Pike County had more than 150 students combined to graduate with the MS Scholars and MS Scholars Tech Master designation this past springs.
Southwest Mississippi Community College gave 8 scholarships worth $1000 and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce awarded 42 scholarships worth $250.00 each. The Carl Dunaway Burger King Scholarship for $500 was awarded to one student.
The speaker was South Pike’s 2008 valedictorian, Jasmin Magee. Jasmin is a 2016 Juris doctorate candidate at the University of MS School of Law in Oxford.
Area eighth-graders in the County gather at Southwest MS Community College’s Regional Workforce Training Center for the Real World simulation sponsored by Pike County Chamber of Commerce earlier in this year. Students were assigned occupations with varying pay. Lessons learned included how to fill out a checkbook correctly and tips on how to manage money. Area bankers and local business owners also participated in the event. Students paid for essential services such as transportation, housing, utilities, entertainment, insurance and clothing.
Wendy Smith, Director of the Southwest Workforce Training Center and Vice President of Education Committee on the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors played a HUGE roll in the program this year. She also started the Real World simulation program.
Catherine Sanders, Executive Director Pike County Chamber is the coordinator of the MS Scholars and Tech Master programs in Pike County.