While I normally to use this space to discuss events that occur in the Mississippi Legislature, I feel compelled to share an important story from my home town.  On August 29, 2005 the little towns of Bay St. Louis and Waveland were virtually wiped off the map by Hurricane Katrina.  Schools were not spared by the storm and almost all school buildings in the area sustained at least modest damage, with several being completely destroyed.  Likewise, almost all of the homes of area school children sustained damage or were destroyed.  Thus, many had no place to sleep or to attend school.

            Shortly after the winds died down, Governor Barbour made his famous remarks about Mississippians pulling themselves up by the bootstraps.  Well, in Hancock County we took him seriously.  Not only did we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, but we rolled up our sleeves (and our pants legs) and cleaned up our community.  Then, we strapped on our tool belts and started rebuilding.  After we had that underway, we tied up our laces and started winning state championships.  St. Stanislaus College, the local private boys school, won the 4A football and soccer championships.  It's companion girls school, Our Lady Academy, won the cross country, volleyball and soccer championships.  Last week, for what is likely the first time in history, two schools from the same little town and less than 2 miles apart competed for the boys 4A state basketball championship.  St. Stanislaus and Bay High had already played 4 times this year with each school winning 2 games before they met last Friday night in the rubber game.  Adding to the drama, the Bay High coach played prep ball at St. Stanislaus and later served as an assistant under St. Stanislaus Coach Jay Ladner.  After Katrina, Bay High Coach Kelton Thompson went to work for a clean-up contractor while the schools were repairing and rebuilding.  He got the Bay High job 4 years ago and, like Coach Ladner, had to work with a bunch of kids who had undergone the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.  Both teams are populated with young men who have grown up in FEMA trailers and temporary classrooms.  Both teams have dealt with damaged or destroyed gymnasiums, buses and equipment.  For one of these schools to have made it to the state championship is impressive given what the players, parents and coaches have undergone.  For them both to make it to the championship game is a testament to fortitude and determination.  While it is a shame that somebody had to lose the game, Bay High won with a big fourth quarter comeback.  However, both of these teams are winners in every sense of the word. 
 
           On March 11, 2010 I will have the privilege of honoring the Bay High team with a resolution commending their accomplishments on the floor of the Mississippi Senate.  If you would like to watch the presentation you can do so by visiting the legislative website at http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ and clicking on the "live webcast."