Smithville Elementary Recognizes Students of the Month

May 20, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Smithville Elementary would like to recognize Students of the Month for May.

These students were selected for their outstanding character, academics, and other traits that make them an all-around excellent student.

Selected as Students of the Month for May are: Pre-K: Elizabeth Knowles, Kindergarten: Veronica Amaya, 1st grade: Layla Ahedo Blas, 2nd grade: Alex Phillips

May 20, 2019
By: Bill Conger

Late country music legend Mel Tillis turned his stuttering into a laughable trademark. But it’s no joke for many others who struggle with speech issues. May is designated nationally as Better Hearing and Speech month. During this time Speech-Language Pathologist Alyssa Conger of Smithville is working to let people know about how their children can improve their speech.

Conger, who is a contract worker for the Centers of Development and Cookeville Regional Medical Center, says one problem that concerns parents most is delayed speech.

“They’re waiting for their child to say that first word, and it doesn’t happen like they expect it to,” says Conger. “They don’t know where to go for help.”

Conger says parents should make their pediatricians aware of their concerns, and then physicians can refer their child for an evaluation and possible treatment.

Articulation is another troubled area for some kids. 75% of what a child says should be understood by most adults by the time a child is 3 years old.

“Imagine a child who has a lot to say, but parents and other loved ones can’t understand,” Conger says. “It can cause frustration and temper tantrums for the child. Some children shut down, give up and won’t get their needs met.”

According to a 2018 study by the Centers for Disease Control, one of 59 children is diagnosed with Autism. Many of those kids are non-verbal while all children with Autism are delayed in social skills, and other areas of development.

“Getting early intervention is crucial for this population,” Conger says. “The earlier you can start interventions the better the outcome.”

“For example, one child that I saw had Autism with limited verbal communication. Through private therapy and through the interventions at his special education preschool, he began speaking in words and eventually could carry a conversation.”

Not every child who has been diagnosed with Autism can become verbal; however, there are alternative communication devices that can be used very successfully.”

In fact, well-known Autism advocate Sue Rubin is a functionally non-verbal person with Autism who has managed to earn her Ph.D through the use of alternative communications. She is the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary, Autism Is A World.

Conger says the schools have the services to meet the needs of some children; however, with severe speech issues private therapy is highly recommended. Conger has started her own speech therapy services in DeKalb County to reach the children in the area who need help. To find out more specifics about your child’s speech development, visit Conger’s Facebook page, Kids Express Therapy Services or email her with questions at kidsxpresstherapy@gmail.com.

May 20, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Dustin Buttram, a boating officer for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, has been named the Tennessee Boating Educator of the Year. The honor comes from the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).

Buttram serves in TWRA’s District 31 and the area includes Center Hill, Cordell Hull, Great Falls and Dale Hollow reservoirs. In addition, the area also includes the busy fishing and paddling Caney Fork River.

In his position, Buttram has also embraced the challenge of providing boating education opportunities to the public. In 2018, he taught more than 20 boating safety classes and certified 207 students who are required to have the boating education by law, plus numerous others not required by law to have the certification.

In addition to teaching on Saturday mornings at marinas on Center Hill or Dale Hollow, Buttram taught classes in four high schools and for seven school fishing teams. He offered classes on weeknights for those who could not attend weekend classes.

Buttram maintains a personal watercraft and Boating Under the Influence (BUI) simulator trailer in which he designed new graphics for a wrap to make it more bright and noticeable. He took this simulator to safety fairs in Putman, DeKalb, Jackson and Cumberland counties and utilized it to educate young boaters as well as adults on the dangers of excessive drinking while boating.

Dustin attended county fairs and engaged with sportsmen and boaters. He taught a law enforcement class at Tennessee Tech University which included boating safety. He also made several visits to schools to give boating safety talks to the students.

In addition to providing boating education opportunities, Buttram patrolled on the water on enforcement boats, personal watercrafts and kayaks from which he checked more than 1,900 boats in 2018 for safety violations. He is usually the lead officer in accident investigation in his area and assisted rescue squads and sheriff’s officers in the search for drowning victims on Center Hill and Dale Hollow Lakes.

Buttram joined the TWRA in 2011, working as a wildlife officer in the Nashville area. He transferred to his current position in 2014.