The past week had plenty of positive news for the Miss-Lou, not the least of which was Natchez being named one of the nation’s Top 10 Small Historic Towns by USA Today.

Some news that may not seem positive on the surface, however, can have a positive effect if you look beneath the surface.

Here is a High-Five list of the past week’s positive news:

• Natchez has heightened exposure thanks to USA Today naming the city No. 5 in its Best Small Historic Towns list.
• Schools throughout the Miss-Lou are sending young graduates out in to the world, and they have been well prepared for their journeys by their respective schools. We wish them all success on their journeys and are sure they will represent the Miss-Lou well.
• Derek Jarvis, a Natchez High School graduate, represented the Miss-Lou well in his brief lifetime that ended too soon and unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago.

Jarvis, known as “Big Red” to legions of friends, was a coach in the Pine Belt area for the past 10 years or so, most recently at Hattiesburg High School.

His friends have taken his example of positive friendship, encouragement and support and started the #RiseLikeRed social media movement to keep the positive spirit exemplified by him alive and to pay it forward.

• Hundreds of Miss-Lou middle-schoolers were treated to a tour of the World of Work last week at the Natchez campus of Co-Lin, where they learned about different career paths from professionals in those careers. We commend everyone who took time to organize and participate in the event.
• Finally, this is a sad week for Trinity Day School alumni, as the school will close its doors at the end of the month. The school’s 40-plus-year legacy boasts many academic and athletic achievements. But the school’s alumni are proudly accepting the inevitable and vow to carry on the legacy by using their shared experiences as a unifying factor and that in itself is a testament to the school’s great legacy.