Business leaders gathered Tuesday at the MSU Riley Center to hear how things are going with the Meridian Public School District Foundation of Educational Excellence, an entity attempting to make a difference in the community by investing in the city’s most valuable asset – its people.

 

“The business community and the school district teamed to work together with a common goal to invest in our students,” said foundation leader Neil Henry, of Citizens Bank, as he explained the purpose of the foundation. “The mission of the MPSD Foundation is to cultivate student success by engaging business and community leaders to empower teachers with innovative instruction that lead[s] to enriched student outcomes.”

 

Henry explained the three goals of creating the foundation in 2023. One was to enhance the overall learning experience and make education fun for the student, which will build more confidence. Second, to enhance teacher morale and to provide incentives for teachers showing the most improvement in areas that matter to students. And finally, to enhance the community’s workforce and to provide a quality education as a recruitment resource for the region.

 

And it seems to be working. Some students of the district, which boasts 20 National Board Certified teachers, attended the event to show off programs making the most difference in their lives. A choir sang for the attendees, a band played and two students, Boston Hodges and William Hodges, introduced themselves and how the programs they represented made them “better leaders.”

 

MPSD Superintendent Amy Carter, told the crowd that Meridian has “zero failing public schools” and an 84% graduation rate at the high school. She said 85% of third graders passed reading assessment testing and the district is fourth in the state for districts with Pre-K programs.

 

Another bonus for the 4,500 students in the Meridian School District is that the arts are thriving in the schools as well as in the community.

 

“We find that extracurricular activities can sometimes open the door to going to college,” Carter said.

 

Carter discussed the success of the “Academies of Meridian,” which “transforms its high school into a college and career academy, improving attendance, graduation rates, engagement and achievement.” This can prepare students for life after high school through personalized plans for employment, enlistment or further education through advanced courses, career pathways and community involvement. These “academies” include “The Freshman Experience,” the “Business Academy,” the “Arts Academy” and the “Health Academy.”

 

At the Ross Collins Career and Technical Center, there were 78 seniors who graduated with a CTE endorsement, 82 seniors who earned silver or higher on the ACT Workdays, and 104 students now with national certifications. Marti Pulido, MPS engineering instructor, said 463 students engage in 13 specialized programs there, “not just to learn, but to do.” There are 31 dual-credit programs and 25 students now have nationally recognized certifications.

 

Many local businesses have also taken the plunge into student investments; Jersey Mike’s $12,000 donation to the foundation during the Tuesday event had the crowd on their feet.

 

To read more about the foundation, which is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of East Mississippi, visit www.cfem.org.