DCHS Winter Guard Puts on “A Killer Show”

February 28, 2024
By: Bill Conger

The DeKalb County High School Winter Guard has “A Killer Show” this season featuring some of the horror movie’s greatest villains. The guard has already competed at Green Hills High School and Wilson Central earlier this month. At the Wilson Central contest, the Winter Guard placed 4th out of 10th in their class, and they improved their score 3 points from the previous competition.

Students in the Winter Guard are Ashton McClain – Captain (sabre, rifle, flag), Crissy White (sabre, rifle, flag), Elizabeth Cardin (sabre, rifle, flag), Bairon Hernandez-Avalos (sabre, rifle, flag), Jamey Bradshaw (sabre and flag), Kara Inglis (rifle and flag), Jay Bare (rifle and flag), Hadley Vergeson (flag) take on the villainous roles of Jason Vorhees, Chucky, the girl from The Ring, a person from the Purge movies, Billy the puppet from Saw, Pennywise from It, Stephen King’s Carrie as well as a “little girl” that is not from a movie but turns out to be a killer in the end.

“The song is titled “Playground”, and the soundtrack starts with a creepy, little, lonely girl looking for playmates,” explains Guard Director Shannon Johns. “We open with Ashton in the center of the floor while the villains peep out at different times from behind large props which are black and white pictures of old playground equipment. Then, away we go with the creeps intermingling with the little girl throughout the show until *gasp* she takes them out one by one at the end of the show.”

“Select students from this group volunteered to help write portions of the show with equipment they are most comfortable with or in one case the dance portions that are their expertise,” Johns says. “I have found when they help with the creative process they are more invested in the show’s success.”

“We have mostly seasoned vets, but a couple of new faces as well. The experienced students do such a great job embracing the new ones and helping them get up to speed. Practicing only on Saturdays is quite a challenge for any group, but these kids handle it with ease and I am very proud of them. They represent DeKalb well at the contests and are having a great time showing off their skills with this fun, spooky theme.”

The Guard will compete three more times this season — Columbia Central High School on March 9, Siegel High School on March 16 and then the championships on April 5 at Western Kentucky University’s Diddle Arena in Bowling Green KY.

February 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The 11-day period of early voting for the March 5 primaries has come and gone with a total turnout of 1,128.

Tuesday, February 27 was the last day for voters to cast ballots early for this election and 166 responded. Of that number, 160 voted in the Republican Primary and 6 in the Democratic Primary.

During those 11 days of early voting combined, a total of 1,097 voted in person and 31 by absentee. The number of people voting in the Republican Primary totaled 1,048 and 80 in the Democratic Primary.

Election day voting, March 5 will be from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. at all 12 precincts in DeKalb County.

February 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Only a few tickets remain for Thursday night’s appearance of the Harlem Wizards, the most interactive, fun, community basketball event in the world which is coming to Smithville.

The world-famous Harlem Wizards will visit DeKalb Middle School on Thursday, February 29 at 6 p.m. for an evening of great fun and fundraising. Doors will open at 5 p.m. The Wizards will play a game against a team of DeKalb County School teachers, principals, SRO’s and community leaders. The event is a fundraiser for DeKalb Middle School. Only 102 tickets remain but courtside and reserved seating are sold out. All ticket sales will be online. There will be no tickets available at the door if it’s a sell out before show time.

Tickets can be purchased at www.harlemwizards.com or https://pretix.eu/harlemwizards/smithvilletn02-29-24-07-00pm/. DMS will get 52% of ticket proceeds. Souvenirs/tickets can be bought by cash or credit card. Concessions may be purchased on game night by cash only. All proceeds DMS receives will be used for Positive Behavior and Attendance Incentives.

Ticketholders must enter the DMS gym from the side door and the handicap entrance is from the breezeway. Courtside ticket holders get a pre-game meet and greet with members of the Harlem Wizards in the cafeteria.

The energy at a Wizards game is electric. The laughter is infectious. The dunks are rim-rattling. High-flying and awe inspiring. The hoop artistry, ball-handling, tricks, and teamwork are mesmerizing.

What really takes it to another level is the hometown participation from the kids on court experiences, to the teachers, principals and other community leaders who take on the Wizards as the “hometown heroes”. Besides cheering for their teachers, the kids are involved all night long. They will all have a chance to get on the court!

Throughout the game audience members will be asked to volunteer in different contests and acts. The experience at a Wizards game is the community, the school coming together for a night of good, pure fun and excitement and it’s a fundraiser.

The event will feature a variety of fun interactive extras to complement the Wizards’ dazzling demonstration of hoops artistry: Pregame “Wiz Kids” warm-up, contests, comedy, awesome slam dunks, audience participation, merchandise giveaways, and more. The game will conclude with the Wizards’ signature dance celebration that will have the parents on their feet and the kids moving to the beat.

Members of the DMS team scheduled to take on the Harlem Wizards that night include DeKalb Fire Chief Donny “Green Giant” Green, Smithville Mayor Josh “Mayor” Miller, State Representative “Hot Wheels” Michael Hale, General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge Brandon “The Judge” Cox, Northside Elementary Principal Angela “ Slam Dunk” Johnson, DeKalb Middle School Principal Caleb “Centertown” Shehane, Tilly “Lil Til” Dodson of Smithville Elementary School, DCHS Assistant Principal Thomas “The Coach” Cagle, Darrin “Baldy” Vincent of Dailey & Vincent, DeKalb Assessor of Property Shannon “Big Daddy” Cantrell, DeKalb County Mayor Matt “Baby Face” Adcock, Assistant DeKalb West School Principal Seth “The Sheriff” Willoughby, Casey “Sugar Bear” Midgett of First Bank, DMS teacher Justin “Nokes Approach” Nokes, DMS SRO Joseph “The Enforcer “Carroll, DWS SRO Billy “Mayberry” Tiner, DCHS SRO Chris ”Mac Attack” McMillen, Northside Elementary School SRO Joe ”Packman” Pack, Sign Interpreter Rochelle ”Hot Hands” Davis, NES teacher Trey “Trey Shon ”Jones and Casey “Doodles” Agee Impact PT.

Chris Moore will be the announcer. Josh Agee and Kennedy Agee will serve as referees and Jeremy Haas will be the clock keeper. Kennedy will also perform the National Anthem.

Game day assemblies will be held at Northside, DeKalb West, and DeKalb Middle School with members of the Harlem Wizards making an appearance.

Sponsors include DTC Communications, Wilson Bank & Trust, First Bank, Liberty State Bank, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, DeKalb Funeral Chapel, Good Health Family Clinic. Impact PT, Hywater Title, Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell, DeKalb Title, Tramel Accounting, Swallows Insurance Agency, Bradley Locke of DeKalb Farm Bureau, The Rogers Group, Mallory Pfingstler State Farm Insurance, Halliburton Fencing, KFC-Taco Bell, Domino’s Pizza, and Star Manufacturing.

Special thanks to State Representative Michael Hale, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, Board of Education, and all the volunteers, Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins and his officers for providing security and traffic control, and to DeKalb EMS.

Founded in 1962, the Wizards have played over 15,000 games throughout the US that have raised more than $25 million for schools and charitable causes. The Wizards have also played in over 25 foreign countries on six continents.

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