For Makenzie Ray and Talia Williams, both graduating seniors want to leave Yazoo County High School differently from when they started four years ago. They want to leave with more than just a diploma. They want to leave something of themselves at the local high school.
“Even after you leave, the people who come after you will see what you did,” Williams, 18, said. “Be their example. Grow while you are here. And don’t leave the same person you were when you got here.”
Both Ray and Williams are Yazoo County natives who have received all their education within the county school district. And both seniors are very active in a variety of programs and groups, all while balancing their studies with each one earning a college scholarship.
Ray is very active in the high school marching band, where she serves as the brass section leader, a role she has held for the past three years.
“I have been leader for a few years, and I would like to add that I’m the only girl,” she said, with a smile.
Music and playing an instrument have always been a passion for Ray. She has served as music leader at Delta Baptist Church.
“We are a small, rural church,” she said. “But I love music so that makes the role fun.”
Ray is also a member of the Beta Club and the 20-plus ACT Club. She serves as student government president and was active in a variety of school-minded community projects, including a painting project and care package drives.
Outside of Yazoo County High School, Ray has served as a student ambassador with the Secretary of State’s office. It was during this time she was exposed to communicative summits and engagement with the state secretary.
But it was when Ray represented Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association in Washington D.C. with the Cooperative Youth Leaders program that changed her outlook on life.
“That was the best thing and experience that ever happened to me,” she said. “That experience is what exposed me to law and politics. It developed that interest in me because I really didn’t know what I wanted to do in life before that.”
At first, Ray thought she would enter a medical field.
“I quickly realized that the medical field was not for me,” she said. “I don’t have a math and science brain. I am more productive when it comes to history, English and writing.”
It was during the Washington D.C. youth leadership trip that Ray decided to shift gears when it came to her career. She will now be heading to East Central Community College to pursue a degree in pre-law.
“When I went to Washington D.C. and had the opportunity to speak to legislators and the people who control our government, it changed something in me,” she said. “It made me realize that I really loved law and government. It changed my whole direction.”
Ray intends to enroll at the University of Mississippi to continue her path into law school.
“I am taking it one step at a time because I feel like my life and mind will change during junior college,” she said. “But I have an open mind about the future.”
Williams is also a member of the Beta Club and 20-plus ACT Club. She also played tennis for two years. She will be heading to Tougaloo College on a full-paid scholarship.
“I plan to major in economics to enter into the corporate world,” she said. “I always wanted to be a woman in power, having my own office and overseeing others, especially in finance. That appeals to me. I want to be the important person in the room.”
Confidence. Drive. Determination.
All these qualities have shaped both Ray and Williams. And those qualities all developed within the halls and thanks to the instructors of the Yazoo County School District.
“Being in a small school makes me realize that someone has to be the person to make a name for us,” Williams said. “Somebody must be the example and show everybody that a small town does not have limitations. You can go anywhere. That is what drives me. Knowledge is something no one can take from you so strive to make it better.”
Ray agrees that at larger school districts, it can be easy for students to just become another number in the books.
“Going to a school like YCHS is an advantage because you will be able to talk to people, create connections and have that one-on-one time,” Ray said. “I can talk to a teacher I had ten years ago, and she still remembers me. That makes it special.”
Those special teachers include Pamela Pickens for Williams. Pickens was her ELA instructor in fifth and sixth grade. She also taught her in Learning Strategies in seventh grade. She now serves as the high school’s assistant principal.
“She instilled in me to stop selling myself short,” Williams said. “Even after I left elementary school and headed into high school, she would still email me about opportunities. Even with my Tougaloo scholarship, she was there for me. I just love her, and I owe my confidence to her.”
Ray said Madalyn Allen and Shelby Stapleton are her two most impactful teachers
“Mrs. Allen has always been there for me,” Ray said, reflecting on her eighth-grade year. “She was always there for me. She opened the door of my love for history, which is odd because she doesn’t even teach history. She teaches English, but she made it so much fun. And I could take all my problems to her.”
Stapleton is Ray’s assistant band director. But she is more like a friend as well.
“She helped get me out of my shell with certain things,” Ray said. “She may not realize it, but she has helped me through so much. She has been there just to talk to. But she also helped me not to be scared with my instrument. Be more confident in my playing. That confidence applied elsewhere.”
Both Ray and Williams owe gratitude to their families and friends for providing support, strength, guidance and advice. For Ray, it was her parents, Curtis and Andi Ray. Williams looked to her best friend Dekya Granderson, her sister Talesha Williams, brother Timothy Williams and parents Mary and Alex Smith.
But perhaps Ray and Williams should be reminded that they are serving as inspirations for the underclassmen. And they have some words of wisdom for them.
“It is OK to be smart, to care about your grades,” Ray said. “It’s OK to have fun but balance it with your grades. You need structure. It might be hard, but it is going to help in the long run.”
“Enjoy every moment, stay in the books and don’t let the outside world distract you from your goal,” Williams added. “High school will not last forever. Stay on track. It is not uncool to be smart It’s the coolest thing ever, and people will respect you more for it. Don’t be afraid to speak up for people. Make a difference. And, above all, be kind.”
