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Graduation is less than a month away. I was given the unique opportunity to work with some of Mrs. Jillian Ethridge’s English students at Magee High School.
Mrs. Ehtridge invited me to come and visit with her class and discuss interview papers the students were writing. Well, you know me…I was all about let’s do video interviews! Everyone is not wild about being in front of a camera; therefore, we agreed for some to film and some to write!
Below are some of the video-interviews and the written interviews. All written work was submitted by the student to the teacher.
Because I have been working on a Senior Spotlight, I invited other Magee seniors to submit a video. We got a mixture!
Hope you enjoy…and encourage these seniors as they take another step-in life!
My name is Chasity Norwood, and today I will be talking about Cassandra Kennedy. Cassandra is a senior at Magee High School and is the daughter of Felicia and Waylon Kennedy. With graduation coming up on May 22nd, she is eager to get started on something new. One of her favorite things to do is play games. Cassandra would enjoy making a career out of it. Que pasa is the nickname that she goes by. I created that nickname for her. Cassandra is the sweetest person you will ever meet. Her extracurricular activities are band and soccer. She recently just got a band scholarship. Cassandra is in color guard and is excellent at it. She is always drinking coffee, absolutely loves it, and enjoys adding all types of different flavors to it.
Over the years, people have always been misguided by her ethnicity. Instead of them asking her what race or ethnicity she is, they just assumed that she was Mexican. Que pasa is not a normal girl, and that is perfectly fine. People judge her because what she enjoys doing is not quite what the average teenage girl would do. She loves to learn something new if the subject interests her. Cassandra rarely misses school. One thing most people should know about her is that she can cook as if her life depends on it. She makes all types of cuisines.
In the future, she wishes to go into cosmetology. She believes that people should choose a career that they enjoy instead of choosing something that makes a lot of money, leading to unhappiness. Cassandra is in a family of three half siblings and a dog named Dumplin. As a friend, she has always been there for others (even when she didn’t want to). Cassandra has a very big heart. Others don’t understand how great of a friend she is.
My name is Cassandra Kennedy and today I have interviewed not only a student at Magee High School, but a good friend to me, Chasity Norwood. Chasity told me that she has attended Magee high school for two years. She came from Puckett with her mom. She also has seven siblings, and she’s kind of in the awkward middle. Chasity also shared with me that she use to be bullied a lot, mostly on how she looked and walked. I personally have worked with Chasity outside of school, and I do not think there is anything wrong with her appearance or how she walks.
Chasity Norwood wants people to know that she is actually a sweet person. People don’t point out on how nice she is; they only focus on her angry episodes. She does not want people to be afraid on her. The only reason she has a short temper is because she has dealt with a lot of stuff before, and she’s tired of having to hold herself back, making it only harder on her. She doesn’t put up with being treated unfairly. Chasity knows how to take care of herself.
People think that after high school, they have to go to college to be successful. To Ms. Norwood, that is not true. She says that she prefers to work after school instead of “wasting money on more classes that don’t exactly guarantee a career.”
If Chasity were to take a vacation, she would want to go to Rio in Brazil. She told me that she really liked their culture there. Rio is known for their parties and festivals. The citizens have colorful and a slightly revealing outfits and dance to music on the streets. She said she would love to try their food there because it is a lot different from ours.
Brandon Gregory by Tyler Myers
Brandon Wyatt Gregory was born on December 16, 1999, on a cold and wintery night in Jackson, Mississippi, at Central Mississippi Medical Center. He weighed 5 lbs and 15oz. Brandon Gregory is the second child of eight kids. His nickname is Bran Bran. He loves to fish as often as he can. He loves to drift the river with his dad and grandfather. He enjoys hunting at his deer camp and remembers when he was hunting two years ago with his father when he shot a ten point deer. After he graduates, he plans to attend Ole Miss in Starkville, Mississippi, in order to study Criminology. He wants to become a Crime Scene Investigator. His favorite television show is The Flash. Barry Allen is his idol. He has a black belt in karate and has injured many opponents. He has been in many competitions but has lost them all. He has a girlfriend named Michelle and plans on marrying her after college and start a family. He hopes to have a big family. He dreams of moving to New York and owning a huge house with a four-car garage. He wants to live close to a city where his profession will be utilized.
Audrianna Magee Interviewing Demarius Day (AKA Debo)
1. When you graduate high school, what are your plans afterwards?
When I graduate after high school, I’m going to get a summer job working the whole summer and then attend Coahoma Community College. I chose Coahoma college because I want to play basketball and go back home. I plan on majoring in meteorology.
2. What are your academic strengths and weaknesses?
My academic strengths are helping others out, being kindful to others, and my weakness is math.
3. What do you plan to do after you finish college?
I plan on making it in the NBA.
4. What challenges did you face in high school?
No challenges really, I just been staying focused and ready for the future.
5. Do you think college would be easier than high school?
Yes, I think college would be easier than high school.
Tayler Tatum
All About Me
My high school experience has been filled with nothing but great memories and a lot of achievements. One of my best memories in high school was the first day of my senior year when all of my classmates met up for breakfast and then had the senior parade. One thing I like about being a senior is that I get to leave early everyday. One thing I don’t like about being a senior is that we have soooo many dues/fees to pay. This year I became a member of The National Honor Society and BETA Club member. I will graduate number twenty out of a hundred and sixteen students in my class with honors. When I graduate May 22 I will attend college in the fall.
After high school I plan to go to Copiah Lincoln Community College to major in Medical Laboratory Technician. After I complete my two years at a junior college I will attend a university to finish my other two years. When I get my associates degree I will then go after my bachelors degree. When I am done with college I will move out of state so that I can get paid more money than I would if I lived here and to start over and have a “new” life. Then after a couple years I want to get my masters degree. I might even decide to change my title to a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
DeMarius Day
My name is DeMarius KeAndre Day. I’m a senior at Magee High School and will graduate next month in May of 2018. The time I been here at Magee High School, I played the sport of basketball. I was on the basketball team here at Magee High since 7th grade. I ran track in my 8th grade year also after basketball season and finish out playing basketball from then to my senior year this year. I want to attend the college of Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, MS or also attending Mississippi Delta to play basketball to study meteorology.
When I leave from school I go home and start my after school routine, I come home to eat, sleep, and then go out to the court and play basketball to workout on my game. I like to eat, I have so many kinds I just mostly eat anything. I also like to clean the house when I don’t have anything to do especially helping my grandma and mama around the house. Sometimes I also help them cook because maybe they had a long day and I just want to help them with anything possible.
I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. There names are Jumier Day, Amari Ayers, Shakari Ayers, and Kianna Ayers. I’m the oldest in my home living with my mother and grandma. It’s kinda hard being the oldest in the house, but family comes first to do what I have to do, but I really do enjoy spending time with my family. I want them to be successful that’s why me playing basketball is really a great passion for me and for them, so I can help them out and provide what is needed for them. I want them to remember me as getting drafted to the NBA and playing for them going back home to Chicago from where I was born from.
If basketball doesn’t work out for me I can become a meteorologist. I also like to watch the weather on the news and also like to learn the impacts of the storms that be coming to our area in Mississippi. Using weather tools will also be fun and important for me to use for the 7 day forecast to determine what we should wear for them important days. I may have a bright future ahead of me, but me doing these careers is the best fit for me, really anyone hasn’t looked up to me or anything, I just been doubted saying I can’t do this and that, but I will prove everyone wrong that have been doubted me since day 1.
Studying weather may be a difficult thing to do, but it can make a lot of money. Meteorologist yearly salary is $87,030 per year. There salaries starts from $49,320 and go up to $129,750. I want to become a chief meteorologist they get paid the highest, but I can really work up to that level. They know how to keep track of tornadoes, the cells inside of the storm, wind gust at their MPH, and how the storms produce like quarter or nickel size hail.
I am Jerome Henderson, and I’m helpful and friendly. I love to get people’s attention, and I’m very social. I like to eat and play basketball and sing on the daily. High school has been a hard and thoughtful time trying to figure out what I’m going to do after I graduate. I’ve went to Wayne County High for three years, but spent this last year at Magee. It’s been fun making new friends and joining a new program and learning new things. My plans after high are to be a professional basketball player or join the national guard. I want to attend Jones County Junior College. They have a great program, good organization, and teaching staff. It would be a good start to join a junior college. I want to major in welding, and I think Jones is the the school to start from because I will also have help with family and friends joining. Welding makes 12.55 a hour and 18.11 overtime. It’s something I enjoy doing.
Our names are Ariel and Ayriel Easterling. We’re twins. Our likes are games, movies, food, shopping, drawing, and singing. Our dislikes are being discriminated for our way of life. We are Hebrew Israelites and people always compare us to being Pentecostal or being the same as Jewish people, but we’re not. We are the descendants of the people in the Bible (KJV) talks about. And even though our way of life and Jewish traditions are very similar in many ways the two still have their differences.
Being a twin is super fun. It definitely keeps you on your toes. Ariel sometimes will start singing out of nowhere, no matter where he’s at or what he is doing, and he would dance to whatever song he is singing too. It’s nice having a twin when they’re having a hard day, but normally Aryiel stays to herself and listens to music.
Ariel believes that family is the most important thing in life. He would choose his twin over friends any day because he knows she’ll be there for him. To him, being a twin means you have to look out for one another and be a support system if one is down. Let it be known that “twin blood is thicker than any blood.” You always have someone that you can rely on. If one needs help in school, the other can help. We share and do stuff for each most the time, but not all the time! To be honest, we really just look out for each other for the most part. It’s really a joy to have a twin.
Since technology is steadily improving, I really don’t see how we can’t stay in touch. Even if we have different life plans that head down different roads, we will always find away to communicate with each other. The crazy thing about twins are that they always find their way back to to each.
I, Breanna Craft, will interview Taegan Craft about her school and career goals.
1.“When you graduate high school, what are your college goals?”
● “My college goals are to go to Copiah-Lincoln Community College to take my basics there, then go Hinds Community College for two years to earn an associates degree.”
2.“Why are you interested in Copiah Lincoln?”
● “I think going to Colin for my basics will save me money instead of driving an hour and fifteen minutes away everyday just to take classes I can take just right down the road. I want to major in medical radiology technology. This will help me to become an x-ray technician.”
3.“What is your academic strength and weakness?”
● “I am really strong in science but I struggle in math, I just don’t process it as easily as I do science.”
4.“What challenges have you faced being a high school student?”
● “Being a high school student is challenging because of the drowsiness of waking up at early times. However, I motivate myself as I only have twenty-seven days until graduation.”
5.“Finally, do you think college will be easier than high school?”
● “No, I think high school is relatively easy. I would rather my high school teachers come to my college and teach me! I’m not really sure how the professors will teach or if they will help me out like my past teachers from kindergarten all the way up to senior year.”
I am Nathan Warren, a senior at Magee High School. My short-term goal is to graduate this year. I have a lot of animals at my home. I love animals. I love taking care of animals and learning as much as I can about them, even the most dangerous animals. I hope that my love for animals will never die, and I do not think that it will. I cannot see myself doing anything else in the world because animals are my passion.
My hope for the future is to further my career on the study of animals. I want to be a zoologist like my hero Steve Irwin. His love for animals has inspired me to love animals to the depth that I do today. One day, I hope I can own my own zoo. I know that will take a lot of hard work and time, but that is something that I inspire to do. Maybe one day it can truly happen if I set my mind to it. I plan to travel to Australia one day and visit the zoo that Steve Irwin opened and is still open today and run by his family.
To reach this goal, I am going to have to put my mind to what I need to do to get me there. My family is a big inspiration, so they are going to be a key in helping further my career. I hope I can achieve my goals as I continue to work hard.
Interview of Alanna Johnston by Taegan Craft
What are your plans after high school?
“I plan on going to Jones Community College for two years and becoming an ultrasound technician.”
What made you want to be an ultrasound tech?
“I love to see people happy and I love babies.”
What do you think prepared you for college?
“I went to Louisiana to learn more about the career I want to accomplish.”
Are you ready for all the lecture and handwritten notes?
“No, I am not prepared but fully aware.”
Do you think college is going to be easier than high school?
“From what everyone has told me, I believe it’s going to be pretty tough, depending on how I put myself in it.”
What made you want to go to Jones Community College? “Students will be prepared to work in any sonographic setting and will be trained in all areas of general sonography. I plan to go to college for two years to complete a sonography certificate.”
Did high school fly by? Are you going to miss the freedom in high school?
“High school was pretty slow, up until my senior year, then everything was rushed.”
Article by Montoria Collins
Sabreya Lee is the daughter of Sarena and Rafael Mitchell. Sabreya Lee played basketball and ran track for the school. She ended finishing number seven in the state and number one in the 3A district. She averaged a overall 25 points a game, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals. She was recognized by the Clarion-Ledger, Fox News channel, and many other media outlets. Sabreya Lee is currently planning on going to Pearl River Community College to further her career as a basketball player with a full ride scholarship.
When asked how she feels about the transition she stated, “I’m scared about this new chapter in my life but I’m ready. I think this will be a great experience.” Her coach at Pearl River expects her to be a great edition to the team and to utilize her to her fullest potential. Though Sabreya has a great career in basketball, she is also doing excellent in her track season this year. Her track team has advanced to state this year.
Though Sabreya Lee is talented in sports and performs well on the court and in field, she also performs well academically. She is a part of the BETA club, National Honor Society, National Honor Society of Science, and is an honor roll student. She has been naturally smart since she was young because when asked how she achieve these grades, she stated, “Nothing really, just all comes to me naturally to be honest. I never really had to study a day in my life. I know that is not going to make it [in college]. I’ll have to put way more effort than I am right now, of course. Because college actually requires you to study in order to pass.”
Sabreya Lee has been excited to graduate this year and wants to “leave a legacy for young girls, especially African American girls, to have a mindset that anything is possible. If you put your mind to it, you can be whatever you want to be. I want to leave a legacy that I’m a small town girl who is making a impact in the world/community.”
Montoria Collins article by Sabreya Lee
Montoria Collins is a very intelligent and smart person. She is the daughter of Montarro Collins and Latoria Walker. She loves to hang out with people, watch movies, and play sports. Her favorite sport is softball. She has been playing softball since she was five years old. Montoria plans on furthering her education at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College as a traveling nurse. After attending MGCCC, she plans to attend Southern Mississippi. She chose to be a nurse simply because she love to help people no matter what the situation may be. Montoria also wants to be apart of the U.S Air Force. She is the type of person that loves nature and animals. Her favorite animal is a blue nose pitbull. She loved this particular dog because she felt that they are more aggressive and protective. She enjoys being with her family because she doesn’t have time to see them as much because of work. She has four sisters, five brothers, and two twin nephews. She doesn’t get to see her nephews as much because they live so far away. After she get her degrees from college, she plans to move to Houston, Texas, to live permanently even though she know she is going to be traveling from place to place.
