MSU Punter and former Yellow Jacket, Ethan Pulliam, will donate $4000 over the next two years to provide school supplies at Sudduth and Henderson Ward Stewart elementary schools.
"Definitely dream big."
Those are the hopes Mississippi State punter and former Yellow Jacket, Ethan Pulliam, shared for students in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, where he grew up and went to school himself.
"As a kid, I had a lot of dreams," he said. "Being a kid, it's always fun to dream about things you want to be and places you want to go. I want kids to know there are no limitations on what you can do. So, never let anybody tell you, 'you can't'. Just continue to strive for it."
Pulliam is serious about "no limitations", and this school year is helping young Yellow Jacket students clear some of the most immediate and basic hurdles for learning – access to school supplies. In July, Pulliam donated $2000 to be used to purchase classroom supplies at Sudduth Elementary and Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary for the 2026-2027 school year. He plans to provide another $2000 for next school year. During check presentations with administrators, families and teachers at each school, Pulliam said the $4000 total donation is a way to support and honor those who gave him opportunities to thrive.
"I really just wanted to be able to give back to the school that I graduated from, the whole school district – to take care of the school supplies for this year and next year," Pulliam said. "If it wasn't for the teachers and the students, and the Jacket environment as a whole, I wouldn't be where I am today. It really means a lot to come from this school. These are my old stomping grounds, and I wanted to give back."
Pulliam, who is a 2023 graduate of Starkville High School was an award-winning three-sport athlete during his high school career. In addition to excelling academically, he played on the Yellow Jacket soccer, baseball and football teams, helping to lead Jacket Football to a State Championship in his senior season. He signed with Mississippi State University to play both baseball and football, and now serves as the Bulldog punter. In 2025, he was named a 2nd team All American and set the Mississippi State single-season program record for yards per punt.
Pulliam's gift will be used to provide school supplies and resources for Pre-K through 4th grade students at Sudduth and Henderson Ward Stewart. The donation will be managed by the district's Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), which includes a chapter at each school site. An initial donation of $1000 to each of the Sudduth and HWS PTO groups will facilitate providing needs directly for classrooms.
Lateshia Butler, who is co-president of the HWS PTO for the 2026-2027 school year said the opportunity to provide additional supplies is helpful, and it means more coming from someone like Pulliam who attended school in the same halls.
"Just to have someone like Ethan, who is a role model to our kids, to come back and pour into his former schools means a lot," Butler shared. "I know the teachers are going to appreciate it. Having the opportunity to purchase needed supplies goes a long way. With a donation like this, we can do endless things. We're thankful that he decided to come back home and support younger Yellow Jackets in this way."
Janie Smith, who also serves as HWS PTO co-president, agreed.
"As PTO, we try really hard to support our teachers with everything that they need, and this kind of gift allows us to do that," she said. "Teachers put so much of their hearts and souls into their jobs so they can support our little ones, and this helps them do that without having to worry about raising their own funds."
Visiting Sudduth and Henderson Ward Stewart again brought reminders for Pulliam about his own elementary teachers who gave so much to the classroom, and presenting the donation gave the whole family an opportunity to bring back memories. Pulliam's parents, Chris and Mashala, are long-time supporters of PTO and have served in leadership positions for the Jacket Football and Baseball Booster Clubs. His brother, Kylin, is currently a junior at Starkville High School and also a multi-sport athlete.
"We really want to instill in Ethan a commitment to giving back," Mashala Pulliam said during the check presentation. "And, serving the community where you came from is a great way to do that."
Henderson Ward Stewart principal, Ra'mon Forbes, commented on the impact Pulliam's donation will make for students in the classroom and shared his gratitude for the example it sets for giving back to your own community.
"We have many boys and girls who aren't able to get the supplies that they need," he shared. "We're thankful to Ethan for thinking about us and being that role model, and also for being that light for our students to see that as they reach their own careers, giving back to their community is also connected to that."
With this gift to support the district's youngest students, Pulliam's ongoing connection to Yellow Jacket classrooms is stronger than ever.
