House Concurrent Resolution 28

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING EVEREST, AS MISSISSIPPI'S FIRST RURAL EDUCATION AND INNOVATION HUB AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

WHEREAS, Everest, with Base Camp Coding Academy, located in Water Valley, Mississippi, is making workforce development history as it becomes the state's first rural education and innovation hub and incubator for high school graduates, startup businesses and corporate sponsors; and

WHEREAS, in 2016, Base Camp Coding Academy was founded by Glen Evans and Kagan Coughlin to train under-advantaged youth to become software developers in the field of computer coding; and

WHEREAS, Everest, with Base Camp Coding Academy, had its groundbreaking on January 23, 2020, is an innovation and economic hub, which is located in what is previously known as Water Valley Manufacturing, Inc., a former garment manufacturer that closed its doors nearly 30 years ago and is being repurposed as Everest, thus breathing new economic life into the area; and

WHEREAS, this public/private initiative to obtain the infrastructure and the repurposing of the former manufacturing building is a $4.7 million project that includes private corporate financial support from C Spire, Renasant Bank, Morgan White Insurance and CoreLogic, Inc., and federal financial support from Appalachian Regional Commission, Delta Regional Authority, United States Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Labor and Tennessee Valley Authority; and

WHEREAS, this impressive initiative also includes partnerships with the State of Mississippi, Yalobusha County, Water Valley, Mississippi, and Northwest Mississippi Community College; and

WHEREAS, further, this public/private initiative, which is helping Mississippi to make an indelible mark in the field of technology throughout this great country, will leverage historic tax credits, new market tax credits, as well as Brownfield redevelopment tax credits; and

WHEREAS, Everest will be home to the coding academy and Northwest Mississippi Community College programs and as the coding academy partners with the community college, students will take workforce development courses and will be allowed to receive college credit; and

WHEREAS, in order for individuals to become Base Camp students, they have a thorough interview process, that includes nominations, aptitude tests and several other components to ensure that the students are capable of fulfilling the three principles of Everest: community, professionalism and technical ability; and

WHEREAS, when the highly motivated students, who are not college bound but desire a career in the field of technology, complete the one-year challenging tuition-free computer science education program, they can easily attain $50,000.00 per year jobs with major companies - all accomplished without any student loan debt; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to acknowledge an innovative nonprofit corporation such as Base Camp Coding Academy, which is the foundation of Everest, for its forward thinking in the technology field as it increases the tech firm investment in Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Everest, Mississippi's first rural education and innovation hub, a superb nonprofit workforce training facility that will positively impact the workforce landscape of this great state, while simultaneously affecting young lives.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Glen Evans and Kagan Coughlin and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.