DCHS Class of 2022 takes “Senior Walk” at SES & DWS (VIEW VIDEOS HERE)

May 12, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Greeted by cheering youngsters, the DeKalb County High School Class of 2022 paid a call on Smithville Elementary and DeKalb West Schools for the Annual Senior Walk today (Thursday).

Administrators and staff at each school joined the younger students in welcoming the soon to be graduates upon their arrival by school bus. Many of the elementary kids, lined down the halls, greeted the seniors with signs, waves and high fives as the high school students passed by. Some seniors also got hugs from proud parents and former teachers.

The Senior Walk is an opportunity for high school students to return to the elementary campuses where they once attended school to stroll through the hallways in their caps and gowns while the Graduation Pomp and Circumstance (song) is played over the P.A. While we hope this will inspire our future graduates, we are excited about our seniors being able to see their elementary school teachers one last time before they graduate,” said DCHS Principal Bruce Curtis.

May 11, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

More than $1.2 million dollars in scholarships were awarded to members of the Class of 2022 at DeKalb County High School during Tuesday’s Senior Awards night program.

(Click link below to view DCHS Class of 2022 photo gallery)

https://www.wjle.com/graduation-3/

The following are the award recipients:

Kennedy Agee: Coach Jerry Foster Memorial- $500, Tennessee Tech University Presidential-$16,000

Sophia Angeletti: Sullivan University- $26,000 and Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000

Brayden Antoniak: UT Knoxville Distinguished Tennessean-$53,056 and UT Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering- $6,000

Dawson Bandy: Joe Hearn Memorial Career and Technical Education Scholarship Alexandria Lions Club- $1,000 and Motlow State Community College Scholarship- $2,000

Faith Betancourt: Lee University Dean’s Scholarship- $20,000, Dailey & Vincent Helping Hands-$2,000, Middle Tennessee State University True Blue-$8,000, Tennessee Tech University Presidential-$12,000, 3.21 Run for Down Syndrome Awareness- $250

Jasmine Bilbrey: Austin Peay State University Presidential- $24,000, East Tennessee State University Honors- $16,000, SUNY Binghampton University Provost- $40,000, University of Alabama Crimson Legends- $24,000, Middle Tennessee State University Presidential- $18,000, Tennessee Tech University Presidential-$16,000, DeKalb County Board of Education Members Scholarship-$700, Motlow State Community College Associate Degree, and UT Knoxville Volunteer Scholarship-$12,000

Jenna Cantrell: DeKalb County Cattlemen’s Association- $500, Clyde Thomas Family Trust- $1,000, DeKalb County Soil Conservation District- $500, Jo Ellen Huffman & Ron Rogers Memorial 4-H Scholarship- $500, DeKalb County Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers- $500, Caney Fork Electric Youth Leadership Summit-$250, Tennessee Tech University Agriculture Foundation-$1,000, Tennessee Tech University W. Doyle and Melford Smith Scholarship-$3,000, 3.21 Run for Down Syndrome Awareness Scholarship-$250

Patrick Cantrell: Freed Hardeman University baseball scholarship, First Bank-$500, Clyde Thomas Family Trust- $1,000

Marissa Clark: Jo Ellen Huffman & Ron Rogers Memorial 4-H Scholarship- $500,

Katie Colwell: American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, Trevecca Nazarene University Academic Scholarship- $24,000, Trevecca Nazarene University Endowment Scholarship- $30,800, Trevecca Nazarene Advantage Scholarship- $8,000, Trevecca Nazarene University Pastor’s Kid Scholarship-$32,000

Silas Cross: Officer Joe Bowen Memorial Scholarship-$1,250, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home- $500

Nathaniel Crook: Kyle & Kenny Robinson Memorial-$1,000, Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, Middle Tennessee State University Future Alumni Scholarship- $4,000, Tennessee Tech University Presidential-$12,000,

Summer Crook: DeKalb County Cattlemen’s Association-$500, American Red Cross-$250

Erykah Duverne: Middle Tennessee State University True Blue Scholarship-$8,000, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$12,000, DTC Communications Audio/Visual Scholarship for Excellence- $1,000

Allison Eastes: Caney Fork Electric Model Student Award 2021, Daughters of the American Revolution-Good Citizen Award-$50, Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour Essay Winner 2020-$250, Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour Essay Winner 2021-$250, Liberty State Bank-$500

Dexton Emberton: Officer Joe Bowen Memorial Scholarship-$1,250, Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$16,000

Maggie Felton: Caney Fork Electric Essay Contest 3rd Place Winner

Kadee Ferrell: Coach Jerry Foster Memorial-$500, Southern Landscape Supply/Diamond 9 Sports Student Athlete Scholarship-$500, Bryan College Basketball Scholarship-$44,000, Bryan College Presidential Merit Academic Scholarship-$20,000

Hannah Finan: Caney Fork Electric Essay Contest 4th Place Winner

Isabella France: FirstBank-$500, Valedictorian, Arkansas State University Merit and Housing Scholarship-$28,000, Tennessee Tech University Upper Cumberland-$10,000, UT Chattanooga MOCs Scholarship-$12,000, UT Knoxville Beacon Scholarship-$20,000, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home-$500

Hannah Hall: Morehead State University-$59,200

Isaiah Harrington: Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride Scholarship-$500, Middle Tennessee State University Presidential Scholarship-$18,000

Jacey Hatfield: Cumberland University Athletic Scholarship: $100,000, Salutatorian, 2022 Cohn High School Alumni Association Scholarship- $6,000, 2022 Tennessee School Plant Management Association Scholarship-$4,000, U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award

Grayson Hendrix: DCHS Class of 1966-$500, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$12,000

Tori Hensley: Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000

Kaia Howard: Lucille Stewart Educational Award-$2,000

Matthew Keaton: DeKalb County Cattlemen’s Association-$500, FirstBank-$500, Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000

Isaac Knowles: Lynn Leland Johnson Memorial FFA Agricultural- $250, DeKalb Soil Conservation District-$500, Tennessee Tech University Football, Alan Hooper Memorial-$500, U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award, and Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$12,000

Madison Lack: Middle Tennessee State University Presidential Scholarship-$18,000

Rebecca Lawrence: Caney Fork Electric Essay Contest 1st Place Scholarship Winner, DeKalb Board of Education Members Scholarship-$700

Shanti Liu: Belmont University Academic Scholarship-$ 36,000, Middle Tennessee State University Presidential Scholarship-$18,000, UT Knoxville Volunteer Scholarship-$12,000

Richard David Martinez: Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$16,000

Haylee Merriman: Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, University of Mobile Dean’s Merit Scholarship-$40,000

Logan O’Conner: Caney Fork Electric Essay Contest 2nd Place Winner

Ian Paladino: Lucille Stewart Educational Award-$2,000, DeKalb Board of Education Members Scholarship-$700, Columbia International University-$40,000, American Legion Boys State

Tylan Panker: State Trooper FOP Lodge #44 Scholarship-$500, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$16,000, UT Knoxville Volunteer Scholarship-$20,000,

Kennedy Polk: U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award

Madelyn Ray: Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000

Kirsten Robinson: Officer Joe Bowen Memorial Scholarship-$1,250

Elizabeth Seber: Kyle & Kenny Robinson Memorial-$1,000, Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, Tennessee Tech University Golden Opportunity, Bryan College-$8,000

Amarious Shaw: Dailey & Vincent Helping Hands Scholarship-$2,000, American Legion Boys State

Nancy Silva: DeKalb Retired Teachers-$300, Smithville Business & Professional Women’s Club-$500

Natalie Snipes: Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$16,000, Motlow State Community College Associate Degree

Kiley Speaks: Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$12,000

Mackenzie Sprague: Motlow State Community College Associate Degree

Olivia Taylor: Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, DeKalb Fishing Team-$500, DeKalb Retired Teachers-$300, Upper Cumberland Association of Realtors-$250, Tennessee Tech University Odom Family Prospective Student Scholarship-$8,000

Kaydence Thompson: Woodmen Life U.S. History Award-$50

Rainey Tiner: Southwest Tennessee Community College Soccer Scholarship

Dylan Trapp: Tennessee Tech University Golden Opportunity

Jamison Trapp: Middle Tennessee State University True Blue Scholarship: $8,000, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$12,000, Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000

Brayden Tubbs: American Legion Boys State

Hagen Waggoner: DeKalb Fishing Team-$500, Middle Tennessee State University Presidential Scholarship-$18,000

Savanna Warren: U.S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence

Ellie Webb: UT Chattanooga Achieve Scholarship-$1,000

Sadie West: Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raider Scholarship-$1,000, Scottish Rite-$1,000, American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, Eddie Crips Memorial-$1,000, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home $500

Aidan Whitman: Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, Jean Harney Memorial Scholarship for high achieving math student-$500, Southern Landscape Supply/Diamond 9 Sports Student Athlete Scholarship-$500, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$16,000, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home-$500

Allison Wilbur: Waynesburg University A.B. Miller & State Soccer Scholarship-$76,000

Jathan Willoughby: Caney Fork Electric Youth Leadership Summit-$250, Middle Tennessee State University True Blue Scholarship-$8,000, American Legion Boys State, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home-$500, Tennessee Tech University Presidential Scholarship-$12,000

Jordan Young: Clyde Thomas Family Trust-$1,000, Tennessee Tech University Golden Opportunity, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home-$500

May 10, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

It’s official!

Three seniors at DeKalb County High School, Jasmine Bilbrey, MacKenzie Sprague, and Natalie Snipes are now college graduates. The trio has already earned an Associate degree in Science from Motlow State Community College, and they walked the line Monday evening, May 9 in a Motlow ceremony at MTSU in Murfreesboro, four days before their graduation at DCHS Friday night, May 13.

Through Motlow College’s dual enrollment program, high school students like Bilbrey, Sprague, and Snipes can earn college credits through on-line courses while still enrolled in high school.

Students who have completed their sophomore year and have met all requirements for taking the desired college courses may apply. Public, private and home-schooled students are all welcome to apply. The program gives students the chance to seamlessly transition from high school to college. The core curriculum credits transfer easily to Tennessee’s public colleges and universities while allowing students who are working on a four-year degree to save money on tuition.

In an interview with WJLE this week, each of the three seniors at DCHS talked about the thrill of earning a college degree, even before finishing high school, and their future plans.

Snipes, the 17-year-old daughter of Timothy and Michelle Snipes, said although the dual enrollment path she chose was challenging it has been well worth it.

“I have been working toward my Associate Degree since the summer after my freshman year. I played basketball and was involved in a lot of clubs, so it created some stress especially when I had to make sure I got all my schoolwork done after my extracurricular activities each day before going to bed and then waking up the next morning and doing it all again, but it was definitely worth it. It was something I was really passionate about going into high school and as soon as I figured out I could graduate with an Associate Degree, It was something I was definitely interested in and something I wanted to do,” said Snipes.

After high school graduation, Snipes plans to further her education in the nursing program at Tennessee Tech this fall with a career goal in the nursing field.

As for leaving DCHS, Snipes said there are naturally some mixed emotions. “I’m sad about leaving the school I’ve been at for the last four years because I have made a lot of good memories but I’m excited to see what is going to happen next,” said Snipes.

Bilbrey, the 18-year-old daughter of Jessica Williams and Stephen Bilbrey, said she began taking dual enrollment classes in the fall of 2020 at the start of her junior year.

“A lot of the classes that were required for high school I just went ahead and dual enrolled instead of taking them at the high school and through Motlow which made it tough but it has been really fulfilling to see that hard work pay off,” said Bilbrey.

Although she recommends the dual enrollment track to other college bound students, Bilbrey said they should take it seriously and be prepared to see it through.

“If you are willing to make the commitment and do it then it’s definitely worth it, but if you are not going to actually do it then you are going to waste your scholarship money and your grants,” said Bilbrey.

At DCHS, Bilbrey serves as treasurer of the senior class and she is active in the FBLA, Beta, Student Government and Service Society, among other clubs.

Bilbrey will be attending college this fall at East Tennessee State University where she will be working toward her health science major. Bilbrey’s plans are to become an internal pediatrician.

Departing DCHS with graduation Friday night will be a bittersweet moment for Bilbrey, whose class has gone through so many ups and downs over the last four years.

“We are the senior class that has gone through pretty much everything including COVID which ruined our sophomore and junior year but we’ve just gone through a really great senior year. It’s going to be really hard to close this door and get ready to open a new one,” said Bilbrey.

Sprague, 17-year-old daughter of Wanda Sprague and Wendall Bradford, told WJLE that she began her first dual enrollment class the summer between her sophomore and junior year.

“I took one class that summer and never thought I would really complete all my classes to graduate with my associates. I honestly took some of the classes because I knew they could be free or cheaper on my mom when it was time to do college classes in the future. I continued to excel in my dual enrollment classes. Before I knew it, I had only few classes left and now earning my degree before graduating high school. It’s an accomplishment and couldn’t have done it without my mom,” said Sprague.

With two years of college, Sprague will have a head start when she enrolls at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville this fall with a dream of one day becoming pediatric nurse.

She said her experience in the dual enrollment program at DCHS has been rewarding and she would recommend it to other college bound students.

“I highly recommend doing the classes to anyone that wants to get a head start in their college years, it has been a great experience. Overall, I think it’s a great idea to start on your future, just have someone in your corner as far as your biggest fans and you can make anything happen, believe in yourself,” she said.

Sprague played softball for three years at DCHS and she is a member of the Service Society, FBLA, and Beta Clubs.

Although saying goodbye to DCHS will be difficult Friday night, Sprague said she will always cherish the memories.

“It is definitely going to be a special moment for all of us. I cherish every moment I have had with the underclassmen and people in my graduating class,” said Sprague.

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