{"id":6048,"date":"2025-08-07T07:47:29","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/?p=6048"},"modified":"2025-08-07T10:23:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T16:23:25","slug":"jones-colleges-practical-nursing-pinning-ceremony-filled-with-emotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/news\/jones-colleges-practical-nursing-pinning-ceremony-filled-with-emotion\/","title":{"rendered":"Â鶹ֱ²¥ celebrates Practical Nursing Graduates in moving ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ELLISVILLE \u2013 In an emotional and heartfelt ceremony, the 33 members of the summer graduating class of the Practical Nursing program at Â鶹ֱ²¥ in Ellisville were honored during a traditional pinning ceremony held recently. The pinning ceremony is a longstanding tradition in the nursing profession, symbolizing the transition from student to nurse, acknowledging the compassion, dedication, and hard work the graduates have shown throughout their training. To make it even more special, friends, family members, faculty, and community members gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of the nursing students, many of whom have overcome personal and academic challenges to reach this milestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are a truly an exceptional group, and this ceremony is a celebration of your determination, resilience, and countless hours of hard work that brought you to this moment,\u201d Amy Myers, the Director of Practical Nursing said to the new graduates. \u201cNursing school is not for the faint of heart and you\u2019ve proven that you have the strength, focus, and compassion needed to excel in this profession. I encourage you to keep learning to stay open, to stay curious, and to remember why you chose this path. Nursing is more than a career, it is a calling to care, to serve and make a difference in the lives of others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ahmya Bacot of Hattiesburg, Sabrina Bobbitt of Lake, Kovani Bolton of Brandon and Sydney Burchfield of Laurel proudly show off their lighted lamps as part of the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Practical Nursing Program\u2019s Pinning and Lamp Lighting Ceremony.
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One example of determination and resiliency has been shown by Ellisville\u2019s Hope Smith. After starting the program in 2021, she finished the Practical Nursing program four years later than she hoped. During that time, she had a child, took some time off from her education and began working full-time before returning to school a year ago. Her now three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Charlotte is the main reason she began dreaming of nursing again. Smith is pursuing a career in pediatrics because of her daughter\u2019s special health needs.<\/p>\n\n\n

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<\/strong>Practical Nursing graduate, Hope Smith of Ellisville (right middle) holds her three-year-old daughter Charlotte and is pictured with her sister Katelyn Stamper (left end), her mother Nicole and father Jamie Smith (middle) and her boyfriend, Darron Schall (right end) show their support by attending the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming back to Jones to finish some required classes for the R.N. program before I \u2018bridge\u2019 to the R.N. program,\u201d said Smith. \u201cI\u2019m proud I did something and made something of myself for my daughter while being a young teenage mom. I was pregnant, finished high school and college and still graduated with my associates degree and now I\u2019m a nurse!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only did Smith become a nurse, but she was also honored with the Academic Excellence Award for demonstrating the ability to achieve in addition to excelling in every scholastic activity. Overcoming the challenge of being a working parent and a nursing student while also achieving the highest academic performance, Smith attributes to her supportive family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy dad kind of drilled it into me and my other sister that, \u2018You’re going to make something of yourself.\u2019 My sister has probably pushed me the hardest. Even though my parents are extremely proud of me, I think my sister Katelyn is the proudest,\u201d Smith shared.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Florence Nightingale Award recipient, Leah Englett of Seminary said nursing school saved her life. After spending 27 years being a hairdresser, she\u2019s starting her life over as a nurse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday means everything to me because I\u2019ve always wanted to be a nurse, but I never had the confidence,\u201d shared Englett. \u201cI talked to Miss Burge and my advisor, and she saved my life, actually. I didn\u2019t have any courage and when I came here, I wasn\u2019t even able to hold my head up or give anyone eye contact. I\u2019ve worked myself up so and this program has given me confidence too. I\u2019ve also made such wonderful friends here. I would adopt every one of them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ahmya Bacot receives her nursing pin from Practical Nursing Director, Amy Myers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As part of the ceremony, each graduate was presented with a nursing pin which is a symbol of their readiness to serve and their connection to a long-standing tradition of care. Becoming a nurse was not 23-year-old, Ahmya Bacot of Hattiesburg\u2019s first career choice. While working as a patient account representative at a clinic, that is when she realized she wanted to be a nurse. The Pinning and Lamp Lighting Ceremony, which is a culmination of one chapter in her nursing career has become more special as she \u201cbridges\u201d to the R.N. program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis ceremony means everything to me. It represents the late nights, the sacrifices, and the personal growth we\u2019ve all experienced,\u201d Bacot said. \u201cLike many of us, we were filled with so many doubts, and I took a risk since I live on my own to budget and pay bills. One year later, after questioning whether or not I should take the risk, I\u2019m a nurse with no doubts about my choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Prior to the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony, graduates (pictured left to right) Brittney Zeigler of Monroe, LA, Ahmya Bacot of Hattiesburg, Leah Englett of Seminary and Tonancy Carranza of Ellisville pose for a picture with their nursing instructor, Mason Smith (middle).<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Receiving the Rising Star Award was Petal\u2019s Kaylie Derrick. This award is given to a student who has shown continuous dedication and exceptional growth in the classroom, and clinical settings. Her instructors said her positive attitude and perseverance have enriched her professionalism and nursing knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Â鶹ֱ²¥ Practical Nursing graduates, Kaylie Derrick of Petal (left) and Leah Englett of Seminary light their candles as part of the Program\u2019s Pinning and Lamp Lighting Ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The ceremony concluded with the new nurses reciting the Florence Nightingale Pledge, which is a solemn vow to uphold the ethical and compassionate standards of nursing. After passing their licensure exams, these graduates will begin their careers in various healthcare settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and clinics across the region and some will continue their nursing education. For more information about the Practical Nursing programs at Â鶹ֱ²¥, click on the website, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/programs\/practicalnursing\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Â鶹ֱ²¥ Practical Nursing Graduates<\/strong> Summer 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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    \n
  1. Ahmya Bacot, Hattiesburg<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Sabrina Bobbitt, Lake<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Kovani Bolton, Brandon<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Sydney Burchfield, Laurel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Tonancy Carranza, Ellisville<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Tempess Cooper, Moss Point<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Kaylie Derrick , Petal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Leah Englett, Seminary<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. LaKenneth Fairley, Mount Olive<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Arteia Keonna Gardner, Clinton<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Vinkodious Hilton, Collins<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Heather Howell, Ellisville<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. Lindsey Johnson, Ellisville<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. Bailey King, Leakesville<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  15. Emma Kate King, Brandon<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  16. Brent Lee, Clara<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  17. Yasmine Lee, McComb<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  18. Alexus Lindsey, Laurel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  19. Hannah Marie Martin, Puckett<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  20. Chrisquisa Matthews, Waynesboro<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  21. A\u2019Keyia Darionne McDyess, Vossburg<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  22. Faith Lashay Peavy, Columbia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  23. Quintena Pollard, Petal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  24. Deamberleye Rankin, Florence<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  25. Anjelena Sanson, Laurel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  26. Hope Smith, Ellisville<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  27. Allyson Strahan, Petal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  28. Jerneshia Turner, State Line<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  29. Keanna Janay Walker, Collins<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  30. Ashley Walters, Soso<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  31. Jamie Watkins, Laurel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  32. Brittney Zeigler, Monroe, LA<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  33. Ivy Zickus, Ellisville<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    ELLISVILLE \u2013 In an emotional and heartfelt ceremony, the 33 members of the summer graduating class of the Practical Nursing program at Â鶹ֱ²¥ in Ellisville were honored during a traditional pinning ceremony held recently. The pinning ceremony is a longstanding tradition in the nursing profession, symbolizing the transition from student to nurse, acknowledging the … <\/p>\n

    Continue reading “Â鶹ֱ²¥ celebrates Practical Nursing Graduates in moving ceremony”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6048"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6048"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6064,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6048\/revisions\/6064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}