Tuesday, October 13, 2020
STARKVILLE, Miss – Members of the Bulldog family are reaching out to help the thousands affected by Hurricane Laura after making landfall last month.
The program manager for the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program scholarship, Annice Jenkins, explained that part of the METP scholarship is performing community service.
Associate Dean Teresa Jayroe pointed out that after talking to a College of Education donor from the area hit by Hurricane Laura, she asked Jenkins to see if the METP students could provide assistance to the people impacted by the hurricane.
Jenkins began checking with people in the Starkville community to find out if supplies were being collected for the hurricane victims and was able to get connected with Joe Horan, lead pastor at Starkville Community Church.
"We've been looking for some way the students could volunteer this year, and all of our students have been really eager to help the city of Lake Charles," Jenkins said. "Joe's wife is from the area, so it's been a blessing that our students have been able to help.”
Senior secondary education major and METP student Emily Hudgens said that while she's never been through a hurricane, she's seen the effects of them all her life through family members on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
"My family on the coast experienced Katrina, and I remember them being hit really hard. With natural disasters, you can plan everything, but you can never be fully prepared," Hudgens said. "Collecting donations [for Lake Charles] was really a no-brainer for me. Just being good stewards of my time and resources and being able to give what we can to help people is second nature to me."
Hudgens went on to say that since becoming enrolled in the teacher education program at MSU, she's come to fall in love with the education community and the emphasis that the college puts on servant learning.
"Helping others is a really big deal to METP and the College of Education," Hudgens said. "Just knowing that we can give what we have to help others is one of the pillars of our college, and that's what I really like about it.”
Sophomore METP student Ethan Morris echoed Hudgens’ comments and added that while he's never been affected by a natural disaster, he's been given so much that giving to others who are in need is the least he can do.
"My rationale is that I've been blessed beyond measure with METP, and they help me out with anything," explained Morris, who is also a secondary education major. "I'm doing great with what they have given and blessed me with, but there are people that aren't doing so well out in the world, and there's no reason why I shouldn't help them."
The students have collected paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and school supplies. Jenkins said Lake Charles residents also needed diapers, wipes and other baby supplies. She also said that she's been in contact with South Beauregard Upper Elementary, a school in a district where 97% of the schools were damaged by the hurricane.
"Most of the school had to be gutted due to flooding and mold. They had to clean everything out, which means they really need everything from teacher supplies to supplies for the students," said Jenkins. "We've collected several boxes of supplies and are working to collect more of those things.”
Jenkins continued saying that METP is still collecting donations through October. Anyone who wants to donate items is welcome to drop them off at the METP office at 75 Morgan Avenue on MSU's campus during regular business hours.
Hurricane Laura made landfall on the Louisiana Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm around 1 a.m. on Thursday, August 27. The hurricane impacted over 1.5 million people and is estimated to have caused between $4 billion and $12 billion in damage.
Established in 1903, MSU's College of Education is now home to six academic departments, one research unit and numerous service units. For more about the college, visit //www.educ.msstate.edu/.
MSU is Mississippi's leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.
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