This week’s senior spotlight illuminates Jilkiah Bryant. Jilkiah Bryant, known as Kiah to family and friends, resides in Macon Mississippi, an extension to the Golden Triangle. There she attended Noxubee County High School before leaving and coming to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. However, Bryant felt being at Noxubee was holding her back and lacking opportunity, so she applied to MSMS and was accepted.

“I left Noxubee because of the poor educational system in place and lack of rigorous courses. I knew in my heart that coming to MSMS would help me grow, not only as a student, but as a person. The possibilities were endless.”

At Noxubee, Bryant was a varsity cheerleader and very active throughout her community. Through her community service, Bryant was a member of 4-H and apart of a female scholarship group entitled AJOY. Upon coming to MSMS, her service did not stop. She continued to be an active member in her community and participates in several different things while being at MSMS.

“I am still active in 4-H. I serve my state as a 4-H Ambassador. I am also involved in French Club, in which I love doing outreach. I am apart of Wags N Whiskers. In addition to all of this, I do a multitude of volunteer work, serving as the volunteer coordinator for St. James Methodist Church.”

In addition to the clubs and other activities she is a part of, Bryant started a non-profit organization entitled Project Powerful. This organization exists to mobilize passionate teens within the community to affect sustainable change and to adhere to community challenges through civic service.

“In the fall of my junior year of high school, I founded this organization and began seeking initiatives to give back to the community and surrounding areas. I have overseen the efforts of various food drives to address the growing population of dispossessed citizens in Golden Triangle and shed light to the stories of phenomenal, yet often disregarded students,” Bryant said.

With this organization she has accomplished a lot.

“One of my greatest achievements through Project Powerful has been creating a sense or urgency among community leaders and organization to make meaningful impact in the areas that matter most.

These academic and outreach opportunities have done many things for her and her future.

“These things have empowered me to push harder towards my dreams and goals, regardless of the adversities I will face. It has pushed me into my purpose in life.”

After graduating, Bryant plans on entering the medical field and returning to Mississippi and starting her own practice, expanding Project Powerful along the way.

“My end goal is to become a doctor. In addition, I would like to come back to Mississippi to start my own practice. I would like to expand Project Powerful to other states and register it as a non-profit organization 401(c)(3). Overall, I would like to become a doctor, an entrepreneur, and a public speaker to give voices to those who lack the ability to believe in themselves.”

Bryant’s end goal is to “make Mississippi its best by being and paving a way for change for future students of this state.”

Along with her goals and aspirations, she had some great advice for moving forward here at MSMS.

“My advice to others would be don’t let fear keep you from pursuing your dreams. Failure is a part of life and there is never one way to accomplish a goal-therefore quitting should not be an option.”