HHS Academic Decathlon celebrates 25 years

(Purple team) Members of the Purple Team are (from left) Anna Baumheckel, Violet Chavez, Mickey Nixon (seated), Chris Harston, Nick Bostic, Chris Rich, Martha Jane Jameson, Jessica Boyd and Audrey Pattat.

(White team) Members of the White Team are (from left) La’Keithia Caldwell, Blace Correa, Taylor Dedmon (seated), Andrew Pearson, Fabiola Calderon, Tonya Elrod, Kristen Reed, and Karl Navarro.

For the 25th consecutive year, Haywood High School will host the West Tennessee Regional Academic Decathlon competition on Saturday, January 23. As in recent years HHS will enter two teams in the contest.

The HHS Purple Team members include Anna Baumheckel, Nick Bostic, Jessica Boyd, Violet Chavez, Chris Harston, Martha Jane Jameson, Mickey Nixon, Audrey Pattat, and Chris Rich. The HHS White Team members include Fabiola Calderon, La’Keithia Caldwell, Blace Correa, Taylor Dedmon, Tonya Elrod, Karl Navarro, Andrew Pearson, and Kristen Reed. George Norvell and Glynn Bridgewater are the teachers for the Academic Decathlon teams.

The over-all theme for this year is the French Revolution, and these students have been studying intensely since August. Seven West Tennessee teams will compete for the chance to advance to the Tennessee Academic Decathlon State competition in February.

The public is cordially invited to attend the Super Quiz at 4 p.m. and the Awards Banquet, which begins at 6 p.m. All events will be at Haywood High School. Contact the school office at 772-1845 for ticket information.
 

HHS sophomores celebrate the Roaring Twenties

As a culminating project after reading and analyzing Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel, “The Great Gatsby,” the Honors Sophomore English students at Haywood High School celebrated with a costume party on Thursday evening, December 3. Students dressed in period costumes of the Roaring Twenties. There were flappers, celebrities, including many dressed as Gatsby himself, and various other characters from the novel. After light refreshments, students presented dramatic monologues and skits concerning the empty lifestyles of the Jazz Age, focusing on an analysis of the motives and actions of Fitzgerald’s characters. Then, students learned to dance the Charleston and spent the remainder of the evening practicing their new-found skills in dancing.

These students are part of the Distinguished Scholars program at Haywood High School, where they develop critical thinking skills in advanced topics and are challenged by in-depth projects involving reading, writing, speaking, and problem-solving. Their teacher is Mr. George Norvell.

ROTC sponsors trip to TSU and MTSU

The Haywood High School JROTC offered juniors and seniors an opportunity to visit several colleges on December 2. They toured Tennessee State University and Middle Tennessee State University and learned important information about each of the universities, in an effort to prepare them to make a decision about what college to attend after high school. Major Delois Dailey and Lt. Col. Mark Avery accompanied the students on the trip.

HHS Show Choir entertaining for the holidays

The holiday entertaining season has begun for the Haywood High School Show Choir. First they entertained members of the Retired Teachers Association in early December when they met at the HHS Career and Tech building for lunch. Then the choir held its holiday concert on December 10 and repeated the performance for the HHS staff and student body on Friday morning, December 11. After the concert, the choir hit the road to sing for several groups in Brownsville and in Jackson. Michelle Tillman is the director for the award-winning choir.
 

Students visit motorcycle factory

On Friday, December 4, students in Mr. Adams’ fifth- and sixth-period physical sciences classes took a field trip to Dyersburg to the Boss Hoss Motorcycle Factory. This semester the class discussed “motors and motion” and even made paper cars to race. Since there are no car factories in the area, Mr. Adams decided that motorcycles were the next best thing.

Boss Hoss Motorcycles are made in two and three wheels. The trikes (as the three-wheeled are called) can be done in a traditional body style or that of a ‘32 Coupe, ‘56 Chevy, or a Sierra Pickup Truck. Boss Hoss Motorcycles are made with modified V8 Corvette engines. The first one was made in 1990. After being seen at Daytona Beach, Florida, during Bike Week, a distributor in Japan wanted several, and the factory began. The students toured the factory and asked many questions.

After being allowed to sit on a “demo” model and having their picture made, they left the facility and enjoyed a nice lunch at Pizza Hut before heading back to school. If given the opportunity, Mr. Adams would like to make this a yearly trip for his physical science students.

French lessons include tasting the cuisine

Students in the Haywood High School French Club had a “taste” of French cuisine when a local chef visited and prepared several French pastries for them. Club vice-president Fabiola Calderon introduced the guest, Gary Proulx, father of one of the club members, Naomi Proulx. Mr. Proulx and his wife have a catering business, Emma’s Creations. On the menu for the occasion was Costini with garlic infused clarified butter topped with caramelized onions and Camembert cheese, cream puffs filled with vanilla pastry cream, savory basil garlic puffs and crepes with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
 

Youth Leadership Board members face challenges

Members of the InSouth Bank-Haywood County Youth Leadership Board are busy this year cultivating their leadership abilities. The 12 Haywood High juniors participating are Holland Aguayo, Anna Baumheckel, Logan Eubanks, D. J. Frederick, Corey Galbraith, Tevyn Greene, Martha Jane Jameson, Nathan Peace, Travis Richardson, Breanne Sills, Kierra Woods and Lindsey Yoder.

The students attend nine sessions where they learn about community service, economics, government, law enforcement, Tennessee History, and other areas of interest and importance in helping them develop their leadership skills. This program is in coordination with the Brownsville-Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, and it is designed to foster leadership skills and expose young leaders to the different elements that interact to form a strong and dynamic community. The programs they participate in help them to become familiar with the various needs, opportunities, resources and problems of Haywood County.
 

Three join HHS 30+ Club

Audrey Pattat	Alex Primrose	Breanne Sills

Haywood High School has a new club this year – the 30+ Club, created to honor students who make 30+ on the ACT test. The charter members were Anna Baumheckel and Andrew Pearson, and recently Audrey Pattat, Alex Primrose and Breanne Sills joined the elite club. Pattat scored a 31 on the ACT, and Primrose and Sills a 30.

Audrey is a senior and the daughter of Bill and Alice Pattat. She is the president of the HHS Beta Club and also a member of Mu Alpha Theta, and the French, Bible and Biology clubs. She is a three-year member of the Show Choir and Teen Advisors and a Tomcat Voice Representative. She is a second-year member of the Academic Decathlon Team and will be in the spring musical, “Back to the Eighties.” Audrey attended the five-week Governor’s School for the Scientific Exploration of Tennessee Heritage at East Tennessee State University last summer. She is a community volunteer and plans to pursue a degree in chemistry or biology working toward a career in research-based science.

Alex is also a senior and the daughter of Allen and Tana Primrose. She is in the Distinguished Scholars program and holds a 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the Beta, Biology, French and Interact clubs and the HHS tennis team. She attends Poplar Corner Baptist Church and volunteers at the Carl Perkins Center. Her plans are to attend Austin Peay State University after high school.

Breanne is the daughter of Greg and Michelle Sills. She is a junior and a member of the Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta, the Show Choir, the Mock Trial Team, the Bible, Spanish and Biology clubs. She was also named to Who’s Who and participates in InSouth’s Youth Leadership and Bank Board. She is a member of the Academic Decathlon Team, Teen Advisors and serves as secretary of the junior class. She is a member of the Distinguished Scholars program and holds a 4.0 GPA. She attends Woodland Baptist Church and is involved in the youth group and choir. Her plans are to attend college and tentatively major in psychology to become a guidance counselor.

HHS Financial Aid Workshop well attended

The Haywood High School library on November 17 was the site for a financial aid workshop held by HHS guidance counselors Paula Edwards, Greg Grimsley and Dietra Wade. The workshop for seniors and parents was full of insider information on how best to negotiate the scholarship application process. More than 200 people attended.

The counselors explained the process for filling out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is the key to most all student aid. They discussed the Tennessee lottery scholarships, the difference between grants and loans, and how not to get scammed by companies that ask for money for a scholarship search. They stressed the importance of applying early before grant funds run out, and stated that financial aid
is also available to students who plan to attend two-year colleges and many technical training programs.

Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Wade, and Mr. Grimsley are available at any time to help seniors apply to colleges. For more information, contact the guidance office at HHS at 772-1845.