Excellence in Education

By Staff
May 15, 2002
Alexis Pomierski has accepted a scholarship offer to Indiana University School of Music.
Pomierski, a Meridian native, is graduating from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Ala., where she has been a boarding student for the past four years. She is the daughter of Cheryl Richardson and David Pomierski.
Pomierski will study vocal performance under the teaching of Mary Anne Hart a master's of music at the University of Illinois. Hart is the winner of the Carnegie Hall International Music Competition and other awards.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Pomierski plans to pursue her master's in performance or music theory and then perform opera.
Pomierski will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul Episcopal Church Parish Hall, accompanied by Wayne McInnis.
CLINTON The annual Mississippi College Honors Day Convocation was April 23 in A.E. Wood Coliseum on the MC campus.
Outstanding students were recognized for their academic achievements and service to the university, including the following:
Heather Lane Johnson, of Meridian, who was given the Senior Social Work Award, a non-monetary award for the most outstanding senior majoring in social work.
Kristen Paige Johnson, of Meridian, who was given The Presser Scholarship, presented annually by the Presser Foundation of Bryn Mawr, Pa., to an outstanding student majoring in music, following the end of the student's junior year. The scholarship is a reward for excellence and is to help the student not only financially, but also in his or her future career.
Karen Emily Hand, of Meridian, a senior majoring in biochemistry, who was the recipient of the Perry Academic Award. This award was established by Mr. and Mrs. M.W. Perry for the primary purpose of recognizing scholastic achievement at Mississippi College. Seven students each year from various disciplines receive the award. The student must also exhibit qualities of leadership, citizenship, creative ability, activities and moral character.
Hand also received the Alpha Lambda Delta Book Award, presented each year to the Alpha Lambda Delta graduating seniors who have maintained the highest grade point average. This year's honorees are graduating with a 4.0 grade point average.
Hand was the recipient of the Health Sciences Pre-Professional Award, a non-monetary award given annually to an undergraduate actively seeking admission to professional school during the year of the award.
Elizabeth Leanne Jackson has been selected as an All-American Scholar by the United States Achievement Academy.
She also received a national award in business education from the academy.
Jackson, who attends Newton County Academy, was nominated for the national award by Rhonda Evans, who teaches business law at the academy.
The USAA selects winners based on the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors and other qualified sponsors. Winners also must meet standards established by the academy.
The criteria for selection include the student's academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, citizenship and dependability.
Jackson will appear in the USAA Official Yearbook, which is published nationally.
She is the daughter of Terry and Gloria Jackson. Her grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. F.J. Hollingsworth Sr. of Lake and Jimmi Lou Jackson of Carthage and the late Dotie Jackson. Her stepgrandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Snowden of Meridian.
Eleven students from Northwest Junior High School competed against 24 other schools in a math competition sponsored by the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science this semester.
The algebra team finished 10th in the written round and earned a third place trophy in the speed round. The geometry team brought home a fourth place trophy for the speed round.
The problem-solving team of Sarah King, Tray Achorn, Amir Badat, and Micah Hodges placed sixth out of 25 teams.
Overall, the Northwest team placed ninth after only competing in five of the 12 categories. Twenty-two of the teams were high schools competing in all categories.
Other team members were Andrew Havron, Erin Ware, Erica Du Plessis, Crystal Duke, Meagan Crane, Dimple Patel and John Lisenbe. The team, coached by Marilyn Brown and Amanda Hanegan, was the only one from Lauderdale County to compete in the contest.
Third-graders at Newton County Elementary School were recently recognized for improving their grades over the previous nine-week period.
The recognition is part of a project sponsored by the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce.
Students recognized were: Alicia Butler, Renisha Evans, Travis Thompson, Tyler Gilmore, Julien Gillis, Breanna Sheely, Andy Harrison, Charmaine Wooden, Jay Addy, Ann Burkes, Nez Shoemaker and Terry Martin.
JACKSON William Fearing Reid Jr., of Meridian, has recently been awarded the Highest Grade Point Average in Geology Award at Millsaps College.
Reid, a senior majoring in geology, is a member of Kappa Alpha Order and served as a Ford Teaching Fellow. He is the son of William and Marion Reid of Meridian. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school studying geophysics.