PHILLIPS EARNS PRE-TEEN AMERICA SCHOLARSHIP

Majhon Phillips, 13, sings opera, has taken piano lessons for about nine years and has recently begun learning to play the hammered dulcimer.

She aspires to make music a career and ultimately receive her doctorate in music.

Enabling her to pursue these goals, she desires to begin college at age 15. She would like to study music at either Boston Conservatory or Julliard. Her second favorite subject is mathematics.

"Math is something you keep learning, it's never ending," Phillips says.

Entrants in the Pre-Teen America competitions must be invited to participate.

Teachers can invite students, but Phillips was invited to participate by Lauren Froensdorf, a ninth-grade competitor and friend. Phillips will be giving up the title of Pre-Teen Missouri, during the Labor Day weekend.

It is her desire, as well as her mother's, to make the Jackson community aware of this program and thank the community for its support.

Aleda Phillips says, "You don't raise a child alone, it takes the whole community to raise them." Phillips strongly urges parents with daughters between 7 and 12, who are scholastically gifted, to enter the program. Three girls from Jackson will apply for entry: Kelly Kasten, Sheila Wade and Rachel Kahlee.

To compete, the girls must have a 3.5 grade-point average, exhibit leadership ability, possess communicative ability as well as on-stage expressiveness, volunteer in service or school organizations, take part in a knowledge ability test and interview with the selection committee.

Two divisions are offered: one for girls between 7 and 9, and one for girls between 10 and 12.

Phillips was a third runner-up in her first year, at the 1999 Missouri competition, and became the National Speech titleholder when she competed in Knoxville, Tenn. Phillips then went back to Missouri in 2000, competed and won Pre-Teen Missouri. She then went on to the nationals, fully paid, and then became Pre-Teen America in the senior division. Phillips also won best interview with the selection committee at the nationals.

Phillips will begin the eighth grade, as a tutored student. Her past academic year was spent at three schools: St. Paul Lutheran, Jackson Middle School and Southeast Missouri State University.

Being the focused individual she is, Phillips made up her mind that she wanted to be in a Christian environment and have daily interactive Bible study. St. Paul Lutheran School was chosen for part of her education. She spent time at Jackson Middle School receiving instruction in band and ALERT. At Southeast Missouri State University Music Academy, Phillips studied music theory, piano and voice. Previously, from kindergarten through sixth grade, Phillips had attended public school at Jackson.

Aleda Phillips knows her daughter has achieved such academic success because of the help and support of Jackson teachers.

Aleda Phillips says she is proud to be from Jackson and grateful to know she has the community behind her."

The friends Phillips has made in her years spent competing in this scholarship and recognition program share the same academic attitudes, code of ethics and serious goals.

"Saying goodbye is really hard," says Phillips. The girls have formed a huge network which reaches across the United States.

Listening to the speeches that the girls have made on how to make a difference, left Allen Phillips with these thoughts: "We could turn our country over to this group of young ladies and in one year you'd have a different country."

The program is exceptional in that it recognizes academic achievement as opposed to beauty.

Says Aleda Phillips: "This is a pretty intense program, they're not just walking around in pretty clothes."

Phillips will receive a $2,000 educational bond, an official Pre-Teen America trophy, an official Pre-Teen America medallion, an official Pre-Teen America banner, a three-piece designer luggage set, a 2001 Pre-Teen America official national pin, an 11-by-14-inch color portrait, compliments of Ernie Therrien photography, program finals video, compliments of Lloyd Landry video, an official Pre-Teen America e-mail address, compliments of ISS Inc., personalized stationery and business cards, compliments of K&W Inc., a national personal appearance contract, and an honored guest appearance at 2002 Pre-Teen America nationals in Birmingham, Ala.. This program donates a portion of its proceeds to Shriner's Children's Hospital.

People needing information may contact Majhon Phillips at 243-0701 or e-mail her a112487@marz.com