Excellence in Education

By Staff
Sept. 12, 2002
TUSCALOOSA Meridian resident Jessica R. Simpson was one of 2,950 students who made the dean's list or president's list at the University of Alabama last spring.
Students on the dean's list must have a grade point average of 3.5 or more on a 4.0 scale. Students on the president's list must have a grade point average of 4.0
The Meridian Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa recently presented awards to local educators and supporters of public education.
Phi Delta Kappa is a professional association of educators. There are approximately 100,000 members in 660 chapters throughout the world.
PDK promotes quality education, with particular emphasis on publicly supported and universally available education.
The award winners were
Dr. Kim Benton, School Administrator of the Year. Benton has been principal of Oakland Heights Elementary in Meridian for seven years. Under her leadership, the school has been recognized as a Marie Carbo Reading Styles Level 3 school. There are less than 20 such schools in the United States.
Sue Shelby, Pre-School Teacher of the Year. Shelby is a teacher at Central United Methodist Church in Meridian in the Children's Center. She has taught 2-, 3- and 4-year-old children. She is described as creative, innovative, daring and always looking for ways to improve her skills. She serves as the lead teacher for the center.
Cathy McFerrin, Middle School Teacher of the Year. McFerrin is a science teacher at Magnolia Middle School in Meridian. She is recognized as an excellent teacher and mentor of young teachers. She frequently supervises student teachers at Magnolia.
Carley Agnew, First Year Teacher of the Year. Agnew is a teacher at Fair Elementary in Louisville. Agnew was a part of a year-long induction-support training program for 30 first-year teachers. She graduated from Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus.
Elisa Baty, Innovative Teacher of the Year. Baty is a teacher at Northeast Elementary in Lauderdale County. She teaches computers to all age groups.
Joan Smith, Teacher of the Year. Smith is an honor graduate from the Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus and did her student teaching at Forest Elementary in Forest. She also has a degree in communications from Mississippi College. Smith was initiated into Kappa Delta Pi honorary society during her last semester at MSU-Meridian Campus.
Jan Bustin, Outstanding Graduate Student. Bustin is a specialist student in the Educational Leadership program at Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. She is employed full time with the Jones County School District. Her nominations noted her dedication, commitment and scholarship as exemplary for future graduate students.
Alison Davis, Outstanding Community College Student. Davis is a student at Meridian Community College where is she is majoring in psychology. She was president of Phi Theta Kappa and was recognized as a 2002 New Century Scholar at the PTK conference in Seattle. Davis was recognized as a member of the All Mississippi Academic First Team and a president's list scholar.
Carolyn Beeland, Staff Member of the Year. Beeland is the president's secretary at Meridian Community College where she has worked for several years. She is active in serving MCC both on the campus and in the community. She serves on the Meridian Federal Credit Union board and is active at First Assembly of God.
The Riley Foundation, Special Support of Education. The Riley Foundation provides substantial support for educational initiatives in all areas and levels. Special mention was made for help at Meridian Community College with the Riley Student Success Center and funds to hire additional instructors in the areas of math and English.
La-Z-Boy South, Business Leader in Education. The La-Z-Boy plant in Newton supports and encourages educational groups and educators with plant tours and assistance in fund-raising activities. La-Z-Boy also gives substantial aid and encouragement to employees to continue education through internal and external training.
Chris Harris, Layperson of the Year. Harris is a former teacher who has worked for La-Z-Boy for several years. He is involved in supporting and encouraging educational improvement for employees and the community.
EMCED, Outstanding Educational Organization. The East Mississippi Center for Educational Development provides support to 22 school districts in the East Mississippi area. They provide professional development and technical assistance for the school districts. The center is on the Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus.
Chapter awards were presented to Tiffanie Roberts for leadership; Ann Milstead and Georgia Jackson for service; and Jimmie Evans as the Kappan of the year.
This was the first year for the awards program developed to provide recognition and honor outstanding contributions to education.
Award winners were selected from nominations by professional educators and public and private schools in Lauderdale, Neshoba, Newton, Clarke and Kemper counties.
This program is being expanded for the current school year and will culminate with the second round of awards in April.