Month: October 2018

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Competition ramps up in the last weeks of Jones College’s Bobcat Math League

ELLISVILLE – The competition ramped up this week after most high schools had two weeks off for Fall Break and school activities. The Science Division’s ranking for the top three teams changed this week for the fourth time this season, leaving West Jones wondering if they can regain the division’s top spot. The Mustangs succumbed to the Northeast Jones Tigers in a close match, 39-36, with the Tigers claiming the victory in the “Jungle.”  Instead of moving up to the second or top spot, Northeast Jones had to settle for third place because of the tie with Presbyterian Christian High School earlier in the season.

After a four-week reign in first place the Mustangs’ loss to the Tigers, moves the Bobcats of PCS to first place as the new Science Division leaders. With aspirations of moving up the ranks too, the Laurel Tornadoes tried to sweep the Presbyterian Christian Bobcats off the map in its match this week. However, the Bobcats won the heated match, 46-45 leaving Laurel to settle for fourth place. Raleigh had the week off to contemplate a strategy to climb the rankings.

Sacred Heart couldn’t fend off the fiery darts from the Oak Grove Warriors in its cross-town rivalry. The Warriors beat the Crusaders in a tight match, 57-55. Each team keeps its division ranking with Sacred Heart as Technology Division leaders and Oak Grove remains in second place in the Engineering Division. The Crusaders also have the most cumulative points with 197 but Technology Division leaders, the Wayne County War Eagles are closing in with 194 points.  Oak Grove has 179 points.

In the cross-county rivalry between Wayne Academy and Wayne County, the War Eagles had no trouble keeping the Jaguars at bay with the 58-27 win. Both Quitman and Heidelberg capture their first victories this week. The Panthers of Quitman and Perry Central Bulldogs keep their division rankings despite the Panthers claiming the top prize with the 38-8 victory. The Heidelberg Oilers struck a win as they managed to stop the Columbia Academy Cougars from seizing their prize as the Oilers defeated the Cougars, 28-19.

Crusader, Benjamin Dunn is the Most Outstanding Player this week with a 73.33 percent accuracy average in the individual competition.  Fellow Crusader, Remy Porrier and Laurel’s Maxwell Dobbs earn second place credits with a 63.33 percent average. Four students tied for fourth place honors with a 60 percent average.

In the last week of team competition, West Jones will be on the hunt for the lead in an effort to knock off the Presbyterian Christian Bobcats who managed to earn the first place ranking in the Science Division this week. Look for the two teams to tangle for the last opportunity to secure a spot in the playoffs. In the Technology Division, the outcome between the top two teams, Sacred Heart and Columbia Academy will also determine who heads to the playoffs in that division. Engineering Division leaders, Wayne County will try to keep their playoff bid in sight as they face Oak Grove in a battle for the division leader’s spot. Other matches next week include Laurel hosting Raleigh, Wayne Academy hosting Perry Central, and Quitman hosting Heidelberg. Northeast Jones has the week off waiting to see if they have an opportunity to make the playoffs, November 7, in the Jones College Fine Arts Auditorium.

Results will be posted on the JC Bobcat Math League web page under “Division Standings/Schedules at: http://www.jcjc.edu/bobcatmathleague/ and scores in real time will be posted on the Bobcat Math League Facebook page: Bobcat Math League – Facebook. Weekly results can also be found in local media outlets.  For more information about the Bobcat Math League contact Dr. Jessica Bunch (JC Bobcat Math League Commissioner) at 601-477-5422 or email at jessica.bunch@jcjc.edu.

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“A Louisiana Holiday Lunch & Learn” features president and publisher of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture magazine

ELLISVILLE – The Culinary Arts department at Jones College is welcoming the President and Publisher of the magazine, Louisiana Kitchen & Culture, Susan Ford to campus to share her new holiday recipes on Tuesday, October 30. The event, “A Louisiana Holiday Lunch & Learn” will feature the New Orleans resident’s recipes in the upcoming holiday edition of her magazine in the Culinary Arts Dining Room located in the Information Technology Building at Jones College. The 1986 Jones alumna and Laurel native will discuss how the recipes are developed as the meal, prepared by 21 students in the culinary arts program supervised by Chef Micah Gatlin, will be served to a limited number of guests.

The menu includes smoked duck and andouille sausage gumbo, a holiday salad, Steen’s cane syrup glazed pork chop with apple demi-glace, potato and parsnip puree, roasted asparagus, Boston cream pie, ginger crackle cookies and more.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for my students to network with Susan Ford before and after the Lunch & Learn,” said Chef Micah Gatlin.  “It’s all about introducing them to a variety of career options such as working for various magazines that employ chefs in test kitchens.  It also helps students learn more about the contributions from chefs in our region.”

The cost of this special Lunch & Learn, which begins at 11:45 a.m., is $30. To make reservations for, “A Louisiana Holiday Lunch & Learn,” call 601-477-4206 and for more information about the menu or event, call Chef Micah at 601-477-4209.

Susan Ford was born in Laurel and then moved to Pascagoula when her father took a job at Ingalls Shipyard in 1969. The East Central High School graduate came to Jones in 1984.  She graduated with an associate’s degree in business and transferred to USM on a full academic scholarship. While at USM, she changed her major to journalism with a public relations emphasis, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and a minor in business.

She started her publishing career in 1990 when she went to work for a commercial real estate magazine in Novato, California.  While there, she was on the “launch team” for numerous magazines, websites and email newsletters, in both the high-tech and lifestyle categories.

After Hurricane Katrina, she left the San Francisco Bay Area and moved to New Orleans to bring her publishing expertise to Louisiana in 2007, as a consultant with Louisiana Cookin’ magazine. Becoming immersed in the Louisiana seafood, travel, tourism, hospitality, and culinary industries inspired her to form the business, Our Kitchen & Culture, LLC. In 2011, Ford launched “Louisiana Recipes,” a free, weekly email newsletter with more than 37,000 subscribers, and companion website, louisiana.kitchenandculture.com before her own magazine debuted in April 2012.  The magazine is published six times a year and has paid subscribers in 50 states and several foreign countries.  It is available nationally through North America’s largest newsstand distributor.

She has served on the membership committee of the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association since 2008, and she served a year as the first Associate Board Member of that association. Ford served two years as the chairman of the Louisiana Travel Political Action Committee and currently remains a board member. Ford has close ties to Louisiana’s most influential chefs, restaurateurs, and tourism professionals.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for their talents, and the perfectionist attention to detail they devote to their craft. I’ve made some great friends, I’ve learned a lot, and I look forward to continuing to create a magazine that celebrates the unique culinary culture, heritage, and cuisine of Louisiana,” said Ford.

 

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Jones College students tour Munn Enterprises and discover future careers

ELLISVILLE- Sign Manufacturing Day at Munn Enterprises in Hattiesburg offered a look into future careers for Jones College students from the drafting and design or CAD Engineering Technology, and the Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology programs. The group of about twenty students had an up-close look at how the skills they’re learning in class are applied in the sign manufacturing industry.  Jones College drafting and design instructor, Karen Kirk also had the opportunity to reunite with 2016 drafting and design graduate and current draftsman, Nicholas Underwood.

“It’s true. What you learn in school you can apply to the industry,” said Underwood as he explained his technical drawings to Jones students touring Munn Enterprises.

Another graduate from Kirk’s program, Tonya Bynum Davis took a chance by building upon her drafting experience. The 2002 Jones graduate is currently a project manager at Munn Enterprises. Kirk said she hopes her students are inspired by these Jones graduates’ examples of work-related success.

“After the tour at Munn Enterprises, my students said they had not even considered a future career in the sign business. Meeting Nick, seeing his drawings and touring the company inspired them to explore the possibility of employment in the sign industry. It was very interesting to us all!” said Kirk.

 In the fabrication department, Jones machining students were challenged by one of the company’s welders, Clyde Ward to interpret the drawings to build a sign structure. A couple of students with welding knowledge had some success but would need Munn’s experienced welders to interpret the drawings used to create the metal structures. Jones students and faculty were also intrigued by the metal bending process in the lettering department. Munn’s Shannon Calder demonstrated how the Accu-Bend channel letter bending machine uses hydraulic power to quickly bend aluminum into font styles and various shapes.

“All of my students and I enjoyed the tour. I am actually going to try and see if they will hire one of my guys part-time,” said Jones Precision Manufacturing and Machining instructor, Chase Elmore. “They do not really have the equipment and processes that are used in our field but I respect the company for what they have accomplished. Riding through Hattiesburg’s Midtown is even more interesting now that I have an idea of how these signs are constructed.”

Jones College students were part of more than 100 students from the area participating in the first Sign Manufacturing Day at Munn Enterprises. Company representatives said the goal of the event was to show students the career possibilities in the sign industry range from fabrication to drafting and beyond. They also emphasized nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will likely be needed over the next decade and believe the Sign Manufacturing Day event was an opportunity to encourage students to consider a career in a manufacturing related field.

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Jones College’s “Madrigals & More” concert at Laurel’s First-Trinity Presbyterian Church

ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s Fine Arts Department invites the public to enjoy an evening of Renaissance music with the JCJC music department at its annual, “Madrigals and More” concert, free of charge. The various JCJC student and faculty small ensembles will be performing at First-Trinity Presbyterian Church in Laurel, on Tuesday, October 30, at 7 p.m. This special event spotlights a diverse group of performers from student ensembles and solos, to faculty solos, and faculty-student collaborations. Performances will include musical selections from composers such as Orlando de Lassus, Thomas Tallis, Clément Janequin, Claudin de Sermisy, Orlando Gibbons, William Byrd, Thomas Weelkes, Tomas Luis de Victoria, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

Concert hosts, JC Voices, under the direction of Dr. Susan A. Smith will perform a variety of selections from the Renaissance, including, “Pastyme with Good Companye,” and “Innsbruck, I Now Must Leave Thee.” In addition to the choral selections, the audience will also see and hear rarely heard instruments of the period, including the harpsichord played by Jones piano instructor, Dr. Victoria Johnson, and the lute, played by JCJC guitar instructor, Dr. Michael Boyd. The group will also perform important French madrigals of the period, including, “Revecy venir du printans,” accompanied by Dr. Lindsey Keay on flute and Boyd on the lute.

The wind ensembles are also prominently featured in this year’s program with the Jones College Brass Ensemble, directed by Dr. Patrick Richards playing a well-known canon of the period, “Non nobis domine,” by William Byrd. Woodwind chamber groups, the Flute Choir, conducted by Dr. Lindsey Keay, the Clarinet Choir, directed by new faculty member Michelle Graham and the Saxophone Trio conducted by Dr. Ben Burge will perform several pieces from the Baroque and Romantic Periods.

For more information about “Madrigals and More,” or to find out how to support JC Voices or JC Fine Arts, call the JC Fine Arts Department at 601-477-4203

2018 Members of the Chamber Choir and Madrigal Singers are:

Kenneth Anderson, Sand Hill
Kalyn Bales, Stringer
Ella Barker, Hattiesburg
James Bilbo, Hattiesburg
Faith Bufkin, Ellisville
Jorge Castillo, Ellisville
Kassidy Chandler, Laurel
Mary Coats, Taylorsville
Hayden Dillistone, Laurel
Reagan Dukes, Laurel
Nathaniel Gamblin, Waynesboro
Shedrick George, Laurel
Matthew Haight, Mobile, AL
Victor Harris, Laurel
Dakota Malone, Raleigh
Eli McMellon, Moselle
Davonzell Moncrief, Montrose
DeMoynedre Morgan, Houston
Addison Nelms, Brandon
Stuyuncey Nobles, Laurel
Caleb Pearce, Ellisville
Shellie Roberts, Ellisville
Lamar Saddler, Quitman
Jordan Sistrunk, Mize
Kendra Stevison, Lucedale
Alyssa White, Laurel

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Jones College selects three Honor Alumni-Dennis Bohannon, Paul Culliver & Clyde Dease, Jr.

ELLISVILLE- Jones College’s 2018 Honor Alumni have contributed a lifetime of service to the institution and their communities in numerous ways.  Laurel’s Dennis Bohannon, Paul Culliver, who is a Raleigh High School graduate and current resident of The Woodlands, Texas, and former Ellisville native and current resident of Picayune, Clyde Dease will be honored at the annual JCJC Alumni Luncheon on Homecoming Saturday, October 20, at 11:30 a.m. in the A.B. Howard Gymnasium. Reservations for the luncheon can be made through the Alumni and Foundation Office at 601-477-4049 or by emailing jcjcalumniinfo@jcjc.edu.

“Each of the three Honor Alumni has poured their heart and soul into working or volunteering in various ways at JCJC. Dennis dedicated his life to education and athletics and has been a loyal supporter of the college, as have Paul and Clyde, who are also lifetime members of the JCJC Alumni Association. Paul currently serves as the Vice President of the JCJC Foundation Board and as a member of the college’s Finance and Investment Committee. Clyde Dease, Jr. is the only true rocket scientist I know!  His contributions to NASA and Picayune reflect the amazing life he’s lived. We are excited to recognize these alumni for their outstanding service,” said VP of Advancement and Executive Director of the JCJC Foundation Inc., Charlie Garretson.

Dennis Bohannon of Laurel retired from West Jones after more than 26 years teaching 8-12 grade math courses and then finished his math teaching career in May 2018 after two years at Wayne County High School. At West Jones, he was the head coach for the Lady Mustangs soccer team for twelve years and he spent two years as head coach of the soccer and golf teams.  He was also the assistant coach of the baseball, softball and football teams and spent twelve years as the football statistician for the West Jones Mustangs. The highlight of his soccer coaching career came in 2004 while coaching the South team of the Mississippi Association of Coaches’ Girls Soccer All-Star Team.

The 1974 Northeast Jones High School graduate earned All-Desoto Conference First-Team baseball honors and Second-Team football honors. He came to Jones in 1976 to play football and baseball where he lettered in football both years, and in baseball in 1975. After transferring to USM, he earned his B.S.B.A. in accounting in 1979. Additional honors Bohannon received include the Boy Scouts “God and Country” medal, he was elected as a JCJC Sophomore Representative and he was included in the Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges. Later, Bohannon would return to Jones to be part of the football radio broadcast crew in 1985 until 2000. Outside of education, Bohannon retired as VP of Bohannon, Inc. DBA the Popcorn Place in Sawmill Square Mall as co-owner with his parents after being in business for more than 27 years. As a member of Oakland Grove Baptist Church in Laurel, Bohannon has served as the treasurer since 1998, Sunday School Director and sound system director since 1984.  Bohannon is also a member of the Laurel North camp of The Gideon’s International.

Currently living in The Woodlands Texas, Paul Culliver is a man with many “hometowns.” He was born in Jackson but his family moved to Raleigh where he discovered football. As a high school football player, he was selected as All-Conference, team captain, Most Valuable Player, and he was a member of the Wayne Bowl Championship team. He was also a member of the high school District 5 Track Championship team in the late 1970’s.  At JCJC, the 1981 graduate started as a tight end in 24 consecutive games under Coach Sim Cooley.  Playing in two football state championship games, Culliver was also part of the 1979 JCJC Mississippi Junior College State Football Championship team over Gulf Coast.  He also competed for two seasons at the state level on the Bobcat track team in hurdles.

After earning an associate’s degree in construction engineering at JCJC, Culliver headed to Texas to work in the oil field industry. At age 23, he started the first of several oilfield service companies. Two years later, Culliver became operations manager of Triad Drilling & Supply, Geosouthern Energy Corporation and USX Exploration. He participated in the drilling, completing and operating of hundreds of producing wells throughout Texas before becoming an independent businessman in the real estate and healthcare industries, in addition to growing timber.

Continuing to be active in Raleigh, Culliver served as an officer and director of Rolling Acres Retirement Center from 1992 until its sale in 2014. Culliver also kept in touch with his alma mater by serving as vice president of the JCJC Foundation Board of Directors, the Foundation Finance & Investment Committee and he has endowed several scholarships, including one named for he and his brothers, Tim and Wayne who are also JCJC alumni. His contributions to Adam’s Angles Ministries, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families cope with the diagnosis of childhood cancer, led to trips to Washington D.C. for several years as a representative with the Children’s Oncology Group seeking legislation and funding for pediatric cancer research. He and his wife Cindy have been married for 33 years and have two children who live in the Houston, Texas area.

Clyde Dease Jr., also has family ties to Smith County, but grew up in Ellisville and is currently living in Picayune. The 1969 valedictorian of Roosevelt High School in Ellisville graduated from JCJC in 1971 and transferred to USM to earn a bachelor’s of science degree in biology with certifications in chemistry, physics, instrumentation and biochemistry.  Before his current position as president and C.E.O. of the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation in Picayune, Dease served as a NASA satellite and rocket scientist. He was a member of the NASA leadership team at Stennis Space Center where he served as Lead within the Center Operations Directorate providing a variety of scientific, engineering, laboratory, programmatic and institutional support to the flight certification testing of rocket engines, in addition to overseeing an annual budget of $75 million.

The former educator and chair of the Picayune High School Science department worked for NASA in various leadership roles for 35 years. From developing satellite sensors and applications for utilizing the data collected from satellites to being on the space shuttle’s rocket engine flight certification team to developing the requirements for the design and construction of the first large-scale rocket test stand and the upper stage testing of the Orion Spaceship launch system in preparation for the mission to Mars, Dease played an integral part in numerous operations at NASA. The past national Chair of the NASA Metrology and Calibration Working Group for NASA earned numerous awards including the MCAFA award, where he was selected as the Federal Employee of the Year from 25,000 federal employees on the Gulf Coast.