JPS Renames Career Development Center in Honor of Medgar and Myrlie Evers

Jackson Public Schools celebrated a historic moment on November 20, 2025, with the official renaming of the Career Development Center to the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Career Development Center. The ribbon cutting ceremony, held at the center's campus, honored the enduring legacy of two of Mississippi’s most influential civil rights leaders and reaffirmed the district’s commitment to preparing scholars for excellence in both college and career pathways.

As Mississippi’s largest and most comprehensive Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, the newly renamed center serves scholars from all six JPS high schools. Its 23 career pathway programs include industry-standard labs and instructors with extensive real-world experience. Scholars earn industry-recognized credentials, dual credit, and the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate while engaging in hands-on learning throughout their two-year enrollment. Upon completion, each scholar earns four Carnegie units toward graduation.

Superintendent Dr. Errick L. Greene emphasized the significance of the renaming as a reflection of the values the district seeks to embody. “We’re striving for what the Evers stood for,” Dr. Greene said. “We’re striving to be that through our programs here at the Career Development Center.”

Principal Dr. Eric Cook highlighted how the center’s mission aligns with that vision. “We are dedicated to creating a schoolwide culture where scholars can identify, select, and pursue career pathways,” he said.

The ceremony also included remarks from Reena Evers-Everette, daughter of Medgar and Myrlie Evers, who expressed gratitude for the recognition of her family’s legacy. “You have honored our family with this magnificent passion that is going to continue for the future, and it’s a passion that my father had and tried to deliver throughout his short life,” she said. "We are proud to be in partnership with Jackson Public Schools and deeply honored to have this beautiful facility named after my mother and father and the Evers family."  

With the renaming, Jackson Public Schools not only pays tribute to the Evers family’s profound impact but also strengthens its commitment to providing transformative opportunities that empower scholars to build successful futures.