PACES Project Buses on the Move

PACES Project Coordina- tor, B. Joe Hulin asked the Kemper County Class of 2022 at its’ PACES Pep Rally in mid-October, “Are you ready for the PACES College Campus tour buses to start rolling again?” Their resounding reply was a loud, “Yes”. 

PACES set about making the request become reality for this year’s members of PACES that had com- pleted the required four hours of Community Serv- ice prior to the trip dead- line. So, in a week’s time frame, just prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday pe- riod, PACES Project’s char- tered buses were loaded with the exited group of students that would be going on the first PACES College Campus trips since the COVID epidemic began almost two years 

ago.
The group of students 

consisted of seniors and juniors that had met or ex- ceeded the goal of four community service hours along with two Freshmen and two Sophomores that were selected based upon a PACES essay competi- tion. 

What a whirlwind affair, four college campuses were visited in eight days: East MS Community Col- lege (EMCC) and Univer- sity of West Alabama during the first trip. On the second trip the Mayhew Campus of EMCC includ- ing the Automated Manu- facturing facilities, and finally Tougaloo College were toured. 

As has been the practice since PACES began spon- soring campus visits 13 years ago for Kemper County High School stu- dents, post visit surveys 

were conducted. This years’ responses displayed an increased interest level, as well as indications of a keener focus on prelimi- nary research of desired career paths. 

Mary Arrington, a senior stated, “The advisors were very helpful in planning and explained future ca- reer choices for my ma- jors.” Sophomore, Shakira Jordan’s reply concerning what she liked about East MS Community College was, “EMCC showed us that at EMCC that every- one around us was family”. 

When asked what to ex- pect from PACES in the coming year, Hulin replied, “With four campus visits behind us our next campus visit is expected to be to either the University of Southern Mississippi or to Mississippi State Univer- sity. 

Then PACES will begin solidifying visits to various STEM oriented businesses and a visit to the MS State Capitol to meet with local legislators to continue 

PACES’ Learning by Living the Experience adven- tures.” 

Kemper County Economic Development Authority PACES Project, is a non-profit, all volunteer, 

Community Service Or- ganization that is in its’ 13th year of operation.