Alumni News

Calvin Rhodes (`35) Interviewed for Always Alcorn Campaign

Congratulations to Wilie Harper 2010 Alcornite of the Year

On February 27, 2010, the newly established Tunica County Chapter was presented with their charter.  We also congratulate Alcorn County who established their chapter in 2009.

Alene Harris honored for Democrat of the Year

The 2010 Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year Awards were held Sunday, August 22, 2010 in Universal City.  Alcornite Alene B. Harris was the 55^th district’s honoree.                                                                                    

Alene Harris was born and raised in Mississippi, she came from a household of two loving parents and the second eldest of six children. Among the struggles of growing up in the South during the sixties, Alene successfully attended and graduated from Alcorn A & M University in Lorman, Mississippi with a BS degree in Business Education. Alene took her Bachelor's Degree and traveled alone to sunny California, through fierce determination she landed a position at Chevron El Segundo Refinery - Petroleum Industry as the first minority female laboratory technician. The position as a lab tech included tasks such as testing jet fuel oils for commercial airlines, submarine ships, Small aircrafts, crude oils, motor oils for cars, hydraulic oils for heavy equipment, and diesel oils.

Throughout her thirty seven years of service with Chevron she has held many positions such as: Lead Lab Inspector, Instructor for new hires, Policy 530 Coordinator, Operation System Analyst, Sox Coordinator, hiring new candidates for lab jobs, Payroll Supervisor, Laboratory & Administrative Supervisor and Relief Plant Manager - El Segundo Distribution Center. Some of Alene's special moments throughout her tenure with Chevron were being recognized as an employee on the move that had a featured article published in their worldwide distribution newsletter.

Alene knew she had a special gift for wanting to help others through her volunteer work during her teenage years at a Mississippi convalescent home assisting the elderly. She believes that being a volunteer is the American way of life, volunteering is an unselfish act and makes a difference in people's lives. Through the years she has become an active member in several community-based organizations, which allows her to full-fill her passion to help others. Alene is a Carson Commissioner for Parks & Recreations (Secretary), an Ambassador for Council-55th District, an Alternate-Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee. Alene is a member of several organizations dedicated to helping the community. These organizations include: Millennium Momentum Foundation, Inc., - Advisory Board Member, Carson's Black Chamber of Commerce, National Congress of Black Women, Inc., Los Angeles Chapter, National Women Political Causes, NAACP Carson/Torrance Branch -1st VP and Chairperson of Housing & Development, Top Ladies of Distinction - 2nd VP, Lion's Club North Carson Branch - 2ND VP, Carson Women Club- Chairperson Publicity & Scholarship Committee. Alene is most proud of her work as joint CEO of Clear Blessings Incorporation. Clear Blessings is a non-profit organization that works with at-risk children ages 4-12 years old. The goal is to mentor, and to educate young boys and girls to become great leaders in their communities. Alene also was a Girl Scout leader for eighteen 18 years in the city of Carson, she always had a huge group of members, at least 30 to 40 girls signed up yearly. I have always taught the young children to "Empower their Dreams," by reaching for the sky.

Alene has several life accomplishments that she is proud of, she is listed on the 2010 June Primary California Election as a candidate for Member, Democratic Party Central Committee, County of Los Angeles, 55th District, she was nominated for 2010 Female Democratic of Year (Franklin D. Roosevelt & Eleanor Roosevelt Award) the event is held in August 2010. Mrs. Harris was featured in a book titled, "Come Sunday Morning - African American Women Worship in Style," published by Black Pearl Publishing Company of Dallas, Texas, and she was recognized in the 2010 Alumni Book for Alcorn A&M University graduates.

Alene have helped to elect several well known Democrat's ( President Elected, Barack Obama, Carson, Mayor Jim Dear, Supervisor Mark Ridley -Thomas, Congresswoman Laura Richardson, Assemblyman Warren Furutani, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Senator Jenny Oropeza, to various positions by phone banking's, distributing candidates material to neighbors, signs posted in their yards, campaign donations & etc.

She is married to Bennie Harris Jr., two lovely daughters, Nakita & Shanta and she is the proud grandmother of twins, Asiah & Isaiah. She enjoys traveling around the world with her family visiting exotics places such as Paris, France, London, England, Niagara Falls, Bahamas, Hawaii, and Sydney Australia. Alene is a licensed Century 21 Realtor, Mobil Notary and a day care provider. Her hobbies include bowling, collecting coins & reading historical books and golfing.

 

Mitchell Shears Receives Administrator of the Year Honor

Jackson Public Schools Principal Mitchell Shears has been named the JPS Administrator of the Year. He also has been selected the 2nd Congressional District Administrator of the Year. Shears is in the running for State Administrator of the Year.

Shears, who has recently been named to head the Bates Elementary School which will enroll students in 2010-2011,  has been an educator in JPS for nine years and has served as Principal of Clausell Elementary for the past four years. Under his leadership, Clausell increased from a Level 2 to a Level 4 school and has remained a High Performing school under the state's new accountability model. In 2009, the school was named a National Title I Distinguished School representing the state of Mississippi. That same year, Clausell also became the first JPS elementary school to induct members into the National Elementary Honor Society and was designated as a Founding Chapter.

Shears' success as an instructional leader is built on his belief that "despite being high poverty and/or high minority, we can and will perform at high levels despite the odds that may be stacked against us." 

Former students like Jasmine Brooks agree with that philosophy. In her recommendation letter, Brooks describes the "life lessons" she remembers most about Shears and the integrity he showed in keeping his commitment to attend the graduation ceremonies of the members of the 5th grade class he taught at Green Elementary in 2001. Now a student at Mississippi College, Brooks describes her own determination to be an educator because of Shears' influence.

Community and parent outreach initiatives begun by Shears and his staff at Clausell led to a 100 percent increase in parent participation that was recognized by the Mississippi PTA in 2007. One of the innovative programs, funded by a grant from the National Association of Principals and referred to as Trading Spaces, involved parents trading spaces with their students for a night. Parents wore uniforms, switched classes and participated in classroom activities. A separate program encouraged parents and parent figures to volunteer three hours of time each year and culminated in a pinning ceremony for successful participants. One grandmother, who volunteered more than 100 hours through the program, was honored with a graduation ceremony and several awards.

Shears is a graduate of Alcorn State University where he received both a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and a Master of Science in Elementary Education. He received an Education Specialist in Educational Leadership from Mississippi College and is currently working a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership. Shears attended the Principals Center at Harvard University in 2007. Shears also participated in the Japan Fulbright Memorial Teacher Fund Program in 2005.

Future Mid-Winter Conference Locations

• 2011 - Chicago, Illinois
• 2012 - Vicksburg, Mississippi
• 2013- Atlanta, Georgia