Local students win top honors

By Staff
May 25, 2001
Meridian High School seniors Michael Busbee and Mandy Pickett were voted Mr. and Miss MHS for the 2000-2001 school year. Busbee is the son of Philip and Kathy Busbee. Pickett is the daughter of Ronnie and Jan Pickett. Nominees were chosen based on academics, leadership and service to their school and were elected by the student body.
JACKSON Brandye Vanessa Scott of Meridian has been selected as an outstanding national leader in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. A Jackson State University student, Scott is the daughter of Christine and Douglas Scott.
JACKSON Kristina Denise Vaughn of Meridian has been inducted into the National Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. Vaughn is a student at Jackson State University. She is the daughter of Celois and Arthurine Vaughn.
WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. Daniel Shaun Beasley has received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Williams Baptist College. Beasley is the son of Diane Saxton of Yazoo and Rick Beasley of Meridian.
Three Junior ROTC cadets were recognized by former Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery at a ceremony held at Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus.
Renardre McGraw of Kemper County High School, Shane Phariss of Northeast Lauderdale High School and Yolanda Gaddis of Meridian High School were named this year's G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Outstanding Junior ROTC Cadets.
CLINTON Five Meridian students were named to the Dean's List of Mississippi College with a grade point average of 3.5 or better for the spring semester: Cristie Lee Green, LaBaron Hedgemon, Jon Davis McLaughlin, Jennifer Faye Reynolds and Aubrye Michelle Williams.
CLINTON Mississippi College students named to the President's List with a grade point average of 4.0 for the spring semester include: Andrea Kelly Barker, Karen Emily Hand, Heather Lane Johnson, Kristen Paige Johnson and Rebecca Sara-Nell McCarty, all of Meridian; and Leigh Ellen Ammon and Mindy Brooke Espey, both of Collinsville.
Joe Agerton of Meridian has been named as the first Deanie Carmichael Scholar at Meridian Community College. Agerton will use the $1,000 scholarship to complete MCC's Associate Degree Nursing Program.
Meridian Community College students who recently placed in the Skills USA Vocational Industrial Clubs of America state conference were: Mike Darnell of DeKalb, first place, plumbing; Richard Brennaman of Meridian, second place, architectural drafting; Brady Buck of Meridian, second place, electronics technology; and Jeff Clayton of Hickory, second place, carpentry.
The following Meridian Community College writers brought back awards from the Mississippi Community College Creative Writing Association competition held in Hattiesburg: Dalette Newell, first place for her essay, "Mangled Melodies"; Torri Martin and Jill Hodges, second place for editorship; P.J. King, honorable mention for a one-act play called "Olivia's War."
The names of three Meridian Community College students were inadvertently omitted from the list of graduates submitted by the college for publication. Those graduates are Cedric Torrell Drake, Paul Edward Early II and Rory Thornton.