NATCHEZ — As the 2019-2020 school year kicks off, Natchez Adams School District faculty, students, staff, parents and administrators demonstrated how fired up they are for a new year of learning at the NASD Convocation on Tuesday in the Natchez Convention Center.

Hundreds of attendees cheered, sang and danced to songs and words of encouragement from school administrators — some of them followed by a mike drop.

Many attendees wore costumes and themed T-shirts — superheroes and construction workers for building strong minds.

Guest speaker Felicia M. Nave Ph.D., President of Alcorn State University said she was impressed with the energy and enthusiasm that NASD demonstrated.

“In the program, it says this is the energizing moment,” Nave said. “Well, I say that you all are already energized. You are fired up, ready to go, ready to meet those babies on day one to get them up and move them forward. I absolutely love your energy. Your energy demonstrates your commitment, your passion, your purpose and your love for these individuals.

“You know that for this moment in time, you have the huge responsibility of shaping, molding and developing the experience that allows them to move through life and be the successful, dynamic human beings who will then take what they have learned from you and pay it forward.”

The assistant principals and principals from each school in the district attended training workshops over the summer and each presented their vision for the 2019-2020 school year — their “20/20 vision,” as they called it.

For most of the presenters, their goal this year is to push their students to success, test well and earn their schools and district a better grade from the state-mandated accountability grade system.

Tony Fields, NASD public relations coordinator said the ties the district has formed with education partners such as Alcorn and Copiah Lincoln Community College makes its students stronger.

“We are strong as a district because of our community partnerships,” Fields said, “and we have a strong partnership with Co-Lin. … Our students get to walk across the stage and get an associates degree before they even get a high school diploma.”

Fields introduced another guest speaker, Co-Lin Vice President Sandra Barnes, who challenged students and teachers to three tasks this school year: believe in their own greatness, stand together through difficult times and for educators and parents to place their focus entirely on their students as the future of the community depends on it.

“Your vision statement says, ‘our children come first,’” Barnes said. “I love that vision. As Vice President at Co-Lin … I am committed to working with the district. … We have skills and abilities that we can use to ensure that our students perform with greatness this school year. Please let us work together and use those abilities.”