It was standing room only during the first part of Tuesday’s Picayune School Board meeting.

Students occupied just about every seat as the meeting kicked off. But this wasn’t a protest, or a meeting where bad news filled the agenda. After the pledge of allegiance was recited, these students got a chance to show their talents to the Board and others in attendance.

More often than not, meetings of governing bodies are serious occurrences, rarely offering much in the way of entertainment. At times these meetings solely focus on spending money, staying in budget or dealing with administrative matters.

But Tuesday, the South Side Concert Choir and the district’s Show Choir demonstrated to the Board that the children in the Picayune School District are learning more than just the core subjects, while a few other groups were also recognized for their achievements so far this year.

The choral groups of children sung Christmas songs, some of which were traditional compositions. But it was the non-traditional songs that garnered the most applause from the audience.

Vocal talent was

only one type recognized.

The district also heard about the accomplishments of the junior high cheerleaders bringing home two consecutive state championship titles, the varsity swim team placing first in a number of highly competitive meets and the junior high’s academic team bringing home second in the trivia portion of a regional competition. Additionally, one of those junior high students placed first overall in the math portion of the event.

Board members, coaches and teachers were understandably proud of their student’s accomplishments. With state and local budgets facing cuts on an annual basis, it’s reassuring to see that our local educators can entice students to put forth their best effort and achieve great things.

The Item commends those students recognized during Tuesday’s meeting for their exceptional accomplishments so far this year. It is our hope that they, and all students within Pearl River County, will continue to strive to be the best student they can be.