McComb School District with Southwest Distributors, Pike National Bank, Trustmark Bank, A2Z Printing, LSU Alumni Coach John Brady, Uptown McComb. This school district with a community-wide partnership project will highlight how both parties are actively involved in putting a stop to gun violence.

“Let’s Reset and Stop the Gun Violence” were the words written on Community Engagement Coordinator Cornelia Gayden’s whiteboard to address the rise of gun violence in McComb, MS. As she sat in her office with Superintendent Cederick Ellis, Assistant Superintendent Louise Sanders, Chief Garland Ward, Chief Kenny Cotton and many other community members, they all came to a consensus that it’s time to begin the Stop the Gun Violence Movement for the McComb School District.

This school district with a community-wide partnership project will highlight how both parties are actively involved in putting a stop to gun violence. Printed materials highlighting the theme, events and impactful conversations were held to figure out what we can do to ensure a bright future for our students. Together, we will stop gun violence in McComb Mississippi and surrounding areas.

The McComb School District, found in between the cross sections of US Highway 51 and Interstate 55, sits in the community of three of the six schools in McComb Mississippi. The working draft mission statement is “To wholeheartedly champion a culture of learning where everyone belongs and is inspired to create positive change in their world.” The McComb School District is working as a team with the staff and community to finalize the mission, pillars of education, and more to ensure an inclusive plan for the scholars of the McComb School District going into year 2027.

With the goal of changing for a better world in mind, the district understands that addressing issues like gun violence are a priority. The McComb School District includes a student enrollment of 2,263 scholars between six schools: Kennedy Early Childhood Center, Otken Elementary School, Summit Elementary School, Higgins Middle School, Denman Jr. High School and McComb High School. The majority of the entire school district are African American scholars. As the Stop the Gun Violence Movement continues, the
district’s vision will continue to become a reality as scholars help put an end to gun violence, ergo creating a positive change in their world.