Outlook: United Way hosts bookmark contest

Published 8:00 am Sunday, May 30, 2021

: Clockwise from left: United Way of West Central MIssissippi Executive Director Michele Connelly and Lillyanna Wooten; United Way of West Central Mississippi Executive Director Michele Connelly and Oliver Hesselberg; Porters Chapel Academy second grade teacher Myra Beard and Lauren Davis; Sherman Avenue principal Tawanda Nichols and Zay'la Davis.

Second-grade students from local elementary schools had the opportunity to compete in a bookmark contest that was in conjunction with the LEARN (Leaders Encouraging Advancements in Reading Now) program.

More than 200 entries were received, United Way director of Marketing and Resource Development Alesia Shaw said, and four winners were selected.

Shaw said the second-grade students were able to design anything they wanted on their bookmarks but were asked to include something that related to reading or learning.

Sponsored by the United Way of West Central Mississippi, Ergon and other partners, LEARN is a program that provides four books to every third-grade student in Warren County.

All four of the winning bookmarks will be reproduced. And next year when the students become third graders, the bookmarks will be distributed to them with one of the LEARN books the United Way gives out.

“The bookmark designs that were not selected,” Shaw said, will be laminated and fashioned into bookmarks that will be handed out to those that check out books at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library.

The United Way is part of the Mississippi Campaign for Grade Level Reading, which is geared towards helping children and youth reach their full potential.

Winners from this year’s bookmark contest were Lilyanna Wooten from Redwood Elementary, Oliver Hesselberg from St. Francis Xavier Elementary, Zay’la Davis from Sherman Avenue Elementary and Lauren Davis from Porters Chapel Academy.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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