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Tag: Mississippi

  • Police: 5 killed, including officer, in N. Carolina shooting

    Police: 5 killed, including officer, in N. Carolina shooting

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — Five people were killed by a shooter who opened fire along a walking trail in North Carolina’s capital city on Thursday and eluded officers for hours before he was cornered in a home and arrested, police said.

    An off-duty police officer was among those killed by the suspect, who police only described as a white, juvenile male. He was arrested around 9:37 p.m., authorities said. His identity and age weren’t released.

    The gunfire broke out around 5 p.m. along the Neuse River Greenway in a residential area northeast of downtown, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. Officers from numerous law enforcement agencies swarmed the area, closing roads and warning residents to stay inside while they searched for the shooter.

    Two people, including another police officer, were taken to hospitals. The officer was later released, but the other survivor remained in critical condition.

    “Tonight, terror has reached our doorstep. The nightmare of every community has come to Raleigh. This is a senseless horrific and infuriating act of violence that has been committed,” Gov. Roy Cooper told reporters.

    Authorities didn’t offer any details on a motive, but Baldwin joined Cooper in decrying the violence.

    “We must stop this mindless violence in America, we must address gun violence,” the mayor said. “We have much to do, and tonight we have much to mourn.”

    The Raleigh shooting was the latest in a violent week across the country. Five people were killed Sunday in a shooting at a home in Inman, South Carolina. On Wednesday night two police officers were fatally shot in Connecticut after apparently being drawn into an ambush by an emergency call about possible domestic violence. Police officers have been shot this week in Greenville, Mississippi; Decatur, Illinois; Philadelphia, Las Vegas and central Florida. Two of those officers, one in Greenville and one Las Vegas, were killed.

    Thursday’s violence was the 25th mass killing in 2022 in which the victims were fatally shot, according to The Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killings database. A mass killing is defined as when four or more people are killed excluding the perpetrator.

    Brooke Medina, who lives in the neighborhood bordering the greenway, was driving home at around 5:15 p.m. when she saw about two dozen police cars, both marked and unmarked, race toward the residential area about 9 miles (14 kilometers) from Raleigh’s downtown. She then saw ambulances speeding the other direction, toward the closest hospital.

    She and her husband, who was working from home with their four children, started reaching out to neighbors and realized there was a shelter-in-place order.

    The family closed all of their window blinds, locked the doors and congregated in an upstairs hallway together, said Medina, who works as a communications vice president at a think tank. The family listened to the police scanner and watched local news before going back downstairs once the danger seemed to have moved further away from their home.

    “We’re just going to hunker down for the rest of the night and be very vigilant. Keep all of our lights on, doors locked,” she said.

    She described the neighborhood known as Hedingham as a sprawling, dense, tree-lined community that’s full of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes that are more moderately priced compared to other parts of the Raleigh area.

    Allison Greenawalt, 29, who also lives in the neighborhood, said she was sitting on the couch with her cat around 5 p.m. when she heard “three shots in a pretty rapid succession.” She said police arrived quickly and that she’s grateful that they were there during the chaotic hours while she sheltered inside. Her husband, meanwhile, tried to drive home from work after the shooting and was turned away by police who had closed nearby streets, and he didn’t make it home until around 10:30 p.m., she said.

    “I was sitting in our house with the lights turned off and the windows closed for the majority of the evening, just waiting to hear that” the shooter had been arrested, she said.

    ———

    Dazio reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Michael Kunzelman in Silver Spring, Maryland and Gary D. Robertson and Allen G. Breed in Raleigh contributed to this report.

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  • ‘Community is hurting,’ mayor says after officer is killed

    ‘Community is hurting,’ mayor says after officer is killed

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    GREENVILLE, Miss. — A police officer has been shot to death in the Mississippi Delta city where she grew up, and several other people were injured by gunfire.

    Greenville Police Department Detective Myiesha Stewart, 30, was killed Tuesday night as she and other officers responded to a call, according to Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell.

    “Our community is hurting,” Greenville Mayor Mayor Errick D. Simmons said Wednesday outside City Hall, where he was joined by law enforcement officers.

    Simmons said Stewart is survived by her 3-year-old son, her parents and other family members.

    Tindell said in a statement that a suspect was hospitalized and is in custody. The commissioner did not identify the suspect or specify their injuries. Tindell provided no other details about the circumstances of Stewart’s killing.

    Greenville, with a population of about 28,775, is close to the Arkansas state line, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) north of Jackson, Mississippi. News outlets reported that the shootings happened at the intersection of U.S. Highway 82 and Mississippi Highway 1.

    Stewart graduated from high school in Greenville. She majored in criminal justice at nearby Delta State University, where she played basketball in the 2013-14 season.

    “She was one who exhibited courage,” Simmons said. “She was one who put fear aside to help someone else.”

    The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is examining the shooting of Stewart, as it does with all shootings involving officers in the state.

    “I am truly saddened by the tragic loss of Detective Stewart,” Republican Gov. Tate Reeves wrote Wednesday on Twitter. “Please join me in prayer for her family, her friends, and the entire Greenville Police Department.”

    Two other Mississippi law enforcement officers have been killed on duty this year. Johnny Patterson was struck by a car Jan. 13 while directing traffic in front of an elementary school in Shannon, and he died eight days later. Patterson was working for the school and was assistant police chief in Verona. On June 9, Meridian Police Department officer Kennis Croom was shot to death while responding to a domestic violence call.

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  • Pharmaceutical company linked to Brett Favre made pitch for state welfare funds at quarterback’s Mississippi home

    Pharmaceutical company linked to Brett Favre made pitch for state welfare funds at quarterback’s Mississippi home

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    NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre hosted Mississippi officials at his home in January 2019, where an executive for a pharmaceutical company Favre invested in solicited nearly $2 million in state welfare funds, according to pitch materials obtained by CBS News.

    A document distributed at the January 2, 2019 meeting describes plans to secure money from the state’s Department of Human Services, which operates Mississippi’s welfare program. The pitch was led by Jacob VanLandingham, then the CEO of pharmaceutical company Prevacus, which was attempting to develop a concussion drug.

    The effort to infuse a for-profit business venture with money intended for some of the neediest families in the nation is the latest development in a welfare fraud investigation that has been swirling around the famed quarterback, a Mississippi native, and former state officials.

    Former federal prosecutor Brad Pigott, who investigated the transactions for the state, told CBS News the agreement between the state and Prevacus was “an egregious betrayal, both of the poor and of the law.”

    The meeting at Favre’s Mississippi home was not his first interaction with state officials about the company. One month earlier, text messages first reported by Mississippi Today appear to show the former NFL quarterback personally lobbied then-governor Phil Bryant. The news site reported that VanLandingham offered Bryant stock in the company, and Bryant agreed to accept it after leaving office.

    “It’s 3rd and long and we need you to make it happen!!” Favre wrote to the governor, according to Mississippi Today.

    Brett Favre
    Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre.

    Hannah Foslien / Getty Images


    “I will open a hole,” Bryant replied, a reference to the work of a football offensive lineman. Favre later updated Bryant after Prevacus began receiving state funds, according to Mississippi Today.

    Eric Herschmann, an attorney for Favre, said in an interview with CBS News that state officials, including Bryant, never told Favre that the money Bryant would provide would be derived from welfare funds. Herschmann pointed out that Bryant had previously served as Mississippi state auditor, leading the department that oversees public funds.

    “He knew who all the parties were involved. If there was an issue about these funds not being used, or unable to be used, he should have been the first one that stood up and said something,” said Herschmann. “He never said anything to Brett Favre, nor did anyone else ever tell him that this was restricted welfare funds.”

    On January 19, 2019, VanLandingham and Zach New, an executive for a nonprofit tasked with doling out Temporary Assistance for Needy Families welfare funds, signed a contract for $1.7 million promising Mississippi that, in return for the money, it would have the “first right of refusal for clinical trial sites” in a future study phase described as “1B.” New and his mother Nancy entered guilty pleas to state and federal charges related to bribery and fraud stemming from their work for the nonprofit Mississippi Community Education Center.

    Months later, VanLandhingman asked a state welfare official for the money in a text message exchange, a screenshot of which was obtained by CBS News.

    “We would love 784k,” VanLandingham wrote to an employee associated with the nonprofit.

    “Jake, you cannot even imagine the word stress for us right now! At any rate, we can send 400k today. I will need to let Brett (Favre) know that we will need to pull this from what we were hoping to help him with on other activities. 😩,” the employee replied, before also asking for “status reports.”

    VanLandingham replied, “Thx sister. Can we stay in line to get the other 380k ? I Ly (sic) you guys.”

    Pigott is a former U.S. attorney who investigated the transactions while representing the state in a civil lawsuit seeking millions from dozens of people and companies, including Favre and Prevacus. 

    Pigott said Favre “was the largest single outside investor” in Prevacus when it received the state grant. 

    “Both Federal and Mississippi law required 100% of that money to go only to the alleviation of poverty within Mississippi and the prevention of teenage pregnancies,” said Pigott, who said Prevacus ultimately received $2.1 million. 

    And Pigott said the grant has so far failed to live up to its promise. “They did not, as we understand it” run clinical trials of Prevacus in Mississippi, Pigott said.

    Prevacus was purchased in 2021 by Nevada-based Odyssey Group International, where VanLandingham is now an executive vice president. In September, the company completed its Phase 1 clinical trial. The study was done in Australia, according to National Institutes of Health records and a September 2021 press release. The company said in a separate press release five days ago that it is moving onto Phase 2 trials.

    An attorney for VanLandingham said in a letter to CBS News that VanLandingham and Prevacus were “never aware that the money received was sourced by TANF funds or that it was earmarked to help welfare recipients.”

    The attorney, George Schmidt II, said VanLandingham is currently identifying potential sites for the next clinical trial, “which includes sites in Mississippi per the contract.”

    Favre has previously acknowledged soliciting state funds for a volleyball stadium at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter was on the team. Favre also repaid more than $1 million in speaking fees, for speeches that were never delivered and radio spots, paid for from the Mississippi welfare fund.

    Favre said in a statement to CBS News that “I have been unjustly smeared in the media. I have done nothing wrong, and it is past time to set the record straight.”

    “No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me. I tried to help my alma mater USM, a public Mississippi state university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and always will be to improve the athletic facilities at my university,” Favre said.

    Neither Favre nor VanLandingham has been charged with any crime.

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  • Mississippi teenager dies after being shot by police officer

    Mississippi teenager dies after being shot by police officer

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    GULFPORT, Miss. — A Black teenager in Mississippi has died days after Gulfport police shot him in the head outside a discount store, and his relatives are questioning officers’ actions.

    Jaheim McMillan, 15, was shot Thursday. Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer confirmed to the Sun Herald that the Gulfport High School freshman died Saturday after he was taken off life support at USA University Hospital in Mobile, Alabama. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, Switzer said.

    McMillan is survived by his mother, Katrina Mateen. She told WLOX-TV that when she arrived at the store after her son was shot, officers handcuffed her and walked her across the street.

    Gulfport police said in a news release that the shooting occurred after they responded to a 911 call about several minors waving guns at other motorists. Officers pulled the minors over in the parking lot of a Family Dollar store.

    Gulfport Police Chief Adam Cooper said an officer engaged an armed suspect, since identified as McMillan, resulting in shots being fired. The police department has not released the race of the officer.

    McMillan’s family doesn’t believe he was armed, and their supporters are calling for the release of camera footage of the shooting.

    McMillan was initially taken to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport but was transferred to the Mobile hospital, where he subsequently died shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday.

    In a video taken by a bystander after the shots were fired, McMillan could be seen on the ground in front of the door to the store. A witness said police handcuffed the teenager after he had been shot. Cooper said police took four other suspects, all believed to be minors, into custody, and several firearms were recovered from the scene.

    The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is examining the shooting of McMillan. MBI investigates all police shootings in the state, and the attorney general’s office is in charge of any prosecutions.

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  • Mississippi day care employees fired over viral videos

    Mississippi day care employees fired over viral videos

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    HAMILTON, Miss. — State regulators are investigating after a video showing four day care employees scaring children at a facility in an unincorporated northeast Mississippi community went viral on social media.

    The videos on Facebook show a day care worker at Lil’ Blessings Child Care & Learning Center in Hamilton wearing a Halloween mask and yelling at children who didn’t “clean up” or “act good.”

    Children can be seen and heard crying and, at times, running away from the employee wearing the mask while another employee gives directions about which children acted good or bad. The employee in the mask is shown screaming inches away from children’s faces at times.

    Sheila Sanders, who has owned the business for the past 20 years, said she was unaware of the videos until Wednesday afternoon, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported.

    Sanders said one video was filmed in September and another on Tuesday. “No one came forth to tell me it happened in September,” she said.

    The behavior shown by her former employees in the video, she said, isn’t tolerated.

    “I contacted my licensure, and she has gotten involved,” Sanders said. “The people that did those acts are no longer with us. They were fired. I wasn’t here at the time and wasn’t aware they were doing that. I don’t condone that and never have. I just want to say it’s been taken care of.”

    The Mississippi State Department of Health and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are investigating. Liz Sharlot, director of communications at the state health department, confirmed the investigation.

    Thursday morning, parents reacted to the videos as they dropped off their children for care, expressing their support for the facility.

    “I know 100% that Ms. Sheila, the owner and director, was not aware of this situation that was going on and as soon as she found out, all parties were terminated immediately,” said Kimberly Smith, whose child can be seen in one of the videos. “The witch hunt that has been going on for her and the other ones still here, it really needs to stop. Was the situation that did happen horrible? Absolutely. But should this daycare be shut down and others be villainized that are still here, absolutely not.”

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  • Mississippi Day Care Worker Fired For Scaring Kids In Halloween Mask

    Mississippi Day Care Worker Fired For Scaring Kids In Halloween Mask

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    Four Mississippi day care workers have been fired following viral videos showing one worker scaring children in a Halloween mask.

    Viral videos on Facebook depict a day care worker at Lil’ Blessings Child Care & Learning Center wearing a “Scream” mask and shouting “clean up” while chasing one child around a classroom, the Monroe Journal reported.

    Another video shows children crying at a table as a masked worker lurks around them and gets close to a toddler’s face.

    The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Mississippi State Department of Health are investigating the incident, according to the newspaper.

    Brenda Honeycutt, who was dropping off her granddaughter at the day care on Thursday, told WTVA-TV that she would have fired the workers “on the spot” once she learned about the scares.

    “That would be my reaction to it, if my employees did something like that,” said Honeycutt, who believed the day care owner didn’t have “anything to do” with the videos.

    “I know [the owner] enough to know that she wouldn’t allow that to go on and know about it,” she said.

    Keegan Hays, whose daughter is in one of the videos, told the news station that it would take security cameras and more leadership as well as management skills to build back trust in the day care.

    Sheila Sanders, the day care’s owner for the past 20 years, told the Monroe Journal that she became aware of the videos on Wednesday and the former workers’ behavior “isn’t tolerated.”

    “I wasn’t here at the time and wasn’t aware they were doing that,” said Sanders, who has worked at the day care since 1987. “I don’t condone that and never have. I just want to say it’s been taken care of.”

    Sanders said one of the videos was filmed on Tuesday and another video was filmed last month.

    Kimberly Smith, whose child is in one of the videos, told the newspaper that she knows Sanders wasn’t aware of the situation.

    “The witch hunt that has been going on for her and the other ones still here, it really needs to stop,” Smith said.

    “Was the situation that did happen horrible? Absolutely. But should this day care be shut down and others be villainized that are still here, absolutely not.”

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  • Barges grounded by low water halt Mississippi River traffic

    Barges grounded by low water halt Mississippi River traffic

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    The unusually low water level in the lower Mississippi River is causing barges to get stuck in mud and sand, disrupting river travel for shippers, recreational boaters and even passengers on a cruise line.

    Lack of rainfall in recent weeks has left the Mississippi River approaching record low levels in some areas from Missouri south through Louisiana. The U.S. Coast Guard said at least eight “groundings” of barges have been reported in the past week, despite low-water restrictions on barge loads.

    One of the groundings happened Friday between Louisiana and Mississippi, near Lake Providence, Louisiana. It halted river traffic in both directions for days “to clear the grounded barges from the channel and to deepen the channel via dredging to prevent future groundings,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Sabrina Dalton said in an email.

    As a result, dozens of tows and barges were lined up in both directions, waiting to get by. The stoppage also brought a halt to a Viking cruise ship with about 350 passengers on board, said R. Thomas Berner, a Penn State professor emeritus of journalism and American studies, and one of the passengers.

    The Viking ship was originally supposed to launch from New Orleans on Saturday, but the water there was so low that the launch was moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Berner said.

    By Tuesday, the ship was halted near Vicksburg, Mississippi, due to the backup caused by the grounding. It wasn’t near a dock so passengers couldn’t leave. The ship’s crew kept people entertained as much as possible with music, games and other activities.

    “Some of us are taking naps,” Berner joked.

    The stuck barges were freed midday Tuesday. Berner said the cruise ship restarted Tuesday night, but the restart didn’t last long: Viking told passengers in a letter Wednesday that the rest of the scheduled two-week trip was being called off, citing low water problems causing additional closures. Viking made arrangements to get passengers home and the letter said they would get a full refund.

    Nearly all of the Mississippi River basin, from Minnesota through Louisiana, has seen below-normal rainfall since late August. The basin from St. Louis south has been largely dry for three months, according to the National Weather Service.

    The timing is bad because barges are busy carrying recently harvested corn and soybeans up and down the river.

    Lucy Fletcher of the agricultural retailer AGRIServices of Brunswick, who serves on the board for the St. Louis-based trade association Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals, said navigation woes on the Mississippi, Missouri and other major rivers have some shippers looking at other means of transportation.

    “Can they divert to rail?” Fletcher asked. “Well, there’s not an abundance of rail availability. And usually people are booking their transportation for fall early in the season. So if they haven’t booked that freight already, you’re going to see people in dire straits.”

    Fletcher said that with the supply chain still snagged following the COVID-19 pandemic, trucks also are largely booked and unavailable.

    Mike Steenhoek, executive director of Soy Transportation Coalition, said 29% of the nation’s soybean crop is transported by barge. He estimated that barge capacity is down by about one-third this fall because of limits on the tows caused by the low water. That reduced capacity at a time when demand remains high is contributing to a 41% jump in barge shipping prices over the past year.

    Matt Ziegler, manager of public policy and regulatory affairs for the National Corn Growers Association, said about 20% of the corn crop is exported, and nearly two-thirds of those exports typically travel down the Mississippi River on barges before being sent out of New Orleans.

    “It’s certainly the worst time possible for these bad conditions,” Ziegler said.

    To keep river traffic flowing, the Corps of Engineers has been dredging the Mississippi at several spots and placed limits on the number of barges each tow can move.

    The forecast for much of the Mississippi River basin calls for continued dry weather in the near future. Fletcher is hopeful the winter will bring some relief.

    “We need a good year for lots of snow melt,” she said. “The whole system’s just going to need some water.”

    ———

    AP journalists Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

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  • Favre charity gave to USM while he sought funds

    Favre charity gave to USM while he sought funds

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    Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre’s charity, Favre 4 Hope, donated more than $130,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation from 2018 to 2020, according to tax records obtained by ESPN on Wednesday.

    During this same period, Favre was trying to raise money for a new volleyball stadium at the university, where he played football and his daughter was on the volleyball team. Funds for that stadium are under scrutiny in the largest public fraud case in Mississippi state history.

    Favre 4 Hope, whose mission statement says it provides support “for disadvantaged and disabled children and breast cancer patients,” receives public donations. Tax records show that in 2018, the foundation gave the USM Athletic Foundation $60,000. Every other organization received $10,000. In 2019, the USM Athletic Foundation received $46,817. The next highest donation, to the Special Olympics of Mississippi, was $11,000. The next year, Favre 4 Hope donated $26,175 to the USM Athletic Foundation while no other organization received more than $10,000.

    Between 2011 and 2017, the year his daughter enrolled at USM, Favre 4 Hope gave the Athletic Foundation a combined $47,900. (Tax records were not available for 2016.) In 2015, when Favre’s daughter played volleyball at Oak Grove High School, his foundation gave the school’s booster club $60,000, tax records show. In 2013, the booster club received $10,000 from Favre 4 Hope.

    “He has been very generous to Southern Miss since he played ball there,” Favre’s attorney Bud Holmes told ESPN on Wednesday evening. “Those particular things [the donations in question] I don’t know, but I know he has always given back, something most athletes don’t do.”

    The Athletic first reported the donations made by Favre’s charity to the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation.

    Favre, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is involved in a sprawling investigation into Mississippi’s welfare spending. He received $1.1 million in speaking fees for appearances he allegedly never made, according to a state auditor. He said he did not know where the funds came from and paid the money back, though the state is still seeking $228,000 in interest. Text messages show Favre was also involved in diverting at least $5 million in welfare funds to the volleyball stadium.

    Favre has not been criminally charged. His attorney previously denied to Mississippi Today that the Hall of Famer knew he received welfare funds.

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  • EPA preparing plan to help fix Jackson’s water system

    EPA preparing plan to help fix Jackson’s water system

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    JACKSON, Miss (AP) — The federal government wants to work with officials in Mississippi’s capital city to reach a legal agreement that ensures Jackson can sustain its water system in the future, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said Monday.

    Federal attorneys also sent a letter to city officials Monday threatening legal action against the city if it does not agree to negotiations related to its water system.

    Regan returned to Mississippi’s capital city Monday to meet with Jackson officials about the city’s troubled water system. At the meeting with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and U.S. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim, Regan said the federal government would work with the city to “deliver long overdue relief for Jackson residents.”

    “The people of Jackson, Mississippi, have lacked access to safe and reliable water for decades. After years of neglect, Jackson’s water system finally reached a breaking point this summer, leaving tens of thousands of people without any running water for weeks,” Regan said. “These conditions are unacceptable in the United States of America.”

    In a Monday letter sent to city officials and obtained by the news station WLBT-TV, Kim and attorneys for DOJ’s Environmental Enforcement Section said they were “prepared to file an action” against the city under the Safe Drinking Water Act, but hoped the matter could be resolved through an “enforceable agreement.” The letter said that state and local officials “had not acted to protect public health.”

    Regan said in a separate statement that he wants to work with the city to reach a “judicially enforceable agreement,” which would avoid a legal dispute. A Department of Justice spokesperson declined to specify what such an agreement could entail. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the federal government might protect public health in Jackson and address “longstanding environmental justice issues” facing the city, the spokesperson told The Associated Press.

    In a news release, Lumumba’s office said city officials discussed “plans of the federal agencies to immediately engage in negotiations” with Jackson’s leadership to address its water system needs.

    Most of Jackson’s 150,000 residents lost running water for several days in late August and early September after heavy rainfall exacerbated problems in the city’s main treatment plant. The EPA had already issued a notice in January that Jackson’s system violates the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Lumumba said coordination with the federal government represents the best path forward for the city to fix its water system.

    “We believe that it is imperative that we enter into agreements with a team that is solely and sincerely focused on an objective of ensuring safe and reliable drinking water to the residents of Jackson,” Lumumba said in the news release.

    On Sept. 15, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and the state health department told people in Jackson that they no longer had to boil water before drinking it or using it to brush their teeth. But disruptions to clean water in parts of the city continued.

    Lumumba’s office announced new boil-water notices Monday affecting approximately 1,000 water connections in the city. A city spokesperson said a contractor inadvertently severed a water line. This came after multiple major water leaks occurred the previous weekend. Several areas were placed under a precautionary boil-water notice, including the neighborhood home to Millsaps College. The college has asked for donations to help build its own water source.

    The EPA said 300 boil water notices have been issued over the past two years in the city, most of which came before the most recent drinking water crisis. “It’s clear this community has suffered long enough,” Regan said.

    In early September, Regan came to Jackson to meet with residents and elected officials about the water problems. He said the city needs to receive “its fair share” of federal money to repair the system.

    A stopgap funding package Congress is set to consider this week includes disaster assistance for Jackson, a person familiar with the legislation said Monday.

    Before the latest water crisis, Jackson had already been under a boil-water notice since late July because of cloudy water that could make people ill. Tests by the state health department in 2015 found higher-than-acceptable lead levels in some water samples.

    An independent watchdog in the Environmental Protection Agency said in September it was being brought in to investigate Jackson’s troubled water system.

    In September, four Jackson residents filed a class-action lawsuit in federal district court against the city, Lumumba and his immediate predecessor, three former public works directors, an engineering firm and a business that had a city contract to replace water meters. The lawsuit seeks to force Jackson to make specific fixes, including the removal or repair of pipes and equipment contaminated with lead.

    Regan said the EPA has a responsibility to protect the health of Jackson residents.

    “The people of Jackson, like all people in this country, deserve access to clean and safe water,” Regan said. “They also deserve more than words – they need action.”

    ___

    Associated Press Writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report. Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mikergoldberg.

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  • Bay Springs High School Rises on the ACT® English After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep

    Bay Springs High School Rises on the ACT® English After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep

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    Press Release
    –

    Aug 29, 2022


    BAY SPRINGS, Miss., August 29, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep announced the ACT® exam improvement results from Bay Springs High School students’ spring test date following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Review. Of the students having at least one prior ACT® score for improvement comparison, 67% improved prior best ACT® English scores by an average of 3.68 points!

    Top ACT® English achievers were recently recognized and include:

    ●       Landon Jones (+8 pts.)

    ●       Kevin Keyes (+8 pts.)

    ●       James Odom (scored a 24 on ACT® English first attempt)

    ●       Kamari Patrick (+7 pts.)

    ●       Jackson Walker (+8 pts.)

    Bay Springs junior, Kevin Keyes commented, “Jumpstart helped me refresh my memory on punctuation, comma rules, and parts of speech.”

    “Jumpstart helped me with my comma rules and parts of speech to help me expand my education,” added another junior Landon Jones.

    These improvements are not possible without the diligence and support of the teachers tasked to help raise scores at Bay Springs. Teacher Carressia King commented, “Bay Springs High School students were awesome using the English part of the Jumpstart Review. They came into class eager to learn and asked good questions when I paused the videos.” King added, “The Jumpstart instructors were engaging and taught with a sense of humor, which is what we needed to accomplish the task at hand. When the test results came in, I was so proud of what we had accomplished. Jumpstart Test Prep is an awesome program, and I can attest to its content to prepare junior students for their upcoming junior year MS ACT®.”

    The guidance and encouragement of administration also plays a huge role in raising scores.

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR Teacher Hall of Fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Bay Springs classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Students at South Panola High School See Improved ACT® Scores With Assistance From Jumpstart Test Prep

    Students at South Panola High School See Improved ACT® Scores With Assistance From Jumpstart Test Prep

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    Press Release
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    Aug 22, 2022


    BATESVILLE, Miss., August 22, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep announced the ACT® exam improvement results from South Panola High School students’ spring test date following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Review. Of the students having at least one prior ACT® score for improvement comparison, 53% with a prior score improved over their prior best attempt by an average of 2.01 points on their Composite score, and in each subject area, the students’ scores improved by 46% in Math (+2.24 points avg.), 52% in Science (+3.14 points avg.), 53% in English (+3.24 points avg.), and 41% in Reading (+3.02 points avg.).

    Top achievers were recently recognized and include:

    • Thoraya Alode (scored a 26 on ACT® English on first attempt)
    • Kasandra Clark (English +8 pts.)
    • Tuniah Ellis (Composite +5 pts., Math +5 pts., and Science +9 pts.)
    • Justin Mayer (Composite +5 pts.) 
    • Elizabeth Riley (Composite +4 pts. and Science +9 pts.)
    • William Rowsey (Composite +4 pts., Math +8 pts., and English +6 pts.)
    • Jamia Rule (Composite +5 pts., English +7 pts., and Reading +10 pts.)
    • Lucas Terry (Composite +5 pts. and Math +6 pts.)
    • Jamiracle Tunson (Composite +4 pts., English +9 pts., and Reading +7 pts.)
    • Mackenzie Woodruff (Reading +10 pts.)

    South Panola student Kasandra Clark commented, “Jumpstart helped me go up eight points in English. English is not my strong suit, so this is a big step for me!”

    “Jumpstart was good, especially as a first-time test taker! It helped me feel more prepared, and it made the whole experience a lot less scary,” said another student, Thoraya Alode.

    These improvements are not possible without the diligence and support of the teachers and administrators tasked to help raise scores at South Panola High School. South Panola teacher Beverly Watson commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep gave my students the opportunity to gain insight into ACT®-formatted test questions and build test-taking skills. Jumpstart also gave students exposure to a plethora of questions similar to the ACT®, improving their confidence in their ability to take such an important test. As a result, we are expecting substantial growth within our school for our students, improving their future endeavors in post-secondary education.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR Teacher Hall of Fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in South Panola classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Noxubee County High School Students Improve ACT® English Scores After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep

    Noxubee County High School Students Improve ACT® English Scores After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep

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    56% improved prior best actual ACT® English scores by an average of 3.26 points.

    Press Release
    –

    Aug 15, 2022


    MACON, Miss., August 15, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep announced the ACT® exam improvement results from Noxubee County High School students’ spring test date following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Review. Of the students having at least one prior ACT® score for improvement comparison, 56% improved prior best actual ACT® English scores by an average of 3.26 points. 

    Top ACT® English achievers were recently recognized and include:

    • Darrell Brooks (Scored a 21 on first attempt)
    • Tony Deloach (English +7 pts.)
    • Jaliyah Jamison (English +7 pts.)
    • Janesha Kinchen (English +6 pts.)
    • Jaquavion Rupert (English +6 pts.)

    Junior Darrell Brooks commented, “Jumpstart really helped me make sure that I was prepared for the ACT® by giving me all the materials to be prepared for each section.”

    These improvements are not possible without the diligence and support of the teachers tasked to help raise scores at Noxubee County. 

    The guidance and encouragement of the administration also play a huge role in raising scores. Principal Aiesha Brooks commented, “The staff and the students enjoyed using Jumpstart in the classroom. The modules are engaging and easy to follow yet rigorous in content. The alignment and nature of the content are sure-fire factors that contributed to the growth in our students. We are looking forward to utilizing Jumpstart in the future and seeing ACT® scores increase!”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR Teacher Hall of Fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Noxubee County classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Amory High School Students’ ACT® English Scores Rise After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep

    Amory High School Students’ ACT® English Scores Rise After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep

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    69% improved prior best actual ACT® English scores by an average of 3.26 points.

    Press Release
    –

    Aug 10, 2022


    AMORY, Miss., August 10, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep announced the ACT® exam improvement results from Amory High School students’ spring test date following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Review. Of the students having at least one prior ACT® score for improvement comparison, 69% improved prior best actual ACT® English scores by an average of 3.26 points.

    The following students were recognized as the top achievers in ACT® English:

    ●       McKynlie Camp (+7 pts.)

    ●       Ada Colburn (34 on first attempt)

    ●       Maggie Kate Cummings (+8 pts.)

    ●       Charleston French (+7 pts.)

    ●       Ethan Navarro (+8 pts.)

    ●       Neviona Smith (+7 pts.)

    ●       Greyson Wardlow (+8 pts.)

    Amory student Greyson Wardlow commented, “The biggest things that helped me with Jumpstart were learning time management and being able to look back over the videos.”

    “I learned the most using literature strategies and figuring out how to order sentences,” added Ada Colburn, another Amory student.

    These improvements are not possible without the diligence and support of the teachers tasked to help raise scores at Amory. “I was very impressed at how much the students enjoyed Jumpstart and how well it helped their scores,” said teacher Kammie Miller.

    The guidance and encouragement of the administration also play a huge role in raising scores. “We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to use Jumpstart in our English classes this year, and we are very excited that it helped our students to improve their ACT® scores and their confidence,” said Principal Leigh Stanford.

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR Teacher Hall of Fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Amory classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • ACT Scores Improve for Juniors at Kemper County High School

    ACT Scores Improve for Juniors at Kemper County High School

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show improvements over prior best scores, with 44% of students improving their ACT composite by an average of 1.53 points

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 22, 2021


    BROOKHAVEN, Miss., June 22, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results from Kemper County High School, whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, the school had 65% of its students improving their best prior English subscores by an average of 2.8 points and 38% improving their Reading sub-scores by an average of 3.46 points. Additionally, 32% of students improved their Science sub-scores by an average of 3.54 points and 47% improved their Math subscores by an average of 2.18 points.

    Students who showed significant gains were excited to provide their thoughts about the review program. On her first ACT® attempt, Kemper County junior Kaylan Clayton achieved a 21 on her English subscore. She says Jumpstart made the difference because, “It helped me to gain knowledge in new areas and to refresh my memory. Jumpstart also taught me how to best use my time when taking the ACT.” Anderiah Rush agrees, as her English subscore improved 5 points over her prior attempt. “The many tips and flashcards helped me to remember things I learned years ago. The mark and move strategy for time management helped me to finish the ACT completely.” Rush continued, “I think other students in Mississippi need to know about Jumpstart and use it because the review will help them to remember everything they’ve forgotten.” Another student, Kaylah Hearn, who improved her English subscore by 3 points over her last attempt commented, “Jumpstart gave me a refresher of things I had completely forgotten about and the flashcards taught me a lot of tips that I didn’t know. I would say that Jumpstart works!”

    Kemper County junior Illyana McClendon improved her English subscore by 4 points, going from a 14 to an 18. She shared, “Jumpstart gave me so many tips and tricks to help me succeed on the ACT. It was a refresh from elementary school until now and that made all the difference for me!” Reslyn Ramsey agreed with McClendon, “The tips and tricks that Jumpstart shows you are really amazing and it is also a great program to teach time management.” Reslyn achieved a 45% increase in her English subscore, improving by 5 points.

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall of fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Kemper County classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Kemper County had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • ACT Scores Improve for 60% of Juniors at Leland High School

    ACT Scores Improve for 60% of Juniors at Leland High School

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show improvements over prior best scores, with 60% of students improving their ACT composite by an average of nearly two points

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 3, 2021


    LELAND, Miss., June 3, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results for Leland High School, whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, the school had 73% of its students improving their prior Science subscores by an average of 2.72 points and 67% improving their English subscores by an average of 2.6 points. Additionally, 46% of students improved their Reading subscores by an average of 2.5 points and 33% improved their Math subscores by an average of two points.

    Students who achieved notable improvements in their scores were happy to provide their thoughts about the review program. On her first ACT® attempt, Leland High junior Jermya Summage achieved a 21 on her English subscore. She says Jumpstart helped her to succeed because “it provided me with an in-depth review, thorough explanation of concepts, and great tips that I could easily remember. Jumpstart really helped me to reach a good score on the ACT.” Donal Washington agrees, as his English subscore improved three points over his prior attempt. “Jumpstart gave me a lot of good advice and helped with my time management and cognitive thinking skills. It presented a lot of information that I really needed to review so I could succeed. Washington continued, “I would tell other students to use Jumpstart, it will help them to go far in life.”

    Another student, Kason Shead, improved his Science subcscore by five points over his last attempt, increasing from a 16 to a 21. Shead commented, “Jumpstart helped me because I was able to learn at my own pace and not be rushed. It was an in-depth review of things I had forgotten about. Jumpstart worked really well for me.” Kemper County junior LaDarius Pratt also achieved improvements in his Science subscore, increasing four points going from a 17 to a 21. He shared, “Jumpstart is a quick, fast, and easily accessible review that helped me refresh on materials I had forgotten about. It also greatly assisted me with time management skills. Jumpstart really helped me increase my Science score and I am thankful for it.” Eriana Murphy agreed with Pratt, “Jumpstart helped me significantly in English, the review of grammar rules made the difference for me. The Jumpstart review helped me to remember things I learned in middle school and also taught me things I hadn’t learned before. It was extremely helpful.” Murphy achieved a 31.25% increase in her English subscore, improving by five points.

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in Leland High classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Leland High had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • 75% of Juniors at Newton County High School Improve Their ACT® English Scores

    75% of Juniors at Newton County High School Improve Their ACT® English Scores

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    Following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Test Prep ACT English Review, 75% of students with a prior score improved an average of 3.48 points over their best prior score on the English subsection of the ACT® exam administered recently.

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 2, 2021


    DECATUR, Miss., June 2, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Newton County High School has a mission of pursuing perfection by providing a challenging education, as well as developmental guidance for their students. A prime example of this guidance was displayed in the recently announced ACT® exam score improvements for their junior students utilizing the Jumpstart Complete English ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing), 75% of the students with a prior English ACT® score improved an average of 3.48 points above their best prior attempt. Furthermore, 67% of the students improved their overall composite score by an outstanding average of 3.28 points. The program was provided by a 2020 legislative grant administered through the Mississippi Department of Education.

    Newton County High School’s Principal, Dawn Hollingsworth, shared, “We are immensely proud of the results that our students achieved after preparing with Jumpstart Test Prep. An average increase of 3.48 points for 75% of those with a prior score in English is remarkable! We look forward to implementing Jumpstart’s Complete ACT Prep during the 2021-22 school year. We are confident that the results benefitting from the use of Jumpstart will give students scholarship opportunities that they otherwise may not have been able to achieve. We are happy to make this investment into the future of our students.” Missy Johnson, an English teacher at Newton County who implemented the Jumpstart review program in her classroom, was appreciative of the resource: “I enjoyed Jumpstart Test Prep so much. It was easy to implement; the kids were able to do the review themselves with me just simply reinforcing the materials. I really loved using Jumpstart in my classroom!” Johnson had one student comment about Jumpstart: “I’m going to be honest, I’ve learned more in the last two days than I have in the last 12 years.” Johnson is very proud of the improvements that her students realized this year on the ACT.

    Several students, who achieved outstanding results in the English subsection of the ACT®, were eager to provide their thoughts about the Jumpstart review program. Marilyn Martinez, who had the highest percentage improvement at Newton County and improved her English score by 7 points, said, “I really liked the videos and different presenters that the Jumpstart review program uses. They reviewed grammar rules that I had forgotten and that helped me a lot.” Cameron Gressett achieved a remarkable score of 25 in the English subsection on his first attempt and he agreed with Martinez. “Jumpstart had a variety of presenters who taught with positive energy. The review simplified and brought back English tips I had forgotten.”

    Another Newton County junior, Jacob Duncan, scored a 20 in English on his first attempt. Duncan added, “Jumpstart helped me because it reminded me of details I had completely forgotten about. Also, I am a highly visual learner and being able to watch the videos and see the presenters really made a difference for me.” Makenzie Sessions realized a 22 in the English subsection of the ACT on her first attempt, “Jumpstart helped me significantly in English because it reviewed the basics of grammar and punctuation.” John Graham doesn’t necessarily enjoy studying but because his school implemented Jumpstart in the classroom, he had a forced study and he was proud to achieve a 22 in English on his first attempt. “If I would not have had Jumpstart Test Prep at school, I would not have done as well. I am thankful for it.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in Newton County classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Newton County had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 5-hour review (8 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessment or the English review area which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep, ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at East Marion High School

    After Reviewing With Jumpstart Test Prep, ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at East Marion High School

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show improvements over prior best scores

    Press Release
    –


    updated: May 28, 2021


    COLUMBIA, Miss., May 28, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    East Marion High School (EMHS) thrives on the motto of “Inspiring Excellence.” However, it is not just a motto: the school puts it into practice by investing in the future of their students. This year, EMHS provided their high school juniors with Jumpstart Test Prep (Jumpstart), an online, on-demand Complete ACT Review Program developed by 19-year STAR teacher, Dot McClendon. The investment in Jumpstart made a difference for their juniors. Jumpstart recently released ACT improvement results from EMHS. The junior class used the Jumpstart Complete ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, 43 percent of the students had an average ACT English and ACT Reading score improvement of +2.33 points over their best prior attempt. The school also had 29 percent of its students improving their Science scores by an average of +3.5 points and 14 percent improving by an average of +2 points in Math test sub-scores.

    Several students were recognized for their improvement results and shared their thoughts about the Jumpstart review program. Shamyah Sims, who had a 27 percent improvement over her prior best score, commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep really helped me because it gave great tips and tricks, the presenters were very energetic and they gave an overall recap of things I learned in previous grades. Jumpstart is very useful to reach a high ACT score.” Nicholas Colvin achieved a +5 improvement in Science and in Reading. Colvin said, “Jumpstart helped me the most with my time management. It provided very useful strategies I hadn’t thought of before and the recap of content from grades ago – that made all the difference.” Steven Robbins shared, “Jumpstart made the difference because it reviewed materials that I had completely forgotten about. Jumpstart is so helpful for reaching high ACT scores.” Robbins achieved a 23 composite score on his first attempt. Terry Lisenby, whose score increased +2 points in English and in Math, agreed with Robbins: “Jumpstart is a recap of content from late elementary and junior high. Reviewing in that way really helped me to achieve a higher score.” Destiny Brown emphasized the feelings of Lisenby: “Jumpstart makes the difference because it reviews things from several grades ago.” Brown increased +2 points in the Science sub-section, going from a 20 to a 22. Alexis Lott scored a 21 in the English sub-section on her first attempt. Lott commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep helped me because it had very useful tips and tricks and the young presenters really helped to keep me focused. The best part about Jumpstart was the review of things I have not seen in a long time.”

    Kylia Baldwin, a teacher at East Marion who implemented the Jumpstart review program, provided her thoughts about how Jumpstart helped her students excel. “The whole Jumpstart review program is absolutely amazing. It starts at the foundational basics and explains everything in a thorough manner while giving students a refresher on materials learned throughout their entire academic career. I am very proud of the results that my students saw after using this review program.” Baldwin continued, “I hope to see Jumpstart continue to be implemented here at East Marion and also across Mississippi. I think Jumpstart would be a tremendous help to our state and raise our ACT scores.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 50 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in East Marion classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at EMHS had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com. For press information, contact hannah@jumpstarttestprep.com 

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at Mississippi School of the Arts

    ACT Scores Improve in All Four Subject Areas for Juniors at Mississippi School of the Arts

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    ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science scores show significant improvements over prior best scores, with 64 percent of students improving ACT composite by an average of +2.81 points

    Press Release
    –


    updated: May 3, 2021


    BROOKHAVEN, Miss., May 3, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Nestled in historic downtown Brookhaven, Mississippi is a hidden educational jewel – the Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA). The school is filled with students from all over Mississippi who have big dreams and with faculty who strive to help them reach their goals. For some, a big hurdle is achieving an impressive ACT score so that scholarships and dreams of free college tuition become a reality. This is where the implementation of Jumpstart Test Prep (Jumpstart) aids students. Jumpstart recently released ACT improvement results from MSA, whose junior class used the Jumpstart Complete ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, over 60 percent of the students had an average ACT English score improvement of +4.81 points over their best prior attempt. Similarly, the school had 56 percent of its students improving their Science scores by an average of +2.85 points and more than 60 percent improving by an average of +3.81 points in Reading and +2.4 points in Math test sub-scores.

    ACTUAL

    COMP

    Math

    Science

    English

    Reading

    % of Group IMP

    64%

    60%

    56%

    64%

    64%

    Ave IMP for that group

    2.81

    2.40

    2.85

    4.81

    3.81

    Debra Henderson, principal at MSA, said, “We at MSA really like the Jumpstart Test Prep program and believe that it helps our kids succeed on the ACT. If the kids put in the work and do the program, they will see great results.” Director at MSA, Dr. Suzanne Hirsch commented, “Jumpstart is a great program that offers a very succinct review for students to prepare for the ACT exam. Our teachers worked hard to deliver the program as prescribed by Jumpstart co-founder and former MSA teacher Dot McClendon. It was used as a review of content and practice within the few weeks before our juniors re-tested on the ACT in February. The online, on-demand ACT review Dot has created gets results,” Hirsh affirmed. All juniors at MSA received subject area preparation through Jumpstart within their classes or after school through an individualized schedule around a rigorous school day. Hirsch continued, “We are proud of the efforts of our students and teachers to prepare for this important test. These scores will be life-changing for college acceptance and scholarship offers. MSA students traditionally have extraordinarily high scholarship offers to college and receive career training through a seminar format and college preparation. Jumpstart Test Prep is an exceptional addition to our programming. Together, we know our students will be given the best chance for success!”

    Multiple MSA students were recognized for their improvement results and shared their thoughts about the program. Sydney Knotts, who saw a +8 improvement in her English sub-score, commented, “Jumpstart Test Prep made the difference for me by going over small things I haven’t seen in a while. The program did a really good job of encompassing all of the necessary aspects of each subject and that helped me succeed.” Molly LeBlanc shared, “The biggest difference about Jumpstart was that it helped me significantly with my time management skills. Because of Jumpstart I was able to completely finish the ACT this time and I think that really helped my score improve.” LeBlanc achieved a +8 improvement on her English sub-score, going from a 15 to a 23. Ashley Charles, who reached a +5 improvement in Math, agreed with Leblanc, “Jumpstart helped because it taught me time management and it also went over a lot of things I had forgotten from several grades ago.” Madison White had significant improvements and was the highest achiever at MSA, raising from a 26 to a perfect score of 36 in Reading and a 22 to a 28 on her overall composite score. White said, “Jumpstart basically helped me re-learn Math. It taught me things I had completely forgotten and hadn’t seen in a very long time.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now through our online, on-demand video review, students in MSA classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table, or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at MSA had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com. For media information, contact hannah@jumpstarttestprep.com

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • Houston High School Achieves Notable Improvements in 54% of Their Juniors’ ACT® English Scores

    Houston High School Achieves Notable Improvements in 54% of Their Juniors’ ACT® English Scores

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    Following the classroom implementation of the Jumpstart Test Prep ACT English Review, 54 percent of students with a prior score improved an average of +2.83 points over their best prior score on the English sub-section of the ACT® exam administered recently

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Apr 28, 2021


    HOUSTON, Miss., April 28, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    When visiting Houston High School (HHS), one will quickly realize the commitment and devotion that the faculty invests into the lives of their students. A prime example of this investment was displayed in the recently announced ACT® exam score improvements for their junior students utilizing the Jumpstart Complete English ACT prep review to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing) — 54 percent of the students with a prior English ACT® score improved an average of +2.83 points above their best prior attempt. The program was provided by a 2020 legislative grant administered through the Mississippi Department of Education.

    Alisha Spencer, an English III teacher at HHS who implemented the Jumpstart review program in her classroom, was appreciative of the resource, “I absolutely loved the Jumpstart program for our juniors because it went back to things they hadn’t seen in quite some time. I feel that the different presenters and the review from years ago is what really made the difference on their ACT® English scores.” As a teacher, Spencer recommended that Jumpstart Test Prep be implemented in schools across the State of Mississippi and has hopes that it will be continued at Houston High School in the coming years. Principal William Cook commented, “I appreciate the faculty who worked hard to implement this program into the students’ schedules and am very proud of our students’ ACT® English improvements.”

    Several students, who achieved outstanding improvements in the English sub-section of the ACT®, were eager to provide their thoughts about the Jumpstart review program. Jackson Laster, who saw a +5 improvement on his English score, said, “Jumpstart made a big difference because I was able to go back and review topics from earlier grades before the test. The tips and fabulous fact flashcards were great reminders and really helped me succeed.” Angel Renfroe achieved a +7 improvement in the English sub-section and agreed with Laster. “The biggest help to me was reviewing things I hadn’t seen in several years.” Another HHS junior, Tim’mara Lee, saw a +5 improvement on her English score and a +4 improvement on her composite score. Lee added, “Jumpstart made a huge difference in my ACT® scores. I hadn’t seen a lot of things since middle school and the review of older topics made all the difference for me.” Gibson Cauler achieved a +4 improvement on his composite score and agreed with Lee. “The simple breakdowns of topics helped a lot. Jumpstart taught me many things I hadn’t previously learned.” Jonathan Fowler realized a 43 percent improvement of +6 points over his prior best English score and was the student with the highest percentile improvement out of the entire junior class at HHS. He commented, “Jumpstart helped me time myself better and not be as nervous when I took the ACT® because, after I finished the review, I knew what I was doing.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in HHS classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at HHS had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, five-hour review (eight modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessment or the English review area, which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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  • High School Juniors at Loyd Star Attendance Center Achieve Major ACT® Score Improvements in February

    High School Juniors at Loyd Star Attendance Center Achieve Major ACT® Score Improvements in February

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    70 percent of students with a prior score improved an average of +3.07 composite points


    BROOKHAVEN, Miss., April 22, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Jumpstart Test Prep recently released the ACT® improvement results from Loyd Star Attendance Center, whose junior class used the program to prepare for the state-administered February 2021 ACT® exam (American College Testing). Following completion of Jumpstart’s complete ACT prep review, 70 percent of the students with a prior ACT score improved an average of +3.07 composite points above their best prior attempt. The school reported big gains in Math with 80 percent of its students improving their prior Math sub-scores by an average of +3.81 points, 65 percent improving their English sub-scores by an average of +3.23 points, while the same percentage of students improved their Reading sub-scores by an average of +4.7 points. Additionally, 55 percent of students improved their Science sub-scores by an average of +2.55 points.

    Kristin King, an English teacher at Loyd Star who taught the Jumpstart program, says, “As a teacher, I really liked the Jumpstart program and think it’s a great review where students could write down basic stuff that they might have forgotten or may have never heard.” King continued, “The program was really well-organized and flowed from one skill to the next. It really helped the kids.” Dena Ford, Principal at Loyd Star, shared, “Our team strives to help students perform their best and we are very proud of our teachers and students for their efforts and results.”

    Several students also provided their thoughts about the Jumpstart ACT review program they completed before the state-mandated February test date. On her second ACT® attempt, Loyd Star junior Madison Falvey improved her English sub-score +11 points and her composite score +9 points. Falvey commented, “Jumpstart made the difference by helping with the small details.” Falvey offered that she has really bad test anxiety that the review helped to alleviate. “Jumpstart helped me with time management skills and to calm down and focus on what I had to do. Instead of taking it as one more thing I had to do at school, I just really paid attention and it helped me a lot.” She tells future students, “It might seem like it’s just another thing to do, but it really will help you.” Loyd Star junior Hunter Williams, who achieved a 20-composite score on his first ACT® attempt, commented, “Jumpstart made the difference because it went over a lot of stuff from the past.” Junior Haley McCullough agrees, as her Math sub-score rose +5 points over her prior attempt. “What really helped was going over some of the things I hadn’t seen. With COVID, last year was cut short and we didn’t have a lot of Geometry and the Jumpstart program went back over a lot of that and I saw it on the ACT®.” Riley Easterling, another junior at Loyd Star who saw a +8 improvement in his Reading sub-score, agreed. “Jumpstart really helped because it went over stuff I haven’t seen since several grades ago.” Wednesday Warren, who saw an increase of +9 points in her Reading sub-score, commented, “The presenters really explained everything well. Jumpstart made the difference because it helped improve my time-management skills.”

    Jumpstart Test Prep is an online review program based on over 60 years of work by Dot McClendon, a legendary educator and Mississippi’s 19-year STAR teacher hall-of-fame inductee. “As a teacher at The Mississippi School of the Arts and several other schools during my career, I was able to help guide the preparation of students in person,” said McClendon. “Now, through our online, on-demand video review, students in Loyd Star classrooms, as well as classrooms around the country, around the breakfast table or on the couch at home, are able to benefit from our approach.”

    All juniors at Loyd Star had access to the following resources:

    • Expert content review and practice, along with test-taking tips and strategies delivered in the classroom via streaming video
    • Online, on-demand, 24-hour review (36 modules, approximately 40 minutes each) of English, Math, Reading, and Science content tested by the ACT® that could be led from the classroom or used individually by students
    • Consumable student workbooks for each subject area to be completed in conjunction with lecture content and later used as a student study guide
    • Online assessments for the Math and English review areas, which linked students back to their weaker areas reviewed in the Jumpstart module content

    School administrators utilized an online dashboard reflecting the video module completion progress of teachers assigned to proctor the review and/or individual student progress.

    More information about Jumpstart Test Prep can be found at www.jumpstarttestprep.com.

    Source: Jumpstart Test Prep

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