8 April ICC to host “Bridges to Belonging” conference on April 10 April 8, 2026 By Camp, Tyler W Career Center, General 0 As the need for meaningful support systems for neurodivergent students continues to grow, Itawamba Community College’s Bloom Neurodivergent Program is bringing educators, families and community leaders together for a shared purpose. ICC will host the “Bridges to Belonging: Connecting Families, Schools and Community for Student Success” conference on April 10 at the ICC Belden Center, uniting partners from across the region to strengthen pathways for student success. The daylong conference is designed to foster collaboration among K-12 schools, higher education, families and community agencies, with a focus on helping students successfully transition from school to adulthood. Participants will include principals, administrators, educators, parents and community stakeholders who are committed to improving outcomes for students with diverse learning needs. The event will feature a keynote presentation, breakout sessions, a panel discussion and dedicated networking opportunities. Leading the conference as keynote speaker is Alyece Smith, a TEDx speaker, ADHD business coach, author and nonprofit founder from Kiln. Smith is the CEO and founder of Socially Ausome™ and executive director of Caiden’s Corner, a nonprofit supporting autism families. She is also host of “The ADHD CEO Podcast” and author of two books focused on neurodivergent individuals and families. Smith’s keynote will center on reframing neurodivergence as a strength and equipping educators, families and community leaders with practical tools to better support students in academic and real-world environments. The conference schedule includes two rounds of breakout sessions tailored to various audiences, a lunch and networking session and a panel discussion focused on real-world transitions and available supports. The event will conclude with a call to action encouraging continued collaboration beyond the conference. Organizers emphasize that the guiding belief for the event is that student success looks different for every individual and requires a unified effort across all sectors. For more information or to register, contact Andrea Hardin at arhardin@iccms.edu or call 662-862-8142. Related Articles ICC, partners to host caregivers conference Itawamba Community College, along with several community partners, is hosting “The Fearless Caregiver Senior Adult Conference,” from 4-7:30 p.m., Apr. 19, which includes a resource fair and refreshments, at the Belden Center. The come-and-go conference is designed to equip caregivers with the knowledge, skills and elder resources available in the region. Attendees will receive a booklet containing important information for caregivers. Area experts will discuss topics including independent living, assisted living, nursing home – who does what, 4 p.m.; the difference in home health and hospice, 4:30 p.m.; what are geropsychiatric services and do loved ones need them, 4:50 p.m.; navigating legal services, 5:20 p.m.; Medicare vs. Medicaid, 5:50 p.m.; and senior safety including home security, fraud and criminal background checks, 6:50 p.m. For more information on the conference, email admin@sanctuaryhospice.org or call (662) 620-5365. Respite training for caregivers and professionals will be offered earlier that day. For more information or to register, contact KenYada Washington at (601) 359-4909 or (601) 624-8198. Sponsors in addition to ICC are the Mississippi Gerontological Society, Sanctuary Hospice, Methodist Senior Services, Alzheimer’s ... ICC's PMM to host state conference at Belden Itawamba Community College’s Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology program will host the second annual Mississippi HAAS HTEC Educators Conference, from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Feb. 9, in the new state-of-the-art Precision Machining lab at the Belden Center. The mission of the Haas Technical Education Center network is to promote and advance manufacturing and productivity through excellence in manufacturing education. Its vision is to collectively develop and disseminate the best educational materials and techniques in the world for advanced manufacturing education. Those who attend will have an opportunity to network with regional educators; meet with leading experts in tooling, software and metrology; learn about support available from Haas and the local HFO as well as how to tap into grants from the Gene Haas Foundation. For more information, contact Jerry Pettigrew at (662) 407-1413 or email jmpettigrew@iccms.edu. ICC to host English Roundtable Conference, Nov. 1 Area educators are invited to attend Itawamba Community College’s 2019 English Roundtable conference beginning at 8 a.m., Nov. 1, at the Belden Center (3200 Adams Farm Rd.) The conference will feature Lisa Buckner of South Pontotoc High School, Amy Jo Holcomb of Itawamba Agricultural High School, Kala Parker of Mooreville High School and Kim Payne of Smithville High School and a keynote presentation by Laura Hammons of Hinds Community College. For more information, contact Jon Armstrong, English instructor, at (662) 862-8054 or email jlarmstrong@iccms.edu. ICC to Host Two Small Business Showcases in April From fresh sourdough to handcrafted floral arrangements and locally made mead, Itawamba Community College is bringing hands-on experiences straight to the community through its Small Business Showcase series. Designed to connect consumers, small business owners and community members, the Small Business Showcase series provides opportunities to learn new skills, explore locally made products and build lasting relationships. The initiative also reinforces ICC’s commitment to strengthening its role as a community partner across the region. The first showcase will feature Blue Magnolia Bread Company on April 8 at 5:30 p.m. at 1389 Mobile Street in Saltillo. Participants will learn the art of sourdough bread making, including how to fold bread, prepare dough and create their own loaf to take home. The cost to attend is $25 per person. The second showcase will take place April 27 at 5:30 p.m. at 1719 McCullough Blvd. in Tupelo, featuring a collaborative experience with Queen’s Reward and 7 Acres Flowers. Attendees will enjoy one drink or slushie, learn the process of making mead and create a small, honey-influenced floral arrangement. The cost is $40 per person. Participants must be 21 or older ... Early Childhood Academy April activities Itawamba Community College’s Early Childhood Academy has scheduled several events for April. An Early Childhood Academy Vision Board Workshop will be Apr. 2 from 6-8 p.m. in room 608 of the Belden Center and Apr. 5 from 6-8 p.m. in room 126 of the Student Support Center at the Tupelo Campus. The two-hour workshop will explain how to reach goals by creating a vision board, which is a collection of pictures, phrases and art outlining goals for the year. Scheduled for the Week of the Young Child are the following events: Apr. 16, 1-2 p.m. – Music Monday – Sing, Dance, Celebrate and Learn activities including Brain Boogie Busters, Zumba for Kids Song and Dance Activity and Nursery Rhymes; Apr. 17, 1-2 p.m. – Tasty Tuesday – Healthy Eating and Fitness at Home and School, including apple, fruit, donuts activity; food group sorting from the My Plate website and Green Salad craft; Apr. 18, 1-2 p.m. – Work Together Wednesday – Work Together, Build Together, Learn Together – floating structures and gumdrop bridge; Apr. 19, 1-2 p.m. – ... Conference on Aging set for Apr. 27 Registration is underway for the eighth annual Northeast Mississippi Conference on Aging scheduled for Apr. 27 at the Itawamba Community College Belden Center. The conference, which is for both caregivers and professionals, is designed to foster interdisciplinary interactions among clinical and administrative healthcare professionals concerned with aging. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and sessions are scheduled from 8:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Highlights of the program include “Putting the Person Back in Person-Centered Care,” Steve McAlilly and Michelle Daniel; “Partners in Care,” Marylin Winborne and Lynn Cox; “Aging, Ethics and Elder Abuse: What’s Happening in Mississippi,” Sandra McClendon; “Pass the Cornbread: Southern Culture and its Effect on Our Health,” Cassie Alexander and Dr. Carla Stanford; and “Walk a Mile in an Elder’s Shoes: Experience Age-Related Changes That Happen to Everyone,” Dr. Laura Pannell. Fees include $25, non-Mississippi Gerontological Society members; $15, Mississippi Gerontological Society members; and free for caregivers and ICC students. The event is sponsored by Itawamba Community College, North Mississippi Medical Center and the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. For more information or to register, contact Becky Kelly at (662) 407-1500 or email rakelly@iccms.edu. Comments are closed.