Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s inductee to the Petal School District Academic Hall of Fame, an individual who will join 34 previous outstanding graduates of the Petal School District who have distinguished themselves through academic and professional achievement.
The hall of fame, which was established in 1989, honors individuals who serve as role models for students by exhibiting the attitudes, knowledge and lifelong learning skills essential to thrive as responsible citizens in an ever-changing global society.
The tradition of the Academic Hall of Fame each year serves as a tradition to recognize and celebrate individuals who have excelled academically and professionally and reinforces the importance of education, achievement, and lifelong learning to our current and future Petal School District students,” said Christy Hinnant, executive director of the Petal School District Education Foundation.
To be considered, each individual nominated must have graduated from Petal High School and must have attended school in the Petal School District for a minimum of four years. Nominees’ high school classes must have graduated at least 20 years prior to the nomination, and nominees must have a demonstrated history of professional success.
In addition, it is preferred that nominees are successful college graduates, and all nominations must be accompanied by a current resume.
The deadline for nominations is March 31.
Names can be sent via mail to the Petal Education Foundation Academic Hall of Fame Selection Committee, P.O. Box 948, Petal, MS 39465.
Hinnant, who recently took over the executive director role at the foundation after former director Leahne Lightsey retired, said she is optimistic for a good number of nominations for the hall of fame.
“With it being my first year in this role, it's hard to predict the number of applications that we will receive,” Hinnant said. “However, with the significance of the honor of the award, and the community's appreciation of recognizing achievements, I'm hopeful for a positive response and enthusiastic participation in the nomination process.”
Resumes for individuals previously nominated but not selected for induction remain on file and will be reviewed each year.
“Most every year we get at least one nomination, and some years we get three or four,” Lightsey said in a previous story. “And what happens, is when those come in, we of course catalog them, and anyone who was nominated back even in the ‘90s, those remain in a file.
“The review committee will look at all of the nominees every year, and sometimes they’ll say, ‘well, look at so-and-so, who was nominated back in 2005 or whatever.’ So they’re always in the running.”
Last year, the honor went to Amanda Winters, who graduated from Petal High School in 2000. Winters went on to become a pediatric oncologist and conducts leukemia research at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Other members of the Petal School District Academic Hall of Fame include Kavon Hakimzadeh and Thomas James.
