Hundreds of clothing items were given away to students in need at DCHS Friday during the second “Tiger Boutique” organized by the Climate Crew.
Members of the Climate Crew collected donations of name brand clothes and set up shop for one day only in the DCHS library for other students to take advantage of for free.
Sarah Halliburton, a DCHS Biology Teacher who came up with the idea for serving students in this way, said the response to Friday’s “Tiger Boutique” was probably twice as large as the first one held during the fall. “This is the second one we’ve done this year. It’s twice the size it was in the fall and the clothes are moving. Last fall we gave away 1600 items of clothing and it’s probably been double this time. The donations came from other kids and other counties. We just put it on facebook and people responded . They have just given and given. It’s awesome,” Halliburton told WJLE Friday.
The DCHS Climate Crew, also started by Halliburton, is made up of students who have a desire to change the school culture at DCHS. “The DCHS Climate Crew is a group of kids that I started a couple of years ago that just want to make a positive impact here at DCHS. We saw a need for students to have clothing,” she said.
Plans are for the “Tiger Boutique” to become a twice a year event from now on.

Members of the DCHS Class of 2017 are asking for your support of Project Graduation.
Colby Bates, a DCHS Senior, urges you to stop by any DeKalb County branch office of Liberty State Bank to make a donation.
“I am a member of FFA and the Skills Club at DCHS. More importantly, I am a member of the 2017 graduating class. We are raising funds for our Project Graduation event that will take place the night of graduation in May. We will have food and fun activities. It is designed to keep us safe from the devastating effects of drugs and alcohol. In order to hold this event, we must raise funds and request the community’s help. Please stop by your local branch of Liberty State Bank in Alexandria, Liberty, or Smithville and make a donation to our account. All help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support,” said Bates.

More than 350 people turned out for the 2nd Annual Family Literacy Night at DeKalb West School. The event’s coordinator, Librarian Amanda Mullinax, says “Camp Read S’More” was a great success.
“The night itself was fabulous,” Mullinax said. “Workers and participants looked like they were having fun while learning. The DWS faculty and staff as well as [Central Office personnel] Michelle Burklow and Dr. Danielle Collins went above and beyond to turn the school into “camp” and to provide an enjoyable experience for our “campers.” [Children’s author] Michael Shoulders was entertaining, as always. The night was definitely everything I was hoping it would be and more!”
Several books were given away to help promote literacy through events like the Book Walk, the county’s Book Bus, and the freebies table. A book came to life in Winnie the Pooh’s 100 Acre Woods, scary stories were shared around the campfire, and Park Rangers Carter Robinson and Sarah Peace taught students at Camp Learn S’More.
“I feel so very blessed to be a part of a community that values the education of its children,” Mullinax said. “The number of participants this year was more than expected, which is absolutely fantastic! To see that many people turn out to support our children truly warmed my heart! “
Students also displayed their work at the Literacy Fair to family and friends.
“The quality of their projects was very impressive,” says Teacher/Academic Coach Lori Pryor, who oversaw the Literacy Fair. “They were judged on creativity, adherence to the rules, and the ability to relate the book’s theme to the public. DWS students continue to amaze me with their dedication.”
Check out the list of winners below.
2nd Annual DWS Family Literacy Winners
PreK-1st Grade
Family Fiction:
1st- Bane Averitte
2nd- Rena Willoughby’s Kindergarten “Walk to Learn” group
3rd- Haley McKeown
Family Non-Fiction:
1st- Kaden Mullinax
2nd-Bill Conger’s Kindergarten “Walk to Learn” group
2nd-4th Grade
Individual/Group Fiction:
1st- Bryna Pelham/Bradley Pelham (tie)
2nd-Kenson Moss
3rd- Emily Young
Family/Class Fiction:
1st- Regina Kent’s classroom
2nd- Emily Fry
3rd- Hannah Brown
Individual/Group Non-Fiction:
1st-Thomas Damron
2nd-Caroline Crook
3rd- Evan Prichard
Family Non-Fiction:
1st- Izzy Prichard
2nd- Jesse Foutch
5th-7th Grade
Individual/Group Fiction:
1st- Zoi Hale
2nd-Brayden Antoniak
3rd-Jaxon Humphrey & Alex Antoniak
Individual/Group Non-Fiction:
1st-Rebecca Lawrence
2nd- Dawson Bandy
3rd- Nathaniel Crook
Family Non-Fiction:
1st- Jathan & Lydia Willoughby
8th Grade Author Study:
1st-Emma Damron, Lydia Davenport, Riley Overstreet, Abby Lawson
2nd-Cody Woodham and Cassie Maxwell
3rd- Lynsey Ellis and Gracie Griffin

Former major league baseball pitcher Aaron Small will be the guest speaker for the annual DCHS baseball chili supper and silent auction fundraiser Saturday, March 11 at 5:00 p.m. the county complex.
Family tickets are $25.00 which feeds the immediate family and makes the ticket holder eligible for a reverse drawing for prizes including cash awards of $125, $250, $500, and $1,000. Single tickets are $5.00 each. Purchase your tickets at the door or from any DCHS baseball player.
Small played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves during his professional career
According to Wikipedia, Small was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 22nd round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft. He debuted for the Blue Jays in 1994, but was traded to the Florida Marlins in 1995. Over the next ten years, Small would split most of his time between Triple-A and the majors, with major league appearances for the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, and a second stint with the Marlins, before joining the Yankees.
In addition, Small was also a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Colorado Rockies and Anaheim Angels organizations, though he never pitched in the major leagues for those teams.
In 2005, Small played in the Yankees minor league system, pitching for Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Columbus. Due to injuries, he was called up to the Yankees to fill in, making his first start on July 20, which he won.
Small recorded 10 major league victories without a loss. Small recorded his first major league complete game shutout, which came against the Oakland Athletics on September 3, 2005. Small was the first Yankees pitcher to win his first 9 decisions since Tommy John in 1979, and became just the fourth pitcher in history to win at least 10 games without a loss, joining Tom Zachary, Dennis Lamp, and Howie Krist. He finished the 2005 season 10–0 with a 3.20 earned run average and 37 strikeouts. He was re-signed to a one-year, $1.2 million contract during the off-season.
During 2006 spring training, Small injured his right hamstring. He missed the start of the season, but returned to the team on April 30, 2006.
On June 17, 2006, Small was designated for assignment by the Yankees and was outrighted to Triple-A Columbus.
On January 23, 2007, Small signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. However, on May 18, 2007, he announced his retirement after being released by the Mariners.
On August 2, 2008, Small took part in the 62nd Annual Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium. Six weeks prior, Small survived a bout with encephalitis that included a medically induced coma lasting eight days. He was again honored by the New York Yankees at Old Timers’ Day on June 26, 2011 and July 1, 2012.
Small, along with his wife Macy, is a devout Christian. He is active in his church, Fairview Baptist Tabernacle in Sweetwater, Tennessee, where he and his wife are involved in ministry to students.

The Smithville Walmart store has re-opened after an electrical fire Friday night which created smoke in the building and forced an evacuation of customers and employees. No one was injured. The store was closed overnight and part of Saturday morning.
Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker told WJLE that the fire started in an electrical panel. “One of the main electrical panels shorted out and burned. It caused some smoke in the building and everyone was evacuated. The fire was contained to the electrical panel,” said Chief Parker.
911 received the fire call at 6:11 p.m.

Walmart in Smithville will soon begin selling wine.
The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission has added the Smithville Walmart to the list of retail food stores in the state which have been approved for a license for off premises consumption.
In 2014 Governor Bill Haslam signed a bill into law that allows wine sales in Tennessee grocery stores. There was a provision of the bill that allowed voters in individual cities and counties a referendum to decide on the issue locally.
In November, 2016 Smithville voters approved a referendum authorizing the legal sale of wine at retail food stores in the City of Smithville. The vote was 691 to 515. In a separate referendum that day, city voters also approved the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in the City of Smithville (Liquor By The Drink). It passed 665 to 597.
In an effort not to harm liquor stores, the Tennessee wine in grocery stores law permits liquor stores to sell numerous items that were previously prohibited, including publications related to alcoholic beverages or food, cigarettes, lottery tickets, mixers, corkscrews and other supplies related to alcoholic beverages, nonalcoholic beverages, gift cards, products related to beer and wine-making, snack foods, fruit and other food used in making alcoholic beverages, ice, coolers, party supplies, greeting cards and articles of clothing bearing messages related to alcoholic beverages. In addition, package stores may also sell beer kegs and growlers.
Smithville has two retail liquor stores.

Come pitch your tent tonight (March 2) at “Camp Read S’more.” DeKalb West School is opening its doors to the community for the second annual Family Literacy Night, starting at 5:45 p.m.
“The learning aspect is important, but to me, the memories and the family time are the most important things that would be gained from that night,” says Librarian Amanda Mullinax, who coordinates the event. “I was chatting a couple of weeks ago about what to expect from this night with our new first grade teachers, Mrs. Ashlee Thomason. She made the comment that these type things are going to be what her students remember about her. When it’s 15, 20 years down the road, they’re probably not going to remember Mrs. Ashlee teaching them a phonics lessons, but they are going to remember the night that she had a carnival out in the hall. They’re going to remember the fun, the silly, and the different things.”
Children’s author Mike Shoulders will return as a special guest speaker to kick off the festivities before the crowd is dismissed to pursue other activities. Students in all grades also will have their Literacy Fair projects on display. A Clifford the Big Red Dog carnival will be happening on the first grade hallway while visitors might spy The Cat in the Hat and other book characters roaming through the building. Hike through Winnie the Pooh’s 100 Acre Woods, stroll through a book walk with Thing One and Thing Two or tap into your inner author with a session on Cooking up Crafty Characters. Additionally, the new DWS STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Club for 5th-8th grades will be unveiled as Junior Beta President Garrett Hayes and Club Sponsor/Special Education teacher Teresa Sullivan give an overview of the club.
Besides turning literacy into a fun affair, this event highlights the strong need in education to boost children’s reading skills. DeKalb County Schools have set a goal that 90% of all students will be on or above grade level at the end of 3rd grade. Mullinax says it’s crucial to begin building a child’s reading skills as early as birth.
“A Kindergartener does not have to come in reading, but they have to come in with some recognition of sound and letters and alphabet and how letters make sounds,” says Mullinax. “Those are skills that now students are expected to bring to the table as they enter school where when I was younger, we learned that when we got to Kindergarten.”
“It used to be that first grade was for reading,” she continues. “It’s not that way anymore. Now, Kindergarten is for letter recognition and for learning to tie those letters into words and those words into sentences. Our Kindergarteners here are already expected to read sentences. If they are getting those literacy skills and that foundation from birth, then when they get here they can build, and we can keep them where they’re expected to be on their particular grade level.”
The new reading goal along with the “20 for 20” program highlights the need for families to climb aboard in helping the child with literacy in the early years.
“Literacy doesn’t need to begin when they enroll for Kindergarten or Pre-K. It needs to begin much earlier than that. It isn’t simply sitting down for 20 minutes and reading. It’s any activity that deals with the development of letters and sounds and being able to comprehend what is in that picture, even picture games where they might describe what’s in the picture. They can read a book long before they can read words. To me, the “20 for 20” in our school is very beneficial. I’m also hoping that it is trickling down in the home to the students that are going to be at the West school in the next couple of years because that ties into the 90% reading goal.”

DeKalb County High School has released the names of Top Rank students in the Class of 2017 including the Valedictorian Rachel Fuson and the Salutatorian Hunter Robinson.
The following students have met requirements to be considered for Top Rank:
Rachel Fuson
Hunter Robinson
Eli Cross
Jayrah Trapp
Allison Rogers
Baylee Phillips
Callie Cripps
Kristen Parsley
Kayley Caplinger
Luke Green
Chloe Cripps
Taylor Spare
Katherine Parsley
Sahara Lafever
Caitlyn Lawrence
Maegan Harris
Clayton Hoyle
Lexie Bates
Gentry Harpole
Erica Birmingham
Alex Steel
Steven Jennings
Alexis Roller
Jacob Self
Skylar Pease
Bailey Redmon
Hanah Panter
Zachary Parsley
Maddison Dickens
Regan Foutch
Myranda Bailiff
Emily Wallace
Paige Snyder
Kaylee Braswell
Rebekah Brandt
Jason Perricone
Rosa Payne
Caelin Crips
Neely Evans
Michael Warren
Julianne Richardson
To be considered for top Rank, students must take at least 10 honors, dual enrollment, and AP courses and students must have a 21 or higher ACT composite score.

A DCHS Sophomore is this week’s “Classroom Champion”.
Lydia Brown recently received the award presented by Smithville Attorney Jim Judkins and Dwayne Page of WJLE.
Brown is the daughter of Stephen and Amanda Brown and her siblings are Austin and Grant.
Lydia is an active member of Salem Baptist Church. She is an athlete on the DCHS girls basketball and softball teams and a member of the FBLA, Science Club, Climate Crew, and FCA.
Brown said she loves math and hopes to one day enter the medical field after college.
In an effort to recognize achievements of students in the DeKalb County School System, WJLE has partnered with attorney Judkins in featuring a “Classroom Champion” each week for the next several months.
The name of the student selected each week will be announced on WJLE and will be featured on the WJLE website. Each student winning will receive a plaque and a gift certificate.
“This is our way of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of the future citizens and leaders of the community. It can benefit their learning and overall school atmosphere and climate. The students’ selection is based on academic performance, responsibility and work ethic, leadership abilities, and citizenship and character,” said Judkins.

A sex offender was in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday.
51 year old David Royden Drennan of Sparta Highway, Smithville, indicted for violation of the sex offender law, entered a plea to the lesser offense of attempting to violate the sex offender registry. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on supervised probation and was fined $350.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Monday, February 8, 2016 Drennan allowed minor children to live with him at his home in violation of his sex offender registration.