EDUCATION
EDUCATION
INITIATIVES
A key aspect of Hattiesburg’s ability to be a competitive community is ensuring our students are prepared to enter the workforce or continue their education after graduating high school. The ADP’s education initiatives strive to create a workforce-ready community by connecting K-12 educators to business needs and connecting students to workplace realities. Whether it’s Jumpstart to Success, Mission Possible, or Teachers in the Workplace, the overall goal is the same… to unite the education and business communities to prepare students for the future.
As part of the Area Development Partnership’s initiative to expose students to career opportunities, we host Jumpstart to Success, an interactive career expo for Greater Hattiesburg 8th and 9th graders. Jumpstart to Success showcases local businesses, universities, and community colleges in a collaborative, exploratory atmosphere. The goal is to expose students to the region’s various career options and encourage them to prepare for their futures.
Mission Possible is an experiential day of learning for 11th graders in Forrest, Lamar, and Perry Counties. Mission: Possible focuses on enhancing students’ soft-skills, such as resume writing, presentation and interviewing skills, business communication, and job etiquette. This program hosts over 500 students from Greater Hattiesburg’s 8 public school districts.
Teachers in the Workplace is an education initiative of the Area Development Partnership where educators meet local employers and learn about the needs and opportunities within existing industries in our area. Teachers from across the Pinebelt are invited to participate including Forrest, Lamar, and Perry County schools (public and private). This is a free program where teachers have the opportunity to earn continuing education credits. The employers at each workplace share the type of work they do and the job roles that come with it. They also provide teachers with knowledge, advice, and insight to help them prepare their students for work in the field.
THE MS PRE-K TAX CREDIT
Building the workforce of tomorrow doesn’t begin in college or high school. It begins with high-quality early childhood education that forms the basis of essential skills that kids will need as they grow and move through school and the workplace. Research shows high quality, pre-K programs ensure kids (particularly at-risk kids) are “kindergarten-ready,” which means they will have higher math and reading scores, better high-school graduation rates, lower rates of grade retention, and a host of other traits that help put students on a path to college and career success.
LOCAL AREA SCHOOLS
Forrest County School District
Forrest County Agricultural High School District
Lamar County School District
Bellevue Elementary
Longleaf Elementary
Lumberton High School
Lumberton Elementary
Oak Grove Elementary
Oak Grive Middle
Oak Grove High School
Purvis Lower Elementary
Purvis Upper Elementary
Purvis Middle
Purvis High School
Sumrall Elementary School
Sumrall Middle
Sumrall High School
Perry County School District
Richton School District
PRIVATE SCHOOLS:
AREA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES:
NEED MORE INFO?
COLBY BENNETT
Community Development Manager, Economic Development
+1 601 408 9235
NEED MORE INFO?
Community Development Manager, Economic Development
+1 601 408 9235