The Ellisville High School Class of 1963, (some of the class pictured below) and  

the  JCJC Class of 1963, (pictured above) gathered on Saturday of Homecoming for a great time of food and fellowship.  Some of the class cheered the 9-1 JCJC football team to victory too! Thank you for returning to your Alma Mater!         

JCJC President, Dr. Jesse Smith (pictured far left), and JCJC VP of Business Affairs, Rick Youngblood (pictured far right) were on hand for the delivery of the "Big Check" from PRVEPA's Manager of Member Services, Kurt Brautigam (pictured middle right holding check), and the Greater PineBelt Community Foundation's Executive Director, Theresa Erickson (pictured far left), and Board President, Iris Easterling (pictured far right). Two of the 36 JCJC students receiving PRVEPA Scholarships, William Folkes, (pictured middle left holding the check) and Kylie Bohannon (pictured middle right holding the check) accepted the donation.

   Thirty-six JCJC students recently received almost $1,000 in scholarship money from the Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association.  The power company initiated a new program, "Round Up for Education" which allowed its members to round up their power bill and donate that change to college scholarships.  Members of the PRVEPA had to apply for the scholarship. After a year's collections, 171 scholarships were awarded. Ten percent of the $184,000 collected from the 47,000 PRVEPA members will be endowed in a fund managed by The Greater PineBelt Community Foundation, for future use.  To read the story from Teresa McCreery, click on the link: JCJC students receive PRVEPA Scholarships 

  Congratulations!!!  to 2006 JCJC graduate and former assistant JCJC Baseball coach from 2004-2008, Jody Babineaux for being selected for the Troops to Teachers honor.  Earlier this summer he was also named the Mississippi Semi-Pro Baseball Coach of the Year Award for his work with the Laurel Black Cats.   

 The Lake Charles, La., native was on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corp from 2000-2004, before coming to the JCJC campus in Ellisville, Miss.

Dr. Brad Harrison, JCJC Career and Technical Student Services Director, was one of Babineaux's graduate teachers at William Carey and commends him for being an excellent role model, while visiting at Homecoming.

   He was stationed in Iraq for the first attack in 2003.  After graduating from JCJC in 2006, Lt. Babineaux joined the Mississippi National Guard while he was in the ROTC at USM.  Upon graduation in 2008, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Mississippi National Guard until 2010, when he was deployed to Iraq.  While serving as a Platoon Leader in Iraq, and leading a mission in 2009-2010, his convoy was attacked with an IED.  He was awarded the combat action badge and was later transferred to Mosul, Iraq, serving as a contracting and project manager officer.  In 2010, Babineaux transferred out of the Mississippi National Guard to the U.S. Army Reserve where he currently serves as the 647th transportation company executive officer in Laurel, Miss.  

  When he initially returned to Jones County, he said it was difficult finding a job so he taught GED night classes in Laurel, at the Pine Belt Adult Education Center.

  That opportunity and his military career, led to the nomination of Lt.Babineaux for the Troops to Teachers program.  A $10,000 check was presented recently from the organization, in front of his students, to help teach a lesson.    

   To read Teresa McCreery's entire story, click on the link: JCJC alumnus earns Troops to Teacher honor. 

Congratulations!!!  to Odean Busby of Magee for being elected chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association.  The executive chairman of PriorityOne Bank in Magee and JCJC graduate will be the chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association.  The MBA governs the 124-year-old association whose members include commercial banks and savings institutions operating in Mississippi.  

  He began his banking career as a "runner" in Hattiesburg with the former First Mississippi National Bank, now Bancorp South.  However, Busby has been with PriorityOne Bank for 33 years.  

  After graduating from JCJC he earned a bachelor's degree in banking and finance from USM and is a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.    

  As an active member of the MBA, Busby has previously served a three-year term on the MBA Board of Directors. He served as the chairman of the Mississippi School of Banking Trustees and as a member of the MBA Legislative Committee.  He is the current president of the MBA Education Foundation and he has represented Mississippi on the American Bankers Association's Government Relations Council as well as chairman of the Mississippi Guaranty Pool Board.

  Busby is chairman of the board of trustees of William Carey University and serves as a board member of Magee General Hospital/HealthTrust.  He also serves as director of the Simpson County Economic Development Foundation.  

  Busby and his wife Glinda have two children, Jason (and wife Robin) and Molly Barron, and they have four grandchildren: Kate, Brooke, Ian, and Luke.   

Mark your Calendars for these upcoming Events

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