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Meridian students honored for ACT scores; residents ask council to name street after community leader and back Reconciliation Week events
Summary
Council meeting included a presentation recognizing Meridian High School students who scored 25 or higher on the ACT, and public comments urging the council to name a street for Billy Joe Jones and to support the Miller Foundation's Reconciliation Week programming.
The Meridian City Council heard a presentation from Meridian Public School District celebrating Meridian High School students who scored 25 or higher on the ACT and recognized several students who announced college plans. The council also heard public comments requesting a street be named for community leader Billy Joe Jones and asking for city support for the Miller Foundation’s annual Reconciliation Week events.
During the presentation the students introduced themselves and stated their grade, college plans and ACT scores. Dane Hill, identified himself as a senior at Meridian High School and said, “I’m going to attend Clark Atlanta University to play football and I made a 28 on my ACT.” Lauren Davis, a 10th grader, said, “I wanna go to Princeton and become an accountant and I’m at a 28 on my ACT.” Haley Bachelor, a senior, said she “intends to go to the University of Southern Mississippi” and reported a 31 on the ACT. Other students who spoke with their school year, intended college and ACT scores included Shada Mosley (11th grade, aiming for Duke University, ACT 27), Evelyn Jones (senior, plans to attend UWA PCL, ACT 27), Anila Stevenson (senior, plans to attend Southern University in Baton Rouge, ACT 25), Boston Hodges (junior, plans Alcorn State University, ACT 27), Christopher White (senior, plans to attend MCC, ACT 26), and Aaron Walker (junior, plans Alabama State University, ACT 31). Council members and meeting officials thanked the students and encouraged community coverage of their achievement.
In public comment, Rose Walker, who said she recently returned to Meridian after 25 years away, asked the council to “do something for Miss Polly” in recognition of her contributions and requested council consideration to name a street after Billy Joe Jones, who Walker said was a long-time worker and presence at Magnolia Park and an important community figure for people who grew up in the area. Walker said she had discussed the naming with Jones and his family and asked the council to consider naming 20 Fourth Street (the route described in her remarks) as “Billy Joe Jones Way.”
Stacy Miller Cole, executive director of the Miller Foundation and chair of the reconciliation committee, asked the council to support the foundation’s annual Reconciliation Week. Cole said the foundation will mark the 23rd anniversary of the Lockheed shooting and the 18th annual week of events; she described new elements for the year including a pickleball tournament on Saturday the 12th and a youth musical showcase, and requested in-kind use of city facilities such as City Hall for a mayor’s prayer breakfast, a pickleball court for the tournament and the Frank Carpens Center for the youth showcase. Dates were stated on the record in the meeting with references to “Monday, July through Sunday, July” and specific references to the “twelfth” for the tournament; meeting materials should be consulted for exact calendar details.
No formal council action on the naming request or facility support was recorded in the meeting minutes; both were presented as public-comment requests and items for potential future consideration.
The presentation and public comments highlighted local student achievement and community requests for recognition and municipal support of cultural events.
