Yolanda Cox's Physics' class was given a challenge: create a soapbox derby for a race in Jackson . Yolanda's class of six students created not one but two cars. On November 12th, 2004 the two cars came in first and second overall.

One car was created out of wood and one out of fiberglass. “The students worked everyday after-school for a month to put the two cars together from scratch,” said Yolanda, Mississippi Teacher Corps Class of 2004. “We worked for at least three hours everyday. One of the girls who was driving even went out and got a racing uniform.” The wooden car was named “Physics Phenomenon.” The fiberglass car was named “Strictly Lightning.”

The challenge was sponsored by Methodist Rehabilitation Center and benefited the Andrew Jackson Council of Boy Scouts. The derby was for all high school technology and science classes. Five schools created cars for the race. Yolanda's school, North Panola High School , was the only school outside of Jackson to enter a car in the race.

“The students were very excited after winning,” said Yolanda.

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is a two-year program that recruits recent college graduates to teach in critical-shortage areas in the Mississippi Delta, in exchange for a full scholarship for a masters' degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi . The program was founded in 1989 by Amy Gutman, a Harvard University graduate and Dr. Andy Mullins , current Special Assistant to the Chancellor of Ole Miss. Since 1989 more than 300 participants, reaching an estimated 4,500 students, have taught in critical-needs school districts as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

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