The e-Torch

“Where your

treasure is,

There your

heart will be

also”

- Luke 12:34

In This Issue

Ice Breaker 2015

Scholarship Awards

Alumni Cleanup

MANRRS

Global Impact

Thanks TNBC

A Publication of The Piney Woods Country Life School Edition 15.09.01

W elcome to the 2015-16 academic year of The Piney Woods Country Life School.

We are excited about so much that is happening with our students, our faculty and staff,

our alumni - indeed, our entire school community. We finished last year strongly and

entered this school year even stronger. As one sign of our growth and progress, our en-

rollment has increased this year and continues to advance. So far this year, we have wel-

comed over 130 new and returning students. Moreover, again this year our students hail

from nearly 20 different states and foreign jurisdictions.

Academically, our students’ ef-

forts are well underway. Alt-

hough we needed to adjust

scheduling to cover as many stu-

dent needs as possible, we’re

pleased to be offering new cours-

es this year such as Agri-Science

and Agri-Business that will take

advantage of our farm. We also

welcome back more than 20 in-

structional faculty members,

about a ten percent growth over

last year. This year’s team in-

cludes new student support staff

as a part of our residential facul-

ty. We’ll plan to share more

about individual team members

in faculty spotlight sections of future e-Torch editions.

So much is happening. Our students held the annual ice-breaker talent showcase earlier

this month; congratulations to the young ladies of Snoopy Hall who prevailed in that

contest! Our young men participated in a local conference focused on young men and

mentoring, and were privileged to meet author Wes Moore, as well as Army Lieutenant

General Russel Honoré. A small group of students attended a college fair near Jackson

with more than 40 colleges and universities represented, and we sponsored our own col-

lege fair which include 25 schools from across the southeast and the nation.

There is much more in store as our school year progresses. Stay tuned to future editions

of The e-Torch and to email communications from our faculty and administration. God

Bless You. God Keep You.

In earnest,

Will Crossley, President

The Piney Woods School

Students Destiny McDaniel (Class of ‘16) and Jalen Rankin (Class of ‘16)

Educating the Head, Heart and Hands since 1909

Mark Your Calendar To Be Here!

106th Anniversary & Founder’s Weekend

PWS Parent’s Weekend 2015

November 6 - 8, 2015

For more information, contact csmith@pineywoods.org

Every fall our students take part in a time-

honored tradition in which each residential house on campus squares off and

showcases the talents of its residents. The young men of Mary Mac I and Mary

Mac II practiced hard and performed well. However, our young ladies took

home the prizes. Congratulations to Snoopy Hall, the 2015 Ice Breaker winning

residential house! Hyde-Humphrey Hall was the runner-up this year.

Take me out to a ballgame

Ice Breaker 2015

Young ladies of Piney Woods have begun a series of sessions

addressing important topics with Global Impact. The first ses-

sion was focused on human trafficking. Students participated in

a town hall meeting and learned about missing persons and

other trafficking matters here in Mississippi. The ladies are ea-

ger to see what the future sessions will entail.

MANRRS visits Alcorn State University

The Piney Woods School is a proud par

tici pant in Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sci-

ences (MANRRS). Recently our MANRRS’s club visited Alcorn State University for the uni-

versities Field Day. Club members were warmly greeted by Dr. Ivory W. Lyles, Dean and

Director of Land Grant Programs of the School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Ap-

plied Sciences. Our students visited the diary farm and greeted the Alpacas, among other

stops. Students observed sows and horses and learned about breeding and animal care.

Global Impact Series — Human Trafficking Awareness

Ronald Jones (PWS Mass Communications Prof.,

Radio Station Manager and Public Affairs Associate) and his wife, Francine Haig-

Jones (Chair of PWS Social Studies Department) treated a group of students to a

Mississippi Braves ballgame at nearby Trustmark field in Pearl. The young ladies

photographed had the pleasure to meet WAPT’s news anchor, Erin Pickens.

Congratulations to last year’s valedictorian Australia

Say (c/o ‘15), who is currently a first year student at

Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, for becom-

ing a 2015 recipient of The David B. Bergstrom

Scholarship Award. The program was created for

ambitious high school seniors who want to further

their educational success after secondary school.

This exclusive honor is awarded to two students

annually.

Congratulations to Lemi Elba (c/o ‘15), a member of the top ten in last year’s graduating

class, on being awarded a $5,000 scholarship for his matriculation to Fisk University. The

focus of the award encourages high school graduates to apply for and attend Historically

Black Colleges and Universities. The MARCH Foundation has been a long time supporter

of students at The Piney Woods School, now continuing seven years of consecutive giving

to our institution.

Australia Say Valedictorian (c/o ‘15)

Lemi Elba (c/o ‘15) Top Ten - #6

to all of the Alumni who participated in this year’s annual campus cleanup. Thank you to

the Piney Woods School International Alumni Association for sponsoring this event. Your collective support and in-

volvement inspires and engages the current students (your future fellow alums)! If you are not an active member, join

the association at www.pineywoodsalumni.org.

Annual Alumni Sponsored Campus Cleanup Day

Contact Us

The Piney Woods School

P.O. Box 99

Piney Woods, MS 39148

(601) 845-2214

pwsmail@pineywoods.org

Visit us on the web at

www.pineywoods.org

for the lotions, soap, and other toiletries that were recently donated to our students by the Teamsters

National Black Caucus / TNBC). TNBC has supported us for many years both financially and with in-kind

gifts. The recent gift continues this strong and faithful relationship.

TNBC strikes again

Development Assistant

We seek an individual with strong writing, clerical, and database management skills.

Great personal relationships is a must.

Development Associate

We seek an experienced development and fundraising professional to help manage

our annual fund and individual donor relationships.

Food Service Professionals

We seek experience working in the school sector with the ability to work with and

share skills with students.

Security Professionals

Do you have armed forces or law enforcement experience?

If so, consider contributing to the safety of the next generation of scholars.

Accounts Payable Clerk

We seek an individual with excellent customer services skills that is experienced in

all aspects of Accounts Payable.

See the posting online at www.pineywoods.org or send a cover

letter and resume to kthurman@pineywoods.org.

The Piney Woods School relies on donations

more than any other source to meet our stu-

dents educational needs. We do NOT receive

state or federal education funding. Approxi-

mately 9 out of every 10 eligible students

qualifies for free or reduced meals. All stu-

dents board with us on campus. Many par-

ents earn minimum wages or less, and pro-

vide for other children at home. Despite these

challenges, we have proven that, when given

the opportunity, our students can succeed.

You can help keep this legacy alive. Please

give online at www.pineywoods.org.

@The Piney Woods School @pineywoods1909 @pineywoods1909

Our Mission: To provide educational excellence in a Christian community,

through an academic tenet with the belief that all students can lean, develop a

strong work ethic and lead an extraordinary life, but may not have the opportunity

to do so for financial or other reasons.