Basic Steps for Getting Mississippi Scholars in Your Community:

Decide to participate in the program. If your school and business community is interested in participating in the program, contact Vickie Powell, Vice President of Foundation Programs, (601) 969-4418, to let her know of your interest. Together, we will seek out the Chamber of Commerce in your area or the right organization to provide local sponsorship.

• Mississippi Scholars Committee is formed. Once local sponsorship has been secured, this group will form a Mississippi Scholars Committee. A Chairman will be selected to be the lead business contact.

• School personnel will meet with the Mississippi Scholars Committee. The sponsoring business organization will contact the school system to schedule a planning meeting. This meeting should include the school district superintendent, high school and junior high principals, and guidance counselors. The Superintendent should appoint a Mississippi Scholars School District Coordinator, and each school principal should appoint a Mississippi Scholars School Campus Coordinator. The middle school Campus Coordinators help with the logistics and scheduling of the classroom presentations. The high school Campus Coordinators help with incentive ideas, course scheduling, and keeping track of the students who complete the Mississippi Scholars Course of Study.
  
  
• The sponsoring business organization will consult the school system to schedule the 8th grade classroom presentations. The Committee Chairman and the School District Coordinator schedule the dates for the 8th grade classroom presentations. The schedules are provided to the Committee.
  
  
• Business presenters are recruited by the sponsoring organization. Local business leaders are recruited to do the classroom presentations.
  
  
• The School Coordinators schedule the class and times for the presentations. The class presentation schedules are provided to the business organization prior to presenter training. They assign the business volunteers to a time on the presentation schedule. This scheduling is done at training.
  
  
• The business presenters are trained by Vickie Powell, Program Manager.
• The 8th grade classroom presentations are made.
  
  
• Incentives are provided. Incentives provided by the business community are distributed to those students who stay on track with the Course of Study.
  
  
• Seniors are recognized. A Senior Recognition event is planned and held for those students who complete the Course of Study.

What’s available from Public Education Forum?

• All Mississippi Scholars training and program management materials
• Red stickers for high school transcripts
• Gold seals for award certificates
• On-site training for business leaders scheduled to present the program
• Copies of the presentations: PowerPoint CD
• Program presentations to civic clubs and similar organizations
• Mississippi Scholars posters for display in schools and businesses
• Technical guidance on program management and issues

Participating School Districts