STARKVILLE — A Mississippi State senior is one of five semi-finalists in the 2021 national Steelcase Student Design Competition, NEXT.

Molly P. Taylor’s project, “NEXT: Self-Expressive Skincare,” was selected through an anonymous judging process out of 995 entries representing 67 interior design programs from across the nation.

The assignment was to design a corporate office using Steelcase furniture for a beauty company with an emphasis on clean, organic products.

The Eads, Tennessee, native said she was especially passionate about this project because the assigned building space was located in New York, where she hopes to intern this summer.

Taylor will join fellow honorees from Maryville University, Kansas State University and California State University at the Steelcase headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to present her project.

A winner will be announced Feb. 25.

SHS students assist at State Capitol

Gracieann Williams and Parker Casano of Starkville recently served as pages for the Mississippi Senate. Pages generally run errands for officials and Senate staff. Williams is the daughter of Senator Williams and wife Cynthia Williams and attends Starkville High School. 

Casano is the son of Justin and Elizabeth Casano and also attends Starkville High School.

“Being a page has given me the opportunity to learn more about our state and how the senate works,” Williams said.

“I am very blessed and thankful to be given the opportunity to serve as a junior page for the senate body,” Casano said. “I plan to join the Army National Guard when I turn 17, so getting the chance to serve and see how the senate works was truly amazing.”

Annunciation to celebrate National Catholic Schools Week

This week is National Catholic Schools Week and Annunciation Catholic School will have several events to celebrate.

The schedule includes a visit from Mayor Keith Gaskin and Jennifer Garrard, from Helping Hands, today. Gaskin will speak to students about ways to help in the community and the importance of community involvement. Afterward, the school will have its cereal dominoes challenge. Students have been collecting cereal donations for Helping Hands.

The school will celebrate the nation’s military at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday with the 6th annual In Our Nation Day Parade. Students, special guests and visitors will march around the block of the school in celebration of the school’s heroes.