Excellence in education

By Staff
Nick Norman, a seventh grade student at Magnolia Middle School, was recently awarded the Pecos Pearce Memorial Award. The award was established this year in memory of Pearce. It is voted on by members of the school staff and awarded to the best all around seventh grade male student who excels in the classroom, is kind, friendly and fun-loving.
Norman also received the Principal's Award for the highest GPA in his class, the Team Hall of Fame Award, Scholarship Award (4.0 GPA) and was co-recipient of the Art Award.
He served as vice president of his class and was recently inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gil Norman.
Farrah Robinson of Enterprise received the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society Award for outstanding proficiency in American History for the 2001 school year. She is the daughter of Ann Robinson of Enterprise and will be a senior at Enterprise High School in August.
JoBeth Lannon of Collinsville is a recipient of a $1,500 college scholarship awarded at Meridian NAS. One of the military community's premier benefits has become even more valuable to over 390 college and high school students. The first annual Scholarships for Military Children Program winners have been announced and the "Honor Roll" is impressive. Over 5,000 students applied for the scholarships at commissary locations worldwide.
Her parents are Joseph P. and Bobbie B. Lannon. JoBeth is enrolled, or planning to enroll, at University of Southern Mississippi. JoBeth's school and community activities include: Dean's List, Honor Chorus, Drama, Hospital Volunteer and Variations Singing Group.
Nan Elizabeth Cobb is the 18-year-old daughter of Billy and Ann Cobb of Carthage, and is ranked fifth with a GPA of 94.75 and an ACT score of 26 at Leake Academy.
Cobb served as editor of the school yearbook and treasurer of the Student Council and received the Headmaster's Award. She was a delegate to The University of Mississippi's Scholar's Conference and a delegate to the East Central Community College's Leadership Conference. She was recently awarded the Carthage Rotary Club Scholarship and is the recipient of the C.T. and Earline Ramzy Scholarship and the John M. Waddell Scholarship from Ole Miss.
Cobb plans to attend The University of Mississippi majoring in Child Psychology. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Cobb of Meridian.
The first Ronnye Purvis, M.D. Scholarship at Meridian Community College goes to 20-year-old Marita Strickland of Quitman.
This $l,500 health program scholarship is funded by Purvis through The MCC Foundation. An obstetrician-gynecologist, Purvis serves on the Board of Trustees for the College.
A graduate of Quitman High School, Strickland is a sophomore in the Medical Laboratory Technician Program. She also participates in My College Cares Day and sings on her church choir.
Bob Malone, president of The Meridian Community College Foundation, has announced the first of two $l,000 Catherine Hovious Memorial Nursing Scholarships.
Kandi Mitchell of Meridian was tapped to receive the August nursing class scholarship; the next Hovious Scholar will be selected from the January nursing class. These scholarships are funded by an endowment established by the Rush Foundation Hospital Nursing Alumnae and a bequest from the Hovious estate.
Married and the mother of three, Mitchell is a sophomore in the Associate Degree Nursing Program and hopes to continue her education after graduation from MCC.
Meridian Community College sophomore Laura Varnado of Enterprise is the 2001-02 recipient of the Dr. Laura O. Williams Memorial Nursing Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is funded by Harry and Bebe Roberts Freeman of New Orleans through The MCC Foundation.
Varnado, 36, is widowed and the mother of two children. She works at Rush Foundation Hospital and is earning her associate degree in nursing at the College. In addition to her memberships in the Baptist Student Union and the Organization of Student Nurses, she teaches children at her church.
Stewart "Rann" West of Elk City, Okla. has been named a United States National Award winner in English. The Academy selects USAA winners upon the recommendation of teachers, coaches and counselors.
West is the son of Bobby and Renee West of Elk City. He is the grandson of Bobby and Marie West of Meridian and Jim and Janet Keenum of Altus, Okla.