The Alcorn School District is celebrating receiving two Governor’s Awards from the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education (MAPE), recognizing the district’s commitment to building partnerships that support students, educators, and families. Of the 47 school-community partnership programs recognized across Mississippi, Alcorn School District earned two awards – an accomplishment that highlights the strength of the district’s commitment to collaboration and student success.
The Alcorn School District received a District & Community-Wide Governor’s Award for its ASD Back-to-School Professional Learning Conference, an annual event that reflects the district’s commitment to investing in its employees while strengthening partnerships throughout the community.
Launched in 2021, the conference brings together approximately 550 district employees for two days before the start of each school year. More than just a professional development event, the conference is designed to equip employees with current instructional practices, celebrate the district’s accomplishments, reinforce the district’s shared vision and Standards of Excellence, and prepare every employee to begin the year with purpose and confidence.
Approximately 120 breakout sessions provide relevant learning opportunities tailored to the diverse roles of district employees, reinforcing the district’s belief that every staff member plays an important role in student success and deserves opportunities for professional growth. The conference also creates space for employees to reconnect with colleagues, celebrate milestones, and begin each school year united around a common mission.
A defining feature of the conference – and the reason it received statewide recognition – is the meaningful involvement of community partners. Healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, businesses, churches, civic groups, and institutions of higher education actively participate by leading breakout sessions, providing resources, sponsoring meals, and sharing services available to students, families, and educators. Their involvement not only enriches the professional learning experience but also helps employees better connect families with the support systems available throughout Alcorn County.
In addition to the district-level recognition, the Community Connections Mentoring Program, which serves students across Alcorn School District campuses, received a Multi-Level School Governor’s Award. The long-standing mentoring initiative is built on the belief that positive relationships can change the course of a student’s life.
For nearly two decades, the program has paired junior high and high school student mentors with younger students who may be facing academic, social, or emotional challenges. More than simply offering academic support, the program creates meaningful relationships that help students build confidence, discover their strengths, and know they have someone in their corner.
Student mentors serve as role models, encouragers, and trusted friends, meeting regularly with younger students to provide guidance, celebrate successes, and help navigate everyday challenges. Along the way, mentors often discover that the experience shapes them just as much as it does the students they serve, creating a culture of leadership that continues from one generation of students to the next. Many former mentees go on to become mentors themselves – continuing a tradition of service that has become a defining part of the program.
Community partnerships have helped the program flourish for nearly 20 years. Local churches, businesses, and organizations provide meals, school supplies, clothing, and other resources that allow the program to meet students’ needs beyond the classroom. Those partnerships ensure that students receive not only encouragement, but also tangible support when it is needed most.
Superintendent Brandon Quinn said these awards reflect the strength of the partnerships that exist throughout Alcorn County.
“These awards represent what can happen when a community comes together around a common purpose,” Quinn said.
“Receiving two Governor’s Awards in the same year is a significant accomplishment and places the Alcorn School District among a select group of school-community partnerships recognized across Mississippi. The district is grateful for the many businesses, churches, healthcare providers, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, and community members whose support makes these partnerships possible. Together, those relationships continue to create opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom to help ASD students succeed.”