Gulfport, MS - Mississippi Power will recognize outstanding educators at the annual Alan R. Barton Excellence in Teaching Awards Banquet in April.

Only six teachers in Mississippi Power’s 23-county service territory throughout Southeast Mississippi received the award. A total of 68 teachers were nominated.

This year, recipients are James Brownlow of Hattiesburg High School; Jenny Doleac of Oak Grove Middle School; Beth Pierce of Columbia High School; Dr. Anja Comerford of Magnolia Park Elementary in Ocean Springs; Launa Murray of Pass Christian High School; and Chantelle Herchenhahn of Forest High School.

“There are so many exceptional educators working hard in the classrooms of Southeast Mississippi, working hard to strengthen the future of our students,” said Becky Montgomery, executive director, Mississippi Power Education Foundation. “We had an impressive pool from which to choose. We wish we could have recognized every teacher nominated for this award.”

Brownlow teaches Polymers I, Polymers II and physics and then comes back for more on Saturdays. It is during his Science Saturdays that he works with elementary and middle school students and their parents promoting science skills and “lighting the fire for science” in their minds. He also brings in his high school students to help with these Saturday activities, so both age groups benefit from the program. Brownlow holds a Bachelor of Science in science education and chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s in science education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Doleac, a teacher of algebra and pre-algebra, seeks to incorporate technology with education in her classroom. She is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi where she received a Bachelor of Science in education. She is the 2007 – 2008 recipient of the Lamar County School District Excellence in Education Award.

Pierce went online looking for French pen pals for her students and a year later, found herself in France with her class. Pierce teaches French I and II, Advanced Placement French and Advanced Placement English Literature. Pierce only meant to find online pen pals for her class, but her query led to exchanges: groups of American students going to visit Etampes, France, and groups of the French students coming to visit Columbia, Mississippi. Since the exchanges began, interest in French has boomed at the school and more students have become interested in pursuing language at the university level. Pierce holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in piano from

Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and a Master of Arts in teaching and learning in French from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is currently pursuing an education specialist degree in French from Auburn University.

While teaching her classes of gifted students reading, Comerford noticed a lack of emphasis on math. She then recruited fellow teachers and secured funds to start an after school math club that focused on higher level thinking and problem-solving. The response from students was outstanding. Dr. Comerford holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the State University of West Georgia, a Doctorate of Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Sarasota and a Master of Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University.

Murray teaches world history, U.S. History and Advanced Placement government, but it is her course on Hitler and the Holocaust that attracts the most interest among her students. The course, she says, allows students to question and explore their thoughts openly. In this course, she uses the Socratic-style seminar, asking questions of students, more than answering. Murray is a graduate of the University of South Alabama where she received a Bachelor of Science in education.

Herchenhahn teaches honors biology, physics, Chemistry I, Chemistry II and physical science. In all her classes, she emphasizes hands-on work in the lab that she terms “guided inquiry,” which leads students through processes that leads to self discovery of basic concepts. Herchenhahn is a graduate of Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry for secondary education. She also holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in science education.

The teachers will receive a personal check for $3,000 and a plaque to showcase in their classrooms. An additional award of $3,000 can be used for professional development or classroom supplies and equipment.

Barton, for whom the award was named, was president of Mississippi Power from 1980 to 1989. The award was established in 1990 to commemorate his dedication and contributions to

the field of education. Since 1984, when Barton founded the Mississippi Power Education

Foundation, the company has supported excellence in education throughout its service area by

awarding more than $3.8 million in grants and awards to teachers, schools, school systems and educational projects.

Mississippi Power, headquartered in Gulfport, MS, provides retail and wholesale electric service to approximately 200,000 customers in 23 counties from the Gulf Coast to Meridian. The company owns or has significant ownership interests in six generating facilities with a net dependable generating capacity of 3,166 megawatts. Electricity is sent across 8,371 miles of transmission and distribution lines to retail customers principally in Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Pascagoula, Columbia, Laurel, Waveland, Lucedale and Picayune. 

Large wholesale customers include six electric cooperatives -- Coast EPA, Singing River EPA, Southern Pine EPA, Dixie EPA, Pearl River EPA and East Mississippi EPA -- the City of Collins and South Mississippi Electric Power Authority. Large retail customers include the following: the region’s United States military installations -- Keesler Air Force Base and Naval Construction Battalion Center (Seabee Base); the University of Southern Mississippi; NASA Stennis Space Center; oil and gas infrastructure, including a refinery; multiple foundries and shipbuilders; the Mississippi National Guard’s Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center near Hattiesburg and the Mississippi Air National Guard in Meridian.

Mississippi Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO), employs 1,300 Mississippi residents. In 2008, Mississippi Power paid $115 million in federal, state and local taxes. Southern Company stock is held by nearly 3,000 Mississippi residents.