Volume 3 | Issue 1

November

The Meaning of Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is truly a special day. When we think of

Thanksgiving we conjure up thoughts of leaves that have changed color and are falling from trees. We also think of visiting with family and friends, watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and of course, the traditional football games on television. Our memories also remind us of turkey dinners with all of the holiday trimmings!

Thanksgiving Day is more than a day of fond memories, parades, football, and special dinners. It is also a day of thanks. On Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded of the bounty of treasures that is a part of our lives. We spend a few moments before the Thanksgiving dinner to give thanks for the richness of our lives and for our wonderful family and friends.

Thanksgiving has broader significance. It is important for us to remember that the word thanksgiving is composed of two words: thanks and giving. Through the Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded to be thankful, to share, and to give. This year as you celebrate take a moment and reflect on what you can do to fully express the meaning of Thanksgiving. As you sit down to dinner, spend a few moments giving thanks to God for all His blessings and mercies toward you and your family throughout the year.

Important Dates

Progress Reports – 11/10 Veterans Day Program – 11/11 Blood Drive – 11/15 Parents/Grandparents Day – 11/18 Thanksgiving Break – 11/21-25 ASVAB – 11/29

November Games

Football – Playoffs North Panola (Away) – 11/11

Basketball Murrah (Home) – 11/08 Neshoba Central (Away) – 11/17 Callaway Thanksgiving Tournament Forest Hill (Girls Only) – 11/18 Canton (Home) – 11/19 Lighthouse Classic Corinth (Boys Only) – 11/26 Pearl River Classic – Pearl River (Girls Only) – 11/26 Madison County Tournament Ridgeland – 11/28-29

The Velma Jackson High School Chronicle

~Thanksgiving Break~ Give thanks and enjoy

your time with family and friends!

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In the United States, Veterans Day

annually falls on November 11. This day is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans are thanked for their services to the United States on Veterans Day. Veterans Day is intended to honor and thank all military personnel who served the United States in all wars, particularly living veterans. It is marked by parades and church services as well as school assemblies, and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast.

The brave men and women who serve and protect the U.S. come from all walks of life. They are parents, children, and grandparents; they are friends, neighbors, and coworkers, but more importantly, they are all a vital part of our communities. We should honor all of those who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime. Veterans Day will be celebrated on a Friday this year.

Let’s remember to pay homage and thank our veterans every day, but especially on Veterans Day! ~Victoria Kiner

ReadingisFUNdamental!ThecheerleadersandfootballplayersvisitedLutherBransonElementarySchool.Aspartofacommunityserviceactivity,wereadtothedifferentgradelevelsfortheirReadingFair.Eachgrouphadtwohighschoolstudents(1cheerleaderand1footballplayer).Asalways,weenjoyedreadingtotheelementarystudentsatLBE.Thestudentsweresoexcited!ThankssomuchforhavingusLutherBranson! ~TameraJackson What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is an annual, national holiday marked by religious observances and it includes a traditional meal mainly turkey and dressing. Thanksgiving includes the expression of gratitude, especially to God. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621, and is held in the United States of America on the fourth Thursday in November. Be thankful!

~Kentesa Linn

Congrats Falcons on your win over Aberdeen, and good luck against North Panola!

GO VJ!!!

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The month of November is considered Prematurity Awareness Month. An estimated 15 million babies around the world are born premature each year and more than one million of them do not survive their early birth. Although the United States has seen sustained improvement in its preterm birth rate, it has one of the highest rates of preterm births of any industrialized country. In the United States, the entire month of November is dedicated to Prematurity Awareness.

The March of Dimes helps the nation focus its attention on premature births. November 17 marks World Prematurity Day, and the March of Dimes is asking everyone worldwide to help spread the word on the serious problem of premature births. The Prematurity Campaign was launched by the March of Dimes to address the crisis and help families have full-term, healthy babies. They are dedicated to giving all babies a healthy start in life!

~Jalynn Towner

“My NICU Story” When my husband and I walked out of labor and delivery after our

son was born November 7, 2015, we did not look like new parents. We watched other couples carefully carry their swaddled bundles of joy to their cars and nervously strapped them into their car seat. Instead, we held our overnight bags and a breast pump. My perfect pregnancy had ended three months early and our son was hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) until my original due date (February 20). He was breathing through a tube, wires covered his tiny 1.3 pounds body, and he was surrounded by other premature or sick newborns. The beeps of the highly calibrated machines that kept them all alive were extremely loud, a sound I will never forget. It would be three months before we'd be able to bring Karter home from the hospital, but we visited him everyday, sometimes twice a day for the next 105 days.

Of course, we were completely unprepared for the months that followed his birth - getting used to the sight of his tiny body hooked up to IV lines; a feeding tube down his throat; watching nurses weigh each soiled diaper; finding terms like "oxygen sats" (the saturation level of oxygen in the blood) and "RDS" (respiratory-distress syndrome) lodged in our conversation; scrubbing our hands and forearms for a full three minutes, five or so times a day, before being allowed to touch our new baby boy.

Today, Karter is one year-old, perfectly happy, active, healthy, and weighing 22 pounds and 31 inches. Although the traumas of the NICU are long behind him, we, his parents, still remember them well. And, we are not alone. Each year, nearly 13 percent of newborns in the United States of America - some half a million babies are born prematurely (less than 37 weeks gestation), and most will spend some time in the NICU due to complications. Unfortunately, the numbers of preterm births are rising, up 36 percent since the early 1980s. Thankfully, with amazing advances in neonatal care and technology, the chances that these babies will survive and thrive are rising too. While some parents are warned that premature birth and a NICU stay is a possibility due to multiple births or a pregnancy condition, many do not know what is ahead until they are in the delivery room. Well, in either case, it is impossible to really prepare for what is behind the doors of the NICU--except to know that, as trying as it may be, miracles happen there every day.

In the beginning, one of the most difficult tasks for NICU parents is redefining what is normal. When you give birth to a premature baby, you are dealing with a tiny infant who is fighting for his or her life. And though you may feel you are facing this trial alone, you're not. We had a tremendous amount of support from our loving family and friends, as well as Karter’s doctors and nurses. Jason and I thank God everyday for blessing us with Karter and for saving his precious life. He is a true fighter; he is our miracle baby!

~Mrs. Kisha Flanigan #FlaniganPartyOf3 (NICU Mom)

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Fall into Basketball

By Malerie White

Coach Tameika Brown How long have you been coaching the Lady Falcons basketball team? ~This is my 10th year coaching the Lady Falcon’s basketball team.

Who or What inspired you to become a coach? ~I really believe that coaching is my calling; I never planned to be in education either teaching or coaching. The principal at Yazoo City High School (my alma mater) called me and asked me to come be the coach there fourteen years ago, and I fell in love with teaching, coaching basketball, and working with children.

How would you describe the team this season? ~I would describe our team as big and quick. We have seventeen players; that’s the most I’ve ever had on a team. Also, we are quicker as a team than we were a season ago. I am counting on that quickness to help us win ball games this season.

How do you prepare your team for the upcoming season? ~We prepare for the upcoming season by setting individual goals for many of the players; next, we train and condition our minds and bodies for six weeks to help us endure the tough season that lay ahead of us. We dedicate a lot of time to film study, weights, and drills to help us improve individually, which helps us improve as a team.

What is your goal this season that is different from last year’s season? ~The goal is the same as last season. It didn’t change because we fell short of achieving it. The ultimate goal is to win the state championship!

What is the one thing that you are hard on your team about? ~I am hard on my team about grades, being dedicated and committed, and being disciplined on and off the court. I believe that education is very important; therefore, as a member of the Lady’s Falcon basketball team, it is important that everyone makes every effort to maintain acceptable grades.

In dealing with student-athletes, how do you discipline your team when it comes to grades? ~Typically, there is some method of disciplinary action taken for falling short of the goal of maintaining at 3.0 GPA each grading term.

What do you as a coach expect from a player? ~I expect everyone to come in every day and just work hard, and give maximum effort and just try to get better each and every day. There are so many people in the world who wish they had the opportunity to play or coach basketball, for that matter, so I try not to take this gift for granted.

What is your life’s motto? ~I don’t have a life’s motto per se…I just try to enjoy life and not take it for granted. I am very blessed to have a great family and a job that I am passionate about and enjoy. I am also growing to become a better person, so I just try to keep a smile on my face and make the best of each day.

How do you define great? ~How would I define great? For me, great means in March 2017, we are holding that gold ball in our hands celebrating.

What will it take to have a great upcoming season this year? ~For us to achieve this great season, it’s going to take everyone being committed to the program, lots of practice, hard work, sacrifices, and a few breaks along the way.

Coach Anthony Carlyle How long have you been coaching the Falcons basketball team? ~This is my 6th year coaching at Velma Jackson.

Who or What inspired you to become a coach? ~Growing up watching my dad coach and seeing the impact that he had on kids made me want to coach and try to have an impact on the kids in which I come in contact with. I want to help them become successful in life.

As a coach who has a reputation of winning championships, how hard is it on you as a coach this year? ~When it comes to coaching, any coach will tell you about the hours it takes to build a successful program, so you would want a reputation of winning because of the time that has to be put in for the coach and players. It is not hard coaching this year or any year with that reputation because of the high standard of expectations that I place on myself as well as my athletes.

How do you prepare your team for the upcoming season? ~We prepare the team by getting them in condition and challenging them mentally to see how they will respond in adverse situations. Right now we are practicing every day just trying to become better in preparation of our first game on November 8.

What is your goal for your last year here at Velma? ~My goal this season with our players is the same as the last five seasons, and that is to be playing on the last day of the season competing for a state championship.

How would you describe the team this season? ~This year’s team will have more overall experience than last year’s team. We have a few guys who didn’t play as much last year that will play a lot this upcoming season, so it will be fun to watch their growth and development as they gain experience.

In dealing with student-athletes, how do you discipline your team when it comes to grades? ~Students who struggle academically have to see my assistant, Coach Wells, for punishment related to grades. We try to make sure students go back to the teacher’s class they are struggling in to get extra help. If grades are too bad and the athlete is not trying to showimprovement, then we just remove him from the team.

What would you say makes you a unique coach? ~I think I am a player’s coach. I think my youth, and the fact that I understand and can relate to what my players go through off the court each day helps me as a coach. I am very demanding as a coach, but I also understand each player’s strengths and weaknesses; I try to put them in the best position on the court to play towards their strengths.

What have you learned from the players you have coached? ~I've learned to be more understanding and patient with my players. I’ve learned to deal with multiple personalities and try to find a way to get the best out of them. I have developed relationships with them that goes beyond basketball.

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I am blessed to be blessed. There are many things in life to be thankful for and I have so many. I am thankful for family and friends and being born in such a wonderful world and having lived 16 beautiful years. I am thankful for my parents being there for me all the time. They provide for me and make sure that I lack for nothing. I also am thankful for my little brother. He gets on my nerves sometimes, but he is the best. My rock is my grandma. I know she has my back at all times. She lets me get away with things my mother would not. I am blessed to have good friends. I would like to give a shout out to my girls on the cheer squad. We cheer and travel together so we spend a lot of time together. Also I am blessed to have the best classmates ever.

My life is better than I deserve and I know it. There are a lot of pain and suffering in the world. Some kids don’t have parents or friends to lean on. So the fact that I am not one of these kids is a miracle by itself. That is why every chance I get I say thank you Lord and try to be the best person that I can!

~Kyla Harris

I am thankful for my family because through thick and thin my family will always be there for me. Family members are the only ones who I can argue with and the next minute it’s like nothing ever happened. Around family, I have the best laughs--some times I can barely breathe. I feel comfortable and can be myself around my family. I love how my family get together and go out to eat or to some fun place or just sit around and talk with one another. Family is very important to me, and that’s why I’m thankful for them and thankful that they’re a part of my life!

~Lakendria Luckett

Life is far better than what I deserve. The things I take for granted, someone else is praying for. I am thankful for all that I have. I may not have everything I want, but I do have everything I need. Every day someone doesn’t have food to eat, clothes and shoes to wear, or even a roof over their head. I am thankful for everything I have and for my parents who provide these necessities for me!

~Malerie White

I am thankful for so many reasons. I’m thankful to see 16 years of my life. I’m thankful for seeing my family every day. I’m thankful to not be dead or in a prison cell. I’m thankful for having a roof over my head and clothes on my back. These 16 years of my life have been a blessing, and I wish for many more years on this earth!

~Shelvie Brooks

I am thankful for life! Waking up everyday is a blessing to me. One of the main reasons I am thankful is because I’ve made it this far in my life. So many kids my age are getting killed or just dying daily. I am also thankful because I am a better person than I was a year ago. I have matured and grew into a very respectable young lady. I am thankful for my family, and the way they have raised me. I am also thankful for the clothes, food, and home that I have…some kids don’t have them. I am very thankful for my mother. She tells me things that I need to know about life. She encourages me to keep pushing, to pray about things, and to always keep God first. I am very thankful!

~Victoria Kiner

November Birthdays

Madison Riley – 1st Nickolas Weatherspoon – 2nd Xavier Luckett – 2nd Cheniqua White – 7th James Smith, III – 11th Dvarius and Jvarius Ball – 12th Keyshawn Johnson – 13th Kenteria Griffin – 16th Tatyanna Staten – 18th Kentesa Linn – 19th Jada Kiner – 19th Roydarius Sutton – 27th Nala Johnson – 25th Genoris Williamson – 26th Jamekia Luckett – 29th

Can’t Hide That Falcon Pride! Running back, James K.

Smith, III, break away play for a score in the 2nd quarter against Yazoo County, was chosen for WLBT End Zone Play of the Week. During this contest, the Falcons beat the Panthers 23-22 to clinch the district title.

Earlier in the season, James won WAPT Blitz 16 Player of the Week. Congrats James! Continue to make your Falcon family proud!

~Kyla Harris