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ELLISVILLE- Jones College’s Office of Student Affairs and Student Government Association along with campus clubs, organizations, and the city of Ellisville will host the annual “Treats in the Streets” night of activities on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. The trick-or-treat trail event will be held on the front lawn area of Jones Hall. Admission is free unless otherwise noted, and the public is welcome to attend all events. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

From 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., JC clubs and organizations will have treats and games available in front of Jones Hall. This event is for children ages 0 to 12 years, and all children must be accompanied by an adult to attend. Also, the JCJC all-you-can-eat cafeteria will stay open for dinner until 7:30 p.m. The cost for children ages 4 to 9 years of age is $4.50, and children ages 10 and adults is $7.25 (tax included). Taco Bell will be open until 9 p.m. & the Bobcat Grill will be open until 8 p.m.; both are located behind the A.B. Howard Gymnasium.  Other food items will be available for purchase from various vendors. 

The costume contests will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the center of the grassy area of Jones Hall for kids ages 0 to 12.  At 6 p.m. a costume contest for JC students will begin.

The annual Treats in the Streets celebration is an outdoor event and may be canceled or modified, if it rains or if the weather is not conducive for children. For more information, contact Dr. Tessa Flowers at 601-477-4845 or email: tessa.flowers.jcjc.edu.

ELLISVILLE- A collective partnership with the Jones County EDA, Mississippi Power, and PG Technologies in Ellisville will help ensure some Laurel High School Students are successful at work and school. A $25,000 grant from PG Technologies to Jones College will allow the Work Ready Initiative the two-year college began for its career and technical students to be expanded to Laurel High School students.

“We’re sending an instructor to Laurel High School to teach the Smart Start class or soft skills to 18 students. This includes things like being at work every day and show up on time, resume´ building and financial literacy, to how to fill out an application. These are basic things students need to know to be successful in the classroom or the workplace,” said JC Dean of Workforce College, Jennifer Griffith.

Laurel High School principal, Michael Eubanks said this class will help Laurel High School meet its goal of supporting students to be successful because this is amazing support from the community and from Jones College.

“We really need to excel and swing the pendulum of our district and school to where we want to be. This is the momentum we need,” said Eubanks.

The eighteen students who successfully complete the class will earn dual credit, along with the national NCCRC certification and a Smart Start credential. Most importantly, PG Technologies managing director, Derek Hileman, said this training should open more doors for these students.

“The more we do now (to train people), the less we have to do when they are inside our doors working for us.  It’s critical they learn these skills. It is hard to find talent and we’re working with colleges and high schools, so we’ll all benefit in the long run,” said Hileman.

The check presentation was held in conjunction with the EDA’s Education in Industry Day partly because Jones College’s Work Ready Initiative was an idea resulting from the gathering of business and education leaders.

“Training today is very different in the workforce compared to 10 or 20 years ago,” said Sandy Holifield, director of the EDA of Jones County’s Existing Industry, Leadership Development & Workforce Training. “Educators need to know the difference and industry needs to express what they’re looking for, or what skills are important.”

Hileman said he encourages more businesses to support the efforts of the Work Ready Initiative and the Smart Start Class in the future. For more information about the Workforce College at Jones College call the Whitehead Advanced Technology Center at 601-477-4114.

ELLISVILLE – The Mississippi Business Journal has named Jones College as the “Best Two-Year College” in Mississippi.  Ranked first in the state among the two-year colleges, the publication honored college representatives, Executive Vice President of Chief Enrollment Management, Information Technology, and Marketing Officer, Finee’ Ruffin; Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith and Assistant to the President for Government Relations, Jim Walley at a special event held at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson. Being the best is an honor Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith said reflects every employee’s hard work to ensure our students are successful.

“On behalf of our college faculty, staff, students, and board of trustees, we are delighted to be recognized for the quality of our work. Teaching the ideals of a democratic society, while at the same time ensuring our students are ready to enter the workforce or are prepared for university transfer is very challenging.  Receiving this recognition from the Mississippi Business Journal makes our efforts more worthwhile,” said Smith.

Among the recent accomplishments college officials cited as examples of success included the Gold Medal three Jones students earned at the National SkillsUSA competition after taking first place in the engineering and technology category in July, the college newspaper, the Radionian winning first place in the two-year newspaper category at the Spring National College Media Convention in New York City and the Associate Degree Nursing programs’ May 2019 graduates achieving a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. The 2019 MBJ’s Best of Mississippi listed the Top-3 in each of the 25 Best of Mississippi Business reader poll categories in it’s September 12, 2019 edition.

ELLISVILLE – A Jones College freshman from Waynesboro, Matthew Williams won tuition for a year and a laptop for attending Convocation and Hall of Fame events on September 12. The nursing major’s name was randomly drawn to win tuition and compete for a Microsoft Surface laptop while attending the Hall of Fame football game against Hinds Community College.  To win the laptop, donated by Coca-Cola, Williams had to win the football throwing competition against Oak Grove’s Ja’Darius Sims, who was also randomly chosen to win a year of tuition.  The computer engineering major came up short against

Williams in the competition but said he is blessed to be chosen to participate in the event.

“Winning tuition will push me to do well in college. I don’t have any scholarships, so this is really a gift from God,” said Sims.

Williams said his parents are happy to have tuition paid for this year. Upon graduation from Jones, Williams plans to get his bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center or Southern Miss.

“I didn’t know what to do when they called my name,” said Williams. “Financially, winning the tuition will relieve some stress, however, I hadn’t thrown a football in a long time, so I’m a little surprised to also win that competition.”

Jones College and the Student Government Association also awarded Cole Mozingo of Laurel an Apple Watch, who was randomly chosen during the football game.

ELLISVILLE– D’Iberville’s baton twirling sisters, Alyssa and Kayla Webb have been members of the elite, “Dixie Doll Twirlers” team based in Biloxi, for more than 10-years together. As Jones College students, and the feature twirlers for the Maroon Typhoon Marching Band, the Webb sisters are performing together for the first time ever, in the “dreamy” half-time performance called, “What Dreams May Come.”

“We never had a routine together, so this is our debut!” said Alyssa Webb. “You don’t see sister twirlers in college performances. It’s very unique and it’s good because we understand each other. We know what we’re both capable of doing and we ‘read’ each other well.”

During their competition days with the Dixie Dolls, the Webb’s traveled throughout the southeastern region collecting trophies from numerous regional, state and local competitions. The team captured 1^st place in Nationals and Kayla earned individual 1^st place honors in a national competition while they were both at D’Iberville High School. Using their award-winning experience, the Webb sisters incorporated a few of their favorite moves into their Jones College performances on the football field this fall.

“We have a move that looks like a double cartwheel while tossing the baton. We’re also exchanging batons, and twirling fire batons and blades,” said Kayla. “During the pre-game and half-time shows, we perform during the Eurythmics song, ‘Sweet Dreams’ and Van Halen’s, ‘Dream On.’”

Alyssa journeyed to the Ellisville campus first and then convinced Kayla to join her at Jones. “Alyssa had fun here and really liked it at Jones so I thought I would join her,” said Kayla. “A lot of the Dixie Dolls have performed at Jones. I don’t expect that will end.”

Several members of the “Dixie Doll Twirlers” have dazzled Jones audiences over the last 15 years, including Carly Carpenter 2017-19, Autumn Dunnaway 2017-18, Sabrina Sagers 2015-17, Megan Crager 2009-10, Ashleigh Richardson Fulton 2008-10, Ashton Rushing 2008-10, Olivia Purvis Hall 2007-09 and Lauren Byrd 2003-04.

For Alyssa, her last performance may be at the last Jones home football game on October 24.  She plans to graduate in May and work on her bachelor’s degree in accounting at USM. Kayla will spend another year as a Jones Bobcat before heading to the University of South Alabama to pursue a degree in physical therapy. The D’Iberville High School graduates said they plan on enjoying the spotlight for as long as they can twirl the baton, or their careers prevent them from performing.