Service was the theme in 2008 for Catholic Schools’ Week at Resurrection Catholic School in Pascagoula. This made RCS religion coordinator Donna Harper wonder what gives the school its Catholic identity. This year each student will complete a minimum of 20 hours of service, 10 for each semester. In addition, Kiley Leonard will keep track of the hours the students complete and will assist in recording them as religion grades. Those students who complete more than 40 hours of service will receive an additional award for their outstanding works. From left: Lauren Tomsik, Harper, Leonard, Holley Cunningham and Alyssa Hill.

Members of the STS-127 shuttle mission visited Stennis Space Center recently to share with site employees details of their July visit to the International Space Station. During an all-hands session the astronauts thanked Stennis employees for providing main engines that gave them a beautiful ride aboard space shuttle Endeavour. During their 16-day mission, the astronauts delivered the Japanese Experiment Module’s Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section. The mission featured five spacewalks to install the equipment and perform other work on the space station. The crew shared a video of highlights from the mission with Stennis employees and signed lithographs. Following their report, the astronauts traded commemorative plaques with Stennis Deputy Director Patrick Scheuermann, center. Astronauts visiting Stennis were from left: Chris Cassidy, Doug Hurley, Mark Polansky, Julie Payette, Thomas Mashburn and David Wolf.

The Pass Christian Center for Excellence cafeteria staff displayed school spirit and support of the Pass Christian Middle School Pirates football team through balloon art and table arrangements. Debi Necaise, who is a full-time Pass Christian School District bus driver and a part-time cafeteria staff member, created an enormous goal post and a football player out of balloons and decorated the tables with balloon arrangements. Kindergarten through eighth-grade students were enthusiastic to see the displays. From left: Terrie Ladner, cafeteria manager; Alma Dedeaux, Ella Hatcher, Necaise, Tiffany Mitchell, Angela Spencer and Paula Malley. Not pictured: Belinda Fields, Eileen Pavolini and Jennifer Shultz.

From sunup to sundown for four days straight, Moss Point junior high and high school cheerleaders recently participated in the Universal Cheerleading Association Cheerleading Camp in Panama City Beach, Fla.

A Grandparents Day Mass was recently held at Our Lady of Fatima Elementary School in Biloxi. Students invited their grandparents and a reception was held in the school cafeteria after the Mass. Ashton Goundas, center, a fifth-grade student in Cindy Grammar’s class, attended with her grandparents, Joy and Angelo Goundas.

The Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce announced its Biloxi High School senior representatives for the 2009-10 school year, John Wetzel and Haley Whiteman. These students attend the monthly board meetings to report on activities at Biloxi High. Wetzel is the son of Jim and Elizabeth Graham. Whiteman is the daughter of Diana and Glen Whiteman.

The Gulf Coast United under-11-year-old girls soccer team became champions, winning first place in the Gator Classic Tournament. The tournament, a two-day event, was played in New Orleans at Lafreniere Park and ended Sept. 20. The team participated in the gold bracket, the most competitive division of play. From left, bottom row: Iben Madsen, Haley Kim, Gabby Vincent, Alexis Arnoult, Amanda Sylvia, Lauren Penny, Cassidy Couch, Kayle Vincent; top row: Coach Henrik Madsen, Summer Hansen, Mary Rimmer, Savannah Goolsby, Madeline Appel, Autumn McCumber and assistant coach Jesse Vincent.

At first glance worms seem like simple creatures, but students in Lisa Couey’s first-grade class at DeLisle Elementary learned these burrowers with interesting anatomical structures are an important part of the ecosystem. After reading “The Diary of a Worm,” the students engaged in a discussion about worms and the significant role they play in composting. As a culminating activity, room mothers Kelly Decker, Dawn Halstead and Tricia Lowery assisted the students in planting a classroom flower garden. From left, front row: Ashlin Pena, Carson Cuevas, Madison Rutherford, Dominic Patton, Brooklyn Beech, Lanae Dedeaux, Daylan Cullens, Briar Williams; Back row, left to right: Mikynna Molandes, Kendrick Lowery, Rick Woods, Andra Niolet, Kallie Wilson, Isabella Viera, Brianna McKay, Briana Wendt and Gavin Myers.

St. Patrick Catholic High School student Cliffe Horne, center, looks warily at emergency room nurse Linda Dutil, left, as she begins to demonstrate one of the medical interventions for drug and alcohol overdose. Raven Gutierrez, right, acted as a nurse assistant. Seventh- and eighth-grade students at the school listened and watched intently during Dutil’s assembly program, “A Taste of Reality.” Dutil, from Maine, shared personal stories, pictures and interactive demonstrations about the consequences of poor decisions young people sometimes make with drugs and alcohol. Throughout her message, she emphasized, “Take care of your friends.”

The Rotary Club of Edgewater recently awarded a $500 gift certificate to the Building On Our Skills Together program to buy supplies. B.O.O.S.T. is a mentoring program that allows the community to get involved with elementary education. Rotarians and their spouses work with students to give special one-on-one attention. Rotarian and mentor Patti Bankston-Futrell presented the gift certificate to Beth Wilson, the B.O.O.S.T teacher. From left, front row: Emma Jones, Ashton Smith, Nathaniel Brown, Jalen Simmons; back row: Bankston-Futrell, Wilson and Amanda Letonoff, mentor.

St. Patrick Catholic High School seventh-grade students who have been identified as Duke University Talent Identification students, from left, front row: Mary Margaret Maddox, Jordan Healy, Hannah Ainsworth, Stephen Alexander, George Azar, Taylor Bosarge, Sienna Johnson, Adam Cooper, Joe Cook, Brady Ford and Matthew Foster; second row: Ellen Collins, Meghan Letard, Sam Hopkins, Kaden Fricke, Kaitlin Givens, Kara Krivanec, Stuart LeBlanc, John Moore, Zachary Torricelli, Timmy Nguyen, and Nicholas Nimmo; top row: Timothy Sherwood, Jacob Seicshnaydre, Anna Wright, Austin Simmons, Brandon Sparks, Evans Wood, Jackson Wagner, Joshua Luke and Jesse Parker. Not pictured: Allison Daneault, Eoin Harris, Brooke Saucier and Jeremi Dibble. The Duke TIP identifies academically gifted seventh-graders, based on outstanding performance on standardized tests. The candidates are invited to complete the SAT or ACT, providing them with the opportunity to take an advanced-level test and learn more about their academic strengths.

Seal teacher awards nominations sought

AARP Jackson County Chapter 1213 recently observed its National Day of Service. Members donated canned goods for the Daily Bread Food pantry and gift items for residents of Plaza Community Living Center and Singing River Rehabilitation Center. President Jerry Meador, Lois Meador, co-chairman of the National Day of Service committee, and Min Miller delivered the items to the pantry. Ernestine Hutchins, chairman of the National Day of Service committee, Novella Griffin and Irma Martin delivered gifts to nursing homes and visited with residents. Jackson County AARP members meet the second Monday of each month with a potluck lunch. Details: Jerry Meador, 769-2283. Pictured are Lois Meador, Jerry Meador, Miller, Hutchins and Griffin.

The Jackson County Technology Center held a staff development session, before students reported for the school year, aboard the Happy Dance. The event included lunch and team-building activities. The Happy Dance is owned by John and Kim Aflague. From left: Charlene Dobbs, Kim Aflague, Cathy Bloomfield, Diane Novak (director), Laura Matthew, Nic Wages, Connie Helmuth, Rickey Corker, Richard Keleher and Mark Wallen.

First-grader Brooke Dorsey, wearing her Recipe for a Special Grandparent chef hat, sneaks a hug from her grandmother, Anne Mikish, at the DeLisle Elementary School Grandparent’s Day luncheon. More than 250 grandparents participated in the luncheon.

Seven ninth-graders from St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, with a faculty moderator, joined with Goodwill warehouse and store workers recently to ready donations for sale. Stanislaus students are separated into groups and sent to work with nonprofits in the community to enhance their spirit of community involvement. From left, first row: Robert Courtiate, Antholy Depreo, Christian Dedeaux; second row: Goodwill CEO Ron Russell, Gavin Gros, Trey Deschamp, Stanislaus faculty member Denise Carneiro, and Gaitlin Fay.

Cedar Lake United Methodist Church in North Biloxi recently celebrated marriage as it recognized 12 couples in the church who have been married at least 50 years. Music for the service emphasized the wedding theme, highlighted by a solo performance of ‘You’re My Best Friend’ by Chris Ladner. After the sermon, ‘The Sanctity of Marriage,’ pastor Gary Ruff officiated a short ceremony in which five of the couples reaffirmed their marriage vows. A wedding reception followed. Front row: Romie and Mildred Krohn, Waldo and Betty Hartel, Terrell and Pat Richardson, Bill and Katherine Husley, Bill and Ann Balius; back row: Bobby and Caroline Touchstone, Mike and Ann Scarborough, Fred and Dorothy Mitchell, Ray and Glenna Phillips, and W.M. and Edna Krohn. Not pictured: Bill and Nita Rushing, and James and Helen Rushing.

USSVI Tullibee Base of Mississippi Base Commander C.L. Harvey, right, of Grand Bay, Ala,, presented the USSVI Eagle Scout Award Certificate and patch to newly minted Eagle Scout Brett Edward Monju, left, of Kiln at a recent ceremony. The Eagle Scout Award is usually presented at a specially convened Court of Honor. This ceremony is very similar in effect to a shipmate being awarded his dolphins as the honoree will forever be known and honored as an Eagle Scout.

The line lieutenants of the Krewe of Hera — Ashley Grayson, Kim Ryan, Kathryn Platt and Wanda LeBlanc — recently had their annual Mardi Gras kickoff party at the home of Tom and Vicki Baird.

Officers were elected and installed at the Mississippi Poetry Society, South Branch meeting recently at the Moss Point Library. The installation ceremony was conducted by Helen Jarvis of Pascagoula. Officers are Patricia Butkovich of Gautier, president; Mary Osterman of Ocean Springs, vice president; Judy Davies of Gautier, secretary; and Voncile Ros of Pascagoula, treasurer. Brenda Finnegan of Ocean Springs was appointed publicity chair and Jim Atchley of Pascagoula was appointed sergeant-at-arms. Butkovich was chosen as branch nominee for Poet of the Year for the state society, and Nelda Broom of Pascagoula was nominated for the state Lifetime Achievement Award. Plans were made for upcoming events. From left are Butkovich, Davies and Ros.