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Board recognizes CTE month, student internships and calls for stronger support for fine arts
Summary
The Vicksburg Warren School District observed February as CTE month, recognized student interns hired by local employers, and heard an extended public comment urging more recognition and funding for the district—ine arts programs.
The Vicksburg Warren School District board on Feb. 20 marked February as Career and Technical Education month and recognized students who interned with local employers and later were hired.
District staff described CTE activities this month including a waterways event at the new maritime training center, visits to the Lower Mississippi River Museum, eighth-grade outreach on CTE pathways, ninth-grade tours of the career-technical education center, mock interviews, and planned career academy days for elementary students. The superintendent asked career coaches and the project search coordinator to stand for recognition: Ms. Alexandra Burrell (Warren Central career coach), Ms. Monica Watson (Vicksburg High career coach) and Ms. Elizabeth Tester (district project search coordinator).
Several former students who interned during their senior year and later secured employment were recognized. Staff named Destiny Perkins (Meredith Health), Alexis Jeffers (welding program completer who interned with Unified Brands/Electrolux), and others placed through project-search internships including Lonnie Cooper and Amy Adams.
A district student serving as Miss Vicksburg'025, Belle Spires, addressed the board at length on the importance of music and fine arts in schools. Spires, an eighth grader at the Academy of Innovation, urged the board to "highlight and celebrate" the district—ine arts program and to provide more funding, arguing that music instruction improves cognitive development and provides lifelong benefits. She cited examples including the Academy of Innovation choir earning sweepstakes at a statewide assessment and raised concerns that some facilities upgrades still lack lights and sound equipment in auditoriums. "Music really is that powerful," she said, and asked trustees: "If not us, who? And if not now, when?"
Superintendent Holloway also reported on CTE-related employer hires and internship-to-employment transitions, noting the district will continue recognizing students who secure jobs through CTE programs.
Board members did not take formal policy action on fine-arts funding at the Feb. 20 meeting but acknowledged the requests and asked staff to consider budget priorities as part of planned five-year maintenance and spending discussions.
Provenance: the CTE month remarks, student recognitions and Belle Spires' public comment appear in the transcript beginning with the superintendent's CTE remarks and continuing through Spires' address.
