April 5, 2023

Hinds CC awards top prizes in Literary Festival

Three Rankin County high school students won full tuition scholarships for a year to Hinds Community College after placing first place in the annual Literary Festival on March 31 on…
BY: Cathy Hayden
Photography: BRAD SMITH

Above Pictured are, from left, Hinds employees Carmen Abston and Betsy Martin; first place essay winner Dylan Davis of East Rankin Academy; first place poetry winner Hannah Robinson of Brandon High School; first place short story winner Maddie Hall of Northwest Rankin High School and Hinds employees Larry Martin, Vice President Dr. Thomas Ware, Academic Dean Gary M. Fox.

Winning the scholarships were Hannah Robinson of Brandon High School, Dylan Davis of East Rankin Academy and Maddie Hall of Northwest Rankin High School.

Contest winners include:

Poetry

First Place
“Blue Magic”
Hannah Robinson, Brandon High School

Second Place
“As Rose Petals Fall”
Piper McGraw, Northwest Rankin High School

Third Place
“Future”
Shriya Rajan, Northwest Rankin High School

Honorable Mentions
“When do we Wake?” Ellen Burnham, Hartfield Academy
“Mindset” Nia Jones, Hartfield Academy
“Feel of the Bump” Michael Andrew Newman, Hartfield Academy

Essay

First Place
“The Necessity of Practical Classes in School”
Dylan Davis, East Rankin Academy

Second Place
“Three Cornerstone Classes”
Anna Grace Corcoran, Brandon High School

Third Place
“Three Courses that Should be Included in Schools”
Alyssia Hill, Pisgah High School

Honorable Mentions
“Three Subjects That Should Be Taught in Schools” Jonas Vining,
East Rankin Academy
“Lessons That Last a Lifetime” Lindsey Watkins,
East Rankin Academy

Short Story

First Place
“Cicada’s Love Song”
Maddie Hall, Northwest Rankin High School

Second Place
“Just Another Walk”
Jacob Smith, Northwest Rankin High School

Third Place
“Mascara”
Nora Rayne Edwards, Richland High School

Honorable Mentions
“My Best Friend” John Luke Johnston, East Rankin Academy
“Brother Against Brother” Dylan Wesson, East Rankin Academy

Photo: Angie Foote

RAYMOND – Hinds Community College Hi-Steppers have been named for 2024-2025.

They are, front, from left, Denver Jackson of Jackson, Zoe Irving of Jackson, Alexis Marts of Flowood, Amia Lewis of Byram, Cheyenne Cornelius of Clinton, Malayah Evans of Newton County, Erin Lollis of Byram, Skylar Boyd of Jackson and Jayda Graham of Flowood; back row, Alexis Malone of Clinton, Ciera Pruitt of Gulfport, Olivia Broadwater of Pearl, Chloee Haley of Clinton, Rylan Liles of Vicksburg, Chloe McHann of Clinton, Cori Turner of Jackson, Reaghan Miller of Clinton and Jakayla Brown of Utica.

The group has a new director, Beka King of Pearl. She is only the third director in the 75-year history of the Hi-Steppers. She herself was a Hi-Stepper from 2013-2015 and, during her sophomore year, she was captain of the team.

Hinds offers affordable, comprehensive educational opportunities across six campus locations and has nearly 500 academic classes guaranteed to transfer to a university, over 65 career and technical program options and an extensive array of online courses. Applications for general admissions are currently being accepted. Prospective students are encouraged to apply and explore enrollment steps at hindscc.edu/enroll.

Our Mission: Hinds Community College is committed to moving people and communities forward by helping develop their purpose, passion and profession.

Our Vision: Hinds Community College will be a catalyst to create a competitive economy and a compelling culture for Mississippi.

Our Values: Hinds Community College aspires to the following IDEALS: Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Accountability, Leadership, Stewardship.

To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.