*** MEDIA ALERT ***
*** PHOTO OPPORTUNITY ***

WHAT: "Knowledge to Get to College Day"

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has declared Friday, October 24, 2008, "Knowledge to Get to College Day". The day’s activities include the following:

• A "Knowledge to Get to College" Pep Rally will be held to kick-off Mississippi's premiere college access website, www.MISSISSIPPI.edu.
• A Tailgate Party, or lunch reception, will be held to honor the civic, business, and education communities that have supported the development of www.MISSISSIPPI.edu.
• Middle and high school students statewide will celebrate the day with college preparation and planning activities. Students are encouraged to visit www.MISSISSIPPI.edu to explore their interests and career options, learn about Mississippi’s 35 postsecondary institutions, apply to schools, and find financial aid and scholarships. Students are also encouraged to watch the "Knowledge to Get to College" Pep Rally live online at http://tv.mpbonline.org/ihlrally.

WHO: Hosted by Mississippi's public universities, community and junior colleges, private and independent colleges, and the Northwest Rankin High School Cougars, the "Knowledge to Get to College" Pep Rally will feature typical pep rally events, such as performances by high school and college cheerleaders, bands, and dance teams, as well as comments from Mississippi's education and legislative leadership, and the reading of the Gubernatorial proclamation of October 24 as "Knowledge To Get To College Day."

WHEN: Friday, October 24, 2008

The "Knowledge to Get to College" Pep Rally will take place from 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

The Tailgate Party will follow the Pep Rally at approximately 11:45 a.m.

School-specific activities will take place at various times throughout the day.

WHERE: The "Knowledge to Get to College" Pep Rally will take place in the Northwest Rankin High School Gymnasium, 5805 Highway 25, Brandon, MS, 39047. The Tailgate Party will take place in the Northwest Rankin High School Performing Arts Building.

BACKGROUND: The www.MISSISSIPPI.edu website and college access initiative are programs of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees, IHL governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

###