• Meridian Community College sophomore John Taylor (J.T.) Champion was tapped as one of 50 Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Gold Scholars and will receive a $1,500 scholarship in connection with the recognition.

The international academic honor society for community and junior college students Phi Theta Kappa Honor administers the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Program. Student scholars such as Champion receive recognition at PTK’s recent annual convention in Nashville.

High-achieving students are nominated for the award by campus administrators. An independent panel of judges considers academic achievement, leadership and engagement in college and community service in the selection process.

Champion, a resident of Pheba, is an officer in MCC’s chapter of PTK, captain of the tennis team and serves on the leadership team for the Baptist Student Union. On campus, he spearheaded the installation of bike racks as a part of PTK’s healthy initiative project. Champion has worked with children on mission trips in Thailand and Romania, and plans to work in Cambodia this summer.

He plans to pursue a degree in secondary education history and coaching with the long-term aspirations of becoming an administrator.

The Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

• Russell Christian Academy students Zeke Pulido and Colton Ziemba will represent their school in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which will be held in May in Los Angeles, Calif.

At the regional science fair held in March at Mississippi State University, Zeke, a seventh grader, won Class 3 Best of Fair. Colton, an 11th grader, won Region V MSEF Alternate.

More than 1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions and territories are awarded the opportunity to showcase their independent research and compete for on average $4 million in prizes.

• Sam Luse was the first place winner in the 2017 West Lauderdale Elementary  Geography Bee.

The National Geographic Bee is an annual competition organized by the National Geographic Society, designed to inspire and reward students’ curiosity about the world. Students in grades 4-8 from 10,000 schools across the United States are competing in the 2017 National Geographic Bee for a chance to win college scholarships and the glory of being the National Geographic Bee Champion. West Lauderdale fourth grade QUEST (Intellectually Gifted Students) participated in the bee.

Sam qualified for the state Geobee, which was held in Jackson.

• STARKVILLE — Two area students are among 2017 winners of Mississippi State University’s Maroon Edition Essay Contest.

Windie V. Jenkins, a junior business administration major at MSU-Meridian, won first place for her entry, and Benjamin D. “Ben” Pace, a senior biological sciences/pre-dental major from Collinsville, won third place.

The competition is sponsored each year by Maroon and Write, the university’s quality enhancement program to boost student writing skills. First-place winners receive $500; second- and third-place, $300 and $100, respectively.

Essay subjects come from Maroon Edition, the annual common reading experience program for incoming MSU freshmen. Upperclassmen and graduate students, along with faculty and staff members, also are encouraged to join in reading the selected book and participate in related activities.

International best-selling author Ashley Rhodes-Courter’s “Three Little Words: A Memoir” was both the reading selection and essay contest topic for the 2016-17 academic year.

First-place winners recently read their essays at a celebratory luncheon at Mitchell Memorial Library. 

This year’s winning essays will be archived and available for viewing in the MSU Libraries’ Institutional Repository.

• CLEVELAND – Laporshia Mitchell of Meridian is listed on the President’s List at Delta State University student for the 2016 fall semester.

For the honor, a grade-point average from 3.75 through 4.0 is required of full-time students carrying at least 12 semester hours.

• Joshua Stubbs of Meridian is listed on the Dean’s List at Delta State University student for the 2016 fall semester.

For the honor, a grade-point average from 3.50 through 3.74 is required of full-time students carrying at least 12 semester hours.

• RAYMOND – The following area students were named President’s Scholars at Hinds Community College for Fall 2016. President’s Scholars are those with a cumulative 4.0 grade point average:

Turner Alford, Michael Thomas and Marquel Davis, all of Meridian; Rebekah Jackson of Collinsville; Charles Evans and Krista Tramill, both of Newton; Adrienne Holmes of Philadelphia; and Shelby Simmons and Kelvin Smith, both of Waynesboro.

• RAYMOND – The following area students were named Dean’s Scholars at Hinds Community College for Fall 2016. Deans’ Scholars are those students with a cumulative 3.5 to 3.9 grade point average:

Myi Fikes of Meridian; Janese Jones and Taurus McBeath, both of Lake; David Bolden of Newton; Ayana Jones of Philadelphia; Elizabeth Burgess of Quitman; Tina Reeves of Toomsuba; and Kilah Dearman and David Hodo, both of Waynesboro.

• TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The following area students were named to the Dean’s List with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the President’s List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s) for Fall 2016:

Dean’s List

Mississippi: Haley Rena Su Bailey, Christopher Galen Hicks, Hannah Marie Rogers and Cristal Suarez, all of Meridian; Bilal Ameir Ahmad of Marion; AnnaLaura R. Campbell and Charles T. Dowling, both of Bailey; Natalie M. Lowry and Ambrianna S. Jones, both of Macon; and Holly G. Ford of Waynesboro.

Alabama: Margaret Ellen Moody, Butler; Sarah A. Abston, Mason Bonner and Jared D. Sikes, all of Gilbertown.

President’s List

Mississippi: Antonio Jose Padilla Denis, Tatum Bradley Dye, David C. Majure III, Mackenzie L. Ross, Morgan A. Ross, Avery J. Watson and Connor L. Webb, all of Meridian; and Joshua G. Campbell of Bailey.

Alabama: Caroline E Wigley of Gilbertown.

• BRISTOL, RI — Adrienne Hill of Meridian, Miss., graduated with an associate in science degree in paralegal studies from Roger Williams University in December 2016.

• ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Lauren-Alexandra Stapleford of Meridian was named to the Dean’s List at Rochester Institute of Technology for the fall 2016-17 semester.

Stapleford is studying in the game design and development program.

• OXFORD – Wanoka Diane Maxwell of Neshoba received her juris doctor from the University of Mississippi during December 2016 graduation exercises.

• BALTIMORE, Md. – Hannah Smith of Philadelphia, Miss., was named to the Dean’s list for academic excellence at Johns Hopkins University for the fall 2016 semester.

Smith, who is majoring in neuroscience, will graduate in May 2019. She is the daughter of Bobby and Laura Smith and attended Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Miss.

• TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Morgan Ross of Meridian, Miss., was selected to present a research project titled “Thermo-mechanical Testing and Evaluation of Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramics using a Novel Non-contact Loading Method” at the recent University of Alabama Research and Creative Activity Conference.

In addition to bringing attention to the outstanding work being done by UA’s undergraduates, the conference allows students to gain experience presenting, become eligible for cash prizes, and form relationships with faculty mentors and fellow conference presenters.