A rose to all our veterans on this special Veterans Day. Although most observances of the day will take place on Monday, today is the actual holiday — which traces its roots to the end of World War I, when the armistice that ended the war was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. For the past 100 years now, we have chosen this day as a moment to reflect on what our military has sacrificed and continues to sacrifice in the interest of not only our freedoms, but the freedoms of people throughout the world. If you know a veteran — and who doesn’t — be sure to reach out to them to thank them for all they do on our behalf. Happy Veterans Day to you all!
A rose to the East Mississippi Community College football team, which defeated Jones Community College, 19-14, Saturday in Ellisville for its second straight state championship and seventh in the past 11 years. The Lions don’t stop there: Undefeated EMCC has bigger goals in mind, namely another national championship. After beating Jones, ranked No. 4 in the nation, on its own turf, EMCC — the nation’s top-ranked team — will play for the title against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. We like their chances in that one too, but for now we salute the Lions for their state title. Winning state titles never gets boring — and it’s never as easy as it might appear.
A rose to Mississippi University for Women, which has adapted to the present realities without sacrificing its original mission. Today, The W is a co-educational institution and reflects the demographics of its community. But in efforts to achieve that balance, the university remains a source where young women can see among and around them examples of successful women. We were reminded of that after listening to Allison (Davis) Russo. Russo was elected to the Ohio State legislature Tuesday and spoke in glowing terms of how her studies at The W prepared her for public service. Russo (Class of 1998) said the presence of strong women — in the administration, faculty and student body — helped empower her and find her voice as a young woman.
A rose to the student staff of Mississippi School for Math and Science’s literary magazine, “Southern Voices.” Current MSMS students Victoria Gong, Lilian Li, Michelle Luo and Helen Peng, along with 2018 graduates Kamal Bhalla, Aidan Dunkelburg and Barrie Wright, were recently honored for their work at the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association’s statewide high school journalism convention in Hattiesburg with Best of Mississippi Scholastic Journalism Awards. With so much attention devoted to STEM studies — and given it’s name, MSMS is committed to that — it’s good to know that the language arts are not neglected. No matter what the future holds for our young people, the ability to clearly and effectively communicate through the written word is of great importance. We congratulate the students and MSMS for recognizing that. Write on!
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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