(UPDATED) Ballot Finalized for August 6th Elections (View Ballot Here)

May 19, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The ballot for the August 6 elections has been finalized and released by the DeKalb County Election office.

(Click link below to view ballot)

Ballot

Local voters will make their choice in one contested county-wide election, one contested school board race, a contested Smithville Municipal Election and in the state Republican or Democratic primaries. (a copy of the ballot can be found here) There are uncontested races for Constable, another school board seat, the mayor and two aldermen in Dowelltown and for aldermen seats in Alexandria. In addition, there is an uncontested race for Criminal Court Judge Part II District 13.

The county general ballot is headlined by the race for Assessor of Property with incumbent Republican Shannon A. Cantrell facing Democratic challenger Tom R. Duggin.

Two candidates, Jason Lee Miller and Shawn Washer, are seeking the 6th District School Board seat.

In Smithville, five candidates are vying for three seats on the city board. The aldermen candidates are: H. Don Crook (Incumbent), Jessica L. Higgins, Shawn Jacobs (Incumbent), Tim Perricone, and Danny Washer (incumbent).’

There are 15 candidates for U.S. Senate in the Republican primary and five candidates in the Democratic Primary.

Sixth District Congressman John Rose is unopposed in the Republican Primary and on the Democratic side, Christopher Martin Finley is unopposed. Those two will square off in November.

Incumbent state representatives Terri Lynn Weaver and Clark Boyd are unopposed in August. Weaver will face opposition from Independent candidate Paddy Sizemore of Smith County in the November Tennessee General Election. Boyd will be unopposed

Early voting will begin July 17 and run though August 1. Election Day is August 6.

Meanwhile, requests for absentee ballots are being taken by the local election office.

“Tennessee law allows registered voters to request and receive a mail-in ballot for several reasons. Being 60 or older is just one of 13 reasons available,” said Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections. “The DeKalb County Election Commission website, www.dekalbelections.com, has complete information about who is eligible to vote absentee by mail, the process for requesting and returning a by-mail ballot and all the dates and deadlines associated with by-mail voting.”

He said the request form on the website can be printed out, completed, and mailed, or scanned and emailed as an attachment, or faxed to the DeKalb County Election Office.

A copy of the August 6 ballot can also be found at www.dekalbelections.com.

May 19, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb Middle School 8th Graders have been awarded for the academic performance during the 2019-20 year.

(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW 8TH GRADE AWARDS LIST)
Awards Day 2020 8th Grade

(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW 7TH GRADE AWARDS LIST)

Awards Day 2020 7th Grade

(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW 6TH GRADE AWARDS LIST)

Awards Day 2020 6th Grade

The following have earned TOP 10 status based on their grade point averages:

Ranked 1st through 10th are as follows: Kathryn Hale (GPA-3.959), Peyton Norris (GPA-3.943), Konner Young (GPA-3.918), Jade Mabe (GPA-3.905), Ian Colwell (GPA-3.884), Kaden Trapp (GPA-3.866), Maleah Ruch (GPA-3.859), Jacob Hendrix (GPA-3.857), Kendall Davis (GPA-3.850), and Ella VanVranken (GPA-3.841)

ELA (English) Awards: Daniela Amaya and Evan Carmichael

Math Awards: Algebra 1-Kathryn Hale, Math-Kora Kilgore, Math-Ethan Thompson

Science Awards: Patyn Carter, Laila Clark, and Konner Young

Social Studies Awards: Paul Oliver and Matty Hollingsworth

Woodmen of the World (Most Proficient in American History): Jonathan Hernandez

Jr. Beta officers: President Caroline Tobitt, Vice President Elvia Sanchez, Secetary Ella VanVranken, Treasurer Kaden Trapp, and Chaplain Conner Close

Jr. Beta members: Kyra Baker, James Anthony Brown, Seth Cantrell, Ansley Cantrell, Evan Carmichael, Laila Clark, Conner Close, Ian Colwell, Abby Cross, Kendall Davis, Ally Fuller, Cadee Griffith, Kathryn Hale, Aaron Hatfield, Alia Hawkins, Jacob Hendrix, Eleanore Hendrixson, Lydia Johnson, Madelyn Johnson, Cooper Love, Jade Mabe, Luke Magness, Serenity McCrary, Kyle Miller, Briahna Murphy, Peyton Norris, Paul Oliver, Ella Pack, Charlotte Paladino, Karrol Pico, Maleah Ruch, Elvia Sanchez, Kaleb Spears, Caley Taylor, Ethan Thompson, Caroline Tobitt, Briz Trapp, Kaden Trapp, Elaina Turner, Ella VanVranken, Lilly Waggoner, Jazmine Wagner, Ari White, and Konner Young.

Student Council Officers: President Jacob Hendrix, Vice President Ella Van Vranken, Secretary Ally Fuller, Treasurer Hannah Keith.

Student Council Members: Ansley Cantrell, Evan Carmichael, Ian Colwell, Conner Close, Ally Fuller, Cesar Gaspar, Cadee Griffith, Jacob Hendrix, Lydia Johnson, Madelyn Johnson, Jade Mabe, Luke Magness, Briahna Murphy, Peyton Norris, Abby Oberdier, Maleah Ruch, Brayden Summers, Caley Taylor, Ella VanVranken, and Lilly Waggoner.

Student Council Service Awards: Jacob Hendrix, Luke Magness, Maleah Ruch, Lilly Waggoner, Cadee Griffith, Ian Colwell, Jade Mabe, Ella VanVranken, Peyton Norris, Ansley Cantrell, Madelyn Johnson, and Brayden Summers.

FCA Awards: Luke Magness and Sadie Moore

Perfect Attendance Awards: Serenity McCrary and Dalton Williams

Citizenship Awards: Elvia Sanchez and Kaden Trapp

All-A Honor Roll Awards: Daniela Amaya, Makhia Bain, Kyra Baker, Courtney Braido, Camryn Branin, Cameron Caballero, Ansley Cantrell, Seth Cantrell, Evan Carmichael, Patyn Carter, Conner Close, Timothy Cobb, Ian Colwell, Abby Cross, Kendall Davis, Ellie Dillard, Allyson Fuller, Jannifer Galindo-Godinez, Micah Gandy, Trystan Gibbs, Kathryn Hale, Aaron Hatfield, Alia Hawkins, Jacob Hendrix, Alexa Hernandez, Yoana Hernandez-Avalos, Matty Hollingsworth, Devin Holt, Madelyn Johnson, Emily Lattimore, Cooper Love, Jade Mabe, Luke Magness, Serenity McCrary, Briahna Murphy, Peyton Norris, Paul Oliver, Ella Pack, Karol Rico-Godinez, Brianna Robledo, Maleah Ruch, Elvia Sanchez, Lucas Spare, Kaleb Spears, Ethan Thompson, Caroline Tobitt, Briz Trapp, Kaden Trapp, Elaina Turner, Ella VanVranken, Carson Vincent, Lilly Waggoner, Jazmine Wagner, Owen Warren, Ari White, Makaylee Winchester, and Konner Young.

All-A/B Honor Roll Awards: Nevaeh Baker, Jonathan Balderas-Rayas, Jaycee Barrett, Aydan Bean, Melanie Bogle, James Anthony Brown, Merissa Brown, Braxton Cantrell, Laila Clark, Bryson Cooper, Trey Crabtree, Ronnie Edwards, Ella Florida, Lacey Foster, Kyra Gammons, Adriel Garza, Cesar Gaspar- Celaya, Cadence Griffith, Peyton Hallum, Mallorie Hamilton, Eleanore Hendrixson, Jared Hernandez, Lydia Johnson, Katie Knowles, Chloe Lawson, Cayden Martin, Suzzeth Martinez-Ramirez, Kaden McPherson, Kholton Melton, Kyle Miller, Sadie Moore, Samuel Moore, Abigail Oberdier, Trevor Parsley, Topanga Patrick, Gael Rico, Kaden Robinson, MaKayla Scales, Ashley Sosa, Brayden Summers, Caley Taylor, Braxton Walden, Dalton Williams, Martin Willingham, Westin Wright, and Dominique Young.

May 19, 2020
By: Bill Conger

The DeKalb West School 8th grade class will be honored in a recognition ceremony that will be available on YouTube Channel: Sean Antoniak. Due to social distancing guidelines, the awards ceremony was taped last Friday with Principal Sabrina Farler, Assistant Principal Joey Agee and a few teachers. Students picked up their awards and other items from school in a drive-through Monday (May 18).

8th grade teachers Karen France and Sean Antoniak announced the academic awards. Tess Barton and Ella Hendrixson received the English Language Arts award while Tess Barton and Jackson Vantrease earned the Algebra I award. The Math award was given to Gage Cote, Karson Smallwood, and Jayden Dheere. In History, Blair Gipe, Jackson Vantrease and Alex Antoniak were honored, and the award in Science went to Jackson Vantrease.

In her address to students, Principal Sabrina Farler shared a few tips for their journey to high school. First, be kind. Think to yourself. How do I want others to see me? Secondly, ask questions. If you have a problem, ask an adult for guidance. Third, don’t be afraid to fail. Challenge yourself. Next, keep reading and writing. It does make a difference in your future. Last, believe and trust in yourself. All things are possible if you believe.

Students with the highest grade point average their 6th through 8th grade years were honored with plaques. Alex Antoniak was ranked number one with a GPA of 3.882, Blair Gipe was ranked number two with a GPA of 3.870, Zoi Hale and Jackson Vantrease were tied with a ranking at number 3 with GPA’s of 3.852, and Tess Barton was ranked number five with a GPA of 3.848.

Named to the All A Honor roll were Alex Antoniak, Tess Barton, Blair Gipe, Ella Hendrixson, Jaxon Humphrey, Aden Spivey, and Jackson Vantrease. Named to the A & B Honor roll were Brayden Carter, Alyssa Crook, Carson Donnell, Wil Farris, Riley Fuson, Zoi Hale, Brynn Harvey, Shauna Kempf, Kayleigh Overstreet, Austin Nicholson, Hannah Redmon, Emily Satterfield, Kolton Slager, and Karson Smallwood.

Thirteen students in the school qualified for the Perfect Attendance award but only one 8th grader, Marshall Farler, earned the award. He missed no days of school, was never late and didn’t leave early any this academic year. Citizenship Awards went to Jackson Vantrease, Alex Antoniak, Tess Barton, and Ella Hendrixon. Mrs. Lesa Hayes presented the Mrs. Georgia Young award in honor of her mother, the late DWS Cafeteria Manager to Zoi Hale. The award is given each year to academically-strong students with excellent school spirit and character. The “Making Tracks” awards for the most improved 8th graders went to Alyssa Crook and Aydin Burke.

The 2019-2020 Mrs. Amanda Mullinax Librarian’s Award was presented to Presley Finocchiaro for the most Accelerated Reader Points with 1,536.8.

Junior Beta Lead Sponsor Jessica Antoniak presented Alyssa Crook with the 2019-2020 Service Award for the most hours this school year with 71.5. Alex Antoniak received the Cumulative Service Award for the most overall hours earned since becoming a member with 168.25.  4 PAWS Awards were presented to Angelina Davenport and Hunter Cannon. Computer teacher Lori Pryor announced the winners in the activities classes. The Computer awards went to Chris Carroll, Logan Daniels, Xavier Parker, and Ally Tarpley. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) awards were presented to Chris Carroll, Gage Cote, Jayden Dheere, and Kayleigh Overstreet. Earning the PE awards were Tess Barton, Weslie McCowan, Austin Nicholson, and Emily Satterfield, Earning the Library awards were Jaxon Humphrey, Kayleigh Overstreet, Xavier Parker, and Serenity Patterson while Gage Cote, Blair Gipe, Xavier Parker, and Serenity Patterson earned the Music awards. Marshall Farler, Brynn Harvey, and Blair Gipe were awarded the Guidance awards.

Congratulations to the DWS 8th Grade Class of 2020: Adaliene Ahlgard, Alex Antoniak, Tess Barton, Trey Beilfuss, Graceson Boyd, Aydin Burke, Hunter Cannon, Chris Carroll, Brayden Carter, Gavin Cooper, Gage Cote, Alyssa Crook, Ethan Curtis, Nick Dandurand, Logan Daniels, Angelina Davenport, Jayden Dheere, Carson Donnell, Marshall Farler, Wil Farris, Presley Finocchiaro, Riley Fuson, Blair Gipe, Zoi Hale, Brynn Harvey, Ella Hendrixson, Jaxon Humphrey, Mia Kemper, Shauna Kempf, Weslie McCowan, Blake Mendoza, Jaylnn Nichols, Austin Nicholson, Melanie Ortiz, Kayleigh Overstreet, Xavier Parker, Serenity Patterson, Hannah Redmon, Maressa Rose, Brayden Saliski, Emily Satterfield, Kolton Slager, Karson Smallwood, Aden Spivey, Shelby Starnes, Ally Tarpley, Jackson Vantrease, Karly Vickers, Hasten Waggoner, Jocelyn Walters, and Hanniah West.