Page 16 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2019

COASTNOTES
LEO W. SEAL INNOVATIVE TEACHER
GRANTS AWARDED
Scholarships Awarded
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photo courtesy of Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
The 29th Annual Explosion of Excellence took place last month at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s
Jackson County Campus. In total, $74,750 in scholarships was awarded to 179 graduating seniors from throughout Jackson County. Each student received a $250 Student Scholarship, and $1,000 scholarships were randomly drawn for 30 students.
“This scholarship program each year honors the academic achievements of the graduating high school seniors who are in the top ten percent of their classes in all area high schools in Jackson County, including the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science,” said Yvette Barr, director of membership communications for Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. “These scholarships are made possible
by generous contributors in the name of companies or organizations as well as in honor or memory of someone.” The Explosion of Excellence program is sponsored by the
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce-Main Street-Tourism Bureau, McDonald’s Descher Organization, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, as well as area high schools, the Explosion of Excellence Scholarship Contributors and the Explosion of Excellence Steering Committee.
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photo courtesy of Hancock Whitney
Hancock Whitney and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF) recently awarded 12 of South Mississippi’s most outstanding educators with the 2019 Leo W. Seal Innovative Teacher Grants. The awards luncheon held at the Great Southern Club celebrated educational excellence and innovative learning ideas, earning each award recipient up to $2,000 for co- curricular teaching projects which complement classroom lessons, reinforce state curriculum requirements, and help students enhance critical thinking and creative skills.
2019 SEAL GRANT RECIPIENTS:
Janice Barnes, Twenty-Eighth Street Elementary School, Gulfport Elisabeth Lagarde Bosarge, Bay High School, Bay St. Louis Nicole Etheridge, Singing River Academy, Gautier
Chelsea Fortenberry, Popp’s Ferry Elementary School, Biloxi Megan Gill, North Woolmarket Elementary & Middle School, Biloxi Wendy Lizana, Bayou View Elementary School, Gulfport
Cecil Murphy, St. Martin Middle School, Ocean Springs Scott Pfaff, Gulfport High School
Bethany Seal, West Harrison High School, Gulfport
Lauren Sexton, Ocean Springs Upper Elementary School Georgia Ricard & Angela Sievers, Martin Bluff Elementary School, Gautier
FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Georgia Ricard, Janice Barnes, Megan Gill, Wendy Lizana, Elisabeth Lagarde Bosarge, Bethany Seal. BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: Chelsea Fortenberry, Nicole Etheridge, Scott Pfaff, Cecil Murphy, Lauren Sexton, Angela Sievers.
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
228.762.3391 | www.jcchamber.com
16 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • June 2019
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2019
Thirty randomly drawn students receieved $1,000 Founders Scholarships.