NEIGHBORS: Students, service members recognized

The Air Force Association G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Chapter 376 recently held an award ceremony at their 15th annual meeting.

Award winners were Senior Airman Janet E. Vital, Outstanding Airman of the Year; Technical Sergeant Joshua R. Anglin-Bodenhamer, Outstanding Commissioned Officer of the Year; Master Sergeant Kelby Anderson, Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year. The Chief Master Sergeant Wayne Benthall Leadership Award was presented to Master Sergeant Daniel Goforth.

Special recognition was given to Nathan Sistrunk, Teacher of the Year for the Meridian AFA; John Benny Jones was the Space Camp Scholarship Award Winner.

Featured speaker for the ceremony was Congressman Michael Guest.

Daughters of the American Revolution  

Samuel Dale Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held their 19th annual Awards Program on May 4 at Meridian Activity Center.

Glenda Thomas, First Vice Regent and Scholarship Chairman presented the awards. Six schools in the Meridian area selected a fifth grade student to represent their school as their outstanding DAR Youth Citizenship winner.

Winners of the DAR Youth Citizenship Award are Eli Henderson, Oakland Heights Elementary; Madilyn Nance, West Lauderdale Middle School; Alexandria White, West Hills Elementary; Kalem Timms, Southeast Middle School; Elizabeth Rose Pollard, Lamar Elementary; and Allie Wilkinson, Clarkdale Elementary.

The DAR Good Citizen Award is presented to a high school senior who has been recognized as the outstanding senior student in his /her school. This student was chosen because she exemplifies the qualities of Dependability, Service, Leadership, and Patriotism: Maggie Grace Triplett was chosen as the DAR Good Citizen of Lamar High School. She was unable to attend but will be presented a certificate, a lapel pin, an American Flag and a scholarship.

After the program, Margaret McGough, chapter Registrar and former Regent of Bigbee Valley Chapter of the DAR in Alabama installed new officers for the 2022-23 year. New officers are Bunnie Tisdale, Regent; Glenda Thomas, Vice Regent; Gwynn Pierce, Secretary; Robin McCarty, Chaplain; Nell Covington, Registrar; and Sarah Walters, Parliamentarian.

Samuel Dale Chapter members Tiffanie Roberts, Becky Chaney, and Frances Olander were recognized for 25 years of loyal membership.

THIRD PLACE WINNER

Atharva Mantri, a student at Northeast Elementary School, recently won third place at the 2022 College Savings Mississippi Art Contest held at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson.