What an inspirational conference in Memphis, TN! We had over 30 conference attendees representing Mississippi who heard sessions on partnerships, recycling, Keep America Beautiful programs, everyday technology programs, fundraising, volunteerism and non-profit management practices just to name a few.

Mississippi also received several national awards:

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS:

Chuck Rhoads recently retired as an art teacher at Puckett High School in Rankin County, MS. Chuck teaches his students about art not only in the classroom, but also in the landscape around campus. He launched the “Gardens of Puckett” project challenging students to improve the aesthetics and sense of place on campus. Additionally, he shows his students how to recycle and transform discarded items into something new. Although not connected to an affiliate, Chuck and his students work closely with Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Keep the Rez Beautiful and Keep Jackson Beautiful on a variety of efforts. For instance, his students used recycled granite remnants and leftover copper to make awards for our Keep MS Beautiful awards ceremony.