Mount Olive Ministries

Mount Olive Ministries Robotics Team Earns High Ranking in State Robotics Competition

Mount Olive Ministries’ (MOM) Warriors Robotics team earned first place for Presentation and fifth place ranking in the robot challenge in the Robotics Alliance of Mississippi (RAM) State Competition held December 3, 2011 at Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.

Coming within three points of taking second place, the Warriors competed against 46 teams for the top position.

Tony C. Duckworth, president of MOM, couldn’t be happier. It has only been a year and a half since Duckworth implemented a Rural Robotics Program (RRP) as a component of MOM. It is also the first time RRP students have entered a competition.

“I am so proud,” says Duckworth. “To see them compete for the first time and walk away with a first place award is phenomenal.”

The Warriors were the only competing team within a 50-mile radius of Hattiesburg.

Hannah Love, an eighth-grader at Mount Olive Attendance Center, Mt. Olive, Miss., was anxious about the competition. Competitors held low expectations of them she said.

California Native Adapts to Southern Living Through Serving

Nearly two years ago, Ray Holt, having sold most of his possessions, was living in a motorhome in Oklahoma ready to embark upon a new adventure. Except, what the adventure would be, he wasn’t exactly sure. He did know, however, that he wanted to serve. His thoughts were to serve as he traveled the USA. visiting State and Federal Parks. 

At 65, the divorced father had raised three sons in California; Mark, Mike, & Brett.  Having been born and raised in Los Angeles he didn’t know much about the rest of the country.  His work took him to Silicon Valley (San Jose,CA) where he became a pioneer in the computer industry.  He’d also made quite a name for himself in the world of technology, having become recognized as the founding father of the world’s first microprocessor chip (a chip that places the central elements of a computer onto silicon chips.  The invention launched the digital revolution that now sells billions of units a year). As a volunteer he also founded and ran a youth-based non-profit organization called the Christian Athletic Association, Inc for 25 years that served over 10,000 youth in soccer, basketball, baseball and mission trips.

An article in The Wall Street Journal written September 22, 1998, also credits Holt for his pioneering work of a parallel multi-microprocessor chip set for the U.S. Navy’s F-14A “Tomcat” fighter jet which simultaneously calculated air speed, wing position and altitude.  On September 1, 2009 the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum magazine also recognized this work as one of the top 10 unique and innovative designs of the 20^th century making flying safer and easier.  Holt’s website is located at:  FirstMicroprocessor.com

NASA Offers Math Advancement Class

NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program is offering a mathematics advancement class for middle and high school students.  The Gifted Math Program is an afterschool group that meets once a week.  It offers enrichment and enhancement for students in middle and high school by studying fields of math that are not normally covered in high school.  Mrs. Eowyn Cenek, a PhD student in the Dept. of Mathematics at the University of Southern Mississippi, instructs the class.
Topics covered in the program include cryptography, logic, network/graph theory and advanced problem solving techniques.  Cryptography is the study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties.  It is a commonly used application when dealing with ATM cards, computer passwords, and electronic commerce. Using graph theory, engineers develop computer chips for optimizing processing speed and electrical efficiency.  With the advancements in digital technology, this program is designed to increase scientific literacy by inspiring students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The class meets every Wednesday for nine weeks at Mount Olive Ministries from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. For more information, contact Tony Duckworth at 601-466-0600.

2011-12 Rural Robotics In Full Swing

The new school year is in full swing.  Excitement and curiosity fills the atmosphere for the children and teens enrolled in the Rural Robotics Program at Mt. Olive Ministries.  Each week, the students examine scientific techniques in solar mechanics and civil engineering.  Within the semester, two projects are completed by each class of students.

Each class is lectured on the design and function of the upcoming hands-on experiment.  Before the actual hands-on approach begins, each child must fully understand the importance of safety procedures in the laboratory.

When asked why safety is important, Joseph Crouse, age 11, of Brandon, MS, replied, “Following the rules protects everyone.  It keeps mistakes from happening.”

The first project was to build a solar-powered, model car built on wooden frames.  Through instruction from Mr. Ray Holt, each student gained an understanding of the effects of solar energy converted to electrical energy and ultimately transferred into mechanical energy.  Volunteers from the senior robotics class assisted the children in the construction of their cars.  Alana Peden, 16, and Antawn Easterling, 17, both of Mt. Olive shared their knowledge with the students.  A small motor with lead wires, wheels, and a solar panel were attached to the frame. The students performed several troubleshooting test phases before the final race.  Upon completion, the cars were judged for speed, appearance and functionality.

Mount Olive Ministries hosts KIDS ZONE

Another wonderful opportunity offered by Mount Olive Ministries (MOM) is an after school tutoring program.  Parents with children from grades K-6 are encouraged to take advantage of this great program.  Hours are from 3:00 – 5:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.

Additional tutoring is also provided by First United Methodist Church through a partnership with MOM on Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.  All grades and subjects are welcomed to join.  Children must bring their textbooks and homework assignments to the tutoring session.

To fill out an application or if you need more information, call Shannon at 601-797-4377.

Ole Miss Partners with Mt. Olive Ministries in First Annual Math Camp

In early July, the University of Mississippi in conjunction with Mt. Olive Ministries hosted the first annual Math Camp in Mt. Olive. Twenty-one students in fifth through eighth grades from Mt. Olive and Mendenhall enrolled for the Math Camp, which taught math and science skills using hands-on applications and manipulatives. “We are working to expose the students to geometry, physics and scenarios applicable to real world experiences,” said Carl Dewitt, lead teacher from the University’s Center for Math and Science Education.

“We also threw in a little science just for fun,” said Dewitt. Dewitt was one of two instructors and an assistant. Eighth grade student, Keaundria Milloy, 13, of Mt. Olive, said she liked learning about physics. She experimented with placing an apple in nitrogen and watching the apple shatter like glass. “That was cool. I did not know that could happen,” said Milloy. Instructor Paige Gillentine assigned students to a scavenger hunt using hand-held global positioning systems. Caleb Stuckey, 11, and a seventh grader from Mendenhall was one of her students. “That was fun,” said Stuckey. “I learned to read coordinates on a GPS, which I had never done.”

Tony Duckworth, co-partner of the program and president of Mt. Olive Ministries, said he recognized the effectiveness of the program on the first day when a 10-year-old student ran to him screaming in excitement about an experiment.  The student, Dylan Reeves, told Duckworth that he now is interested in studying physics. “My hope is that the students develop educational dreams that we can nurture,” said Duckworth. “We want to expose students to as many career options as possible.”

John O’Haver, professor of chemical engineering at the University advises students to take as many math classes as possible in preparation for college.  “Math is the number one market in the world today,” said O’Haver. A former high school math teacher, O’Haver also said too many graduates arrive to college under prepared, particularly in math and science. “In all my travels and talks, I encounter many people who simply talk about the educational problems that we have here in Mississippi,” says O’Haver. “However, here is an organization that is willing to step up to the plate and try to do something about the problem in their own community. Universities do not usually come to 1-A schools for such programming.  We are appreciative of what Mt. Olive Ministries is doing. We’re glad to come help make a difference.”

Robotics Program Inspire Rural Youths

Eighteen students from Covington and Simpson counties are now considering careers in engineering thanks to the Rural Robotics Program (RRP) taught through Mount Olive Ministries.

There are approximately nine school -affiliated robotics clubs in Mississippi. The RRP is the only non-school affiliated program that provides year-long training classes taught every Saturday for ten months.

Robotics is the study of programmable machines, such as a medical, manufacturing, submarine machine or airplane, and includes researching, building, programming and testing of machines.  Robotics differs slightly from engineering because it includes the study of all engineering fields.

Also as a result of their enrollment in the RRP, collectively, students increased their math scores 4.07 percent and science scores by 2.2 percent.  The top nine participants increased their overall grades by 5.9 percent and their math scores by 2.8 percent. RRP’s high school students increased their math scores 5.57 percent and their science scores by 8.6 percent.

“As a parent, I am really pleased and excited about the program,” says Jackie Love, of Mt. Olive. “The program emphasizes a subject matter students aren’t exposed to otherwise.”

Love’s daughter, Hannah, built a robot programmed to swing disabled children. Love’s husband, Edward, is equally proud of their daughter’s achievement and participation.

“I do not think that this was a career choice for Hannah before, now it is a potential career option and we know now what steps she should take toward that direction should she decide on this field,” says Edward.

Hannah Love, 13, is a seventh grader at Mt. Olive Attendance Center.

The first year students in grades seven through 12 of the pilot program showcased their projects on May 7, 2011 during an awards banquet at Mt. Olive Attendance Center.  Their presentations included robots that comb hair, sweep, and store items.

“The program is a great building block and intervention tool,” says Ellen Giles of Mendenhall, MS. Ellen and her husband, Michael, home-school their son, Creston, who participated in the program.

“The lessons were very practical and students learned as they had fun.  This is the perfect extra-curricular activity,” says Ellen.

Mount Olive Ministries Hosts Mississippi Rural Education Consortium

The Mississippi Rural Education Consortium held its second meeting on November 8 at the Mount Olive Ministries’ facilities located at 302 North Main Street in Mount Olive.  Bringing together representatives from the Mississippi Department of Education, the University of Mississippi, Jackson State University, Jones County Junior College, the University of Southern Mississippi, local merchants and citizens, as well as Tony Duckworth, president of Mount Olive Ministries and Ray Holt, robotics instructor, the group discussed problems common to rural education and sought to find ways that each represented group could support education in Mount Olive.  Noting that Mississippi ranks 50th in education, Ms Virginia Jackson of the R.E.A.L. Christian Foundation stated, “Representation from the whole community is needed to change education in this town and state.”

Data shows that math is the weakest link in U.S. schools.  The Mount Olive Ministries’ Robotic Program is seeking to remedy this in Covington County by engaging students in math and technology while working with robots. Currently there are two robotic classes in Mount Olive and one in Mendenhall.  These classes meet on Saturdays giving students hands-on experience with technology and algebra as they design, build, program and activate their own robot.  Our Mount Olive students in the Robotic Program will compete with other students across the nation in local, state and national robotic competitions in the spring.  Students who perform well in the competitions will be awarded college scholarships.

Jackson State University Discusses Scholarship Opportunities

Dr. Byron Williams from Jackson State University discusses scholarship opportunities with Mount Olive Ministries Robotics student Rayshad Duckworth, an outstanding senior at Mount Olive High School.   Pictured left to right:  Dr. Byron Williams, Rayshad Duckworth.

How to Change the Future

By Nancy Bagwel. Doesn’t  the future appears bleak and doubtful!  The economy is in shambles.  Jobs are hard to find.  Our money doesn’t go far.  Yet some expenses, like providing for our children, never stop.  How can we provide for our children’s future?  Where are the resources for equipping Covington County’s younger citizens?

A new program is attempting to address that question in the Mount Olive area, but it needs support and help.  Every Saturday, ROBOTICS teaches young teens skills for their future and excites them about math and science making these school subjects relevant in their lives.  Ideally, each child in the program designs, builds, uses math equations for programming and finally,   activates his/her own robot.  Yet, just like our own pockets, Mount Olive Ministries has NOT enough money for one child per robot – maybe not enough for four children per robot.  The program depends solely on donations and limited grant funding  to change the future – Covington County’s future and its young citizens’ future.  The teacher of the program is volunteering his time to the community.  The children are interested and eager – there is even a list of children waiting for a chance to participate and hoping that another class will begin soon.  So what can be done?

What can you and I do to help change the future of these young Covington County citizens?  Sponsor a robot!  Let’s collect change.  Let’s write a check payable to Mount Olive Ministries.  Let’s donate a portion of our blessings for support.  With our help, robots will change these young teens into creative scientists.  With our help, these students will go on to college.  Our children will soon compete with children in other robotic programs across the nation.  Let’s help our children here at home, so they can win the final robotic competitions and thereby win the college scholarships awarded for the best robots!  Let’s change the future one child and one robot at a time!

I learned about this program while visiting Mount Olive, and I feel strongly that this non-profit program can make a difference in Covington County.  I look forward to visiting the robotics class to see what my donation is making possible.  Please contact Tony Duckworth (601-797-4377) at Mount Olive Ministries for a visit to the robotics class, or for more information, or for donating to this very worthy cause.  Working together, we can change the future.