For anyone, reading and understanding the title of this column is pretty impossible. The reason is plain – I just closed my eyes and pressed random keys, so it makes absolutely no sense to anyone. Why? Because I wanted to make a clear illustration of my point: If a person doesn’t use words that are clear and easily understood by the reader, then why bother? Why am I talking about this? Here is my reason. If I write and no one understands my sentences and therefore my thoughts, then I have accomplished nothing. In fact, less than nothing. I have wasted my column space, my time and yours, and insulted you. I did some online researching today before I started typing, and here are the facts. Today’s average adult in our country reads on an eighth-grade level. Eighth grade. So given this truth, why in the world would I want to use language that exceeds those levels? To impress? To educate? To irritate? To confuse? That would be stupid on my part. If I am wanting my reader to understand what I am trying to say, then I need to be smart enough to use language we both understand. And yes, I am addressing teachers, ministers, spouses, parents, teens, kids, bosses, and anyone else who needs to communicate with people on this planet. People, there is no way to understand, teach, agree, obey or argue with you, if you are not communicating plainly. How many jobs have been lost by this problem? How many divorces are on the books? How many teens have been lost to their families? How many companies have gone down the drain? All because the people involved have not communicated well with each other. Ministers can preach about a relationship with the Creator until they are blue in the face, but if they are not using language that the listener understands, they have accomplished little. Parents can lecture their kids about their bad conduct, their low school grades, and the inevitable consequences until the proverbial cows come home – but if their words don’t convey love, concern, and real discipline, then nothing is accomplished. Except contributing to rebellion on the teen’s part, probably. Endless books can be written by authors who have a stream of PHDs behind their name, but if their lofty and worthy ideas are not understandable by the reader – then why write? Oh yes, I do know that there are books that have to be written for the waaayyyy-above average reader. Physicians need to educate other doctors on new methods and techniques, ministers need to teach theology to Bible students, college professors have to challenge their students. But that is not the average Joe or Joleen. The Joes and Joleens of us simply need to make certain we are understood when we are speaking, writing, or conveying with our body language. Otherwise, we are simply blowing hot air, and wasting each other’s time. And risking the harm that comes with miscommunicating.

By Guest Columnist Stephanie Duguid As we celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in May, exercise and its mental, physical, and health benefits is the focus. When you exercise, you can uplift your mood, reduce your risk of illness, and get better sleep. Exercise even helps you live longer. Exercise helps prevent weight gain or maintain weight loss, prevent health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and anxiety, manage blood sugar and insulin; improves your mood and sleep and boosts energy. If exercise isn’t already a part of your routine, it can be difficult to start fitting extra physical activity into your life. And, after you do start, how will you be able to sustain the exercise in a way that will create lasting results? Here are some ideas: 1. Start with two minutes: When you start with something new like exercise, you want to make it as easy as possible to get started. Limiting your first sessions to two minutes will help you start showing up so that you can transition into the routine of exercising. 2. Make it easy. Get on the path of least resistance by setting a specific time and place to exercise, putting your workout clothes in a specific, open place and preparing your food, shoes and hydration the night before. 3. Link exercise with something you already need to do. You can also combine exercise with a task you already do throughout your day. Walk or run to work. Run to your errands. Listen to an audiobook or podcast while you exercise. Exercise while watching your favorite television show. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. 4. Announce your exercise goal to someone to hold you accountable. Studies on motivation show that people who tell their friends, family, and colleagues about their goals are more likely to be successful. Telling others about your exercise goals can inspire you to take action. 5. Instead of thinking of working out as something you have to do, think about it as something you want to do. When you look at exercise as something you have to do, you rob yourself of enjoying the process. 6. Choose consistency over intensity. What will you do when you are stressed, ill, or injured? Keep at it. and avoid burning out and losing your motivation to exercise by being consistent with your exercise instead of sticking to a rigid “all or nothing” plan. 7. Accept progress over perfection. Do not expect your fitness journey to be linear. If you focus on trying to be perfect, you run the risk of feeling like you are not progressing at all. If you feel like you’re not progressing, you may find it hard to stay motivated. Realize that any progress is good! 8. Track numbers and progression. Studies show that writing down goals, measuring progress, and establishing rewards lead to success. When you keep track of your progression, you can identify what you would like to improve or focus on. You can see the progress you’ve made over a given time, which can motivate you to keep going. Use a computer or cell phone app or notebook to track your numbers and progression. 9. Think about the benefits. Studies also show that permanent change comes from reminding yourself of benefits associated with achieving your goals. More energy. Weight loss. Feeling more confident. 10. Reward yourself. A reward will help train your brain to look forward to exercising and help you achieve your goal. Exercise can greatly benefit your life. Don’t be afraid to start small as you begin working exercise into your daily life. EDITOR'S NOTE: Stephanie Duguid is Dean of Academic Instruction at Co-Lin. She is also an athletic trainer and nutrition specialist and has been teaching courses related to those two areas as well as practicing what she preaches for more than twenty years.

By Bob Arnold Thirty-eight Wesson Garden Club (WGC) members and youth gardeners participated in a WGC flower show last month at the Wesson Old School Community Center. Based on National Garden Club standards with different types of horticulture, design, educational and youth exhibits, “To Everything There is a Season,” capturing the spirit of the first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3 from the Bible and Pete Seeger’s Turn, Turn, Turn popularized by the Byrds in the 1960s, thematically framed the show on April 4. Best in the Show ribbon winners in the Horticulture and Design divisions were Dixie Thornton for her pencil tree exhibit and Camille Johnson for her exhibit in the “Time to Laugh” class. Receiving multiple first place ribbons in the Horticulture and Design divisions were Rhonda Ishee (4), Pam Owens (3), Debbie Smith (6); and Robin Furr, Rebecca Harrison, Debbie Hoagland, Vicki Martin and Joy Wesbrooks – two each. Furr also received the Novice Award for her First Place exhibit in the Design division “Time to be Silent” class. The show featured two educational displays: "Butterfly Life Cycle,” an exhibit created by Pam Owens and Jennifer Peets that highlighted the importance of pollinator gardens in line with the National Garden Club emphasis on them. “Public Relations/Publicity,” an exhibit created by Dixie Thornton and Jennifer Peets that showed how WGC promotes its activities in line with encouragement by National Garden Club. More than 80 guests visited the show over the course of the day, and Lisa Smith, show chairperson, and WGC President Dixie Thornton commended Garden Club committees for their work in producing “an outstanding flower show” and thanked the Town of Wesson for the venue. First place ribbon recipients in their respective divisions were: 1. Horticulture Division. Plants Grown for Bloom. Debbie Hoaglin, Debbie Smith and Rebecca Harrison. Annuals foliage only. Rhonda Ishee and Debbie Smith. Biennials and Perennials. Debbie Smith and Vickie Martin. Perennials foliage only. June Owens, Rhonda Ishee and Debbie Smith. Bulbous Plants. Joy Wesbrooks and Rhonda Ishee. Bulbous Plants for foliage. Joy Wesbrooks, Rhonda Ishee, Debbie Smith and Sherri Carty. Arboreal shrubs. Dixie Thornton, Pam Owens, Robin Furr, Ramona Hartzog, Joy Phillips, Paige Anderson, Cherry Head, Lisa Smith and Vickie Martin. Arboreal trees. Pam Owens, Sonya Cowen, and Jennifer Peets. Container Grown. Rebecca Harrison, Debbie Hoaglin and Debbie Smith 2. Design Division. Time to be Silent. Robin Furr, who also won the Novice Award. Time to Build up and Break Down. Debbie Smith, who also won the Beverly King Award. Time to Heal. Pam Owens. Time to Laugh. Camille Johnson, who also won Best in Show. Time to Praise. Jennifer Peets. Others who exhibited in this Division were Dixie Thornton, Debbie Hoaglin, Jean Ricks, Nikki Smith, Vickie Martin, Sherri Carty, Cherry Head, June Owens, Marilyn Britt, Pam McLemore, Rebecca Harrison, Lisa Smith and Paige Anderson 3. Youth Division. A Time to Build. Issa Scopel. A Time to be Born. Brayan Hernandez. A Time to Dance. Anne Houston Peets. Others who exhibited in this division were Elam Scopel, Lily Sykes, Whisper Breeland, Lindsey Lockhart, Glori Freeman. Haley Bates, Courtney Davis, Abigail Holloway, Leighton Hall, Emmett Case, Kori Peets, Addisyn Coleman. Maddie Coleman, and Eden Scopel. The Wesson Garden Club is a member of The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc., National Garden Clubs, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc., Natchez Trace District-Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc.

By Bob Garver As the tenth (non-spinoff) installment of the “Fast” franchise, “Fast X” has a certain duty to its fans. It needs to up its game from every chapter that came before it. It needs to contain a development so huge, the series will never be the same. It needs to be worthy of having a letter as cool as “X” in its title. Instead what we get is an okay-at-best movie at a point when “okay” is unacceptable. Vin Diesel is back as street racer-turned-thief-turned-action hero Dominic Toretto. His friends Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), Han (Sung Kang), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) are going off to Rome for a mission, but he’s going to try letting Roman lead this one while he stays behind with his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), and son “Little B” (Leo Abelo Perry). Even his Abuelita (Rita Moreno) comes by to see everyone off for what should be a relatively safe mission. Things don’t stay safe for long. Cipher (Charlize Theron), the lead villain of the eighth and ninth movies, staggers into the Toretto house to warn Dom of a new threat to his friends and family. Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), the son of fifth movie villain Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), wants to make Dom and his whole family suffer for Dom’s role in his father’s death. And he’s willing to kill a whole lot of people in the process. Cue Dominic and Letty showing up in Rome to try to stop Reyes from using the team to blow up the Vatican. Oh, and the unnamed secret agency that has employed Dom in the past is disavowing him and treating him as an enemy by new director Aimes (Alan Ritchson), though agents Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) and new character Tess (Brie Larson) are willing to help where they can. The splintered storylines that follow include Dom traveling to Brazil to confront Reyes with the help of local street racer Isabel (Daniela Melchior), the team under Roman being broke fugitives in Rome with only the unfriendly Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) as an ally, Little B evading kidnappers with the help of his uncle Jakob (John Cena), and Letty and Cipher incarcerated together in an Antarctic prison, with a shocking cameo at the helm of their getaway submarine. Or at least the cameo would be shocking if the series hadn’t already done the same thing twice before. I fully expect a future installment to be similarly “shocking” based on an event from this movie. So what does the tenth “Fast” movie do to commemorate the franchise’s entry into double digits? Introducing Momoa as the new villain certainly helps. Cipher, dangerous though she was, just wasn’t cutting it with her smart distance-keeping and smug knowledge that the male heroes of this franchise are too chivalrous to hit her. Gleeful nutjob Momoa does just enough of the former to keep an advantage, but he’s not one for the latter. I’m looking forward to a big physical showdown between he and Dom in a future installment. Which leads me to my big problem with “Fast X”: it does too much to build up the next chapter without having much of an identity of its own. The action scenes may tick all the physics-defying boxes we expect from these movies, but all the while I knew they were just building to a big cliffhanger, not an exciting climax. Add to that the movie never really pushing any boundaries action-wise (Roman and Tej went to outer space in the last movie, Jakob and Little B flying a glider here doesn’t measure up), and an overcrowded collection of characters and subplots and you’ve got one disappointing summer blockbuster. If my interest is engine fuel, then this series has been leaking for the last three movies, and it’s just about out of gas. Grade: C- “Fast X” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and suggestive material. Its running time is 141 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

By Douglas Carswell Mississippi, it is often said, has an incarceration problem. Our state locks up too many people for too long, we are told. Over the past two decades, Mississippi’s prison population has in fact fallen. In January 2014 the prison population of our state was 21,008.  By January 2022, that figure had declined by almost a fifth to 16,931. Those who argue Mississippi should incarcerate fewer people have been getting exactly what they asked for. Now let’s take a look at what has happened to violent crime in our state over that time. From 2016 to 2022, violent crime in our state increased by 741 percent, according to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.  We went from 538 violent crimes a year to 4,529.  That is 3,991 more violent crimes and more victims. Anti-prison advocates like to argue that locking people up in large numbers does not work.  Crime, they point out, was high even when Mississippi locked people up in greater numbers than almost anywhere else in America.  The trouble is that Mississippi after these anti-incarceration reforms is a vastly more violent place than Mississippi was without them. In 2013, the year before Mississippi enacted legislation designed to reduce the rate of incarceration, 28 people out of every 100,000 Jackson residents were murdered.  By 2021, that number had nearly quadrupled to 101 homicide victims per 100,000 residents in our capital city. Of course, just because there has been a surge in violent crime at the same time that the prison population has been reduced, it does not automatically follow that the former has been caused by the latter. The reality is, however, that across America the average state prisoner released has around five previous convictions.  That means that we have a pretty good idea of who is committing the lion’s share of the extra crime; those that have already been convicted and released. "But it is so expensive to lock up so many people!" the reformists insist. It is expensive to maintain prisons, just as it is expensive to maintain our country’s borders.  But there are some things that the government needs to do even if costly. As Shad White, our State Auditor has shown, leniency is expensive, too.  According to estimates by the State Auditor, each homicide in Mississippi costs taxpayers between $900,000 and $1.2 million.  On top of that, of course, come all kinds of other costs paid for by the victims of the violent crime. "But what about the human cost of incarcerating people?" the anti-prison advocates are quick to ask.  "Locking people up harms families, and the children of inmates suffer." Anyone who assumes that releasing violent criminals back into the bosom of their families will automatically be good news for those families might not have met many violent criminals. Eight years ago, back when every policy-maker in Jackson seemed intent on drifting along with the anti-incarceration vibe, we were told that there were better ways to reduce crime than by filling the prisons. Unfortunately, we have yet to find them.  When you factor in selection bias, there is remarkably little evidence that most rehabilitation programs have the efficacy that those who run them want them to have. Anti-prison advocates are currently campaigning to have Mississippi’s Parole Board release more parole-eligible prisoners from custody. It is true that our Parole Board currently approves a lower percentage of parole applications now than it has done for years.  But that is because there has been a massive surge in the number of people automatically entitled to apply for early release to the Parole Board. Why the increase in parole applications?  Because of legislation that the anti-prison advocacy groups helped pass which automatically entitles violent offenders to appeal to the Parole Board in the first place. The Parole Board has recently been criticized for getting some parole decisions wrong.  I can’t help wondering if the Board might have done a better job if they had not been flooded by new cases at the insistence of anti-prison activists. The tragedy of this misguided anti-prison agenda is not only that it is driving a surge in crime.  It has detracted from Mississippi implementing the type of prison reform that conservatives ought to support. More needs to be done to make our prisons more humane.  The prison system ought to do a far better job of differentiating between violent criminals and the non-violent.  With so many young men graduating from the prison system each year, surely we could do a better job of ensuring they emerge with a better set of life skills? These reforms are only going to be attainable if we have a prison system that achieves its primary purpose; locking up bad people in order to prevent them from doing bad things to good people. There is now overwhelming evidence that we should abandon Mississippi’s flirtation with an anti-incarceration agenda – and it is not just a question of crime. If Mississippi wants to see the kind of economic growth that other states have experienced, we need to reduce our crime rates. Douglas Carswell is the CEO & President of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.

Co-Lin sophomore Larson Lewis of Wesson has been awarded the Mississippi State University Presidential Partnership Scholarship. This prestigious scholarship covers the cost of tuition at MSU for two years. Lewis was nominated by Co-Lin President Dr. Jane Hulon Sims and selected by the MSU Scholarship Committee. Lewis is a graduate of Wesson Attendance Center. While at Co-Lin, he has served as President of Mu Alpha Theta, Vice President of Scholarship for the Eta Omega Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, and President of the Student Government Association. He is a member of the Trailblazers and an active member of the Baptist Student Union. Lewis was selected to Who's Who at Co-Lin and a Campus Favorite his freshman and sophomore years. He is the son of Amy Lewis and Russ Lewis.

The batter is warming up on deck – meaning he is the next one to come to the plate to face the pitcher. The man on the pitching mound is known for sinking the dreams of wannabees - the homerun hitters who have to be willing to settle for simply getting on base and waiting to brought home by the next hitter. Bat in hand, the wannabe strides toward home plate with an arrogant purposeful step. The commentator’s voice excitedly rises in volume. The batter swings mightily as the baseball crosses home plate. But he has misread the pitch and only catches a glancing blow as the ball dives sharply at the last second. The ball careens weakly toward the player at third base, who charges toward it, scoops it up and fires the ball to the first baseman. The batter barely beats the throw by a fraction of a second – giving him a single on the stats sheet, again. He is successfully standing on first base, that’s true. But first base is not exactly what that batter had in mind when he approached home plate a few seconds ago. He had fully intended to carry out what he had been imagining for the last week – smashing that ball out of the park and trotting around the bases to the thunderous applause of his many adoring fans in the stands. Meanwhile, his batting coach is kicking dirt in the dugout and disgustedly shaking his head …again. “How many times do I have to tell him to quit swingin’ for the fence, tryin’ to make a home run ever time? Just concentrate on solidly connectin’ with the ball! The rest will come, if he will jes’ work on the basics of swingin’ correctly! How many times do I have to say that to that idiot?” Sounds way too familiar. Most of us have done the same. Either as the fame-seeking batter, or the disgusted coach who is fed up with antics of the one we are trying to help. The batter who doesn’t understand the need to put in the work to master the basics can frustrate a coach to no end. The coach can easily spot the batter’s potential – but knows his student will probably never become the player of note that he really could be. Because that batter has his eyes on the wrong target. The far fence instead of the center of the approaching ball. Coach = Our Creator using our life, trying to teach us the basics of success. Student player = Me, you, and every other breathing human on the planet, who insists on taking shortcuts to homeruns that we dream about endlessly. One of these days, hopefully we will learn to concentrate on doing the small daily things the way they need to be done. And let the homeruns happen as a consequence of taking care of those small things well.

By Kara Kimbrough Memorial Day is finally within sight and as promised, I’m sharing desserts that’ll reduce cooking time to mere minutes. But first, we have to talk about Blue Bell Ice Cream’s new flavor, which hit coolers last week. I understand the sentiment behind combining the products of two Texas-made products – Blue Bell and Dr. Pepper - to create “Dr. Pepper Float Ice Cream.” However, I’m not ready to replace my favorite flavors – pecan pralines ‘n cream, strawberry and homemade vanilla, black walnut, banana pudding, bride’s cake, buttered pecan, natural vanilla bean and for the few months of the year that it’s offered, blackberry cobbler. Of course, if they had chosen a beverage flavor first made in Mississippi – Barq’s Root Beer, I might be a little more apt to try it. But for now, I’m sticking with my favorites. But back to Memorial Day desserts. As I mentioned last week, we’ve already sailed through the supposedly-balmy weather of spring to summer’s high temps. Which means not many of us will feel obliged to turn on the oven and bake a dessert that’s not only time-consuming, but will heat up the already-humid kitchen. With that in mind, I compiled a list of my favorite easy, no-bake desserts that, topped or filled with strawberries and blueberries, will create the perfect patriotic treat. After all, Memorial Day is much more than a long weekends, cookouts and the start of summer vacation season. It’s a day set aside to honor those who died serving our country while engaged in active military service. All the food and festivities pale in comparison to the ultimate sacrifice made by so many brave men and women over the years. A heartfelt "Thank you!" to those who gave their lives that we can enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today. Happy Memorial Day! Easiest Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Ever 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and sliced 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 can sweetened condensed milk Place strawberries in skillet over medium heat, add sugar and lemon juice and cook, stirring often, until mixture combines and creates a jam-like texture; about 20 minutes. Remove strawberries from heat and using a hand-held mixer, beat whipping cream until it thickens (don’t overbeat). Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until combined. Pour strawberry mixture into cream, then pour everything into a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze at least six hours before serving. Red, White & Blue Cheesecake 2-8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup heavy cream 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped 2 cups fresh blueberries In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese until smooth. Pour in heavy cream, vanilla and sugar. Beat on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Fold in the strawberries and blueberries. Pour into a serving dish, smooth top with spatula (add more berries to top if desired) and refrigerate until ready to serve. Memorial Day Patriotic Salad 2-3 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced (amount depends on how thick you prefer the salad) 3 cups blueberries, washed 8-ounce cream cheese 8 ounce sour cream 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice to combine and soften cream cheese. Add peels and mix to combine. Pour into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Right before serving, fold in strawberries and blueberries. Note: adding fruit earlier in the process will cause fruit to become too soft. Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.

A free clinic at the Brookhaven branch of McComb-based St. Andrew’s Mission (217 North Whitworth Avenue) is providing appointment-only primary medical care services without charge to persons without health insurance. The clinic open at least one day a week relieves pressure on hospital emergency rooms, where persons who cannot afford primary care often go for non-emergency treatment and medications – sometimes beyond the point of cure when their health problems have gone unchecked and worsened. Volunteer physicians and nurses at the clinic see patients. The clinic has arrangements with King’s Daughters Medical Center for reasonably-priced laboratory and imaging services. Local physicians in multiple specialties are also providing support when the clinic needs to refer patients for specialized care. Walk-ins are not accepted, and the clinic does not provide care for acute injuries and emergencies or onsite testing. The clinic needs more volunteers and seeks donations from individuals, organizations and churches to fund its work. Call 601-990-2056 for appointments.

Macy Smith of Wesson is one of more than 600 students who received diplomas and were recognized as Harding University graduates for Spring 2023 during a commencement ceremony on May 6, 2023. Smith received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance. Graduates include students from the College of Allied Health, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Bible and Ministry, Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration, Cannon-Clary College of Education, Carr College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Sciences and University College. University President Mike Williams recognized the candidates as they were recommended by the faculty for graduation.

By Bob Arnold Politicization of books reflected in increasing bans on modern classics that once were common on reading lists of most high school students is creating a society of people who do not understand important social issues, do not tolerate differing viewpoints and opinions, cannot empathize with those in different social and economic circumstances and have not learned to enjoy reading because they are not acquainted with the best literature, two Co-Lin history scholars warned at an Institute for Learning in Retirement seminar. Kelly Eubanks, an art student at Co-Lin who has a passion for history and is a member of the college’s Centurion Club, which encourages scholarly studies of historical issues, and Jill Childress, the faculty member who works with the organization, talked about the current of epidemic of book banning in the U.S. and its costs to the nation. “A select group of people – namely, government officials – are making decisions about reading materials based on what makes them more comfortable and what they think people want their children to read,” Eubanks and Childress agreed. “It’s oppression and censorship, or thought control. Rather than serving parents and their children by banning books, parental choice is being effectively taken away.” The reasons for banning books encompass their graphic language, exaggerated depiction of society to make a point, explicit descriptions of sexual acts, rape and violence; and accounts of racism and history that do not reflect favorably on the nation or a group of people or match the outlook, viewpoint and understanding of those who disagree with the authors of the banned books. In the process, Eubanks and Childress said, teaching moments are lost, discussions are limited, and reality succumbs to fantasy. Among modern classics that have been increasingly banned in various areas of the country are To Kill a Mockingbird with its fictional commentary on racism in the South, Fahrenheit 451, a story about Constitutional rights and censorship, Color Purple about child abuse and how a young girl grows through it and recovers, The Diary of Anne Frank written by a young Jewish girl who hid with her family to avoid Nazi persecution in Germany, Maus, about the Holocaust in Germany with illustrations of nude women, and The Grapes of Wrath, which portrays the plight of migrant agricultural workers in California who fled economic hardship. “For younger age groups, some of these books may not be appropriate to read, but certainly not for high school students and those going into or attending college,” Eubanks said. “Teachers alone without the assistance of books are now expected to socialize their students to participate in society,” Childress said. She suggested “we are living in a dark age of arts and literature,” noting that three-quarters of the students in her classes as recently as ten years ago were exposed to most or all of these banned books, but only a handful of them today have been. “Many of the books, which are my bookshelf at Co-Lin, would be grounds for my arrest and dismissal from teaching in some areas of the country,” Childress said. “Life is so much different without these books. In the current environment of book banning, would Mississippi have produced literary giants like William Faulkner, Eudora Welty or Richard Wright?”

The Science Scholars Camp invites all interested high school students to apply to the June 28-30 event at Mississippi State University. The experience is designed to introduce young people to science, technology and engineering careers through a variety of activities. Students will learn firsthand from scientists about biomedical engineering, natural and agricultural sciences, food science and health promotion, and more. Participants will get a brief taste of college life by staying in a residence hall, eating at campus dining facilities, and attending lectures and activities in the classroom, lab and field. A $25 refundable fee is required for registration. Students accepted into the program will receive the refund when they arrive on campus; those who are not accepted will also have the fee returned. Cancellation will result in the loss of the application fee. Register by June 1 to be considered for the 2023 camp. Registration is limited to 24, and applications are reviewed upon arrival. For more information or to register, contact Leslie Burger, camp coordinator and an environmental educator with the MSU Extension Service, at leslie.burger@msstate.edu or 662-325-6686. MSU is an equal opportunity institution. Contact Burger for disability accommodation or other information.