Article Library

Alumni Spotlights

J. Lee

J. Lee was born and raised in �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and graduated from Murrah High School in 2000. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in marketing and a Master of Arts in secondary education from �Ӱ� State University all while becoming an educator at �Ӱ� Public Schools.

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Alyssa Nichols

Alyssa Nichols is a �Ӱ� native and a class of 2014 graduate of Murrah High School. She recently became the first FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) referee from the state of Mississippi.

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Anton Vincent

Anton Vincent is a native of �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and a class of 1982 graduate of Murrah High School. He currently serves as president of Mars Wrigley North America, maker of the world��s most beloved treats and snacks. Mars Wrigley is a subsidiary of Mars Incorporated, one of the world��s largest privately held companies.

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Tyrone Keys

A class of 1977 graduate of Callaway High School

Tyrone Keys is a native of �Ӱ� and a 1977 graduate of Callaway High School. At Callaway, Mr. Keys was named a high school All-American, selected to the Clarion-Ledger��s All-State First Team, selected as a Prep All-American, deemed the state��s defensive MVP in 1977, and helped Callaway win a state football championship in 1976.

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Jeff Good

A class of 1980 graduate of Murrah High School

Jeff Good is the president of Mangia Bene Restaurant Management Group, where he is the owner/operator of BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar, Broad Street Baking Company, and Sal & Mookie��s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint.

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Warn Wilson, Jr.

A class of 2011 graduate of Bailey Magnet High School

Warn Wilson Jr. is an engineer, author, artist, and app creator. He has always had a desire to create and see ideas manifest in the physical world.

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Fred E. Kency Jr., M.D.

A class of 2003 graduate of Provine High School

Fred Earl Kency. Jr., M.D. is a board-certified emergency physician and a native of �Ӱ�, Mississippi who is passionate about men's health. He received his Bachelors of Science in Biology from Alcorn State University and his Doctorate of Medicine from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile, Alabama.

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Michael Burton

A class of 1996 graduate of Murrah High School

As a student of �Ӱ� Public Schools, Burton took part in music programs offered at JPS's Academic and Performing Arts Complex (known as Power APAC). After graduating, he embarked on a journey to build on this musical legacy.

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Kylon Alford-Windfield

A class of 2008 graduate of Provine High School

Mr. Kylon Alford-Windfield is native of �Ӱ� and a class of 2008 graduate of Provine High School. Kylon has emerged as a preeminent young administrator in higher education. He was recently named as the vice president of enrollment management at Stillman College.

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Cassandra Wilson

A class of 1973 graduate of Murrah High School

Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from �Ӱ�, Mississippi. She is also a class of 1973 graduate of Murrah High School. After obtaining a degree from �Ӱ� State University in mass communications, Wilson moved from Mississippi to New Orleans and worked as an assistant in Public Affairs at a local television station. In 1982, Wilson moved to New York.

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Terrell Lewis "DJ T. Lewis"

A class of 2006 graduate of Callaway High School

Terrell Lewis, better known as DJ T. Lewis, is a renowned and multifaceted DJ from �Ӱ�, MS and a class of 2006 graduate of Callaway High School. He also attended �Ӱ� State University and was a member of JSU��s Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band. T. Lewis got his prospective start in the music industry at the age of 14 by throwing high-attendance parties under his own brand, T. Lewis Productions.

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Dowell Taylor

A class of 1972 graduate of Callaway High School

Dowell Taylor, a native of �Ӱ�, Mississippi, is a 1972 graduate of Callaway High School. After high school, he attended �Ӱ� State University receiving both a bachelors and masters in music education. Mr. Taylor was a member of the �Ӱ� State University Marching Band, affectionately known as the Sonic Boom of the South, where he was a member of the tuba section.

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Lavell "David Banner" Crump

A class of 1992 graduate of Provine High School

Lavell William Crump, better known by his stage name David Banner, is a class of 1992 graduate of Provine High School. After graduating, the �Ӱ� native attended Southern University in Baton Rouge and served as president of the Student Government Association while earning his degree in business. Banner went on to pursue a master��s degree in education from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore but left the program to pursue his music career full-time.

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Captain Zeita Merchant

A class of 1994 graduate of Lanier High School

Captain Zeita Merchant was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in �Ӱ�, Mississippi. She is a class of 1994 graduate of Lanier High School. After graduation, Captain Merchant attended Tougaloo College and majored in biology. She planned to go to medical school after Tougaloo; however, a meeting with a Coast Guard recruiter on campus changed the trajectory of her life.

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Dr. Herbert V.R.P. Jones

A class of 1967 graduate of Brinkley High School

Dr. Herbert V.R.P. Jones is one of the nation's foremost figures in choral conducting and pedagogy and an expert in the intersection between theology and musical expression. Dr. Jones is a native of �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and a class of 1967 graduate of Brinkley High School (now Brinkley Middle School).

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Dathan Thigpen

A class of 1998 graduate of Forest Hill High School

Dathan Thigpen is a native of �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and a class of 1998 graduate of Forest Hill High School. While in JPS, Mr. Thigpen began his music journey at Casey Elementary, Morrison Elementary, and APAC. ��JPS has been very instrumental in my success in music,�� said Thigpen. ��I started off at Casey Elementary where I played the violin and sang."

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Janet Marie Smith

A class of 1975 graduate of Callaway High School

Janet Marie Smith is a Major League Baseball (MLB) executive, architect, and urban planner. Smith has built and managed renovations of several major and minor league baseball parks in the U.S. including Baltimore, Atlanta, Boston, and Los Angeles. She became one of the first women to hold an executive position with any MLB club when she was promoted to vice president of planning and development with the Baltimore Orioles in 1989. Smith is best known for her work developing Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which set a new standard for ballparks.

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Dr. Nashlie H. Sephus

A class of 2003 graduate of Murrah High School

Dr. Nashlie H. Sephus is a native of �Ӱ� and a class of 2003 graduate of Murrah High School/Power APAC. After graduation, she attended Mississippi State University and received a B.S. in computer engineering in 2007. Dr. Sephus received her Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014 and worked for a year with Exponent, a technical consulting firm, in New York City. Her core research areas were digital signal processing, machine learning, and computer engineering. Dr. Sephus had several internships and research experiences worldwide with companies such as IBM, Delphi, University of California at Berkeley, GE Research Center, GE Energy, Miller Transporters, and Kwangwoon Univ. in South Korea.

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Dr. Henry Thomas Sampson, Jr.

A class of 1951 graduate of Lanier High School

Henry T. Thomas Sampson, Jr. was born in �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and was a class of 1951 graduate of Lanier High School. He went on to attend Morehouse College before transferring to Purdue University. While at Purdue, he joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and received a bachelor��s degree in chemical engineering. In 1961, he graduated with an MS in engineering from the University of California Los Angeles. Sampson also received an MS in nuclear engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1965, and his Ph.D. in 1967. He was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering in the United States.

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Dr. Tommie Mabry

Class of 2007 graduate of Bailey High School

Dr. Tommie Mabry grew up in �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and is a class of 2007 graduate of Bailey High School. Due to a lack of positive role models, Dr. Mabry turned to life in the streets. He was expelled from numerous schools, and by age eleven had been arrested for breaking and entering. Things started to change for Dr. Mabry when he joined an AAU basketball team that traveled around the world. Although he was shot in the foot during his senior year, he received a full basketball scholarship to Missouri State University-West Plains. After completing his undergraduate studies at Tougaloo College, he taught school in the same district where he had been expelled.

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Herman Horton

Class of 1983 graduate of Wingfield High School

Herman Horton is a �Ӱ� native and class of 1983 graduate of Wingfield High School. He attended �Ӱ� State University and received his Bachelor of Science in criminal justice and police services and his Master of Arts in criminology and justice services. Horton is a retired U.S. Army master sergeant with 28 years of service (10 in the Marine Corps and 18 in the Army) where he served as a military police instructor, military police investigator, drill sergeant, deputy inspector general, and Army battle command training evaluator.

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Dr. Amber Johnson Avery

Class of 2006 graduate of Lanier High School

Dr. Amber Johnson Avery is a �Ӱ� native and a class of 2006 graduate of Lanier High School. At Lanier, Dr. Avery was a member of the girl��s basketball team and earned All-State honors within the program. She graduated from Lanier with a GPA in the top 10 of her class. From there, she attended Tougaloo College for two years on a basketball scholarship and also ran cross-country for the institution. She continued her educational matriculation and cross-country collegiate career at LeMoyne-Owen College and received her bachelor��s degree in computer science in 2011. Dr. Avery received her master��s degree in computer science from �Ӱ� State University in 2013.

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Tomekia Reed

Class of 1999 graduate of Murrah High School

Coach Tomekia Reed is a native of �Ӱ�, Mississippi, and a 1999 graduate of Murrah High School. After graduating from Murrah, she began her collegiate basketball career at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She helped lead the program to a WNIT appearance before transferring to Hinds Community College for the 2000-2001 season. At Hinds, Reed led the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) in rebounds per game and was also second in the conference in scoring. She was chosen as an All-State first-team selection.

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Lori �Ӱ� Evans

Class of 1995 graduate of Murrah High School

Lori �Ӱ� Evans grew up in �Ӱ�, Mississippi, where she attended and graduated from Murrah High School in 1995, and �Ӱ� State University in 1999 and 2004. She is employed with Regional One Health as Manager, Community and Stakeholder Engagement. In this role, she manages strategic community engagement activities and supports marketing, communications, volunteer services, external affairs, and public relations for Regional One Health.

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E. Faye Peterson

Class of 1982 graduate of Callaway High School

Judge Eleanor Faye Peterson is a 1982 graduate of Callaway High School. At Callaway, Judge Peterson participated in many extra-curricular activities. She was a member of the JROTC program and served as battalion commander. ��JROTC taught me leadership skills, which eventually I learned I would need,�� she stated. Judge Peterson also served on the Mayor��s Youth Council for three years.

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