Mud & Magnolias August 2017

October. 2017 November 2013 August

&Magnolias

Mud

Back to School

Art Adventures with Mrs. Mallory

Teacher & Administrator Profiles • Children’s Jiu Jitsu Farm-to-School Programs • Meals on the Go mudandmag.com

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Aubrey, 3

end-stage kidney disease

I wish to have a swimming pool

RefeRRing a child to Make-a-Wish is as easy as aBc! Children between the ages of 2½ and 18 with a life-threatening medical condition may qualify for a wish. They do not have to be terminally ill, and there is no socioeconomic criteria.

A lways be sure to get permission from a legal guardian. A family member, medical professional or potential wish child can submit a referral.

B e sure to remember that the child’s physician will determine wish eligibility. Eligibility is based on the child’s diagnosis.

C all us or refer online at midsouth.wish.org. Simply submit names and phone numbers, and Make-A-Wish Mid-South will do the rest!

1780 Moriah Woods Blvd., Suite 10 Memphis, TN 38117 Phone: 901.680.9474 Fax: 901.680.0912

To refer a child or learn more, visit: midsouth.wish.org midsouth@midsouth.wish.

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Walk to End Alzheimer’s - Tupelo Veteran’s Park Saturday, September 23, 2017 10

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For questions please call 662-321-5773

Contents

&Magnolias

Mud

pg. 25

pg. 35

pg. 47

pg. 82

Features Editor’s Letter pg. 12 Recipes pg. 15 When the routine kicks back in, we need quick and easy meals.

With these recipes, you don’t have to skimp on nutrition.

Home Spotlight pg. 25 Imaginations come to life when a child’s room looks like one of his favorite fictional worlds.

10 Things to Know pg. 29 Daily Journal education reporter Emma Kent gives us the run down on what to know for the school year.

Farm-to-School • pg. 35

We’ve all heard about the farm-to-table movement and now this idea is modeled in area schools.

The Chaney Nest • pg. 47

What started as a hobby turned into a baby clothes-making business based in Starkville.

Teacher & Administrator Profiles • pg. 55 Get to know a few leaders in the North Mississippi education system.

Stickers, Washi & More • pg. 77

With over 240 milkshake flavors and just about anything you can think of fried to perfection, this Hernando staple is here to stay.

Building Friendships pg. 41 Columnist Laura Walker gives tips on helping your child build healthy friendships.

Back to School Fashion pg. 69 Retailer dressed a few exemplary students in the hottest items for going back to school.

Children’s Jiu Jitsu pg. 89 Teaching discipline and skill, all while getting children active, is just one benefit of this program.

Art Adventures with Mrs. Mallory • pg. 82

She isn’t an ordinary teacher and she knows how to bring out a child’s creative ability. mudandmag.com

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Editor’s Letter

Going back to school was always such a bittersweet event for me. I loved summers spent on the lake or by a pool with no school work on the agenda, but there was always an excitement to get back to the grind and partake in all the activities the school year brings. I can still remember those feelings even though I’m far removed from school days. This issue covers all the bases from learning about teachers and administrators (pg. 55) to after-school activities (pg. 82 and 89) to school programs your child could be experiencing this year (pg. 35). And in between we learn about local makers who can help you keep things straight in your planner (pg. 77) or dress your little ones in adorable, handmade items (pg. 47).

Perhaps my favorite feature in this issue is on a room fashioned after the imaginary world of Harry Potter (pg. 25). The Martin kids have cool parents who brought their imaginations to life through murals and accents. And with this issue being all about kids and rearing them to success, I enjoyed getting to know some exemplary students in our area while they modeled clothes from local retailers (pg.69). This issue has been fun to create and I hope it helps you get back in the swing of things, even if you’re dreaming of the more relaxing days of summer.

If you have any thoughts about this issue, please email me at editor@mudandmag.com.

On the cover: Seven-year-old Emma Harris was given free rein to paint whatever came to mind at Art Adventures with Mrs. Mallory summer camp. See the feature on page 82 for details. Photo by Lauren Wood.

Over at mudandmag.com: Be on the lookout for: Our new online store features T-shirts, coffee mugs, digital prints and dish towels with art and designs by local Mississippi artists.

Jiu Jitsu instructor Grady Hurley talks about the benefits of his children’s program.

Check out our feature on page 89. + narratives, videos and extended photo galleries facebook.com/mudandmagnolias

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@mudandmagnolias

Mud & Magnolias

@mudandmagnolias

THE STAFF’S MOST MEMORABLE FIRST DAY

Mud

&Magnolias

1242 S Green St. Tupelo, MS 38804 662.842.2611

Editor-in-Chief 2

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Photos by C. Todd Sherman, Lauren Wood and Thomas Wells

6 2 • Shannon: The first day of school that comes to mind is my first day of senior year. Just the feeling of potential, even though I was much too young to realize it at the time. It just seemed like anything was possible and amazing things were about to happen.

3 • Emma: I have some vivid memories from my first day of kindergarten. I remember being late, and in my rush to get out of the car and follow my dad into the school, I pinched my finger as I unbuckled my seat belt. I was wearing a yellow-and-pink striped dress with a pink collar, and I had a brand new Mulan lunch box. I remember being upset that I was late and that my finger was hurt, but once I got to my classroom I saw another girl with the same Mulan lunch box.

Apparently this was so exciting to me that I forgot all about my throbbing finger and tardiness and channeled that energy into befriending her. We ended up being friends throughout elementary school.

4 • Leslie: My first day of first grade will never be forgotten. I was a painfully shy child and was scared to death of my first foray into public school. And all my anxiety back in those days took the form of stomach issues. My sweet mama and I spent the first hour of my first day of first grade in the restroom of the little red schoolhouse in my hometown of Grenada. Not exactly how I wanted to start school, but it was what it was!

5 • Carmen: When I was in middle school, my parents started letting me ride to school with my older sister, Brittany. I remember pulling up in the high school parking lot in the passenger seat of her Sebring convertible thinking I was the coolest kid on campus. Little did I know, a few short hours later, she would have me locked in her car at the local Sonic while she hung out with her friends at the picnic tables. Apparently she wasn’t as excited about the arrangement as I was.

6 • Lauren: My mom would have my sister and me take a photo together every year on the first day of school, and I probably groaned about it at the time, but I’m so glad she had us do it so we could look back on the memories! I hope to carry on the tradition when I have kids one day.

Ellie Turner Associate Editors Shannon Johnson Missha Rogers Leslie Criss Lauren Wood Carmen Cristo Featured Sales Consultants Leigh Knox Bill Spencer June Phillips Darla Webb Amber Lancaster Teresa McDonald Rexy Hollingsworth Krystal Black Contributing Editors Emma Kent Kaitlin O’Dougherty Contributing Photographers Thomas Wells Adam Robison subscriptions@mudandmag.com advertising@mudandmag.com info@mudandmag.com mudandmag.com This magazine is a bimonthly publication of Journal, Inc.

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Century 21 Sue Gardner Realty

Healthy Lunch Box Protein + Veggies + Fruit + Energy Snack = Full, happy kid.

Oat & peanut butter energy balls, recipe on page 22 Photos by Lauren Wood

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Brand New Frames for Kids! ...and more!

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Sheet Pan Dinner Easy ingredients on one pan make for a quick and effortless meal.

Sheet pan bruschetta chicken, recipe on page 22

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The average child spends 6 hours a day in front of an electronic device. Protect their eyes from the harmful blue light rays in electronic screens, which can increase risk of macular changes, cataracts and other eye conditions including sleep disorders. Our optical shop is offering free upgrade to light protection lenses with the purchase of frame and basic lens for all students in the month of August.

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3353 North Gloster • Tupelo, MS 844-3555 or 1-800-280-7372 mudandmag.com 18 l www.wandmeyes.com

Breakfast on the Go Overnight oats, recipe on page 22

Hurrying out the door doesn’t have to mean skipping a healthy breakfast. Prep a little the night before and you’re covered. mudandmag.com

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The New Stitch

Work Done The Old Fashioned Way...With Pride

Screen Printing Monogramming • Trophies Awards • Plus More!

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Recipes HEALTHY LUNCH BOX

BREAKFAST ON THE GO

OAT & PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BALLS

OVERNIGHT OATS

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Banana Chocolate Chip

Directions: Mix all ingredients until well incorporated.

Cover and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Mold a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into ball form. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Store in refrigerator.

SHEET PAN DINNER BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 slices For the bruschetta: 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup basil leaves, chiffonaded kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. To make bruschetta, combine tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Place chicken in a single layer on one side of the baking pan.

Place potatoes on the opposite side in a single layer. Add olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, basil and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine. Bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are golden brown and crisp. Top chicken with mozzarella in the last 10 mintues of cooking. Serve with bruschetta topping.

Ingredients: 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 cup rolled oats 2/3 cup unsweetened milk of choice 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon Nutella pinch of salt 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 ripe banana, mashed 2 tablespoons chocolate chips Directions: Mix all ingredients well and store in a container with lid for at least 4 hours before serving.

Tropical Fruit Ingredients: 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 cup rolled oats 2/3 cup coconut milk (in can) 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 1 tablespoon honey 1/3 cup fresh or canned pineapple, chopped 1/3 cup ripe mango, chopped 1/2 ripe banana, mashed 2 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut Directions: Mix all ingredients well and store in a container with lid for at least 4 hours before serving.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ingredients: 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 cup rolled oats 2/3 cup unsweetened milk of choice 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 1 tablespoon honey 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, chopped 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon Directions: Mix all ingredients well and store in a container with lid for at least 4 hours before serving.

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Women’s Apparel • Jewelry

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The SOUTHERN TIDE Skipjack Polo is THE BEST POLO EVER MADE. Made with soft premium fabric combined with stretch make this the go-to polo & it’s available in YOUR school colors!

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Charlie Martin in his Harry Potterthemed room.

Home Spotlight: Children’s Room

Jonathan and Lisa Martin live in Tupelo with their three sons, Jack, George and Charlie.

Jonathan and Lisa are avid consumers of literature, music and theater and are passing those passions down to their children. Their home is an artistic haven, complete with a painted book staircase and themed rooms, like the Harry Potter room shared by their two youngest boys. We sat down with Lisa to get the details.

Interview by Carmen Cristo mudandmag.com

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How does your family use this room? We have three boys — Jack, George and Charlie. This room is shared by George and Charlie. It’s my favorite room in the house, though. If I ever get the luxury of a nap, I take it in here.

The boys are obviously Harry Potter fans. Is it a family thing? My husband, Jonathan, and I are huge fans. He actually asked me if we should wait and see if it comes to the boys naturally, but they had to be Harry Potter fans. It’s what we read at night before bed.

Tell me about the mural. The mural was painted by Reid White. She was actually the boys’ babysitter. I had been talking about doing this for a while, and one weekend while I was away, my husband had it started.

Where did you find the themed decor? Most everything in the room was purchased separately. Some things came from Etsy, ebay, and other online stores. A few things came from Harry Potter World. We wanted certain things to be genuine – like Hedwig. Hedwig had to be legit. No generic owls.

What was the boys’ reaction to the room? They absolutely loved it. And I hope they continue to do so. I’m not changing it unless it’s to make room for a crib for a future grandchild named Sirius. I love that room as much as they do. Maybe more.

Is it important to you for your kids to have a creative space? Absolutely! A home is where we spend most of our time - growing and exploring life together. While I would love to have a home that I can entertain in, I mostly want to have a fun, creative environment where we feel comfortable and can express our interests and the love we have for ideas, art and imagination. I feel like our home represents who we are as a family. You can see pieces of our personalities in each room.

We frame our children’s art and hang it next to art that is purchased from a gallery. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.

What does your family love about Harry Potter? What I love most about Harry Potter is that it appeals to the child in me, while also teaching me how to be an adult. The idea of good versus evil, not only in an external way in the world, but the struggle of light versus dark within us, is told in the most simplistic and beautiful way possible in both the books and the movies. They both inspire me to try and see the good in myself and others. I framed some of Dumbledore’s quotes in hopes that my boys will take them to heart. And the magic is what makes it accessible to people of all ages. My kids love it because it’s fun, but I know they’re simultaneously learning important life lessons. And I love the fact that at any given moment, someone in my house can scream “Expecto Patronum!” M Photos by Lauren Wood mudandmag.com

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• Explore Oxford •

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OXFORD, MS

2311 Jackson Ave. West • Suite 306B • 662-380-5023

Rosemary Couch, Owner • Sam Phillips, In-house Jewelry & Watch Repair

10 Things to Know for the 2017-2018 school year

Daily Journal education reporter Emma Kent gathered top facts relevant to parents of children across North Mississippi.

1. What’s STEM?

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and you’re about to hear a lot more about it. The Tupelo Public School District and the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District will both roll out STEM-focused initiatives during this school year. In Tupelo, STEM will be integrated across subject areas using specialized teaching and learning materials designed to provide multiple, hands-on exposures to science concepts.

The district will begin phasing these materials into kindergarten through sixth-grade classrooms in the fall as well as revamping its middle school collegeand-career curriculum to align with the STEM initiative. Starkville schools will marry traditional STEM-based learning with reading, sustainability and the arts with its STREAMS program. The program will focus on comprehensive and immersive learning experiences including career academies, field trips and industry internships in addition to classroom instruction.

2. Say hello to your new superintendent.

Several area school districts are kicking off the new school year under new leadership. New superintendents include Lance Evans in the New Albany School District; Brian Jernigan in the Nettleton School District; Eddie Peasant in the Starkville-Oktibbeha School District; Bill Brand in the North Tippah School District; and Jeff Clay in the Aberdeen School District.

3. Shelter from the storm.

FEMA storm shelters continue to crop up on school campuses, with many doubling as classroom or multi-purpose space to be used by teachers and students. Look for the construction of a shelter on Shannon Primary School’s campus this year as well as one on Tupelo High School’s campus. The THS shelter will also serve as a new indoor athletic facility. Shelters already exist at Joyner, Carver and Thomas Street elementary schools in the Tupelo Public School District. Shelters at North and South Pontotoc high schools are currently being built and should be complete around December.

4. Teacher appreciation.

According to Time.com, teachers spend an average of $500 out of pocket on classroom supplies each year. This includes things like tissues, dry erase markers, cleaning supplies and even basic school supplies such as pencils, paper and markers. So, pick up a few extra school supplies for your child’s teacher this year if you can. Teachers from area school districts have also turned to crowd-sourcing website donorschoose. org to raise money for bigger-ticket items like desks and electronic devices.

The website allows anyone, anywhere in the world to donate money to be put toward purchasing these supplies. Visit donorschoose.org and search your child’s school to see if their teachers have any active fundraisers.

5. Fruits and veggies and salads, oh my!

Both Joyner and Parkway elementary schools in the Tupelo Public School District have added salad bars to their cafeteria offerings for the new school year. The salad bars will feature all of the fresh ingredients students need to build their own delicious salad at lunch - greens, vegetables, fruits and toppings.

Some items will be locally sourced from Native Son Farms. The salad bars were funded by a grant from the Chef Ann Foundation’s “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” program.

6. Teamwork makes the dream work.

The Booneville and Baldwyn school districts are teaming up to expand educational opportunities for their students through the “Districts of Innovation” program in the upcoming school year. Thanks to the partnership, students from both districts will be able to access specialized and advanced courses that may not have been otherwise available to them. This includes advanced manufacturing and vo-tech courses that will be offered at the new Baldwyn Career Advancement Center on Baldwyn High School’s campus. The Center is expected to be complete mid-year and will be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment donated by area businesses. It will also make Baldwyn High one of two schools in the state to offer furniture manufacturing and the only school statewide to offer a manufacturing technician class. mudandmag.com

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7. Model school.

A longtime participant in artsintegrated learning through the Whole Schools Initiative, Saltillo Elementary School earned “model school” status this summer, the highest designation in the program. The Whole Schools Initiative is an arm of the Mississippi Arts Commission and helps teachers use the arts as a vehicle for learning core subjects like math, science and reading.

The new status means Saltillo students will experience arts-integrated lessons daily, and the school’s teachers will be examples for other schools interested in Whole Schools. This will be the school’s ninth year in the program.

8. Building community.

The Oxford School District is partnering with the William Winter Institute of Racial Reconciliation to participate in the Welcome Table, a communitybuilding program designed to develop and build relationships for the common good. The district’s participation will aim to create a safe place for the district’s diverse community 30

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stakeholders — parents, students, teachers, administrators, community members, school supporters — to form healthy relationships via open, honest communication. Look for more information from the school district this month.

9. Just say “no.”

Houston School District students who participate in extracurricular activities will be subject to drug screenings starting this school year. The district’s school board voted to adopt the policy in March, and board members say the aim of the policy is not to catch students but rather to intervene and encourage them not to use illegal drugs. Test results will be confidential, and school officials will not share them with law enforcement. However, for students who do test positive, there will be consequences including suspension of on-campus driving privileges, an inability to participate in extracurricular activities like sports and clubs and increased supervision at school, among other things. Parents will be notified, and

consent forms will be sent home with students.

10. New school year, new look.

The Tupelo Public School District rolled out a new website mid-July featuring an updated design and a few new features for parents. The district wanted a more modern and user-friendly design for its website, bringing photos, videos and other multimedia content to the forefront of its online presence.

Simple, clickable icons and drop-down navigation menus on TPSD’s homepage were added to help parents find what they need easily and without having to call the central office. TPSD’s mobile app has also been updated to match the website’s new design. M Above photo: Charles Laney, project manager with JBHM Architects in Tupelo, and Andy Cantrell, director of operations with the Tupelo Public School District, walk through the storm shelter located at Thomas Street Elementary School. Photo by Adam Robison

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• Shop Pontotoc •

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• Shop Pontotoc •

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Big Oaks Golf Course,

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Tupelo Academy of Dance Arts

Official School of the Tupelo Ballet Established in 1976 DIRECTOR SHARON LONG // ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR TRACY PETERS

ANNOUNCES OPEN HOUSE

Monday August 14th 3:30 - 5pm Come meet & greet the faculty.

P•O•P•S•E•Y popsicles for all!

TADA // 775 Poplarville // TUPELO // 662-844-4352 For more information visit TUPELOBALLET.COM and click “ACADEMY”

THE CORNER SHOE STORE will be on site for all your dance attire needs.

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662-842-7965

Shantia Roberts and Tanaya Williams at Parkway Elementary School

Farm to School

Ever thought about how schools use their green spaces? From courtyard gardens to fullon pumpkin patches, a growing trend in the Northeast Mississippi area is to use those oft-overlooked spaces to grow vegetables.

T

By Emma Kent

he farm-to-table movement brought locally sourced food and nutrition into focus in recent years, and educators are following suit, bringing gardening and nutrition lessons aimed at creating healthy kids to local schools.

While the farm-to-school idea may not be completely new to the northeast corner of our state, it is growing.

Two school districts leading that growth are the Tupelo Public School District and the Pontotoc City School District.

Elementary schools in the Tupelo Public School District have built gardens on their campuses and added gardening time into the students’ busy school days over the past several years.

In 2015, Pontotoc Middle School added gardens to its courtyard and a greenhouse that would eventually turn into a small farmer’s market at the school.

Garden and agriculture programs also exist in the Nettleton and Baldwyn school districts.

“Having the foundation of knowing that your food doesn’t just come shrink-wrapped from Walmart - I think that is mudandmag.com

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Natalie Barnes and coordinator of Growing Healthy Waves Donna Loden at Parkway Elementary School.

Landon Swinney, left, and Zuriel White at Joyner Elementary

Dave Cole at Pontotoc Middle School priceless,” said Kelly Ginn, former agriculture teacher at Pontotoc Middle. “I think it’s amazing that communities and schools are willing to let their children play with that and explore that, because it’s really a lot of fun.”

Tupelo’s farm-to-school program, “Growing Healthy Waves,” is a district-wide initiative created through a partnership with FoodCorps.

In the Tupelo school district, students tend to the plants and teachers deliver garden-related lessons that teach academic and life skills.

The gardens provide the perfect opportunity for elementaryage students to get their hands dirty while learning about science, nutrition and math.

A large garden at Pontotoc Middle School includes raised beds and container gardens as well as a greenhouse.

An $80,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield Mississippi originally paid for the construction of the Pontotoc greenhouse, raised beds, seeds and gardening tools, among other supplies.

Taking a cue from Pontotoc, Lawndale Elementary had a greenhouse built this summer on its Tupelo campus.

Pontotoc students use the greenhouse and surrounding beds to grow and sell tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and pumpkins, depending on the season.

The students have also now begun starting their own plants from seed and cuttings, including houseplants.

Not only does gardening connect students to the food, Ginn said, it connects them to the community as they sell their produce.

“It’s a great way to have fresh-grown stuff right there in town

that people may not have in their homes,” Ginn said.

These programs in Tupelo and Pontotoc have been made possible mostly through grant money, but schools are now finding new ways to make the programs sustainable.

At Pontotoc Middle, selling produce is supplemented by what Ginn calls the “Greenhouse Hotel.” During the winter, community members and school teachers and staff can pay to house their outdoor plants in the school’s greenhouse from late November until March.

It’s an easy way to earn some extra cash - $300 this past year - to put back into the program, Ginn said.

With $800-$900 from selling produce and plants, the middle-school enterprise brought in more than $1,000 during the 2016-17 school year.

According to TPSD Growing Healthy Waves volunteer Donna Loden, the plan is to have Lawndale students eventually sell their own plants from their greenhouse, too.

Loden also hopes to see the greenhouse used for hands-on science, technology, engineering and math lessons this year, and she wants to allow all of the district’s students - not just those at Lawndale - to be a part of the action.

In the meantime, though, Loden’s been seeking Ginn’s advice on how to make Lawndale’s greenhouse self-sustaining and well-equipped for the first group of students who will use it this fall.

The two districts may even collaborate further in the future.

“I hope that we can leverage both of our school districts’ knowledge of STEM and make it a cross-county coalition,” Loden said. “I love the idea of getting those teachers working together.” M

Photos by Adam Robison mudandmag.com

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Building Friendships 101 The new school year means rekindling old friendships and the beginning of new ones.

While not every friendship will last a lifetime, it is the fundamental social aspect that has such a profound effect on a child’s overall development. Learning how to interact and show emotion through relationships builds the foundation for children’s academic success, mental health and social skills.

By Laura Walker

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lthough humans are naturally social creatures, the skills of how to appropriately interact is a learned behavior. For example, a small child sees other children playing on a playground and wants to join in.

Small children don’t innately know how to engage other children, so he may go up and hit the other child to get his attention. In turn, the child runs away. As a parent, this should be a teachable moment. Explain to him, “If you want someone to play with you, try asking if you can play too.”

Practice modeling this behavior with your child and encourage him to try again with the appropriate behavior. You can even practice this at home with a stuffed animal or older sibling.

Two important aspects of building relationships are empathy and inclusion, especially at a young age. Helping a child understand how hurtful excluding someone can be builds empathy. Children with empathy are less likely to bully others and are more likely to stand up for their peers. Encouraging children to include everyone, even others they may not have a lot in common with, opens children to more diverse friendships and builds greater compassion. Involvement in a variety of social groups, such as extracurricular activities, can also help children expand their social circles.

“Getting kids involved in extracurricular and social activities is a great way to expose children to diverse groups of people,” said Anna Cox, lead clinical therapist with Canopy Children’s Solutions. “Sometimes this requires parents to come out of their comfort zones. Whether you are at the ball field or at a birthday party, the kids are watching, so make it a point to reach out and interact with those around you, even if it’s a little uncomfortable. Kids often learn by example.”

As children enter adolescence and the teen years, it becomes increasingly important that you know and build trusting relationships with your child’s friends. You want your child and his or her friends to be open to talking to you in the event that either child is in trouble. Lay out your expectations, but let them know if they are ever in a tough spot, you will be there to support them. The child needs to know they won’t be judged, but also understand that there are consequences for breaking the rules. This is an avenue for open, honest dialogue.

Lastly, it is extremely important to help your child understand healthy conflict. This is the primary reason so many friendships end. Children often think because they are mad or they don’t see eye to eye with one another they can no longer be friends. Teach your child how to calmly talk out their frustration and to give a voice to what is bothering them.

“So much of what children learn about relationships and how to deal with conflict is learned at home,” said Cox. “It is so important that parents model healthy behavior, particularly in conflict, to teach their children how to calmly talk out the problem and work together to find a solution. This skill will go beyond just friendships but can also affect future relationships.”

Preparing your kids to go back to school means more than completing reading lists and gathering school supplies.

Teaching them how to build positive relationships will help put them on a path toward lifelong social and emotional success. M Laura Walker is a staff writer at Canopy Children’s Solutions. The organization offers an array of behavioral health, educational and social services to children and families throughout Mississippi.

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Digestive Health Specialists Do You Have Trouble Getting Medical or Dental Care for Your Child? Or Do You Have A Problem Paying For Their Medicines?

If you answered Yes to either question, CATCH Kids may be able to help you! CATCH Kids operates Free Clinics for children ages birth to 18 years old.

All medical care is provided by local doctors and/or nurse practitioners.

All prescribed medicines can be filled free to your child! Children that do not have dental insurance or Medicaid can receive free dental care (No braces or routine cleaning). Children with toothaches, multiple cavities, abscesses, or other gum problems may be eligible for free restorative dental care provided by partnering local dentists. The clinics are not meant to replace your family medical provider, but to ‘catch’ those children that may not be able to obtain needed care otherwise, or sick children that do not need emergency room services.

CATCH Kids Clinic are located in Chickasaw (Okolona), Lee (Tupelo), and Pontotoc Counties. Community-based clinics are scheduled from 5PM - 7PM on Mondays in Tupelo and Pontotoc, on Tuesdays in Haven Acres, and Thursdays in Tupelo and Okolona.

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The Chaney Nest

By Carmen Cristo

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KITCHEN • BATH • MANTLES DESK • BUILT-INS • ISLANDS Dan Moore • PO Box 266 3031 Hwy. 371 • Mantachie, MS 38855 Phone: 662-282-7683 Cell: 662-213-3415

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W

hen Audrey Chaney had her first son, Edward Jr., in 2014, she wanted to make him a few essentials like bibs and burp cloths, so she took to sewing, a hobby she had learned as a child at her grandmother’s knee. By the time her second son, Alistair, was born in 2016, she was ready to take on bigger projects and even sell her creations.

“I really wanted to make something that I could be proud of,” said Chaney.

In her mind, Chaney saw a small, simple line of children’s clothing. It had to be beautiful, practical and affordable. She set up a studio and workspace adjacent to her dining room in her Starkville home with her machine, supplies and clothing racks. During nap times and after bedtime routines, Chaney worked to bring her vision to life, and called it The Chaney Nest.

After much trial and error, Chaney created The Chaney Nest’s first release, the Harvest Collection. Unlike a lot of handmade items, each piece is “designed with play in mind” and field-tested by Chaney’s children.

Sizes range from 0-3 months to 5T with a few offered in newborn size as well. Styles include rompers, dresses, circle

skirts, shorts, bubble shorts and leggings in autumnal hues like charcoal, fig, chambray and mustard. The options offered are a more sophisticated take on children’s clothing, with dark and muted tones and simple grid patterns. The highquality materials are perfect for dressing up or down, which was Chaney’s intent. She always says that they are suitable for Sunday church or for jumping in muddy puddles. Many of the styles can also be worn year-round, like the romper. Chaney recommends wearing it alone during the warmer months and with a shirt underneath and knee socks in fall and winter.

“What it is now is not exactly what I thought it was going to be, but I love it,” said Chaney. “That’s been the fun part.”

Each item is made to order and handmade by Chaney. Plus, she pre-washes and pre-shrinks all the pieces so they stay the size they are when they arrive. The turnaround time is 2-3 weeks. The Chaney Nest website officially launched for orders on July 28. She has also been accepting pre-orders at local craft shows, like the Made in Mississippi event in Starkville.

Chaney finds herself inspired by other makers and carefully curated children’s clothing lines. She calls the look “vintageinspired,” which means that she keeps the patterns simple and classic and lets the colors and textures do the talking. Her approach is minimalistic — offering the same shapes in varying

Haylee Powell, Logan Powell and Edward Chaney Jr.

Ida Frances Dowell and Alistair Chaney hues from her seasonal color palettes.

“It was really important to me that it was affordable,” Chaney said. “A lot of small, handmade shops are making beautiful clothes, but they’re very expensive. I wanted this to be different.”

For now, Chaney is a one-woman show, but she relies heavily on the help of her family and creative friends. In the future, she hopes to have some of her items in a local shop and to focus more on designing the collections while outsourcing some of the more hands-on work.

Her website (thechaneynest.com) will include a blog with recipes, lifestyle posts, inspiration and business talk. The Chaney Nest’s next collection is planned for spring.

Chaney hopes The Chaney Nest will be more than a stylish kids’ clothier, but a brand that symbolizes a simplistic way of living that centers around family, creativity and small joys — a life she and her little birds can be proud of. M Photos by Lauren Wood 50

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Teacher Spotlight

Jody Blake

Choir Teacher // Baldwyn High School

Jody Blake knew he wanted to be a choir teacher from a young age. He was accepted into the Mississippi Boychoir where he was able to travel doing what he loved.

“That’s where I really got my foundation for music education,” Blake said.

Music education was always his passion. He’s received his master’s in music education and is now pursuing his doctorate from Auburn University.

He now enters his fifth year of teaching at Baldwyn High School.

Blake began his time at the high school with five kids in the choir, a number that has now reached 16.

“It’s very small, so 16 kids doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you only have 200 in the entire school, that’s a good chunk of the student population,” Blake said.

Although he teaches grades 5-12, high school choir is the main performing choir.

He said last year was the second time he took his students to the choral festival at Pearl High School, where they received superior ratings at the district and state festivals.

The last time this happened was in 1999.

“It’s been 18 years since the choir has made superior ratings in both performance and sight reading,” Blake said.

He said he sees the interest in music grow for a lot of the kids coming up into the high school.

“For it to be such a small school, we have a lot of really talented kids here,” Blake said.

He knows the arts can lose importance in some areas, but he

feels it is his duty to defend the arts in Baldwyn.

“To me, as a music educator, music is just as important as other subjects,” Blake said.

He said the choir normally performs two to three times a year and at the high school football games. However, the performances are not his favorite part.

“My best times that I remember are in rehearsal or in the classroom,” Blake said. “That’s when I really see the growth, and that’s when I really see the best in my students.”

Blake said he teaches music for music’s sake.

“Our canvas is silence,” Blake said.

Blake tries to continue learning to show his students it is possible.

“I love learning and I feel like to be the best teacher I can be I need to be the best student I can be,” Blake said.

He said it’s nice to show his students his papers and tell them he also has homework to finish at the end of the day.

“You can tell them all day long, I have to go grade your papers or I have to go home and make lesson plans, and that doesn’t really register,” Blake said. “But you tell them, I have homework too, it clicks.”

Last year, the choir went to the Southern Star Music Festival in Atlanta, and received a silver placing. He hopes travel is in their future again.

“Choir is not all about the music,” Blake said. “The choir is about learning, about socializing, about learning how to be a better human being, it’s about all those things.” M

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Administrator Spotlight

Art Dobbs

Principal // Tupelo High School

Sitting in his new office in late June, Tupelo High School principal Art Dobbs’ mood was somewhere between nostalgia for his days as a THS student and excitement about the year ahead, his first year as the school’s leader.

Dobbs was principal at Pierce Street Elementary from 2014 until this past spring when he was named principal of THS, replacing Jason Harris.

The high school and the camaraderie among THS staff, Dobbs said, were already familiar when he made the transition, and despite a few lingering boxes and mostly bare walls, he felt right at home in his new office.

With his old THS yearbooks already stacked neatly in a display cabinet and a can of Mountain Dew, his daily caffeine fix, on his desk, Dobbs said he was wasting no time getting to work.

In the month leading up to his first day as the high school’s new principal, Dobbs met with teachers, approved courses and looked at data from last year’s state tests.

He also kept in touch with those at Pierce Street during the summer, making sure they had what they needed to make the transition smooth there as well.

Although the setting is familiar to him, Dobbs admits he still has a lot to learn as he begins his first year on the job.

“It’s something new every hour,” Dobbs said.

With such a large campus, Dobbs knew getting to know everyone would be a challenge, so he got an early start.

Dobbs said he tried to meet as many teachers as he could

as they would come in during the summer to plan for the upcoming school year.

“You get them when you can and just have conversations, whether it’s five minutes or an hour,” Dobbs said. “That’s the fun part - establishing the relationships and getting to know them.”

He said he’s been grateful since making the transition to THS for teachers’ positivity as they prepare for another school year.

“We’ve always been a large school and had large numbers of staff and teachers at THS, but we’ve always had that family feel,” Dobbs said. “...That’s a good feeling.”

As a THS alum, Dobbs said he’s been trying to wrap his mind around how many things have changed about the school since he attended as a student.

Most recently, Dobbs was an assistant principal at THS from 2010-2014, but he also graduated from the high school in 1994.

Now, as principal, Dobbs is following in his father’s footsteps.

His father, Dale Dobbs, coached and taught at THS and was eventually principal.

Being on the high school’s campus again brings back memories of when the school was being built in the early 1990s, Dobbs said, and of his and his friends’ antics as students there.

Dobbs said he’s especially looking forward to the fall and all that comes with it - football games, pep rallies and homecoming - as well as getting to know the students and helping them succeed academically.

“It’s good to be back,” Dobbs said. “It’s exciting.” M

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AUGUST 17-19 • Dulcimer Festival

NOVEMBER 25 • Turkey Day Trot on the Trails-Tish.

SEPTEMBER 1-2 • Iuka Heritage Festival and Car

NOVEMBER 27 • Belmont Christmas Parade

SEPTEMBER 9 • Bear Creek Festival

DECEMBER 2 • Tishomingo Christmas Parade

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& Tractor Show-Downtown Iuka 662-423-8421 & Car Show-Belmont 662-454-3381

SEPTEMBER 23 • Waterway Festival &

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DECEMBER 1 • Iuka Christmas Parade

DECEMBER 4 • Burnsville Christmas Parade

Car Show - Burnsville 662-427-9526

OCTOBER 6-7 • Trash & Treasures along

the Tenn-Tom Waterway - County- wide 662-423-0051 OCTOBER 12 • 31st Annual Fall Fling for

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Teacher Spotlight

John Davenport Theater Director // Oxford High School

Originally from Campbellsville, Kentucky, John Davenport is entering his 17th year as Oxford High School’s theater director.

It all started when as a young child he got involved in a local community theater in Kentucky.

“I auditioned and I got a part, and it’s been (theater) ever since,” Davenport said.

He later received a scholarship offer from the University of Mississippi he could not pass up so he made the move to Oxford to earn his degree.

Davenport received a job for the annual Oxford musical and after it ended, he went to Michigan to work in professional theater.

Yet, he found himself back in Oxford to direct the musical again the following year. This time, a student unknowingly steered John down the path he’s on today.

The student was entering his senior year and as he chauffered Davenport around town, he told him he was no longer involved in the theater program.

“It bothered me that this kid would probably graduate and never have that opportunity again,” Davenport said. “The theater and entertainment landscape would have fallen off of his radar.”

Davenport was given the opportunity to come back and rebuild the theater program shortly after.

“I thought of that one kid, and I thought if anything, that’s the reason to do it,” Davenport said.

Since then, Davenport has directed almost 100 shows, a milestone he will reach in February.

He’s had the opportunity to take his students to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, the world’s largest arts festival. He will take 19 of them again this August, many of whom will return to school in the fall.

“This experience will make them better performers, better directors, better theater artists all around,” Davenport said.

“The people below them will benefit from that, so it’s a winwin.”

He said the community shows overwhelming support for the theater company.

“They have kind of taken us under their wings and nurtured us,” Davenport said.

They have a five-show season each year, which included an alumni show for the first time last year.

“Former students came in from all over the country,” Davenport said.

Davenport said the arts are special because that is where students learn empathy and collaboration, alongside many other life skills.

“I often tell the kids don’t be yourself, be who you want to be, being yourself is overrated,” Davenport said, laughing.

He humbly said he’s not sure how he inspires the students to keep coming back. However, a comment a student made sticks out to him.

The student said there is such a reputation with the program each year that they don’t want to be the ones to mess that up.

“It really meant a lot — knowing they take it seriously as it’s being passed down from class to class, to keep the quality going,” Davenport said. “They don’t want to be the ones to ruin it and I think that’s very sweet.”

No matter where the students go, Davenport stresses the importance of being humble.

“Not all Mississippi towns have that (theater support),” Davenport said. “We are very fortunate for the opportunities we’ve had. I’m very humbled and grateful and it’s important to remain that way.” M

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Erica Keltz

Teacher // Carver Elementary in Tupelo “It’s something that you have to be passionate about, I just think I was born to do it,” she said.

Erica Keltz is entering her second year of teaching after leaving 18 smiling faces in the spring at Carver Elementary School.

Keltz, a University of Mississippi graduate and Tupelo native, said the kids were always full of energy and ready to do whatever was planned for the day.

She feels she was called into teaching, specifically, kindergarten. And she feels supported by her school to instill a love of learning in each child throughout their early years.

Carver is an art-integrated school that is part of the Whole School Initiative. This initiative is the first one in Mississippi to use arts as a major part of the educational system.

Keltz said grants, such as Association for Excellence in Education, allow the school to bring in artists and resources for the children to continue their learning.

The grants also brought a garden to the school, a feature the kindergarten students love.

Keltz said she had a few students come in who had a harder time than others in the beginning.

“In the end, those are the most rewarding experiences,” Keltz said. “I definitely think those successes were a collaboration of all that we do here.”

She believes teacher-parent relationships are extremely important to the success of each child.

“It definitely takes a village,” Keltz said.

She said seeing her students grow from the first time they walk in the door to when they leave is another rewarding aspect.

The school includes a program called “Integrity Time” to reinforce the positive behaviors.

Her favorite subject to focus on is reading because she sees such large growth with the skill.

As a new teacher, she said going into this next year she will take advantage of the first few weeks of school in establishing routines and procedures.

“Just getting started on the right foot allows you to teach better later in the year,” Keltz said.

She also said getting to know her students is very important because they have to be met where they are in order to be successful.

“Every kid is different, not every kid is going to learn the same, so it’s important to know where they are, where they come from,” Keltz said. “It’s important to have those parent relationships, that inside scoop, because it might just be the little bit of extra information you need to help them succeed.”

Tupelo was the go-to spot for a lot of Keltz’s peers upon graduation, and she feels fortunate to return home.

“I love it here. I work with some great people and feel like I have a lot of support,” Keltz said.

She said the community support truly helps Tupelo schools thrive, just as her children thrived throughout her first year. M

Teacher Spotlight

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Administrator Spotlight

Dr. Eddie Peasant The beginning of a new school year always brings changes new school supplies, new classes and new teachers and students - but for Starkville-Oktibbeha School District superintendent Eddie Peasant, it’s brought even more.

Peasant was hired in the spring as the district’s new superintendent, replacing Lewis Holloway.

Since then, Peasant has moved from Tupelo to Starkville and helped prepare the district to launch its new STREAMS initiative, all while getting acquainted with the district, community and his new role as superintendent.

Despite the whirlwind of changes, Peasant said things are going well.

“The transition has been very smooth,” Peasant said. “The people in the school district and the people who support the school district in the community, the businesses and the university have embraced me, and that’s made things go really smoothly as we assess where we are and determine where we want to go.”

He’s also gotten to know some of Starkville’s local eateries including Restaurant Tyler, Bulldog Burger and Moe’s Barbecue.

“I can’t say I have a favorite, but trust me, I’ve tried a lot of them,” Peasant joked.

Peasant was previously assistant superintendent in the Tupelo Public School District.

Since June, Peasant has been in Starkville every day preparing for the new school year.

He wasn’t very familiar with SOCSD coming in, but says he feels like he’s gotten a good feel for the district and Starkville community since being hired by meeting with school administrators, university leaders and community leaders,

Superintendent // Starkville-Oktibbeha School District

including newly elected Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill.

“I’ve met a lot of community stakeholders and leaders in the short time that I’ve been here and have already begun working relationships there and planning for the future,” Peasant said.

Those relationships will be valuable as the school district continues to work with MSU through its partnership school and other programs.

The partnership school, which will be attended by SOCSD sixth- and seventh-graders, is slated to be finished in the spring of 2019.

In the meantime, though, Peasant said there is a lot of work to be done. The district will work on building a staff for the school and preparing staff members for its opening.

Additionally, the district’s STREAMS initiative rolls out this fall and will aim to expose students to more science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math through hands-on learning experiences.

“My plans and goals here are to create a school district that’s educating 21st century students,” Peasant said.

Between the partnership school and growth in the city of Starkville, Peasant said the forward-thinking attitude he sees locally excites him, and he’s glad to be part of those changes through his leadership of the school district.

“Starkville is, of course, different from other places that I’ve been because it’s a college town, but also a community and a city, and I think it and the whole county are poised for some great things in the future,” Peasant said. “Everything is poised to move in such a positive direction. There’s a great trajectory for growth in this area.” M

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Teacher Spotlight

Amber McFarland Teacher // Rankin Elementary in Tupelo

“We’re the best of the best,” can be heard down the hallways of Rankin Elementary.

No one would be shocked to see it was Amber McFarland’s fourth-grade math students chanting their favorite slogan.

McFarland is going into her second year at Rankin Elementary, already making her mark with the start of a girl’s dance club for the fourth-grade students.

“I come from a long line of educators,” McFarland said. “My first year was probably better than most because I had a lot of people to help me.”

She said her first year started off in a rush, as they had to open the school doors late for teachers due to renovations.

“Everyone was just so helpful,” McFarland said.

She attended Itawamba Community College, where she served as the dance captain, before graduating from Ole Miss.

This spurred her idea for a dance club at the school.

“Why not start a dance club for those girls who can’t go to dance class,” McFarland said.

Her group was made up of 25 girls who she said formed a connection while dancing. ICC’s dance team volunteered its time to come help the girls with their routines and foster this connection.

“My girls looked at them like they were celebrities,” McFarland said.

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help them push their finish lines even further.

“A lot of kids don’t believe in themselves because they don’t think other people believe in them,” McFarland said.

She supports her students outside of school by attending all of the sporting events she can to cheer them on.

She is currently working on her master’s through the University of Mississippi, while not skipping a beat during the summer as she worked with pre-K students in Tupelo Public School District’s Special Education extended school year program.

She is certified as a SPED teacher and works to help the kids using this skill.

Her hard work led her to become Teacher of the Year within her first few months of teaching. She thought they’d made a mistake only to learn she was being honored early on.

She created a “Notes to Teacher” bucket so her students can write things they normally would not tell her in person or in front of the class.

“I have maybe 20 notes each week,” McFarland said.

She said ending up at (Rankin) was a God thing and she works to establish relationships with her students each day.

“I want to be one of those teachers that changes lives,” McFarland said. M

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Fashion + Notable Students Profiles by Kaitlin O’Dougherty Photos by Lauren Wood

Rachel Hannah

Senior // Starkville High School // Dressed by LA Green in Starkville Rachel Hannah is entering her senior year at Starkville High School, after her family was forced to relocate following Hurricane Katrina.

One of her favorite activities throughout high school has been Health Occupation Students of America.

She also attended Girl’s State, learning about the government with mock trials.

Her role model is Isaac Newton because something as simple as an apple falling made him the genius he was.

“You don’t have to be the smartest kid in the class to cure cancer,” Hannah said.

Hannah is a people person. Every activity she is involved in

comes down to her enjoying others.

“I just like to meet people,” she said.

She also worked on the X Caliber science team at Mississippi State University, perfecting an edible water bubble for six months before competing at the state level.

She participated in Distinguished Young Women where she received the spirt award from her peers.

She will start her senior year as a cheerleader at SHS, her first year on the squad.

She is also a member of Key Club, Unity, National Honor Society and is involved in her church’s youth ministry, among many other achievements. M mudandmag.com

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Riley Mulrooney

7th Grader // Tupelo Middle School // Dressed by Sydnei’s Boutique in Tupelo Riley Mulrooney is entering her seventh-grade year at Tupelo Middle School.

The 12 year old spends a lot of her time working with art.

She was the recipient of the “What do you want to be when you grow up” Wyatt Waters portion of the College Savings Mississippi Art Contest in Jackson.

She said she has done most of her art while in school.

“I’ve done a lot of stuff in school like using clay and acrylics,” Mulrooney said.

However, her favorite means of art is just using colored pencils or sketching.

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She said she has done art for a long time.

“I started when I was in daycare,” Mulrooney said.

She is also a cheerleader at TMS and is entering her second year playing piano.

“My favorite part about cheerleading was flying,” Mulrooney said.

She said she enjoys going to the country club and swimming during the summer with her friends.

Her summer included a trip to the beach, Nashville and getting a puppy — a Goldendoodle named Max. M

Montavious Holliday

Recent graduate // Aberdeen High School // Dressed by Reed’s in Tupelo

Montavious Holliday just finished his senior year at Aberdeen High School and is ready to take the next step to Gulf Coast Community College in the fall.

He received a music scholarship and plans to major in music education and minor in interior design while playing in the Band of Gold.

The Band of Gold performs at all MGCCC home football games as well as other events throughout the year.

He spent all four years of high school in the band, while also taking part in Beta Club and the choir.

He served as drum major for two years, his favorite activity in high school.

“It taught me a lot of leadership and maturity,” Holliday said.

He said another favorite memory was when the band went to the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago.

“That was the best,” Holliday said.

Outside of school, he enjoys being around his friends and decorating. He is also involved in his church choir.

He said his principal inspired him to go into designing.

“He really saw a passion in me,” Holliday said. M

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Samya Brooks 8th Grade // Pontotoc Middle School // Dressed by The Rack in Pontotoc Samya Brooks is a 13-year-old volleyball and basketball player entering her eighth-grade year at Pontotoc Middle School.

She has enjoyed playing basketball in the summer league tournament, where she is playing with high school-level kids.

“Our program’s looking pretty good right now,” Brooks said.

She said she likes to read and hang out with her friends, while also playing sports in her free time.

“I’m a girl that likes to play sports and likes school,” Brooks said.

She was noted as a standout player during the 2017 Best of West Middle Schools Exposure Camp in Memphis, Tennessee.

As tweeted by a member of the camp, “‘22 5’10 Samya Brooks Pontotoc, MS is a prospect to keep an eye on. Her physical presence in the paint is hard to match at her grade level.” M mudandmag.com

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McKinley Montgomery Sophomore // Mantachie High School // Dressed by Owl Bee McKinley Montgomery lettered in nine different sports before entering her ninthgrade year.

She was also named Division 1-2A Softball Player of the Year.

She is a 16 year old entering her sophomore year at Mantachie High School and currently competes in softball, golf, track, bowling, archery and basketball.

She said softball has always been her favorite sport.

“It’s basically been my whole life since I was 3,” Montgomery said.

She is also a member of Beta Club and secretary of Anchor Club.

Anchor Club works to help people around the community.

She is a member of the Future Farmers of America, where she works with the meat evaluation team.

She enjoys hanging out with her friends while also maintaining a 4.0 GPA in school.

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First Day Fashion

Mary Liddy Wyatt will start kindergarten this year. Her outfit is from Reed’s in Tupelo. See the boy option on page 94.

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F

ive years ago, Marci Wagner bought her first planner, an Erin Condren LifePlanner, on recommendation from a co-worker. After careful customizing, her planner arrived, and she was hooked. Wagner joined a Facebook group for Erin Condren fans and was amazed to find a vibrant online community of organizing enthusiasts.

Soon, Wagner was buying stickers for her planner and drawing her own. One of her new-found Facebook friends suggested she buy a Silhouette machine so she could create them on her computer and then print them on sticker paper.

Once she started posting photos of her hand-drawn designs, requests started pouring in. In a few months’ time, Wagner had opened an Etsy shop and recruited help in running her side business -- Stickers, Washi and More.

“Having a physical planner in front of you versus your calendar on your cell phone enables you to be creative,” Wagner said. “It makes everyday habits and planning more fun.

I love using stickers to make an ordinary day in my schedule to come to life. Who says taking out the trash can’t be fun when you reward yourself with an adorable trash can sticker in your planner?”

The trash can sticker is among Wagner’s most popular, but her current favorite is her “this week” list sticker. Her shop offers nearly any sticker you could dream of, including tiny coffee cups, televisions and even tacos. Her weekly layout always includes bright colors and patterns that make her feel happy while planning.

Wagner now plays a vital role in the online planner community. She is an administrator on the Erin Condren fan page, has been invited to speak at a planner conference in Dallas, Texas, and has met Erin Condren and worked with her marketing team on projects. Nearly 20 thousand Instagram users follow her page (@stickerswashiandmore) to see what planners and accessories she is using each week. She posts reviews on new and popular planners, but always returns to her Erin Condren for personal use.

“Planners are definitely a form of self-expression. Simply personalizing your planner and how you choose to decorate it can reflect your personality,” Wagner said. “When I stumbled upon the Erin Condren community I had no idea what I was about to discover. The friends and lifetime bonds that were formed all because we shared a common interest — a planner!”

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Photos by Lauren Wood mudandmag.com

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STAY SAFE THIS SCHOOL YEAR WITH A LITTLE HELP FRO Always use the sidewalk when walking to and from school.

If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.

Be aware of the street traffic around you. Avoid wearing headphones while walking.

Don’t play in the stree waiting for the bus. Sta sidewalk.

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Young children should be walked to the bus stop by their parents or an older sibling.

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Art Adventures with Mrs. Mallory Art Adventures with Mrs. Mallory began with an adventure of Mrs. Mallory’s own. When Mallory Smith Hamby left Nashville to move home to Tupelo to be near her parents, she left her job as an art teacher behind. Once back home, she had the idea to teach art in a new capacity, with more freedom for herself and her students, in classes she would have loved as a child.

By Carmen Cristo

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n school, we had an art a la carte situation, so I didn’t get it regularly,” Hamby said. “When I got home, it always felt like a huge treat to create.”

Hamby comes from a long line of teachers. She did not originally plan to follow suit; she even got a bachelor’s in interior design, but soon she was returning to school for a second degree in art education.

She taught art at a few schools in the Nashville area, but when she returned home, she decided to take a break due to her parents’ health and to care for her baby girl, Lydia.

Back in her hometown, Hamby frequented old haunts like Our Artworks. One day, she worked up the courage to ask William Heard for permission to use his studio for teaching the occasional class. He said yes.

Hamby advertised her new classes with fliers and Facebook posts. She employed the help of her graphic designer and husband, Steven, to create a logo and colorful posters. The first class was a huge success.

“I think I got lucky that the people that came were active in the community,” she said. “It really took off from word of mouth. It wasn’t just the adults. The kids were telling each other about it at school. I felt good about that.”

Hamby began teaching multiple classes per month and camps during the summer, all with different themes and mediums. She teaches children ages 4 to 12, with the younger children in the morning and the older kids in the afternoon.

Because of the small class size, she is able to buy supplies the children might not be exposed to and spend time helping each student.

Some of her most popular classes are holiday-themed like her parent and child class for Mother’s Day. Hamby also plans classes around movie releases like the “Moana” necklace class and the “Beauty and the Beast” oil pastel class. Recent art adventures have included needle felting, glittery “fairy potions” and cardboard minions. Students work with unlikely materials like foam insulation and tin cans that expand their imagination to see everyday items as vehicles for artistic expression.

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Tommy Flinn Jr.

“I’m really into process-based art. I want to teach them that the fun part is experimenting with the materials,” Hamby said. “I have found the kids like to do two different kinds of things in class: one is something they can show to their parents and say, ‘Look what I made!’ and then they want to pull out the cardboard and glitter and gemstones and splash the paint.”

For Hamby, the classes are less about the end result and more about what the children are learning about art and about themselves.

“I get messages from mothers thanking me for bringing classes like this to our community,” she said. “I keep hearing that word — community — and I just think it’s awesome. I grew up here, and now that I’m back, I’m starting to see change in the community surrounding the arts and music and theater, and that’s exciting.”

In addition to her kids’ classes and camps, Hamby also teaches paint classes for companies and clubs, partner paint nights for adults and birthday parties.

Hamby’s greatest teaching inspiration and biggest fan was her mother, Mary Smith, who passed away shortly after her return to Tupelo. M Photos by Lauren Wood 86

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There’s only one place to find more of what matters to you, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Now with more local stories and sports that bring you closer to the community as well as more national coverage from USA TODAY to keep you connected to our country. If it matters to you, you’ll find the whole story here.

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Child’s Play:

Jiu Jitsu

By Carmen Cristo

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627/631 W. Main Street | Tupelo, MS | 662.269.6391 MainStreetDentistryTupelo.com

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ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children should have at least one hour of physical activity per day for the health of their minds and bodies. Many experts recommend using that time teaching them to channel their energy into a practice like martial arts, which requires concentration, patience and practice Ultimate Fitness and MMA (UFM) in Tupelo offers three opportunities per week for children to attend a Junior Spartans class. By teaching basic jiu jitsu moves, instructors encourage respect and discipline. Students are boys and girls, ages 5 to 12 years old.

Grady “Sue” Hurley, owner and instructor at UFM, notes that sports like jiu jitsu can be particularly helpful for children who have difficulties focusing. The structured classes and fast-paced combat holds their attention on the task at hand.

Respect — for teacher, self and other competitors — is

emphasized at every turn.

Class sizes range from 15 to 30 students. Multiple instructors are present to ensure the children are not just burning off energy, but learning useful skills.

“Not only is it great for self-discipline and keeping them active, but it also builds confidence,” Hurley said.

Hurley knows a thing or two about martial arts. He has completed 35 combat sports fights and holds a 13-1 professional MMA record that he hopes to make 14-1 when he fights in the middleweight championship on August 5. He teaches the Junior Spartans class, along with Dr. Mark Romano, Katie Barnett and Nelson Browning.

Hurley says that as martial arts go, jiu jitsu is ideal for children. While it is a combat sport, it is not a striking sport, which means students are learning how to defend themselves using their bodyweight as leverage instead of kicking or punching. UFM calls it “bully-proofing.”

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Grady Hurley talks to his class

“If someone attacks them, instead of hitting back and getting in trouble, too, they can use a jiu jitsu move to hold the other person until help comes,” said Hurley.

Class begins with a warm-up, which consists of fullbody activities like bear crawling that teach agility.

When each student has completed their warm up, the junior spartans gather around their instructor in a semi-circle and await their instructions. Hurley or another teacher demonstrates the move they will be learning step by step then releases them to give it a try. Hurley counts, “1, 2, 3,” and the children respond with a clap in unison before lining the wall. Partners are matched up based on size and skill level. The instructors pace the mat, examining posture and technique and giving one-on-one support until the new move is mastered by the class. Afterwards, they play a game.

The instructors set up stations, one on each end of the mat, where the kids practice their skills and one in the center ring, where they face-off with a classmate. They rotate through each station until everyone has visited each one.

“They think they’re just having fun, but really they’re putting what they’ve learned into practice,” said Hurley. M 92

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