Pamela Williams of Utica, director of the Utica Campus educational talent search program, and Magdalene Johnson of Utica, Hinds Agricultural High School instructor of family and consumer sciences, have been named Life Star Award recipients by Hinds Community College. Nominees are selected by peers, students and community members for outstanding service and will be recognized during the annual HCC Employee Appreciation Dinner.

Degrees

Area students who were candidates for degrees during fall commencement ceremonies this month at the University of Southern Mississippi were Katie Leigh Loper of Edwards and Mesgana Yesus Molla Alemu, Katherine Klein Barnett, Cortina Joyce Clark, Justin Trevor Hunt, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson, Kiel William May, Jennifer Stroup Nelson, John Rice Pettway, Shannon Price and Vincent Ray Price, all of Vicksburg.           

Honor rolls

Erin Leigh Sigh, daughter of Robert and Debbie Sigh, has been named to the fall quarter dean’s list at Louisiana Tech University. A junior kinesiology major, she is a member of Kappa Delta sorority.

In attendance

Elisabeth Gent of Vicksburg is a member of the 33-voice select Southwest Mississippi Community College choir. The group ended their fall tour Dec. 9 with a final concert at the newly named Southwest MS Community College Adene and Aylene Hurst Auditorium in the Fine Arts Building.

Mary Katherine Vinzant performed as Clara along with guest artists from the Atlanta Festival Ballet in Oxford Ballet School’s production of “The Nutcracker” at the University of Mississippi on Sunday. She is the 11-year-old daughter of Walt and Tammy Vinzant of Senatobia and the granddaughter of Lester and Nancy Badeaux of Vicksburg and Douglas and Patsy Vinzant of Raymond.

Heather Price, granddaughter of Don and Helen Price of Utica, is completing her studies in international and comparative politics at the American University of Paris in France. She studied Arabic at the graduate program level in her third year and was chosen a guest presenter of a work of art at the Louvre museum, where she gave presentations in French, Spanish, German and Italian. She will pursue a master’s degree in Washington, D.C.

Recitals

Piano students of Kim Steen who presented a Christmas recital were Emily Glass of Tallulah and Roni Wolf, Ellen Pierce, Mathew Copes, Nicholas Jones, Chase Chouccoli, Joshua Wright, Samuel Aaron, Gabrielle Terrett, Delores Bershell, Kaylin Turnage, Chase Lungrin, Chelsi Smith, Katrinka Wayne, Noperia Harris, all of Vicksburg. Duets were performed with Steen by Bershell and Wayne.

Upcoming events

YMCA Christmas Holidays Camp — Monday-Jan. 8, Purks YMCA; for boys and girls in grades K-6; registration ends Friday; 601-638-1071.