2008

ing academic excellence. Clayton began h.er employment at ECCC' in August .2004 after serving the previous 20 years as a science teacher on the high school level, most recently at Southeast Lauderdale High School in

Meridian. She is also a former faculty mem– ber at Northeast Laud– erdale m ~1eridian, Enterprise and Utica schools. In addition, she is a former adjunct chemistry and physi– cal science instructor atMeridianCommuni- ty College.

Lawrence

She received nwner- ous honor::. dm·ing her high school teaching career, inducting her induc– tion into the Mississippi Economic Council STAR Teacher Hall of Fame, awarded to recipients of STAR Teacher honors for the tenth year; Mississippi Science Ol~1npiad Outstanding Coach; Mississippi Association of Physicists Outstanding Teacher: and American Chemical Society OutstandingTeacher for l\1ississippi. A graduate of Lamar School in \leridi.an, Clayton holds a bachelor·s degree in chemistry from Millsaps College and a master's of edu– cation from Mississippi State universi– ty. She has completed additional class ·work at the Universityof Alabama and Universit) of Southern Mississippi. In addition. she has received certification from the National Board for Profes– sional Teaching Standards. She and het husband Tom. a retired educator and adminis~t01; reside in Meridian where they are members and Sunday school teachers at Highland Baptist Church. They have three grown sons and three grmdchild.ren.