College Goal Sunday 2012

The Mississippi Institution of Higher Learning and GEAR UP Mississippi are sponsoring College Goal Sunday 2012! College Goal Sunday is a free program that helps high school seniors and their families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), also known as the Pell Grant. College Goal Sunday provides on-site help from financial aid experts to assist students and families in completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA form is required to apply for financial assistance for higher education. Most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools in the nation require students seeking federal financial aid, including scholarships, grants, and loans to complete the FAFSA. Students preparing to attend college next fall can find answers to critical questions regarding financial aid at the upcoming College Goal Sunday.  For more information, please contact the counselor at your child’s school or go to the website www.mscollegegoalsunday.org.  If available, students and their parents should bring:

• Copy of your and your parents’ 2011 federal tax returns 1040, 1040EZ, 1040A,
• Your and your parents’ driver’s license and Social Security numbers and birthdates,
• Your and your parents’ W-2 Forms and other records of money earned,
• Current bank statements or an amount of your and your parents’ cash, savings, and checking accounts,
• Current business information,
• Total amount of investments not in retirement accounts,
• Date of your parents’ marriage, divorce or separation.

Magee High School – Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Location: Career Center of Magee High
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
You may contact Mr. Chris Nash, school counselor, at 601-849-2263.

Mendenhall High School – Thursday, February 23, 2012
Location: Library of Mendenhall High
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
You may contact Mrs. Shondria Proctor, school counselor, at 601-847-2411.

Simpson County School District Spelling Bee goes a record 106 Rounds!

Simpson County School District hosted the annual Spelling Bee competition at the campus of Co-Lin in Simpson County on Friday, February 10, 2012. Twenty-five spellers from the Elementary and Middle Schools represented their schools in what some consider to be the longest competition in memory.

Superintendent Glenn Harris greeted the spellers and wished them well as the saga began. The first fifteen rounds eliminated all but the top five contestants. Round 16 claimed fifth place finisher Amber Lynchard of Simpson Central School and round 21 claimed Kameron Durr from Magee Middle School. The top three moved on until round 36 claimed Caleb Nelson of Simpson Central leaving the top two spellers, Rosella Stewart, a fourth grader from Mendenhall Elementary, and Carley May, an eighth grader from Magee Middle, to finish the competition. Each girl had opportunities to win as the rounds progressed but it was not until round 106 that Magee Middle School’s Carley May prevailed as the District Spelling Bee Champion.

Carley May will move on to state competition representing the Simpson County School District. Her mother is Dayna May, an elementary teacher at Magee Elementary School in the district.

Coordinating the event are the district teachers of the gifted students with Leslie May spearheading the event with help from Dene Miller, Denise Carter, Brenda Adcox, and Joe Hanna. Deidra Clarke-Allen served as Pronouncer of the words and the judges were Sharonda Jones, Dene Miller, and Denise Carter. Sandra Hyde served as the person who provided definitions of the words for spellers.

Students who qualified from their schools were:

Magee Elementary – Mary Katherine Martin, Janorris Newsome, Mary Alice Walker, Kelli Newsome, and Savannah White.

Magee Middle – Carley May, Jenny Deal, Annie Maddox, Deanna McNair, and Kameron Durr.

Mendenhall Elementary – Rosella Stewart, McKenna Westbrook, Jordan Taylor, Olivia Womack, and Jada Hooker.

 Mendenhall Junior High – Gavin Breaux, Mirdaryl Christian, Jerica Granderson, Skylar Bullock, and Jakobey Floyd.

Simpson Central – Jaylisa Quinn, Kayla Lidell, Amber Lynchard, Jared Longacre, and Caleb Nelson.

Pictured are Superintendent Glenn Harris with 1^st place winner Carley May, 2^nd place Rosella Stewart, 3^rd place Caleb Nelson, 4^th place Kameron Durr, and 5^th place Amber Lynchard.