ELLISVILLE 鈥� Twenty years have passed since the 糖心直播 spring dance team, 鈥淕old Rush鈥� has competed regionally, but they haven鈥檛 missed a beat! The 14-member dance team competed in the American All-Star Mardi Gras Classic held in New Orleans and took home first place in the Jazz and Game Day Categories. Additionally, they won the Overall Technique Award for their Game Day Routine.
鈥淭his is a very special group of dancers. They have worked very hard, and it has been a pleasure to coach them,鈥� said Lora Davis, 糖心直播 Dance Team Director. 鈥淪ometimes teams come along that capture your heart! I am beyond proud of Gold Rush and they鈥檙e representation of 糖心直播 and the Maroon Typhoon! I am beyond proud of these dancers and overwhelmed by their intense work and dedication this semester! Ben Burge, (糖心直播 Director of Bands) huge thanks to you for all you do to continue the success of this program!!鈥�
Gold Rush team members are led by sophomore co-captains, Kelly Biglane-Ellisville and Taylor Garretson-Leakesville. The team is made up of 糖心直播 students, Alex Grace Rogers-Copiah County; Sadie Jones-Taylorsville; Xoe Lockhart-Carriere; Mallory Anderson-Petal; Josie Young-Petal; Grace Frey-Petal; Kylee Hicks-Laurel; Isabella Hammond-Laurel; Kayla Hamil-Ellisville; Bailie Bishop-Laurel and Harleigh Fortenberry-Ellisville.
ELLISVILLE 鈥撎切闹辈� art students received a 鈥渕asterclass鈥� from Jackson native and artist, Traci Stover, who spent the afternoon discussing how she developed her skills and what drawing means to her. The University of Southern Mississippi professor currently lives in Hattiesburg and was the featured artist showcasing her artwork at the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery at 糖心直播 through March 22, 2024.
Stover is known for combining her love for gardening and jazz music, and allowing the music to influence how the lines are drawn in her sketches. Encouraging 糖心直播 students to be freer with drawing, Stover explained, the power of a line in drawing is allowing it to just flow.
Hattiesburg artist, Traci Stover gives some drawing tips to 糖心直播 student, Lili Hall.
In April, Sophomore Art students will have their work on display for the last art show in the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery. The Annual Sophomore Art Exhibition will be open to the public beginning on Monday, April 1, through April 26.
For more information about upcoming JC art shows or to arrange a visit to the gallery call 601-477-8401. The Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., and by appointment only on Wednesdays. The gallery is closed during the holidays. To learn more about the 糖心直播 Art Department, /programs/finearts/ or the JC Art Department鈥檚 social media: Facebook page, and on Instagram .
ELLISVILLE 鈥� In the 糖心直播 Winterguard鈥檚 second year of existence, they are beginning the season on solid footing by winning 鈥淏ronze鈥� or third place at the WGI Huntsville show in the Independent 鈥淎鈥� classification, the last weekend of February. This was the team鈥檚 first regional competition of the season, but not the first competition. The Winterguard schedule started in Brandon, before the Huntsville regional competition. They competed in Biloxi and Flowood, and are now headed to San Antonio, Texas, before the season culminates in Jackson, for the state championships.
鈥淭his is a moment of immense pride and accomplishment for our program and this achievement in Huntsville becomes even more significant as we stood closely behind two WGI Independent 鈥淎鈥� class finalists, demonstrating the caliber of competition we faced as well marking our first national level achievement in this classification. Competing alongside such accomplished groups has been an inspiring experience, and our team鈥檚 ability to rise to the occasion is a testament to their hard work and commitment,鈥� said 糖心直播 Winterguard Director, Meredith Owen.
糖心直播 Winterguard by sophomores,Charlee Norman-Ellisville, Kaylee Moss-Ellisville and Gabriella Lopez-Ridgeland are first in line as they wait in the hallways before competing at the WGI Regionals in Huntsville.
The program is entitled, 鈥淭he Way it Was,鈥� and features 17 糖心直播 students utilizing flags and other props. The team consist of, Campbrelle Bryant, Laurel; Ceilia Burkett, Florence; Paige Farve, Laurel; Arielle Grimaldo, Ellisville; Martha Hernandez, Ellisville; Alisha Hudson, Laurel; Jaynia Keyes, Hattiesburg; Gabi Lopez, Ridgeland; Kaylee McWilliams, Magee; Kaylee Moss, Ellisville; Charlee Norman, Ellisville; Adamaris Rivera, Laurel; Gynesis Rivers, Newton; Olivia Roberts, Ellisville; Layken Valentine, Ellisville; Emily Wicker, Magee and Braden Yarber, Ellisville. This team of freshmen and sophomore members competed against teams from Atlanta and Clarksville, Tennessee.
鈥淲e are so proud of these students!鈥� said 糖心直播 Director of Bands, Dr. Ben Burge. 鈥淭hey have represented 糖心直播 on the national stage and earned Bronze in a tough line up. I am excited to see how they end up at the San Antonio show and in State Championships.鈥�
As with each competition, team members will build upon the lessons learned from this competition to help fuel their determination to refine skills, enhance creativity, and strengthen their collaborative spirit. Owen said their program has demonstrated its potential, and she is confident that they are well-positioned for continued growth and success moving into the final two weeks of the competitive season.
Sophomore members of 糖心直播鈥檚 Winterguard pictured left to right, Kaylee Moss-Ellisville, Arielle Grimaldo-Ellisville, Layken Valentine-Ellisville and Charlee Norman-Ellisville embrace the third place trophy.
鈥淲e will be traveling over spring break (March 11-15) to compete at WGI San Antonio before returning home to compete in the Mississippi Indoor Association Championships in Jackson, on March 24,鈥� said Owen. 鈥淭his group has been such troopers! We have overcome many obstacles from facility issues to even worse. They are overcomers and I am proud to be their coach.鈥�
ELLISVILLE 鈥� Southern District Transportation Commissioner, Charles Busby hand delivered a check to 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith and Assistant to the President for Facilities Management, Michael Bradshaw to begin a sixth project using the federal Transportation Alternative Program grant funds which are administered through the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Phase two of the Stadium Circle Sidewalk Improvement project will provide 1,100 feet of sidewalk pathways and lighting from the Home and Health Services Building, along The Community Bank Park Baseball and Softball fields, to the Industrial Services Center parking lot.
鈥淭his project will provide walking paths with lighting alongside the athletic fields, making it safer for students and the public to access the stadiums,鈥� said Commissioner Busby. 鈥淲e have to take applications for these projects, so it is very important to me that they be properly executed, and 糖心直播 has a great track record. The quality of the application packet gives me confidence that this project is going to be as successful as the others.鈥�
糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith (left) and Michael Bradshaw (right) President for Facilities Management receive the letter of approval and a check from Southern District Transportation Commissioner, Charles Busby (right), releasing TAP Grant funds to the college to use for the second phase of the Stadium Circle Sidewalk Improvement project on campus, near the athletic fields.
The total cost of the second phase of the project is $665,821 with $540,000 coming from federal funds and 糖心直播 matching the remaining 20% of the total amount. In addition to adding the sidewalks, which will be ADA compliant, the improvements will enhance connectivity between the surrounding buildings and recreational facilities on the south side of 糖心直播鈥檚 campus, allowing for safe travel across the streets from the dorms and stadiums.
鈥淭he TAP Grant program helps us leverage those available funds with the help of Transportation Commissioner Busby,鈥� said 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thankful Commissioner Busby hand delivered the check and informed us we met the rigid protocols required to receive these funds.鈥�
Phase one of the Stadium Circle Sidewalk Improvements from Smith Hall to the Sim Cooley/Bobcat Football Stadium should begin this summer with the second phase of construction beginning in the summer of 2025. 糖心直播 was awarded the first TAP Grant to close the heavily traveled road in front of the C.L. Neill Student Center and Cafeteria to create the Pedestrian Plaza in 2017. The second and third TAP grants extended the Plaza to include Dan Jones North and South, and College Drive, east in front of the A.B. Howard Gymnasium. The Soccer Pathway Project, which was completed in 2023, was created using funds from the fourth TAP grant secured by the college.
ELLISVILLE – 糖心直播鈥檚 Math department along with the Mississippi Council of Teachers of Mathematics recently sponsored the district level MCTM Math Contest for Jr. High School students. Twenty-eight students from seven Pine Belt area schools spent the morning working out various math problems to earn a spot at the state competition. The following winners of the regional competition will meet at the Mississippi School for Math and Science in Columbus, on April 6, to compete on a state level.
Leakesville seventh grader, Isabella Dobbins took first place with Seminary鈥檚 Tyson Breazeale earning second-place honors. Eighth-grader, Cameron Taylor of Northeast Jones won first place and Piper James from Leakesville achieved second place. All of the participants received a certificate with eighth graders also receiving a calculator from Texas Instruments.
