Shilo Sanders highlights JSU P.R.O.M. Promise event
Jackson State University hosted its 2026 P.R.O.M. Promise event, welcoming hundreds of high school students from the Jackson Public School District to campus for a day focused on empowerment, education and life preparation.
Former collegiate athlete Shilo Sanders made a special appearance and spoke about discipline, accountability and making positive choices. “Your decisions today shape your future,” Sanders told students. “Stay focused, surround yourself with the right people, and always remember your goals,” he said.
The P.R.O.M. Promise, an initiative of JSU’s Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition, stands for Please Return On Monday and aims to guide students in making informed decisions during prom season and beyond. The program covers personal safety, peer pressure, mental and physical health, and post-secondary planning. “We started this initiative about 18 years ago. It started with small groups and has grown to this big event,” said Henry Thompson, director and principal investigator of MJCPC. “We’re trying to make sure these students return home safely without drinking and driving.”
Organizers cited national concerns about distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,275 people were killed in distraction-related crashes in 2023; 241 were teens 15 to 19 years old.
The on-campus program featured a rollover crash demonstration by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, a question-and-answer session with Sanders, a motivational speech from Dwight Owens and a live performance by Baton Rouge rapper H3adband, who performed his viral hit “Boo,” currently on the Billboard Hot 100. MJCPC said P.R.O.M. Promise is intended to prepare students for prom night and provide tools for lifelong success. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
