PREPS CELEBRATIONS

Dr. Lindsay Colyer was named the “2025 Mississippi Rural Teacher of the Year” during an award ceremony hosted on February 28th by the Program for Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS) headquartered at William Carey University and the Mississippi Rural Education Association (MSREA) which is supported by both William Carey University and Mississippi State University. Dr. Colyer will represent Mississippi in the National Rural Teacher of the Year Competition this year.

🌟 Celebrating Dr. Lindsay Colyer: A Champion for Science & Students! 🌟

The Mississippi Rural Education Association proudly recognizes Dr. Lindsay Colyer as a Mississippi Rural Teacher of the Year 🎉

🔬 Science with Dr. Colyer: Where The Learning Happens!

Dr. Colyer’s passion for science began in childhood, fueled by curiosity and nurtured by inspiring mentors. From collecting whale figurines to extracting DNA at the University of Denver, her journey has been one of discovery, innovation, and dedication.

Now, as a teacher at the Mississippi School of the Arts, she fosters that same love of learning in her students. Through engaging, hands-on activities, reflection journals, and active learning strategies, she makes science come alive in the classroom. Whether it’s "Would you rather be a proton, neutron, or electron?" or exploring the characteristics of cephalopods, her students develop critical thinking skills and a deep understanding of scientific concepts.

But beyond academics, Dr. Colyer is a true champion for her students—mentoring, tutoring, writing recommendation letters, and celebrating their achievements every step of the way. She embodies the philosophy that "Every kid needs a champion," inspiring the next generation of scientists, innovators, and leaders.

Join us in celebrating Dr. Lindsay Colyer representing Congressional District 3 and now overall MS RURAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR for her incredible contributions to science education in Mississippi!

Three other finalists for “Mississippi Rural Teacher of the Year” were also recognized during the ceremony: Congressional District #1 -Terrance Thomas, Lowndes County School District - Congressional District #2 - Elizabeth White, Amite County School District - Congressional District #4 - Lauren Hausler, Hancock County School District .

PREPS presented three special awards to honor educators who are making a difference in Mississippi pk-12 schools. (See Separate Copy for More Information)

PREPS Partnership Award: Rural Schools Collaborative, Executive Director - Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, for the information and support they are providing to Mississippi Rural Schools
Hugh I. Peck Research Award: Dr. Kolin Napier, Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN)
Dan Merritt Courage Award: Emma Benoit and Dwight Owens

Next, administrators from around the state graduated from PREPS CEO Leadership Academy. CEO stands for Collaborating to Empower Others. In its 8th year, the academy has become one of Mississippi’s premiere leadership trainings for Pk-12 administrators.

Corey Boykin – Meridian Public School District

Sametra Brown – Mississippi Achievement School District

Karen Burton – Meridian Public School District

Brett Byrd – Stone County School District

Billy Carroll – Moss Point School District

Taja Cunningham – Ocean Springs School District

Alan Dupree – DeSoto County School District

Patrick Ezell – Hattiesburg Public School District

Kristen Fondren – Aberdeen School District

Deona Fox – Lauderdale County School District

Shelly French – Scott County School District

Carisa Fryer – Pass Christian School District

April Goff – Quitman School District

Crystal Gooden – Coahoma County School District

Yotunga Grant – Canton Public School District

Kim Hart – Picayune School District

Alysia Holley – Corinth School District

Victoria Hoover – Pascagoula-Gautier School District

Tareva Jenkins – Louisville Municipal School District

Adam Kirk – Corinth School District

Serenity Luckett – Madison County School District

LaDarius Malone – Lauderdale County School District

Samuel Matthews – South Delta School District

Nastasha McDonald – Meridian Public School District

Denika McLaurin – West Jasper School District

Joe Moncrief – Scott County School District

Melissa Pardue – Pascagoula-Gautier School District

William Rouse – Scott County School District

Mathew Scott – Hinds County School District

Stephen Stockton – Lauderdale County School District

Crystal Wade – Gulfport School District

Kimberly Wardlow – Cleveland School District

Tiffiney Weddle – Columbus Municipal School District

Chris Wilder – Picayune School District

Jeremy Williams – Picayune School District

Prentiss Williams – Pascagoula-Gautier School District

Michael Wilson – Pascagoula-Gautier School District

Josh Yeager – Perry County School District

To conclude the day, PREPS kicked off its annual membership virtual conference. Mississippi K-12 teachers and administrators in PREPS Districts can earn continuing education units through the end of March by attending online courses offered by the PREPS. For information, call (601) 318-6229 or go to our Facebook page @prepsinc.