As the next generation of leaders emerge from the upcoming graduating class of seniors, two students at Yazoo County High School will represent their communities well with their commitment, kind spirits and desire to leave a lasting mark.
Hannah Parker and Amarynn Miles are both shining examples of what it takes to become future leaders. Their determination and awareness that the future is wide open for them can be heard in their conversations as the current Panthers head towards their next chapters.
Parker, 17, the daughter of Jimmy and Andrienne Parker, has been within the Yazoo County School District since Headstart. Miles, 18, the son of Annlesha Kimbrough, joined the district in second grade. Both students are from the Benton area.
Parker will be heading to Mississippi College on the full-tuition Speed Scholarship to pursue her Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Elementary Education. Scoring a composite score of 22 and a super score of 24 on her ACT, she is currently a member of the Yazoo County High School 20+ ACT Club.
Education seems to be in the Parker family blood. Parker’s mother and father were former educators at the Larry Summers Vocational-Technical Center, and her sister is currently an elementary school teacher. She also recently completed the education preparation program at the local high school.
“I want to be someone who kids can look up to as a good role model in their lives,” Parker said. “I intend to use being a teacher to serve as a positive influence. I had teachers who made me want to impact other people’s lives, and I want to be somebody that kids can count on.”
Miles will be heading to Iowa to the Des Moines Area Community College, where he will pursue a career in mechanical engineering.
“My stepfather made me want to pursue that field when I was younger,” Miles said. “I liked seeing all the different things that mechanical engineers were capable of building, and it appealed to me. I loved seeing how everything worked, the mechanics behind it. I wanted to be able to do that myself.”
As the two students prepare for their collegiate journeys, they are already prepared in the sense that they know how to balance a multitude of obligations. Parker and Miles have afterschool jobs with Parker working at her family’s business, Carquest, and Miles at Pizza Hut in Gluckstadt.
Miles has also been very active in many athletics programs at the county high school. He had played football since ninth grade as a receiver, tight end and running back. He was also a member of the track team from ninth until eleventh grade. And he decided to join the school’s tennis team in his senior year.
“I enjoyed playing football the most because it is so competitive,” he said.
Miles also competed in a math competition at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus.
“That was a real eye-opener,” he said. “I enjoyed it, and I thought I did well. But then it occurred to me that the MSMS kids do that kind of stuff daily.”
Miles was also recently named Yazoo County High School’s STAR Student for the 2024-2025 school year by the Mississippi Economic Council Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program.
And with a composite score of 29 and a super score of 30, that completive spirit can be found within Miles.
“I want to take it again and see if I can score higher,” he said.
Looking back on their time within the county school district, both students have a few teachers and faculty that left a lasting impression with them.
Parker said she is grateful to Laurie Lynch, a visual arts teacher, and Marlana Jones-Young, with education preparation.
“Mrs. Young really helped to determine that I wanted to be a teacher,” Parker said. “I enjoyed doing with the field experience with the program.”
But for Parker, art held a special place in her heart.
“Creating things in art or in studio class was my relaxation period,” she said. “I took the courses not because I had to as an elective but because I wanted to take them. It was a break from normal class work, and I was able to be creative.”
Even when she is not in school, Parker likes to crochet and paint in her free time.
“In Mrs. Lynch’s studio class, we were able to do things beyond painting,” Parker said. “We painted and assembled clocks and did paper mâché. We really went beyond the basics.”
For Miles, Yolanda Grayson, his personal finance teacher, was just the instructor he said he needed to set him on the right path.
“She was always trying to push me on applying for scholarships,” he said. “I admit that I am a procrastinator sometimes, but she pushes me to make sure I am where I needed to be.”
And it was even those county instructors that Miles did not personally have as teachers who left a mark with him. He looks at Coach Cade Bunnell who went above and beyond after school hours.
“Coach Burnell and his wife drove me to one of my first college open houses at Millsaps College,” he said. “That meant a lot to me.”
Parker, who is also a member of Melrose Baptist Church, enjoys spending time with her family and friends. And she can often be found reading. Her current selection is the Twilight fantasy series.
“Reading allows you to escape,” she said, with a smile.
Like Parker, Miles said he enjoys reading fantasy pieces as well.
“When I was younger, I read a lot, but I kind of stopped in middle school and the beginning of high school,” he said. “But I got back into this year. My problem is that sometimes I jump off into something and then jump off into something else before I finish reading it. Especially with series, I had to stop to wait for the new book. I would rather have them all in front of me. I don’t like waiting to keep going.”
Looking back on his time at Yazoo County High School, Miles said he will miss his time on the football field and with his team the most. He especially remembers that last football game of the season when Yazoo County fell to Rosa Fort, in a 44-37 victory in playoff action.
“We lost a heartbreaker,” he said, looking down. “That was a hard one to end it on. But it felt gratifying to know that you were a part of something. Football is something that you have the potential in being remembered for. We might have gone all the way. We could have been one of those teams that made it far.”
The future is bright for both Parker and Miles. And their lasting marks at Yazoo County High School will always be remembered. And they hope that they left an impression as well with their underclassmen.
“Do your best, and strive to reach your goals,” Parker said. “Just keep up with your work, and you will go far.”
“If there is something that interests you, go ahead and do it now,” Miles said. “Learn as much as you can while you have the time to do it. You might see a lot of things in your senior year that you wished you could have been doing. You might regret it. Apply yourself now so that you won’t have that lingering though of what might have been.”
