More than 75 General Education Development certificate achievers who live in the Hinds Community College district will be recognized during a ceremony to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 5 in Cain-Cochran Hall on the Raymond Campus.
The speaker for the ceremony will be the Honorable Winston Kidd, circuit judge for the 7th Circuit Court District in Hinds County and member of the Adult Education/Dropout Recovery Advisory Board. Judge Kidd was appointed by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. He currently presides over Civil and Criminal Court in Hinds County.
Kidd was born and raised in Newton County and has been a resident of Hinds County for more than 15 years. He received his bachelor’s degree, graduating cum laude, in respiratory therapy from the University of Mississippi in 1987. After working as a registered respiratory therapist for one year, he enrolled at Mississippi College School of Law where he received his law degree in 1991.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Kidd worked as an attorney with the Walker and Walker law firm in Jackson for approximately 10 years. His practice was primarily limited to civil litigation.
Judge Kidd is committed to mentoring youth. He has delivered many speeches and lectures in dozens of schools and churches. He serves as a mentor to a student at Lester Elementary in the Big Brothers\Big Sisters Program. Further, Judge Kidd serves as a mentor to several Jackson high school students along with other Magnolia Bar attorneys. He is married to Adriane Dorsey-Kidd and they are the parents of Winston Jamal and Jacob Jabari.
There will be something new at this year’s ceremony — the “GED Champion” Award, which will go to a faculty or staff member who has shown exceptional support to GED students throughout their journeys.
Doug Williams, Hinds CC soccer coach, will be leading the invocation and benediction. Ray Neilsen and Trish Oba will also be attending the graduation and will be recognized for the support of the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.
The partnership between Hinds and the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation program, which began in 2009, launched the Education Pays program that awards a $500 check to all Hinds CC Warren County GED recipients over the age of 21.
The Neilsen Foundation is extending the Education Pays program to the Jackson Campus – Academic-Technical Center in 2014. Since 2009, Hinds CC has received six grants from the Neilsen Foundation, totaling more than $575,000, providing financial support for teacher salaries, tutors, computer equipment and testing assistance.
Education Pays isn’t the only award GED recipients get at Hinds; the college offers a tuition free class to all first time college students who are admitted with a GED. The college also offers a $1,000 academic scholarship that is equivalent to the ACT Scholarship for high scoring GED achievers.
For more information, visit www.hindscc.edu.