Northside Elementary D.A.R.E. Graduates Recognized with Essay and Art Winners Awarded

May 18, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Fifth graders at Northside Elementary School graduated from the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in a ceremony Wednesday.

D.A.R.E. is a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department-led series of classroom lessons that teaches fifth 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 fifth-grade classes at Northside Elementary 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 a winner was selected from each fifth-grade class. The overall essay winner at Northside Elementary School was Ja’Braelin Harlan-Cox. In addition to other gifts, Ja’Braelin received a $50 Roblox gift card from General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox. Second place went to Aila Odom and Riley Scarbro received third place. Individual essay winners from each fifth-grade class were Ayla Bare, Kena Denton, Aubree Bruno, McCullan Bogle, Ana Pack, Priscila Rivera-Bazaldua, Kyler Perry, and Hayden Reed.

“I still remember the lessons I learned when I was a student in the D.A.R.E. program many years ago. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and your knowledge about these things today will give you the power to overcome and defeat those in the future,” said Judge Cox in his remarks to the D.A.R.E. graduates.

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

“I approached our D.A.R.E. officers this year and asked if we could have an art contest. I told them when I was a court reporter, I went to several different counties but the one that stood out was Wilson County because outside their courtroom they had some art from DARE students displayed there so I thought that was a good idea. They agreed so this year I have done a first, second, and third place 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 Lainey Dillard, second place Ellie Adkins, and third place Natalia Ferrell. Dillard also received a check for $50 from Martin.

In addition to Northside Elementary School Principal Karen Knowles, Assistant Principal Beth Pafford, and Guidance Counselor Linda Bush, Sheriff Patrick Ray welcomed special guests to the ceremony including State Representative Michael Hale, County Mayor Matt Adcock, Register of Deeds Daniel Seber, General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox, Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin, Trustee Sean Driver, Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell, Road Supervisor Danny Hale, Recovery Court Coordinator Kate Arnold, and Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.

May 17, 2023
By: Bill Conger

After 36 years in education, 6th grade teacher Tammy Payne has decided to retire at the end of this school year. She has called DeKalb West School home for 25 of those years.

Her impressive resume includes serving as Child Development Specialist at Tennessee Tech University from 1986-1992. In ’92 she moved to Nashville and taught at M.J.C.A. for five years (for 5 years (Kindergarten- 2, 1st Grade- 2, and Gifted and Talented for grades K-12- 1). She was also the High School Cheer and Competition Coach all 5 years.

Moving from Nashville to Alexandria in the fall of ’97, Mrs. Payne began teaching at DWS the following fall.

“I took over cheerleading in 2,000,” Payne remembers. “I have been so proud of all of my cheerleaders; they have a very special place in my heart. My students also have a special place in my heart; DWS students are the best; hopefully, I made a positive impact on a few.”

“This school has been my family away from my family, so it is so bittersweet to leave; so many memories have been made here. I have had the pleasure of working with many extraordinary teachers. And yes, I am so apprehensive about ending this chapter in my life and starting another. But, it is time (all good things must come to an end), and my mom needs me.”

Mrs. Payne plans to be as busy, if not more so, in her “retirement” years.

“I have many projects to complete: I must sell a house, renovate another house (good thing that I won an interior design contest in college), bush hog the fields, put up new fencing, get two donkeys and name them Hee and Haw, read many books, travel a little, and then learn Mandarin Chinese. After that, we will see where life takes me. So I will sign off.”

May 17, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Members of the DCHS Tigerette Softball Team were named to the All-District 7-AAA Team during an awards presentation on Sunday, May 14th after the District tournament championship game was played at Macon Co.

Tigerette honorees are Aly Griffith, Bryna Pelham, Morgan Walker, and Aniston Farler. Meanwhile Zayleigh Bain was selected to the All-District 7-AAA Freshman Team.

The season for the Tigerettes came to a close last Wednesday night as they lost to White County in the losers bracket of the District Tournament. DeKalb County completed a 14-7 season and a 9-3 regular season district finish.

Upperman won the district tournament championship Sunday with a 5 to 2 win over Macon County.

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