Natchez’s biggest tourist season begins Friday. Local businesses and homeowners are busily preparing to welcome tourists from around the world. As we look forward to another Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, let us look at some of the good news from last week:

• The Delta Charter School Storminators are ready to take the world by storm. In its first year of competition, the school’s robotics team came back with a first-place win the Vex IQ State Tournament in New Orleans. The team of fifth- and sixth-graders now move onto the World Championship in Louisville, Ky., to compete against 1,400 student-led robotics teams from around the world on April 19. The competition will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. Congratulations and good luck to these young engineers and computer scientists.
• Natchez Freshman Academy student Darren Smith knows how to play the violin. Last year, the young musician played in Carnegie Hall, one of the most famous music halls in the United States. Smith was recently invited to take his talent abroad and play with other high school students at another famous music hall, the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Smith is busily preparing for his July 10 debut Down Under. As much as he loves playing music, Smith’s future plans point to a career in health care, like his parents. Whatever the future holds for Smith we know he will take his talents to the ends of the earth.
• Natchez Children’s Home Service’s Child Advocacy Center continues to play the vital role of protecting the area’s youngest victims of abuse. With two new education programs — one for adults and one for children — the center is also helping to educate the public to help prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Thank you to NCHS for providing this vital service.

As we continue to prepare for this year’s Spring Pilgrimage, let us remember to thank all who work hard to make our community great.