and he finds it hard to sum up such an extensive legacy: “Coach Noble has been such an important piece of Prep’s success over the last 40 years. His first year, he was my 9th-grade science teacher and junior-high football coach. Over the last 31, that relationship has evolved from coach to mentor to colleague and along the way into a close friend. He will certainly be missed.”

by Brent Heavener Head Baseball Coach

As baseball coach, Noble spent 18 years making Prep’s team into one of the historic programs in the state. Coach Kinnison worked alongside Noble, then an assistant. Kinnison is now athletic director at Delta State University, and remarks: “I’m very grateful for the time Gary and I spent coaching together and the commitment he made to write a definitive chapter of the Prep baseball story. We worked diligently on player development, facility enhancement, and program growth. We shared the dugout for ten years, and I will always value our

L to R: Will Crosby, Lawrence Coco, Gary Noble, Reta Haire

friendship and the time we worked together to grow the program.”

But Gary Noble’s impact reaches far beyond the direct coaching of players. As the above quotations testify, he’s had a huge impact on colleagues as well. As the current leader of the baseball program, I can say how nice it is to stroll into his office, ask his opinion, and leave feeling better about all manner of things. Many coaches I know feel the same way. In allowing me room to make my own decisions, he always ended our conversations with, “Make sure we get those boys ready to play.” His wise advice consistently helped me do just that.

Texas A&M Assistant Coach, and former Prep coach, Chuck Box agrees: “Coach Noble means so much to me. He was a tremendous mentor, confidant, and friend when I was at Prep. He understood leadership and coaching as well as anyone I’ve been around in my 30-year coaching career and always gave me great direction. I am sad to see him get out of the education business because he brought so much to everyone he worked with… students, teachers, and families. However, I am excited that he and Lisa can enjoy life in retirement.”

It says volumes about Gary that he has impacted so many people profoundly, even years after their leaving Prep. The lessons he taught his students and players are still with them. He leaves large shoes to fill and a legacy that stays with all of us. For all that he has done, for all that he is, we say thank you, and we wish you, Gary, the best in all the years to come.

Gary had the first pitch in the game against PCS in the semifinals of the playoffs.

Digital Extra: See the retirement message Dave Brister (class of 1999) sent to Coach Noble here.

MOCK TRIAL

No Objections

The mock trial team advanced to state competition after winning both rounds at Regionals at MC Law School. Lily Teague was recognized with a Best Attorney award, and Grayson Ohnmacht with Best Witness.

Prep Mock Trial Team:

Attorneys: Lily Teague, Katherine Cole, and Eli Biggs

Witnesses: Angelina Hayes, Katie Poole, Riley Spivey, Harper Johnson, Jake Mathews, and Grayson Ohnmacht

Students scoring 30+ on the ACT include:

Front Row (L-R): Kelsey Clay, Kate Ferguson, Tyler Reeves, Nehir Baser, Lucy Weir, Alexis Renee Heath, Jillian Hollman, Elizabeth Head, Aubrey Kalahar, Rachel Watts, Riley Spivey, Lily Teague

Second Row (L-R): Callie Knotts, Elizabeth Mitchell, Harper Johnson, Maggie McMillan, Caroline Hopkins, Caroline Ingram, Chase Thompson, Kimmons Sheppard, Anna Kate Bertolet

Third Row (L-R): Paxton Thompson, Harrison Jones, Maddox Noe, Andrew Puckett, Luke Segrest, Will Upton, Paul Gregg, Luke Habeeb, Jake Mathews. Nathan Werne

Back Row (L-R): Trey Welch, Parker Wineman, Ivey Yelverton, Ford McDaniel, Grey Thompson, Edward Wilson, Ian Underwood, Ben Tiller, Ash Hederman, DJ Johnson

Not Pictured: Colton Holman, Sam Stogner, William Walker

NUMBER: 2023

Jackson Prep Senior Eagle Scouts Recognized Jackson Preparatory School recently recognized nine outstanding seniors for achieving the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. The highest award in Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout status is earned by scouts working their way through the ranks, earning at least 21 merit badges, holding leadership positions in their unit, and planning and leading a massive service project. Only 6% of all scouts who join will ever reach the Eagle Scout rank, and Jackson Prep could not be more proud of these impressive young men and their achievement. Front Row (L-R): Ian Underwood, Harrison Jones, Ryan Fisackerly, Winn Crosby, Will Upton, and Back Row (L-R): Wilson Cotten, Thomas Turner, Clayton Grubbs, Charles Phillips.

NURSING

They Got Pinned!

For the last several years, we have hosted UMMC’s School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony in Fortenberry Theatre. This year seven Prep alumni were in the graduating class. All seven earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing and will become RNs once they pass boards.

Mary Parker Plunkett (class of 2019, right top)

Recipient of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, a national and international award that is given to the student with a commitment to extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care, the highest honor given to a nursing student. Mary Parker will be employed at the Cardiac Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UMMC/Blair Batson.

Neil Stewart (class of 2018, right middle)

Will work at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at UMMC.

Jordan Davis (class of 2017, right bottom)

2023 School of Nursing Class Secretary

2022-2023 School of Nursing Ambassador Exemplary Leadership in Service Award. Will begin working at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham in July as an RN in Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum department.

NURSING

Sydney Mann (class of 2016, left top)

Currently employed at UMMC 5 North orthopedics.

Olivia Thigpen (class of 2018, left middle)

Will work in Pediatric ER at UMMC,

Sara Michael Kennedy (class of 2019, left bottom)

School of Nursing Student Body President Student Ambassador

Excellence in Service Award Jackson Free Clinic Patient Navigator

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

Will attend UAB in fall to pursue Masters degree to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Katelyn Cox (class of 2019, immediate left)

Will be working at Neuro ICU St. Dominic.

PERSONNEL

Ch-ch-changes

David Gammill, Director of School Safety, will retire from Prep at the end of the school year. Captain Gammill has served as the full-time safety officer since 2016 and has kept campus secure by providing a daily law enforcement presence and participating in the annual review and update of our crisis management plan, including lockdown procedures. Prior to joining the Prep family, Captain Gammill served as a law enforcement officer for 39 years. He held the positions of Sergeant, Lieutenant over Investigations and Patrol Divisions, Assistant SWAT Team Commander, and Captain when he retired from Flowood Police Department. Join me in thanking Captain Gammill for his service to our community and wishing him the best in retirement.

Prep is fortunate to have David Shelton join us in the role of Director of School Safety, assuming all of the duties and responsibilities of Captain Gammill. Shelton served for 30 years as a public servant in law enforcement with Flowood PD. He served in various roles, including Corporal, Sergeant, and was Captain when he retired in 2022, serving with Captain Gammill in many of these positions. As parent to a

(continued next page)

PERSONNEL

(Safety, continued)

2022 alum, Captain Shelton knows our school and campus well and has worked events on campus with Captain Gammill, including evaluation of our lockdown drills each semester. Captain Shelton will join the Prep staff on May 1.

We are blessed to have both men serve and protect our students.

POETRY

Edward Represents

In the eighteenth year of the Poetry Out Loud Contest, Jackson Prep’s Edward Wilson competed with 53 other state and territory champions from around the country. First, he competed on May 9 with 17 other semifinalists from the central region of the country and made it to the top three, progressing him to the final contest. There, he competed with the top three from the eastern section and western sections. At finals, Edward recited two poems and was recognized as top three, allowing him to recite a third poem. He was named 2nd place national winner and brought home $10,000 for himself and another $500 for the school. Edward is the fourth state winner to represent MS at the national level of Poetry Out Loud.

Head of School Lawrence Coco said, “We could not be more proud of Edward and his outstanding success with a national 2nd place finish in Poetry Out Loud. Through his hard work and determination, he represented himself, Jackson Prep, and the state of Mississippi in exemplary fashion. He has shown the country that some of the best and brightest minds come from Mississippi and Jackson Prep. I commend his Poetry Out Loud coach, Jessica Wilkinson, along with all of our faculty that have supported Edward in his journey to the national competition. We have always known Edward was poised for success, and we look forward to seeing what he accomplishes after graduation in May.”

POETRY

Edward has been such a joy to coach in Poetry Out Loud. He was quick to take the notes he was given and apply them. He spent lots of time working on his own, and I could tell that he’d put in the work when we’d meet to rehearse. He didn’t want to go to DC to get a participation trophy. He wanted a win, and I’m just so proud of him for doing exactly what he set his mind to accomplish. He made Jackson Prep, his family, the state of Mississippi, and his coach very proud. I know he has an incredible future ahead of him.

-Jessica Wilkinson

Digital Extra: See Edward’s recitation of “Beautiful Wreckage” by W.D Ehrhart at the 2023 Poetry Out Loud National Finals here.

And Now...the News

Students from the staff of JPTV and The Sentry traveled to the University of Mississippi for the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association’s spring conference.

While there, they garnered a number of awards for their work this year.

In the “Best of Show” competition:

Best News Front, Anna Blaire Bryant and Riley Spivey (The Sentry), finalists

Best News Story, Peter Downing (JPTV), finalist

Best News Story, Alexis Renee Heath (JPTV), finalist

Best Feature Story, Ryan Groebe and Avery Williams (JPTV), finalists

Best Sports Story, Peter Downing (JPTV), finalist

Best Broadcast (JPTV), finalist

In the larger “Best of Mississippi” contest (the State Championships of student journalism):

Best Long Form Story, Duncan Mathews (JPTV), finalist

Best Sports Coverage (JPTV), finalist

Best Creativity (JPTV), finalist

Best Opinion Piece, Edward Wilson (The Sentry), OVERALL STATE WINNER

Best Staff Editorial, Baty Newman (The Sentry), finalist

Best Staff Editorial, Megan Tomlinson (The Sentry), OVERALL STATE WINNER

Best Review, Riley Spivey (The Sentry), finalist

Best Review, Sophia Primos (The Sentry), finalist

Best Sports Photo, Hannah Polk (The Sentry), finalist

Best News and Feature Writing (The Sentry), finalist

Best Sports Writing (The Sentry), finalist

Best Opinion Writing (The Sentry), finalist

Best Print Layout & Design (The Sentry), finalist

Congratulations to these students for their hard work!

ROBOTICS

Taking It to a New Level

Jonathan Nations and Bennett O’Quinn competed in the VEX IQ Robotics Mississippi Championships and won two awards. Twentysix teams from the state competed. They won a 3rd place skills ranking and the Engineering Design Award, which is based on the quality of their engineering notebook and interview score. This qualified Prep to compete in the World Championship. In late April, they traveled to Dallas to compete with the best 600 teams from over 40 countries. Through two rounds of interviews by two different judge teams, our young men ranked #1 with every judge and received extremely good comments.

SPEECH AND DEBATE

Something to Talk About

The speech and debate team has remained active in 2022-23, participating in 11 tournaments and well over 400 rounds of competition across 10 events. All multi-tournament participants advanced beyond preliminary rounds, and team captain Edward Wilson won over a dozen championships including designation as the Overall Outstanding Competitor at Oak Grove Warrior Invitational in Hattiesburg. Edward has qualified for nine slots at four post-season National Championship tournaments this year, and Megan Tang has qualified to represent MS in Original Oratory at the NCFL Grand Nationals in Kentucky over Memorial Day weekend.

(Top photo) Seniors Edward Wilson and Megan Tomlinson with awards won at the Singing River Speech & Debate Classic at Pascagoula High School.

(Middle photo) Speech & Debate team Member enjoy Jackson Prep’s traditional “post-tournament debrief” at Waffle House in Starkville Mississippi. left to right –Sophomore Allie Landry; Senior Edward Wilson, Senior Megan Tomlinson, Senior Megan Tang, and Sophomore Sophie Slade.

(Bottom photo) Edward Wilson shows off one of his nine national championship qualifier plaques, this one for representing MS in Extemporaneous Speaking at the NSDA Nationals to be held in June in Phoenix, AZ.

SPORTING CLAYS

Teams Hit Moving Target

Two Jackson Prep Sporting Clay teams participated in the Mississippi Scholastic Shooting Program state tournament on April 21-22. These students have qualified by placing in the top 25 during two events in the fall.

The varsity team (top photo)–Ethan Bush, Jake Matthews, and Gates Lyle–placed 4th while the junior varsity (bottom photo)–Rand Woodson, Andrew Sites, and McLeod Woodson–placed 18th.

Jake, Ethan, and Gates have also earned a special distinction by qualifying for the Southeastern Regional Tournament in Edgefield, South Carolina, on May 6. Out of 317 teams in Mississippi, they were one of the top 10 at this tournament.

TECHNOLOGY

State Champs!

The Technology Student Association (TSA) started its first year with a big win! Bill Richardson took two teams to the State Championships in Jackson, and they left their mark on the competition.

The Virtual Reality Production team of Caroline Sharpe, Cameron McCain, Jace Peters, and Mattie Sherman–sponsored by teachers Don Regan and Bill Richardson–created a virtual pet adoption center and walked away with a first place finish.

The Music Production team of Andrew Puckett and Sam Stogner created an original piece and was sponsored by Bill Richardson.They entered district competition a few months ago and took third place with a state qualification. In later competition, they brought home the state championship.