The 2018 DeKalb County Baseball Camp will be Monday and Tuesday, June 4 & 5

Tiger Coach Adam Kefauver said the camp will be held at the DCHS baseball field from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. each day.

The camp is for ages 5 to 14.

Camp Skills:
* Learn the proper mechanics for throwing and catching
* Learn the proper fundamentals for pitching, playing infield, and playing outfield
* Learn correct fundamentals of hitting
* Learn numerous drills for all aspects of baseball

What to bring:
* Cleats, tennis shoes, baseball pants, hat, glove, bat (catchers gear)
* Snacks and drinks for breaks (water will be provided)

Registration:
* Cost of the camp is $60
* Registration will be June 4 from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at the DCHS Baseball field.

After 28 years of teaching, DWS 8th grade teacher Cynthia Wilson is going out in style. Earlier this year her peers nominated the educator who is retiring at the end of this school year for the Teacher of the Year award.

“The thing that makes this award so special to me is that my fellow teachers determine this,” Wilson said. “That says it all!”

The English Language Arts/Social Studies teacher started her career after graduating from Bryan College in Dayton, TN with a B.S. in Elementary Education.

“I was 21 years old, and my first class consisted of 36 first graders,” Wilson said. “I have taught not only first grade, but third, fourth, fifth, seventh, and finally eighth grade.”

Wilson stepped away from the profession for a decade to raise her three small children, who are now adults–Ricky Preston, 32, Paige Preston Lang, 30 (son-in-law Richard Lang), and Robby Preston, 27 (daughter-in-law Jordan Preston).

“I knew when they were all school age, I would return to teaching, and I was anxious to do so.”

Wilson, the former Cynthia Judge, grew up in Orlando/Kissimmee, FL area, the daughter of a dairy farmer. She loved going to school and was quite the social butterfly.

“My report card often had the comment “talks too much” from my teachers,” she remembers with a playful frown.

Wilson knew from a very young age that teaching was her calling.

“When I was a little girl, I played school with my sisters (Stephanie, Jennifer, Priscilla, and Melanie, a former 8th grade teacher at DWS), and I was always the teacher,” she recalls. “I always loved children, and I knew teaching was my gift. I think I owe this mostly to the wonderful teachers that I had.”

Since those younger years, the veteran teacher has witnessed a lot of changes in the profession.

“There are now much greater expectations on the students, there are so many new and different teaching strategies, and the accountability for both students and teachers are at the highest.”

“My role as an 8th grade teacher is somewhat different than other teachers. Most of my students have attended DWS for nine years where they have been taught, disciplined, and loved. In the 8th grade this goal remains the same, but we also purpose to prepare the students for their transition to high school. While the students are given a bit more freedom in some ways, they are also given much more responsibility. The main point I want them to embrace is that they are responsible for their own education. Their teachers and administrators can only do so much… the rest is up to them.”

As the clock winds down on her final days in education, Wilson is ready for an enjoyable retirement with her husband, Mark Wilson. Perhaps she’ll be able to make more time for her hobbies of calligraphy, reading, playing the piano, cooking and entertaining friends. And she has one adventure that she wants to enter her life.

“It is my greatest hope to have grandchildren in the very near future!”

The Smithville Town Cemetery is in need of clean-up and repairs and members of local Girl Scout Troop 750 are taking on the effort as they work toward obtaining a Silver Award.

The Silver Award is the second highest award of the Girl Scouts of the USA, and the highest award that a Girl Scout Cadette can earn.

Girl Scouts, leaders, and volunteers spent their day Saturday doing cleanup work in the cemetery. Although progress has been made, the job is not yet complete and will take more time. When the work is finished, the Troop plans to host a Community Day to invite the public to visit and learn more about the historic cemetery.

“We originally planned to have a History Day and Scavenger Hunt but when we started looking at all that we realized what a mess the cemetery was in. During the process of cleaning, we found two head stones that were buried. Some tombstones are broken, the iron fence is in need of repair, and trash, leaves, and limbs are scattered about the cemetery. We’re going to have to schedule several days over a period of time to clean up and we have invited other girl scout troops and volunteers to help us. Troop 3094 came to help today (Saturday) and we also appreciate the Ramsey family for coming out and working so hard with their chainsaws. We want to get everything cleaned up looking pretty so we can have that big day to invite the community to come in and learn more about the cemetery,” said Joanie Williams, who is a Troop 750 Co-Leader with Amy Cripps.

In addition to working toward a Silver Award, the Girl Scouts hope to raise community awareness about the history and needs of Town Cemetery which was founded in 1838 and is the final resting place for several veterans including civil war soldiers, a former Congressman and his wife, and the founder of the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, among many others.

PICTURED-SEATED LEFT TO RIGHT: Kayce Hale, Alexis Bennett, Madison Hammock, Jenna Wright, Katie Patterson, Zoe Cripps, Layla Walker, Katherine Gassaway, Emma Hancock. STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: Tonya Hale, Joanie Williams, Julianna Gassaway, Jane Ramsey, Jake Ramsey, Darrah Ramsey, Rob Ramsey, Penny Walker, Marie Blair, and Amy Cripps.