February Students of the Month at Smithville Elementary

February 28, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Smithville Elementary has recognized its Students of the Month for February. These students were selected for their outstanding character, academics, and other traits that make them an all-around excellent student. Selected as Students of the Month for February are:

PreK – Hadley Ralph, Ethan Meighan
Kindergarten – Jahlia Cantrell, Allie Snow
1st Grade – Dalilah Velazquez, Blakelyn Cripps
2nd Grade – Jesus Garcia, Jacob Garcia Sanchez

February 28, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Sixth graders at DeKalb Middle School graduated from the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in a ceremony Friday.

D.A.R.E. is a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department-led series of classroom lessons that teaches sixth graders in DeKalb County how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

Joseph Carroll of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department is the D.A.R.E Officer instructor for the sixth-grade classes at DeKalb Middle School.

The 10-week course identifies fundamental, basic skills and developmental processes needed for healthy development including: Self-awareness and management, Responsible decision making, Understanding others, Relationship and communication skills, and Handling responsibilities and challenges.

D.A.R.E. believes that if you can teach youth to make safe and responsible decisions, it will guide them to healthy choices, not only about drugs, but across all parts of their lives. As they grow to be responsible citizens, they will lead healthier and more productive drug-free lives.

As part of the course, students prepared essays on what they have learned from D.A.R.E. and the overall essay winner at DeKalb Middle School was Jackson Longmire, while second place went to Nevaeh Knight and Sophia Pina received third place. Each student was given baskets of prizes.

Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin presented awards to students in an art contest held in conjunction with the D.A.R.E. program.

“Before I was elected to this job, I was a court reporter and part of that was to travel around to different court houses in the state of Tennessee but the one that stood out was Wilson County because outside their courtroom they had some art from D.A.R.E. students displayed there so I thought that was a good idea. A few years ago, I reached out to our SRO officers and asked as part of D.A.R.E. can we include an art contest. This year I have done a first, second, and third place and an honorable mention and the art from these award winners will be displayed in my office at the courthouse for all your family to see,” said Martin.

Winners of the art contest were first place Ava Gillis, second place Sidney Rigsby, third place McKenzie Hendrixson, and honorable mention Miller Williams.

In addition to recognizing DeKalb Middle School Principal Teresa Jones, Assistant Principal Josh Agee, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, and the Board of Education, Sheriff Patrick Ray welcomed special guests Register of Deeds Daniel Seber, Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin, Road Supervisor Danny Hale, members of the DeKalb Prevention Coalition and Coordinated School Health, DCHS SRO Jasmine Garza, DMS SRO and D.A.R.E. Officer Joseph Carroll, and Sheriff’s Department Detectives Chris Russell and Jacob Parker.

February 28, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Mailbox vandalism is about to land one adult and five juveniles in trouble with the law.

Sheriff Patrick Ray issued the following statement about the investigation. “My detectives today (Thursday 2-27-25) interviewed 5 juveniles and 1 adult about destroying mailboxes across the northern and southern parts of DeKalb County. We have had written and some verbal reports of mailboxes getting vandalized on Cookeville Highway, Old Bildad Road, Blue Springs Road, Ike Adcock Road, Keltonburg Road, Antioch Road, Green Hill Road, and Short Mountain Road all in DeKalb County,” he said.

“I am asking the public, if you live outside the City limits of Smithville and you are seeking any financial restitution for damages to your mailbox that has been vandalized, you will need to contact dispatch at 615-215-3000 and let a deputy respond to your location and see the damage or evidence of the damage. All damages to the mailboxes must have been vandalized between the dates of Monday February 17, 2025 and Thursday February 27, 2025. Your report must be turned into the Sheriff’s Department by Wednesday March 5. Charges then will be brought forth on these individuals,” said Sheriff Ray.

“If you are a resident of Smithville, you will need to report your vandalism of your mailbox to the Smithville Police Department. The Smithville Police Department will be taking charges on your reports,” added Sheriff Ray.

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