[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 103 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E634-E635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING QUITMAN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT DR. EVELYN 
                           WILKERSON JOSSELL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2021

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
remarkable public servant, Dr. Evelyn W. Jossell.
  Raised in Dublin and Clarksdale (Coahoma County) Mississippi, Dr. 
Jossell, born on September 4, 1958, is the sixth child of the late John 
and Annie Wilkerson. Dr. Jossell credits her passion for serving and 
working with people to her humble beginnings on a small farm in Dublin, 
Mississippi, where she was taught early to share and treat everyone as 
she desired to be treated.
  Dr. Jossell attended and graduated as Salutatorian of Coahoma 
Agricultural High School in Coahoma County (1976). Next. she attended 
Coahoma Junior College where she graduated with an AS. Degree in 
General Business (1980). After completing her studies at Coahoma, Dr. 
Jossell attended Mississippi Valley State University where she 
graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1980, with a B.S. in Business 
Administration. At the age of 21, Dr. Jossell worked a short while at 
the Mississippi State Penitentiary and was later hired as a Social 
Worker with the Coahoma County Department of Human Services. Dr. 
Jossell worked as a Child Protective Social Worker with the Coahoma 
County Department of Human Services for 12 years. This profession 
revealed the abject neglect and abuse many young people are subjected 
to, even before they stepped out of their homes to enter a school 
building. With a desire to use her skills to change the trajectory of 
high-risk youth, Dr. Jossell attended the University of Mississippi and 
obtained a master's degree in Counseling (1990). She was hired the same 
year by Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU), a newly funded federal 
program operating under the auspices of Coahoma Community College. This 
program offered a second chance opportunity for pregnant and parenting 
teens and

[[Page E635]]

other high school dropouts who had a desire to re-enter the system and 
complete their high school education. Dr. Jossell served as Teen Parent 
Counselor/Coordinator for two years and was later promoted to 
Principal/Director of the Y.O.U. Alternative Education Program. At this 
time, the program was operated in conjunction with the Quitman County 
School District. With this new appointment, Dr. Jossell received 
Certification in Educational Administration in 1994 from the University 
of Mississippi, and her Doctorate in Education in 2012 from Walden 
University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  After federal funds ended in support of the Y.O.U. Program in 1994, 
Dr. Jossell re-organized the program as a Community-Based Nonprofit to 
diversify the program's funding streams. Over the 26-year lifespan of 
Y.O.U., Dr. Jossell wrote and submitted grants garnering over 14 
million dollars in Federal and State Grants focusing on education, 
health, mentoring, recreation and physical fitness services for high 
risk youth. As a result of these programs, several students received 
their G.E.D. were able to travel outside of the county (many for the 
first time) to professional football and basketball games; participated 
in organized youth sports programs; participated in male and female 
mentoring programs; and participated in Service Learning/School-to-
Career projects that provided leadership skills and career exposure. 
Some of Y.O.U.'s alumni are principals, assistant principals, 
entrepreneurs, superintendents, doctors, educators, nurse 
practitioners, and more importantly, several decided to return to 
Quitman County to work as professionals in the county that embraced 
them as youth.
  In January 2015, Dr. Jossell was given an assignment, that she 
believes was an appointment by God to run for Superintendent of 
Education. She strongly believes that every career path God had 
previously placed her on, provided the experience and fortitude she 
would need to be an effective Superintendent. Guided by the Holy 
Spirit, and with a platform touting transformation change, Dr. Jossell 
was elected as Superintendent of Education in August 2015 and took 
office January 2016. In a period of two years, the Quitman County 
School district went from an ``F'' accountability rating to a ``C'' 
performance rating. In 2018, the district's only elementary school was 
assigned an ``A'' accountability rating, the first in the history of 
the school system. Inclusive with improving their academic standing, 
the school district also went from a 76.9 percent graduation rate in 
2016 to a 95.5 percent graduation rate in 2020, ranking them with the 
6th highest graduation rate out of 448 high schools in the state. The 
district ranked 9th in the State with the lowest dropout rate, and 3rd 
in the State with the highest number of Special Service students 
graduating with a standard diploma. Dr. Jossell is quick to give Glory 
to God for this success, and recognition to an amazing Board, 
Administration, Faculty and Staff who truly believe that excellence is 
not an event, but an everyday practice that can be achieved regardless 
of their zip code.
  Dr. Jossell's greatest cheerleader is her husband of 41 years, Pastor 
Michael E. Jossell. Together they have built a life of servitude to 
their family, church, and community. They are the proud parents of 5 
adult children: Dr. Endre' Matthews; John S. Jossell, Michael E. 
Jossell, Jr., Jason D. Jossell, and Dr. Andrea M. Jossell; three 
beautiful granddaughters-Mckenzie Faith, Ava Grace, Olivia Joy and a 
grandson due in September.
  Dr. Jossell is a Silver Star Member of the Iota Delta Omega Chapter 
of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. 
Evelyn W. Jossell for her dedication to serving this great community 
and state.

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