Pearl River Community College offers equal education and em-ployment opportunities. We do not discriminate on the basis ofrace, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, or dis-ability. For inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies orto request accommodations, special assistance, or alternate formatpublication, please contact Tonia Moody, ADA/Civil RightsCoordinator, at P.O. Box 5118, Poplarville, MS 39470 or 601 403-1060.

Non-discrimination statement

PRCC faculty are elected to state leadership posts

HATTIESBURG - Two faculty members at the ForrestCounty Center of Pearl River Community Colleges havebeen elected officers in statewideassociations.

Dr. Benny Hornsby ofHattiesburg is president-elect ofthe Mississippi ProfessionalEducators for 2011-12, and DougDonohue of Oak Grove has beenelected to a two-year term as vicepresident of the MississippiFaculty Association forCommunity and Junior Colleges.

Hornsby is chair of the socialstudies department at PRCC’sForrest County Center. He will bepresident of MPE for 2012-13.

Donohue is a mathematics in-structor at the Forrest CountyCenter. After serving as vice presi-dent, he will serve a two-year termas president of the state associa-tion.

Founded in 1979, theMississippi Professional Educatorsserves more than 10,200 teachers,administrators and support person-nel. MPE serves members in pre_Kthrough graduate education in both public and private in-stitutions with the purpose of promoting better educationfor the children of Mississippi.

The Mississippi Faculty Association for Community andJunior Colleges is an advocate for the interest and welfareof community and junior college faculty and employeeswho work in direct support of instruction. Dr. Kyle Hill, di-rector of bands at PRCC, is completing a two-year term aspresident.

Dr. Hornsby

Donohue

HATTIESBURG - A Pearl RiverCommunity College student was namedto the All-USA Community CollegeAcademic Team by USA Today newspa-per and Phi Theta Kappa internationalhonor society.

Vernon Lee Kinabrew, 29, ofHattiesburg was one of 20 students se-lected from more than 1,600 nominees.

Kinabrew, a student at PRCC’s ForrestCounty Center, and the others were hon-ored April 11 at the Phi Theta KappaPresidents Breakfast held during theAmerican Association of CommunityColleges convention in New Orleans.

His initial reaction to the honor wasshock, followed by satisfaction, he said.

“Since entering PRCC and the commu-nity college system, I have been deter-mined to have something to show for mylife,” he said. “This certainly is an honorthat fulfills that desire. I did it;

I finally made my mom and dad proud.”PRCC has had one other student

named to the All-USA Academic Team -Tiffany Vines Melancon, now of

Hattiesburg, in 2000.The son of Vernon and Janice

Kinabrew of Bogalusa, La.,Kinabrew graduated in1999 with high honors as aBoard of Regents Scholarfrom Varnado High Schoolin Bogalusa and enrolled at

Southeastern LouisianaUniversity. But he droppedout in his second semesterand spent years working inhotels before he enrolled atPRCC in the fall of 2009.

He chose PRCC becausehis mother received an as-sociate’s degree in nursingfrom Pearl River in 1995. Hechose the Forrest CountyCenter to be near his sister, AdrianeTarver of Hattiesburg, while her husbandis deployed to Afghanistan. Another sis-ter, Tiffany Goin, also moved toHattiesburg.

Kinabrew was named SociologyStudent of the Year and received second

place in the annual essay writing compe-tition at the Forrest County Center in the

spring of 2010 and wasinducted into Phi ThetaKappa, the honor societyfor students in two-yearcolleges, during the fall2010 semester.

“Lee is a confident stu-dent,” said Dr. Terri SmithRuckel, who has taughtKinabrew for three semes-ters.

“He’s outspoken. Hedoesn’t shy away from giv-ing his opinion. He’s cer-tainly developed a much

stronger and more in-formed voice over the past

year and a half.”He’s a charter member and vice president

of Sigma Kappa Delta, an English honor so-ciety for two-year colleges, and a member ofthe History and Humanities Club.■ See KINEBREW, page 8■ See GROUP PICTURE, page 8

Lee Kinabrew All-USA academic pick Sophomore one of 20 honored by USA Today

Kinabrew

POPLARVILLE - Pearl RiverCommunity College has been named to alist of national two-year colleges underconsideration for the $1 million AspenPrize for Community College Excellence.

The winner and a runner-up will be an-nounced in December.

Officials at PRCC were notified of thecollege’s selection just days before the of-ficial announcement on April 25 inWashington, D.C., said PRCC PresidentWilliam Lewis.

“It certainly is an honor to be selectedto be a finalist, as only 120 communitycolleges across the nation were selectedfor the final competition for the award,”he said. “We are certainly grateful thatthe Aspen Institute has recognized thevalue and the quality of education thatPearl River Community Colllege stu-dents receive, and we look forward tocompeting and, hopefully, winning thiscoveted prize.”

The Aspen Institute’s mission is to fos-ter values-based leadership, encouragingindividuals to reflect on the ideals andideas that define a good society, and toprovide a neutral and balancedvenue for discussing and actingon critical issues, according toits website. The institute isbased in Washington, D.C.,Aspen, Colo., and Maryland’sEastern Shore.

The institute looked at pub-licly-available data on gradua-tion rates, retention rates andthe total number of degrees/certificates awarded relativeto total enrollment to selectthe 120 community colleges.

A Finalist Selection Committee of for-mer community college presidents andfaculty, along with researchers and policyexperts, will review extensive data re-ports submitted by each participating

community college to select eight to 10finalists. The final group will be named inSeptember, and site visits will be made toeach college.

The Aspen Prize will honorexcellence, shine a spotlight oncommunity colleges that deliv-er exceptional results in stu-dent completion rates andworkforce success, stimulateinnovation and define success,according to the institute’swebsite.

Should PRCC win, the prizemoney would directly benefitstudents, Lewis said.

“It would certainly be usedto enhance our instructional

program in whatever ways were dictat-ed,” he said.

Four other Mississippi community col-leges - Delta, East Central, Hinds andGulf Coast - are among the 120 finalists.

Dr. Lewis

PRCC competing for $1 million Aspen Prize

Three Pearl River Community College art students didwell in the Pearl River County Art League Spring Show andFestival last month in Picayune.

Jane Beard of Poplarville won second place in the mixedmedia category and sold the piece. Kelly Smith of Wavelandwon third place and honorable mention in the novice catego-ry and sold two pieces of her work. Rowena Lile ofLumberton sold an oil painting.

Former student Angela King has had a photograph select-ed for the Best of College Photography 2011 book, art in-structor Charleen Null said. The photography contest is ajoint venture by Nikon and Photographer’s Forum magazine.

Art students do well in show

Fall drum majors selected;SGA officers are elected

Paw PawgraduationspeakerCeremony set for May 17;record number to graduate

A leading Pearl River County businessman willshare tips on how to succeed when he serves asPearl River Community College commencementspeaker.

W.B. “Dub” Herring of Picayune will speak dur-ing PRCC’s annual graduation ceremony at 10a.m. Tuesday, May 17, at the James LynnCartlidge Forrest County Multi Purpose Centerin Hattiesburg.

Better known in South Mississippi as “PawPaw,” Herring is owner of Paw Paw’s Campersand Cars in Picayune.

“I know about life and that’s what they’re goingto do - going out in the real world,” Herring saidabout the graduates. “They have to make a living.I’m excited about talkingto the graduates.”

Although final grades arestill being compiled, offi-cials expect the May 17 cer-emony to be the largest inPRCC’s 102-year history.

Herring, a native ofGrenada, started shiningshoes and selling newspa-pers when he was only 9years old. By age 17, hewas a corpsman in the U.S.Navy during the KoreanConflict. After serving in the military, he attend-ed Holmes Junior College and played football.

In 1978 he opened Dub Herring Ford-Lincoln-Mercury and later Dub Herring Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep in Picayune. He soon became knownthroughout the Gulf South by his unique slogan,“That’s a good car, Paw Paw!” Herring got intothe RV business in 1992, establishing Paw Paw’sCamper City.

“I didn’t come here to make a living,” he said ofhis move to Picayune. “I came here to make alife.”

Part of that life has been supporting his almamater, as well as Pearl River through theDevelopment Foundation.

“I’ve enjoyed working with them,” he said.“They let me be on one of the committees and bethe auctioneer for the Extravaganzas (fundrais-ers). I like to be around young people. It keepsyou young.”

Herring provides scholarships to Pearl Riverannually for a male and female student fromHancock, Pearl River Central, Picayune Memorialand Poplarville high schools.

“They don’t have to be straight-A’s but theyhave to be achievers,” he said.

Pearl River honored Herring with theDistinguished Service Award in 1999. HolmesCommunity College followed suit in 2000.

Herring

PRCC retirements

Vice President for Instruction Dr. John Grant, pictured with his wife,Gwen, is retiring after 32 years at PRCC and 43 years in education.

Don Welsh, Director of Career and Technical Education programs, is re-tiring after 38 years at PRCC. He is pictured with his wife, Elaine. See more retirement news on page 9.

Peggy Dease, Director of Nursing Education at PRCC, is retiring after34 years at PRCC. She is pictured with her husband, Clyde, andgrandkids, Zoe Grace Sudbury, 3 1/2, and Peyton Elise Sudbury, 2.

Open registration for summer classes at Pearl RiverCommunity College for students who did not register on-line begins Wednesday, May 18.

PRCC personnel will be at the Hancock Center inWaveland from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 18.

Registration at the Forrest County Center will be from9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 19.

Students can register at the Poplarville campus duringregular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning May18 and continuing through May 30.

Night classes begin on Monday, May 23, and day class-es begin on Tuesday, May 31.

Students who qualify may be eligible for financial aidfur summer classes.

For information, call the Office of Financial Aid at 601-403-1029 or 601-554-5502 at the Forrest County Center.

Summer registration underway

Cash for Books buy-back timeCash for Books, the textbook buy-back program will be

available through Thursday, May 12.Hours at the Textbook Store in Crosby Hall on the

Poplarville campus are 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m..The hours are the same at the Forrest County Center

where the store is located in the Allied Health Building. At the Hancock Center, the buy-back program will be

open from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. Wednesday andThursday, May 11 and 12.

■ A third drum major will be at the head of the bandwhen the Spirit of the River takes the field next fall.

Taylor Trigg of Petal has been selected to join two re-turning drum majors - Michael Boyte of Sumrall and AllenGrace of Hattiesburg.

Trigg, a sophomore, played the part of the college stu-dent whose luggage was lost in the 2010 halftime show.She plays clarinet.

■ Heather McLain of Taylorsville has been elected pres-ident of the PRCC Student Government Association for2011-12.

Serving with her will be Ashlee Arnau of Oak Grove asvice president and Nicole Fortenberry of Brooklyn as sec-retary.

Elections for class officers and representatives to theSGA will be elected in the fall semester.

N E W S & O P I N I O NMay 2011 • Page 2 The Drawl

By MEGAN SMITHThe Drawl Staff Writer

While on the website dumblaws.com, youcan read about ridiculous laws in each state,ranging from, “It is illegal for bar owners tosell beer unless they are simultane-ously brewing a kettle of soup,” inNebraska to, “A man with a mous-tache may never kiss a woman inpublic,” in Iowa.

Why do these laws exist? Whyare they still around today? Arethey enforced? What is the punish-ment?

Laws such as this are considered,“Blue laws,” or laws that are outdat-ed. These laws have been lookedover by state legislatures and are ei-ther so outrageous today that theywant to keep them just for kicks, or are toolazy to repeal them.

Although it is most likely the latter, theselaws keep us entertained, so it’s hard to com-plain about not being able to shave in the mid-dle of main street in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

Many of these laws have a historical back-ground and were strictly enforced in the timethat they were passed.

In Denmark, a person may not wear a mask.This law was created because so that during ariot or other event similar to such, they could

more easily arrest this person since their iden-tity would not be concealed.

Other laws, especially in the south, werecreated due to similar opinions when it cameto the church. In Mississippi, it is illegal to en-gage in oral sex. The Bible cites that this isn’t

the most desirable act, and since themajority of Mississippi believes inthe Bible, this was able to pass intolaw.

Other laws really have no historyand can only be looked upon to belaughed at. In Boise, Idaho, it is ille-gal to fish from a giraffe’s back.Unless a drunken man showed upriding a giraffe and began fishing onits back, there would simply be noreason why this law would need tobe created. Laws are meant to protect us. They

are meant to guide us in the right directionand keep us from our own stupidity.

However, there are these laws that nearlyencourage us to be a bit daft and break the lawsimply to see if the police would enforce thesame punishment.

These blue laws are simply remnants of thepast that lawmakers have looked over, becom-ing a historical record of things that are longpast.

■ Megan Smith is a freshman student fromPoplarville.

Smith

Some dumb laws and whywe still some of have them

By ASHLEY HORNINGThe Drawl Staff Writer

Cancer, even for adults is terrifying, justimagine it in the eyes of a child. Most familiestoday have been affected by cancer in one wayor another.

It’s devastating to watch a loved one sufferand fight just to make it through treatments.

Imagine how tough it must be fora two-year old, battling Leukemiawithout any understanding of whatis happening to them.

When a family is in need of someguidance, or in need a guardianangel, the people of St. JudeChildren’s Research Hospital aretheir saving grace. The founder ofSt. Jude, Danny Thomas, stated “Nochild should die in the dawn of life.”

This hospital never turns down achild who is in need. They encour-age and help them fight for their lives, especial-ly when all hope is lost. This organization isone of the best. The things they have done arenothing short of brilliant or amazing.

Thomas was struggling with his career as anentertainer. At a church in Detroit, he kneltdown and prayed for guidance.

He prayed to Saint Jude Thaddeus, theCatholic Saint of hospitals. He is the Saint forlost causes and desperate cases.

Danny Thomas promised to build a shrine,and that is what he did.

Thomas was led to Memphis, Tenn., where hebuilt one of the world’s premier pediatric cancerresearch centers.

About 6,000 active patients are seen thereyearly mostly on a outpatient basis. The hospi-

tal itself has 78 beds for patients requiring hos-pitalization during treatment.

The doctors have done miracles by givingthese children back their lives. People do notrealize how special this organization is and thehard work that’s put into it.

The survival rate for Leukemia alone hasgone from 4 percent to 94 percent.

Most of the patients can not payfor services. But that doesn’t changehow a patient is treated there. St.Jude is supported mostly by its na-tional fundraising organization,ALSAC. Its only purpose is fundingthe hospital.

I don’t see a lot of people who do-nate to this cause. To me, It is one ofthe most important organizationsgoing today.

I encourage more people to helpwith donations, fundraising, even

volunteering. The smallest things canhelp.

In 1995, St. Jude received an anonymous let-ter that held the million-dollar winning gamepiece from McDonald’s Monopoly game. Eventhough the rules prohibited it, McDonald’swaived the rule and has made the annual$50,000 annuity payments. That little gesture,that could of made someone else wealthy, hashelped saved many lives.

If you want to be a part of this miracle too,simply donate by calling (800) 822-6344.

Or go online to www.stjude.org.Families shouldn’t be turned away because

of how much money they have. Especiallywhen it comes to a child.

■ Ashley Horning is a freshman studentfrom Prentiss.

Horning

Why don’t you become partof the cure for cancer?

By SUSIE HALLPRCC Nurse

Most of us have experienced sun-burns during our lifetime.

Sunburns are caused when theamount of exposure to the UV raysof the sun or other ultraviolet lightsource such as tanning beds exceedsthe ability of our protective pigmentmelanin (more commonly known asa suntan) to protect the skin.

I remember suntan lotion com-mercials from long ago that empha-sized the lotion’s ability to promotea golden and healthy tan. Today’scommercials are focusing more onthe sunscreen’s ability to protectfrom the harmful UVA and UVBrays of the sun.

Remember, there is no such thingas a healthy tan.

While the painful or uncomfort-able symptoms of a minor sunburnare usually temporary, the damageto the skin is often permanent and

can cause more serious effects sucha skin cancer.

Sunburns can occur in as little as15 minutes of sun exposure and cancause first and second degree burns.

Blisters may develop and peelingusually occurs. Some have had se-vere reactions, or sun poi-soning, that causes fever,chills, nausea, or rash.

Infants and children areespecially sensitive to thesun’s burning effects. Fairskinned people are morelikely to get sunburnedbut dark and black skincan also burn and shouldbe protected.

A more severe effect ofthe sun is Melanoma.This is a very serious formof skin cancer that can be fatal if notcaught in the early stages but is cur-able if detected and treated early.

Melanoma can occur anywhere onthe body, even under fingernails

/toenails, palms of the hands orsoles of the feet.

People with fair complexions thatburn or blister easily, those withblond or red hair, excessive sun ex-posure during the childhood andteen years or blistering and sun-

burns before the age of18, and/or a large num-ber of moles have an in-creased risk ofmelanoma.

Protecting yourselfagainst overexposure tothe sun is the key to pre-vention. Some tips in-clude:

1. Avoid being out-doors between the hoursof 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This

is when the UV rays arestrongest.

2. Check your local paper or newsstations for that day’s UV index.The higher the number, the greaterthe need for eye and skin protection.

3. Wear sunscreen with a mini-mum of 15 SPF or higher and issweat/water resistant. (Be awarethat very high SPF’s can cause irri-tation to sensitive skin such as in-fants and children.),

4. Apply sunscreen at least 30minutes prior to exposure and allover the body including your scalp,lips and the tips of your ears, feetand hands, Reapply after 1-2 hours.

5. Wear protective clothing andwide brimmed hats, clothing shouldbe opaque and tightly weaved.

6. Wear sunglasses that have100% UV protection.

7. Sunscreens should be appliedbefore insect repellents (DEET-con-taining insect repellents may de-crease the effectiveness of sun-screens).

8. Use common sense, You can geta sunburn on cloudy days too.

If you do become sunburned :■ Drink lots of fluids and stay in-

doors or in the shade,

■ Take cool showers/baths, orplace cool compresses on the skin,

■ Wear loose, non-constrictingclothing,

■ Oral non-steroidal anti-inflam-matory drugs such as ibuprofen maydecrease the redness/pain,

■ Use moisturizing creams if theskin is not blistered.

You can find more information onsunburns, suncreens, and skin can-cers at www.cdc.gov, andwww.aad.org, (American Academyof Dermatology).

The information in this article isfor informational purposes only andis not intended to diagnosis or treatany medical condition. You shouldconsult your healthcare provider fordiagnosis and treatment of any andall medical conditions.

■ Health Servicees is openMonday Friday, 8 a.m. -3 p.m. dur-ing the fall and spring semesters.Please feel free tto stop by or call403-1303 with any questions.

Hall

Going outside? Be mindful of sunburn problems

Spring Fling in Poplarville

Above, Explizit entertainedduring Spring Fling on April 28at the football practice field.Band members are, from left,Alkress Barnes on keyboard,Joshua Reynolds on drums,singer ChancellorMontgomery, all of Colum-bia;Anthony Brown of Hattiesburgon guitar, and Jeffrey Rey-nolds Jr. of Columbia on bass.Joshua Reynolds and Mont-gomery are PRCC students.Left, Ramsey Graham, in theair, and Ricky Chisholm, bothof Carriere, turned the limbobar into a high jump.Below, Eugenia Fy of Jacksonwields the water hose as fel-low students Kezi Oscar ofCanton, from left, ShakeriaDillon of Franklinton, La., andLatricia Stephens of Miami,Fla, play on the water slide.

By ADAM JONESThe Drawl Staff Writer

It has been said that in order to truly learnone must remove his or her self from his orher comfort zone and step into the unknown.

Our life is a book full of emptypages and we are the author whowrites our story. Yet so many peopleare afraid of what is on the otherside of the door and down the roadonly bringing their lives to a halt.

Leaving the pages they couldhave filled empty, never to be writ-ten and leaving the unknown anenigma for the rest of their life.

Sure, this is a lot different thanwhat I usually write every month,but it is that time in the semesterthat one begins to think and reflect.

Finishing a full year of college, graduating,or choosing a school to transfer to are all bigthings, and with them comes the memories ofhow you came to that particular place in yourlife.

For me, the transition from a private univer-sity to a local community college, 20 minutesaway from home, was not as bad as I had ini-tially thought it to be. What I thought wasgoing to be miserable, and loathsome year and

a half has been the exact opposite for me.Yet it has all come down to how I’ve made

do with the situation at hand. Nevertheless itapplies to everyone reading this article.

There are things in life we don’t like, thingswe are thrown into that we do notlike, or situations we are not readyfor, but that does not mean we canhandle them and make the best ofit.

We often times think that we havereached our limits, when frankly,we’ve barely scratched the surfaceof our potential. Just because a se-mester is unbearable or life hasthrown you a curve does not meanit is impossible to overcome.

We live life from battle to battle,and what we do in preparation for

the next is just as critical as breathing.So when things are stacked against you, the

odds are not in your favor, or you think youhave pushed enough, remember to search in-side yourself and push just a bit more, and re-gardless of the situation give it your all be-cause all hills can be climbed and all stormswill pass.

■ Adam Jones is a sophomore student fromBogalusa, La.

Jones

Despite obstacles, we must workto make best of our situation

PRCC student Edna Hayes of Columbia talks with William Carey University admissionscounselors Lisa Dickens; left; and Larissa McDavid in Crosby Hall. Carey; the Universityof Southern Mississippi; the University of Mississippi; Mississippi State University andMississippi College participated in Transfer Week recruiting the week of March 28.PRCCPublic Relations photo

Transfer Week recruiting

N E W SThe DRAWL May 2011 • Page 3

By TONIA MOODYADA/Civil Rights Coordinator

As we wind down from the hecticpace of the spring semester and finalexams are upon us, don’t forget tostart planning for the fall semester.

So where do you begin?You all know the basics; make sure

you have your financial aid informa-tion complete and account clear soyou can make your class schedule.The earlier you do your schedule,the better the opportunity for you toget the classes you want and need.

Returning students can makeschedules now. New students will

begin making their schedules afterMay 18.

What about things that you maynot think about. If you’re a studentwith a disability and wish to receivedisability services, it is importantthat you meet with the ADACoordinator, or designated represen-tative at your center, each semesterto update your records and receiveservices.

Failure to contact the DisabilityOffice each semester may result inno services or a delay in services.

Do you have a disability, buthaven’t applied for disability serv-ice? Have you wondered what the

Disability Service Office can do foryou?

The Disability Office is here toprovide services and accommoda-tions to students with disabilities, towork closely with faculty and staff inan advisory capacity, to assist in thedevelopment of reasonable accom-modations for students, and to pro-vide equal access for students withdisabilities.

How does a student qualify forDisability Services?

The student must meet the re-quirements under the Americanswith Disabilities Act and Section504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

and they must identify themselves tothe designated ADA Coordinator asa student with a disability and pro-vide documentation of the disability.

There are other servic-es available to students,including students withdisabilities, to assist themin being successful, suchas tutoring, educationalcounseling and advising,cultural enrichment activ-ities and other servicesprovided through theStudent Support Servicesprogram.

Ask! The best advice I

can give to you is this, if you don’tknow, don’t hesitate to ask. Themotto for the Student SupportServices Program is “Asking for help

is a strength, not a weak-ness.”

Or better yet, asWilliam Wister Haines putit, “Don’t be afraid to askdumb questions. They’remore easily handled thandumb mistakes.”

If you have questionsabout the DisabilityServices Program, con-tact Tonia Moody at 601-

403-1060. Moody

Not too late; plan for your future success today

DECA students from left to right are: Austin Herrin of Purvis, Sarah Ladner of Waveland,Epiphany Magee of Hattiesburg, Advisor Delana Harris, Josh Shaw of Gulfport, Ne’KiaCarter of Picayune, Katie Davenport of Wiggins, and Zach Kirscheneuter of Poplarville.

By DELANA HARRISBusiness Marketing Instructor

Collegiate DECA recently hosted its annualInternational Career Development Conference(ICDC) in Orlando, Fla.

This year’s conference marked 50 years thatthe organization has been aiding students ingaining professional experience and reachingtheir career goals. Pearl River CommunityCollege was well represented at the conference,with eight students and one advisor.

Students who attended the conference re-ceived the opportunity to meet professionals inthe fields of marketing and entrepreneurshipand gain knowledge on how to pursue a careerin these fields.

A private lecture was given to CollegiateDECA members at the Universal Studios mar-keting and sales office. Students learned aboutthe company’s promotional plans, ticket sellingprocess, and how the company manages suc-cess in a competitive marketplace.

The students also received the opportunityto see “behind the scenes” at some of the up-coming projects that the company will be work-ing on. After a morning of lectures and learn-ing, the members were able to enjoy the parkand ride some of the best thrill rides in the na-tion.

On Friday, April 15, students began compet-ing in their competitive event areas.

In order to qualify to compete at ICDC, stu-dents had to place in the top three at their stateconference. Students from both four-year andtwo-year institutions are eligible for these com-petitive events; with the majority of studentscompeting attending universities or senior col-leges.

After competing in this preliminary round ofcompetition, students are narrowed down tothe top 15 for each category. With so manycompetitors it is an honor to “make the cut”and compete at the final round of competition.

During the preliminary awards session,Mississippi had seven students qualify for finalsand five of those students were from PearlRiver.

The students who placed in the top 15 wereZach Kirschenhueter of Poplarville, AustinHerrin of Purvis, Josh Shaw of Gulfport, SarahLadner of Waveland, and Katie Davenport ofWiggins.

The work for these five students was not overjust yet; they still had another round of compe-tition and a new set of judges to impress.

After the final round ofcompetition, Pearl Riverhad one team that placedin the top eight in the na-tion. That team wasDavenport and Ladner,who competed inAdvertising Cam-paign.

Both will be graduat-ing from Pearl River’sBusiness Marketing/Management programthis month and will betransferring to Mississippi State University topursue degrees in the public relations field.

Dakota Dale, who graduated from theBusiness Marketing/Management program inDecember, was elected to serve as a NationalVice President for the 2011-12 school year andwill receive the opportunity to intern withNational Collegiate DECA this summer inWashington D.C.

DECA students make an impressive showing

PRCC makes mark on national stage

POPLARVILLE - A Pearl River CommunityCollege graduate has been elected to theCollegiate DECA leadership team for 2011-12.

Dakota Dale, 21, of Purvis, was elected oneof four vice presidents during the organization’sInternational Career Development Conferenceheld in April in Orlando, Fla.

He completed requirements for his associ-ate’s degree from PRCC in December and plansto take part in graduation on May 17.

Dale and the other new officers will spendthree weeks this summer in Washington, D.C.,undergoing intensive leadership training.

“I’m excited,” he said recently. “There’s a lotof gray area right now, but I’m looking forwardto just serving the members.”

At the end of training, he will decide whetherto go to Mississippi State in the fall to studyagri-business or a take a year off from college.

Candidates for national office submitted 22-page portfolios and went through a rigorousprocess before 10 were selected for the ballot.

“We had to go through a panel interview and

a test on the bylaws and constitution before wecould be approved as actual national officer can-didates,” Dale said. “I spent over a thousandbucks on promotional things and didn’t know ifI’d make the cut or not until I got there.”

The top vote-getter - Paige Eldridge ofNorthwood University in Texas - was electedpresident. Dale and the next three were electedvice presidents.

“He has a really good, fun-loving personality,”said Delana Harris, PRCC instructor of busi-ness marketing and management technologyand DECA sponsor. “Lots of people like his pos-itive attitude. People want to be around him,and that is an asset to any team.”

Dale’s first experience with DECA was atPearl River. “I was inspired by the marketing de-partment at Pearl River,” he said. “I was thestate president for Mississippi this past year.One of my main points that I focused on wassetting goals for the members. I set a goal and Iran and felt like I needed to set a higher goaland that’s when I ran for national office.”

Dale

Dale elected to DECA national office

F O R R E S T C O U N T Y N E W SThe DRAWLMay 2011 • Page 4

Pearl River Community College student Linda Johnson of Laurel reacts as ChanceMontgomery of Columbia, lead singer for Explizit, sings to her during Spring Fling on April13 at the PRCC Forrest County Center. Montgomery is a student at the Poplarville cam-pus. PRCC Public Relations photos

Spring Fling fun

Above, Pearl RiverCommunity College studentJolesia Moore ofHattiesburg prepares sidedishes for the StudentGovernment AssociationGrill-Off during Spring Flingat the Forrest CountyCenter.Above left, Assistant librari-an Billy Landrigan, center,holds the Best of the Besttrophy for the barbequedbeef the library entered inthe SGA Grill-Off during theSpring Fling. Other winnerswere Jolesia Moore ofHattiesburg, left, represent-ing the History andHumanities Club, for bestside dish; and Dr. RyanRuckel representing theCrazy Eighters facultyfrom Building 3 for bestdessert.Lower left, Dr. BennyHornsby grills deer sausagefor the math department’sentry in the SGA Grill-Off.

By DR. BENNY HORNSBYPRCC Instructor

Nationwide, the online delivery ofacademic instruction has become avery popular teaching model, andMississippi is no exception.

For example, all of the communityand junior colleges in the state par-ticipate in the Mississippi VirtualCommunity College (MSVCC), andduring the Spring 2011 semester,30,116 students were enrolled inover 1,300 online classes.

In addition to “traditional” class-es, I have taught online for PearlRiver Community College for thepast four years, as well as forWilliam Carey University, and inthis article I will briefly share someof the things I have learned about

successfully teaching online.Here’s how I organize and teach

my online courses:1. At first, I did online what I do

in the classroom; now I pretty muchdo in the classroom what Ido online. I’ve gone “paper-less,” and there is a syner-gistic relationship betweenthe two types of class-rooms.

2. I run my classes fromMonday through Sundaynight, with assignments being dueat 11 p.m. on Sunday.

3. Students read the text; answerthe questions in their workbook;read the chapter notes that I provideeach week, watch a related PowerPoint or YouTube presentation, andhave practice tests.

4. On the Interactive DiscussionBoard each week, I post an assign-ment involving their opinion aboutsomething we’ve read or talkedabout. In addition to a major post,

they have to respond to twoclassmates in a meaningfulway on different days.

5. Since I consider mycourses to be “writing in-tensive,” students write anessay or “Reaction Paper”each week, which is directly

related to something we’ve readabout and discussed. This alwaysrequires outside research involvingthe internet or the library.

I also follow some very basic rulesthat I think are essential to teachingsuccessfully online.

I call them the “Rules of the

Virtual Road:”a. Respect the model. Numerous

studies show that online teachingcan be as effective as that deliveredin the traditional classroom. If youare still in doubt, take a course froma reputable, accredited school andsee for yourself.

b. Build community. One of themajor criticisms of online courses isthe lack of face-to-face interactionwith the instructor. I work from thefirst day of class to encourage a senseof “family” among my students.

c. Be kind to everyone; you can’tbe too nice.

d. Have realistic rules and give re-alistic assignments.

e. Learn and use names and usethem in your responses.

f. Be consistent: follow the syl-

labus.g. Make tests doable: anyone can

make a test no one can pass.h. Focus on what’s important: no

need to teach the whole booki. Grade and return tests and as-

signments in a timely manner.j. Use the technology that’s avail-

able to you.k. Vary styles of instruction; re-

member that everyone learns in dif-ferent ways.

l.. Give timely feedback. My ruleis to respond to every comment orquestion within 24 hours.

mm. Never, ever, get into a con-frontation with a student; you bothlose.

n. I look on my job as a ministry.The bottom line is to care about thestudents.

Success teaching online classes takes organization

By REBECCA BROWN WIN Office Technology Program Coordinator

Both new students and spring graduatescould benefit from services offered by theMississippi Department of EmploymentSecurity (MDES) at local WIN Job Centers.

Individuals may qualify to receive financialassistance for education under the federalWorkforce Investment Act (WIA). The fundingis provided in Individual Training Accounts(ITAs) that are set-up directly with PRCC.

Students who are interested in ap-plying for WIA funding should makesure that the program of interest iseligible by visiting the MDES web-site at https://etpl.mdes.ms.gov.WIN Job Centers will begin takingapplications for WIA funding for thefall semester toward late May orearly June.

“I have seen students who havecome to me and told me that with-out WIA, they could not have goneto school,” said Laquita Cohen, ITAspecialist with MDES. Cohen says that stu-dents’ self-esteem levels improve as she watch-es them enroll in a program, work hard to besuccessful in school and then graduate and seereal income improvement.

“I am proud of the personal successes thathave come out of this program and I am hon-ored to be a part of the process,” said Cohen.

To find out the specific dates that WIA appli-cations will be taken at each WIN Job Center,contact PRCC’s ITA Coordinator, Frankie Leeat 601.554.5531 or flee@prcc.edu or call yourlocal WIN Job Center: Hattiesburg-601.584.1202, Picayune-601.798.3472 or

Hancock County-228.466.5041.When applying for funding at his or her local

WIN Job Center, the student should bring thePRCC program letter of acceptance, officialphoto identification (student IDs are not ac-cepted) and a copy of his or her Social SecurityCard.

Spring graduates preparing to enter theworkforce are also encouraged to take advan-tage of resources available through WINCenters. These services include job search as-

sistance, basic computer skills train-ing and access to job search tools in-cluding copy and fax machines andcomputers with free resume prepa-ration software.

Pearl River Community Collegeand the Department of EmploymentSecurity are long-time partners inmany state and local workforce de-velopment efforts.

“We welcome Pearl River stu-dents to visit us personally and findout how we can assist them in their

career journeys,” said Robin Stewart,manager of the Picayune WIN Job Center.“Our staff is dedicated to helping students asthey transition from full-time learners to full-time workers.”

To register as a job applicant, visit your localcenter or register online at www.mdes.ms.govby visiting the Access Mississippi link.

To register for basic computer training at theHattiesburg WIN Job Center, contact RebeccaBrown at 601.336.0765 or rbrown@prcc.edu.

To register for the basic computer training inPicayune or Hancock County, contact LoriAllemand at 601.798.3472 orlallemand@prcc.edu.

Brown

WIN Job Center has varietyof services for PRCC students

From Special ReportsThe PRCC Department of Workforce

Education is serving our six-county districtthrough industry driven, job focused trainingand development programs.

In addition to the continuation of long-termprograms such as computer training,Emergency Medical Technician training, andculinary training, new opportunities for serv-ice have developed during the Spring of 2011.

Project managers are teaming with local in-dustry to meet the needs of our district andstate by preparing constituents for employ-ment.

One such form of support is CareerReadiness Certificate testing which enablesemployers to pre-screen for qualified candi-dates.

Today, the workforce staff is engaged in theearly stages of a partnership with Stion, aCalifornia-based solar cell manufacturing com-pany, to train up to 1,000 workers for posi-tions in the newly emerging solar technologiesfield over the next five years.

Stion’s corporate office is currently hiring amanagement team to oversee operations atthe proposed Hattiesburg solar cell manufac-turing plant and has begun to work with Ms.Lee Bell, Workforce Project Training Manager,to complete pre-employment training assess-ments for the first 100 workers hired before

the end of 2011.Stion is also utilizing the business incubator

at the Lowery Woodall Advanced TechnologyCenter to prepare operations for their full-timefacility that will be ready in September 2011.

In addition to the work with Stion, theworkforce staff is developing and deliveringcustomized training for business and industry.

Trainer Lee Reid is currently delivering aLeadership and Coaching program for select-ed PRCC faculty and staff.

Additionally, he is delivering a customizedadvanced leadership program for PioneerAersospace, in addition to his work with otherlocal companies.

Project manager Lindsey Lewis is workingwith the Learning Enhancement Center of theUniversity of Southern Mississipppi to deliverthe DiSC workplace profile training. She isalso training the corporate and local staff forBedford homes in Hattiesburg.

According to Lewis, “during challengingeconomic times, our staff is creatively identify-ing ways in which to serve our clients.”

These challenging times have provided adesperate need for quality training and devel-opment in which all companies are tasked todo more with less.

The workforce staff is striving to meet thoseneeds and help create a highly skilled work-force for the state of Mississippi.

Workforce staff remains busyhelping local businesses

Retirement profileNAME: Catherine Merrikin

RESIDENCE: Hattiesburg

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:Woburn High School, 1962; Universityof Massachusetts, Amherst, B.B.A.,1966; Suffolk University, M.Ed., 1974

POSITION AT PRCC: BusinessTechnology Instructor, OccupationalTraining Department Chair, ForrestCounty Center

WORK EXPERIENCE at PRCC: 23years

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIIKE WORKING AT PRCC? I haveenjoyed all of it. I have made many friends, and had opportu-nities to participate in many different activities.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT PRCC?:The students and my many friends.

WHAT ARE THE TOP CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEEN ATPRCC IN ALL THE YEARS YOU HAVE WORKED HERE?Technology advances and the expansion of the Forrest CountyCenter.

YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS? Travel and volunteer.

Merrikin

Retirement profileNAME: Mary Benson

FAMILY: Married to Earl, onedaughter, Emily Wallace; one son, RodWallace; two step-sons, Joseph andMichael Benson, and 6 grandchildren.

RESIDENCE: Seminary.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:Collins High School, 1968; USM, B.S.,1972; and USM, M.L.S., 1994.

POSITION AT PRCC: Librarian,Forrest County Center.

WORK EXPERIENCE at PRCC: 16 years

WHAT HAS ITT BEEN LIKE WORKING AT PRCC? I’ve al-ways been so proud to be a part of PRCC. I’m so proud of ourefforts with the BSU here on the Hattiesburg campus.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT PRCC?:Since he is looking over my shoulder, I’ll have to say Billy!

WHAT ARE THE TOP CHANGES YOUU HAVE SEEN ATPRCC? The phenomenal growth at the Forrest County Centerhas created most of the changes that I have observed.

WHAT ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS? Earl and I bothlove to travel. We’ve got a pretty long “bucket list.”

Benson

Military recruitment

Deborah Hewitt (right), counselor at the Forrest CountyCenter, shakes hands with a soldier during College Day atthe Education Center at Camp Shelby Joint ForcesTraining Center. PRCC has worked to attract more stu-dents to classes at the Hattiesburg campus.

F O R R E S T C O U N T Y N E W SThe DRAWL May 2011 • Page 5

HATTIESBURG - Studentpoets at Pearl RiverCommunity College’s ForrestCounty Center presentedtheir work to fellow studentsand faculty Monday at APoetry Cafe.

The event gave 14 studentsa chance to read their poetryand to sell baked goods, coffeeand soft drinks to raise moneyto attend the SouthernLiterary Festival.

The students are in Dr.Terri Ruckel’s CreativeWriting II class.

“In my 14 students, I’vefound talent,” she said.“PRCC’s got talent.”

The students attended theSouthern Literary FestivalApril 7-9 at Blue MountainCollege in Blue Mountain,Miss.

PRCC students present poetry

Alma Wilkerson of Philadelphia, Miss., reads her poem, “When I Was Young ... er” duringthe April 4 Poetry Cafe held by creative writing students at the Forrest County Center. PRCC Public Relations photos

Mason Nelson of Hattiesburg presents his poem, “MyName in Three Parts, Part 1,” during the Poetry Cafe atthe Forrest County Center.

Poetrypresentations

Plans are being finalized for the Career Education Building to be built at theForrest County Center. The building will house welding, electronics technologyand the heating, air conditioning,ventilation and refrigeration technology pro-grams along with four classrooms, offices and the center’s physical plant. The building will be located north of the Allied Health Center. Construction couldbegin in late spring or early summer.

Architect’s rendering of new Career EdBuilding at the Forrest County Center

HATTIESBURG - Lauren Michelle Williamsreceived her dental hygienist pin Tuesday, May3, at Pearl River Community College but mili-tary obligations will take her out of her chosenfield for more than a year.

Williams began a 400-day deploymentWednesday with the 1st/204th Air DefenseArtillery of the Mississippi NationalGuard, ultimately headed to Iraq.

“I’m anxious and excited,”Williams said. “I think it’s going tobe a great experierence.”

Williams and 15 other sopho-mores completed the two-year den-tal hygiene program at PRCC’sForrest County Center. College offi-cials scheduled the formal pinningceremony earlier than usual so thatWilliams and her family could at-tend.

The educational benefits and promise of ad-venture lured Williams, 21, to enlist in theNational Guard while a senior at ClarkdaleHigh School near Meridian. She came toPRCC in Poplarville four years ago on a soccerscholarship with plans to become a dental hy-gienist.

“When I was through with school and soccerthere, I applied and got in,” she said.

Williams received the Mississippi DentalAssociation award for Outstanding DentalHygiene Student and was inducted into SigmaPhi Alpha, the Dental Hygiene Honor Society.

“She’s a good student, in the classroom andthe clinic,” said Dr. Stan Hill, program director.“I would love to have more like her.”

Williams, who now lives in Hattiesburg, has

juggled school, weekend drills and summertraining with apparent ease and holds the rankof sergeant.

“I got lucky,” she said. “The school and myunit have been amazing, working with me. I’vegotten everything done I needed to.Everybody’s been really understanding.”

She is an early warning air de-fense radar operator in the NationalGuard. Her unit, headquartered inNewton, will spend three monthstraining at Fort Sill, Okla., before de-ploying to Camp Victory inBaghdad.

“I really believe we’ll be fine,” shesaid.

In addition to Williams, SarahLauren Smith of Hattiesburg andLaura Ashley Askin of Biloxi were

inducted into Sigma Phi Alpha. Askinalso received the Colgate Star Student Awardand Smith received the Mississippi DentalHygienist Association Achievement Award.

Others who received awards were KaylaDeLane Harvey of Liberty, Most OutstandingDental Hygiene Student; Lien Kim Dao ofD’Iberville, Hu-Friendy Golden Scaler Award;and Noelle Allyson Burkman of Hattiesburg,PRCC Patient Education Award.

The other new dental hygienists are Linda ThiLe and Liberty LaDonna Lessard, both of Biloxi;Kara Minton of Hattiesburg; Bayley ElizabethButler of Bay Springs, Kylee Lynn Carpenter andStephanie Marie Key, both of Gulfport; EmilyLittle Caughman of D’Lo, Kristen Elise Cox ofRaymond, Corrie Anne Hatcher of Lucedale andJordan Renee Hill of SoSo.

PRCC dental hygienist headed to Iraq

The 2011 dental hygiene graduates at the Forrest County Center of Pearl RiverCommunity College received their pins in a May 3 ceremony at the Lowery A. WoodallAdvanced Technology Center. They are, front row front left, Kylee Carpenter andStephanie Key, both of Gulfport; second row, Linda Le of Biloxi and Jordan Hill of Soso;third row, Noelle Burkman of Hattiesburg and Lien Dao of D’Iberville; fourth row, CorrieHatcher of Lucedale, Laura Askin of Biloxi and Kayla Harvey of Liberty; fifth row, LibertyLessard of Biloxi and Lauren Williams of Hattiesburg; sixth row, Kara Minton ofHattiesburg, Emily Caughman of D’Lo and Bayley Butler of Bay Spring; seventh row,Kristen Cox of Raymond and Sarah Smith of Hattiesburg; eighth row, instructor DonnaLunn, Dr. Stan Hill, program director; and instructor Bethnie Brenner.PRCC Public Relations photo

Williams

Awards Day

Dr. William Lewis, president of Pearl RiverCommunity College, presented theMississippi State University PresidentialPartnership Scholarship to ChelseaBoutwell of Petal during Awards Day

Dr. William Lewis, president of Pearl RiverCommunity College, presented the PRCCPresidential Scholarship to Jaimi Thomasof Oak Grove during Awards Day on May 5at the Forrest County Center.

Amanda Blount of Hattiesburg, left, re-ceived the Citizenship Award from coun-selor Deborah Hewitt during the May 5Awards Day at the Forrest County Center.

Dr. Joe Wesley, left, presented the Citizen-ship Award to David Moore of Oak Groveduring Awards Day on May 5 at PRCC’sForrest County Center.

Two outstanding students at Pearl RiverCommunity College’s Forrest County Centerreceived Citizenship Awards during the annualAwards Day presentation on May 5.

The awards went to Amanda Blount ofHattiesburg and David Moore of Oak Grove.Moore also received the Outstanding Studentin Computer Science Award.

Lee Kinabrew of Hattiesburg was recognizedfor his selection to the All-USA CommunityCollege Academic Team. He was one of 20 com-munity college students recognized April 11during a presentation in New Orleans.

Dr. William Lewis, PRCC president, also rec-ognized two students who received scholar-ships to further their education.

Jaimi Thomas of Oak Grove received theWilliam A. Lewis Presidential Scholarship to at-tend the University of Southern Mississippi.Chelsea Boutwell of Petal received theMississippi State University PresidentialPartnership Scholarship.

In addition, Cynthia Bettancourt of Petal re-ceived a $300 book scholarship from theLouisiana-Mississippi Math Association of TwoYear Colleges which met at the Forrest CountyCenter in October.

Outstanding Student Awards were given tothe following students:

■ Air Conditioning and Refrigeration - Ty Fordof Sumrall.

■ Anatomy and Physiology/Microbiology -Brennan Vaughn of Oak Grove.

■ Chemistry - Kris King of Hattiesburg.■ Communications - Shirley Boyd of

Columbia.■ Criminal Justice Academic Track - Jonathan

C. Graves of Sumrall.■ Criminal Justice Career/Technical Track -

Ashley Townes of Hattiesburg.■ Dental Assisting Technology - Shelby

Bolling of Wiggins.■ Dental Hygiene Technology - Kayla Harvey

of Liberty.■ Developmental Studies - Lasheka Rawls of

Columbia.■ Electronics Technology - Wajeh Turner of

Woodville.■ English - Kimberly Williams of Hattiesburg.■ Geography - Justin Tuck of Purvis.■ History - Elijah Corley of Oak Grove.■ Mathematics - Monica Easterling of

Hattiesburg.

■ Medical Laboratory Technology - TonneForquer of Hattiesburg.

■ Medical Radiologic Technology - RaineyLoper of Wiggins.

■ Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology- Steven Brewer of Petal.

■ Office Systems Technology - YelenaZemtsova of Hattiesburg.

■ Philosophy/Religion - Stephen Broome ofPrentiss.

■ Physical Therapist Assistant Technology -Jeremy Strief of Kiln.

■ Psychology - Chris Pfalzgraf of Picayune.■ Practical Nursing - Britanny R. Walley of

Hattiesburg.■ Practical Nursing Dual Enrollment - Gabriel

Rule of Petal.■ Sociology - Charles E. Draughn of

Hattiesburg.■ Spanish - Jordan Smalley of Hattiesburg.■ Writing - Michael Roy, Mason Nelson and

Brittany Williamson, all of Hattiesburg; ChaseRichard of Petal and Heath Parker of Purvis.

■ Who’s Who Among American CommunityColleges 2011. They are:

Terry Barlow, Allison Beasley, Lacey Bounds, JustinBrown, Ellen Bryant, Noelle Burkman, Lien Dao,Jennifer Davion, Monica Easterling, Tonne Forquer,Lauren Garner, Ashton Green Samantha Grillo, MaryHammett, Jasmine Howard, Lee Kinabrew, KristenMontgomery, Valerie Moran, Kerry Payne, MalloryPittman, Aaron Powell, Bradley Pritchett, TiffanyShanks, Sarah Smith, Teyokee Walker, Sarah White,Lauren Williams, Lauren Young and MarianaZamarripa, all of Hattiesburg; Casey Cuevas, RebeccaDyess, James Eddie Hodges, Antonio King, ChannaNowell, Kaleb Riser and Jennifer Thacker, all of Purvis;Chelsea Adams, Michael Bass, Courtney Carter, AbbyMcCain and Michael Norris of Columbia; BridgetHannaford, Amy Lee, Jennifer Mills, Heidi Montegut,Tina Rockco and Lauren Taylor, all of Poplarville;

Tegan Gardner, Breanna Johnson, Lauren Locke,Felicia Mars, Cabrini Smith and John Wiechmann, all ofPetal; Elijah Corley, David Moore and Jaimi Thomas,all of Oak Grove; Kayla Holifield, Christopher Pfalzgrafand Pamela Scheuermann, all of Picayune; TarynGraham, Joshua Morris and Laken Taormina, all ofSumrall; Laura Askin and Linda Le, both of Biloxi;Derrick Braxton and Stephanie Key, both of Gulfport;Eva Hernandez and Rae Ryan, both of Carriere;Victoria Slade and Chris Wilson, both of Brooklyn;Kayla Harvey of Liberty, Brandi Hall of Lumberton,Melinda Dittman of Perkinston, Rainey Loper ofWiggins, Carl Macon of Seminary, Emiley Mills ofFlorence, Alison Rials of Tylertown, Laura Schuckmanof Foxworth and Joshua Taggert of McNeill.

Awards Day program at FCC

N E W SMay 2011 • Page 6 The DRAWL

James Williamson and Meggie Williamson Wells, both ofHattiesburg, are freshman class favorites at PRCC’sForrest County Center. PRCC Public Relations photo

David Moore of Oak Grove and Lauren Garner of the Dixiecommunity are the sophomore class favorites at PRCC’sForrest County Center. PRCC Public Relations photo

Dillan Ladner of Bay St. Louis and Austa Chasez ofWaveland are the freshman class favorites at PRCC’sHancock Center. PRCC Public Relations photo

PRCC’s Hancock Center sophomore class favorites areBrad Bennett and Cle’ile “LeeAnn” Hecker, both of Bay St.Louis. PRCC Public Relations photo

POPLARVILLE - EmilJones and Heather McLainhave been elected as Mr. andMiss Pearl River CommunityCollege.

They are featured in theWildcat year disk along withclass favorites.

Jones, 20, is the son of MaryJones and Adrain Jones Sr. ofHattiesburg. A graduate ofNorth Forrest High School,Jones played quarterback onthe PRCC football team andguard on the basketball team.He was named to the 2011 All-Region 23 and All-MississippiAssociation of Communityand Junior Colleges basketballteams.

After graduation, he will at-tend Troy University in Troy,Ala., on a basketball scholar-ship.

McLain, 19, lives inTaylorsville where she gradu-ated from Taylorsville HighSchool. She is the daughter ofJulie Dunn and SammieMcLain, both of Collins.

She is Student GovernmentAssociation vice president, aresident assistant in thewomen’s suites dormitory andthe 2010 homecoming queen.She plans to major in businessmarketing and management atPRCC.

Sophomore class favoritesSophomore class favorites

are Tran Diep, Sarah Ladner,Robert Marzoni and BeauUnderwood.

Diep, 19, is the daughter ofPhung Truong and ThanhDiep of Biloxi. She is a gradu-ate of Biloxi High School and adefender on the PRCC soccerteam.

She plans to enroll in thedental hygiene program at theForrest County Center.

Ladner is the 19-year-olddaughter of Karen andDouglas Ladner of Waveland.A graduate of Hancock HighSchool, she is SGA presidentand vice president of DECA.She plans to attendMississippi State University.

Marzoni, 20, is the son ofCarol Bolin and TommyMarzoni of Purvis. He is agraduate of Purvis HighSchool and a pitcher on thePRCC baseball team. He plansto continue playing baseball atthe university level and majorin pre-med.

Underwood, 19, is the sonof Bobby and MariaUnderwood of Biloxi. A gradu-ate of St. Patrick CatholicHigh School, Underwood is amember of Phi Theta Kappainternational honor society.

He was a back on the PRCCfootball team and pitches onthe PRCC baseball team.

He plans to continue playingbaseball at the university level

while majoring in secondaryeducation.

Freshman class favoritesThe freshman class favorites

are Antoine Armstrong,Janessa Dedeaux, NicoleFortenberry and KetrickWolfe.

Armstrong, 20, is the son ofOllie and Leray Armstrong ofPascagoula and a defender onthe PRCC soccer team. Heplans to major in nursing atWilliam Carey University.

Dedeaux, 18, is the daugh-ter of Janice and StonyDedeaux of Poplarville.

She is a graduate ofPoplarville High School andplays catcher and infield onthe softball team. She plans topursue a nursing degree.

A graduate of ForrestCounty Agricultural HighSchool, Fortenberry is the 18-year-old daughter of Daveyand Denise Fortenberry ofHattiesburg.

She is a member of the SGAand Phi Theta Kappa and is aresident assistant.

She is a midfielder on thePRCC soccer team and plansto attend nursing school at theUniversity of SouthernMississippi.

Wolfe, 19, is the son of Ervinand Deidra Wolfe of Sumrall.He is a graduate of SumrallHigh School and is a defensivelineman on the PRCC footballteam.

He plans to attend USM.Forrest County FavoritesSophomore class favorites

at the Forrest County Centerare Lauren Garner of the Dixiecommunity and David Mooreof Oak Grove.

Garner, 19, is the daughterof Briget and Joe Garner and agraduate of FCAHS.

She is a member of PhiTheta Kappa and was theForrest County Center sopho-more maid in the 2010 home-coming court.

She plans to major in dentalhygiene.

Moore, 34, is the son of Joeand Jean Simpson. A graduateof Oak Grove High School, heis a nursing major.

Moore is a member ofSigma Kappa Delta Englishhonor society, Phi ThetaKappa, the History andHumanities Club and theScience Club and is sopho-more class representative tothe Student GovernmentAssociation.

Freshman class favorites areMeggie Williamson Wells andJames Williamson, both ofHattiesburg.

Wells, 27, is the daughter ofBrian and Kay Williamson.She is a criminal justice majorand a graduate of FCAHS. Sheplans to attend USM.

Freshmen, sophomore class favorites elected

The 2011 freshman class favorites at Pearl River Community College are, from left,Ketrick Wolfe of Sumrall, Janessa DeDeaux of Poplarville, Nicole Fortenberry ofHattiesburg and Antoine Armstrong of Pascagoula. PRCC Public Relations photo

The 2011 sophomore class favorites at Pearl River Community College are, seated fromleft, Tran Diep of Biloxi and Sarah Ladner of Waveland; standing from left, RobertMarzoni of Purvis and Beau Underwood of Biloxi. PRCC Public Relations photo

Jones, McLain electedMr. and Miss PRCC

Emil Jones of Hattiesburg and Heather McLain ofTaylorsville are Mr. and Miss Pearl River CommunityCollege for 2011. PRCC Public Relations photo

Williamson, 18, is the sonof Janie Williamson and isalso a graduate of FCAHS.

He is freshman class presi-dent and is majoring inphysics with a minor in edu-cation. He plans to attendUSM. He and Wells are firstcousins.

Hancock Center FavoritesSophomore class favorites

at the Hancock Center inWaveland are Brad Bennettand Cle’lie “LeeAnn” Hecker,both of Bay St. Louis.

Bennett, 19, is the son ofPatricia Bennett and a gradu-ate of Hancock High School.A business managementmajor, he is president of theHancock Center StudentGovernment Association.

Bennett plans to continuehis education at USM.

Hecker, 32, is the daughter

of Emma C. Hecker ofCovington, La., and the late J.Paul Hecker.

She is SGA vice presidentand a general studies major.She also plans to attend USM.

Hancock Center freshmanclass favorites are AustaChasez of Waveland andDillan Ladner of Bay St.Louis.

Chasez, 19, is the daughterof Kelly Powell and FrederickChasez Jr.

A graduate of Bay HighSchool, she represented theHancock Center in the 2010homecoming court.

She plans to continue hereducation at USM orMissisisppi State University.

Ladner, also 19, is the sonof Christine and RobinLadner and a graduate of BayHigh. He is a nursing major.

PRCC creative writers bring home awardsPOPLARVILLE - Pearl River

Community College won nine awards atthe Mississippi Community CollegeCreative Writing Association conferencelast month and PRCC digital media co-ordinator Ronn Hague was elected to theassociation’s Hall of Fame.

The college’s literary magazine, TheMagic River, won first place and JessicaBellamy of Geismar, La., took first placein the drama category for “Brody’s Girl.”

Clara Bridges of Lumberton and KenHall of Picayune won second place indrama for “Friday Night Date.”

Honorable mention awards went to

Tran Diep of Biloxi and Jessica Teston ofPicayune in the literary essay category;Brittany Williams of Hattiesburg, a stu-dent at the Forrest County Center, in thenon-fiction category; Heath Parker ofPurvis, a Forrest County Center student,in poetry; Teston and Bellamy ofGeismar, La., in short fiction.

The association annually honors a for-mer student award winner with selec-tion to the Hall of Fame, said JuliaFerguson, PRCC English instructor andsponsor of the Creative WritingAssociation on the Poplarville campus.

“Ronn Hague won several awards

when he was a student - essay, shortstory, and poetry,” she said. “In addition,he started The Magic River and each ofthe editions he edited won first place.

“The Hall of Fame honors former win-ners who have continued to distinguishthemselves in the field of writing. Ronnhas published two books and has done ex-tensive work on script writing for film.”

For your information: Fall classes (day and night) at PRCCbegin on Aug. 15. Students can register for classes today.

N E W SMay 2011 • Page 7The DRAWL

MAKE THEPOPULAR CHOICE.

According to the U.S. Newsand World Report, SouthernMiss has been ranked inthe top 20 most popularuniversities in the nation, theonly school in Mississippi tohold this honor.

AA/EOE/ADAI UC 64201.5016 3.11

TRANSFER TOSOUTHERN MISS.

After a semester filled with 10 Stay Current!workshops, eight qualifying students who hadperfect attendance were entered into a drawingto win a brand new iPad on April 28.

Anticipation filled the room in Seal Hall asLeslie Butler, Title III learning specialist andleader of the Stay Current! efforts, drew onename at a time from a bowl. The winner of theiPad was Carrie Abel of Lumberton. Her sisterKatie Abel won second place and took home aboard game of LIFE. The third place drawingwent to Lane Balch. He received a dozenpeanut butter cookies.

The Stay Current! Workshop series, spon-sored by Title III, focused on training PRCCstudents on how to be successful college stu-dents. Workshops covered such topics as testtaking strategies, note taking, setting personalgoals, time management, personalfinance, and career preparation.

“Overall, I think the StayCurrent! Workshop series meets asignificant need for students atPRCC,” Butler said. “By breakingdown the strategies for success incollege to bite-sized, weekly, funbits, students get the opportunityto think about themselves as col-lege students and implementchanges in their attitudes and be-haviors towards being college stu-dents.”

The eight qualifying studentswere Carrie Abel, Katie Abel,Lane Balch, Dan Beavers, Jess Hemingway,Austin Korbe, Ethan Martin, and BrandiStricker.

Many thanks to Butler & Associates, Inc., aHattiesburg-based company that specializes intargeted consulting projects, for donating theiPad.

Plan to pilot e-portfolios this summerOne of the objectives of the Title III Grant is

to create an online e-portfolio for PRCC stu-dents. An e-portfolio is an online, digital spacefor students to archive and showcase their aca-demic goals and achievements.

Students and faculty can use e-portfolios tofor personal reflection, plan and set educationaland career goals, document significant academ-ic events, and celebrate learning.

PRCC e-portfolios offer students a “cool tool”to creatively present evidence of learning andaccomplishments to future audiences, such as

employers or transfer institutions. By creatingan e-portfolio, PRCC students have the oppor-tunity to jump ahead of their peers for admis-sion into other academic programs, collegescholarships, employment, and summer intern-ships.

Students can use e-portfolios to take owner-ship of their learning and creating an e-portfo-lio is absolutely FREE!

The Title III staff conducted a preliminary us-ability pilot study in April with the studentscurrently serving as Title III Peer Mentors. Thefeedback gained from their experiences withthe e-portfolio was vital to the continued devel-opment of the final product. The e-portfoliosare on schedule for piloting during the fall 2011semester.

The staff hopes to release the tool to allPRCC faculty and students the fol-lowing semester. Training classeswill be offered for all interested inutilizing the e-portfolios.

Introducing the RiverGuideOn April 6 and 10, the Office of

Information Technology intro-duced the students enrolled in thenewly redesigned College StudySkills course to the RiverGuide,the new online PRCC portal.

Steve Howard, Alisha Kimball,Rance Bedwell, Jeff Speed, andJason Bordelon were all on handfrom IT to teach and then observethe students as they worked in

the portal to record any feedback. Bedwell,programmer /analyst for IT, lead a presenta-tion that demonstrated the various componentsof the RiverGuide.

The new portal serves as a single source forall PRCC online services and includes directlinks to Blackboard, student and faculty emailaccounts, personal and college calendars, andWildcat Web to register for courses or pay tu-ition. The RiverGuide also houses pages for ac-cess to the PRCC libraries, eLearning, and theStudent Success Center.

Once of the major skills taught in the CollegeStudy Skills course that is needed to be a suc-cessful college student is to know what collegeresources are available and how to access theseresources for various personal and academicneeds. The RiverGuide provides a convenientand up-to-date source for all college resources.Kudos to PRCC IT for this effort!

Title III activity continuesStay Current! Workshops conclude with an iPad giveaway

Carrie Abel of Lumberton

By DR. ERIC LEATHERWOODEnglish Instructor

In 2004, the Leadership Honors Forum(LHF) class at PRCC’s Poplarville Campusbegan to use the semester’s end to put theoryinto practice.

After 14 weeks of learning about leadership,students of the LHF use the last two weeks ofclass to imagine, design, create, and imple-ment a service project or fundraiser to benefita cause or a part of the community of theclass’s choice.

Since 2004, eight classes worked hard to-ward the common vision of servant leadershipthrough projects such as: Working to raisehandicap accessibility awareness on campus,beatifying the campus grounds, and volunteer-ing at the local nursing home, students havesponsored charity softball games, sold catfishand BBQ plates, and have hosted dog trialevents to raise funds for those in need.

Over the past eight years, the students ofPoplarville’s LHF have raised, in aggregate,

nearly $10,000 for organizations such asBrothers’ Keepers Ministries, St. Jude’sChildren’s Hospital, and the AmericanDiabetes Association, as well as for individu-als needing assistance offsetting medicalcosts.

This year, the 2011 class of the LHF con-ceived and implemented a bake-sale, crawfishraffle, and catfish fry in conjunction withCuevas Fish House and Coca-Cola.

The students chose to donate their pro-ceeds of $2323.76 to Mrs. Sabina Brown, whois fighting breast cancer. The thoughts andprayers of the class are with Mrs. Brown asshe fights cancer.

The 2011 class worked diligently through-out the semester and demonstrated in nosmall way these last two weeks their leader-ship skills. The 2011 class of the LHF embod-ies James C. Hunter’s observations that“(t)here is great joy in leading with authority,which is serving others by meeting their legit-imate needs.”

Leadership group raises proceeds

By MAGGIE SMITHHancock Center Director

The Hancock CenterStudent Government Assn.organized a blood drive thissemester through theAmerican Red Cross.

The blood drive was onApril 19 in the Great Hall ofthe Hancock Center, andthere were 59 people who vol-unteered to give blood.

Vice President LeannHecker and Secretary JeanetteArthur worked hard to makethe event a success. Severalbusinesses contributed prizes

to be drawn as gifts for thosewho gave blood.

Special thanks go to Da’Little Cafe, J’s Restaurant,Foxy Nails, Lowe’s HomeImprovement, and the PRCCHancock Center Bookstore.

Prizes included gift certifi-cates, rose bushes and coffeemugs. The American RedCross employees were verysurprised at the turn out forthe event.

One worker said, “If we hadany idea that there wouldhave been this many people toturn out, we would havebrought more people to help.”

Hancock blood drive a success

Jason Lal(right) andLeAnnHecker(above) ofHancockCounty wereparticipantsin theHancockCenter SGA’sblood drive inWaveland.

Members of theLeadership Forumpresent a check toMrs. Sabrina Brown,who is fighting breastcancer. Pictured fromleft: First row - MichaelBrown, SabrinaBrown, Rachel Huff ofForest and Amy Burgeof Poplarville. Secondrow - Katrina Garrenof Poplarville, JacobDixon of McNeill,and Jonathan Geigerof Poplarville. Backrow - Matt Stafford ofFoxworth, Dr. EricLeatherwood, leader-ship honors advisor,and Billy Ward ofFoxworth. SabrinaBrown is a readinginstructor at PRCC.

N E W SThe DRAWLMay 2011 • Page 8

POPLARVILLE - The IotaMu chapter of Phi ThetaKappa inducted new mem-bers recently at Pearl RiverCommunity College inPoplarville.

The international honor so-ciety recognizes academicachievement by students attwo-year colleges.

New members include PaulFerguson, Angela Pounds,Amy Burge, Tessa Martin andMegan Smith, all ofPoplarville; Victoria Cox,Olivia Ryals, BrittanyFortenberry, Jessie Breakfieldand Fredriauna Perry, all ofColumbia; Alvin Richard,Drew Hedgepeth.

Brandi Stricker, JohnHaller and Jessica Teston, allof Picayune; AshleyLaRocque, Amanda Ginn,Brandy Moran and JenniferPeel, all of Bay St. Louis;

Aimee` Boyle, Misty Shows,Ruby Fairley and SammyWise, all of Lumberton; JaciAymond and Ashley Cordova,both of Purvis; Billy Rush andErin Clement, both ofCarriere.

Also, Ryan Wardlow ofBaldwyn, Gineca Garriga ofCatahoula, Rachel Leah Huffof Forest, Dana Raspberry ofHattiesburg, Michael Harrisof Kiln, Annie Carderas ofLiberty, Jalesia Dent ofNatchez, Courtney Lee ofOvett, Brian Rasmussen ofPascagoula, Porchia Smith ofQuitman, Ty Cadle of Saucier,Amanda Wells of Sumrall,Noelle Knippers ofTylertown, Jonathan D.Phillips of Vicksburg andDebbie Thompson of Slidell,La.

Stephanie Lee is the chap-ter adviser.

PRCC inducts members of Phi Theta Kappa honor society

NEW ORLEANS - PearlRiver Community Collegestudent Vernon LeeKinabrew was recentlynamed to the All-USACommunity CollegeAcademic Team by USAToday newspaper and PhiTheta Kappa internationalhonor society. On hand forthe presentation were fromleft: Dr. Rod Risley, PTK ex-ecutive director; Dr. JohnSygielski, chairman of theboard of the AmericanAssociation of CommunityColleges; PRCC PresidentWilliam Lewis; Kinabrew;Steve Pribyl, senior vice-president for sponsor FollettHigher Education Group;and Charlene Hale, senioraccount manager for spon-sor USA Today newspaper.

National honor

■ FROM page 1“In one of my essays I

wrote for the Phi ThetaKappa competition, I refer tothe incredible sense of accom-plishment I felt standing inline at my Phi Theta Kappainduction,” Kinabrew said. “Ifeel accomplished and I feelproud for myself, my collegeand for those faculty mem-bers who have worked withme to achieve this honor.

“And for those who will lis-ten, I would just like to saystarting and completing com-munity college might just be awatershed moment in yourlives. It was in mine.”

An English and historymajor, Kinabrew carries a3.92 grade point average andwas named to the All-Mississippi Academic Teamin March. He received a$1,000 stipend as a memberof the first team.

Kinabrew, who works atComfort Inn in Hattiesburg,plans to continue his educa-tion at the University ofSouthern Mississippi wherehe will major in casino, hospi-tality and tourism manage-ment. He hopes to eventuallyown an inn.

“I would love a bed-and-breakfast on the coast ofMaine,” he said.

As a member of the All-USA Community CollegeAcademic Team, he receiveda $2,500 scholarship and amedallion and PRCC receiveda commemorative obelisk.

“Lee Kinabrew’s selectionas a member of the All-USAAcademic Team is indeed apersonal honor for Lee, butalso brings great distinctionto Pearl River CommunityCollege,” said Dr. WilliamLewis, PRCC president. “Tobecome recognized by PhiTheta Kappa in such a man-ner is a special honor. We arecertainly proud of Lee andhave every confidence that hewill build on his successthroughout life.”

The All-USA CommunityCollege Academic Team issponsored by Follett HigherEducation Group and fea-tured in the April 11 editionof USA Today.

Selection is based ongrades, academic rigor,growth and how well the stu-dents use their education tobenefit their schools and com-munities.

KINABREW

About Phi Theta Kappa Honor SocietyPhi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Miss., isthe largest honor society in American higher education with 1,270chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50of the United States, Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, theRepublic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia,the British Virgini Isles, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorialpossessions. More than 2.5 million students have been inductedsince its founding in 1918.

Honor society inducts new members

HATTIESBURG - Forty-six top scholars were inducted Thursday, March 24, into the BetaTau Gamma chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Pearl River Community College’s ForrestCounty Center. Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for students in two-year colleges. Membership in PTK means recognition by peers, faculty and staff of a stu-dent as a scholar and leader and provides opportunities for scholarships to four-year in-stitutions. New members of Phi Theta Kappa are, front row, left to right, Mallory Pittmanand Pamela Snyder, both of Hattiesburg; Carol Byrd-Brown of Ovett, Felicia Mars ofHattiesburg, Stephanie Wheatcroft of Purvis, Kimberly Williams of Oak Grove and

Amanda Woods of Petal; second row, Chastity Dye of Brooklyn, Channel Evans ofHattiesburg, Brennan Vaughn of Oak Grove, Kurt McCarty of Hattiesburg, MelissaMontgomery of Purvis, David Moore of Oak Grove, Austin Morgan of Purvis and ShelbyPace of Sumrall; third row, Michael Bass of Columbia, Ashley Bull of Biloxi, Wajeh Turnerof Woodville, Jameka Calcote and Carly Courtney, both of Hattiesburg; Crystal Curtis ofSumrall and Jennifer Davion of Hattiesburg. Advisors for the Beta Tau Gamma chapterare Doug Donohue, Dr. Ryan Ruckel and Dr. Terri Ruckel.PRCC Public Relations photo

By DR. JOHN GRANTVice President for Instruction

There was a lot going on back then, although the school, evenwith two years of high school and two years of college was muchsmaller than it is now.

I very soon realized that this school had two football teams,and they both played on the field across the street from wherewe lived in Bilbo Hall, which was recently torn down. (TheBrownstone Center for the Performing Arts will soon be built onthe old football field, which has been a practice field for bothfootball and the band recently.)

The Hornets played on Friday nights and the Wildcats playedon Saturday nights, and in those days they were both good.Technically, the Hornets were Poplarville High School, and theWildcats were Pearl River College, but both were often referredto as just “Poplarville,” and the Wildcats played Ellisville,Decatur, Perkinston, Summit, and so on.

It’s interesting that high school players who were juniors andseniors went to school on this campus and were actually stu-dents of Pearl River Junior College and Agricultural HighSchool; the underclassmen went to school downtown where thePoplarville Lower Elementary School is today.

I wanted to play quarterback on that same field, and yearslater I did just that the year the Wildcats had a perfect seasonand won the national championship. But I played for theHornets, and we weren’t nearly that good that year! I alsoplayed baseball for the Hornets as an eighth grader in the springof 1960. It was the last Hornet team that had players from thetwo different schools.

Sadly, Pearl River College dropped baseball, my favorite sport,in 1960 and did not resume the sport until several years later.

The next chapter of my relationship with Pearl River Collegebegan the next week after graduating from high school in 1964when I became a wide-eyed college freshman. My first classes insummer school were taught by two legendary Pearl River in-

structors: Eunice McSwain (English) and Walter Lowe (histo-ry).

It was Walt’s first college class to teach and my first to take.Years later I told him I had been scared to death. His response:“You think you were scared?!” They were just two members ofthe faculty at this College who I still consider to be the best I’veever seen.

I can’t list them all and won’t try, but there are a couple of oth-ers I must mention: Jim Barnes (later to be Dr. Barnes) andJohn Grant, Sr., my father. Not only were they great teachers,but they were mentors who shaped, more than anyone else, myown philosophy of teaching and learning.

In fact, the first year I taught at a high school in HarrisonCounty, a ninth-grade student asked me where I had learnedhow to discipline a student just by looking at her or him. I toldher from Dr. Jim Barnes at Pearl River College.

And everyone should be so privileged as I to have had a fatherfrom whom I learned so much, both as a parent and as a teacher.He had been a mathematics major in college, but he taught mephysics, and that was my major at Ole Miss. My first paying jobfor the College was cutting the grass on campus after class in theafternoons that summer. One other person and I mowed thewhole campus with big-wheel push mowers!

You could be a very busy person as a Pearl River student inthose days. Coach Holden had talked to (I wouldn’t really call it“recruited”) me about playing defensive back for the Wildcats,but I decided I should concentrate on being a student and elect-ed not to try to play football.

Again, there was no baseball team, on which I would havetried to play. When the fall semester started I had a sort-of work-study scholarship taking photographs for the yearbook, thenewspaper, and anything else that needed photos.

All we had was an old Speed Graphic sheet film camera and acloset under a stairway in Moody Hall for a darkroom where an-other student and I developed the film and printed the pictures(black and white only). Recently I looked at some of those oldyearbook photos. While I was a member of the French Club, I’mnot in the club’s group photograph, having been behind the cam-era, but Jimmy Buffet is in it.

He wasn’t very well known on campus because he spent a lotof time playing and singing in New Orleans. He rented a roomin town from my future wife’s aunt and he would play and singfor my wife, her sister, and their cousin.

One activity I thoroughly enjoyed was singing in the PearlRiver Singers, our concert choir. We were pretty good, but noth-ing near what this year’s choir is! But the main thing I had todo was to study. All of our instructors meant business; they in-sisted that we study and learn, and those of us who passed didjust that.

Two other instructors I’ll mention are Miss Lula Webb, whotaught calculus, and Mr. Enoch Seal, who taught history andeconomics and later became Dean of the College. Seal Hall isnamed for him. (We don’t have a Webb Hall, but maybe weshould.)

Following graduation from college and a number of yearsteaching at two different high schools, there came the opportu-nity to return to Pearl River.

Jim Barnes, then chair of the Department of Science andMathematics, recruited me to come to work with him, DeanSeal, and President Marvin R. White. It is extremely hard to be-lieve how many years have passed since that first day teachingcalculus, physics, and a beginning level mathematics course.

Many, many wonderful students have come and gone on tosuccessful careers. Of course not all students were wonderful,but one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is to have astudent who is at first disinterested and doesn’t study to discov-er the joy of learning and turn into a true scholar.

Perhaps we who teach created the spark that triggered thatdiscovery. Or it may be that the greatest satisfaction comesfrom the struggling student who was teetering between successand failure, and, after encouragement and cajoling just barelymade it.

Dean Seal, after I had told him of one such student’s success,barely earning a grade of C, said that he always enjoyed a stu-dent like that even more than the best students. I agreed withhim. Some of those are now professionals in a variety of fields.I seriously doubt that they would have succeeded if not for thepersonal attention they received as Pearl River students.

Years ago I would often respond to a comment someonewould make about a former outstanding student with somethingto the effect that they were “...in my all-time top ten” of studentsI had taught. I never really compiled such a ranking, though, andrealized that there were probably many more than ten who Ithought deserved such ranking.

One of the true joys of a long teaching career is rememberingmany students who were such a joy to teach. Again, many ofthem weren’t “A” students; they were just wonderful people anda delight to be around in the classroom and in the laboratory.■ See DR. GRANT, page 14

N E W SThe DRAWL May 2011 • Page 9

Dr. Grant decides to turn new page in his life

By PEGGY DEASEDirector of Nursing Education

With more than 40 years of healthcare service during my life, it is timeto pass the torch to the next genera-tion.

It started with my desire to helppeople, a desire to provide comfortto those around me who were suffer-ing. It did not matter to me if suffer-ing was physical or emotional, minorscrapes or serious injury or illness.

I have always had the desire tomake the lives around me better.The healing and comfort that I pro-vided to others always brought mepersonal joy and satisfaction. It isthis combination of factors that setme on a journey that would ultimate-ly lead to Pearl River CommunityCollege (PRCC).

Like any journey, it must startwith a single step. When things werereally difficult for me, and there werelots of difficult times during the 60’sand 70’s, I would always remember afavorite saying of my mother in theway of advice, “Sweetie, you alwayswant to strive to be the head of thecow, and if you can’t be the head, bethe bell around its neck.”

With that in mind, I headed off tothe University of SouthernMississippi where I earned a B.S. inNursing and later an M.S. Degree inNursing.

With my degree in hand, I set offon the next stretch of my journey to

“conquer the world” as a newlytrained Registered Nurse (RN).Little did I know that my real lifereal time education was just about tobegin.

I accepted a position as RN withCrosby Memorial Hospital (CMH)in Picayune, becoming the first RNwith a B.S. Degree to work at thehospital.

It was an eye opening experiencein a number of ways, but providedme an opportunity to gain real worldexperience, practice my chosen pro-fession, complete my goal of helpingto provide physical and emotionalhealth care to others, and to meetsome wonderful people who weresupportive and provided encourage-ment to me.

During my tenure at CMH, I hadthe good fortune to meet CharlotteOdom, who was Director of Nursingat PRCC at that time. Charlotte in-vited me to join her nursing staff atthe college and would later becomemy mentor and my good friend.

She sent me to see Dr. MarvinWhite, PRCC President, who inter-viewed me and officially offered me aposition with the college as a nurs-ing instructor. I accepted the offer in1976 and began a journey that wouldspan 34 years.

I worked in several positions, withincreasing responsibility, within thedepartment. After three years I be-came Level Two Coordinator and in

1982 became Level One Coordinatorfor the nursing curriculum. For thenext 10 years I managed teaching re-sponsibilities and administrative re-sponsibilities for the department insupport of the Director.

In 1993 Charlotte Odom retired,and I was encouraged by my hus-band and my co-workers to apply forthe Director’s position. My journeywas about to take another turn.

I was selected to become the nextDirector of Nursing Education in1993 by Dr. Ted Alexander, who hadbecome president by that time. As Ibegan serving an 18 year tenure asDirector of Nursing, I set as my goalto address four major areas:

1. To make a good nursing pro-gram even better.

2. To improve the facilities thathouse the nursing department.

3. To move the nursing programinto electronic and technology age.

4. To increase the number of regis-tered nurses graduated each year.

My first task was to work with anarchitect to design a new facility andput on a “full court press” to raisefunding for a new 48,000-square-footnursing building. Four years later,we moved into our new facility.

I was successful acquiring comput-ers for the secretary and 20 comput-ers for the campus lab, including anew position for a campus lab coor-dinator. Due to a shortage of nurses,PRCC accepted the challenge to help

meet that demand, without increas-ing additional faculty cost. To com-plete this task, I was successful byinstituting a bi-annual admissionschedule.

In 2011 we have 250 students, thehighest enrollment ever, in the nurs-ing program. None of my successeswould have been possible without anoutstanding faculty, staff, and ad-ministration support system.

Several of my accomplishmentsand significant events are summa-rized here:

1. Guiding the department suc-cessfully through 3 NLNAC audits.

2. Acquiring computers for eachfaculty office & adding additionalcomputers to the nursing computerlab.

3. Instituted nursing electives tocompliment the curriculum.

4. Acquired the first simulationmanikins for the campus lab.

5. Maintained a curriculum tokeep NCLEX-RN scores at or abovestate & national average.

6. Initiated computerized remedi-ation and testing.

7. Developed an objective admis-sion process by implementing apoint system and a nationally scor-ing test (National League ofNursing) along with the ACT.

8. Developed an organizationstructure that created the position ofAssistant Director of Nursing tohelp with the many duties of

Director.9. Community outreach through

Healthy People Now! Students alongwith their instructor from the nurs-ing department make videos andpresent them at various schools inthe six-county district the collegeserves.

10. Developed a Student NursingHandbook.

11. Acquired new nursing build-ing.

12. Increased the enrollment tounprecedented levels.

13. Introduced technology in theclassroom.

Nursing program has grown under Peggy Dease’s leadership

Peggy Dease

Retirement profileNAME: Don Welsh

FAMILY: Married to ElaineGipson; two sons, Seth and Reid; onedaughter-in-law, Amber.

RESIDENCE: Ceasar community,which is located about 20 milessoutheast of Poplarville.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:Graduated from Pearl River Centralhigh school; graduated from PRCCwith an Associate of Science Diplomain 1966; received three degrees fromUSM: BS, MS, and a Specialist in Education.

POSITION AT PRCC: Director of Career and TechnicalEducation Programs.

WORK EXPERIENCE at PRCC: 38 years

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE WORKING AT PRCC?PRCC is a great place to work. At the end of the day you feelthat you have accomplished something.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT PRCC?:Being associated with the students and my instructional andsupport staff.

WHAT ARE THE TOP CHANGES YYOU HAVE SEEN ATPRCC IN ALL THE YEARS YOU HAVE WORKED HERE?Computers and the construction of three CTE buildings.

WHAT ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS? Do whateverI want to do.

Welsh

Retirement profileNAME: Joyce Mullins Applegate

FAMILY: Married to JohnApplegate; children: Alicen Blanchard(daughter) and E.J. Blanchard (son-in-law); grandchildren: Meredith, 16 andClay, 9; son, Rob Anders.

EDUCATION: Graduated fromLeflore County High School; B.S.,University of Louisiana, Monroe;M.S., University of SouthernMississippi; Ph.D. USM.

WORKING EXPIERIENCE: PRCC,16 years

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE WORKING AT PRCC?:Teaching at PRCC has been a most enjoyable experience. Ihave had the opportunity to offer students an outdoor experi-ential education which has enhanced their connection withthe natural environment. In addition, the biology/math facul-ty and staff are a smart, creative, prankster loving group thatmake coming to work fun.

WHAT WILL YOU MMISS THE MOST ABOUT PRCC? I’mnot retiring because I am tired of teaching; I just love to doother things as well. I will continue to canoe, kayak, and ex-plore natural areas and I will continue to play bass and man-dolin with Cajun and Old-time bands.

WHAT ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS? In June, Johnand I will travel to the Arctic and paddle some rivers in theNorthwest Territories tundra in hopes of seeing mush-ox, arc-tic wolves, barren land grizzlies and beautiful tundra wild-flowers.

Applegate

Retirement profileNAME: Richard Byrd

FAMILY: Widowed after beingmarried to Debbie for 25 years; twosons, Zachary and Jack; two daugh-ters-in-law, Wendy and Brittany; onegrandson, Layton, 5; one grand-daughter, Leah, 1.

RESIDENCE: Crossroads.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:West Marion High School, 1967;PRCC, 1969.

POSITION AT PRCC: Automotive instructor

WORKING EXPERIENCE: four years for HancockCounty; 18 years for PRCC.

WHAT HAS IT BEEEN LIKE WORKING AT PRCC? I haveenjoyed all of it. I have made life-long friends, and seeing mystudents go out and be successful.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT PRCC?:Working with so many good people (administration, faculty,staff and students).

WHAT ARE THE TOP CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN ATPRCC IN ALL THE YEARS YOU HAVE WORKED HERE?We are all getting older and my hair went from dark to grayand then away.

WHAT ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS? Spending asmuch time as possible with the grand kids, fishing and doingthings and going places I couldn’t go while working.

Byrd

PRCC President William Lewis (left) and Vice President forInstruction John Grant visit with Peggy Dease, Director ofNursing Education, at her retirement party last week.

Vice President for Instruction John Grant and members of hisfamily listen to a few parting words from Brenda Wells,Institution Research Specialist, at his retirement party last week.

N E W SThe DRAWLMay 2011 • Page 10

Lane Balch of Picayune plays keyboard during the Symphonic Band spring concert onApril 18 at Pearl River Community College. PRCC Public Relations photos.

PRCC Symphonic Bandpresents spring concert

POPLARVILLE - The PearlRiver Community CollegeSymphonic Band wrapped upthe 2010-11 academic yearwith a spring concert on April18 at Olivia Bender Cafeteria.

Under the direction of Dr.Kyle Hill of Oak Grove, PRCCdirector of bands, the bandpresented “Go” by SamuelHazo, “Be Thou My Vision”by Larry Clark; “Dreams” and“Africa: Ceremony, Song andRitual,” both by Robert W.Smith.

Mike Bass of Columbia, as-sistant band director, conduct-ed “Little English Girl.”

Left, Marcus Lindsey ofPicayune, trombone sectionleader, plays during thePearl River CommunityCollege Symphonic Band’sApril 18 spring concert.

Mike Bass of Columbia, assistant band director, conducts the Symphonic Band as it plays“Little English Girl” during the spring concert.

Trumpeters Lacey Odom of Poplarville, from left, Kristy Noble of Gulfport, Emily Reid ofKokomo, Aaron Carden of Lucedale and Cody Stroupe of Carriere play during the PearlRiver Community College Symphonic Band’s spring concert.

PRCC alumnus Daniel Massey of Carrierepresented a guest recital on April 19 atMalone Chapel. Massey is a senior musiceducation major at William CareyUniversity and plans to begin studying fora master’s degree in the fall at theUniversity of Southern Mississippi.

Guest recital

Disney Spectacular

Lonniel Hathorn of Bassfield sings “Dig a Little Deeper” from the Princess and the Frogduring the Disney Spectacular on April 30. The PRCC choral departments staged the revuein Olivia Bender Cafeteria on April 28 and 29 for the general public and hosted the MadHatter’s Unbirthday Party on April 30, especially for kids. PRCC Public Relations photos.

Six-year-old McKenzie Cameron,dressed as Cinderella, watches intentlyfrom the lap of her mother, PRCC stu-dent Brittney Cameron of Baxterville.

Mickey Mouse, played by Dakota Young-blood of Lumberton, autographs a programfor Claire Tyson, dressed as Sleeping Beauty.She is the daughter of PRCC choral directorLaDona Tyson and her husband, Scott.

Ariel, played by Keagan Johnson of Carriere, hands an autographed program to her 2-year-old niece, Parker Johnson, following the April 30 show. Holding Parker’s hand is hermother, Katie Johnson of Carriere.

Some facts about theSpring 2011 faculty atPearl River CommunityCollege:■ Total number of instruc-tors: 324■ Full-time instructors: 174■ Part-time instructors: 22■ Adjunct instructors: 128■ Poplarville Campus: 152■ Forrest Co. Center: 116■ Hancock Center: 28■ Virtual CommunityCollege: 55■ Off-campus sites: 5■ 33 members of the facul-ty have doctorate degrees.

N E W SThe DRAWL May 2011 • Page 11

As a community college transfer, your move to The University of Mississippi will be one of the most important in your life—and also one of the smoothest. Here are just a few of

the reasons why transferring to Ole Miss is the right move:

plugright into our bachelor’s degree programs

classes at Ole Miss have 20-30students and are probably smaller than some of the classes you are

Financial Aid Office works hard to help you receive the combination of grants, scholarships, loans and employment you

Phi Theta Kappa scholarship is worth $6,000 ($3,000 per

48 transferable community college credit hours and membership in Phi Theta Kappa are encouraged to apply for this scholarship.

for more details.

Ole Miss!@YOU’LL FIT

RIGHT IN

By CANDACE HARPERSpecial to The Drawl

On Saturday, March 26, the PRCC AlumniAssociation held its second annual Little BlackDress Charity Luncheon at the home ofPresident and Mrs. William Lewis on PRCC’sPoplarville campus to benefit the DevelopmentFoundation and Sav-A-Life Center.

With limited availability, we allowed for 60women, 10 models and our staff to attend theevent.

We had more than 100 auction items donat-ed from Fabulous You, Red Maple Gifts, Oh SoSassy, The Other Side, Plums Bridal Registry,Apple’s, Eve Marie’s, Red Anchor, TropicalBody Bliss, Parris Jewelers, Georgia Field &Beth’s Jewelry & Gifts, A Gallery “Lifestyle ArtBoutique” and Cakes by Brooke Rester.

Our major sponsors were Pawpaw’sCampers and Cars, Jason Baker with FarmBureau, Williams Financial, First SouthernBank, Doug Mooney with Suncoast BusinessSupply and Dr. James Schrock.

We raised approximately $4,000 for thePRCC Development Foundation which pro-vides scholarships to more than 200 students ayear and donated $1,000 to the Sav-A-LifeCenter.

RIVER FEST 2011Join the Pearl River Community College

Alumni Association and the PRCC SoccerTeam on Saturday, July 30, in Bay St. Louis aswe host our first annual River Fest 5K Run and1 Mile Fun Run to raise money for scholar-ships and college support.

The 5K Run will begin at 8 a.m. at theWashington Street Pavilion located on thebeach along Beach Blvd. The run will go alongBeach Blvd 1.5 miles and then back to thepavilion.

Entry fee into the race is $20 per runner andincludes a free River Fest 5k t-shirt. Join usafter the race for a fun-filled afternoon withfood, activities along the beach for the wholefamily and entertainment.

Medals presented to: First, Second andThird place winners in the 5K Run and TopMale/Female finisher in each age group cate-

gory in the 5K Run. Run, walk, bring yourstrollers or wheel chairs and join us during our1 Mile Fun Run along the beaches of Bay St.Louis starting at 11 a.m.

All children who pre-register will receive anaward and the winner of each age group will re-ceive a medallion. Entry fee for the 1 Mile FunRun/Walk is $10. If you don’t want to join inon a run, still come visit our food booths, enjoythe entertainment and a day on the beach forfree, starting at 10:30 a.m.

■ DISNEY’S LIVE BEAUTY AND THEBEAST.

Join the PRCC Alumni Association &Friends of the College as we travel to Jackson’sKessler Center to see a live BroadwayProduction of Disney’s Beauty and the Beaston Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

We only have 40 tickets available and thedeadline to reserve your ticket is June 30,2011, first come first serve. The price of $100(nonrefundable) includes transportation toand from Jackson and prime seats in theCenter Orchestra Level. We will leave campusat 3 p.m. We will stop in Jackson for dinner.Dinner is on your own and not included in thepacket price.

To reserve your ticket today, contactCandace Harper at 601-403-1193.

■ Pearl River Goolf TournamentThe Pearl River County Alumni Chapter will

hold their annual golf tournament to raisemoney for scholarships on Friday, May 27 atMillbrook Country Club at noon; T-time is 1p.m.

We are looking for golf teams to participatein the tournament. Entry fee is $50 per golfer.Hole sponsorships are $100. For information,601-403-1193.

■ Forrest/Lamar TournamentThe Forrest/Lamar Chapter will hold their

annual golf tournament on Saturday, June 4 atPine Creek Golf Club in Purvis to raise moneyfor scholarships. T-time is 7:30 a.m. and entryfee is $60 per golfer.

Hole sponsorships are $100. For informa-tion or to sign up a team, contact Verlene Coleat 601-264-7690.

Black Dress event success;golf events are coming up

This year’s Little Black Dress Charity Luncheon raised nearly $4,000 for the PRCCDevelopment Foundation.

Reunion plans underway

Plans for the 50th reunion of the 1961 PRCC National Championship football team thisfall are well underway. Team members Mack Cochran (left) and Robert Young (right) at-tended a planning meeting recently with Candace Harper of the Development Found-ation. The reunion will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, as part of Homecoming at PRCC. Acheerleader reunion is also planned that day as well as a reunion of the 1961 PoplarvilleHigh School class, which attended high school on the PRCC campus.

The 2011 Wildcat yeardisks will be availablefor pickup at any PRCC bookstore by May 11or May 12, depending on shipping.

All full-time students were accessed a $3yeardisk fee per semester and will be able topick up their glass mastered CD-ROM, pack-aged in a durable and attractive cover by show-ing their ID card.

These disks will be available through thesummer and fall semesters at the bookstores.They will also be available for pickup at gradu-ation on May 17.

The disk version of the Wildcat annual hasbeen available since 2001 when the schoolswitched from the print version because of es-calating printing costs. “The disk version offersso much more,” said Ronn Hague, Wildcat an-nual advisor, speaking of the video and musicfiles that are included on the disk as well as fullcolor photos.

“This year, we are utilizing a flip-book pro-gram to view the annual, similar to many e-magazines available online. This perfectly mir-rors the print version that will also be avail-able.”

This year’s Wildcat will also include everyfull-time student’s photo.

The 2011 Wildcat will also be available as aprint version through Createspace, an onlinefirm owned by Internet giant, Amazon.com.

To purchase the 268-page, full-color printedannual, go to the PRCC web site and click onthe announcement on the front page. This willtake buyers to a page that allows them to pur-chase the annual online using a credit card orpaypal services. Cost of the laminated-cover,Perfect Bound book is $45 plus shipping.

“We are trying to be both innovative and ac-commodating in the way we deliver the Wildcatannual,” Hague said.

Blake Bush and Leah Lewis, both of Purvis, display the 2011 yeardisk and print year-books that are available for students this month. Bush and Lewis were members of theyeardisk staff this year.

Yeardisks available this month

N E W SThe DRAWLMay 2011 • Page 12

POPLARVILLE - Chelsie Dobbins began rais-ing and showing registered Hereford cattlewhen she was nine years old.

Since then, she has shown cattle on the local,state and national level, including participationin seven national shows. She is 19 years oldtoday and her interest in raising and showinghas not waned one bit, much to the surprise ofher dad, Mike Dobbins of Petal.

“I really thought as she got older that her in-terest might decline a little, but if anything, shehas become more interested in the other as-pects of it, the breeding part, the genetics part,what we feed them,” he said.

“She has become more knowledgeable in theselection of show animals. She does all of it,from washing the cows, cleaning them and get-ting them ready to show.”

She does this in her spare time.You see, Chelsie is a sophomore student at

Pearl River Community College. She is aspeech pathology major, treasurer of Phi ThetaKappa International Honor Society, a memberof the PRCC cheerleading squad for two yearsand was selected for the PRCC LeadershipForum.

She will graduate later this month and plansto continue her studies in speech pathology atthe University of Southern Mississippi. Don’texpect her interest in Hereford cattle to dropoff.

“When I got to college, I wondered if I wouldstay interested,” said Chelsie. “I will alwayshave cows. My kids one day will show cows. Igrew up wanting to run under cows when I wasyoung. It’s in my family’s blood.”

Indeed, while some people have dogs for bestfriends, cows are Chelsie’s best friends.

“My dad did 4-H growing up,” said Chelsie.“My brother (Adam, 28, a former PRCC stu-dent-athlete) did 4-H, but he did not show dairycows. When I came along, I was always aroundthe cows, not the horses. My dad has a pictureof me at 5 years old sitting on a bull.

“I showed sheep for one year, but then whenI turned 9, I started showing Herefords.”

She once showed a 2,000-pound bull in ashow at the Multi-Purpose Center inHattiesburg.

In the last seven years, she has competed inseven states in the National Junior HerefordExpo, from Denver to Kansas City, fromMilwaukee to Louisville, from Indianapolis toTulsa. It was in Tulsa, Okla., in 2009 that she

finished second in her division during theNational Hereford Show In order to do that,she won her class, then competed against classwinners from other divisions and got reservechampion.

“What makes that so impressive is she wascompeting against people in the Hereford cattlebusiness as full-time endeavors and have herdsof 500 to 600 head to choose from,” said MikeDobbins, who owns a 40-acre spread east ofPetal and raises some 20 head of registeredHereford cattle.

In February, she showed in Jackson at theDixie National Open Show. She showed threeHerefords, including one born and raised ontheir ranch.

“We use artificial insemination and Chelsiehas gotten involved in the selection of the bullswe use,” said her dad.

This summer, Chelsie and her dad will loadup and travel to Kansas City for another show.

It’s a week-long event that will feature 1,500head of Hereford cattle from all over the coun-try. “It’s our vacation every year,” she said.

Dad says she can compete until she reaches22, the age limit.

Showing and raising Hereford cattle has beenrewarding for Chelsie. When she graduatedfrom Presbyterian Christian School inHattiesburg, she received the Dixie NationalLivestock Show Academic Scholarship, theMississippi Cattleman’s Association Scholar-ship and some others.

A lot goes into showing Hereford cattle.Before they enter the ring to be judged, theyare fed, Chelsie says, 10-12 pounds of feed aday, not regular feed, but a special diet. “Theyhave to be really healthy, filled out and deepbodied,” she said. And groomed as well.

“It’s like any other hobby,” said her dad. “Shewould take pictures of her cows to her friendsin school and they would look at her kind ofstrange. She was proud of her show cows.

“It’s hard to make someone understand thatwhen it’s 35 degrees outside, you have to beoutside washing a cow to show at theMississippi Livestock Show.

“You ask, ‘how can that be fun?’ Like anyother amateur sport, there is the competitiveside of it. Chelsie has made many, many friendsat these shows and she likes competing againstthem.”

Her attachment to the cows is real. She crieswhen one of them dies.

Her love of cows began at anearly age, still exists today

Chelsie Dobbins’ hobby involves Herefords

Top photo: Heather McLain of Taylorsville was crownedMiss PRCC Wildcat during the pageant on March 31.Photo at left: Contestants in the Miss PRCC Wildcat pag-eant were, from left, Chase Davis of Sumrall, third alter-nate; Heather McLain of Taylorsville, Miss PRCC Wildcat;Brittany Fortenberry of Columbia, second alternate;Danielle Rogers of Petal, Olivia Ryals of Columbia;and Lennzee Lawrence of Petal, first alternate.

Miss PRCC Wildcat pageant

Loves her cowsPRCC sophomore ChelsieDobbins, the daughter ofMike Dobbins and CindyPalhang of Hattiesburg, hasbeen raising and showingHereford cattle since shewas nine years old. She hasbeen a cheerleader atPRCC for the past twoyears. She graduates laterthis month and plans tocontinue her studies at theUniversity of SouthernMississippi.

The Silver Sneakers exercise class got aninfusion of young blood recently whenMargaret Lynn’s grandsons worked outwith the senior citizens.“It was fun - harder than I thought it wouldbe,” said Cam Schaefer, 21, a former highschool football player.He and his brother, 17-year-old David,spent the last week of March with theirgrandmother, Margaret Lynn of Poplarville.Also making the trip from Elk Rapids,Mich., were their parents, David and DianaSchaefer, Lynn’s daughter, and the young-er David’s best friend, Dan Berck, 18.Lynn invited the family to exercise with her

at the Monday-Wednesday-Friday class atthe PRCC Wellness Center.“Grandma wanted us to be handy,” DavidSchaefer said.Lynn is a regular at the class taught byKay Kammer and loved having her familycome with her. “I was absolutely thrilledand proud,” she said.Berck and the younger David Schaeferplayed high school football and will gradu-ate this spring.“It was just a lot of fun to work out withthese folks,” Berck said.Cam Schaefer is a junior at KetteringUniversity in Flint, Mich.

Silver Sneakers class The Wellness CenterStudents enrolled in the HPR courses, in-

volving an exercise lab, have wrapped-up theirthree- month exercise program with the com-pletion of a Post-Assessment.

The post-assessment includes an evaluationof one’s blood pressure, cardiorespiratory andmuscular endurance, and flexibility.

The students compare their scores to theirpre-assessment scores, completed in January.

Many students have been amazed over theirexercise accomplishments and the improve-ments they have made in their overall health.

■ The summer semester for the WellnessCenter will officially begin on Wednesday, May18.

The facility hours will be 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-10 a.m. onFridays during the month of June and 7 a.m.-6p.m. Monday-Thursday, closed on Fridays dur-ing the month of July.

All students, faculty and staff, and communi-ty are encouraged to join.

Group Exercises Classes scheduled for thesummer semester:

■ Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m. - Zumba Dance■ Monday-Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. - Zumba

Dance/Cardio mix■ Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. - Silver-

Sneakers■ Monday-Wednesday, 9-11 a.m. - Fitness

Adventure for Kids You may call for details regarding the group

exercise classes listed above at 601-403-1340.

PRCC Wellness Center director Tara Rouse, left, serves cake and fruit to Jimmie SueArd, from left, Antoinette and Clarence McNeese, all of Poplarville, during the WellnessCenter’s Community Appreciation Day on May 6.

Wellness Center plans busy summer

N E W S The DRAWL May 2011 • Page 13

POPLARVILLE - The Outstand-ing Student in history at Pearl RiverCommunity College retired beforemost of his fellow students wereborn.

Eugene Underwood of Lumbertonreceived the award Tuesday, April19, during PRCC’s annual AwardsDay on the Poplarville campus.

At 71, Underwood has uncovereda dormant interest in history.

“I went to one of the old separate-but-equal schools that no longer ex-ists,” he said. “I didn’t have any his-tory. I’ve just latched on to it. It in-trigues me.”

Underwood is taking WesternCivilization II and EnglishComposition I this semester, fittingthe classes around his work scheduleas a PRCC custodian.

“He’s just the perfect student inthat he reads his material, he pre-pares for discussions, he’s ready forexams,” said Dr. Stephen Black, his-tory instructor. “He contributes toclass discussions, asks meaningfulquestions. He borrows books and hereads them. He’s on top of his game.”

A native of Lumberton,Underwood retired in 1973 as ahousekeeping supervisor with theNew York Department of Hospitalsand returned home. He worked for anumber of years as a winder atCooper Power in Lumberton, thenretired again.

Five years ago, he returned to theworkforce at PRCC.

“I got kind of tired of sittingaround,” he said. While working inacademic buildings, he soaked upthe educational atmosphere.

“I used to listen at the doors to dif-ferent teachers,” he said.

In his spare time, Underwood washandwriting a memoir and decidedto take a computer class in hopes ofmaking the writing easier. He didn’tdo well in the computer class buteasily passed the New Testament

Survey course he also took that firstsemester.

Since then, he’s taken OldTestament Survey, psychology, soci-ology, speech and WesternCivilization I.

“Except for computers, I haven’tmade anything lower than a B,”Underwood said. “I never thoughtabout education. I graduated in1956-57. Fifty-three years later, Icouldn’t believe I was back in schoolmaking A’s.”

Other awards presented duringthe annual Awards Day program in-clude:

■ Phi Theta Kappa 2010 All-Missisisppi Academic Team - TaylorCraven of Oak Grove and Caleb Lottof Poplarville.

■ Mississippi State UniversityPresidential Partnership Scholarship -Joshua Bowman of Poplarville.

■ Citizenship Award for academicstudents - Jillian Harris of Kiln andBilly Ward of Foxworth.

■ Citizenship Award for career-technical students - Summer McLaineof Bay St. Louis.

■ Citizenship Award for HancockCenter - Kristen Austin of Kiln.

Department of Business andCommerce Technology

■ Accounting Technology - TimaColeman of Poplarville.

■ Business and MarketingManagement Technology - KatieDavenport of Wiggins.

■ Computer Networking Tech-nol-ogy - Justin Prince of Picayune.

■ Medical Billing and CodingTechnology - Jennifer Lowe of Purvis.

■ Medical Office SystemsTechnology - Kayla Hall of Petal.

■ Office System Technology -Rebecca Carpenter of Picayune.

Department of Fine Arts andCommunication

■ Drawing - Jane Beard ofPoplarville.

■ Music - Dale Beech of Carriere.

■ Painting - Rowen Lile ofLumberton and Caroline Crosby ofCarriere.

■ Public Speaking - Riley Rouse ofPurvis.

■ Special Studios - Ashlie Miller ofCarriere.

Departmennt of Health, PhysicalEducation and Recreation

■ Baseball - Matthew Magee ofPetal.

■ Men’s Basketball - PhillipCrawford of Mobile, Ala.

■ Women’s Basketball - KenyattaEpps of Yazoo City.

■ Football - Steve McNair Jr. ofOak Grove.

■ Scholar Athletes - Tran Diep ofBiloxi and Brandon “Duck” Bernardof Petal.

■ Men’s Soccer - Steven Harris ofPoplarville.

■ Women’s Soccer - Jordan Organof Hattiesburg.

■ Softball - Jordan Adams ofSaucier.

Department of Humanities andSSocial Sciences

■ Creative Writing - JessicaBellamy of Geismar, La., ClaraBridges of Lumberton, Tran Diep ofBiloxi, Ken Hall and Jessica Teston,both of Picayune.

■ Criminal Justice - Rachel Huff ofForest.

■ English - Jessica Teston ofPicayune.

■ Political Science - MatthewBarton of Petal.

■ Psychology - Emmanuel Adejo ofAbuja, Nigeria.

■ Sociology - Brett Russ ofPoplarville.

■ Spanish - William A. Smith ofPoplarville.

Department of IndustrialTechnology

■ Drafting and Design Techno-logy- Adam Holder of Baton Rouge, La.

■ Electronics Technology - WilliamB. Rasmussen of Hattiesburg.

■ Instrumentation Technology -Daniel Schober of Diamondhead.

Department of Nursiing Education■ Nursing I - Lacy Pigeon of

Lumberton.■ Nursing II - Ashley Merritt of

Lumberton.■ Nursing III and IV - Zachary

Robinette of Hattiesburg.■ Nursing V and VI - Chelsey

Alexander of Lumberton.■ Nursing Leadership - Rachel

Aultman of Sumrall.■ Practical Nursing - Justin Odom

of Poplarville.Department of Occupational

Training■ Automotive Mechanics

Technology - Joshua Spence ofPicayune.

■ Barbering - Cedric Watts ofColumbia.

■ Brick, Block and Stonemasonry -Bobby Cooley of Brooklyn.

■ Construction ManagementTechnology - Meri Spencer of Bay St.Louis.

■ Early Childhood DevelopmentTechnology - Victoria Edwards ofLumberton.

■ Heating, Air Conditioning,Ventilation and RefrigerationMaintenance Technology - WesleyWatson of Bassfield.

■ Precision Manufacturing andMachining Technology - Brent B.Secondine of Carriere.

■ Electrical Technology - ColbyDyess of Columbia.

Departmennt of Science,Mathematics and Business

■ Accounting - Charrie Ann Berardof Sumrall.

■ Biology - Brandon Ladner ofPoplarville.

■ Business - Kevin Mederos ofCarriere.

■ Computer Science - ColtonLadner of Kiln.

■ Engineering - Eric Nilsson ofCarriere.

■ Mathematics - Joshua Bowmanof Poplarville.

■ Physics - Ben Lee of Picayune.Hancock Center■ Hancock Center Leadership -

Christina Thompson ofDiamondhead.

Student Organizations■ DECA Outstanding Member -

Dakota Dale of Purvis.■ Phi Beta Lambda Outstanding

Member - Christina M. Dunn ofPoplarville.

■ Phi Theta Kappa OutstandingMember - Joshua Bowman ofPoplarville.

■ Skills USA Outstanding Member- Kelsey Crago.

■ Who’s Who Among AmericanCommunity Colleges 2010-11 - DaleBeech, Haley Jones, HayleighMcCardle, Sarah Moseley, ChelseaThomas and Kristina Williams, all ofCarriere;

Rebecca Carpenter, MarcusLindsey, Kellie Lumpkin, JayMagruder, Kate Renae Mitchell andJordan Vaughan, all of Picayune; TinaColeman, Joann Guillot, KimberlyMcAndrew, Lacey Odom, KierenRouse and Spencer Windham, all ofPoplarville;

Stephen Berry, Ryan Morris andHannah Pierce, all of Columbia;Robert Boudin, Karen Hancock andMeri Spencer, all of Bay St. Louis;Jessica Hemingway and AndreaMaxwell, both of Hattiesburg;Joshawa Billiott and JordanPettigrew, both of Kiln;

Leanne Griffith of Prentiss, KaylaHall of Petal, Katie Davenport ofWiggins, Brad Bennett ofPearlington, Heather McLain ofTaylorsville, Courtney Morris ofOcean Springs, Scott Pavlisick ofSaucier, Emily Reid of Kokomo,Joshua Shaw of Gulfport, Caleb Soleyof Carnes, Taurean Williamson ofWaynesboro and Margaret Worrell ofWaveland.

Eugene Underwood of Lumberton, left, received theOustanding Student in history award from Dr. StephenBlack, instructor, during Pearl River Community College’sApril 19 Awards Day. PRCC Public Relations photos

Pearl River Community College students selected forWho’s Who Among American Community Colleges 2010-11 were recognized April 19 during Awards Day. They in-clude, kneeling from left, Taurean Williamson of Waynes-boro, Joshua Shaw of Gulfport, Marcus Lindsey andJordan Vaughan, both of Picayune; Caleb Soley of Carnes;seated, Kayla Hall of Petal, Kristina Williams of Carriere,Leanne Griffith of Prentiss, Kellie Lumpking of Picayune,

Kimberly McAndrew of Poplarville, Sarah Moseley ofCarriere, Rebecca Carpenter of Picayune, Tina Coleman ofPoplarville; standing, Heather McLain of Taylorsville, JoannGuillot of Poplarville, Katie Davenport of Wiggins, JoshawaBilliot of Kiln, Stephen Berry of Columbia, Jessica Heming-way of Hattiesburg, Lacey Odom of Poplarville, ChelseaThomas of Carriere and Dale Beech, both of Carriere;Ryan Morris and Hannah Pierce, both of Columbia.

Top scholars include 71-year-old history studentAwards Day program recognizes students for academic excellence

Ask for help when needed ... make goodchoices and stand behind them ... face reality ...work through obstacles.

Those tips from Dr. Barbara Gandy, PRCC’sdirector of retention and adult learning servic-es, give Student Support Services participantsa roadmap to success. Gandy was keynotespeaker for the program’s annual luncheon onMay 3.

“We all need help,” she said. “There’s noth-ing wrong with asking for help.”

She encouraged the students to carefullyconsider their options when making choicesand to factor reality into them as they confronthurdles.

“We all face obstacles in our lives,” she said.“When we don’t work through it, when we giveup, we’re done.”

Student Support Services provides tutoringand other academic support to students whoare first-generation college students, disabled

or low-income.“One of the greatest pleasures I have is to see

students come in very uncertain and grow overthe year,” said Dr. Robert Escudero, director.

All Student Support Services participantsand peer tutors received certificates. Abouttwo dozen faculty and staff were singled out forHero Award certificates.

Special awards went to Brad Parker, mostthoughtful; Cody Seal, friendliest; MeganGivens, best dressed; Victoria Moore, mostconscientious; Gage Whitten and MichelleTartavoulle, most outgoing; Rowena Lile, mostcaring; Jordan Taylor, most humorous; LanaDavis, quietest;

Caorey Ladner, most school spirit; StaceyKolb, most studious; Cara Larsen, self-im-provement; Althea Ramsey and Edna Hayes,most competent in math; Keith Bourgard,most resilient; Kerrie Davis, non-traditionalstudent achievement.

Student Support Servicesrecognizes students, tutors

The peer tutors received certificates for their work with Student Support Services. They are,front row from left, Gail Miller of Carriere, Porchia Smith of Quitman, Jordan Taylor of LongBeach, Vanessa Mitchell of Purvis and Roseanna Lee of Picayune; back row, Matt Staffordof Sandy Hook, Kevin Mederos of Picayune, instructor Craig Carriger of Kiln and Caleb Lottof Poplarville.

Participants in the 2010-11 Student Support Services programs received certificates atthe annual end-of-year luncheon. They include, kneeling, Keith Bourgard of Slidell, La;standing in front, Charlene Green of Magnolia, Marie McCain of Bogalusa, La.; RowenaLile of Lumberton, Cara Larsen of Poplarville, Myeshia Brown of Picayune, Kerrie Davisof Poplarville, Edna Hayes of Columbia, Tiva Savage of Pascagoula, Jessica Griffin ofBeaumont and Crystal Ezell of Foxworth; standing in back, Clara Bridges of Lumberton,Terri Mura of Poplarville, Melanie Johnson of Carriere, Ca’tre Lampton of Prentiss, DaneilHolmes of Foxworth Myeshia Brown of Picayune, Bianca Williamson of Moss Point,Victoria Moore of Hattiesburg and Althea Ramsey of Picayune.

Will you be attending PRCC for the first timethis fall? If yes, or if you know someone who willbe attending, you may be eligible to start PRCCthis summer in the Student Support ServicesSummer Bridge (START) Program.

START (Students Transitioning to AcademicSuccess and Responsibilities at The CommunityCollege) provides a comprehensive program ofclasses, orientation, and academic support de-signed to ease the transition from high school tocollege while building a strong foundation for ac-ademic success.

The START Program is Designed to:Bridge the transition from high school and/or

work to the community college.Help students increase basic academic skills

and preparation for college.Gives confidence to non-traditional students

who have been out of school for 5 years or more.Especially helpful for students with ACTs

below 18 in English, Reading, and/or Math andstudents who have been out of school and/orwho need a review.

Students can earn up to nine college credits.No tuition fees for the Summer Bridge

Program Courses (students will need to pur-chase books and students staying on campusmust pay for a dorm room).

To request a START Application or if youwould like information, contact Georgia Field,Summer Bridge Program Coordinator at 601-403-1469, or Cindy Tanguis at 601-403-1285.

START now accepting applications

N E W SThe DRAWLMay 2011 • Page 14

■ FROM page 9Twenty one years of my career was spent in the Science

Building. The student enrollment grew and the curriculum ex-panded, necessitating a two-story addition to the building madepossible by funding arranged by President Ted Alexander, de-signed largely by Jim Barnes and me, and occupied in January,2000. Exactly half of the years I spent in the Science Buildingwere in the new addition working with some of the greatest peo-ple in education.

Jim retired, but new people came along, including Judy Roanewho worked so closely with me in teaching and advising stu-dents majoring in engineering, mathematics, and other relatedfields. She continues to do an outstanding job as Chair of theDepartment of Science, Mathematics, and Business.

The spring of 2000 would be my last full semester to teach.The position of Dean of Academic Affairs came open and, afterencouragement by several with whom I taught, I applied for it.It was with mixed emotions that I did so because I was dedicat-ed to teaching, and I had never really wanted to be involved inadministration at any level higher than department chair.

But I had always been interested in all of the programs of theCollege, and this would provide the opportunity to be involvedto a much greater degree in what this school does. Also, thenew president, Dr. William Lewis, and I had started our careerstogether at Harrison Central High School years ago, and becom-ing Dean would give us a chance to work together again.

After becoming Dean of Academic Affairs in July, I continuedto teach a summer astronomy course until the end of the term.That would be the last formal class I would teach; the demandson my time of the Dean’s position simply would not allow teach-ing a regularly scheduled class.

Sometime after crossing the street to become a full-time ad-ministrator, my daughter asked me what I did in my new job.My reply was “I listen to people and sign my name.”

Hearing people tell of their problems as well as their ideas forprogress and improvement would prove to be at the same timea satisfying and frustrating part of the job. The source of thefrustration was that too seldom was I able to help solve the prob-

lem; the financial resources simply weren’t available.A reorganization of the College administration led to my tak-

ing the new title of Vice President for Instruction. With that titlecame additional responsibilities for Career, Technical, andWorkforce Education and the responsibility to act in the absenceof the President. This position has been a rewarding as well asa learning experience for almost eight years.

During the 32 years that I was a classroom teacher my philos-ophy of education included the concept that the reason for exis-tence of any school was to provide students the opportunity tolearn. The most important work done by anyone in a school isby the students; learning is hard work!

Next most important is the work done by those who teach, be-cause, stripped to its essential core, teaching is helping someoneto learn. So where do administrators fit in all of this?

Perhaps the clearest statement of the proper role of adminis-trators was provided by my long-time good friend and, at thetime, principal of Poplarville High School, Joe Beach.

I had gone to Joe with some need that I perceived in my teach-ing area, which was chemistry, physics, and physical science. Tomeet the need would require money. Joe didn’t ask me a singlequestion about why whatever I had asked for was needed. Hesimply said: “It’s your job to tell me what you need to do yourjob. It’s my job to find a way to provide it. I don’t have themoney now, but I’ll do my best to find it.”

The faculty of Pearl River College have heard me say numer-ous times that my job is to enable them to do theirs. I truly be-lieve that, and I think it is true for everyone who works for theCollege. The whole reason for existence of every single positionoccupied by anyone in the College is to make it possible forteachers to teach and students to learn.

There are other areas in which students in a College, or anoth-er type of school for that matter, learn than just in English, his-tory, marketing, chemistry, electronics, and many, many othersubject areas I could name. One of the strengths of this institu-tion has always been that it offers a student a complete collegeexperience with a wide range of learning opportunities in addi-tion to instruction of subject matter.

Of course I’m referring to athletic teams, bands, student or-ganizations, choral groups, theater, residence life, and other ac-tivities. This is rare in community colleges, except inMississippi, where it is the norm on the main campuses. It isfairly easy to measure the cost of some of these activities, butimpossible to measure the benefits.

It is my opinion that the benefits far outweigh the costs, andI hope never to see the day that misguided reforms eliminatethese learning opportunities. I still remember very well the les-sons I learned wearing a green and gold Hornet uniform on thatold football field on the Pearl River campus. Certainly those whohave proudly worn Wildcat uniforms over the years have hadsimilar experiences. Singing in the bass section of the PearlRiver Singers concert choir was also a learning experience atleast comparable to any in a classroom setting.

The question of when to retire has been in my mind for a cou-ple of years now. Various people have told me I was “losingmoney” and I guess they were right in a way. My reply was usu-ally something like “I’m a volunteer.”

It reminds me of an incident teaching a ninth grade scienceclass years ago. A young man asked if I were paid well for teach-ing. My replay was “In the mornings I am; in the afternoons Iteach for the fun of it.” He looked a little puzzled, and I wasn’tsure he understood what I was telling him. My answer, though,was truthful.

Another ninth grader asked why I didn’t get a job where Icould make a lot of money. In reply I said I perhaps could dothat, but I would have to move, likely to some big city, and Iwould spend the difference so I could live on weekends the sameway I was already living everyday.

I saw a boy in the back nodding his head. His father workedin New Orleans and stayed there during the week seeing hisfamily only on weekends.

So it’s been almost 43 years since those first days teachingphysics and algebra in Harrison County, and it’s been almost 32years since coming to Pearl River to teach.

It’s time to start a new chapter, and I am simply turning thepage to do just that.

Dr. Grant retires after nearly 43 years in education

Pearl River Community College retirees were honored withplaques during the annual Faculty-Staff Appreciation Dinner,a western-themed barbeque, at the home of PRCCPresident William and Janet Gale Lewis. They include, fromleft, Catherine Merrikin, office systems technology instructorat the Forrest County Center; Mary Benson, Forrest CountyCenter librarian; Peggy Dease, director of nursing educa-

tion; Dr. John Grant, vice president for instruction; andLewis. Not attending were Richard Byrd, automotive me-chanics technology instructor; Charles Ferguson and Dr.Joyce Applegate, biology instructors; and Don Welsh, direc-tor of career and technical education. Dease and librarianJeanne Dyar, not pictured, also were honored for 35 yearsof service to PRCC. PRCC Public Relations photos

Lindsay Loustalot, nursing instructor; Buddy Elbers, electri-cal technology instructor; and Dr. Ann Moore, counselingcenter director, were honored during the Faculty-StaffAppreciation dinner for 30 years at PRCC.

PRCC service pins award; retirees honored

Honored at the Faculty-Staff Appreciation Dinner for 20 years of service to Pearl RiverCommunity College were, front row from left, Kaye Holston, financial aid secretary at theForrest County Center; Janice Stevens, medical office technology instructor; CarolWilliams, business marketing and management technology instructor; back row, JamesBryant, Forrest County Center custodian; Barbara Mathis, English instructor; and RichardMathis, head men’s basketball coach and athletic director. Not present was Rick Baker,transportation.

Personnel honored for 15 years service to Pearl River Community College during theFaculty-Staff Appreciation Dinner were, from left, Karen Carlisle, dental assisting technol-gy instructor at the Forrest County Center; Dr. Aleta Sullivan, biology instructor; ScottKimball, history and geography instructor; Gwendolyn Jordan, early childhood develop-ment assistant; Porter Soley, brick, block and masonry instructor. Not pictured are LourieBarnett, electronics technology instructor; Carlene Hague, nursing secretary; and Dr. PattiCrowson, physical therapist assistant instructor.

PRCC employees with 10years of service receivedpins during the Faculty-Staff Appreciation Dinner.They are, from left, KarenBond, math instructor;Melissa Bryant, practicalnursing instructor atForrest County Center;Judith Shaw, early child-hood development in-structor; and Ruby Smith,GED instructor at theForrest County Center.Not pictured is Dr. BobEscudero, StudentSupport Services director.

A big crowd turned out for the Faculty-Staff AppreciationDinner at the home of PRCC President William Lewis.

POPLARVILLE - Bobby Weaver remembershis first trip to Poplarville in January 1958 asclear as if it were yesterday.

“We loaded up the car one day, another boyand myself, and drove to Poplarville. Hisdaddy let us out on a Sunday afternoon oncampus, sight unseen,” said Weaver. “It wasone of the best decisions I ever made.”

Weaver, 72, of Talladega, Ala., went on to bean All-State and All-American quarterback atPearl River Community College (1958-59). Hewas the quarterback for legendary CoachDobie Holden who implemented the South’sfirst pro-set offense. The passing offense,which had been tried at only one other schoolin the nation, enabled Weaver to pass for 16touchdowns in 1958 and 24 touchdowns in1959.

On three occasions Weaver passed for fourtouchdowns in one game. The 1958 Wildcatsposted an 8- 2 record and defeated Wharton,Texas 30-20 in the Hospitality Bowl. In 1959

Weaver led the Wildcats to a state champi-onship, a 10-0-1 record and a Hospitality Bowl30-0 victory over Henderson, Texas.

On Tuesday, April 26, in Jackson, Weaverwas inducted into the Mississippi CommunityCollege Sports Hall of Fame.

He is PRCC’s eighth inductee into the JuCoSports Hall of Fame, which began in 1997.

Weaver, a member of Childersburg (Ala.)High School’s 1956 state championship foot-ball team, signed with Memphis State out ofhigh school. Leg problems kept him out ofschool that fall semester.

“There was an assistant coach atChildersburg - Charley Schell - who had playedat Pearl River and he convinced me to comedown there,” said Weaver. “I only weighed 160pounds and he thought I could play two years,get a little bigger, and have a chance to play ata bigger school.”

The plan worked and Weaver gives all the

credit to Coach Holden.He went through spring drills at PRCC that

first year and looked forward to the first sea-son in the fall. Then ...

“Dobie wrote me that first summer andasked me to come in a few weeks early becausewe were going to put in a new offense,” saidWeaver. “We had been using the belly series,mostly running the ball. He put in a pro of-fense and we were going to throw it. That wasall new to those folks back then. They didn’tknow how to cover (the receivers).

“(Dobie) could see that I could throw it andwe had people like John McElroy, Elmer Cookand Joel Smith who could catch it. CoachHolden had confidence in his ideas. A lot ofcoaches might be afraid to make a change likethat, but he didn’t. He felt like he had the per-sonnel to do it.”

Weaver was more than just a throwing quar-terback for the Wildcats. He also started at de-fensive back and he was the team’s punter.“Back then, you had to play 60 minutes,” hesaid.

He was the team captain as a sophomoreand received the school’s best athlete award.

He also was the third baseman on the PRCCbaseball team.

“It was a great time in my life,” said Weaver.“We all loved it down there. I don’t know howProf (Marvin) White stood all of us in that dor-mitory. That’s the reason we are all still soclose.”

It was at the Hospitality Bowl that HankStram, later a coach of the Kansas City Chiefsand New Orleans Saints, recruited Weaver toplay for the University of Miami.

He was also recruited by Paul “Bear” Bryantat Alabama, Georgia, LSU and a slew of othermajor schools.

“Georgia had a coach at the time who cameto every one of our games,” said Weaver.

“Dobie wanted me to go there. Wally Butts

was the coach and threw theball a lot. Then Hank Stram invited me downto Miami during the Christmas holidays. Icouldn’t turn down a trip to Miami.

“I wore Bermuda shorts the whole time Iwas there while it was freezing back home.”

He chose Miami and after a week there, heleft and drove to Athens, home of theUniversity of Georgia, and stayed a few days.“I couldn’t make up my mind where to playand it was in the newspapers about how BobbyWeaver couldn’t make up his mind,” he said.

He wound up back at Miami for two years.Weaver led the Hurricanes to a startling win

over Penn State, the No. 3 team in the nationat that time. Weaver was a two-sport letterman

at Miami, lettering in football and baseball. “I did have invitations to tryout with the

Giants and the Lions, but I didn’t go,” saidWeaver. “It wasn’t as big a deal back then as itis now. When I left Miami, I was tired of play-ing.”

After graduating from Miami, he attendedlaw school and graduated in 1965. He was oneof the youngest in history to be elected to theAlabama State Senate where he served twoterms.

“I was with the junior college system inAlabama for several years, doing some consult-ing work,” he said. “I worked some in the tim-ber industry, then practiced law. I did a little ofeverything.”

S P O R T S The DRAWL May 2011 • Page 15

Weaver goes into JuCo Sports Hall of Fame Recalls his playing days at Pearl River College

Bobby Weaver

DECATUR - South All-Stars defeated Northsquads in the MACJC All-Star BasketballGames held March 28 on the East CentralCommunity College campus.

The South women cruised 92-64 and theSouth men posted a 98-89 victory.

Brandi Simmons of Copiah-Lincoln tallied14 points and grabbed six rebounds to receive“Most Valuable Player” honors.

Other scorers included Kenyatta Epps ofPearl River with five points.

In the men’s contest, Brandon Givens of

Jones County led the South with 19 pointsand was named “Most Valuable Player.” Healso pulled down eight rebounds.

Also scoring for the South were PhillipCrawford of Pearl River 18, Marcus Hooten of

Copiah-Lincoln 17, Marion Williams of GulfCoast 13, Derrious Gilmore of Jones 11,Kenneth Barlow of East Central nine, KeondreHodges of East Central, Erik Burks of Hinds,and P.J. McCray of Southwest, three each.

Pedro Maciel of Pearl River and DerekBurks of Hinds also saw action.

South dominates MACJC All-Star Games

PRCC President William Lewis (left) presents BobbyWeaver with his Sports Hall of Fame award in ceremoniesApril 26 in Jackson. Weaver is married to the formerJanette Young of Piedmont, Ala., a retired school teacher.They have three children and four grandchildren.

POPLARVILLE Pearl River CommunityCollege head men’s basketball coach RichardMathis has signed 12 high school standoutsfor the 2011-2012 season.

Mathis enters his 20th season as head coachof the Wildcats this fall.

The signees include (listed alphabetically):■ ALEXANDER BROCK: Brock is a 6-foot-

2 guard who prepped at Northeast HighSchool in Baton Rouge, La.

■ JOSH CARPENTER: Carpenter is a 6-foot-1 guard who prepped at Oak Grove HighSchool near Hattiesburg.

■ JYRUS CARRIERE: Carriere is a 6-foot-5forward who prepped at St. Martin HighSchool in Biloxi.

■ RAHEEM ENGLAND: England is a 6-foot-5 guard who prepped at Decatur HighSchool in Decatur, Ala.

■ JAMAIASON HADLEY: Hadley is a 5-foot-10 guard who prepped at East Side High

School in Cleveland.■ MIKE HENRY: Henry is a 6-foot guard

who prepped at Wayne County High School.He hails from Buckatunna.

■ ANDRE MCMORRIS: McMorris is a 6-foot-1 guard who prepped at East MarionHigh School in Columbia.

■ JEREMY MOORE: Moore is a 6-foot-1guard who prepped at Jim Hill High School inJackson.

■ MARCUS RAWLS: Rawls is a 6-foot-5 for-ward who prepped at Picayune High School.

■ DATERRIS ROGERS: Rogers is a 6-foot-2 guard who prepped at Wayne County HighSchool. He hails from State Line.

■ DERIONNEE STEWART: Stewart is a 6-foot-5 forward who prepped at Picayune HighSchool.

■ QUENTIN WATKINS: Watkins is a 6-foot-1 guard who prepped at Lanier HighSchool in Jackson.

Mathis signs 12 to Wildcathoops for 2011-2012 season

POPLARVILLE - Pearl River CommunityCollege head women’s basketball coach TobyBush has signed six high school standouts forthe 2011-2012 season.

Bush enters his fourth season as head coachof the Lady Wildcats this fall.

The signees include (listed alphabetically):■ A’TEYUNA DOBY: Doby is a 5-foot-6

point guard who prepped at Quitman HighSchool where she averaged 15 points and fiveassists a game where she averaged 13 pointsand five rebounds a game her senior season.

■ SHANTA’ ECHOLS: Echols is a 6-footguard-forward who prepped at Sumrall HighSchool where she averaged 19 points, 12 re-bounds, and three blocked shots a game hersenior season.

Echols also shared starting time at pointguard for the Lady Bobcats.

■ NETTIE LEWIS: Lewis is a 6-foot pointforward who prepped at Columbia High

School where she averaged 16 points, 12 re-bounds, and four blocked shots a game hersenior season.

■ CHAQUITA (QUI) MAGEE: Magee is a5-foot-6 point guard who prepped at YazooCity High School where she averaged 15points and five assists a game her senior sea-son.

■ DAIQUARI RAIINE: Raine is a 6-foot cen-ter who prepped at Poplarville High Schoolwhere she averaged 15 points and nine re-bounds a game her senior season.

■ KALISHA WASHINGTON: Washingtonis a 5-foot-4 guard who prepped at MurrahHigh School in Jackson. She can play thepoint or shooting guard positions.

Washington finished her senior seasonranked in the top 10 statewide in three-pointshooting.

She averaged 19 points and six rebounds agame her senior year.

Bush signs six to Lady Wildcathoops for 2011-2012 season

By TOM SMITHDirector of Student Life

PRCC’s Recreational Sports finished upwith the intramural sports calendar with somefun-it-sun action on the softball field.

Students had the opportunity to play vari-ous recreational sports programs such as: FlagFootball, Basketball, and Softball. Thesesports programs were offered to both malesand females in structured leagues.

This gives every student the opportunity torelieve some school stress, and enjoy somegood-clean fellowships with the fellow class-mates. This year’s recreational sports partici-pants made some new friendships and createdlasting memories for years to come.

Plenty of laughs and the thrills of victorieswere had by most of the participants in theseprograms.

Next year’s recreational sports programswill have much more to offer. The location of

the intramural softball and football fields willbe near the PRCC Wellness Center. This willmake this area truly the site for all health andwellness for all PRCC students, faculty, andstaff.

Attention students, mascot wantedWe are currently looking for a special stu-

dent who would like to be our Pearl RiverCommunity College Wildcat Mascot.

This is a very important position which willrepresent our college at all sports events andstudent events. This student will need to be anextremely motivated, highly energetic peopleperson, who is not afraid of being the center ofattention.

Other qualifications include: extreme non-verbal communication skills, wild at heart,and be able to put their game face on. A fullscholarship will apply.

For more information, contact Tom Smith,Director of Student Life, at 601.403.1253 oremail at tlsmith@prcc.edu.

Softball was just one of the many intrumural sports that students enjoyed during theschool year at Pearl River Community College.

Intramural season comes to end

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Ms. Whitney Everett Located in Office # 116, Crosby Hall, outside of cafeteria;Email: weverett@prcc.edu Phone: 601-310-4423 (cell)M r. Tom Smith, Student Activities Director, Administration Building, Email: tlsmith@prcc.edu Phone: 601-403-1215

Phi Theta Kappa Iota Mu chapter officers for 2011-12 are; from left; Olivia Ryals ofColumbia; vice president for fellowship; Jessie Breakfield of Columbia; vice president forleadership; Brittany Fortenberry of Columbia; vice president for service; Debbie Thomp-son of Slidell; La.; president; Gineca Garriga of Catahoula; secretary/treasurer; and JaciAymond of Purvis; vice president for scholarship. PRCC Public Relations photo

2011-12 PTK officers

S P O R T SThe DRAWLMay 2011 • Page 16

Pearl River’s Heather Hester delivers a pitch in the LadyWildcats’ 6-4 victory over North No. 1 East Mississippi in ac-tion of the MACJC State Tournament in Perkinston. Hesteris a freshman who prepped at Hancock County High.

CLINTON - Second-seeded Mississippi GulfCoast ended fifth-seeded Pearl River’s 2011softball season with a 9-1 victory in five inningsvia the eight-run rule in a quarter-final elimina-tion game played last Friday in Region 23Tournament action at Traceway Park.

Things were knotted up 1-1 heading into thebottom of the fifth frame, but the victoriousLady Bulldogs bombarded the Lady Wildcatswith a whopping eight runs off eight hits, awalk, and an error to take the lopsided win.

The Lady Wildcats, the defending statechamps, finished the season with a 21-23record.

After a scoreless first inning, MGCCC wentup 1-0 in the bottom of the second when KaylaHerbert drew a lead off walk, moved to secondoff Mariha Partman’s sacrifice bunt,and scoreda strikeout later off Leslie William’s double toright center field. Williams moved to third off apassed ball before Taylor Bryan fouled outdown the left field line to end the inning.

After a scoreless fourth, Alyssa Graeter ofPoplarville High smashed a lead off solo homerover the left field fence to knot things up at 1-1.After Brittney Gary of Slidell (La.) High flewout to right, Janessa Dedeaux of PoplarvilleHigh and Paris Redd of Greene County Highsmacked back-to-back singles for the Lady

Wildcats, but were left stranded when GulfCoast starter Bayleigh Babin retired LaceyFreeman of Forrest County AHS and E’TrareoWarren of Meridian High in succession.

The floodgates opened in the bottom of theframe. Lead off Courtney Moore popped out tothird, but Courtney Fairley singled to centerwith Kristen Albritton following with a two-runhomer over the right center field fence.

Herbert lined a single to left, Partman dou-bled to right, and Ciera DeRoche walked toload the bases. That set the stage for LeslieWilliams’ two-run single to left. Taylor Bryan’sensuing base hit loaded the bases and KatyWhite answered with another RBI single tomake it 6-1.

Moore reached on an outfield error, scoringtwo more runs before Fairley reached on a field-er’s choice and Albritton’s RBI single ended thegame via the eight run rule. All told, Gulf Coastsent 12 batters to the plate in the inning.

Babin (16-4) got the win in going the dis-tance, giving up three hits and striking out two;while Hester (9-14) got the loss. She also wentthe distance, givin gup 12 hits, striking outtwo, and walking four.

Graeter (one RBI) homered to lead the LadyWildcats at the plate, while Dedeaux and Reddhad base hits.

Gulf Coast ends River’s seasonwith five-inning Region 23 win

Team Overall DivisionGulf Coast 32-10 20-3East Central 29-11 16-7Jones Co. 32-12 16-8Pearl River 20-20 12-12Co-Lin 24-18 12-12Southwest 14-24 6-18Hinds 9-33 1-23

Final South Divisionsoftball standings

Team Overall DivisionJones Co. 33-13 19-5Gulf Coast 21-20 14-9East Central 27-18 13-11Pearl River 27-19 13-11Hinds 23-18 9-14Co-Lin 20-25 8-16Southwest 22-22 7-17

Final South Divisionbaseball standings

Pearl River’s Matthew Magee (21) is tagged out at home by Mississippi Gulf Coast catch-er Nick Purdy in the Wildcats’ 7-6 win over the Bulldogs in the first game of an MACJCSouth Division doubleheader played Good Friday in Perkinston. Magee is a sophomoreinfielder who prepped at Petal High. Sports photos by Mitch Deaver.

Pearl River’s Alyssa Graeter gets a congratulatory hand slap from head coach LeighWhite as she heads home after crushing a game-tying, two-run homer in the sixth innningin the Lady Wildcats’ 4-3 loss in 10 innings to East Central in the MACJC StateTournament semi-finals last Friday at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC in Perkinston.

Pearl River Community Collegewrapped up its 2011 baseball season lastSaturday with a pair of losses to theHolmes Bulldogs in one of four best-of-three MACJC playoff series.

Te Wildcats, the South Division’s No. 4seed, opened the series with an impressive5-3 victory on Friday; but the North No. 1Bulldogs bounced back with 10-0 (five in-nings) and 7-5 wins on Saturday to capturethe series.

Pearl River ended its season at 28-21overall.

In Friday’s win, Southeastern Louisianasignee Buck Bernard of Petal High shinedfor the Wildcats on the mound, hurling thefirst eight innings, giving up five hits, strik-ing out 11, and walking two.

After the second and third innings wentscoreless, the Wildcats rallied for three inthe top of the fourth. Lead off MatthewMagee of Petal High walked and B.J. Smithof Sumrall High followed with a single.Magee scored off an up-the-middle base hitby James Abraham, a

Southeastern Louisiana transfer whoprepped at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis,before Grae Ormon of Clinton High sin-gled an out later to load the bases. ChaseToussaint of Petal High followed with atwo-run single to make it 3-1 before HCCstarter Chris Hutchinson struck out AaronLee of Pearl River Central and JordanWilliams out of Christian County High inHopkinsville, Ky., flew to left for the final

out.In the top of the seventh, Lee led off with

a walk, Williams reached on a fielder’schoice, and Chase Lewallen of SumrallHigh and Magee cracked back-to-back sin-gles to give PRCC a 4-3 lead. At that point,Hutchinson relinquished the mound toJason Laxer who immediately struck outSmith before Abraham hit into a force outfor the final out.

Pearl River scored its final run in the topof the eighth. Ormon drew a one-out walkbefore Toussaint reached on a fielder’schoice. Toussaint moved to second on awild pick off throw, then to third on apassed ball before Lee walked. Toussaintscored off a wild pick off throw to secondon a steal by Lee.

Bernard (7-3) got win in his eight in-nings on the mound.

Magee (one RBI) and Smith paced theWildcats at the plate with two singles each,while Abraham (one RBI), Lee, Lewallen,Ormon, and Toussaint (two RBIs) all hadbase hits.

Taylor Byrd of Petal High (4-4) got theloss in his three-and-one-thirds innings onthe mound in the first game Saturday. Hegave up three hits, struck out three, andwalked two before Josh Hubbell of ForrestCounty AHS relieved for one-third of an in-ning in the fourth. He faced five batters,giving up two hits, striking out one, andwalking two before Jose Sola of Aguadilla,PR, relieved.

Williams led the Wildcats at the platewith a pair of singles, while Derek Sandersof Simpson Academy also had a base hit.

In the second game, the Wildcats wentup 1-0 in the top of the first when Williamsled off with a walk, Magee was belted by apitch an out later, and Smith followed withan RBI single.

The next two innings were scoreless, butthe Bulldogs took the lead for good in thebottom of the third with a five-run barrage.

Pearl River added a solo run in the top ofthe seventh when Sanders belted a homerun over the right field fence..

The Wildcats scored three in the top ofthe ninth when Abraham led off with a dou-ble, Sanders and Ormon drew back-to-backwalks to load the bases, and Toussaint fol-lowed with an RBI single. Lee then singledand Williams and Lewallen followed withan RBI singles to make it 7-5 before Mageeflew out to center to end the game.

Starter Robert Marzoni of Purvis High(6-4) got the loss in his four-and-one-thirdsinnings of action, giving up five hits, strik-ing out six, and walking two; while JaredBond of Denham Springs (La.) High re-lieved in the fifth. He gave up three hits andstruck out six.

Abraham led PRCC’s 10-hit effort with adouble and a single, while Lewallen (oneRBI) and Williams (one RBI) had two sin-gles each. Sanders homered (one RBI),while Lee, Smith (one RBI), and Toussaintall had base hits.

Baseball Wildcats finish 28-21 season

Pearl River’s Chase Toussaint slides safely into home past Holmes catcher BrandonVillarreal. Toussaint, who smacked a two-run single in the game, is a freshman left fielderwho prepped at Petal High.

Pearl River first basemanJanessa Dedeaux chargesan attempted bunt in thefifth-seeded Lady Wildcats’4-1 loss to Jones County insoftball action of the Region23 Tournament

Holmes’ ReggieO’Briant (9) slips pastPearl River catcherJordan Williams athome plate for theBulldogs’ first run inlast Saturday’s firstgame of a best-of-three MACJC baseballseries at Goodman.

Photo by MitchDeaver