May 16, 2018 Page 7C
iR Orter
Mary Persons FFA com-
peted in National Homesite
Evaluation and National
Landjudg'mg Competitions
on May 3 in Oklahoma
City, Okla. This was the
66th year the Oklahoma
Soil and Water Conserva-
tion Service sponsored the
competition. 4-H, FFA, and
adults from 33 states com-
peted in the event. Each
state can send up to five
teams to compete in each
division.
Mary Persons FFA teams
arrived in Stillwater, Okla.
and practiced Monday
afternoon. On Tuesday
morning our teams trav-
eled to Oklahoma City
for two days of practice
leading up to the National
competition on Thurs-
day. Our Landjudging team
qualified for the Nati.'onal
Contest by winning the
FFA State Championship in
November. Our Homesite
Team was the 2017 first
place Landjudging team in
Georgia.
At the National Contest
Mary Persons placed 29th
out of 100 FFA Landjudg-
ing teams from all over the
country. In the National
Homesite Division the
Mat'y Persons team placed
20th out of 54 teams.
Mary Persons FFA
Advisors Bill Waldrep and
Ryan Smith competed in
the Adult Division. Wal-
drep placed 4th out of 33
in Homesite Evaluation
competitors and 6th out of
58 in Landjudging. Smith
placed 20th out of 58 in
Landjudging in Adult Divi-
sion.
Pictured at National Competition in Oklahoma, left to right, on the front row is the Mary
Persons FFA Homesite Evaluation Team: Austin Wiggins, Kristen Snyder, Sarah Kimsey, on
the middle row is the FFA Landjudging Team: Matthew Fields, Tyler Faulk, Ashton Hooks,
Cody Sickman, on the back row are FFA Advisors Bill Waldrep and Ryan Smith.
ti
Pictured, left to right, are the Mary
Persons Class of 1959 at their 59th re-
union: back row, Richard Davis, Marvin
Bowdoin, Billy Harrison, Betty Joyce Hol-
land, Charlie Haygood, middle row, Dot
Duckworth, Pat Broman, Paula Freeman,
Jeaneen Willingham, front row, Virginia
Remick, Lillian Bowden, Carey Mundy
By Jeaneen Willingham
Mary Persons class of
1959 held their 59th Class
reunion on Saturday, April 28
at the fellowship hall at Ebene-
zer United Methodist Church.
There were 12 classmates and 10
spouses attending.
Paula Freeman decorated the
tables with Mason jars covered
with gold burlap and the MP
logo. They were filled with sun-
flowers. Classmates signed get-
well cards for Suzanne Reeves
and Derrick Childs.
Carey Mundy said our bless-
ing, before we enjoyed the beef
tenderloin Billy Harrison had
grilled for our lunch.
The tenderloin was so tender
it would melt in your mouth.
Giant baked potatoes with all
the trimmings, tossed salad,
and several delicious desserts,
prepared by the classmates, were
enjoyed by all.
We surprised Carey Mundy
with a birthday cookie and sing-
ing Happy Birthday to her since
her birthday would be Sunday.
Betty loyce and Elger Holland
had traveled the longest way,
coming from Columbus.
We all had a great time remi-
niscing and talking with each
other.
Next year we will have our
big 60th reunion, and we are all
looking forward to that.
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.nef
Monroe County Family
Connection brought the
Seven Project, a program
for teens and parents, to
Monroe County Fine Arts
Center on Friday, May
4. The Seven Project is
a professional presenta-
tion focused on guiding
students to make the best
choices during their teens,
the seven most influential
years of their lives.
The program was focused
on bullying, social media,
substance abuse, depres-
sion/suicide and choices.
The topics were chosen by
Family Connection as rel-
evant to youth in Monroe
County, with depression/
suicide added after a local
13-year-old recently ended
his own life. As a prelude
to the main program, there
were two hours of food,
games, a hip hop rap artist
and giveaways at the newly
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finished parking area next
to the Fine Arts Center.
Several local churches and
civic groups contributed to
the giveaways and activi-
ties. Perfect spring weather
blessed the outdoor events.
From 7-9 p.m. there was
an assembly and outreach
with four speakers from
the 7 Team. In addition to
Monroe County Family
Connection, the event was
hosted by Youth Alive and
Fellowship of Christian
Athletes.
Brandi Pye chaired
bringing the Seven Project
to Monroe County. She
said that at least 200 youth
registered as attending the
event and that she received
only positive feedback
about it. She wished it
could have reached more
students.
The program is usually
held as an assembly during
the school day with an
event like the one on May
4 held as a follow-up that
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evening. Because of testing
and other concerns, time
out of the school day for
an assembly could not be
arranged. She said that after
conversations with Mary
Persons Principal Dr. Jim
Finch, she feels that they
can probably plan a school
assembly if they decide to
bring the program back
next year.
Monroe County Family
Connection had initially
hoped to create a Teen
Maze in Monroe County.
When the resources and
volunteers needed to cre-
ate, organize and promote
a Teen Maze successfully
were not available, the Sev-
en Project was found as an
alternative way to address
teens about the choices
they make and their long-
term impact.
A survey of students at
the Seven Project asked
about sexting, alcohol
and driving, e-cigarettes,
choices, risky behavior,
Youth join in games at the newly
Center in the warm-up activities
(Photo/Diane Glidewell)
whether having a child
would make graduating
harder, sharing prescrip-
tion drugs, bullying, being
bullied, the connection
The
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before the Seven Project program at the FAC on May 4.
between graduation and a
good job, whether there is
an adult they can talk to,
and whether they could go
to jail for some crimes even
as a minor. The survey was
only answered by 21 stu-
dents but gave a snapshot
of Monroe County teens.
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