The Krewe of Ceres in Brookhaven will conduct its 57th annual Charity Ball on Saturday, Feb. 24, at The Lincoln Civic Center. Presentations begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 601-757-2967.

This year’s escorts are Logan Ryan Case, Grayson Haze Childress, Jacob Carter Watson, Jacob Layton Thompson, Collin Jeffrey Kellum, Thomas Trey Knott, Tyler Rayburn Fortenberry, Samuel Steele Arnold, Ryan Corey Case II, and Austin Reade Hamil.

Logan Ryan Case is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Ryan Colter case. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ray Hart and Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Lee Case. 

Logan is an honor graduate of Brookhaven High School. He was a member of the 30+ ACT club, National Honor Society, tennis team, marching band section leader, and first chair.  Logan was an A & B honor roll student, a Mississippi Scholar, and a Mississippi Tech Master Scholar. He was also a member of Boy Scouts.  He is a recipient of many scholarships to include Pitts Presidential, ACT, Academic, and a Blue Wave Show Band scholarship from Copiah-Lincoln Community College. 

Logan is currently attending Co-Lin where he is on the President’s Council, the tennis team and was first chair trumpet in the band.  He is president of the Mu Alpha Theta Honors Math Club, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa, NJCAA Academic First Team, and Baptist Student Union worship band. He plans to transfer to Mississippi State University in the fall to complete his degree in chemical engineering. 

Logan is an active member of First Baptist Church where he plays the bass, the trumpet and is on the lighting and sound committee.

Grayson Haze Childress is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Jason Childress.  The grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Emmitt Reggie Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Edward Childress, the great-grandson of Mrs. Charlene Collinsworth, and the brother of Morgan Alyse Childress.

Grayson is a 2022 Honor graduate of Brookhaven High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society, the 30+ ACT club, a Mississippi Scholar, attended Boys State, and was inducted into the BHS Hall of Fame for Cross Country.  Grayson achieved numerous awards in his cross country career including Team MVP, Panther Award, All-State for 4 years, and the 5A Mississippi State Champion in 2021.  He was also the 5A State Champion in the 1600m and the 800m relay for Track & Field in 2022.

Grayson is a sophomore at The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado majoring in Systems Engineering, and plans to become a pilot.  He has received the Superintendent’s Pin for excellence for 2 semesters, is in the top 3% of his class in athletics and is on the USAFA Marathon team.

Grayson enjoys running, skiing, mountain biking, and playing guitar.  He is a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Jacob Carter Watson, son of Drs. Bob & Dianne Watson, is the grandson of Peggy Smith, the late J.C. Smith, and the late Jimmy & Laverne Watson.

Carter graduated Salutatorian and Star Student from Brookhaven Academy in 2021. He was a member of the varsity basketball, archery, track, tennis, and skeet-shooting teams. Carter also served as Student Body President, President of the Chess Club, Vice-President of the Science Club, and National Honor Society Treasurer. He’s in the 30+ ACT Club and the BA Hall of Fame. Carter was selected Most Dependable and Most Likely to Succeed.

Currently a sophomore in the honors college at Mississippi State University, Carter double-majors in Marketing and Business Administration and is minoring in Spanish. Carter spent last summer studying abroad in Iceland and Scandinavia. He is a member of MSU’s Club Rugby team. He also helps with team media. Carter served on the MSU Honors Student Council and is a member of the “Paint-Up Squad” that supports MSU at all sporting events.

His brothers, Colton and Cade, and sister, Cameron, were previously on the court.

Carter is a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Lincoln County but attends Pinelake while at Mississippi State.

Jacob Layton Thompson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Lane Thompson. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Easley and the late Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Taylor and the late Walter Glynn Thompson.

Jake is a 2022 Honors graduate of Brookhaven High School.  He was a member of the National Honor Society, a Mississippi Scholar, and Mississippi Tech Master. He was a varsity member of the Cross Country and Track teams, where he lettered five years and helped achieve four Cross Country state championships and a Track state championship.  Jake was awarded an ACT Scholarship, Dungan Engineering Scholarship, Alabama Power Association Scholarship, and also the Swalm Scholarship. He is an Eagle Scout. His Eagle Scout Project was the restoration of the Danny Entrican Memorial located in Railroad Park in Downtown Brookhaven. He was an avid volunteer for Wreaths Across America.

Jake is a sophomore at The University of South Alabama where he is majoring in Civil Engineering. He is on the Dean’s List and is also an athlete on the Cross Country and Track teams.

Jake is a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Brookhaven.

Collin Jeffrey Kellum is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Paul Kellum.  He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Paul D. Kellum and Mrs. Mary Sparks Kyzar and the late Mr. James Elton Kyzar.

Collin is a 2022 Honors graduate of Brookhaven High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society.  He was named a Mississippi Scholar and Tech Master Scholar.  He was named to the A and B Honor Roll and received the Physics award for highest average during his high school career. 

Collin was a member of Brookhaven High School’s Cross Country Team, winning four team state titles.  He was also a member of Brookhaven High School’s Track Team, which secured their first school state championship in 2022.  Collin earned his Eagle Scout rank as a member of Troop 119 and was named to the Order of the Arrow Honor Society.

Collin is a sophomore at Mississippi College where he is majoring in Electrical Engineering.  He was named to the Dean’s List for Fall of 2022 and was a member of the Mississippi College Cross Country and Track Teams his freshman year.

Collin is a member of Macedonia Baptist Church.

Thomas Trey Knott is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Knott. He is the grandson of the late Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Walden and the late Norma Simmons.

Trey is a 2022 highest honor graduate of Brookhaven High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and a Mississippi scholar.  He was a member of FCA and was voted prom king. During high school, Trey helped lead his team to 3 consecutive cross country state championships in 2019, 2020, and 2021.  In 2022, he helped steer the BHS boys track team to a first ever state championship. Trey also attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

Trey is currently a sophomore at Co Lin where he is majoring in biology. He is on the president’s list and was nominated Who’s who. He also serves as an officer of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and he is very active in the Baptist student union. He served as a summer missionary in Guatemala in 2023. Trey plans to attend Mississippi State University in the fall where he will continue his pre-veterinary studies with plans to become a veterinarian.

Trey is a member of First United Methodist Church in Brookhaven.

Tyler Rayburn Fortenberry is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Russell Fortenberry, Jr. He is the grandson of the late Mr. Hugh Russell Fortenberry, Sr. and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fussell and Mr. and Mrs. James Robert Rayburn.

Tyler is a 2022 Honor Graduate of Brookhaven Academy. He was a member of the National Honor Society, the National Science Honor Society, and was a Mississippi Scholar. He played football, basketball, and baseball. He was chosen to represent BA on the 2021 MAIS All Star football team and the 2022 MAIS All Star basketball team where he was named MVP of the game. He was honored with local titles including the Daily Leader Player of the Year for basketball his junior and senior years and Daily Leader Player of the Year for football his senior year.

Tyler was the recipient of the King’s Daughter’s Medical Center Scholarship, Copiah Lincoln Community College Dean’s Scholarship, and Copiah Lincoln Community College Football Scholarship. While Tyler was at CoLin, he majored in Nursing. He was awarded the Football Academic Award. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and was on the President’s list each semester.

Tyler has always dreamed of playing in the SEC. He is now at Vanderbilt University on a football scholarship majoring in Biology. Due to this, he regrets he is unable to attend tonight, but he is appreciative of such an honor to be named an escort on the 2024 Krewe of Ceres Charity Ball Court.

Tyler is an active member of First Baptist Church of Brookhaven.

Samuel Steele Arnold is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Steele Arnold III. He is the grandson of Mrs. Judith Swetland Arnold and the late Mr. Frank Steele Arnold, Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kemp Lawson.

Sam is a 2022 honors graduate of Brookhaven High School. He was on the All-A honor roll, a Mississippi scholar, and a member of the National Honor Society. Sam was a member of the cross country and track teams where he was an all-state runner who helped his team earn four state championships. Sam served as student body president and represented BHS at Boys State and the Hugh O Brian Youth Leadership Conference. Sam was a member of Troop 119 earning his Eagle Scout in 2020 and serving on staff with the National Youth Leadership Training through Boy Scouts of America.

Sam is a member of the class of 2026 at the United States Military Academy majoring in systems and decision sciences. He is a member of the cross country and track team. After graduation, he will begin a career as an army officer.

Sam served as a train bearer for the 2015 court.  His sister Hannah served on the court as a maid in 2021. 

Sam is a member of First Baptist Church in Brookhaven.   

Ryan Corey Case II is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Ryan Corey Case. He is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Carson Case and Mr. Lee Roy Hafer and Mrs. Linda Cheryl Tomlinson.

Corey is a 2022 Highest Honors Graduate of Brookhaven Academy, where he was a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and a Mississippi Scholar. Corey was a standout in football and soccer where he received all-area, all-district, and all-state awards throughout high school, and the Cougar Leadership Award. At Copiah Lincoln Community College, he was awarded a football scholarship, ACT scholarship, and the Albert “Sonny” Hill Memorial Scholarship.

Corey is a Sophomore at Copiah Lincoln Community College majoring in Chemical Engineering. He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Mu Alpha Theta, Science Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and the Honors College. In 2022, he received the distinguished academic all-state honors as a student athlete. Corey will further his education at Mississippi State University in the fall.

Corey served as a trainbearer in 2015. His sister Olivia served as a trainbearer for the court in 2019. Corey is a member of Faith Presbyterian Church, Brookhaven.

Austin Reade Hamil is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Stephen Hamil. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stephen Hamil and Mr. and Mrs. Luther Rea Dale Cockrell.

Austin is a 2022 Honors graduate of Brookhaven Academy. He was a member of the National Honor Society and was a Mississippi Scholar. He participated on the football team and was also a member of Mu Alpha Theta. He received Student of the Month in grades 10th and 12th. He was a recipient of the Swalm Brookhaven Scholarship and ACT/Academic Scholarship.

Austin is a sophomore at Mississippi State University majoring in Business Information Systems. He is also working on a minor in Spanish. Austin is a part of many organizations at Mississippi State, including the BSU and Spanish Club.

Austin is a member of Easthaven Baptist Church, Brookhaven; but also attends and leads a small group at Pinelake Church, Starkville.