Author: Teresa McCreery

ELLISVILLE – Jones College’s School of Art, Music and Performance and the Salvation Army invite the public to join its celebration of “Christmas with the Arts” on Thursday, December 4, at 7 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. Reserved tickets are available for $10 (upper section) & $15 (premium seats) through the reservation website, https://www.jcjc.edu/tickets/ 

“Reserve your seats now because we do expect the show to be sold out,” said Dean of the School of Art, Music and Performance, Bruce Smith. “We are working with the Salvation Army as a toy drop off site for this event. When purchasing tickets if you use the promotional code ‘TOYDRIVE’ all one word, you will receive 50 percent off your entire order. We encourage everyone to use this code and bring a new unwrapped toy to the event to donate and help make someone’s Christmas extra special.”

This year’s program will begin with a pre-show sing-along with caroling in the lobby when the doors open at 6:30 p.m.  Guests can sing with the Steinway Spirio Piano playing Christmas classics leading up to showtime. All of the Jones College music and performing groups will kick-off the holiday season with various traditional and modern selections celebrating the birth of Christ. The members of the Jones OnStage show choir, the JC Jazz band and Touch of Gold dancers will be performing before the Concert Choir, a new vocal ensemble, Nova Voci and an a cappella group, Selah take the stage.

“Also, we are turning the spotlight on two Touch of Gold members, Allie Robinson of Ellisville and Ellie Claire Napier of Ocean Springs, who will perform a lyrical style dance to a live performance by JC student vocalist, Daniel Baldwin of Magee, singing ‘Thankful’ by Josh Groban,” said Smith. “Then, for the first time at JC, we will have four Steinway grand pianos fill the stage with JC piano instructors, Dr. Theresa Sanchez and Dr. Victoria Johnson performing with JC student, Isaac Crouch of Ellisville and recent JC graduate, Titus Crouch who will perform a piano quartet, duets and solos.”

Additionally, Christmas with the Arts will feature a collaborative piece with 22 bell ringers consisting of members of Jones OnStage, joined by the percussion ensemble. JC guitar faculty, Dr. Michael Boyd and a couple of JC student flutists, along with JC graduate, Caidyn Crowder of Ellisville will round out the show before a special surprise finale.

“Even though a new toy is not required for admission to the Christmas performance at Jones College, the Salvation Army toy drive is an excellent opportunity for our students and community to give back at a time when it’s really critical,” said Smith.

Gift suggestions include toys, sports equipment, board games, and plush animals. All the donations will be given to children in the area this Christmas. Necessities and Christmas gifts are provided for disadvantaged children from infants to age 12, through the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program in Jones, Jasper, Wayne, Clarke, Smith and Simpson counties.

For more information, call the Jones College School of Art, Music and Performance Office at 601-477-4203 or follow Jones College’s Art, Music and Performance Facebook Page and X formerly Twitter. For more information about the Angel Tree project, go to https://salvationarmyalm.org/

ELLISVILLE – More than 2,500 students have been helped with their college education over the last 13 years with Pearl River Valley Electric’s Round Up for Education Scholarship program. This year, 28 Jones College students are amongst the 178 students who will each receive a total of $800 in scholarship funds, distributed in two installments, $400 for the fall semester and $400 for the spring semester, thanks to the generosity of PRVEPA members.

“Our members make this program possible,” said CEO/General Manager Matthew Ware. “By coming together and giving just a little each month, they are opening doors of opportunity for students who might not otherwise have this kind of support.”

In the program’s history, 2,532 students have received scholarships because of the Pearl River Valley Electric’s members who voluntarily round their bills up to the nearest dollar each month. Scholarships are available to PRVEPA members in its 12-county service area who participate in the program, as well as their spouses or dependent children who are enrolled as freshmen this fall. Students receive scholarships to help them begin the first year of their college journey. JC freshmen, Seth Mastin and Donald Parhm Jr., both of Hattiesburg said this scholarship is especially helpful.

“Every little bit helps because this is the only scholarship I know I am receiving,” said both Mastin and Parhm Jr.

Scholarship recipients this year include 102 students attending Pearl River Community College, 34 students at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, 28 at Jones College, and 14 students enrolled at four other state community colleges. Overall, students came from 24 different high schools and home school programs.

“It’s amazing to see how spare change can create such a powerful impact,” Ware added. “When thousands of members work together, their generosity not only changes individual lives but also strengthens the entire community. That spirit of cooperation is what makes this program so special.”

Pearl River Valley Electric is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 53,000 members in 12-counties in central and south Mississippi.  It is headquartered in Columbia and has offices in Hattiesburg, Purvis, and Wiggins. JC scholarship recipients like Rae Grantham of Sumrall are grateful for the assistance.

“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed their change for the extra help in our journeys to earn an education and be successful in the community,” said Grantham whose brother Joshua is also receiving a scholarship and is taking classes at Jones College. “Every little bit helps our family and us, reach our educational goals.”

Round Up for Education funds collected after August 1 go toward next year’s scholarships. Applications for 2026 scholarships will be available beginning this month.

ELLISVILLE – Jones College freshman from Sand Hill, Annah Bryce-Clark was crowned Most Beautiful at the Jones College Most Beautiful Pageant held November 7, in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. Thirty-eight contestants vied for the title this year.

The Top Five winners included Harleigh Fortenberry of Moselle, Mallory Matthews of Raleigh, Annah Bryce-Clark of Sand Hill, Abby Trejo of Moselle, and Alli Morgan of Seminary.

The ladies making up the group of Top Ten winners were Johnna Jones of Mt. Olive, Samantha Mosley of Laurel, Saylor Sullivan of Taylorsville, Harleigh Fortenberry of Moselle, Mallory Matthews of Raleigh, Annah Bryce-Clark of Sand Hill, Abby Trejo of Moselle, Alli Morgan of Seminary, Andrea Castro of Moselle, and Elisa Cook of Meridian. Additionally, Moselle’s Haley Fortenberry won the Most Photogenic award, and Ragen Smith, also of Moselle won the People’s Choice award.

The Most Beautiful pageant is sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs with the Jones OnStage show choir providing entertainment for the evening.

ELLISVILLE – Of the seven alumni recognized during Jones College’s Alumni Recognition Program held during Homecoming celebrations, Beverly Young-Langford Ph.D. of Ellisville, and the current resident of both Atlanta and Oxford, MS, was honored with the “Distinguished Service Award.” During the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon, Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith explained this year’s recipient grew up on the Jones College campus. Her father, James Bonard Young, was the president of the college after President M.P. Bush retired in 1940. Her mother, Patty. Callaway was a music instructor and wife of the second president of Jones Junior College. The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Young-Langford as a friend of the college who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to Jones College’s values and community.

“I grew up there and it was such an important part of my life that I am delighted to feel there is still such a great connection. I started going to football games when I was about three-years old and loved the sport. I still love sports because of JCJC. I went to Ellisville High School which was located on the JCJC campus and played in the high school and college band,” said Langford-Young.

Her mother is credited with teaching the Business Communications professor important life skills that have helped her to be successful in her career.

“One of the things that my mother taught me while at Jones was that anybody you meet is an important person from whom you can learn from. Their lives have taken them in a certain direction, and I needed to listen to what they can teach me and to learn from them. She said, it doesn’t matter who they are or what they do. It’s important to know that they are important,” said Young-Langford. “I really value the people who live in Ellisville, the college and those who are a part of the school because they have made me who I am in so many ways.”

After graduating from Ellisville High School, Young-Langford earned her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Arts from the University of Memphis, and a Ph.D. from Georgia State University, where she became a faculty member in the Robinson College of Business. For more than 30 years, she taught Business Communication across undergraduate, MBA, and Executive MBA programs, while also directing the Business Communication Program and leading the Women’s Leadership Forum.

The professor has also authored two acclaimed books, The Etiquette Edge: Unspoken Rules for Business Success (2006) and The Etiquette Edge: Modern Manners for Business Success (2016). Her works are frequently quoted in national outlets such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. In addition to her academic career, she has served in numerous civic and leadership roles in Atlanta and Mississippi. She and her husband, Charles Boyd, divide their time between Atlanta and their family farm near Oxford.

In addition to the Distinguished Service Award, two alumni, Cade Cockrell of Magee and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg received the Rising Stars Award during Homecoming celebrations. Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel/Jackson and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville/Hattiesburg received the Achievement and Excellence Award, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was named the Outstanding Alumni of the Year, and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the Legacy Award recipient.

ELLISVILLE – Of the seven alumni recognized during Jones College’s Alumni Recognition Program held during Homecoming celebrations, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was honored with the “Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award.” During the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon, Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith explained this year’s recipient carries a heavy burden in his profession as a judge, protecting our rights individually and as a country.

“The Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes the accomplishments and the service of our alumni who have exhibited exceptional service and brought honor to the college,” said Smith. “The honorable Judge Stan Sorey is a senior judge for the 13^th Circuit Court District of Mississippi among the list of ways he’s served his community, successfully and honorably.”

The 1992 Jones College alumnus serves the counties of Covington, Jasper, Simpson, and Smith counties as the 13th Circuit Court District of Mississippi. After graduating from Mississippi College and the Mississippi College-School of Law, he served six years in the Mississippi National Guard, including active duty in Operation Desert Storm. Prior to his judicial service, Sorey practiced law privately for more than 16 years, serving as Smith County Prosecutor, municipal prosecutor for Mize and Taylorsville, and board attorney for the Smith County Board of Supervisors. Elected to the circuit bench in 2016, Judge Sorey has provided leadership in the legal profession, serving as president of the Smith County Bar Association and as a member of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance and the Mississippi Opioid Advisory Commission. Judge Sorey and his wife, Alison, live in Smith County, and he is the proud father of one son, John Robert.

“I never would have thought that I would have been recognized in this way. It is so humbling to have this honor, and I want to thank all the faculty and staff, and everybody from the President all the way down to the guy that’s cutting the grass because it’s a team effort here. It always has been at Jones. That’s the way they take care of the students and that’s the way they take care of the alumni,” said Sorey. “I saw that when my parents, Robert Sorey and Lou Ellis Hollingsworth were honored. They got their start at Jones, and I was honored to have them lay that foundation for me, and the good reputation for me to follow in their steps here at Jones. It was a great experience for me here too.”

In addition to the Outstanding Alumni of the Year, two alumni, Cade Cockrell of Magee and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg received the Rising Stars Award during Homecoming celebrations. Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel/Jackson and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville/Hattiesburg received the Achievement and Excellence Award, while Ellisville native, and current Oxford, Mississippi and Atlanta, Georgia resident, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D. was bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the “Legacy Award” recipient.