Connections - Summer 2022

volume 21 | issue 1 |

Summer 2022

HATTIESBURG LPS SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM FUTURE EMTS

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AQUACULTURE STUDENTS GET HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE ON THE COAST ������������������ p. 40

volume 21 | issue 1 |

Spring 2022

CONTRIBUTORS

Editor-in-Chief........... Wendy Clemons

Managing Editor........ Brock Turnipseed Associate Editor.......... Jean Cook Editor............................ Heather Craig Designer....................... Chris McMillen Writers.......................... Heather Craig Will Graves Amanda Gronewold Carl Smith Brock Turnipseed

The contents of this magazine — including stories, photos and all other information — were submitted by their respective school districts or organizations unless otherwise noted.

ON THE COVER

Senior McKenzie Loomis takes sophomore John Sones’ blood pressure during Brookhaven Technical Center’s vital signs clinic.

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lthough we continue to deal with COVID-19, it was refreshing to see a sense of normalcy return to Mississippi classrooms this year.

Our students need the social and emotional supports that can be offered through a traditional learning environment, and that environment is especially important for career and technical students who rely on that hands-on learning to have them college and career ready.

Teachers, I want to commend you for the job you do preparing your students for that next step. This issue of Connections highlights the skills you are providing your students so they can be successful now and in the future.

For example, Richard Humphreys, the 2021 MS ACTE Teacher of the Year, sparks creativity and autonomy in his students (p. 8), and 2021 MS ACTE Counselor of the Year Derek Read uses his prior experience working at Ingalls Shipbuilding to cultivate industry partnerships (p. 20).

Suzanne Kelly, the 2021 MS ACTE Administrator of the Year, advocates for her teachers and students and encourages them to be active in professional organizations (p. 14).

We at the Mississippi Department of Education recognize your dedication and willingness to adapt and grow based on your students’ needs. The McComb School District realized many students were braiding hair to make ends meet, so they started a Natural Hair Care and Braiding course that led to the creation of a state-approved curriculum (p. 24). Hattiesburg High School law and public safety instructor Sherod Reed saw a need for emergency first responders, so he offered his students the opportunity to earn an Emergency Medical Technician license through an online supplement program (p. 32).

A couple of hours south on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ocean Springs High School and Moss Point High School are preparing the next generation of aquaculture industry workforce (p. 40).

Speaking of Moss Point, graduate Jerrick Dubose is utilizing the skills he learned in CTE as a computer engineering major at Mississippi State University (p. 12). We also spotlight two Kosciusko-Attala Career Tech Center students whose experience in health science programs led them to medical school (p. 16).

CTE is vital in providing students a well-rounded education that prepares them for a demanding workforce. We here at the MDE are excited to witness the growth of CTE in Mississippi, and we look forward to telling your story in future issues of Connections.

Wendy Clemons Executive Director, Office of Secondary Education/Dropout Prevention Mississippi Department of Education

WANT YOUR SCHOOL FEATURED IN CONNECTIONS?

We want to hear about your success stories, awards and program accomplishments!

Please submit your story ideas at www.rcu.msstate.edu/connections/shareyourstoryideas.

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Featured Areas Economic Developer Q&A....................................... 4 Rumbarger Sees New Lee County CTC as Major Player in Shaping Future Workforce

Middle School Students Tour Brookhaven’s Polymer Science Program................. 6 ‘Good Morning, North Forrest’ Sparks Students’ Interest in Broadcasting............................7 ‘Controlled Chaos’..................................................... 8 MS ACTE’s 2021 Teacher of Year Hones Creativity, Autonomy in Engineering Students

MSMS Students Earn FBLA Awards..................... 11 Choctaw Central WBL Students Hand Out COVID-19 Supplies......................................... 11 Graduate Spotlight...................................................12 Jerrick Dubose

Student Spotlight.....................................................13 Vanessa Espino

Leading by Serving.................................................. 14 2021 MS ACTE Administrator of the Year Supports CTE From the Ground Up

Kosciusko-Attala Celebrates First Doctoral Graduates..................................................16 Walthall County BMF Students Build Model City......................................................19 Designing Futures...................................................20 2021 MSACTE Counselor of the Year Builds Success Stories for Students, Industry Partners

Clinton Culinary Program Introduces Hydroponic Gardening........................ 22 Styling Future Hair Braiders..................................24

McComb Program Provides Blueprint for State-Approved Natural Hair Care and Braiding Curriculum

Pontotoc Freshmen Tour Career Center..............28

Readying First Responders........................................ 32 Hattiesburg LPS Supplement Program Trains Future EMTs

Stone County Health Science Students Spread Knowledge About Hygiene........................... 35 Neshoba Students Explore Potential Welding Careers...................................... 36 Brookhaven Health Science Classes Hold Vital Signs Clinic...............................................39 Life is Their Oyster.................................................... 40

Holmes County Hosts Career Development Event �������30

Aquaculture Students Get Hands-On Experience on the Coast

West Lauderdale Students Promote Health Awareness.....................................31

Justice Court Judge Visits Law and Public Safety Class..............................................43 Summer 2022

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPER

Rumbarger Sees New Lee County CTC as Major Player in Shaping Future Workforce Carl Smith This year, Lee County Schools opened a new career and technical center (CTC) officials hope will provide the community a new pipeline of workers to fill jobs of the future.

School district stakeholders, members of the regional business community and public education supporters gathered this fall to open and tour the almost 35,000-square-foot center located at the Hive, a next-generation industrial park primed for new industries.

Connections caught up with David Rumbarger, a veteran economic developer who is the president and chief executive officer of the Tupelo-based Community Development Foundation, to discuss the impact of Lee County’s new CTC on the local economy.

Connections: Having a CTC placed in the middle of an industrial park like this must be a great recruitment tool. It’s a big deal to have a place where students 4

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can walk next door to see what jobs are available for them and to have workbased learning experiences right where they’re learning.

Rumbarger: It’s giving the CTC a great identity, because now these efforts are truly in the heart and future of industry here in Lee County. We are focused on the school-to-work pipeline, whether it’s high school, two-year college, four-year institutions of higher learning or post-fouryear experiences. The goal is to give students an experience as close to a real-life, real-career experience. Most students aren’t getting that in high school, but we have it here in Lee County. In addition to the new CTC, we’ve done several things in the past 10 years to achieve this, including career coaches — where there’s an advisor in the high school who coaches kids on their interest area. We also have a battery of interest-level testing that’s more like a conversation. It follows them down their interest area to give them career ends for those opportunities they already have a

propensity toward. It gives them enlightenment so they can take elective credits their junior and senior years and then make that connection with business and industry.

Connections: What are some of the big emerging job markets of the future?

What are the next-generation jobs these Lee County students will train for?

Rumbarger: Maintenance technology is the emerging demand. When I say maintenance techs, everybody thinks of custodians, but that’s not it at all. This is someone who has a technical skill and ability, whether it’s in computers, electronics or pneumatics, to diagnose and rectify problems. That troubleshooting piece is actually what makes the highest money. If you can pull a machine for maintenance, diagnose the problem and then triage and fix that problem, that is going to be a lot of companies’ most valuable job opportunity. If you have technical skills, you can become an ex-

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pert in your field, and that pays tremendous dividends.

These technical skills are important, but there are a lot of interpersonal and leadership skills that workers need, too.

In the new CTC, they have a number of labs where students team up together and work on projects, so they learn how to work with a group, learn how to lead or follow and learn how to work with another skill-based person who might not have the same skills they have. When you work together on a team, you have accountability with your other teammates. This teaches some peer review and peer expectations that kids sometimes aren’t getting.

Connections: How important is it for students to prepare for the changing job market?

Rumbarger: When our forefathers grew up, many of them could graduate high school, take a job in a furniture factory, work 35 years and retire with a great truck, a nice home and a piece of

land. That American Dream is somewhat threatened because of international competition and the need for new skills because eventually, if you’re not technically skilled to work in the new work environment, your job is going to be replaced by some type of machinery and equipment.

Unfortunately, that’s a fact. You’re reading about it now and seeing the predictions, and I’m seeing it in the factories every day when it happens.

Here’s the thing: They may take out four people in the packaging area, but they put a robot in to do that job. There are now technically skilled people programming the robot, maintaining it and feeding the robot materials and equipment. It creates a whole different dimension of jobs, but those are skilled jobs instead of an unskilled or semiskilled jobs.

Connections: How does the future of education need to evolve to meet these future needs?

Rumbarger: We really need to, in the

truest fashion, rethink our education and make it more personal. If you have 1,600 students trying to get their degrees, there needs to be that many different pathways to a diploma. Every child needs to have the ability to self-select and promote their own future to make one they feel involved in. I think that’s how you engage students, lower dropout rates and make sure people actually graduate with skills they’ll need for the future. What market in the world has not [moved to a more personalized delivery system]? Look at computers, curated clothes — everything in the world has gone that direction except education, and I think it’s time for education to go that direction.

I think this is a trend that’s going to go forward. More communities have embraced this, and I think they have a leg up on others that are just trying to maintain the status quo. What’s the reason for education, anyway? It’s to make better citizens, better workers, better parents, better husbands and wives. Communities need to embrace this and take bold steps.

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news & notes

Middle School Students Tour Brookhaven’s Polymer Science Program Gifted fifth and sixth graders from the Quest program at Brookhaven School District’s (BSD’s) Lipsey Middle School toured the Brookhaven Technical Center’s polymer science lab in December to see what opportunities await them in high school.

Students in the Polymer Science I and II classes assisted the younger students with different experiments. Many students enrolled in Polymer Science I and II were in the Quest program while in elementary, middle and junior high. Quest is BSD’s intellectually gifted program and offers students a differentiated learning experience to meet their unique needs.

Polymer science is a two-year STEM pathway centered around experiential learning through hands-on labs and field trips. Not lacking in academic rigor, students explore general, organic and polymer chemistry as a basis for connecting observable material behaviors to molecular-level relationships. Materials surveyed over the course include polymers, ceramics, metals, composites and coatings. The science behind and practicality of these materials, various processing techniques and performance properties are explored. Students develop critical-thinking, problem-solving and communication skills through a variety of learning experiences, preparing them for the dynamic 21st-century workplace.

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Brookhaven Technical Center (BTC) Polymer Science I and II instructor Leah Ann Peavey (left) explains an experiment to Lipsey Middle School (LMS) fifth and sixth graders during a December tour of the center.

LMS sixth grader Hampton Smith participates in an experiment during a December tour of BTC’s polymer science lab.

John Sones, a BHS freshman enrolled in Polymer Science I, assists his sister, Claire Sones, with an experiment. Claire Sones is a sixth grader at LMS.

Brookhaven High School (BHS) students enrolled in the polymer science program hold up vials during an experiment.

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‘Good Morning, North Forrest’ Sparks Students’ Interest in Broadcasting North Forrest High School (NFHS) in Eatonville is a rural high school in the Forrest County School District with a population of approximately 350 students in grades 7-12. Although the school is small, the students have very big dreams.

In the Digital Media Technology (DMT) II classroom, students are preparing their portfolios for their futures. DMT II students have hosted, produced and edited a weekly news show — “Good Morning, North Forrest” — since the 2021-2022 academic year.

“We wanted to try something new this year. COVID-19 has kept a lot of our students confined to their classrooms, so we decided to bring a little bit of normal to them,” Malia Triggs, the school’s DMT instructor, said.

Students work each week to present announcements and interviews with new staff members, coaches and other students they may not routinely interact with due to COVID-19 restrictions. In addition to the weekly news program, the students work closely with various departments on campus to produce promotional and informational materials distributed via social media. Students also previously produced a 20-minute Christmas special in conjunction with various departments around campus that showcased the many projects and specialties of the department.

“We love doing the news each week. It’s challenging but with good time management, we have been able to make it work,” Triggs said.

North Forrest High School (NFHS) senior Tavon Curry prepares to tape “Good Morning, North Forrest,” the weekly news show produced by the school’s Digital Media Technology (DMT) II students.

Kelsey Parkman and Demarco Baker — two seniors who host the weekly news program — decided to pursue careers in mass communication after their experience in DMT II. “I had never really thought about working in the news until I worked on the news in DMT. Now I really can’t see myself doing anything else,” Parkman said.

Both Baker and Parkman hope to find their way onto a network one day and follow in the footsteps of 2017 NFHS graduate Brandi McGill, who completed DMT I and II while enrolled at NFHS and used the knowledge she gained in program to launch a career in journalism. She currently co-hosts the morning news show on WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg. McGill also serves on the advisory board for the NFHS digital media program.

DMT II students Demarco Baker and Kelsey Parkman host “Good Morning, North Forrest.”

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CONTROLLED MS ACTE’s 2021 Teacher of Year Hones Creativity, Autonomy in Engineering Students Amanda Gronewold The Mississippi Association for Career and Technical Education selected Jackson County School District engineering instructor Dr. Richard Humphreys as its 2021 Teacher of the Year.

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Humphreys, who completed his 11th year teaching at St. Martin High School (SMHS) in Ocean Springs, transitioned into career and technical education (CTE) following a career in the U.S. Navy.

Humphreys helped influence the instruction of K-12 engineering throughout Mis-

sissippi, as he has volunteered his expertise to engineering curriculum and assessment writing teams, an effort he described as a “collegial pursuit.” Secondary CTE curricula and assessments in Mississippi are developed by teams of instructors, industry representatives and other experts, coordinated by the

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Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit.

“Our curriculum doesn’t have a set of textbooks or a textbook, so everybody teaches it slightly dif- Humphreys ferent,” he said. “You have to state things in ways that can be understood by everyone.”

Humphreys approaches instruction with a hands-off philosophy — he said he thinks of himself as more of a mentor than a teacher.

“I teach them the principles, but I don’t necessarily teach them how to do their project or what to do on their project,” he said.

“I have found that my students get far more from the projects when I am not dictating their work to them but working as a coach or a consultant with them.”

SMHS Principal Dina Holland attested to Humphreys’ approach and said his classroom’s atmosphere is “controlled chaos.”

“He loves for students to think outside the box,” she said. “He gives them the basics, and then he lets them go on their own.”

Holland said she believes his teaching style is successful because it allows students to encounter setbacks and overcome them on their own.

“Seeing it and experiencing it are two to-

Opposite page: St. Martin High School (SMHS) engineering instructor Dr. Richard Humphreys (from left to right) and Team 5735F members Nolan Brechtel, Drew Parker and Dustin Gavins demonstrate a new GPS sensor and sensor tape. Top: Humphreys (center) stands with VEX Robotics Jackets STEAM Team 5735F members (left to right) Emma Trochesset, Alayna Tagert, Jacob Smith, David Rossow and Jody Noble as they display the VEX Excellence Award they earned at the Mississippi VEX Robotics State Championship at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2020.

Left: Humphreys, Jackson County School District (JCSD) Assistant Superintendent David Baggett, Jackson County Board of Education (JCBE) Vice Chairman Keith Lee, JCSD Superintendent Dr. John Strycker, SMHS senior engineering student Nathaniel Bryan, JCBE Chairman Troy Frisbee, SMHS Principal Dina Holland and JCBE member Jory Howell at a ceremony honoring Bryan for winning the Association for Career and Technical Educators national student trophy design contest in October.

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Humphreys and Gulfport School District Middle School robotics mentor Michael Quintero (right) keep score while officiating a VEX Robotics competition at Pass Christian Middle School in March. tally different things, so he lets them fail in it,” she said. “Through failure comes success.”

Success comes to many of Humphreys’ students, especially when they participate in VEX Robotics competitions. He said his hands-off approach works well for coaching the teams.

“My students do all the work,” Humphreys said. “I always say they do all their own stunts. If they win, they won. If they lose, we lost. We win far more than we’ve lost, and they enjoy it.”

Humphreys mentors a high school team and an elementary school team, and both have won state-level awards that advanced them to the VEX Robotics World Championship, where they contended with as many as 1,100 international teams representing 30 nations.

Relinquishing control and autonomy to students does come with challenges, Humphreys said.

“At first it’s really hard because you almost have to let go of everything with your students, and timelines are hard to stick to because everybody works at a slightly dif10

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ferent clip,” he said. “Sometimes you have to explain to your principal or vice principal why there aren’t grades for a long section of time.”

Jackson County CTE Director Dr. J. J. Morgan said Humphreys boosts the confidence of academically lower-performing students by placing them in leadership positions on the teams.

“He goes out of his way to recognize kids that need it,” said Morgan.

Humphreys is admired for dedicating many late evenings and long weekends to supporting his students. Additionally, he works behind the scenes to secure funds for projects, activities and equipment, which does not come cheap.

“It’s tough to keep up with Dr. Humphreys as far as keeping the technology in his classroom,” Morgan said. “The engineering program is very expensive to set up — that’s a $200,000 laboratory. Things do get outdated very quickly, so we have to keep up.”

To fill in the financial gaps, Humphreys draws from previous grant-writing experi-

ence. He regularly applies for them and has secured as much as $200,000 from a single grant. He said grants may be an underused resource for educators and more should apply.

“They’re a wonderful way to sustain what you need,” he said.

A National Board Certified Teacher, Humphreys also recommended other teachers pursue the certification and touted the process as “a great way to learn more about your own teaching practice and improve your trade.” He also stressed the value of joining professional teaching organizations.

Humphreys said he finds his students’ excitement contagious.

“The students who show up and continue to work at something after everyone else has left a lot of times — that’s really exciting because, you know, they’re on to something,” he said. “And I think it’s a work ethic that they’re going to take with them into their career or into college or wherever. And if you can’t teach that, you can help hone it.”

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MSMS Students Earn FBLA Awards Students from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) earned numerous awards from February’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) regional competition at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville.

FBLA is a national organization that gives students the opportunity to explore their interests in business, marketing, finance and other related fields. The MSMS FBLA chapter is sponsored by Kayla Hester.

Pictured are: (front row, left to right) junior Dia Kher, third place, economics; senior Regan Carroll, fourth place, personal finance; senior Vidhi Patel, fifth place, heath care administration; junior Nathane George, first place, economics; junior Nyla Fant, fourth place, personal finance; senior Amy Zhang, first place, political science; (second row, left to right) junior Lexi Holdiness, first place, business communications; senior Raeed Kabir, first place, health care administration; senior Nicholas Djedjos, first place, entrepreneurship; senior Lyem Ningthou, first place, computer applications; senior Sam Sun, first place, business law; and senior Amanda Zhou, third place, computer problem-solving.

Choctaw Central WBL Students Hand Out COVID-19 Supplies Choctaw Central High School seniors (from left to right) Celia Isaac, Taylor McMillan and Zaylee Shumak pose with sanitary and cleaning supplies they helped distribute throughout the Choctaw Career and Technical Center in January. The students are enrolled in the district’s Work-Based Learning II class. Like administrators, educators and students across the state and nation, the Choctaw Tribal School System is doing its part to keep schools as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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profile

JERRICK DUBOSE

• Moss Point High School Class of 2017 • Computer Engineering at Mississippi State University

What CTE program did you complete and which CTE classes did you take in high school?

The CTE program I completed was engineering. I started off in the STEM class in ninth grade then transitioned into Project Lead the Way classes in 10th grade. My junior and senior year I was part of the engineering CTE program, and in 2017 I became the first graduate of the program at my school.

What national certificates or specialized training did you acquire or complete before you graduated?

I received training in various computer programs such as SOLIDWORKS and hands-on training with Vex by creating mechanical systems. I also acquired a

few certificates through EverFi relating to algebra, computer science, digital wellness and the Internet of Things, just to name a few.

How did your high school CTE program or CTE classes prepare you for your job or for higher learning?

Completing the engineering program and the classes that lead up to it helped me discovered the career path I wanted to take. I was exposed to so many applications and topics of engineering that once I started attending MSU I had some knowledge on the course topics just from being in the engineering program. There are also times where my engineering knowledge has been useful outside the classroom as I applied it to the internships I have taken during my undergraduate career.

What advice would you give incoming students who are contemplating enrolling in CTE classes?

Enrolling in CTE classes was the best experience that helped me figure out what I want to pursue as a degree and career. The exposure to STEM and the different engineering disciplines showed me there is endless opportunity in the field, and just imagine what any other CTE classes can do. The possibilities are endless when you enroll in a CTE class, and the learning experience will carry you a long way into your career.

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VANESSA ESPINO What is your favorite CTE class?

Cyber Foundations II is my favorite CTE class for numerous reasons. In this class I learn many real-world skills I believe will play a huge role in my future.

The technical content we learn is fascinating and important to me. Being in this class allows me to explore the many careers that interest me. Cyber Foundations II provides me with career and academic skills, as well as citizenship, communication and critical-thinking capabilities.

Who is your favorite teacher or school district employee?

I appreciate all my teachers, but Sheri Thornton is my favorite teacher. Her distinctive way of teaching engages me to focus and learn many CTE skills. She helped me become a more independent person. She always tells her students to try their best to solve a problem themselves. She definitely helped me realize what I am capable of doing before asking for the guidance or help of someone else.

What is your proudest accomplishment as a student?

My proudest accomplishment as a student is my position as president of our Future Business Leaders of America chapter. I constantly try to set the best example of being a leader in and out of the classroom. Being president really expresses who I am and my efforts to show leadership characteristics.

What clubs, organizations, activities or sports do you enjoy participating in the most?

I participate in FBLA (president), student council (president), Alpha Club (president), tennis and band. I really enjoy each of these organizations. By taking part in these activities, I learn many skills that make me a better person. I also learn the key aspects of working with a team and being a leader to them.

•

Eighth Grade

•

Northeast Lauderdale Middle School Lauderdale County School District

Have you received any CTE-related awards, recognition, certifications or on-the-job experience?

I placed fifth in the Business Math and Financial Literacy competition at the FBLA Central District Conference.

This recognition was very special to me because math is one of my favorite subjects.

What jobs or careers interest you the most?

The jobs that interest me the most are jobs where teamwork and brainstorming are essential — for instance, a doctor or an architect. I like to go into deep thought on what would be the best solutions to a problem.

I would enjoy having a job that assists people in what they need.

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LEADING BY 2021 MS ACTE Administrator of the Year Supports CTE From the Ground Up Amanda Gronewold “How can I help?” is a phrase that may often be heard from 2021 Mississippi Association for Career and Technical Education (MS ACTE) Administrator of the Year Suzanne Kelly.

Kelly, the director at Lamar County Center for Career and Technical Education (LCCTE), considers herself a “servant leader.” She just completed her sixth 14

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year as a director, with 22 years’ total experience in career and technical education (CTE). Her experience teaching business and Teacher Academy informs her approach to administration.

“I feel like God blessed me to be able to experience it at every level so that now that I am in the role that I am in, it helps me be very supportive of my teachers and my students and be understanding from the ground up,” Kelly said.

To Kelly, being a servant leader means being willing to step in and help in whatever ways are necessary, regardless of the typical administrator job de- Kelly scription.

Aimee Reams, LCCTE’s Teacher Academy instructor, said Kelly’s ser-

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vant-leadership is especially evident when she helps with many LCCTE needs, including cleaning the center.

“She gets that vacuum, and she’s right there cleaning the toilets and doing all those things,” Reams said. “That’s just a great example of how she’s just going to get out there and do it.”

Before becoming director, Kelly played a pivotal role in implementing LCCTE’s Teacher Academy program, serving as its first instructor. As director, she has continued to evaluate the workforce needs of local industries and

adjust programs accordingly, setting up LCCTE’s unmanned aerial systems program during her first year in the role. Recently, the center added law and public safety and C Spire software development programs.

Lamar County School District superintendent Dr. Steven Hampton, a former CTE director himself, called Kelly “a champion for career and technical education.”

“She’s a champion for those skills programs and for those students who are wanting to attain those skill-based certifications,” Hampton said. “She’s always looking to expand our programs to give our kids opportunities to be successful in their chosen field.”

LCCTE serves four high schools spread out across the county, which saw a total enrollment of nearly 3,000 high school students in the 2020-2021 school year. Hampton said he admires Kelly’s ability to plan program locations and coordinate transportation to ensure every student in the district has access to CTE. “It takes a lot of coordination and a lot of organization to get everybody where they need to go when they need to go there,” said Hampton. “She does a

fantastic job of maximizing the learning instructional time for teachers and getting those students where they need to go.”

Kelly encourages her teachers to be active members of their professional organizations, both directly and by her own example. Throughout her career, she has served in leadership roles as high as president in MS ACTE, MS ACTE District V, the Mississippi Association of Family and Consumer Science Education and the Mississippi Association of Secondary Career and Technical Administrators.

“She’s a real advocate for CTE and a real voice for us and for our programs,” Reams said.

Kelly’s hard work is worthwhile to her because she sees students grow and learn what careers they may want in the future through their CTE experiences.

“I love seeing kids make connections, ultimately watching the success story of a kid developing as it unfolds and providing them support,” Kelly said.

Kelly was not only chosen as Mississippi’s CTE administrator of the year but also represents seven states as Region IV Administrator of the Year for the Association for Career and Technical Educators at the national level. She was among four other finalists in the running for the 2022 Administrator of the Year national title.

Opposite page: Lamar County Center for Career and Technical Education director Suzanne Kelly (left) greets students as they enter the center. Top: Kelly (right) looks on as LCCTE Teacher Academy student Lillian Robbins explains her bulletin board project.

Bottom: Kelly (left) is pictured with engineering student Hector Godfrey as he explains programming procedures for his robot.

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news & notes

Kosciusko-Attala Celebrates First Doctoral Graduates

By Landon Gibson The Kosciusko Star-Herald The Kosciusko-Attala Career Tech Center (KACTC) has offered the health science program for quite a few years now, with the last 13 years under the leadership of instructor Amy Price.

Last year, Price and the CTC delighted in the fruits of their labor, represented by D’Allegra Cochran and Abigail Joiner Wiltshire — the first health science graduates under Price who have gone on to earn their doctoral degrees.

The two-year program has also spawned many nurses, medical technicians and others with successful careers in the medical field. A few have already begun medical school or have previously been accepted.

COCHRAN Cochran knew she wanted to go into health care but was uncertain about which avenue she wanted to pursue.

She said part of the health science program’s curriculum involves choosing two medical professions and observing professionals in those areas to earn observation hours. She chose radiology

tech and occupational therapy, but her heart decided on the latter.

“I like radiology, but then when I started doing my observation hours for occupational therapy, I was like, ‘Okay, I really like this,’” said Cochran.

After graduating from Kosciusko High School, Cochran attended the University of Mississippi, where she

“One of my clients will come in with a diagnosis that I practically know nothing about, but I can break it down based on the lessons that we had in her class. A lot of clients that I have are children of various ages with various diagnoses. One of them came in diagnosed with a cancer that I was not too familiar with, but I broke down what the word meant based on knowledge I learned in health science.”

- D’Allegra Cochran

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graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science. She still had an interest in occupational therapy, and she already had prerequisite classes under her belt. After earning acceptance into the occupational therapy program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, Cochran spent three years there before graduating and completing her certification earlier this year.

She currently holds her doctoral degree in occupational therapy and works as an occupational therapist at Southern Pediatric Therapy in Hernando.

In her new role, Cochran said she references medical terminology she originally learned in Price’s health science class to this day.

“One of my clients will come in with a diagnosis that I practically know nothing about, but I can break it down based on the lessons that

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we had in her class,” she said. “A lot of clients that I have are children of various ages with various diagnoses.

One of them came in diagnosed with a cancer that I was not too familiar with, but I broke down what the word meant based on knowledge I learned in health science.”

Cochran said learning the basics of anatomy also helped her once she got to Ole Miss, where the workload was much more strenuous. She said Price taught her the foundational knowledge she needed to succeed.

Cochran was also a member of HOSA — Future Health Professionals, an organization Price requires health science students to join. She fondly remembers her days participating in public speaking competitions, where she won at the district and state levels. But her favorite memories in the health science program include going to the local hospital and clinics, where she made lasting connections with many of the health professionals around town.

“Since I graduated from UMMC, a lot of them have stayed connected with me, so I really love that part. Every day I think to myself, ‘I need to go back,’” she said. “I love Ms. Price, and I’m so proud of her. She should keep doing what she is doing because she inspired me, and I know she has inspired many other students that came after me.”

WILTSHIRE Wiltshire initially joined the health science program due to her love of science growing up. During the program,

she decided to pursue a nursing career.

She enjoyed training to be a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in Price’s class, and her sister is also a nurse. After graduating from Ethel High School, Wiltshire attended Millsaps College

for four years, where she was a cheerleader, sorority member and honors student. She was set on continuing to pursue a nursing career, but one of her professors convinced her that she had what it took to attend medical school.

“One of my professors honestly believed in me more than I believed in myself and showed me that medical school was a realistic thing that I can do. So, I applied for medical school my junior year and got in at UMMC,” said Wiltshire.

When she started at UMMC in 2017, she served as a fundraiser chair for

the Pediatrics Interest Group (PIG), a place for students interested in pediatric medicine to learn more about what it means to be a pediatrician. Wiltshire finished her doctorate in pediatrics at UMMC and knew she wanted to stay local with her family. She currently works as a resident pediatrician at the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson.

Wiltshire said Price’s health science program offered her a first taste of anatomy and physiology and taught her the basic skills of nursing.

She said much of what she learned in the health science program translates directly to her job in the medical field.

“Honestly, even now, it laid the foundation for things that I do every single day. You know, in the medical field, we have our own language, and some of the stuff that I learned in the allied health program was pivotal in developing that feel. Her class really laid the foundation for things in my life,” said Wiltshire.

Wiltshire also recalls connecting with local health professionals in the community when performing clinicals.

“Ms. Price puts you in whatever field you are interested in and allows you to see what different people’s schedules and lifestyles are like in the health care field,” she said. “I remember I went to Premier Medical Group one day and shadowed their OT. I worked with Ginger Bain at the pharmacy at the hospital. I went to the vet’s office in Kosciusko as well, so I got to taste a little bit of everything, and I loved it.”

She also became involved in HOSA, Summer 2022

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where she competed in the public ser- want to go.” pack containing all the equipment they vice announcement portion of compeSecond-year students usually attend would need. They can just keep it in titions. Wiltshire said her group had clinicals, where they make connections their car or wherever, and if they come to present or advocate on an assigned from the classroom to the health care upon a wreck or accident, now they’re topic related to the medical field. She industry through work-based learning certified to help,” said Price. even got to attend the national com- experiences and activities, mainly by Students also become CPR certified petition at Disney World afin the first year of the health ter her group won at the state science program. Another level for two consecutive certification that Price’s class “One of my professors honestly years. offers is the opportunity for believed in me more than I believed in Wiltshire credited Price students to earn their certimyself and showed me that medical fied nurse aide (CNA) license as being a great mentor and school was a realistic thing that I once they complete the twofriend. can do. So, I applied for medical year program. Students can “She’s an awesome person, receive their licenses and imin general, so I think that reschool my junior year and got in ally helps all her students abmediately apply for CNA jobs at UMMC.” solutely love her. She pushes if they are at least 18 years - Abigail Joiner Wiltshire you, but you know it’s with old. This can also serve as a a good heart because she steady part-time job for students pursuing further eduknows what you’re capable of shadowing health professionals.

Due cation. and genuinely wants you to succeed at to COVID-19, health science students The health science program is also a whatever job you end up pursuing in could not have clinicals last year or this field subject to state testing. Once stulife after high school,” said Wiltshire. semester, but Price hopes they can get dents complete their second year, they back to those rotations soon. become eligible to take the National THE PROGRAM “We have about 23 sites around town Center for Health Science Education Price said she loves helping high like the hospital, which has probably exam (NCHSE). schoolers navigate through their ineight sites within it such as the nursing terests in health care and works to Hardy said students can take the test floor, the pharmacy and radiology.

We help them achieve their goals. She offered through the Mississippi Desaid KACTC Counselor Tracy Hardy also have the clinic, the therapy offices, partment of Health after completing comes to her first-year classes every the vet clinics, funeral homes and den- their second year of health science. year and helps students narrow down tist offices, so there are a lot of places Last year, the first time the CTC administered the test, Price’s students careers that fall within their interests. around town,” she said.

Health Science also offers a special scored the highest in the state. On top After that, Price begins showing students how long it takes to attain their training to second-year students that of that, 100% of her students passed goal, what schools they can attend and many other health science programs the exam. do not have. The training, Mississippi the overall costs of further education.

First-year students also take the Mis“I feel like that’s a really important Youth Preparedness Initiative (MYPI), sissippi Career Planning and Assesspart of what I do — helping students teaches students how to respond to ment System (MS-CPAS), and Price that come in thinking they have an in- emergencies, such as having a disaster said her classes regularly place in the terest in the medical field to hopefully in town, and allows them to earn cer- top five out of all programs in the state. still want to do that after two years in tification.

The instructor said it is exciting for “It trains them to go out and triage students and parents to have a local this program,” said Price. “I teach them how to study, how to get accepted into people, if there are people hurt every- outlet that prepares students for colprograms and then have them make where, until responders can get there. lege and their career, and Cochran and decisions as to which direction they When they finish, they will get a back- Wiltshire prove the program can pro18

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news & notes

duce future doctors. She tells students all the time that if they want to be in the medical field, this is the program for them. The class provides students with a way to figure out what they want to do now, before they head off to jobs

or college unsure.

“This program is a good eye-opener for students, and that is why I love it so much. I always laugh and say I never knew in high school whether I wanted to be a nurse or a teacher,

and now I’m both,” said Price. “I love what I teach, and this is the perfect role for me because I get to teach while still having my hand in the nursing and medical field.”

“We have about 23 sites around town like the hospital, which has probably eight sites within it such as the nursing floor, the pharmacy and radiology.

We also have the clinic, the therapy offices, the vet clinics, funeral homes and dentist offices, so there are a lot of places around town.”

Amy Price, Kosciusko-Attala Career Tech Center Instructor

Walthall County BMF Students Build Model City

In December, Walthall County Career and Technology Center business, marketing and finance students used the skills they learned in their entrepreneurship unit to create businesses and build a model city to showcase their mastery of the competencies taught in the unit. Pictured (from left to right) are sophomore Zachary Fortenberry, junior Lesli Macias, sophomore Anya Washington and sophomore Sajada Horton as they put the finishing touches to their project.

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Designing

2021 MS ACTE Counselor of the Year Builds Success Stories for Students, Industry Partners

Heather Craig Pascagoula-Gautier School District’s (PGSD’s) Derek Read may have begun as a literal designer for Ingalls Shipbuilding, but after overhauling his own career he gradually shifted to the role of assisting students in designing their futures as a career and technical education counselor at PGSD’s College and Career Technical Institute (CCTI).

Read is now the center’s director, but he began at PGSD in 2001 as a Drafting and Design teacher and eventual20

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ly became a counselor when students who were not even in CTE classes began coming to him for advice. After his counseling career culminated in being named 2021’s Counselor of the Year by the Mississippi Association for Career and Technical Education (MS ACTE), Read took on the director’s role and focused on cultivating partnerships.

In discussing his original career move from teacher to counselor, Read explains that students “would come and ask me about careers and what they should do with their lives because their

friends would tell them ‘You’ve got to go talk to Mr. Read.’

My principal came to me and said, ‘Have you ever thought about becoming a Read counselor?’”

After Hurricane Katrina, Read attended a two-year summer program at the University of Southern Mississippi that allowed him to become a counselor, but he waited for his dream job — continuing work as a drafting teacher at PGSD’s

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CCTI — because he’d “fallen in love with the school.” In 2011, Read finally became a counselor there, bringing 10 years of experience with students and many forward-thinking ideas to the role.

“He has always been an email away to help me and make sure that I get what I need to help me succeed not only in my education but through life. I know I can always count on him,” Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College freshman and PGSD graduate Jozelyne Furby said.

“He has always told me that I would make a great nurse and that if he needed anyone to take care of him, he would want it to be me.”

Read not only enjoys helping students clarify their career paths, but also has a passion for connecting CTE with business and industry.

PGSD Superintendent Dr. Wayne Rodolfich said, “We are able to advance our CCTI, our career pathways and career-technical programs because of the commitment level of Derek Read. He is always marketing our programs and searching for new pathway opportunities for our students.”

Over the past decade, Read used his creative thinking abilities to cultivate partnerships with business and industry, often with the ingenuity of a CTE MacGyver on a budget. In implementing his plan, Read did not wait on industry to show interest or contact him, nor did he ask for any type of monetary support; although, once business and industry partners saw the value CTE provides, many were more than willing to become sponsors.

Using his $100 per semester budget, Read started making partnership banners in 2012 by writing letters he sent

all over the state asking to use potential partners’ logos and names he could pair CTE courses and labs with.

“For example, ‘The Ingalls Shipbuilding Academy of Welding.’ I paid for the banner hanging out in front of the class, but every parent, student and visitor sees

“I am just as happy for a student when they tell me they don’t want to do something as I am when they say they do, sometimes it’s just not for them.”

- Derek Read, CCTI counselor

their support in our building. I would invite the businesses for hanging ceremonies where they would get their photo taken, tour the building and typically end up supporting the program in some way or another.

“The banners cost $25 each, but you would have thought I gave them a million dollars when they came to take their picture,” Read said.

Read’s ingenuity saw almost immediate success.

“I eventually had 79 business partners over six years. It’s just grown — I have 130 students doing internships this year with these partners,” he said.

Read’s outside-the-box thinking also helps when he works with his students individually. Instead of worrying when a student changes paths or moves on from a subject he or she has invested a lot of time in, Read said, “I am just as happy for a student when they tell me they don’t want to do something as I am when they say they do.”

This recently occurred when a student discovered she did not like blood after

interning in an emergency room.

“Sometimes it’s just not for them.

We’re not a movie production company that has actors at the hospital and everything just goes according to plan,” Read said. “This is real when they go in for the internship. When she changed her mind, I said, ‘I get it.’ That discovery is just as important to [the student] now as if she had found out that she loves it. She just saved [thousands] of dollars.”

“If you have a third-year internship after two years in a CTE class, it’s either going to solidify your career or reinforce that ‘I don’t need to do this,’” Read explained.

Read’s influence as a counselor and director goes beyond helping students through career choices, making sure programs connect with industry and investing in his students on a personal level.

As senior Health Science II student Jonathan Mansfield said, “He helped me through my parents’ divorce and has told me ‘No one else can control you besides you.’ He is a very intelligent, caring man.

He always listens and gives the best advice on life.”

Read said, “What I tell students when I first meet them in this building is ‘Your life is about relationships. You’ve got one with me. This is your first relationship in CCTI. I will always be here if you need anything from me.’”

That outlook has had a measurable return on investment for Read, who said he owes so much of his success to the connections he’s made with PGSD’s business and industry partners.

“I don’t ever miss the opportunity to thank them. Your life is about the relationships you make. Don’t be afraid to give or ask for help.”

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Clinton Culinary Program Introduces Hydroponic Gardening

Juniors Aniya Madkin (left) and Elmer Durrell assemble a hydroponic gardening tower.

Senior Blair Hearn holds a seedling ready to be planted in a hydroponic gardening tower.

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This fall semester, students in Clinton High School’s culinary arts program have already begun implementing a new aspect into their education — hydroponic gardening towers.

Chef Catherine Bruce, the program’s instructor, used money awarded to her program from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation’s School Garden Program to purchase four state-of-the-art hydroponic farmstands from Lettuce Grow as well as an assortment of seeds.

“Each tower holds 36 plants which have been sent to us by Lettuce Grow to get us started, but in the future, we’ll be able to use our own seedlings from seeds purchased from Johnny’s Seeds, a nationally known seed company,” Bruce said.

Culinary students will grow edible flowers, herbs, fruits, vegetables and various types of lettuces.

“We’ll use what we grow in our own hydroponic garden during instructional time as well as when we prepare food to serve our teachers and staff,” Bruce said. “But we’ll also be able to use what we grow in class at farmer’s markets throughout the year.”

The money from the School Garden Program allows Bruce to expose her students to changing trends in the profession while also allowing them to exceed the state’s career and technical education standards, growing themselves academically and professionally.

“Hydroponic gardening is one of our curriculum standards, so I wanted them to see what hydroponic gardening looks like,” Bruce said. “Also, it’s important for us to get an understand-

news & notes

Chef Catherine Bruce looks on as students assemble four hydroponic gardening towers.

Junior Caeley Melton assembles one of the four hydroponic gardening towers in Clinton High School’s culinary arts program.

“We’ll use what we grow in our own hydroponic garden during instructional time as well as when we prepare food to serve our teachers and staff. But we’ll also be able to use what we grow in class at farmer’s markets throughout the year.”

- Chef Catherine Bruce, CHS culinary arts instructor

Durrell and Blair Hearn (right) look at seedlings for hydroponic gardening towers. ing of farm-to-table cooking, knowing where their food comes from and how the entire process works, from seedlings all the way to composting.”

Bruce said exposing her students to the simplicity of these hydroponic towers allows them to explore the variety of produce that can be grown in their own classroom.

Senior Blair Hearn said she’s learned how to put into action something so

simple that can help not only a kitchen staff, but also an entire community.

“I’ve always loved gardening,” Hearn said, “so knowing how important hydroponic gardening can be in the kitchen as well as for the environment makes it even better. We will have truly homegrown food.”

Bruce said the lessons learned from this addition will go beyond learning how to be part of a kitchen staff.

“This is helping them to understand the cost effectiveness of growing your own vegetables as well as implementing good eating habits at an early age.

For the remainder of their lives, they’ll know exactly how to plant, harvest and prepare quality healthy food for themselves, their families and maybe even their own kitchens one day.”

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Styling Future

HAIR BRAIDERS

McComb Program Provides Blueprint for State-Approved Natural Hair Care and Braiding Curriculum Brock Turnipseed Natural hair care and braiding is a billion-dollar industry supported by everyone from teenagers to adults in places such as salons, homes and 24

Summer 2022

dorm rooms.

Natural hair care and braiding methods can vary and are learned in cosmetology courses, on the internet and through YouTube and social media videos.

Deidre Thompson was a student at Southwest Mississippi Community College (SMCC), but she had to pause her education to take care of her two children: son Ladamian Burton, who was six years old at the

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Left: Sophomore Cedasia Martin shows the heart-shaped stitch braids and butterfly locs she completed in the McComb Business and Technology Complex’s (MBTC’s) natural hair care and braiding program. Right: Sophomore Tia Bush works on scalp braids during the natural hair care and braiding class. Opposite page: Thompson watches as sophomore Tyteyana Barnes works on knotless braids in her natural hair care and braiding class. time, and infant daughter LaDasney Burton.

To support her young children, the Magnolia native started braiding hair in her apartment and realized she had a talent for the skill.

Thompson earned a license in wigology — one of only three people in Mississippi to do so. She wanted to teach the practice but could not without a cosmetology instructor license.

However, her license did allow her to teach braiding if all of the wigology components were removed.

Over the course of her career, she saw many using outlets such as YouTube and social media to learn braiding skills. She realized they needed to learn the safety procedures and professional side of the field. In 2005 she opened Diva Stylz Braid School to teach her skills to others, even receiving a grant to support those students

who couldn’t afford the class.

Thompson recognized a need to reach more students, whether in a high school setting or a cosmetology program, so she earned her cosmetology instructor license.

“I wanted them to learn these skills in high school because I knew they would be there every day,” Thompson said. “I wanted the students, by the time they got out of 12th grade, to have the skills to be able to step out and open their own shop, work in someone else’s salon or do hair in their dorm room.”

With that license in hand, she sought out Robert Biggs, director of the McComb Business and Technology Complex (McComb School District), about starting a natural hair care and braiding program.

Coincidentally, Biggs said his center was trying to find a program that

would fit McComb’s demographics since parts of the cosmetology program were better suited “beyond the secondary setting.”

“We were trying to figure out something that would benefit our students and give them a decent way to make a living at the same time,” Biggs said.

“Someone sent (Thompson) to me.

She said ‘I would love to teach what I do off-campus to your kids,’ which was how to braid hair.”

While cosmetology requires many hours to receive a certification, hair braiding simply required a license through the Mississippi Department of Health and a $25 fee.

For the 2019-2020 school year, Biggs got the program into the center as a credential-only program for seniors who had completed their academic requirements. Those students took a year-long block course at the Summer 2022

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end of the day to work toward a hair braiding certification.

He expanded the program to underclassmen last year, teaching the state-approved cosmetology standards with a larger focus on natural hair care and braiding. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, students will be able to take natural hair care and braiding as a two-year, skills-based program with a curriculum approved by the Mississippi State Board of Education.

Biggs and Thompson served on the curriculum’s writing team with cosmetologists across the state and rep-

resentatives from Milady, the organization that wrote the curriculum’s supplementary textbook.

“The curriculum will give the structure needed for the program to be successful. It’s more than hair braiding skills. It’s also the business skills, the entrepreneurship portion and leadership skills,” Biggs said. “At the same time, it’s a stepping-stone into cosmetology and gives students the opportunity to see if that’s really something they want to pursue. From my perspective as an administrator, it was what is safe, doable and doesn’t conflict with what the cosmetology

board requires for those programs?”

Melissa Luckett, a project manager at the Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit who oversaw the natural hair care and braiding curriculum process, said braiding was the initial focus, but the natural hair care aspect was needed as an important part of the braiding process.

“Natural hair care is completely different from cosmetology because it uses no chemicals,” Luckett said.

“We initially thought about braiding because so many young girls were already doing it on their own.

MBTC natural hair care and braiding instructor Deidre Thompson looks over one of the mannequins her students completed.

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Students in the MBTC natural hair care and braiding program work on their skills under the guidance of instructor Diedre Thompson.

The taskforce decided to add natural hair care because the whole point of braiding is keeping the hair natural and chemical free.”

The current state-approved cosmetology curriculum and what Thompson had implemented in McComb drove the new curriculum. Luckett said the taskforce “took those two elements and removed anything that required cosmetology regulations.”

With many students already doing braiding, the new program helps them get excited about coming to school and taking career and technical education courses.

“Students have already been doing this, but now there is a program that allows them to learn how to braid

safely and run a successful business.

It’s going to make students more excited,” Luckett said.

Thompson, who went back to school and completed an associate degree from SMCC in May, said her students enjoy coming to her class, and she takes pride in teaching them the skills to help them succeed either in a cosmetology program or in a natural hair care and braiding career.

“A lot of young girls know how to braid, but I teach them the professional side — how to do client consultations, how to manage money, how to keep up with supplies, how to dress professionally, how to be on time,” Thompson said. “I have been blessed with an opportunity to change these

students’ lives with the skills I love.

I want them to have these skills so if life throws them off, they can use these skills to work toward what they want to do with their life.”

Having seen the program’s impact on her students, Thompson knows the natural hair care and braiding program and curriculum will allow more students to be college and career ready.

“It’s a skill that I embrace because it took care of me for 33 years,” Thompson said. “I know it will take care of you until you get to the point where you decide if you want to be a cosmetologist or do something else. I want it in every school because I know it will benefit these (students).”

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Pontotoc Freshmen Tour Career Center

Pontotoc Ridge Career and Technology Center (PRCTC) Director Patricia Ellison presents information about the school’s Information Technology class.

Senior Shannon Wilson, who is enrolled in PRCTC’s agriculture program, speaks with students about the agriculture program options available to students.

Law and Public Safety instructor Jay Allen welcomes touring students to his classroom.

Ag Power and Machinery teacher Matt Powell speaks to students touring PRCTC.

South Pontotoc High School freshmen toured the Pontotoc Ridge Career and Technology Center this January and learned about each program of-

fered at the school. The opportunity exposed students to what career and technical education is and how it could play a major part in their education

and future careers. The experience was beneficial for both students and teachers, and additional tours were scheduled for the semester.

Follow CONNECTIONS @connectionsms 28

Summer 2022

We can’t tell your CTE story until you tell us your

story

Want to have your students, program or career and technical center spotlighted in Connections? Here’s how:

1

IDENTIFY

4

SHARE

a new CTE activity, community service project or cutting-edge method of delivering instruction in your own classroom, school or district you feel should be shared across the state.

the release and photos with us via helpdesk@rcu.msstate.edu. Be sure to include “Connections” and your school district’s/CTC’s name in the subject line, and contact information for yourself or the class/program teacher and links to your district’s and school’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts in the body of the email.

2

DOCUMENT

what’s happening in the classroom with pictures of teachers, students and professionals working together. Be sure to only photograph students who have returned signed photo release forms to the school district.

3

COMPOSE

a press release with information about the activity or event. Well-written press releases and photo information blurbs answer the five Ws of communication: who, what, when, where and why.

From there, our staff will reach out to possibly develop and publish your story!

There is no deadline for submissions, as our staff can publish your work on our Connections website and to social media at any time.

Summer 2022

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Left: Holmes County Career and Technical Center (HCCTC) seniors Sinatra Clayton and Jamarkus Granderson show the welding exhibits they created for the center’s Career Development In-School Competition Event. Right: Sophomore Aaliyah Campbell shows the traveling nurse display she created for the event.

Holmes County Hosts Career Development Event Last semester, the Holmes County Career and Technical Center (HCCTC) hosted its first Career Development In-School Competition Event. More than 20 students representing career and technical student organizations — HOSA, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Farmers of America, SkillsUSA and Educators Rising — competed in three events. The events were Job Interview, Quiz Bowl and Career Exhibit/ Project.

HCCTC Director Shintri Hathorn said she has observed that students are hesitant when the leadership units are taught and the recruitment begins for membership in the various campus student organizations.

Hathorn said HCCTC decided to change its strategy and promote an in-school competition to engage students early in the team and competi30

Summer 2022

tion concept and introduce the idea of preparing and executing their leadership skills in a comfortable, familiar setting.

To prepare for the competition, students utilized leadership skills, research skills, teamwork strategies, employability skills and more.

The energy was so high and positive for the day of events that students have already asked for a rematch after state testing.

District educators, industry professionals and community stakeholders judged the various areas and provided individual feedback to the participants, which Hathorn said was very important.

“Students sometimes become complacent with their teachers’ feedback, but when they receive it from someone they don’t see daily or that they know works in this actual field, it

Sophomores Elrod Landfair (left) and Connor Campbell pose with the collision repair projects they created for HCCTC’s Career Development In-School Competition Event. tends to stick with them more.”

More than 90% of the students who competed in the event went on to compete in regional and state leadership events in the spring.

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West Lauderdale Students

Promote Health Awareness Will Graves

Top: West Lauderdale High School (WLHS) juniors Ray Pulver (right) and Kinley Cain use dual earpieces to check a community member’s blood pressure as part of a heart health fair hosted by the school’s health science program in partnership with Anderson Regional Medical Center (ARMC) and its Meridian Occupational Health Program.

Bottom: Senior Mariah Baylor checks a community member’s blood pressure at the WLHS-hosted heart health fair.

People across the nation wear red each February to raise awareness of cardiovascular health and disease prevention during American Heart Month. In the Lauderdale County School District (LCSD), students from the West Lauderdale High School (WLHS) health science program take a community-driven approach to local health promotion.

The program annually partners with Anderson Regional Medical Center (ARMC) and its Meridian Occupational Health Program in hosting a heart health fair at the school. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the Mississippi, WLHS health science teachers wanted to give students hands-on experience by conducting simple heart health diagnostics and promoting healthy living through weight and cholesterol management and avoiding tobacco.

Prior to the event, students took an in-depth look at the circulatory system, vital signs and emergency systems. Lessons were designed to give students an immersive understanding of human anatomy and physiology. By using technology, students were able to visualize the heart and its many arteries and vessels, further reinforcing the importance of heart-healthy living to prevent disease.

As a community-driven career and technical education event, students welcomed any commu-

nity members and school staff to the heart health fair for a screening. The event was student-led, which means these future health professionals experienced every aspect of conducting a health screening and promotion event, such as scheduling appointments, checking blood pressure and testing blood glucose levels.

Through this partnership with ARMC, WLHS health science students are afforded many opportunities to gain valuable real-world experience as healthcare practitioners by shadowing in specialized fields such as nursing, medicine, medical lab and radiology. Through the partnership, students build confidence by putting classroom learning into practice while supporting the community through health promotion.

WLHS junior Micah Reed conducts a blood glucose check during the heart health fair hosted at the school.

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FIRST RESPONDERS

Hattiesburg LPS Supplement Program Trains Future EMTs Brock Turnipseed When the ambulance pulls up to a medical emergency, the first responders who jump into action performing life-saving actions could be students from Hattiesburg High School’s (HHS’s) law and public safety (LPS) program.

Six students in the program enrolled in a supplemental course designed to help 32

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them earn their emergency medical technician (EMT) certification.

The EMT course, offered through Advanced Rescue Education Solutions (ARES), is a hybrid format of virtual classroom instruction and hands-on skills training.

Sherod Reed, HHS LPS instructor, said the online portions of the course take place in the evening, but the stu-

dents can watch recordings of the classes if they are absent.

Two of his students have already completed the Emergency Vehicle Operator Course and are licensed to drive an ambulance. Once they complete the ARES course, they will be able to take the national registry and earn an EMT-Basic certification that will allow them to work as an EMT or continue training to be-

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come a paramedic.

Reed first discovered ARES when looking for a program for his daughter and realized it could benefit high school students looking to make the LPS field their career or to work as an EMT while furthering their education.

Reed said the EMT course gives them a pathway to a rewarding career and allows them to gain a different perspective toward human life.

“They are realizing that being an EMT means you are responsible for another human. It gives them a different sense of responsibility and accountability. They get a chance to take care of their fellow man. That’s one of the best things about doing what we do,” said Reed, a fire, law enforcement and medical first responder.

Because of the responsibilities associated with the EMT field, ARES owner and instructor Robert Roy said the HHS students are held to the same standards despite being the youngest members of the class. This rigorous approach has succeeded: Roy said he has been impressed with their determination and ability to manage this course and their other classes and activities.

“They’re taking a college-level course designed to put them in the workforce,” Roy said. “It’s very fast-paced, and we don’t expect them to be taught at a slower pace.

They’ve done a really good job. Many of (the HHS students) work and are in class, so juggling that time with the course can be difficult for high school students.

They’ve impressed me with their time management skills. As a teenager, that’s hard to do, but they’ve done it.”

While it may be challenging, providing the students with the EMT certification sets them up with the school’s vision of having students college or career ready in a high-demand profession.

Opposite page: Hattiesburg High School (HHS) senior Devin White checks for a potential hip injury during a trauma assessment skills training as part of the EMT program HHS law and public safety (LPS) students are taking. Top: Jackson (second from right) assesses a trauma patient for a hip injury as, from left to right, senior Aaliyah Hales, White and junior McKynlee Rogers look on. Bottom: White (left) takes Hales’ blood pressure as senior Damiyen LeFlore looks on.

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Top: Senior Paris Jackson, a senior LPS student, works on assessing a trauma patient during EMT skills training. Students in the program do classroom instruction over Zoom and have hands-on skills training each month. Middle: HHS LPS instructor Sherod Reed (second from left) observes as Hales takes White’s blood pressure. Above: Advanced Rescue Education Solutions (ARES) owner and instructor Robert Roy (right) discusses assessing a trauma patient with White (left) and Hales.

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“We want to make sure our students are exposed to these high-demand careers and have an opportunity to get the certifications. I believe that focusing on a career path and the opportunities for students to gain these certifications is going to help with the shortage that these particular areas are facing,” said HHS Career and Technical Education Director Jermaine Brown.

Senior Paris Jackson is one of the students in the EMT course. Although she plans to attend Texas Southern University (TSU) and major in criminal justice with future aspirations of working for the FBI, she said the EMT certification would provide her the skills to work in the field while in school or put into use when an emergency arises.

“You can use these skills to save lives, whether you want to be an EMT or not,” Jackson said. “In our communities we see situations and don’t know basic skills like CPR, so having the opportunity to learn these skills is something everyone should do.”

Jackson said she has enjoyed the course, with trauma being her favorite module.

Seeing the EMT course’s success, Reed aims to offer first-year students the opportunity to take a semester-long Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) course before moving into the EMT course.

Reed sees the EMT course as a tangible way for students to earn certifications and immediately join the workforce, since the minimum age to work in law enforcement is 21.

“I push the emergency medical services, military and fire portions (of LPS) because they can do all three right now,” Reed said. “What I like about these programs and CTE is students come out with certificates and can go directly into the workplace.”

news & notes

Stone County Health Science Students Spread Knowledge About Hygiene Stone County High School first-year Health Science students learned about infection control in the fall and how they can do their part to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Research shows simple handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related illnesses and about 20% of respiratory infections. These illnesses spread rapidly throughout schools, which increases absenteeism and causes students to fall behind academically.

Instructor Randa Anderson’s students quickly realized this information was something that should be shared and taught to younger students in the school district. They created an age-appropriate presentation for kindergartners to show them how important hand hygiene is to their health and well-being.

From left to right: Stone County High School (SCHS) Health Science sophomore Brooke McKissack, junior Hannah Johnson, sophomore Lana Bishop, sophomore Marisol Gonzalez, junior Emma Warden and sophomores Makayla Fowler and Ella Shaw give a presentation to kindergartners about the importance of good hygiene.

SCHS sophomores Kaylie Morrisette (left), Carlee LeMasters (center) and Anderson Hickman show kindergarteners the proper way to wash their hands.

From left to right: Health Science teacher Randa Anderson and sophomores Reeana Williams, Jocelyn Donald and Beau Bardwell continue a presentation on good hygiene practices.

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news & notes

Neshoba Students Explore Potential Welding Careers Reid Hall takes a lot of pride in his projects in the welding and cutting technology program at Neshoba Central High School (NCHS).

One look at any of the senior’s fire pits in the school shop would demonstrate his expertise.

Hall is one of eight students enrolled in the welding and cutting technology program’s Construction Core night class taught by Derek Huffman. Four others are enrolled in a Welding Level I night class taught by Joey Irby in the career and technical center.

Hall and a few others plan to continue in the program at East Central 36

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Community College (ECCC) after graduation.

Upon successful completion, they will earn national recognition certification credentials.

“This is another outstanding opportunity for our students to add more credentials before they leave NCHS,” said Neshoba County Superintendent of Education Lundy Brantley. “The more credentials a student has, the better chance they have of competing at a high level, whether they enroll in college, enlist in the military or seek employment.”

Hall, who will also play baseball

at ECCC, is a third-year student in NCHS’s Agriculture and Natural Resources class in addition to being enrolled in the night class.

“He learned to weld as part of our program,” Huffman said.

The fire pits, which sell for $350, feature various designs, from Ole Miss and Mississippi State logos to Rockets and family last names.

Huffman’s students are currently making a fire pit for a deer camp with a hunting theme.

“We can do any design,” he said.

Hall hopes to earn a certificate in welding from ECCC.

news & notes

Above: Neshoba Central High School (NCHS) senior Reid Hall poses with a fire pit he has made in the school’s welding and cutting technology program.

Hall is one of eight students enrolled in the program’s Construction Core night class taught by Derek Huffman. Opposite page: Huffman (left) provides guidance to Hall on a weld in NCHS’s welding and cutting technology shop.

When asked where his dream job would be after completing his studies, Hall said: “Anywhere that pays good!”

Huffman described Hall as a very detail-oriented welder.

“He has the patience to take a project and weld it up,” Huffman said. “He is going to do it well enough to make sure it is right. He takes pride in what he does. If his welds don’t look right, he is going to be more bothered by it than anybody else.”

Next semester, Huffman’s students will move to Welding Level I. Construction Core is taught through online modules that cover areas such as employability, communication skills, job interviews, résumés and safety.

The students are working on a National Center for Construction Education and Research certification.

“This is basically to get them one step closer to being done when they go to East Central or whatever college they

NCHS’ Joey Irby (second from left) is joined by sophomore Bryson Smith (l-r), sophomore Jalandon Williams and junior Jardan Sanders in the school’s welding shop. Irby teaches a Welding Level I night class at the school’s career and technical center.

Huffman (left) assists senior Ken Burks with his work on a fire pit.

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news & notes

Irby (right) and sophomore Luke Wilborn pose in the school’s welding shop. chose,” Huffman said. “They have already gotten Core and Level I out of the way. Then they can start on Level II and work up to whatever the community college level requires.”

Several of Huffman and Irby’s students have gone through ECCC and now work as certified welders.

Huffman said some of his current 38

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students plan a career in welding, while others are just trying to learn something different.

“Welders make good salaries,” he said, noting that some of his students worked at Taylor Machine, B&G Equipment and Windham Tractor & Implement Co., among others.

Irby encourages students to take

welding even if it is not their chosen career.

“I grew up on a dairy farm and we had welders and cutters to repair things,” he said.

Irby said welders commonly start around $18 an hour.

“Over time, they can make $25 to $30 an hour,” he said.

news & notes

Brookhaven Health Science Classes Hold Vital Signs Clinic 1

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#1 - Juniors Aubrye Mayfield and Brianee Franklin welcome patients to Brookhaven Technical Center’s (BTC’s) vital signs clinic in December. #2 - Senior McKenzie Loomis takes sophomore John Sones’ blood pressure at the clinic. #3 - Junior Sarah Todd Adcock takes Leah Ann Peavey’s temperature. Peavey is the Polymer Science I and II teacher at BTC. #4 - Junior Kristina Catchings checks Ariel Catchings into the clinic. Catchings is a Brookhaven High School science teacher.

Brookhaven Technical Center’s Health Science I and II classes held a vital signs clinic for teachers and students in December and checked participants’ blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse, temperature, height and weight.

Health Science is a two-year program for students who are interested in pursuing a career in health care.

Chasity Avants, the Health Science I and II instructor, introduces students to different health care careers and

teaches lessons that simulate real-life experiences and real health care careers. These hands-on experiences give students the skills to be successful in any college medical program or entry-level job.

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Life is Their Oyster

Aquaculture Students Get Hands-On Experience on the Coast Will Graves Aquaculture is king in Mississippi. From farm-raised Delta catfish to oysters and blue crabs from the Gulf of Mexico, the state consistently leads the nation in aquaculture production.

With the global demand for seafood and aquacultural products, there is also a need to recruit, educate and train the next generation of Mississippi’s aquaculture industry workforce.

Two schools on the coast have made waves by building innovative aquaculture programs that connect students with government and industry’s experiential learning opportunities and prepare them to tackle real-world problems in environmental conservation 40

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and commercial fish and vegetable production.

In 2016, Ocean Springs High School (OSHS) and Moss Point High School (MPHS) began developing cutting-edge high school-level programs to build student interest in aquaculture systems and research. At the time, only postsecondary aquaculture programs were available in Mississippi.

Bryan Butler, OSHS’s aquaculture teacher, was a leading figure in creating the approved aquaculture curriculum and became the first to implement a high school aquaculture program in the state. Butler’s program primarily focuses on fish production, but his students also get experience with oysters and blue crabs. The program structure helps

them grow their knowledge, skills and leadership abilities over three years.

Students build everything they use in the greenhouses from scratch every year, from the fish tanks to water lines and filtration systems.

OSHS has four greenhouses, each containing seven tanks. Students work in different aquaculture production areas depending on their progression in the program. They also learn about sustainable food production by incorporating aquaponics — the production of hydroponic vegetables by recycling the nutrient-rich water from the greenhouse fish tanks.

“What I’m trying to do is prepare them for anything that they can do in a biology or a mechanical biology-based

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field, or anything like that,” Butler said.

Students form teams and manage a fish tank from hatching to harvest.

First-year students focus solely on freshwater fish such as striped bass and get introduced to aquaponics by growing tomatoes, watermelons, squash and other vegetables. Second-year students take on saltwater fish by raising speckled trout, oysters and blue crabs.

“When they leave here, they will have a solid biology background along with the aquaculture as well. If they want to go into the field, they can. A lot of my students have transitioned from the classroom to the workforce through the research lab. They’re opening up an oyster hatching facility in Gulfport that my kids are going to start applying for so they can go directly back into that field,” Butler said.

Students work with professional marine biologists and fisheries researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) in their third and final year in the program. They do everything they do for their school projects — analyzing water quality for food stock, fish production and release and more — but on a larger scale.

MPHS aquaculture teacher Ignacio Lopez-Morales’ program — Mississippi’s only other high school aquaculture program — also runs on the three-year progression model but has an innovative approach to oyster production: an oyster processing project focused on value addition by adding flavoring to the oyster during the growth process.

“We’re basically going to buy regular oysters that grow on the bottom of the sea and then do value addition to them,” Lopez-Morales said. “Broadly speaking, students take the oysters, clean and sort them by size and quality. We then

Opposite page: The Ocean Springs High School (OSHS) aquaculture program students help University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Lab researchers transport and release fish into a body of water by using a specialized portable tank system. Top: The OSHS aquaculture program emphasizes teamwork and accountability. At the beginning of the school year the class is divided into teams that are responsible for the daily management and data collection of their assigned fish tank. Bottom: The Moss Point High School (MPHS) aquaculture program set up a vendor booth at the 2020 Cruisin’ The Coast event in Moss Point. With help from teacher Ignacio Lopez-Morales, they cooked and sold seafood and other treats to raise money for the expansion of their aquaculture facilities.

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MPHS aquaculture students hosted the Moss Point Rotary Club for its meeting in May 2022. Students toured Rotarians and school administrators through their aquaculture and aquaponics facilities and explained the innovative projects they undertake. introduce them into purging systems where the oysters purge their insides.

Then we add flavoring, whether that be just straight salt or some other flavor.

We’re dabbling with two main flavors right now, cinnamon and garlic, both separately and together. We ultimately create a flavored oyster with consistent flavor and consistently clean insides.”

The MPHS aquaculture program’s oyster flavoring project was recently approved as a nonprofit enterprise, which means students get the science and engineering experience of designing, building and managing aquaculture systems and learn real-world business management skills by leading their own projects. At its core, the MPHS aquaculture program is designed to instill a 42

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sense of purpose and combine technical skills with the soft skills needed to succeed in college or a career.

Lopez-Morales has also connected his MPHS students with scientists at the GCRL. A former aquaculture systems engineer with extensive experience in the business side of the industry, Lopez-Morales strives to ignite a desire in his students to continue learning and growing their skillset. He credits them for how far they have come.

“It’s very nice and very rewarding, because everything that has happened in this this facility, and where we came from — which was absolutely nothing compared to where we are today — has all been because of my students,” Lopez-Morales said.

Both programs are making a splash in generating student interest and connecting them to aquaculture systems, coastal conservation management and sustainable food system production opportunities.

OSHS program completer Bayley Wilmoth says Butler teaches students to chase their curiosity about the world and builds the foundation to lead them to an aquaculture career.

“I chose to go to Mississippi State University (MSU) and study wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture to feed that curiosity because of the leadership and love shown

by Bryan Butler’s passion for his job and the program he built,” Wilmoth said. “I would tell any student who is contemplating enrollment to try it. You might turn it into a career that you love.”

news & notes

Justice Court Judge Visits Law and Public Safety Class

Al Kimbrell, a retired Clinton Police Department officer who now serves in a reserve capacity, speaks to Clinton High School (CHS) law and public safety students.

Lily Brent, junior

Hinds County Justice Court Judge Kenny Lewis talks to CHS students. Lewis serves as the justice court judge for the county’s fourth district.

Joseph Sampson, sophomore

Ja’Karrie Coleman, junior

Clinton High School (CHS) students in Al Kimbrell’s law and public safety classes were visited by Hinds County Justice Court Judge Kenny Lewis last semester. Judge Lewis, who graduated from CHS, spoke to students about the court system and the importance of community involvement when it comes to criminal justice. Kimbrell is a retired Clinton Police Department officer who now serves in a reserve capacity.

Skyla Berry, junior Summer 2022

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McComb Program Provides Blueprint for State-Approved Natural Hair Care and Braiding Curriculum �������������� p. 24 TELL YOUR STORY! Email your CONNECTIONS news to helpdesk@rcu.msstate.edu.

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