'Pearls' bring home more championship trophies

  POPLARVILLE – The String of Pearls dance team at Pearl River Community College returned from national competition in Dallas March 28 and 29 with two team first-place awards and one individual top honor.
  The team won the American Dance and Drill Team championship for its pom routine in the large ensemble category and the academic championship in the community college division based on the team grade point average.
  Freshman Regan al-Jabi of Carriere won the solo dance competition while freshman Emily Rhodes of Hattiesburg came in second. They competed against 12 other dancers.
  The team also placed second in hip hop, the first year to compete in this category, and fourth in jazz routine.
  Director is Kara Fleming.
  In addition to al-Jabi and Rhodes, team members are Emily Fleming, Brooke Wactor, Bridgett Patterson and Caitlynn Herrin, all of Carriere; Megan Varnado, Annakae Frierson, Reanna Reese, Melissa Dragon, Victoria Farmer, Hanna Falls and Linzy Hudson-Kline, all of Picayune; Gabby Burge, Meghan Witworth and Carley Harrell, all of Poplarville; Taylor Thames and Taylor Turcotte, both of Waveland; Breanna Peters of Brandon, Darion Matthews of Richton and Amber Pineda of Hattiesburg.


The String of Pearls dance team at Pearl River Community College recently won the American Dance and Drill Team national championship for the pom routine in the large ensemble category and the  national academic championship against all other community college in the competition based on the members' grade point averages. They are, kneeling from left, Regan al-Jabi, Emily Fleming, both of Carriere; Breanna Peters of Brandon, Brooke Wactor of Carriere. Megan Varnado of Picayune, Bridgett Patterson of Carriere, Emily Rhodes of Hattiesburg, Darion Matthews of Richton; standing, Gabby Burge of Poplarville, Annakae Frierson of Picayune, Meghan Witworth of Poplarville, Reanna Reese , Melissa Dragon, both of Picayune; Carley Harrell of Poplarville, Victoria Farmer of Picayune, Amber Pineda of Hattiesburg, Hanna Falls of Picayune, Caitlyn Herrin of Carriere, Taylor Thames of Waveldna, Linzy Hudson-Kline of Picayune and Taylor Turcotte of Waveland. 


String of Pearls dancer Regan al-Jabi of Carriere, left, won the solo competition at the American Dance and Drill Tearm championships in Dallas. Emily Rhodes of Hattiesburg, right, was first runner-up. Both are freshmen and competed against 12 other community college dancers.

Each community college president is asked to bring two (2) wrapped door prizes, minimum value of $50 each. We will have a station set up at the conference for you to drop off the door prizes.

Each community college is asked to provide name tags for their Board members, administration, and staff attending the conference.