Author: Teresa McCreery

ELLISVILLE – Jones College students won 16 awards at the 2024 Better News/Media Contest held in conjunction with the 27^th annual O.C. McDavid Journalism Summit on March 20, in Ridgeland. Both community college and university newspapers competed in their respective categories, while in some categories, the two-year colleges had to compete against universities. Jones College once again received the General Excellence Award in the community college division which is based on the number of awards earned throughout the competition

“I am very impressed with our student’s success especially since we competed against university students who may have more experience than our freshman and sophomore students,” said Journalism instructor and advisor of JC’s student publications, Kelly Atwood.  “Our staff took home the most awards and won the overall award which is a testament to their hard work.”

The Jones newspaper, the Radionian, swept the Best General News Story category, with Haidyn Houston of Raleigh winning third place for her story on the HomeTown remodeling of the President’s House on campus. The second-place award went to Destiny Velasco of Ellisville for her story on the tennis team helping with hurricane relief, and the first-place award went to Jaylynn Conner of Waynesboro for her story on AI technology in education.

Additionally, the Radionian came home with all three awards in the Best Feature Story, with Jayla Jones of Stonewall placing third for her story on a NICU fundraiser in memory of a JC faculty members’ infant, Myles Jaxon Jones. Jayla Jones also received second place for her story about a JC student who lost her eyesight. First place went to Jacarious Roberts of Hattiesburg, who wrote a story about a homeless student who found refuge at Jones.

“Receiving an award for my story was a very validating moment for me,” said JC sophomore Jacarious Roberts. “I was nervous but excited about the conference, but when the Radionian started winning awards I couldn’t help but be proud of us. The Radionian has helped boost my confidence every time I write a story. Throughout this experience I have also learned the importance of being vocal with my peers and accepting constructive criticism.”

All colleges competed in the Best Website category, with the Radionian winning first place. The judge’s remarks included, “Overall the best design with nice uses of photography. In a category where many contenders looked similar, this one stood out. Strong content seals the win.”

In Best Feature Photo, the Radionian took all three spots with Sami Jordan of Ocean Springs taking third place for her photo “Cozy by the Fireplace,” which looked like a professionally created sellable stock photo. Jordan also received second place for her photo of Philosophy instructor John Stockstill. Gabriela Moncivais of Laurel received first place for her photo of a cosmetology student working in the lab.

While competing against all colleges In the Best General News Photo category, Reagan McLeod of Waynesboro received third place for her photos of men’s basketball, and Ella Thomas of Laurel received first place for her action shots of men’s soccer.

The following students competed against both university and community college students and received accolades. In the Best Sports Feature category, Boo Mills of Laughton England placed third for her story on soccer player Hilary Jaen. In the Best General Interest Column category, Rylee Burks of Picayune placed third for her column on Cheap College Eats for students. Haley Shepherd of Petal received third place for her Color Run photo in the Best Sports Photo competition and in the Best Use of Video category, Jayla Jones received third place for the NICU memorial fundraiser.

The awards competition and summit are funded by the McDavid Fund of the Mississippi Press Foundation. The Summit included guest speakers from the Roy Howard Center for Community Journalism, photojournalist Chris Todd and Mississippi Today’s Marshall Ramsey.

Students can apply for positions on the Radionian newspaper, broadcasting or yearbook classes by emailing Jones College student publications advisor, Kelly Atwood at Kelly.atwood@jcjc.edu

ELLISVILLE – Jones College’s Workforce College is now offering two courses to help fill the demand for fiber optic installers in the region. The Certified Fiber Optic Installer (Class 1) will begin on Monday, May 19, through May 29, and meet Monday through Thursday, at 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.  This short-term-class includes classroom instruction and the hands-on application of skills. The course costs $1,100 and will not meet on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26.

The next course in the program, Certified Fiber Optic Outside Plant Technician (Class 2) is designed for workers with fundamental fiber optic knowledge or Installer Certification. It focuses specifically on outside plant installations (OSP), such as building to building communications or long-haul telecommunications. Emphasis will be placed on the single mode fiber optic installation and the associated international standards, theory and practices. This course is offered Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. beginning on Monday, June 2, through June 12. The cost of the course is $1,450.

At the completion of the class, students will take the ETA (Electronics Technician Association) exam. If they pass the exam, they will receive an ETA certification. Students must complete Fiber Optic Installer class (Fiber 1) OR have 1 year of work experience in the fiber field to enroll in the Outside Plant Technician class (Fiber 2). For more information or to enroll, call 601-477-4114 or email, workforce@jcjc.edu.

ELLISVILLE – Jones College 2020 graduate, Jessie Cameron Chaney, a current Simpson County resident, is paying it forward by establishing an annual $1000 scholarship for a Jones College student. The 24-year-old wife and mother of two children said she isn’t “rich” or drawing from a Trust Fund to provide for the annual scholarship. The staff accountant at Hemphill Construction in Florence, said she is simply prioritizing her expenses and investing in someone like the Asbury Foundation Scholarship invested in her as a Jones College student.

“I’m generally a normal, average person. My kids are expensive, and daycare is expensive, but I truly put money towards what I believe in,” said Chaney. “I try not to focus too much on the material things, but the things that will continue even when I’m gone. Investing in someone else’s education will change their life, their children’s lives and it will change the lives of the people around them. I think that’s really more important than a $5 Starbucks coffee every morning.”

Going to work without the coffee is just one of the ways Chaney saves to provide funding for the scholarship. She is also motivated by her kids and her own experience while trying to get an education. After pausing her education for two years as Covid closed everything down, and online classes were not her preferred method of learning, she had her first child. That’s when Chaney decided she needed to continue her education at Mississippi State University. After exploring nursing and other majors, she focused on another avenue of helping people through accounting. In her last semester of classes last fall, Chaney learned her scholarship was withdrawn because of a situation with the donor.

“I think it showed me just how much I relied on a scholarship and how scary the thought of not being able to complete my last semester would be without that scholarship,” shared Chaney.

In fact, it pushed her harder to find a way to contribute to someone else’s education because she didn’t want someone to go through the same predicament she found herself in, especially when she was so close to graduation.

“I didn’t want someone to wonder how they are going to finish or how they can even start a degree if they don’t have the money for an education. So, being able to impact someone else’s life is important because I saw how truly impactful the scholarship that was pulled from me was. I relied on it and that fear and concern really impacted my studies as well. I wasn’t able to do as well because I was worried about how I was going to pay for college, so being able to contribute to another student so they can not only focus on their studies but also complete their studies is really important to me.”

While at Jones College, Chaney said she changed her major a few times, but she kept on track with the help of her aunt and Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Julie Atwood. Her guidance and support, Chaney said, enabled her to focus on her education, especially after she lost her grandfather and her father. Atwood emphasized that she’s proud of Chaney for being persistent in not only finding her pathway but to also help someone who may be struggling like herself.  

“I think it’s incredible and I hope that students really value this scholarship because it’s coming from someone who’s been in their shoes and it’s from someone that understands where they’re at,” said Atwood. “But also, she’s dealing with all the things involved with taking classes at the same time working full time and raising a family. I think that’s inspirational just to say you can do it, and I believe in you with a scholarship.”

Vice President of External Funding and Executive Director of the Jones College Alumni and Foundation, Sabrina Young said Chaney may be one of the youngest to establish a scholarship which will have a far-reaching impact.

“She sees how powerful education is and is giving back to others. Someone inspired and recognized her aspirations, and they gave her an opportunity to continue her education. That’s powerful. Giving to something that is bigger than all of us means you’re giving an opportunity to someone, and it is going to touch their life, their family’s lives, and their future family’s lives. I think it’s inspiring,” said Young.

Ironically, Chaney’s grandfather and father were cared for at the Asbury Hospice House, which is affiliated with the scholarship she was awarded at Jones. Chaney plans to name the annual scholarship she is establishing in honor of her father.

“He believed in me with all of his heart. I pray his kind and hardworking spirit is honored and has more meaning to impact others’ lives,” said Chaney. “When my grandfather and father passed away in the care of the Asbury Hospice House, I couldn’t have asked for better people to help my family during that time. Not only did they invest in my education, but they also provided exceptional care for our family.”

Current Jones College students have through April 15, to apply for Foundation scholarships like Chaney’s newly established scholarship on the Foundation website, https://www.jcjc.edu/alumni_foundation/scholarships/

ELLISVILLE- Seventeen of the nineteen Jones College students that competed in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State competition in Biloxi, Mississippi, came home winners.  They all placed first or second in their competitive events, qualifying them for national competition in May, in Dallas, Texas. During the three-day conference, each student competed in two business-related events. The events ranged from Fundamentals of Accounting and Economics to Foundations of Technology and Public Speaking.

“Sixteen of the students will be going to the three-day national conference and competition in Dallas,” said Jones College’s FBLA Advisor, David Ray.  “These students worked very hard, and we are excited to see what they can do at the national level in two months.”

Alyse Lunsford of Laurel placed first in Foundations of Accounting. Elisa Cook of Meridian earned first place honors in Impromptu Speaking and partnered with Ollie Hammonds of Laurel to place second in Emerging Business Issues. Ollie also placed second in Impromptu Speaking. Ollie and Elisa partnered in a third event, State of Chapter, which showcases Jones FBLA clubs’ accomplishments for the year, which they came home with first place in that event. 

Enterprise’s Riley Smith placed first in Foundations of Economics as well as second place in Foundations of Accounting. Placing first in the Technology and Computer Science Case Competition, was the team of Tyler Freeman of Waynesboro, Lindsey Hull of Brandon, Ethan Noffke of Oak Grove, and Connor Perkins of Petal. Tyler also placed first in Foundations of Computer Science. Additionally, Lindsey placed third in Foundations of Cybersecurity and Ethan placed third in Foundations of Technology.

Elliot Sholtz of Gulfport placed first in Job Interview and third in Entrepreneurship Pitch while Emily Ponce of Morton received first place in Public Speaking. Ocean Spring’s Samantha Jordan placed first in Business Ethics and also teamed up with Jayla Jones of Quitman to take first place in Marketing, Sales, and Communications Case Study. Jayla also received second place in Foundations of Sports Management and Marketing. Laurel’s Regan Shoemaker took home second place in Business Presentation. Waynesboro’s Tanika Norsworthy placed second in Foundations of Computer Science and third in Foundations of Communications. Zion Cooper of Waynesboro teamed up with D’Angelo McLaurin of Collins to earn second place in the Entrepreneurship Pitch event. Leakesville’s Eliza Holder placed first in Computer Applications. Caleb Fairley of Mount Olive received fourth place in Business Presentation, while Ellisville’s Evan Nix received fourth place in Foundations of Technology.

ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s music faculty and Director of Bands, Dr. Ben Burge, along with Associate Directors of Band, Dr. Josh Frans and Dr. Lindsey Keay will be featured in a Faculty Recital on Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. The three will be collaborating together with Frans playing various percussion instruments as the accompaniment to Keay on flute, and Burge on alto saxophone. Frans’ solo pieces will feature the marimba, vibraphone, and a multi-percussion performance that uses an electronic accompaniment.

“The composer, Andy Akiho who is a leading percussion composer, wrote this piece, ‘Stop Speaking’ about 10 years ago before AI, but he uses Word to type or compose the track, then he chose the voice, Vicky to voice it. There is no time signature or meter, so everything is based on the pattern of the speech, which is more challenging, and I had to learn a new way to practice the piece. I had to listen to the track and figure out the spacing between the words,” said Frans.

In addition to the distinctive use of technology in Frans’ solo, the free recital will feature a wide variety of genres of music including, jazz, tango, classical lyrical tunes and popular pieces to things you don’t always hear in a typical recital. Besides hearing different combinations of instruments playing together, the trio will be incorporating interesting techniques into their performances. One piece of obscure music influenced by Middle Eastern culture called, “Devil Dance,” is a duet featuring Frans on an Egyptian hand drum called a darbuka as Keay will be using extended techniques on her flute which many music students don’t usually have the opportunity to hear or learn.

“It’s a technique where you vocalize or sing and play at the same time. The tone is not full and it’s not like a real tone which sounds a little creepy. It’s something our audience will not typically hear and even our students will get to hear something they don’t come across in their own repertoire just yet. So, maybe it will give our students something to strive towards, although I do make my students sing and play in their lessons. It’s a technique that I think is helpful, but they may not have done a piece where they have to do that and so to see it in real time will be inspiring, I hope,” said Keay.

Despite the fact the three have been working together for the last six years, this will be the first time they will be performing together for a faculty recital.

“We are very excited to present this program so that our students can see us on the stage!” said Burge. “We spend our time coaching them for these moments and we believe that this is a great opportunity for them to watch us as well.”

The trio shared that performing for their students keeps them sharp. In fact, as the audience enjoys the varied works and displays of unique musical techniques, the Faculty Recital really serves as a continued learning experience for both the music faculty and their students.

As Frans explained, “You never stop being a student and you never stop learning. Once you think you’ve got it, then somebody else is out there moving forward and you become irrelevant. We don’t want that for our students, and they came here to study with us because we’re still out there performing, and we are still relevant in the professional world and still have connections that can help them in the future with letters of recommendation and making introductions and networking.”

To view the live performance, check out the Jones College School of Art, Music and Performance social media.