OUTSTANDING SENIORS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS AT MCEF AWARDS DAY

PROGRAM ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO CONTINUE EDUCATION IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL FIELDS

PEARL ― Eleven high school seniors enrolled in career and technical education programs across Mississippi won $5,500 in scholarships at an annual celebration sponsored by the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation on May 3.

The scholarship program, funded by MCEF and the Mississippi State Board of Contractors, provides $500 scholarships to students who are on track to enroll and be accepted in a construction- or manufacturing-related degree program after graduating from high school. Recipients also must meet academic requirements and be recommended by their instructors and career-center directors.

“If Mississippi is going to have the skilled workforce that’s needed for tomorrow, we must encourage and train those workers today,” said Mike Barkett, MCEF president. “This scholarship program rewards students who are readying for career and technical positions; subsequently preparing Mississippi to support its growing construction and manufacturing industries.”

Scholarship winners are Malcolm Beaugez, Ocean Springs High School Career and Technical Center; Mason Cox and Wesley Simmons, South Panola Career and Technical Center; Jason Fricke, Hancock County Career Technical Center; Lilian Weaver, Jackson County Technology Center; Ja‘Quan Thompson, Monroe County Career Technical Center; Andrew Houston and Amauri Washington, Amory Career and Technical Center; and Grant Mills, Kristen Ray and Wraz Smith, Wayne County Career and Technical Center.

MCEF is a non-profit educational foundation that provides NCCER craft training and credentialing in more than 100 career and technical programs across the state. The foundation’s mission is to train individuals for the construction and manufacturing industries in Mississippi.

MCEF also offers workforce training and credentialing in construction, industrial maintenance and manufacturing trades.