A rose to the volunteer performers in the annual “Columbus Sings Messiah” at Annunciation Catholic Church on Tuesday.
The group included conductor Doug Browning, members of his Columbus High School Chorus, volunteer singers from throughout the Golden Triangle as well as the musical accompanists.
The two performances played to full houses as musicians and singers again helped kick off the holiday season with the Handel’s most famous work. The 40-person Columbus High choir greeted concert-goers with Christmas carols as they arrived, with some of the singers also performing with the 110-person choir during the performance. We cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the arrival of the Christmas season.
A rose to the folks at Memorial Funeral home for their own contribution to our “Christmas Spirit.”
As it has for 50 years now, Memorial has set up a Nativity scene at its location on Second Avenue North. Although it’s not a big production, it has become a much-loved part of the season, judging from the reaction from the community when a late start to the display led to worried calls about whether the Nativity scene had been abandoned this year. The answer is a no and now that the stable and enclosure have been erected, the scene-stealing sheep – Luke and Jordan – have arrived, much to the delight of the children who are captivated by two woolly occupants of the manger.
A rose to Mississippi State’s student athletes, who are proving that winning is not limited to the field of play. MSU athletes posted a cumulative 3.15 grade-point average during the fall semester, the highest GPA on record at the university.
A total of 229 MSU student-athletes earned a spot on the Honor Roll with a fall semester GPA of 3.0 or higher. Fifty-four student-athletes earned a 4.0 this semester. Given the unbelievable time commitment required of athletes as their strive for athletic excellence, their work in the classroom is even more impressive. They are role models of what student-athletes should be in the finest sense of the word.
A rose to Mississippi First, a non-profit educational advocacy group, for bringing to our attention a way to help our youngest learners.
Rachel Canter, the director of the organization, alerted members of the Starkville Rotary Club to a little known tax credit that can be applied to anyone who donates to the state’s Early Learning Collaborative. The donations provide a dollar-for-dollar tax credit and the money helps provide early childhood education through partnerships between school districts, Head Start programs and possibly private schools or child care centers. Pre-K education can be a real difference-maker for our children, preparing them for formal K-12 education. For more information, contact Mississippi First at 601-398-9008.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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