Winner: Hernando High School

Hernando High School sports teams are perennial contenders, and academically it is one of the best in the state. And in a state that is synonymous with the blues, it’s the school’s music programs that have been making the most noise, topped by the opening last year of its state-of-the art Performing Arts Complex.

805 Dilworth Lane; 662-429-7825 or Desoto.k12.ms.us.

Finalist: Southern Baptist Educational Center