Can you dig the new BHS club? Archaeology added to school activities

Published 9:03 pm Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Who will become the real life Indiana Jones?

Someone from Brookhaven High School could, that’s who. The Brookhaven School Board Tuesday voted to establish an archaeology club at BHS in the fall.

“We’re always excited to get the kids involved in a new activity,” said Principal David Martin. “I think it’s going to be great.”

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The Archaeology Club will be run by social studies department chair Krista Russell.

The teacher recently joined the Mississippi Archeological Association and attended a Mississippi Delta mound tour led by the state’s leading archaeologist, Sam Brooks, she said. Russell also visited the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, Emerald Mound, Poverty Point in Louisiana and Moundville in Alabama.

“I felt like students needed more exposure to our early history and understanding how people lived and what their culture was like,” she said.

Students will learn about the pre-history of Mississippi and the region through guest speakers, research, field trips and discussion. Members of the club will be given the opportunity to join the Mississippi Archaeological Association and can attend meetings in Madison as well.

“I hope our students will gain a respect for our history and an interests in preserving it,” Russell said.

In other business, the school board:

• Declared a state of emergency at King Field for lighting repair due to damage caused by an EF-1 tornado on March 30 that left the field unusable. The emergency declaration was made because a delay in obtaining bids would not allow repairs to be completed prior to when the lights are needed for football games.

• Approved the Brookhaven School District’s Technical Center’s plan update.

• Approved a supplement for Title I English learner specialist.

• Approved a donation from Brookhaven Lion’s Club to BHS for $1,000 and also a donation from McComb Stat Care for $500.

• Approved participation by BHS students in Operation Christmas Child.