BPA students in Nashville


Students pictured are Renesha Armstrong, Amanda Trotter, Brittni Sloan, Jessica Walker, David Clark, Triana Fleming, Isaac Olmedo, Nakeia Banks, Kelsey Currie, Rickela Reed, Bianca Pirtle, Shayna Taylor, Damion Wilkes, Phillip Johnson, Courtney Thornton, Danielle Rogers, Brittany Bond, Jermaine Byrum, Kelsey Taylor and Stanley Reid.

Business Professionals of America students attended the BPA State Conference at the Sheraton-Music City Hotel in Nashville March 5-8. They participated in contests and attended workshops on a variety of topics including team-building and job-interviewing. Ten BPA students had previously placed at regional competition at Union University in January. They were: Triana Fleming, Phillip Johnson, Stanley Reid, Danielle Rogers, Kevin Seymore, Brittni Sloan, Shayna Taylor, Trista Wade, Jessica Walker, and Ayla Woolls.

Several of these students were able to proceed to the state level of competition while at the conference and several others participated in state-only events. Danielle Rogers placed fifth at the state level in Basic Office Systems and Procedures.
 

HHS Show Choir tops in national contest

The 2005-2006 Haywood High School Show Choir has made the school and the community proud with its awards from the 2006 Heritage Music Festival in Orlando, Fla., on April 20-23. They received first place in the Show Choir Division and a gold rating, one of only two given during the competition. Even more prestigious, the local choral and dance group received the Spirit of Orlando Award, one that is not given each year. To earn this award, the school group must best represent its school, its community, and its state.

“I’ve been going for six years,” choir director Michelle Tillman said, “and I have only seen it given twice.” In addition to the Haywood High choir, competing this year were choirs from Beverly Hills, Calif.; Montreal, Canada; Raleigh, N.C.; Baltimore, Md.; Gardendale, Ala.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Yanceyville, N.C.

The group performed “Get the Party Started,” “Dancing Queen,” and “Dancing on the Ceiling.” There are 30 members in the show choir. The group performs at school events and throughout the community many times during the school year.

Mrs. Tillman also reported that the Haywood County School Board has approved for them to take a trip in November to Hawaii where the group has been chosen to represent the state of Tennessee at a Veteran’s Day celebration at Pearl Harbor.
 

Father, son … on the court of life


There may be life after basketball for HHS senior Jarvis Varnado, be he’s not thinking about that yet. He’s thinking only about a trip to Mississippi State University in late May or early June that will be the beginning of a future he wants – on the basketball court. Jarvis signed to play collegiate basketball with the Bulldogs beginning in the fall.

Jarvis is at least a second-generation basketball player, and his predecessor has taught him all he knows, as have a few other coaches along the way. Winston Varnado, who was his son’s coach at Haywood High this year, has guided his son’s love of basketball since he began playing at age 5 or 6.

Winston, who just completed his first year as head coach at HHS, is proud of his son, proud of his work and his determination to make a dream future come true. It was fate that gave him the opportunity to coach his son his senior year, when former head coach Jesus Patino left the school to coach in Memphis. Winston, a native of Memphis, played basketball at Union University on a scholarship from the school. After graduation though, he joined the U. S. Army for six years, and did not pursue a career in basketball because he said he wasn’t good enough. He did, though, decide to teach and coach later after helping with children’s teams in Jackson. He’s been teaching and coaching since 1995.

He and Janice Varnado have three sons, Jarvis, Mario and Jordan. He attends Farmers Chapel Methodist Church.

“I would take Jarvis to the gym with me to watch me play with other adults. There he learned how to play – how to handle the ball, and he began playing at a young age with a lot of older kids and adults,” Winston said. “I never pushed it on him. I guess seeing me play made him want to do it.”

According to Winston, Jarvis is an average student but has gotten his GPA up so he can play in college. And speaking of college, there were several looking at Jarvis as a recruit. The University of Memphis, Xavier, Maryland, the University of Tennessee, and a Buffalo, NY, college were among those interested. “Mississippi State showed the strongest interest, though, and I am glad to be going there,” Jarvis said. He also mentioned that he will be joining two of the contemporaries he has played against, Richard and Reginald Delk from Jackson, sons of Ricky Delk and nephews of Brownsville’s famous hoopster, Tony Delk.

Jarvis says he plans to pursue a career in business, and might want to teach and coach himself when his basketball career ends.

Winston said his son really came into his own when he attended the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) games in Texas last summer. “Top coaches from around the country come there to see the top talent,” he said.

Jarvis said he has honed his basketball skills from his early experience playing with older players and all the while – learning. “They used to rough me up,” he added, “but that’s how I got better. I began to see improvement.”

He is looking forward to going to Mississippi State not long after his HHS graduation to attend summer school and “work out” every day. “I am a little nervous about going, but I am looking forward to the challenge." Tony Delk has also been an inspiration to him, and he talked with Tony about the challenges he will face.

Jarvis is a forward and has had a wonderful senior season at HHS, going all the way to the final four state contest with his team. He averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds, 7 blocks, and 2 assists per game this year. He earned Most Valuable Player in Haywood, and in All-District, All-Region and All-Tournament; was named to the All-State first team; the Golden Circle All-Star Team, and the TACA All-Star team. He will play in Nashville June 2-3 on this all-star team with Jesus Patino as his coach. He is looking forward to this. “Coach Patino brought out the talent in me I didn’t know I had,” Jarvis said. Winston added that the AAU ranked Jarvis as 80th best player in the nation, 17th in his position.

Winston said his son is working on building his strength for his college team. “He is 6’9” and weighs 190. He probably needs to get up to about 220 pounds,” said Winston, who is 6’6” and now looks up to his son. Will Jarvis grow to be taller? “Probably so, he was 6’ as a freshman. I grew some after high school.”

“I know I have to get there and work really hard to get a position on the court this year,” Jarvis said. And he said he feels really comfortable about going there to be with his other West Tennessee friends. Coaches for the Mississippi team are Rick Stansbury, Robert Kirby, Phil Cunningham, and Mark White.

As for the pair working together this year, it was a good thing. “It was hard, we had some difficult times, and he made me work a little harder, I think, but it was good,” Jarvis said. “He expected me to know more. We had a good year. It’s been a lot of fun working with my teammates, too, especially Lee Liggins. We’ve had some great years together on the basketball court.”

“I think it was a good year,” Winston said. “We had a strong team, a few experienced players, and I had worked with Coach Patino and knew the kids. We also had good leadership,” he added. “I think Jarvis’ defensive presence in the game changed the game a lot.”

While Coach Varnardo remains on the home court at HHS, his son, Jarvis, will play on another court at Mississippi State. But they agree it will be a good thing. They are both looking forward to a future on the court, playing and coaching their favorite sport – basketball.

HHS sports winding down

Haywood High School athletes are winding down their spring sport season on the baseball and softball fields, on the tennis courts and on the soccer field. The track team has also participated in several meets.

The HHS girls’ softball team is standing now at a 16-12 record and will participate in District 14-AA play at University School in Jackson from May 4-9. Coaches for this team are Chanda Franks and Matthew Shearon.

The school’s baseball team, coached by Tyler Faucett and Pete Norville, will play in the district tournament May 4-9 at Covington.

The HHS boys and girls track teams have competed in several meets this year and have one left before the Regional meet on May 9 at University School of Jackson. The Sectional Meet will be held at the Memphis Fairgrounds on May 19. Coach Tim Seymour is responsible for this team.

   

The Haywood High tennis teams have completed their season, under the direction of Coach Alex Melton. The girls hold a 5-5 record, the boys, 6-4.

The HHS soccer team has remained undefeated until the last several weeks, but still hold a winning 10-3-1 record for the 2006 season. Their last game is May 4. Coaches are Steve Svebakken and Eric Weiss.

For scores and complete schedules, go to www.haywood.k12.tn.us/hhs/

HHS presents DUI Mock Crash

Haywood High seniors saw first-hand the consequences of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the school’s 5th annual DUI Mock Crash in April. Participating in the event with the student actors were local emergency personnel.

Seniors at Haywood High School participated in the 5th annual DUI Mock Crash in April when HHS drama students portrayed victims of a DUI Crash. At the staged accident scene, when the smoke cleared, police and sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene, as well as HHS nursing students, and local ambulance and fire personnel to treat the injured. Two deceased students are placed in body bags in front of the students. While the emergency crews cut off the top of a vehicle to get a trapped victim out, the Hospital Wing of Memphis (stationed in Brownsville) arrived to airlift a student to the hospital. Parents arrived on the scene grieving over the loss of their children involved in the crash.

“This is just a portrayal of what really happens at a DUI crash, but it looks so real,” said HHS School Resource Officer Barry Diebold, who helps coordinate the event each year. Following the crash, all seniors attended a program conducted by News Channel 5 weatherman Dave Brown. Mr. Brown relives his nightmare of losing three members of his family to a drunk driver, who was on his way to serve weekend time in jail for a prior DUI.

The purpose of this program is to remind students about the dangers of underage drinking and driving. Students will also be operating the DUI simulator car at the high school. Seniors will be eligible to win a 27” TV provided by the police department and Wal-Mart during prom season.

“Everyone who participated in the preparation and the actual program did a terrific job,” Officer Diebold said.