The future is bright for Zarya McGee and Destiney Patterson as the two Yazoo City High School seniors map out their next journey into adulthood. But the two promising students know that their local community helped mold them into the successful students they have become and will continue to be in their next chapters.
“The great thing about Yazoo is that you do have people who care about you,” said Patterson, 18. “Some of my church family members and my mother’s coworkers have always looked out for my brother and me. You can feel love here. People will be there for you and help you out.”
“Everybody is so close together,” added McGee, 17. “It’s such a close community. You will see someone you know everywhere you go, and they look out for you.”
Both McGee and Patterson are Yazoo natives who have attended Yazoo City schools their entire lives.
Patterson is co-captain of the high school’s flag team. She serves as vice president of the Beta Club and president of the Educators Rising Club. She is also a member of the National Technical Honor Society, the National Honor Society, the National Society of High School Scholars and the Educators Rising Honor Society.
Along with the Beta Club and the National Technical Honor Society, McGee is also a member of the cheer squad and the school choir.
After graduation, McGee plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi to major in chemistry.
“It has been my dream to be a cosmetic chemist, formulating products for makeup, body care and hair,” McGee said. “Science has been my favorite subject forever, and I really like makeup. The combination of those two things makes it the best of both worlds.”
Patterson will head over to Mississippi State University to pursue a career in elementary education, a field she said she feels she was born to do.
“I have wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little kid,” she said. “I just found out on my father’s side that I come from a long line of teachers. It made me realize why I love teaching so much. My Mom said at daycare, I would teach my classmates. It’s in my blood.”
Patterson would eventually like to become a school principal or administrator.
And although both students have their futures planned to reach success, they both reflect on the impactful teachers in their lives who helped create their foundation.
Patterson looks to Hattie Taylor, who recently retired from the school’s vocational and technical center.
“She taught education preparation, and she helped me stick with my decision on wanting to become a teacher,” Patterson said. “Some of my teachers talked about low pay or not getting respect from students sometimes. But she said she saw something in me and knew I would be a good teacher.”
It was Tyler Gibbs, a teacher of law and public safety, that helped McGee come out of her shell.
“He had a huge impact on my life,” McGee said. “I wasn’t much of a talker. He pushed me to want to be better. I competed in the state for prepared speech, which was something I never thought I would do. I won second place in the state.”
Both students also speak of Lynette Garrett, who they said made learning fun and showed belief in them.
When McGee and Patterson are not at school, they believe in giving back to the community. Both volunteer with the cafeterias at both the high school and McCoy Elementary School.
McGee has volunteered at the Martha Coker Greenhouses. And Patterson is very active with her church, Lintonia Chapel Seventh Day Adventist.
“During spring break, we passed out apples, lettuce and tangerines at Walmart,” Patterson said. “I adopted four senior citizens for Christmas. I just love helping my community.”
And as they embark onto adulthood, McGee and Patterson encourage their underclassmen to enjoy their high school years but to maintain balance in achieving their dreams.
“Pay attention, listen to your teachers and make sure you are on top of your assignments and grades,” Patterson said.
“But don’t overthink it,” McGee added. “My problem was that I cared way too much about my grades to the point where it was almost destructive. Stuff will happen, but you will come out of it. You will come out better than ever.”
