For many high school students with intentions of continuing their education beyond graduation, the transition can be difficult. 

     To address such issues, local and state education advocates and officials met recently at the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce with the Youth Advisory Board, a group of area high school students organized to improve access to higher learning.

     “The Youth Advisory Board is helping us understand what the steps are that we need to take as a community to get them to where they want to go,” Kay Burton, program director for the chamber, said.

     “This communication is helping them map out their pathway to higher education, it enables them to overcome some financial worries and ensures that they don’t have so many obstacles that would hinder them from going to college.”

     Burton explained that the chamber and the Mississippi Scholars piloted the discussion in collaboration with the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education.

     In attendance at the Wednesday, May 8, gathering was District 92 Rep. Becky Currie as well as District 60 Rep. and Chairman of the House Education Committee John Moore.

     “Having John Moore and Becky Currie there, I think, meant a little bit more to the students because it showed them that they were really being listened to,” Mississippi Scholars Chairman Kenny Goza, who was also in attendance, said.

     “The students showed us that we have a lot of work to do and it will take the whole community to get it done,” Goza said.

     Heather Daw, a junior at Brookhaven High School, shared her concerns with the group.

     “The ambassadors [the colleges] send to us are students, and they don’t know enough about enrollment,” she said. “Colleges need to send someone that’s more informative.”

     Daw also expressed the need to have an opportunity to meet with department heads when visiting certain colleges.

     Ben Strod, a junior at BHS, suggested that high schools provide a class “specifically addressing or helping you find what you are looking for.”

     Rebecca Harvey, a sophomore at Brookhaven Academy, said she would like to be more informed as far as what each college’s strong points are so she could choose the best school for her career path.

     Also in attendance was Director of Legislative Services for the Institutes of Higher Learning Kim Gallaspy, Mississippi Scholars board member Lori Carter, the Rev. Phillip Hamilton with Mt. Wade Baptist Church and Pam Cartwright with the chamber.