Prayer. O God, by whose wisdom the phenomenon of parenthood and family has been established as the basis for meaningful relationships and stable society, we echo today the special tribute offered to mothers. Whether living or deceased, our mothers are remembered with affection and appreciation. Help us to pay our tribute, not just by seasonal attention and memorial reflection but by being sons and daughters with qualities anticipated and prayed for by our mothers.
Now, as we attend to the affairs of this club today, bless to our use the food provided and the fellowship within which it is enjoyed. We offer this prayer with a continuing sense of gratitude for all blessings bestowed upon us. Amen.
Birthdays And Anniversaries.
Birthdays:
Sara White May 18
Anniversaries
Witt and Sabrina Ruffin May 17
Membership Anniversaries
Bill Osborne 9 years, May 18
months
This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about how a Matching Grant can make a difference.
Recently, Rotary clubs in Brazil, in Mexico, and in the United States joined together in a matching grant to aid the Lar das Criancas Children’s Home in Tanabi, Brazil. This institution provides free extracurricular activities and much-needed daycare for low-income families. A matching grant was used to help the Home purchase uniforms for all of the children. Each student also received school supplies, gym shoes, swimsuits, and caps. Tanabi Rotarians have seen the student’s interest in learning and participating in activities improve as well as the children’s sense of self-worth after the uniforms and equipment arrived. This is just one of the many examples of how the Foundation’s humanitarian grants programs can make positive changes for children.
Tom Sheppard, Head of School, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, spoke to the rotary Club of North Jackson at the Club’s May 7, 2019, meeting. The subject of his talk was “Why St. Andrew’s Matters to Mississippi.” He started his talk by citing that the school’s students have an average composite ACT score of 30, which on a national basis is the 95th percentile.
Mr. Sheppard came to St. Andrew’s in the fall of 2018 from the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ, where he was Dean of Enrollment Management. He is a graduate of Washington & Lee University and received his M. Ed.. from Lehigh University.
He presented three key points on why St. Andrew’s Matters to Mississippi: People, Program, and Partnership.
A key point is that PEOPLE are the key to St. Andrew’s, He emphasized the impact St. Andrew's graduates are having. For our state he cited Robert Langford, Executive Director of Operation Shoestring in Jackson, Lucien Smith, head of the Mississippi Republican Party, North Jackson Rotarian Jack Allin, Principal Architect with Wier Boerner Allin Architects plus other graduates making a global impact including Dr. Anita Goel, Chairman and CEO of Nanobiosym, Andrew Chatham with Google and Chief Engineer of Google’s Waymo subsidiary that is developing driverless vehicles, and Alexander Clark Founder and CEO of Technolutions.
Mr. Sheppard’s second point regarding St. Andrew’s was that the School’s PROGRAM serves as a magnet for making a difference. His final key point was that service via PARTNERSHIPS with others makes a difference to our community and the world. Examples of this service were the school’s partnerships with UMMC, The Piney Woods School, Jackson Public Schools, McWilllie and Boyd Elementary Schools. Although not included in the 3 Ps, the St. Andrew's Honor Code is a key factor for the school:
"On my honor as a St. Andrew’s student, I pledge that I will neither lie, nor cheat, nor steal.”
We thank Mr. Sheppard for his presentation to our Club and for his commitment to Mississippi. He is shown below with Rotarian Lee Moss (left) who introduced him and with Club President Anna Powers.
Shown below are Mr. Sheppard (center), with Lauren McMillin, St. Andrew’s Director of Alumni and Public Relations, and Rotarian Erik Hearon (right).
Mr. Sheppard was accompanied by Jay Philpott, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Stephanie Garriga, director of Institutional Advancement. Mrs. Garriga is shown in the following photo with Rotarian Jack Allin, a St. Andrew's alumnus.
Chance L. McDavid, Division Director of the Asset Development Division of the Mississippi Development Authority spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the Club’s April 30, 2019, meeting. The subject of his talk was Asset Based Community Development. He began by stating that the purpose of the Asset based Development Division is to facilitate growth through asset‐based community development activities that build on existing resources to strengthen local and regional economies to increase wealth and improve quality of life in Mississippi Communities.
Mr. McDavid used the example of the redevelopment of Tupelo based on the Tupelo Model developed by George McLean who he identified as the Tupelo Man. That model shows Economic Development at the top of a pyramid on which Human Development is the base or lowest layer.
He cited examples of successful asset based community development in Water Valley and an ongoing effort i West Jackson. Another example is the Area around Bentonville, Rogers and Fayetteville, Arkansas where the impact of the University of Arkansas and Walmart has created a very vibrant community. The quote that he presented from American Cultural Anthropologist Margaret Mead is most telling about asset based community development: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Mr. McDavid is shown in the following photo with Club President Anna Powers and Club Member Marisa Davidson who arranged Mr. McDavid’s talk to the Club and introduced him. We thank Mr. McDavid for his work improving our State.
At its April 30, 2019, meeting, the Rotary Club of North Jackson recognized 5 Club members for their perfect attendance. One, the late Joe Harris, was recognized for his 47 years. The others recognized were Erik Hearon (41 years), Jim Stanley (38 years), Charles Johnson (26 years), & Bill Osborne (1 year). The four in attendance are shown in the following photo: from the left, they are Charles Johnson, Jim Stanley, Bill Osborne, and Erik Hearon. We congratulate them all for their commitment to Rotary.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson recognized 17 2019 Mississippi Economic Council Star Students and Teachers from North Jackson at the Club’s April 23, 2019 meeting. Students from Jackson Academy, Jackson Prep., Madison Ridgeland Academy and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and their Star Teachers were recognized. The recognition consisted of having each student describe their school, what it has meant to them, identify their Star Teacher and why they selected that person, and identify their future education plans.
In an effort to encourage scholastic achievement among the state's high school students, the STAR Program has two specific purposes:
Emphasize scholastic excellence and encourage greater scholastic effort among Mississippi students.
Recognition of the teaching profession.
A total of 342 STAR Students were recognized statewide in the spring of 2019.
The STAR Student program seeks to recognize students for academic and ACT test achievement. Students are awarded a certificate and medallion as recognition upon becoming a STAR student. In addition, the Rotary Club of North Jackson, awarded each Star Student a check for $100.
The STAR student program does not directly award scholarships - any scholarship a student is granted is given through the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation, Inc. or other outside organizations.
STAR Student Requirements
To be eligible for the STAR Student honor, a student may be a regularly enrolled senior or an approved dually enrolled student in an accredited public or private high school and or an accredited post-secondary institution. The student must be completing his or her last year of work and must be eligible to receive a diploma in the current school year. The student must have an overall ACT composite score of at least 25 and an overall average of 93 or above in selected subjects in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and first-semester twelfth grades.
Selection of a Star Teacher.The STAR Student is asked to designate his or her STAR Teacher. The STAR teacher should be one of his or her elementary or secondary classroom teachers (active, former, or retired). The teacher selected is, in the STAR Student’s opinion, the person who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement.
STAR Student Julia Mitchell was the second runner up in the M. E. C. Star Program, which recognized 342 STAR Students statewide and will receive a $16,000 Scholarship from the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation, Inc. Madison Ridgeland Academy STAR Student Wilson Benton is the son of North Jackson Rotarian Brad Benton. The Rotary Club of North Jackson congratulates these students and teachers on their accomplishments.
2019 Star Students.
The Students and Teachers are shown in the following photo. They are as follow: Shown (from left standing)Andrew Watson, Prep; Kimberly Van Uden, teacher Prep; Judy McKeigney, teacher JA; Anna Griffin, teacher Prep; Cory Caton, teacher Prep; Kimberly Reedy, teacher Prep; Laurie Babb, teacher MRA; Jharick Shields, teacher St. Andrew’s; Donna Patrick, teacher St. Andrew’s; Sarah Shaw, JA and Burkette Moulder, JA. Shown (from left seated) Eliza Burnham, Prep; Columbia Holeman, JA; McKenzie Nichols, Prep; Genevieve Hurst, Prep; Abigail Pittman, Prep; Wilson Benton, MRA; Ishan Bhatt, St. Andrew’s; Julia Mitchell, St. Andrew’s and Henry Sanders, St. Andrew’s. Not pictured are Jackson Prep Star Students Alex Gibbs & Charlie Ott. We congratulate all on their accomplishment.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson conducted its annual Blood drive Tuesday, April 16, at the Rickhouse by the Manship Wood Fired Kitchen. In lieu of its regular meeting, Club members experienced fellowship while eating box lunches prepared by the Manship. The Blood Mobile was parked in front of the Rickhouse on Poplar Blvd. The following photo shows Ms. Sherri Book, MS Blood Services representative, in front of the Blood Mobile. A total of 30 North Jackson Rotarians attempted to donate blood. Twenty-four were successful. Thanks to all who attempted and who successfully donated and to MS Blood Services for theircommitment toMississippians.
