Hometown Help Enhances Students Learning

May 8, 2023
By: Bill Conger

DeKalb West School continues to take a step forward with the use of technology in the classrooms with a fun approach to learning computer coding.

DeKalb West School Computer Teacher Lori Vandergriff received an $800 Hometown Help grant from Middle Tennessee Natural Gas for the purchase of coding robots. The organization has helped fund past projects for Vandergriff including most recently a 3D printer for the computer lab

Students in grades 2-5 are learning to design a pathway or obstacle course by creating a computer code for the Botley coding robots to maneuver.

“Students in grades 6-8 use Sphero robotic spheres to code and navigate through mazes, play games, and write code with Javascript like real programmers use,” Vandergriff explains.

In October, Vandergriff attended a STEM workshop at Tennessee Tech about ways to introduce coding.

“I already use a program called Kodable with the younger grades, I use Code.org with the middle grades, and 6-8 use Code Combat. Kodable and Code.org use block coding to help students learn the terminology and basic coding. Code combat introduces 6-8 to Java, Python, and C++ coding. They write code to create and play video games. The robots are just another way to allow the students opportunities to learn about coding.”

May 8, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The DCHS Tiger Soccer Team finished 2nd place in District 6 AA. The team will play in the District Semifinals on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. vs the winner of Stone Memorial and Upperman (weather permitting).

Several DCHS Tiger Soccer players were named to the All-District Team:

District 6 AA MVP: Yair Mata

Offensive MVP: Miguel Mata

1st Team All-District: Cooper Brown, Axel Aranda, Cameron Miller, Ryder Miller, Yair Mata, and Miguel Mata

2nd Team All-District: Adan Ramirez, and Connor Vance

May 7, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County High School on Tuesday presented its final monthly awards of the 2022-23 year for teacher, student, and guardian of the month. These honors were for the month of April.

Each received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal from El Rancho Mexican Restaurant in Smithville.

Coaches Joey Agee and Cody Randolph were chosen by the administration as Co-Teachers of the Month while Junior Evelyn Mitchell is Student of the Month, voted on by the teachers. The guardian of the month is Kelley Hollingsworth, and this honor was based on a winning essay written by her granddaughter, Matty Hollingsworth, a 16-year-old 11th grader at DCHS.

Mitchell, daughter of Steve and Sara Mitchell of Smithville, said she was quite surprised when told she had been selected “Student of the Month”.

“I am really excited. I wasn’t expecting it. This is my first year here. I just moved here from Louisiana last summer and I really like it. All of my family is from here. I have really enjoyed being in school here and I am happy the teachers chose me for this honor,” said Mitchell.

A member of the DCHS Beta Club, Mitchell said her future ambition is to have a career in the healthcare field.

“Evelyn’s name is heard quite a bit around the school. All the teachers who have Evelyn in school, love her being in their classes. Not only does she actively participate in class, but teachers see her as a future leader. She works incredibly hard and is respectful of the school and others around her. We couldn’t be prouder to present her with the award as “Student of the Month”, said Thomas Cagle, Assistant Principal at DCHS.

Finding it difficult to settle on just one honoree for “Teacher of the Month” for April, Cagle said the administration decided to award two staff members.

Although DCHS head boys’ basketball coach Agee and Coach Randolph, his assistant are veteran educators, they are completing their first year at DCHS. Prior to this year, Agee served as Assistant DeKalb West School Principal and is a former DeKalb Middle School boys coach. Randolph came over to DCHS from DeKalb Middle School where he had served as the Saints boys basketball coach for the previous eight years. Both Coaches Agee and Randolph teach wellness and physical education at DCHS.

“Its truly an honor to be recognized as “Co-Teacher of the Month”, said Agee. “I know what these guys (principal and assistants) go through having been in administration for 8 years. There are times you need help and when you have staff willing to help you in any way, it makes your job a lot easier,” he added. “This is my 20th year in the school system but my first year here at DCHS and I have enjoyed it. It’s been a good year and its gone by quick. I’s already May and doesn’t seem like it should be,” said Coach Agee.

“I am grateful for this honor as “Co-Teacher of the Month” by the administration, said Randolph. “Being able to help in any way possible is what we want to do with the kids as well as the staff and administration. Any way we can help, we want to pitch in,” he said.

“Coaches Agee and Randolph are our boys basketball coaching staff as well as our PE and wellness teachers and these guys go through a lot,” said Cagle. “Unfortunately we don’t always have the amount of subs we probably need all the time, so many times the gym gets full with some extra classes and these guys are always more than willing to help us out anyway they can, whether its helping with giving tests during testing time, helping watch additional classes, lending me some strong students to help move things around, whatever it is, these two guys have been exceptional this year and its been an honor to have them as part of our staff here and to be able to work with them this year and get to know them better and we could not be happier that they are here and part of our staff and we hope they want to stay for a long time,” said Cagle.

For “Guardian of the Month, Cagle said Matty Hollingsworth wrote a moving essay in tribute to her grandmother, Kelley.

“Much like our other essays this year, Matty’s was just one that reached out to me. She really talks about some of the things she has had to overcome as far as with school and life and things outside of school. Reading these essays gives me a chance to know kids like Matty a lot better as well as their families and to learn of the amazing things their families are doing for them and the things they have to go through each and every day. Matty and Kelly are an example of that and them overcoming some of those difficulties. Its wonderful to see them and so many other supportive families, parents, and guardians out there willing to do what it takes to get these kids through school and through life. Kelley does a great job helping Matty and helping her see the importance of what she can become and what she can be when she leaves school,” said Cagle.

“My grandmother is a really kind person, and she is nice to everybody she talks to or comes to our house,” said Matty. “She hands out blankets and food to homeless people in the community. She is really sweet, so I just wrote in my essay all the things I thought make her a special person”.

Matty, who has a twin sister Mallory, is a member of the FFA and Spanish Club at DCHS and her future goal is to become a lawyer.

“I was really shocked but I am blessed and honored,” said Matty’s grandmother Kelley about receiving the “Guardian of the Month” award. “I had no idea Matty was doing this (essay). Matty is awesome. She wants to be a lawyer and I know she will get to do it,” she said.

In addition to Matty and her twin sister Mallory, Hollingsworth said she and her husband of 43 years have raised two other grandchildren. “We enjoy our grandkids. They keep us young. I just want them to do the best in life. None of my kids ever graduated from high school but I plan to see two granddaughters graduate and walk the line next year and I am proud of that and them,” said Hollingsworth.

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