Thirty-five MSMS students traveled to Jackson for the school’s annual Capitol Day event on Jan. 29, where they demonstrated the school’s value to the Magnolia State and lobbied for additional funding.
“Capitol Day offers an opportunity to communicate with legislators about the funding structure of the school and communicate about the excellent things they’ve been investing in over the years,” Chuck Yarborough, an MSMS faculty member who helped organize Capitol Day, said. “It provides an opportunity to share our needs for the future.”
Yarborough explained hometowns played a role in who got selected for Capitol Day.
“The reality is we’re limited in numbers. What we try to do is identify students in districts which are represented by people on the Education and Appropriations committees,” Yarborough said.
A critical part of Capitol Day for students is meeting with local legislators. Senior Claire Rizzo from the Mississippi Delta said building a relationship with state politicians is beneficial for students’ education.
“A lot of local legislators from the Delta are on the Education [Committee],” Rizzo said. “I went [to Capitol Day] to be appreciative and to thank them for their continued support [of MSMS].”
Support from the state government is much needed at MSMS, as the school’s funding comes entirely from the Mississippi Department of Education. Across the state, most school districts are primarily funded through city and county tax sources. Yarborough said understanding how MSMS is funded is important for legislators and Capitol Day serves as a way to clarify misconceptions.
“MSMS was created by an act of the state Legislature and is funded with a line item in the Department of Education’s budget,” Yarborough said. “I suspect many members of the state Legislature are not completely clear that our budget comes solely through the Department of Education.”
Junior Jayden Wagner said Capitol Day was a chance to show the best of what MSMS contributes to Mississippi.
“Capitol Day is a chance for [state legislators] to view the school as more than just a name on a piece of legislation,” Wagner said. “It’s a chance for our senators and representatives to see MSMS students face to face and see that we’re the future of Mississippi.”
