The Vicksburg-Warren Partnership celebrated the graduation of 20 participants in this year’s Vicksburg Leadership program during the Vicksburg-Warren Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon Wednesday at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

The program, which the chamber operates, is a nine-month course in which professionals in the community learn leadership skills. During the course of the program, the 20 students were split into four groups. Each group was tasked with executing a project that benefits the community.

Vicksburg-Warren Partnership President and CEO Pablo Diaz made some remarks at the beginning of the event.

“It’s always a special occasion when we graduate the Vicksburg class, because they have done, and they will do, a lot for our community as they continue their leadership journey,” he said.

Representatives from each team had the opportunity to describe and promote their projects to the audience at the luncheon.

The Atomic Crushers team has set the stage for a traveling coding camp for Vicksburg and Warren County students ages 10 to 18. The camp will have guest speakers and will partner with Vicksburg Warren School District teachers and mentors to teach coding to the students.

Team Beautiful Horizons partnered with the City of Vicksburg to design a trash pick-up program. The program will allow groups to sign two-year commitments to help clean up high-traffic areas around town.

Team Running with the Bull Market focused their project on economic development. The team decided to produce a pamphlet with information about how investors can fix up and renovate unused and out-of-date buildings to be used to house businesses in Vicksburg.

Team Weak Matches said its goal was community enhancement. They are in the process of creating an app which will allow users to access information about different events happening in the community.

The Keynote speaker at the event was Col. Jeremiah Gipson, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District.

He assumed his duties as commander on June 14, 2024.

Diaz said Gipson is “a truly impressive individual and a true leader in our community and throughout his career.”

Gipson spoke about the hard work the recent graduates have put into the program.

“It’s truly an honor to stand before such a group of exciting individuals who are committed to shaping the future of this community that we call home. So today not only marks your achievement as graduates of the leadership development program, but also a pivotal moment in our shared mission to build a stronger, more resilient community we call Vicksburg,” he said. “So each of you has spent some time refining your leadership skills, challenging yourself, exploring strategies for economic and civic growth, and deepening your understanding of what it takes to foster lasting impact in the place we call home.”

The graduates and their respective teams are as follows:

Team Atomic Crushers:
Aiirrion Galloway – Ameristar Casino;
Charlos Clark – WaterView Casino;
Kayla Kiivett – Vicksburg Warren Career & Technical Education Center;
Marlena Walker Bolls – Vicksburg Warren School District – Warren Central Junior High;
Michelle Fisackerly – Vicksburg Warren School District – River City Early College;
Chris Williams – WaterView Casino.

Team Beautiful Horizons:
Blake Bell – The Vicksburg Post;
Jay Lindsay – US Army Engineer Research and Development Center – Environmental Lab;
Kristy Moon – Riverwalk Casino;
Laura Price – Grace Christian Counseling Center.

Team Running with the Bull Market:
Caleb Tillotson – Entergy;
Margaret Wilkinson – May & Co;
Marissa Trapani – Electrolux Professional Group;
Mitchell Johnson – Entergy;
Wendy Knight – Mutual Federal Credit Union.

Team Weak Matches:
Austin Crabtree – Porter’s Chapel Academy;
JaLisa Wilson – City of Vicksburg;
Jeremy Jones – International Paper;
Madalyn Mouton – US Army Engineer Research and Development Center – Coastal Hydraulics Lab;
Samantha Wiest – US Army Engineer Research and Development Center – Environmental Lab.