• Andrew Havron graduated summa cum laude during May 9, 2009, commencement exercises at Auburn University. Havron received a bachelor of science degree in biomedical sciences with a concentration in pre-dentistry.

During his tenure at Auburn, Havron was a member of Phi Kappa Phi national honor society, Phi Eta Sigma national freshman honor society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and selected Outstanding Freshman and Sophomore in the College of Sciences and Mathematics for his academic achievements.

In addition, Havron served as president of his social fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and was a member of the Auburn University marching and concert bands for four years. As a member of the band, he served as trumpet section leader his senior year.

Havron will begin dental school at the University of Alabama – Birmingham in July. He is a 2005 graduate of Meridian High School.

He is the son of Ray and Lorraine Havron of Meridian.

• CLINTON – Judson Franklin Mason graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in biology during May 9, 2009, commencement exercises at A.E. Wood Coliseum at Mississippi College.

Mason is the son of Glenda Mason and the late James B. (Jimmy) Mason.

• OXFORD – Josh Overstreet of Meridian attended the Lott Leadership Institute for Rising Ninth Graders from May 25-June 13 on the campus of The University of Mississippi.

The institute’s aim is to cultivate and inspire honest, compassionate, and responsive leaders who will focus on responsibility and stewardship. The overall goal being that students who complete the program will return to their high schools and put the new skills to work for the betterment of the community.

• Joseph Arthur Merrell-White has been selected to participate in the 2009 session, June 7-26, of the Mississippi Governor’s School.

The Governor’s School is a residential honors program established in 1981 by Governor William F. Winter at Mississippi University for Women. The school is designed to provide academic, creative and leadership experiences for a limited number of rising high school juniors and seniors who have demonstrated exceptional ability and achievement in their studies and who show high intellectual, creative and leadership potential.

Merrell just completed 10th grade at Northeast Lauderdale High School, where he received the following awards: Silver Band Award, All A’s Award, National Honor Socity. His additional community activities include: Boy Scouts of America – Life Rank; Order of the Arrow; volunteer tutor; member of St. Paul’s Youth Group; and volunteer computer maintenance, Northeast library. He plans to pursue a career in computer engineering.

Merrell is the son of Jean Merrell and Joseph White of Meridian.

• Taylor Christian Cumberland of Meridian has been selected to receive the Luckyday Scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi for fall 2009.

The USM Luckyday Scholarship was awarded to Cumberland for her academic, extracurricular and community service activities over the past six years. The prestigious award of $15,500 will open many opportunities for education, community service and campus involvement for her major in political science and pursuit of a Mississippi law degree.

Cumberland was also chosen with scholarship to be a USM Dixie Darling to carry on her extensive dance portfolio and to support the university.

Cumberland is the daughter of Brenda Jones Cumberland and the late Michael Floyd Cumberland, both of Meridian.

• KENNESAW, Ga. – Summer N. Robinson of Kennesaw, formerly of Meridian, has been accepted “early action” to the University of Georgia for fall 2009 by the early decision admission process.

Students offered admission through the early decision process are only considered by their grade point average (GPA), college entrance exam scores and course rigor in high school. Students who were offered admission at this point have an average academic GPA of 3.95, a mean ACT composite score of 30, or a mean SAT verbal and math score of 1312. This year’s mean SAT writing score of 650 has become an integral part of the selection process.

Summer is a graduate of Kennesaw Mountain High School. She has been listed on the Highest Honor Roll every semester and received a $250 scholarship (academic award) at the annual Cheerleading Banquet. She has been a varsity cheerleader all four years and served as captain of her squad her senior year. She also cheered with the Stingray All-Stars of Marietta.

While attending KMHS, Summer was chosen a Top 10 Beauty and played on the girls lacrosse team, as well as was active in many clubs and organizations.

She attended Northeast Lauderdale High School her freshman year before transferring to Kennesaw Mountain High School.

Summer plans to major in broadcast journalism and will attend the University of Georgia with a full four-year tuition scholarship.

Summer is the daughter of Everett and Jayna Robinson of Kennesaw.

• When students in Meridian Community College’s Dental Hygiene Technology program sat for the 2009 DHT national board exam, the number 13 proved to be pretty fortuitous.

“Thirteen of thirteen passed,” said Dr. Bill Lindsay, program coordinator of the Dental Hygiene Technology Program at MCC. “The school average exceeded the national average by over two points. Of the 14 sections on the board, the class average exceeded the national average in 12 and met the national in one of the other two,” he said.

“In the case-based (critical-thinking) section, the school average exceeded the national by over three points. Of the 13 students taking the exam, the lowest score was 80; five scored 90 or higher,” Lindsay said.

• The following Lamar School students were named to the Principal’s List for the fourth nine weeks:

12th Grade: Danielle Bator, Chad Bounds, Heath Donald, Jenne’ Jolie, Hallie Majure Phillips, Megan Porter, Patrick Swearingen, Taylor Thompson, Mary Lela Valentine

11th Grade: Mary Anna Smith

10th Grade: Bryan Enriquez, Resham Rahat

Ninth Grade: Omama Ahmad, Isaac Futrell, Madison Lee, Caroline Martin, Gage Neal, Dusty Weisner, Sadie Wilkinson, Brock Williams

Eighth Grade: Lallie Elise Bennett, Allison Justus, Olivia Mabry, Garrett Porter, Dylan Rivers, Andrew Shine, Caroline Thomas, Rachel Varela

Seventh Grade: Haley Bailey, Robin Emmons, Christian Futrell, Jamesia Kenney, Coyt Majure, Alice McKelvey, Karam Rahat, Whitney Rhett, Danny Weisner

Sixth Grade: Bilal Ahmad, John Robert Davis, Brady Dearing, Tate Dye, Kristen Enriquez, Christopher Hicks, Hannah Ivey, Kate Johnson, Ann Morgan Lamar, Dylan Miller, Kevin Oh, Hayley Rank

Fifth Grade: Zainab Ahmad, Will Cope, Shahmeer Hashmat, Brienne Kennedy, Shelby Morgan, Trey Smith, Sam Vaughn

Fouth Grade: Savannah Adams, Samuel Brown, Clancy Duggan, Alex Honeycutt, Nomi Khan, Katie Lindley, Marissa Lee, Kaylila Pasha, Will Roberts, Caroline Smith, Stephanie Smith, Cody Spedero, Sarah Lawrence Tucker

• The following Lamar School students were named to the Honor Roll for the fourth nine weeks:

12th Grade: Kayla Allen, Scott Bounds, Amanda Bridges, Merry Grace Coffin, Brittany Davis, Douglas Fort, Chris Kyler, Alex Lee, Ally Anne Phillips, Callie Rush, Steven Stewart, Alexandra White

11th Grade: Bo Bidgood, Julie Covington, Britten Feldman, Daniel Finan, Justin Goldacker, Erin Harrison, John Holland, Jennifer Lagendijk, Mary Lawrence Love, Taylor Mabry, Allen Massingill

10th Grade: Bailey Allen, Rebecca Bator, Hunter Brady, Michael Hodge, Kaleb Holcomb, Muhammad Javed, Grace McKelvey, Drew Mueller, Ben Peterson, Victoria Poole, Robby Shine, Harrison Thomas, Spencer Van Zandt

Ninth Grade: Gane Duggan, Katlyn Kerwood, Blane Morgan, Elizabeth Patterson, Rand Schille, Sarah Story

Eighth Grade: Mackenzie Carver, Sara Creel, Adam Goodman, Cynthia Howarth, Alana Jones, James Kenney, Casey Key, Jamie Lagendijk, Caroline Summers, Mary Barrett Tucker

Seventh Grade: Royce Aggarwal, Elizabeth Clark, Leigh Davis, Paige Gibson,

Avery Goodman, Heather Harris, Jennifer Hunter, Anna McKie, Brooke Sanders, Jesse Seale, Hassan Tariq, Will Whitehead, Eli Wilkinson

Sixth Grade: Blake Barham, Brad Carver, Richard Covington, Lamar Giddon,

Mary Love Hodge, Maggie Kelley, Julie Lam, Melissa Moore, Sarah Kate Pollard, Thompson Schille, Victoria Sellers, Sarah Page Sikes, Anne Tyler Ward, Walker Whitehead, Lindley Williams

Fifth Grade: Mary Webb Ballou, Layne Burns, Parker Dixon, Addie Ford,

Grace Goodman, Luke Harrison, Zain Hashmat, Brooke Holloway, Rachel Ivey, Jonathan Lung, Morgan McDonald, Blaine Mueller, Jacob Neal, Clay Patrick, Chase Perritt, Nicole Seale, Helen Peake Sims, Alex Story, Clay Trayal, Anna Katherine Vega, Avery Watson, Connor Webb

Fourth Grade: Maddie Lynn Anderson, Alexa Andreacchio, Caden Clodfelter, Kaylen Crago, Clarke Dickson, Kinley Eldridge, Davis Harrison, Gage Hughes, Sara Katherine Kemp, An’Dria Kenney, Madison McElroy, Beau Michael McHenry, Alexander Nix, Caroline Parker, Alex Poole, Jake Powell, Sarah Roberts, Hannah Thornton, Sidney Thrift

• CLINTON – Two local residents were among graduates recognized during spring commencement ceremonies held in May at Mississippi College.

President Lee Royce conferred degrees upon 650 undergraduate, graduate, and law students in five separate ceremonies.

Commencement speakers included humourist Dennis Swanberg who presented the address for undergraduate ceremonies held in the A.E. Wood Coliseum. Dr. Mary W. Stewart, associate professor and special assistant to the School of Nursing dean at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, spoke at the MC’s School of Nursing commencement and pinning held in historic Provine Chapel on the college campus.

Addressing the graduate school students was Dr. Stan Baldwin, Science and Mathematics dean, Biology department chair and associate professor at Mississippi College. The Honorable Leslie H. Southwick, judge for the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals addressed graduates at the Law School commencement held the following weekend at First Baptist Church in Jackson.

Lauderdale county students receiving a either an undergraduate or graduate degree (law excluded) from Mississippi College were:

– Meridian: Dale Alexander Touchstone Jr., bachelor of science, cum laude

– Marion: Audrey L.Thompson, bachelor of science, magna cum laude

• JACKSON – Matthew W. Deweese and Lacey E. Logan, both of Meridian, have been named to the Dean’s Scholars List at Millsaps College for the spring 2009 semester.

To qualify for the Dean’s Scholars List a student must have a GPA of at least 3.5 for the semester.

• STARKVILLE – Four area residents are among some 90 academically achieving juniors, seniors, graduate students, and doctoral graduates in Mississippi State’s College of Business who are new members of the university chapter of the Beta Gamma Sigma international honor society.

Seniors Jessica L. Farrar, Karyn M. McGuire and Tabatha F. Ramey, all of Meridian, and April H. Mann of Philadelphia, a graduate student in business administration, were inducted inducted at the conclusion of the 2009 spring semester .

BGS was the first national honor society in business. Founded in 1913 from the merger of separate societies at the universities of California, Illinois and Wisconsin, it now boasts a world membership of more than 560,000.

Membership is open to undergraduate majors ranked in the top 10 percent – and graduate students in the top 20 percent – of programs at schools accredited by the International Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

• CLINTON – Mississippi College has named David K. Parker, Kristie R. Allen, Courtney D. Butler, John N. Lisenbe, Briana M. Ricker, and Brittany N. Ricker, all of Meridian, to the list of academic scholars for the 2009 spring semester.

To be eligible for the President’s List, a student must maintain a 4.0 or “straight A’s,” based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.