DeKalb County Needs 8 More Mentors for Tennessee Promise by November 30

November 14, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

tnAchieves is seeking more volunteers to serve as mentors to local TN Promise students.

To meet its goal of 18 by November 30, DeKalb County needs 8 more mentors.

Please consider being a mentor and help provide students with impactful support in their college-going process. You can apply by visiting www.tnachieves.org/mentors/apply.

tnAchieves mentors spend about one hour per month reminding students of important deadlines, serving as a trusted college resource and, most importantly, encouraging students to reach their full potential. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Ben Sterling, Director of Outreach at tnAchieves, at 865-567-1140 or ben@tnachieves.org.

“While TN Promise funding is important, our mentors represent the heart of our program,” said tnAchieves Executive Director Krissy DeAlejandro. “Providing a complete wraparound support system for our students, both financially and emotionally, is the key to their success. It is also part of the broader culture change that we are working on in Tennessee.”

Mentors will work with a small group of three to seven students as they transition from high school to college. Mentors send reminders of important deadlines, serve as a trusted college resource and, most importantly, encourage students to reach their full potential. All mentors complete a one-hour training in person or online, and attend two, one-hour meetings with their students over the course of the year.

The Tennessee Promise offers every high school senior the opportunity to attend one of the state’s 13 community colleges or 27 colleges of applied technology tuition-free.

The mentoring program, organized by tnAchieves, requires a one hour per month commitment after a mandatory training and background check.

In the first three years of the Tennessee Promise Scholarship, nearly 180,000 students have applied. The state’s college attendance rate has increased 4.6 percent, more than the previous seven years combined.

Enrollment at the state’s community and technical colleges increased more than 20 percent, and enrollment at all of the state’s public higher education institutions increased 10 percent. With the scholarship, approximately 4,000 new students are entering the college pipeline. Those students are also retaining at rates higher than their peers who are not enrolled in Tennessee Promise.

November 14, 2018
By: Bill Conger

Amy Pack Young is the Teacher of the Month for November at DeKalb West School, an honor bestowed upon her by her peers.

“I am truly surprised and honored to be Teacher of the Month!” Young said.

A graduate of D.C.H.S. and Tennessee Tech, Young started with DWS in 2006 as a Kindergarten teacher. Previously, she had been an assistant in the DWS preschool the first year it became available in 2001 and also was a substitute teacher for a couple of years.

My sister [DWS RTI teacher Kim Crook] and I always babysat and worked within daycare,” Young says of her interest in early childhood education. “I love watching the excitement of little ones learning.”

“Ms. Young works with our most at risk students,” says Principal Sabrina Farler. “She prepares her students to be ready for Kindergarten. She sets high expectations for every child in her class.”

“She is a great coworker and I enjoy working with her,” says Kindergarten teacher Tonya Ellis.

Young also is the devoted mother of 6^th grader Emily Young and 4^th grader Chase Young.

“I love DeKalb West as an employer and as a parent,” says Young. “I love that our school is small enough that we all know each other as well as the students too. This helps us be there for each other and the students.”

DeKalb Schools Instruction Supervisor PreK-5 Michelle Burklow says Young puts her heart into her job.

“I once read that when you go to work, a person should not leave their heart at home,” said Burklow.  “Ms. Amy Young lives by this each and every day. She knows that until her kids feel loved and feel a part of her classroom community the goals she has set for her students cannot be met.

“Last year she told me that this class could have the person in it to cure cancer.  She saw the child in front of her and the potential.”

November 14, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The high school basketball season tipped off Tuesday night for the DCHS Tigers and Lady Tigers as they hosted Pickett County in the Hall of Champions.

In the girls game, the Lady Tigers lost 73 to 68 while the Tigers came up short falling 52 to 49.

The Lady Tigers led 21 to 13 after the 1^st period, 40 to 35 by halftime, and 60 to 48 after the 3^rd period  but were outscored 25 to 8 in the 4^th period and lost 73 to 68.

Lydia Brown led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 27 points followed by Kaydee Ferrell and Kennedy Agee each with 9 points, Mya Ruch 7, Joni Robinson and Emme Colwell each with 6, and Maddison Parsley and Kenzie France each with 2 points.

Pickett County held a 17 to 9 lead over the Tigers after the 1^st period, 26 to 15 by halftime, and 36 to 34 after the 3^rd period before going on to win 52 to 49.

For the Tigers, Nathan Atkins and Dallas Cook each scored 12. Hayden Thomas 9. Brayden Howard and Dakota White each with 6 and Evan Jones and Josh Carlton each with 2.

The Tigers will be back in action Saturday, November 17 as they host Van Buren County in the Hall of Champions starting with the girls game at 4 p.m. at DCHS.