Contact: Sammy McDavid
Veteran public educators from Choctaw, Hinds and Newton counties are the 2000 selections for Jayne Burrows Sargent Excellence Awards at Mississippi State.
Kim S. Benton of Hickory, Dorothy Y. Tennyson of Ackerman and Evelyn E.J. Webb of Jackson recently were honored on campus by the university's educational leadership department.
Benton is principal both of Oakland Heights Elementary School in Meridian and the Meridian Public Schools summer school program, while Tennyson is the retired assistant superintendent of education of the West Point Municipal Separate School System. Webb is associate executive director for accountability and support services for the State Board of Community and Junior Colleges.
Given for the fifth year, the Sargent Awards are named in honor of the veteran Mississippi teacher and administrator now serving as Jackson Public Schools superintendent. Previously, Sargent was superintendent in Meridian.
Benton, a Meridian High School honor graduate, holds four degrees from MSU, including a bachelor's, a master's, educational specialist, and doctorate. In addition to her teaching and administrative duties, she is an adjunct instructor at Meridian Community College.
Tennyson is a Mississippi College graduate who went on to complete master's and educational specialist degrees from MSU. She is a past president and vice president of the Mississippi Association of School Administrators.
Webb received a bachelor's degree at Jackson State University and master's and doctoral degrees at the University of Southern Mississippi. Before joining the community/junior college board, she was assistant director of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus.