News Releases
Marcy McDonald Named Head of Lower School at JA
Jackson Academy Head of School Palmer Kennedy announced Friday that Marcy McDonald of Jackson will lead the Lower School beginning June 1, 2023. McDonald will fill the role currently held by Head of Lower School Sarah Love, who retires at the end of this academic year.
College Board Recognizes Zyon McDowell
The College Board’s National African American Recognition Program has recognized Jackson Academy junior Zyon McDowell for his academic achievements at JA and outstanding performance on the PSAT.
Volleyball Team Voted Best in Mississippi
The Lady Raider Volleyball team was voted the Best Volleyball Team in Mississippi by MaxPreps. Lakin Laurendine was also named the Best Player in the state of Mississippi.
JA’s SOAR Director Named
Associate Head of School for Student Life Jimmy Messer has announced the hiring of Jackson Academy’s director of the SOAR Outdoor Program. This initiative offers experiential out-of-classroom learning opportunities. Dean Arnold will begin his role leading JA’s signature program on September 7.
Choral Music and Showchoir Leaders Introduced
Jackson Academy’s new Director of Choral Music, Garrett Lindsey, began preparations this summer for the show choir and choral music seasons and the academic instruction accompanying them. In his role, he oversees Upper School choral music programs and the Upper School showchoir, Encore.
Jackson Academy to Name Basketball Court in Honor of Jan Sojourner
Jackson Academy is pleased to announce the basketball gym court that is currently being refurbished will now be named the Jan Sojourner Court.
Read More… Jackson Academy to Name Basketball Court in Honor of Jan Sojourner
Aubrey Blackwell Selected As Head Football Coach at JA
Jackson Academy is excited to announce the hiring of Aubrey Blackwell as its new head football coach. Coach Blackwell spent last season at Benjamin Russell High School.
Read More… Aubrey Blackwell Selected As Head Football Coach at JA
JA’s Director of Admission Named to MBJ’s Top 40 Under 40
On Jackson Academy’s campus, Kayla Vaughn Mosal is one of the school’s most familiar faces. As the director of admission, Mosal most days can be seen leading tours of visiting families throughout the 38-acre campus, which has been described as one of the finest school environments among the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools.
Read More… JA’s Director of Admission Named to MBJ’s Top 40 Under 40
JA Names Dr. Travelstead to Distinguished Alumni Group
Meredith Montgomery Travelstead, M.D. ’89 has been a champion for women’s health as a Jackson area OBGYN, supporting and educating women in all stages of life.
Read More… JA Names Dr. Travelstead to Distinguished Alumni Group
Jesse Taylor to Lead Boys Basketball Program
Associate Head of School for Student Life Jimmy Messer has announced that Jesse Taylor has been named head coach for varsity boys basketball at Jackson Academy.
Wreaths Across America Seeks to Remember, Honor, Teach
Jackson Academy was honored to be the Mississippi school selected for a 2022 Wreaths Across America stop, part of a nationwide tour to remember and honor veterans and teach young people the value of freedom.
Read More… Wreaths Across America Seeks to Remember, Honor, Teach
Regan Felder and Logan Huff Named Mississippi State University Presidential Scholars
Each year the university gives its most prestigious scholarship to 10-12 of the most outstanding incoming freshmen who demonstrate excellence in academics, test scores, and high school and community leadership.
Read More… Regan Felder and Logan Huff Named Mississippi State University Presidential Scholars
Jackson Academy Celebrates Soccer Championship
The Raiders entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the Division 1 Soccer Semifinals, advancing to the State Championship Game yesterday. The Raiders won their second straight State Championship beating Hartfield Academy 4-2 for JA’s 10th State Soccer title.
Mississippi Christian Living Leaders Named
Each year, Mississippi Christian Living magazine, in partnership with Belhaven University, recognizes high school seniors as future Christian leaders. We are pleased to announce that three JA students were chosen amongst many other finalists. Regan Felder, Anna Carlisle Nichols, and John Wicks III will be recognized on March 1 at Belhaven University.
Jackson Academy Welcomes Jimmy Messer
In October, Jackson Academy Head of School Palmer Kennedy announced that Jimmy Messer had accepted the role of associate head of school for student life. Messer’s first day at JA will be Monday, February 14.
JA Students Return from MTA as Finalists and Award Winners
Jackson Academy students attended the Mississippi Theatre Statewide Festival this past weekend. A number of JA students who were named as Individual Event finalists competed on Saturday. Congratulations to JA Theatre students named MTA Individual Event Finalists!
Read More… JA Students Return from MTA as Finalists and Award Winners
JA Student Earns Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year Honors
For the third year in a row, the Jackson Academy Lady Raider volleyball program boasts the top player in the state. Junior Lakin Laurendine was named the 2021-22 Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year this past week.
Read More… JA Student Earns Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year Honors
Coach Sojourner’s Influence on the Sport of Basketball Honored
The Lady Raiders’ December 7 win over Richland High School cinched Head Varsity Basketball Coach Jan Sojourner’s 1,000th career win. One of Mississippi’s winningest coaches, Sojourner is in her 37th year at Jackson Academy.
Read More… Coach Sojourner’s Influence on the Sport of Basketball Honored
Walter Anderson Documentary Screened at JA, with Anderson Originals in the Gallery
A JA sophomore and four Jackson Academy alumni contributed to a documentary released last month on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. JA helped celebrate their work with a film screening and installation of 10 Walter Anderson originals on loan for the day from the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Read More… Walter Anderson Documentary Screened at JA, with Anderson Originals in the Gallery
Annalee Willson Named Heisman High School Winner for JA
Senior Annalee Willson received notification last week that she was named a school winner for the 2021 Heisman High School Program. Presented by Acceptance Insurance, the program honors hundreds of the nation’s most accomplished, community-minded high school senior athletes each year.
Read More… Annalee Willson Named Heisman High School Winner for JA
Lady Raider Volleyball Captures Seventh State Title in School History
Congratulations to the Jackson Academy Lady Raiders volleyball team for winning the MAIS Overall Volleyball Championship. It is the team’s seventh state title since the program began at JA in the 2011-12 school year.
Read More… Lady Raider Volleyball Captures Seventh State Title in School History
Lady Raiders Earn State Championship Title
Congratulations to the Lady Raider Soccer Team for winning the MAIS Division I girls’ soccer championship! With their 1-0 win over Jackson Prep Monday afternoon, the Lady Raiders secured the team’s fifth state title in school history.
JA Teams Claim MAIS Spirit Competition Titles
JA cheerleaders and dance teams demonstrated their hard work, skill, and school spirit last Wednesday at the MAIS Spirit Competition held at the Mississippi Coliseum. JA spirit teams brought home two championship titles, two runner-up positions, and two All-Star recognitions.
JA Graduate Honored by USA Today “I Am Sport” Program
Jackson Academy 2021 graduate Alice Williams was named USA Today’s “I Am Sport” recipient for Mississippi. “I Am Sport” is the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.
Read More… JA Graduate Honored by USA Today “I Am Sport” Program
Upper School Students and Faculty Sign Honor Code
Jackson Academy conducted a special ceremony Thursday that focused on the school’s Honor Code. Upper School students and faculty members joined Head of School Palmer Kennedy, Head of Upper School Brandi Richardson, Honor Council Advisor Sandra McKay, and Honor Council Chair Connor Gee in the Performing Arts Center as these leaders presented the ideals of…
Read More… Upper School Students and Faculty Sign Honor Code
Rising Junior Leads at FBI Leadership Program
When JA eleventh grader Olivia Claire Williford began looking for summer internships, she never imagined she would end up in Quantico, Virginia at the FBI National Academy Associates’ Youth Leadership Program.
Jackson Academy Announces Athletic Roles for Coming Year
Members of the Jackson Academy coaching staff look forward to a 2021-22 athletic season filled with great competition and great opportunities. As incoming Head of School Palmer Kennedy begins his transition to the leadership of JA in June, interim athletic leadership positions for the year have been filled. A plan for hiring additional posts and…
Read More… Jackson Academy Announces Athletic Roles for Coming Year
Georgetown-Bound Priya Ray Earns Amazing Teen
Priyadarshini “Priya” Ray is no stranger to accolades. The Jackson Academy Class of 2021 valedictorian won a place in the JA Hall of Fame, as a National Merit Finalist and STAR Student, and now adds recognition as a Jackson Free Press Amazing Teen to her growing resume of accomplishments. Having reaped the rewards of academic…
Parker Bracken Named 2020-21 Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year
In its 36th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade announced Parker Bracken of Jackson Academy as its 2020-21 Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year. Parker is the third JA student to receive a Gatorade Player of the Year award in recent years. Parker has been named Gatorade Player of the…
Read More… Parker Bracken Named 2020-21 Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year
Raiders Win State Titles in Tennis, Track and Field
Last week saw Raiders in action on the field and court Wednesday and Friday through Saturday vying for state championship titles. The JA tennis teams competed in singles and doubles play throughout the day on Wednesday. Congratulations to the girls’ tennis team for claiming their sixth title in a row, and twelfth title overall, and…
Read More… Raiders Win State Titles in Tennis, Track and Field
Jackson Academy Names Head of Upper School for 2021-2022
Jackson Academy is pleased to announce that K-12 educator and school leader Brandi Richardson will serve JA as head of Upper School beginning with the 2021-22 school year. From Grand Bay, Alabama, Richardson is currently the Upper School director at Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile. She assumes leadership of JA’s Upper School on June…
Read More… Jackson Academy Names Head of Upper School for 2021-2022
Senior Wins National Gold Medal in Scholastic Art
Congratulations to senior Kaylee Ashford, who recently won a national Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition!
Read More… Senior Wins National Gold Medal in Scholastic Art
JA Alumna Conley Chinn on College Basketball’s Biggest Stage
On Monday, Belmont University advanced in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in an upset win over No. 5 seed Gonzaga. One of the key players on Belmont’s team is 2017 JA graduate Conley Chinn.
Read More… JA Alumna Conley Chinn on College Basketball’s Biggest Stage
Grant Dean Receives Appointment to United States Naval Academy
It’s not every day that a U.S. Senator calls a high school senior and begins his message with, “You probably already know what I’m about to say,” but Jackson Academy senior Grant Dean received such a call yesterday.
Read More… Grant Dean Receives Appointment to United States Naval Academy
Champions! Boys Soccer Takes the Title
Soccer players celebrated a big win Saturday that earned the Raiders the MAIS Division 1 State Soccer Championship.
Lady Raiders Capture 11th State Basketball Championship
Congratulations to the Lady Raiders, who took the Class 5A State Championship Saturday, positioning the team as the No. 1 seed going into the MAIS Overall Tournament.
Read More… Lady Raiders Capture 11th State Basketball Championship
Christian Living Magazine Selects Gautier and Lampley as Christian Leaders of the Future
In partnership with Belhaven University, Mississippi Christian Living magazine selected Jackson Academy seniors Meagan Gautier and Madison Lampley as “Christian Leaders of the Future.”
Read More… Christian Living Magazine Selects Gautier and Lampley as Christian Leaders of the Future
Coleman Dinkins Appointed to U.S. Military Academy at West Point
On Wednesday, January 27, senior Coleman Dinkins received a phone call from Senator Roger Wickers congratulating him on his appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Hours of studying, leadership and service, and hard work came into focus as Coleman stood in the Jackson Academy Upper School Counselors’ Office almost speechless, apart…
Read More… Coleman Dinkins Appointed to U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Palmer Kennedy Selected as Jackson Academy’s Next Head of School
The Board of Trustees of Jackson Academy announced Thursday that W. Palmer Kennedy has been named the next Head of School. He will join JA in July of 2021.
Read More… Palmer Kennedy Selected as Jackson Academy’s Next Head of School
Dr. of Adventure to Lead Jackson Academy SOAR Program
When you meet Dr. Thomas Wayne Taylor, he’ll promptly ask you to refer to him by his nickname, “WT.” The simplicity of his moniker belies the depth of expertise and insight he brings to engaging the wonders of the outdoors. Taylor grew up on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama. “I just went running wild,” he…
Read More… Dr. of Adventure to Lead Jackson Academy SOAR Program
Drew Antici Recognized as Blitz 16/Bank Plus Scholar-Athlete
Each year WAPT TV 16 and Bank Plus team up to recognize high school athletes who are excellent scholars. Jackson Academy’s recipient for 2020-21 is senior Drew Antici of Madison. WAPT produces a video about each student and holds a banquet honoring the recipients in the spring.
Read More… Drew Antici Recognized as Blitz 16/Bank Plus Scholar-Athlete
Three JA Seniors Recognized as National Merit Semifinalists
Jackson Academy is proud to recognize three 2021 National Merit Semifinalists. Seniors Zoe Ladner of Jackson, Isabelle Lee of Brandon, and Priya Ray of Brandon are among approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced last week.
Read More… Three JA Seniors Recognized as National Merit Semifinalists
JA Recognized as a Common Sense School
Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of media and technology, has recognized Jackson Academy as a Common Sense School.
JA’s Parker Bracken Named Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year
The Gatorade Company announced January 13 that Parker Bracken has been named the 2019-20 Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year. Parker is the second Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Jackson Academy.
Read More… JA’s Parker Bracken Named Gatorade Mississippi Volleyball Player of the Year
JA Names Lance Pogue Head Football Coach
Jackson Academy Head of School Jack Milne announced this morning that Lance Pogue has accepted the call to become the school’s next head football coach, following last week’s announcement by current Head Football Coach Larry Weems to his players that he would not be returning for the 2020-21 school year.
Heisman High School Winners
Azaria McDowell and Steven Chustz have been named Jackson Academy’s School Winners in the Heisman High School Scholarship competition! The Heisman High School Scholarship program recognizes scholar-athletes who perform with excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in their communities.
JA Named Apple Distinguished School Through 2022
“We believe Apple Distinguished Schools are some of the most innovative schools in the world,” begins the Apple Distinguished School website. “They’re centers of leadership and educational excellence that demonstrate our vision of exemplary learning environments.” Apple has designated Jackson Academy as an Apple Distinguished School for the fourth time, first in 2013, then again…
Twice This Year: JA Named Best Private School
The Clarion-Ledger announced Sunday that Jackson Academy was named Best Private School in its poll in which Mississippians vote for their most admired businesses, organizations, people, and events. In two other categories, voters named Sandra McKay Best Teacher and the JA Carnival Best Festival. This announcement comes just weeks after the Mississippi Business Journal named…
An Ally for JA Students and the Soar Program: CJ Stewart
CJ Stewart knows how to be a leader, a challenger, and an ally of young people. Since his graduation from an independent school in 2007, Stewart says he has experienced a lot of life in a short amount of time.
Read More… An Ally for JA Students and the Soar Program: CJ Stewart
JA’s Reputation Draws Visit by U.S. Department of Education
Jackson Academy welcomed the U.S. Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan and two staff members to campus Friday.
Read More… JA’s Reputation Draws Visit by U.S. Department of Education
Jackson Academy Voted Best Private School in Mississippi
Jackson Academy was named the Best Private School in the state by the Mississippi Business Journal Thursday, September 12. The award is the result of an annual ranking that provides residents of Mississippi with the opportunity to select the institutions across the state that they most admire.
Read More… Jackson Academy Voted Best Private School in Mississippi
Jackson Academy and Belhaven University Partner in Dual Enrollment
Students at Jackson Academy will now be able to take dual enrollment classes in language arts and math through Belhaven University. JA and Belhaven officials signed an agreement April 29 at the Belhaven campus.
Read More… Jackson Academy and Belhaven University Partner in Dual Enrollment
JA Athletes Sign with Bates College and Gulf Coast CC
Megan Lacey and Peyton Norwood signed to play college sports on Thursday, April 11.
Read More… JA Athletes Sign with Bates College and Gulf Coast CC
MC’s Inaugural Honors College Includes Two JA Students
Mississippi College has selected Avery and Erin Hederman as members of the college’s first Honors College class beginning this fall.
Read More… MC’s Inaugural Honors College Includes Two JA Students
Four Straight Championships for Lady Raiders!
Congratulations to our Lady Raiders for securing the state MAIS AAAA-1 basketball title for the fourth year in a row.
Apple Distinguished School
What is an Apple Distinguished School? This designation is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments. JA is Mississippi’s first K3-12 school to receive the designation and is part of a small group of schools and colleges worldwide recognized as Apple…
JA Recognized as Apple Distinguished School
Jackson Academy is pleased to announce that it has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2015-2017. The Apple Distinguished School mark is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments. In 2013, JA joined a small group of schools and…