December 2005

 HHS students score big on academics

Haywood High School Academic Decathlon students are studying hard to compete in the regional
contest on January 28 at HHS. The theme for this year’s TAD is “The European Renaissance.”

The Tennessee Academic Decathlon (TAD) was formed at Haywood High School in 1985 and has grown to be a strong academic competition across the state. The founders of this competition in Tennessee were Gordon Perry, Glynn Bridgewater and George Norvell of Haywood County.

Regional competitions are held in West, Middle and East Tennessee each year, and state competition is held at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville.

The organization is part of the United States Academic Decathlon (USAD), which has headquarters in Los Angeles, California. USAD establishes the curriculum, which changes every year. The 2005 curriculum theme was “Ancient Civilizations.” The 2006 theme is “The European Renaissance.”

Dr. Susan Wilson, assistant principal at Haywood High, is chairman of the Board of Directors of TAD, and Glynn Bridgewater, English instructor at Haywood High, is executive secretary-treasurer of TAD.

Haywood High has advanced to the state competition for 19 consecutive years and has ranked among the top five schools in the state each year.

In 2005, HHS placed fourth in the state, and our students won a total of 19 medals. One of our students was the over-all first-place scorer in his division.

In 2006, TAD will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in Tennessee. Special recognitions and ceremonies are planned for the January competition at HHS.

Haywood High School was a pioneer in innovation once again in 2003, being the first school in Tennessee to enter two, separate teams in competition. Both teams advanced to state competition.

Each team consists of nine students – three A students, three B students and three C or below students. Therefore, the competition is for students of all abilities, not just the academically elite. Decathletes take written and/or oral tests in 10 academic subject areas – literature, science, mathematics, music, art, economics, social science, essay writing, public speaking and interview. Medals are awarded to the top scorers in each area.

(Information submitted by George Norvell.)
 

Financial Aid workshop at HHS January 26

Parents of high school seniors are invited to attend a financial aid workshop at HHS on Thursday, January 26, at 6 p.m. The workshop will help parents and students fill out applications for Federal Student Aid and also give out valuable scholarship information. The workshop will be held in the Haywood High School library.

Eddie Keel named West Tennessee Teacher of the Year

     Eddie Keel

     Haywood High School math teacher Eddie Keel brought great pride to the Haywood County School System when he was selected as West Tennessee Teacher of the Year. This honor was bestowed on him at a ceremony at the state department of education’s annual banquet in Nashville in October. Keel was selected first by his peers on the local level, then on the regional level before receiving the West Tennessee title. Along with the recognition and a plaque, Keel received $5,000 from state government.

     Keel began teaching in the HHS system in 1991. He is a native of St. Louis, Mo., grew up in Dover, Tenn., and holds a bachelor of science degree in education. He teaches calculus, pre-calculus and geometry at HHS. He also teaches developmental math at Jackson State Community College.

     Keel believes that teaching is a “calling” for him. “I have always known it’s what I wanted to do,” he said. His motivation is he likes “to show people how to do stuff,” he said. “It feels good when people learn something and do it well. It’s rewarding and makes you feel good.”

     “I’m not doing anything different, though, than most teachers here,” Keel said about receiving this recognition. “We have great teachers in Haywood County. I am proud to represent Haywood County.”

     Keel is the sponsor for the Mock Trial Team at HHS, and serves on several committees in West Tennessee and on the state level. He is currently president of the West Tennessee Division of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Local students compete in math competitions sponsored by this organization during the school year.

     Haywood County School Board members honored him at their meeting in November. Also, Blue Bell Ice Cream representatives were hosts to an ice cream party given in his honor at the high school in October.

“We’re WNWS – Brownsville - The Roar of the Tomcats”    

     Local radio station owner Carlton Veirs and school officials came together last year in a commercial and educational venture and the result – the only commercial radio station in a school in the state. Veirs leased his AM station WNWS Brownsville, 1520AM to the school system and it was the beginning of a new era in communication at Haywood High in the Career and Technical Center, thanks also to the efforts of HHS Career and Technical Principal Rhonda Thompson and the support of Director of Schools George Chapman. The classes – broadcast journalism and media concepts – are in their second year and going strong. HHS teacher Sheri Richards and former Brownsville Radio personality Jerry Wilson taught the classes last year.

     Mrs. Thompson applied for and received grants from the Workforce Development Division of the Department of Labor for this new program. These two classes integrate a workplace – a technically real radio station on the air from dawn to dusk each day – and academics and technology. The students are learning the business of radio while honing their communication, writing, technology, presentation, marketing and sales skills daily. The music catalogue is adult contemporary.

     “It’s a diverse, fast-paced class that requires students to multi-task doing their daily and weekly work,” said one of the instructors, Rita Hathcock, who is also employed by The Wireless Group, Brownsville Radio. “I believe these classes are teaching them great skills for college and/or the workplace. In everything you do, you need communication skills. Students in our classes must learn to research, write and communicate news and other items on the air everyday. They must also learn to sell themselves as personalities when they participate in the recording process.” Mrs. Richards team teaches with Hathcock this year, and also teaches English at Haywood High and has many years’ experience in drama, which is a big plus for the students.
While both teachers gives students direction in all phases of the job of running a radio station, Mrs. Richards’ can help students bring alive their everyday “performances” on the air.

     “She can help them with their diction, the delivery of their words, and their performance on air which really enhances the quality of the recordings,” Hathcock said.

     The classes are now in the process of fine-tuning, so to speak, their on-air shows and music, recording radio shows and developing “theme” hours for certain hours of the day. “Our students are a very talented group of individuals,” Hathcock said. “I am learning something everyday from them.”

     Both teachers know they are breaking new ground here, with the help of Mrs. Thompson, and they are determined to produce a quality radio station. In addition to the daily and weekly reports at HHS, students are also making announcements about happenings at the other schools in the system and in the community.

     “We hope community members will tune in to our radio station when they can during the day,” Hathcock said. “These kids are working hard to make this radio station a good commercial product and one that community members can enjoy.”

     Remember, the next voice you may hear on WNWS – Brownsville, 1520AM may be that of a student you know. Tune in – you’ll be amazed at their talent and proud of their work.
 

HHS Teen Court provides service to county youth

     In October, members of the Haywood County Teen Court were sworn in, volunteering to provide a valuable service to the county and its youth.

     According to Haywood County Juvenile Judge Roland Reid, there are 28 members of the Teen Court. They operate under the auspices of the Haywood County Juvenile Court, and helping Judge Reid with this group is Haywood High School Resource Officer Barry Diebold and local Youth Services Officer Ann Peeples. It was organized four years ago and was the first Teen Court in West Tennessee and only the third or fourth Teen Court in the state.

     “The theory behind Teen Court is that most youth who commit offenses do so because of peer pressure,” Judge Reid said. “So if peer pressure can produce negative results, why can’t it produce positive ones as well?”

     Teen Court members, who serve on one of four panels of seven, actually hear cases in Judge Reid’s court and make recommendations for punishments of the juveniles who commit offenses. Usually they sit in on first offender cases and for appropriate crimes recommend punishments like restitution, writing letters of apology, community service and suspension of driving licenses as well as offer referrals of other agencies in town, such as the Boys and Girls Club, the Department of Children Services, the Carl Perkins Center and the YMCA, that can help teens with particular problems.

     The good news is that the Teen Court panels hear about 60 cases a year, and in the four years they have served in the court system, Teen Court panels are only seeing about a 3 percent return of offenders – an excellent figure, according to Judge Reid.

     These students receive recognition for their service from the State Attorney General, the President of the United States, and some may even qualify for scholarships.

High school students perform community Service

     Many students at Haywood High perform community service throughout the year, including the Haywood High Show Choir, the HHS JROTC Color Guard and members of the Child Development classes, giving them a sense of community pride and a chance to give back to the community that supports them.

HHS Career & Technical Child Development Classes

     Members of the child development class in the Career & Technical division at Haywood High perform year-round community service projects. Early in the school year, a group from the class volunteered to help the local Exchange Club and Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse at one of their annual fund-raisers, Cars for Kids.

     The child development classes are designed to enable students to gain a better understanding of the responsibilities of childcare and development. Studies include planning and preparing for parenthood, conception, prenatal care, infant care, and a child’s physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development. Teaching the class is S. Brittain.

     Class members also throughout the year tutor young students at Anderson Early Childhood Development Center and participate in the “Baby Think it Over” project. Students take turns with four life-like baby dolls that are programmed to require different levels of care.

These child development class students early in the school year volunteered to help at the Cars for Kids event that benefits the local Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

An integral part of the child development classes is the “Baby Think it Over” project each year in which students actually learn about the care of a life-like baby that is programmed to require different levels of care.

HHS AFJROTC      Students in the Haywood High School Junior Air Force ROTC program are called upon often to perform community service, especially to provide a color guard for special occasions. Director of this program is Lt. Col. Alden Williams. He is assisted by Major Delois Dailey & Sgt. John Parker.      “There are actually 45 members on our drill team, and some of them rotate to serve on our Color Guard,” Col. Williams said. There are 200 students in the ROTC program this year. The program was started in 1994 and offers students who take the course for four years two wellness credits, an American Government credit and one elective credit. The group goes on numerous field trips each year and the drill team participates throughout the year in competitions with other ROTC units.      In addition, the HHS JROTC program has been recognized as a Distinguished or Honor Unit every year since its inception. “There are about 800 units across the country, and we are one of only a very few who have earned that distinction every year,” Col. Williams said. He added that over the years, the program has had a number of students who have received scholarships because of their participation in ROTC.

HHS AFJROTC cadets performed color guard duties at the community Veteran’s Day service on November 11.

HHS Show Choir      Another popular group at HHS that is called on regularly to perform in the community is the school’s Show Choir. Thirty strong, the group sings and dances its way through more than 20 events throughout the school year and participates in competition against other choirs. Last year they won the Heritage Music Competition in Branson, Mo. Their teacher is Michelle Tillman, who revived the Show Choir program at HHS five years ago.      Freshman are not allowed to participate in the program that requires auditions. Many of the group’s members are seniors this year, so Mrs. Tillman said next year will be a rebuilding year.      Among the choir’s performances is their annual Christmas Concert which will be December 8 in the HHS gymnasium, along with other choirs and the school’s band.		Also participating in the Veteran’s Day service were members of the HHS Show Choir.
Haywood TomCats Schedule     Nov. 15 Hall of Fame @ Bolivar West Memphis 6:30   Nov. 16 Hall of Fame@ Bolivar Union City 6:00   Nov. 19 Jamboree@ Haywood 6:00   Nov. 25 Lexington Classic 8:00   Nov. 26 Kingsbury@ Home 6:00   Nov. 29 Southside @ Home 6:00   Dec. 2 Liberty@ Home 6:00   Dec. 3 Covington@ Home 6:00   Dec. 6 Westview@ Martin 6:30   Dec. 9 Northside@ Home 6:00   Dec. 10 JCM@ Jackson 6:00   Dec. 13 Bolivar@ Bolivar 6:00   Dec. 16 F-Ware@ Fayette 6:00   Dec. 17 Southside@ Jackson 6:30   Dec. 29 Fayette-Ware Classic TBA   Dec. 30 Fayette-Ware Classic TBA   Jan. 6 Ripley@ Ripley 6:00   Jan. 7 Bolivar@ Home 6:00   Jan. 13 USJ@ Home 6:00   Jan. 14 Westview@ Home 6:00   Jan. 20 Northside@ Jackson 6:00   Jan. 21 Hot Bed Classic@ New Albany 6:00   Jan. 24 JCM@ Home 6:00   Jan. 27 Ripley @ Home 6:00   Jan. 28 Liberty@ Jackson 6:30   Feb. 3 USJ@ Jackson 6:00   Feb. 4 Union City@ Home (Boys Only)-Homecoming 6:00   Feb. 10 Covington@ Covington 6:00   Feb. 11 F-Ware@ Home Senior Night 6:00 Feb. 14,16,17,18,20,21 Dist. Tourn. Feb. 23,24,25,27,28, Mar.2,3 Regionals Mar. 6 Sub-state Mar. 15-18 State Tourn. FRESHMAN SCHEDULE     Dec. 1 Covington 6:00   Dec. 5 Fayette-Ware 6:00   Dec. 8 Munford 6:00   Dec. 12 Fayette-East 6:00   Jan. 5 Brighton 6:00   Jan. 9 Covington 6:00   Jan. 12 Fayette-West 6:00   Jan. 19 Munford 6:00   Jan. 23 Fayette-East 6:00   Jan. 26 Brighton 6:00 Freshman Tournament Munford-Jan. 30, Feb. 1 and 2