Twenty-nine (29) senior students in the class of 2016 at Mississippi School of the Arts were recently recognized at an awards reception for receiving scholarships through the Mississippi Scholars Initiative statewide program, totaling twenty-one thousand dollars ($21,000). Each year, businesses and industries give away hundreds of thousands of dollars to students in Mississippi for achieving rigorous, academic goals set by the Scholars Initiative.
According to the Mississippi Scholars Initiative web site, their mission is “to encourage and motivate all high school students to complete a defined, rigorous academic course of study that prepares them for successful transition to college, university coursework or vocational and technical training necessary to enter today’s competitive job market.”
Students who received scholarships: Abigail Baker – Mississippi College, Madison Buhrer – Lincoln County Scholars, Kavin Gibbs – Trustmark Bank, Mecca Givens – Bank of Brookhaven, A’Mya Jones – LaRue’s Discount Drugs, Keara Jones – Noon Lions Club, Tyler Jones – Lincoln County Scholars, Shaone Kennedy – King’s Daughters Medical Center, Kelsey King – Kings Daughter’s Medical Center, Aiyana Kline – Bank of Brookhaven, Micaela Kostmayer – University of Mississippi, Ashley Lang – Easthaven Baptist Church, Heather Lee – Noon Lions Club, Darian McGehee – University of Southern Mississippi, Cameron Elise McMurry – Lincoln County Scholars, Julia Moak – Apothecare, Jessica Moore – Rex Lumber, Jacareius Peterson – Miller & White, Hunter’Allen Pope – Belhaven University, Christian Reynolds – Brookhaven Dental Center, Sarah Robertson – Greenbriar Digging Services, Jayda Ross – Lincoln County Scholars, Michelle Sanchez – Lincoln County Scholars, Emily Schobey – Lincoln County Scholars, Amelia Stanford – Lincoln County Scholars, James Terrell – Lincoln County Scholars, Kayla Thigpen – Lincoln County Scholars, Angela Thomas – Lincoln County Scholars, and Olivia Vaughn – Lincoln County Scholars.
“The Mississippi Scholars Initiative is an education program managed by the Public Education Forum of Mississippi which utilizes business leaders to motivate students to complete a rigorous course of study in high school. This course path gives students a boost – not just for college but for life. The Initiative pairs trained local business leaders with classes of 8th grade students. These leaders present the students with a powerful presentation, which provides the rationale for the recommendation that students take more rigorous courses. The Initiative was established in November 2003 and launched with two pilot school districts – Hattiesburg and Indianola. The Mississippi Scholars Initiative started as a part of the national State Scholars Initiative (SSI) network.”
Students at Mississippi School of the Arts (Brookhaven, Mississippi) represent all areas of our state, from the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the south to the shining delta region in the north. Students who wish to attend MSA must apply for audition during their tenth grade year. For more information, see the admissions section of our web site.