If you listen intently, you might hear a chorus of school children singing, “School’s out for summer.” You might even hear a few school teachers join in as the first days of summer vacation began in earnest last week.

As the hallways of local and public schools went dark, area summer programs started.

Local libraries on both sides of the Mississippi River kicked off their annual summer reading programs, and area churches started making plans for vacation Bible school.

The Natchez-Adams community swimming pool opened for children of all ages and area parks were filled with excited golfers, baseball players and outdoor enthusiasts.

Other good news from the week included:

* Cathedral School teacher Jean Biglane had high praise for the school’s STAR student Samuel Freiberger. Calling him a young ‘Renaissance man,’ Biglane said Freiberger is an “intellectual with a deep-seated sense of justice and fairness” who excels in nearly every academic subject. Freiberger chose Biglane as his STAR teacher and plans to attend Columbia University this fall.

* The movie “Ma” opened in theaters across the nation on Friday and drew in more than $18.3 million at the U.S. box office. The movie starring Octavia Spencer and Juliette Lewis also featured various scenes of Natchez, where the movie was filmed. Some residents were lucky enough to be cast as extras for the film. Locals who went to the movie theater last weekend said they were excited to see familiar faces and places.

So far, the movie has exceeded the movie studio’s expectations and appears to be a success. The movie’s achievements are good news as director Tate Taylor and producer John Norris begin filming another movie in Natchez.

As filming begins and the Hollywood celebrity sightings increase, let us also be on the lookout for good news in our community.