Getting children excited about science, technology, engineering and math can be a challenge for any teacher.
Yet some of the teachers at DeKalb West School will have a new tool for four days next week to ignite their students’ interest, the STEMmobile.
The STEMmobile is scheduled to arrive Friday and will be there for teachers and students to make use of during the four days of school next week, January 20-23. “Next week, the four days of school our third through eighth grade will be able to go there and do some science, technology, and math activities with our science teachers. We’re going to incorporate that with our third through eighth grades along with some of our after school programs” said DeKalb West School Principal Sabrina Farler during Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting.
The STEMmobile is a mobile learning laboratory that provides a unique, on-site educational experience for pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school children. The mobile classroom brings technology to the doorsteps of schools, and the students have access to state-of-the-art equipment to help them to learn about STEM topics in creative and hands-on ways.
This is the second STEMmobile visit to DeKalb West School and it will be open to the public on Sunday, January 25 from 2-3 p.m.
The STEMmobile is a one-of-a-kind product of the Oakley STEM Center and Tennessee Tech University as part of the Upper Cumberland Rural STEM Initiative, a grant project funded by Tennessee’s First to the Top program. UCRSI is part of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, where the mission is to enhance student participation and interest in STEM subjects.
The UCRSI project includes STEM platform schools in Putnam County and a hub school selected by each participating county or school district to become more focused on STEM learning. UCRSI also has a STEM Hub, the Oakley STEM Center at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville. The
UCRSI Hub represents a partnership between the 21 school districts, three post-secondary institutions and 11 STEM-related or innovative businesses and non-profit organizations committed to supporting STEM education.
UCRSI’s goal is to tackle the unique challenges of enhancing STEM education for younger learners in mostly rural areas, and to create innovative and collaborative solutions to these challenges.
Housed in a 53-foot tractor-trailer with self-contained power, the STEMmobile has its own heating and cooling system, a satellite uplink for Internet connectivity and workstations to accommodate about 24 students at a time. The classroom on wheels is stocked with equipment from the Oakley STEM Center and includes equipment and supplies for activities for each grade level.
The Oakley STEM Center also has a lending library of STEM instructional materials to partially equip the STEMmobile and classroom kits for STEM subjects are on board, ready to go. The trailer is moved from site to site by Averitt Express, Inc., which has sponsored a significant portion of the transportation costs for the school year.
The STEMmobile is designed to help students learn more about three core STEM themes particularly relevant to rural students: water, with a focus on its importance, usage and conservation; energy, which highlights how power is generated, ways to lower consumption, green energy and long-term energy needs; and my food, my body, my health, which helps students learn more about agriculture, health, nutrition and physical fitness.

One hundred thirty five seniors at DCHS have signed up for an opportunity to receive two years of tuition-free community or technical college through Tennessee Promise.
Patrick Cripps, DCHS Principal reported to the school board Thursday night that he is proud of the student response to this program. “I am really proud of our seniors. We’ve got 135 kids signed up for (TN Promise) out of 195. I’m also really proud of the work Ms. (Lori) Myrick (DCHS Guidance Counselor) has done getting kids signed up for that,” he said.
Tennessee Promise is both a scholarship and mentoring program that will begin in the fall of 2015. It will provide students a last-dollar scholarship, meaning the scholarship will cover tuition and fees not covered by the Pell grant, the HOPE scholarship, or TSAA funds. Students may use the scholarship at any of the state’s 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology, or other eligible institution offering an associate’s degree program. While removing the financial burden is key, a critical component of Tennessee Promise is the individual guidance each participant will receive from a mentor who will assist the student as he or she navigates the college admissions process. In addition, Tennessee Promise participants must complete eight hours of community service per term enrolled, as well as maintain satisfactory academic progress (2.0 GPA) at their institution.
Cripps said the community response to the mentoring aspect of the program has also been great. “I want to give a big thank you to our community. We must have mentors to work with those students and we have close to 25 or 30 community members. I just want to say thank you to them for giving their time because there are certain requirements students have to meet to get this free money. We have had some to step up and are willing to work with our students to do that,” he said.
Students who have signed up for TN Promise are reminded to file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms by February 15. “Students who are signed up for this program need to have their FAFSA form completed by February 15. That’s the deadline. If you don’t have your FAFSA done by February 15 you may very well miss out on the money. That’s a very important date for parents and kids to get that filled out. We had a workshop on Monday and we had someone come out and help with filling out the FAFSA forms. There are workshops set up through the state and if parents have questions they may call the high school and we can link them to another high school if they need help with that,” said Cripps.
Statewide, 56,000 seniors have signed up for the Tennessee Promise Initiative. November 1, 2014 was the deadline to register.

Donny Green, County Executive Director of the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency announces that a Farm Bill Meeting will be held on January 26, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Woodbury at the Woodbury Lions Club Building, 614 Lehman Street, Woodbury, TN. The meeting is free and open to the public and lunch will be provided.
Topic of the meeting will include: Base Acre Reallocation, Yield Updates, Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), and Farm Service Agency Decisoin Aids.
Learning more about ARC and PLC is extremely important for row crop producers who must make a one-time decision about base and yield options by February 27, 2015. In addition, the choice of whether to elect ARC or PLC must be made by March 31, 2015. There are many variables that must be considered when making these crucial one-time decisions. Dr. Aaron Smith, University of Tennessee Extension Crop Marketing Specialist and Mr. Dallas Manning, University of Tennessee Extension Area Farm Management Specialist will be on hand to answer any questions after the program.
Although the meeting is free and open to the public, please contact the UT Extension Office in your county to register so planning can be allowed for the lunch. If you are in DeKalb County, please call 597-4945. If you are in Cannon County, please call 563-2554.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).
USDA

WJLE and participating local businesses are giving you a chance to bid on and buy merchandise at a discount in the RADIO SHOPPER on Friday, January 16.
Starting at 8:30 a.m. that morning, WJLE will be opening up the phone lines for you to bid on various items from F.Z. Webb & Sons Gifts, DeKalb County Ace Hardware, Extreme Team Salon, Dairy Queen, Kilgore’s Restaurant, DeKalb Farmers Coop, K& M Jewelry, This & That Gifts, Sew Clever Fabric N More, DeKalb Tire & Service, Bumpers Drive-In, Cantrell’s the home of Fluty and Fluty’s Shoes, Head Turners Salon, Flower Box, the White Possum Grille, and possibly others!
WJLE will set a minimum bid on each item, and continue the bidding until the item is sold. The program on Friday will be limited to around three hours. If we have more items to sell, the program will resume the following Friday morning, January 23 at 8:30 a.m.
It’s going to be fun and exciting! Be sure to be by your radio and your telephone on Friday, January 16 at 8:30 a.m. and call in a bid to RADIO SHOPPER on WJLE. The program will also be streamed LIVE at www.wjle.com.
2015 WJLE RADIO SHOPPER ITEMS AND RETAIL VALUES LISTED BELOW:
Fluty: Spanx Bra-llelujah: $62.00; Spanx Power Panties: $34.00; Enro man’s shirt (no iron) $74.00; One Pair of Not Your Daughter’s Jeans ( up to $108.00); Man’s suit (up to a $200 value); Columbia shirt (man or woman) $35; Memory Foam shoes by Skechers (up to $60 value) for men or women
Flower Box: One Dozen Red Roses: $65.00
DeKalb Ace Hardware: Living Accents Outdoor LP Patio Heater: $179.99
Farmers Coop: 40 pound bag of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. $22.00
Kilgore’s Restaurant: $25.00 Gift Cards (3 to be sold)
DeKalb Tire & Service: Certificate worth $300 toward the purchase of a set of tires
Extreme Team Salon: Eva Dover. 5 men’s cuts & styles by Eva Dover. 3 men’s cuts and 2 ladies cuts by Stephanie Goines; 2 men’s cuts and 2 ladies cuts by Kristie Johnson, and 5/ $10 certificates to use on hair care products of your choice.
Bumpers Drive-In: 3-catfish dinners $10.00 each; 3-biggie bags (two burgers, two large fries, two large drinks, and apple turnovers) 12.50 each; 2-chicken dinners $7.00 each
Dairy Queen: 3-8 inch photo cakes- $26.95 each; 3-8 inch Blizzard cakes- $22.95 each; 3- 4 piece chicken dinners with drink- $6.38 each; 3- salads with drink- $5.98 each
Head Turners Salon: Gift card for any hair service by Debbie Grimmett. $20; Man’s haircut by Debbie Grimett: $12.00; Joico Color Endurance shampoo and conditioner set (10 ounce bottles) by Judith Hale: $22; Joico Smooth Cure shampoo and conditioner set (10 ounce bottles) by Judith Hale: $22; Joico Daily Care shampoo and conditioner set (10 ounce bottles) by Judith Hale: $22; Gift Certificate by Dana Turner for service only-no products: $25; Gift certificate by Nail Tech Rachel Baker-service only: $15
Sew Clever Fabric N More: 1-Owl Baby quilt. 34″ x 41 1/2″. Features a cute owl sitting in a tree, background is shades of pink with lime green accent. Back of quilt is lime green and white polka dots. Adorable baby girl quilt. Retails for $45; 1-“My Friend Maisy” girl or boy quilt. 42″ x 58″ great for a toddler bed. This quilt has a white background is in primary colors of red, white and blue. The back is a dark blue with red binding. Retails for $65; 1-Wall mirror 31″ x 56″ made by Sigoloff Frame and Art. Gold beaded frame with beveled glass. Can be hung horizontal or vertical. Gorgeous feature mirror. Retail $249; 1-Pants Hemmed. Are your pants too long? We will hem two pairs of your pants. Regular straight hem. If you would like to see pictures check out our Facebook page. Just search Sew Clever Fabric.
K& M Jewelry: $300 gift certificate good toward any purchase in the store
This & That Gifts: $50 Gift Card
F.Z. Webb & Sons Gifts:UT Projector Rock (Displays Power T on your house) $22; UT Pool Float $39.99; Melissa and Doug Magnetic Wooden Dress up doll with clothes for ages 3 plus $12.99; Melissa and Doug Lock & Latch Board ages 3 plus $19.99; Ganz stuffed owl $12; Orla Moonlight 100% soy wax candle $12.99; Time & Again Glass Heart with red hot cinnamon oil $24; Large Woodwick Aloe Diffuser set $25; Mika Sharable Body Massage Kit $19.99; Soccer Ball 4″ x 6″ Frame $15; Grasslands “Merry Christmas” ceramic plaque with stand $27)