MSMS students on the State Superintendent’s Advisory Council will travel to Jackson tomorrow [April 8] to meet with the State Superintendent Lance Evans and other members of the Mississippi Department of Education to explain the values of MSMS along with emphasizing the school’s connection to Columbus.

The meeting comes in the wake of state-level discussions about where the future home of MSMS will be.

The SSAC consists of high schoolers across the state who are tasked with advising the MDE on issues regarding student affairs. The students will be given a half hour during the meeting for their presentation and to answer questions from MDE and Evans.

SSAC member and junior Israel Cecil said the group’s goal is to introduce the culture of the MSMS student body as well as explain the school’s values. He emphasized the importance of demonstrating the involvement of current MSMS students as the future of their school has become a statewide news story. 

“We will be formally introducing ourselves and showing them [MSMS] has four pillars: scholarship, creativity, community and service. Those four ideals shape MSMS, and they will always show throughout every classroom and dorm room,” Cecil said. “It doesn’t matter how many people there are, we need to get [the students’] voices out and let them be heard.” 

This meeting comes after the Mississippi Board of Education recommended to the state Legislature that MSMS be moved to MSU. This recommendation was deemed unpopular by a portion of the student body, as 92% of 63 participating MSMS students indicated in a recent student poll they preferred staying at MUW. On Thursday [April 3], Student Government Association held a forum for MSMS students to anonymously discuss the potential move. While the forum was off the record, Cecil was allowed to take anonymous quotes to share with the MDE.

The Vision will continue coverage of the SSAC meeting once it concludes.