Columbus Wins EMCC Olympiad

MAYHEW – The contingent from Columbus High School racked up enough awards Friday to earn the Overall School Award at East Mississippi Community College’s annual Scholars’ Olympiad.

Hundreds of students from area schools gathered to test in a broad range of subjects including both academic and career-technical categories. Scholarships to EMCC were awarded to students who placed in the top three in each test.

Columbus High School earned overall honors with 13 top-three placements. Participating high schools included: Caledonia High School, Central Academy, Columbus High School and McKellar Technology Center, Heritage Academy, New Hope High School, Oak Hill Academy, Starkville High School and Millsaps Career & Technology Center and West Point Career and Technology Center.

Michael Black, head recruiter for EMCC’s Golden Triangle campus in Mayhew, said the Scholars’ Olympiad is an ideal way for EMCC to introduce itself to future college students and vice versa.

“It’s exciting for the students because they get out of regular class for the day, but for an academic competition where they can earn money for college. And it’s exciting for us because we get to bring the brightest students in the area to our campus, show them what we have to offer and make a good impression with the hope that they’ll choose to begin their college careers at EMCC,” he said.

First place finishers were awarded $2,000 scholarships to be distributed over four semesters at EMCC. Second place earned $1,000 over four semesters. And third place earned $400 over four semesters.

Winners and their high schools are listed below:

Art

1st Brennan Brown – Heritage

2nd Rachel Wheeler – Columbus

3rd Eric Summerall – Caledonia

Biology

1st Anthony Malone – Caledonia

2nd Nathan Saint – New Hope

3rd Marino Randle – Columbus

English

1st Lauren Billington – Oak Hill

2nd Jessi Cole – Oak Hill

3rd Avery Smith – Caledonia

History

1st Addison Warren – Caledonia

2nd Faith Croft – Caledonia

3rd Roshad Meeks – Columbus

Math

1st Jackie Gates – Oak Hill

2nd John Parham – Caledonia

3rd John Harmon – Columbus

Music

1st Johnathan Hendricks – New Hope

2nd Grace Strickland – New Hope

3rd Forrest Granderson – Columbus

Physical Science

1st Elizabeth Lawrence – New Hope

2nd Sophia Timm – Columbus

3rd Jeb Stevens – Oak Hill

Automotive

1st Orlando Taylor – Columbus

2nd Cameron Miller – New Hope

3rd Zach Tedford – New Hope

Culinary

1st Sanitra Robinson – Columbus

2nd Gissel Guzman – West Point

3rd Kenyatta Stewart – Columbus

Electrical

1st Martin Dott – West Point

2nd William Swain – West Point

 

Electronics

1st Kyle Bolin – Starkville

2nd Purcell Hinton – Starkville

 

Drafting

1st Rosa Williams – West Point

2nd Brianna Edinburgh – Columbus

 

Marketing, Finance, Hospitality

1st De’Andrea Barr – West Point

2nd Cacovia Millsaps – Columbus

3rd Shawn Stallings – Columbus

 

Nursing

1st Brittiana Jones – Columbus

2nd China Amistead – Starkville

3rd Stacie Young – Starkville

 

Nutrition

1st Amber Peoples – West Point

2nd Russ Taylor – Central Academy

3rd Lora Lee Sansing – Central Academy

 

Welding

1st Chris Gable – West Point

2nd William Johnson – West Point

3rd T.J. Coleman – Central Academy