Five local students achieved statewide honors during theMississippi Department of Education’s seventh annual State ReadingFair held recently in Jackson.

The reading fair gives students an opportunity to share theirfavorite fiction books through a storyboard display with the goalof instilling a lifelong love of reading in students.

Students may enter one of three categories: individual, groupproject and family project. Students are judged in divisions basedon grade level. Students who win local competitions advance toregional competitions where first place winners are again advancedto statewide competition.

Reagan NcNerney of New Hebron Attendance Center and Mary”Kamryn” Sullivan of Wesson Attendance Center swept two of thethree awards in the individual category for grades four and five.NcNerney captured the top spot, while Sullivan placed second.

Hailey Jackson and Graysen Miller, both of Rod Paige MiddleSchool in Lawrence County, captured first place honors in the groupaward for grades four through eight.

Second place honors went to Connor Quin of Roxie, who attendsFranklin Elementary School, for his second grade individualentry.

Gray and Ira-Rain Levison of Georgetown, who attend CrystalSprings Elementary School, received third place honors inkindergarten through third grade for their family project entry,while Peyton Greer of Magnolia, an Osyka Elementary School student,won a third place award in the individual category for firstgrade.