Contact: Camille Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Seventeen Mississippi State University College of Education graduates are being recognized for their spring semester work as outstanding teacher interns.

Nominated by their university program supervisors, the honorees were selected based on their resourcefulness, initiative and effectiveness. Award recipients have demonstrated outstanding teaching performance, professionalism and a high level of commitment to the teaching profession. The teacher interns completed their senior-year internships at various public school systems throughout Mississippi and Alabama.

MSU Outstanding Teacher Intern award recipients include (by hometown):

BESSEMER, Alabama—Erin Burchfield, a kinesiology/physical education and coaching major, who completed her teaching internship in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District at Armstrong Middle School and Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School.

BOONEVILLE—Lynnette McCoy, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Choctaw County School District at Ackerman Elementary School.

CARTHAGE—Sydney Ogletree, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District at West Elementary School.

COLUMBUS—Nicole Kreitel, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School.

DEKALB, Texas—Quinlan Gray, a music education/instrumental major, who completed his teaching internship in the Tupelo Public School District at Milam Intermediate School, Tupelo Middle School and Tupelo High School.

FLORENCE—Kristen Nichols, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the West Point Consolidated School District at South Side Elementary School.

JACKSON—Reagan Cothern, a secondary education/physics education major, who completed her teaching internship in the Pearl Public School District at Pearl High School.

MADISON, Alabama—Leah Boyd, a music education/vocal major, who completed her teaching internship in the Hoover City School District at Trace Crossings Elementary School and Hoover High School.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee—Elizabeth Williams, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School.

MYRTLE—Lindsay Lauderdale, a secondary/English education major, who completed her teaching internship in the West Point Consolidated School District at West Point High School.

OLIVE BRANCH—Kendall Kimberlin, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Desoto County School District at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

PASCAGOULA—Matthew Killen, a music education/instrumental major, who completed his teaching internship in the Webster County School District at Eupora High School.

PETAL—Britny Bassett, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School.

PHILADEPHIA—Gabrielle Sparnecht, an elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Webster County School District at East Webster Elementary School.

ROSE HILL—Alexa Lewis, a Meridian campus elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Meridian Public School District at Poplar Springs Elementary School.

SEBASTOPOL—Brady Thrash Mitchell, a Meridian campus elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Scott County School District at Lake Elementary School.

WAVELAND—Heather Nieto, a Meridian campus elementary education/middle school major, who completed her teaching internship in the Bay St. Lewis-Waveland School District at Waveland Elementary School.

Established in 1903, MSU’s College of Education is 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.