Faith Dengate performs at the Williamson County Fair.

Two Williamson County students competed and won this year’s Sing Your Heart Out competition at the Williamson County Fair. And though there may be quite an age gap between the two, both were not only thrilled to have won the competition in their respective divisions, but they also have a love for performing.

Ben van Maarth, a senior at Brentwood High School, won the High School Division, while Faith Dengate, a fourth grader at Kenrose Elementary, won the Elementary Division.

Even though this was Ben’s first real singing competition, he is no stranger to music or performance.

“My parents say I’ve been singing since I was a little kid, but I started actually singing in front of an audience a couple of years ago,” said Ben.

In addition to winning the High School Division, Ben won the Best Overall award at the contest.

“I was pretty surprised to win the competition,” said Ben. “It was totally unexpected, because a lot of the other kids were great! But I’m really grateful to have won.”

When he isn’t singing, you can find Ben playing the guitar, building things and figuring out how things work, especially cars.

As for Faith, she has been singing since she was a preschooler, although this was her first time competing at the Williamson County Fair.

“It was a lot of fun to sing at the fair,” said Faith. “I had a great time singing in front of my friends, family and lots of other people. It was a good experience to be onstage in front of such a crowd.”

When Faith isn’t in a formal singing group at school, she participates in the school talent show and loves going to music class during her specials rotation.

Five Williamson County students have pulled off a feat few students in the nation can lay claim to: a perfect score on the ACT.

Margaret Overton
Brentwood High

Hill Duggan
Centennial High

Rhett Britton
Franklin High

Amy Ouyang
Ravenwood High

Sarah Rosenthal
Ravenwood High

CHS senior Asiana Swift-Miller

Amazing. That’s how Centennial High junior Asiana Swift-Miller describes her experience at this year’s Fairest of the Fair Pageant.

Asiana won first place in the event last month at the Williamson County Fair.

“This was my very first pageant, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Asiana. “I experienced a wide range of emotions. At one point I felt overwhelmed and a little scared.”

Asiana will represent the fair in parades and events throughout the year, giving her a chance to spread her message with young girls across the county.

“The message I want young girls to take away from this is to be true to yourself, hold your head up high and be confident with everything you do,” said Asiana. “Embracing your character from the inside out is an extension of your beauty. For me, winning the Fairest of the Fair was more than a personal triumph; it proves that nothing is impossible.”

Asiana will represent the Williamson County Fair at the State Fairest of the Fair competition during the Tennessee Association of Fairs Convention in Nashville in January 2016.

FHS teacher Hugh Inman

Franklin High teacher Hugh Inman is no stranger to having his work published in journals. His most recent publication was published in the Nashville Shakespeare Company’s Henry V Guidebook.

“It is a tremendous honor for me to be associated with the Nashville Shakespeare Festival in any way,” said Inman. To have an article I have written published alongside other articles written by theater professionals and college professors is especially humbling.”

Having written articles for different Nashville Shakespeare guidebooks over the years, including Macbeth, and because of his love for all things Shakespeare, Inman was a natural fit for an article on the historical King Henry V.

“Writing a paper that required a good deal of research and time reminded me of how fulfilling it is to delve deeper into the topics that I teach,” Inman said. “Even researching something that I have taught many times can uncover new and unusual aspects of the story that could enhance my understanding, and in turn enhance my teaching.”

Click here to view the Henry V Guidebook in its entirety.

RHS Senior Kylie Betchley

Ravenwood seniors Kylie Betchley and Becca Zaves have been named to the 2015-2016 Tennessee Cheerleading Coaches Association (TCCA) All-State cheerleading squad. They will join an elite group of 18 athletes receiving this honor.

“The team is extremely proud of Kylie and Becca for this accomplishment,” said Varsity Cheer Coach  Cady Conley. “Ravenwood Cheer wants to be a model of both leadership and talent. This recognition of our senior captains as All-State squad members shows our dedication to excellence both on and off the sideline.”

To be selected for the Tennessee All-State squad, athletes are judged primarily on cheer and dance skills.  Other considerations for selection is dedication to excellence in academics and commitment to community service.

RHS Senior Becca Zaves

A coach’s recommendation, an essay and an in-person interview round out the selection process.

“Being named as an All-State Cheerleader is such an honoring title,” said Kylie. “As my cheerleading career is coming to an end, accomplishing this goal of being part of the All-State team is something I have looked forward to.”

Becca couldn’t agree more with her teammate.

“Being on the All-State team really means a lot to me,” said Becca. “It is an honor to be chosen out of all the cheerleaders in the state to represent Tennessee, Williamson County and Ravenwood High School.”

The squad will cheer at the East/West All-State Football game on December 11.

IHS Principal Dr. Todd Campbell

Independence High Principal Dr. Todd Campbell is one of nine finalists for the 2015-16 Tennessee Principal of the Year.

“It means a lot to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” said Campbell. “I’m very humbled to know that my peers believe that our accomplishments here at Independence are deserving of state recognition.”

Each year a public school principal earns the distinction as Tennessee Principal of the Year. This award is given for meritorious service in education and outstanding leadership that leads to overall improvements in their school.

“For me, this recognition is not because of anything I’ve done, but for the hard work that our entire faculty and staff at Independence has done,” said Campbell. “I think this accomplishment personifies the success of this entire county and how relentless students, parents and all educational stakeholders are in aspiring to be nationally recognized through academics, the arts, and athletics.”

Nominations are received from the Principals’ Study Council Steering Committee. Nominees must have a minimum of three years’ experience as a principal and a minimum of five years’ experience in Tennessee public schools. All nominees must have a proven track record of exceptional gains in student learning.

Each of the nine finalists will now enter the interview stage. The winner will be honored during the annual Tennessee Education LEADership Conference October 26-28.

Summit High’s Chris McElvain

Summit High ninth grader Chris McElvain’s high school baseball career is off to a strong start. On August 30, Chris won the COPABE “AA” Pan American Championship as a member of the 15U National Baseball team.

“It was an amazing experience to be able to fulfill a dream of representing the USA on the 15U Baseball Team,” said Chris. “Winning gold was icing on the cake.”

Chris, who has been playing baseball since he was three years old, learned he had been selected to the 20-man roster on August 14. After playing three exhibition games, the team flew to Mexico for the tournament.

“I didn’t expect us to win every game while we were there, but we had such a strong team I did expect to have a shot at a medal,” said Chris. “Having the chance to play in the gold medal game was something that made our team work extra hard.”

Now that the 15U season is technically over, Chris is back doing what he loves: training for yet another baseball season. But he takes a lot of life lessons with him into his high school experience, as a baseball player and a young man.

“Now that I’m back home, it’s time to prepare during the off-season for the Summit High Baseball Team,” said Chris. “Being on this national team made me feel great. To know all of my practice and hard work helped me become one of only 20 on the team was very rewarding. While I was in Mexico, I learned that we have it very good in the USA. We played against kids that didn’t have the basic necessities. We are very fortunate to live in our country.”

Arun Mathew currently works for Accel Partners where he focuses on investments in enterprise software, digital media and consumer internet companies.

A 2003 graduate of Brentwood High, Arun attended the University of Pennsylvania where he studied both finance and engineering before earning his MBA at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Earlier this year, Arun was named one of Forbes’ 2015 30 Under 30 in the venture capital arena.

How long have you worked for Accel and what are some of your job responsibilities?

I’ve worked for Accel since May 2009. My primary job is to identify and invest in the most innovative technology companies in the world. As a firm, we’ve led investments in companies like Facebook, Dropbox, Slack, DJI, Spotify, Kayak, Supercell (Clash of Clans), Etsy, Squarespace, Flipkart and many more companies. Once we invest, I work with these companies to grow and successfully scale.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy the intellectual diversity of my job. We meet with the most interesting technology companies across a variety of industries. As Marc Andreesen penned in a NYTimes article a couple years ago, software is eating the world. From healthcare to manufacturing, technology is disrupting every industry. It’s exciting to be a part of that ecosystem.

What did you enjoy most about your high school experience?

Mostly, I enjoyed the people, both classmates and teachers. It was fun going to an academically challenging school, but also one that exhibited a broad, diverse student base.

What WCS teacher made a difference in your life and how?

Many of my teachers were wonderful, but Ms. Harriet Medlin at BHS was the probably the most impactful. My experience in speech and debate allowed me to develop much of the social interaction/sales skills that I still use extensively in my job today.

Do you have any advice for current WCS students?

I would advise current WCS students to not be content with the status quo. Much of the change we’re seeing in the world today, particularly in the technology ecosystem, is being driven by the “Under 30″ crowd. Don’t be afraid to take a risk, particularly if you identify a real problem and have a creative solution.

Williamson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney will represent Tennessee in the National Superintendent of the Year Award Program.

Looney was named the 2016 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year September 13 at the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) Conference in Gatlinburg.

“I am honored to represent my colleagues as the 2016 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year and look forward to advocating for all of Tennessee’s schools in the year ahead,” said Looney. “This recognition is not really about me. Rather, it is an affirmation that our community’s collective commitment to support students, teachers and school leaders is working and a sound investment.”

Nominees for the award are chosen based in part on the following criteria: creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in his or her school system, strength in both personal and organizational communication, constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills and an active participation in local activities.

The 2016 National Superintendent of the Year will be announced in February.

Pictured left to right: TOSS Executive Director Wayne Miller, WCS Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney, 2015 Superintendent of the Year Dr. Wanda Shelton and TN Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen.

Franklin High’s Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC) Battalion Commander Lauren Hall is one of 60 JROTC students nationwide to receive the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross. A ceremony was held in her honor on September 11.

“I was really surprised, and it was an honor to find out that I was receiving such a high award that only so many people receive every year,” said Lauren. “It seems so surreal. Last year my mentor Tia Hyatt received this same award, and I feel so fortunate to follow in her footsteps.”

This award is the highest national award that can be given to a high school JROTC cadet who has shown consistent leadership qualities, community service, dedication to their high school and has exceeded normal expectations of a high school student.

“Lauren has been an outstanding cadet for four years,” said Lt. Col. and Franklin High JROTC instructor Greg Hoover. “She is the battalion commander, the senior ranking cadet in our program. She is very deserving of this national JROTC award. She is a selfless, caring leader and sets a superb example for the younger cadets. She is superior in academics as she is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program, organizes community outreach to the Morningside Assisted Living community and exemplifies the JROTC mission of becoming a better citizen.”

After graduation, Lauren plans to attend college and pursue a career as an ESL teacher overseas. Franklin Police Officer Clayton Cates presented Lauren with the Legion of Valor certificate. The Bronze Cross was presented and pinned by Lieutenant Kevin Teague.

Pictures and a write up of the event will be sent to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. where Lauren’s name will be inscribed with others who have received this award.

Centennial High School graduate Bryson Reynolds is a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Virginia. His current project focuses on the neuroimaging of sports concussion and mild traumatic brain injury.

Having grown up in Franklin, Bryson graduated from Centennial High School in 2005 before earning his bachelor’s in psychology at Middle Tennessee State University. He is married to fellow CHS graduate Erica Bohlen (now Erica Reynolds).

What led you to want to study neuroscience?

When I started college, my interest was in psychology with a goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. However, as I learned more about psychology, I realized that I was more interested in the brain and how it worked than I was in clinical work. The brain is the most complex organization of matter in the universe (as far as we know) and it is responsible for everything we think, feel and experience. How can you not want to study it?

What specific area of neuroscience interests you the most and why?

I use the many capabilities of MRI to study the structure and function of the human brain. More specifically, I study concussion and head impact in sports. I work on describing the frequency and severity of head impact in sports, while exploring the structural and functional consequences of these impacts.

What did you enjoy most about your high school experience?

Participating in JROTC and theater were probably two of the most influential experiences I had in high school. JROTC taught me about respect, responsibility and leadership. Theater helped me get out of my comfort zone and feel more comfortable about who I am.

What WCS teacher made a difference in your life and how?

As I already mentioned JROTC, LTC Goodwin and Sgt. “Top” Gill, and theater, Mrs. Ward, were an important part of high school for me. In addition, Mr. Roberts (Physics) and Mrs. Wood (Psychology) helped foster my drive to investigate how the world, and the brain, works. Several other teachers also made a difference in my life.

Do you have any advice for current WCS students?

I was not a very good student in high school (i.e. I graduated in the bottom half of my class). However, contrary to what it may feel like, high school does not determine how successful you will be in life. Any advantage you may have gained or lost in high school can be squandered or overcome, depending on what you do next.

Also, MTSU is very affordable and you can get an excellent education there if you work for it. In my first year of graduate school at UVA, I found myself in classes with students who graduated from the upper echelon of undergraduate institutions (Harvard, Johns Hopkins, etc.), and at no point did I feel that my education from MTSU put me at a disadvantage compared to my peers.

Two more Williamson County schools are being recognized for overall academic excellence by the U.S. Department of Education.

The DOE announced September 29 that Clovercroft Elementary and Ravenwood High are 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

“This is an incredible accomplishment,” said Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney. “I am proud of the hard work by our students and staff at Clovercroft and Ravenwood. As a district, we now have eight schools to reach this milestone.”

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either high-performing or have improved student achievement to high levels. The program sets a standard of excellence for all schools striving for the highest level of achievement.

Clovercroft Elementary Principal Dr. Laura LaChance says this would not have been possible without the commitment of all the students, staff and parents.

“It is so rewarding and affirming to be selected for an award like this,” said LaChance. “It’s nice to know that the joint effort between all of us has paid off and that other people have noticed just how amazing these kids are and how hard they’ve worked.”

Like LaChance, Ravenwood Principal Dr. Pam Vaden says this accomplishment is an example of what can happen when people work together toward a common goal.

“Ravenwood High School has demonstrated the incredible accomplishments that can be achieved when a school joins in a true partnership with its community,” said Vaden. “In its inaugural year, Ravenwood students and teachers hit the ground running and never stopped. The credit goes to them.”

Clovercroft and Ravenwood will be honored during a recognition ceremony on November 9-10 in Washington, D.C. Approximately 8,000 schools nationwide have received Blue Ribbon Awards in the program’s history.

Grassland Middle was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2004; Brentwood Middle received the award in 2006; Page High won the award in 2011; and Hillsboro, Kenrose and Trinity received the award in 2014.

BHS Bowler Kamron Doyle.

A Brentwood High School senior is a national record holder in the sport of bowling.

Kamron Doyle currently holds the record for the highest average score in the nation with a score of 250.8 for the 2013-14 bowling season. The record is kept by the U.S. High School Bowling Foundation.

“It’s pretty cool to hold a national record, especially since the previous record holder is one of my best friends,” said Kamron. “I hope this encourages other bowlers to practice and get better so that they can possibly break the record.”

Kamron plans to continue his bowling and academic success at Wichita State University.

“I am very proud of Kamron’s tenacity on the lanes,” said BHS bowling coach Jessica Crosby. “Kamron inspires his teammates, and they have learned so much by bowling with him. This award really just solidifies what we already know about Kamron — that he is an exceptional bowler.”

BHS Golf. Front row (L-R): Nash Gilchrist, Lucas Adcock and Trey Tobias. Back row (L-R): Dabney Dickenson, Eli Charron, Trevor Johnson, John Tyminski, Trenton Johnson, Ty Craig and Coach Bud Robison.

Amongst dreary skies and one weather delay, the Brentwood Boys golf team has made history by winning the first golf state championship in school history.

“Coming off last year’s runner up finish, our team was exceptionally motivated to get back in the mix at the state championships,” said BHS golf coach Bud Robison. “It was a pleasure watching our guys battle the steady drizzle and gusty winds and win by a single stroke.”

The team could only roster six players for state. Those members are:

Eli Charron, Junior
Dabney Dickenson, Senior
Trenton Johnson, Senior
Trevor Johnson, Freshman
Trey Tobias, Junior (alternate)
John Tyminski, Senior

Other members of the golf team include: Ty Craig, Tyler Coggin, Nash Gilchrist, Garrett Williams, Linden Hardee, Lucas Adcock and Whit “Gus” Devine.

Fall sports at the middle school level are wrapping up this week and next week, with most finishing the season with the Williamson Middle Athletic Association (WMAA) championships. Below are the results of their competitions – congratulations to all participants.

BMS Girls Cross Country team.

Girls Cross Country

The Brentwood Middle cross country girls team took the WMAA gold. During the competition, the girls ran their best meet yet with five girls placing in the top eight individually and finishing with a team score of 28. Team members include Beth Donnelly, Sidney Hedgepeth, Olivia Moody, Elle Scott, Anna Banovac, Hayley Howard, Eden Mittelsdorf, Amelia Osgood, Sophia Rutherford and Meghan Lee. The team is coached by Nathan Cummings, Mickey Johnson and Hudson Neely.

Grassland Middle boys cross country team.

Boys Cross Country

Grassland Middle took gold at the championships this year. Team members include Jake Russell, Joey Cuthbert, Sam Lowe, Brandon Parrish, Warner Campbell, Graham Ferguson, Will Beasley, Eli Zani and Wyatt Harnage. This is the fourth consecutive county title and the fourth consecutive undefeated season for the Generals. The team is coached by Michael Williams, Kori mueller and Maribel Gadams.

Spring Station Lady Mustang Golf

Golf

Spring Station Middle won the girls golf tournament. Team members include Jolene Pieczura, Maddie Combiths, Alison Dropp and Claudette Runk. The golf team is coached by Lori Dropp.

Boys Golf will complete their competition on Monday, October 5.

Page Middle Volleyball team.

Volleyball

Page Middle defeated Brentwood Middle in the WMAA championship game. That leaves the Panthers with a 48-1 record over the past three years. The team is coached by head coach Amber Hastings and assistant coach Suzanne Daughtrey.

BMS girls tennis team.

Girls Team Tennis

Brentwood Middle School won this year’s tennis championships. Team members include Evie Calhoun, Hamsa Javagal, Belle Huddleston, Alexis Victory, Caroline Snyder, Kate Bourlakas and Michelle Qui.

BMS Boys Tennis team

Boys Team Tennis

Brentwood Middle School also won the boys tennis championships. Team members include Jack Rando, William Smith, Charlie Craft, Robby Howard, Trent McNeilly, James Smith and Christopher Shiflett.

Both Brentwood Middle tennis teams are coached by Jordan Kook.

Five Williamson County students will represent the district at the 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in Texas.

Representatives from the U.S. Army All-American Bowl traveled to Franklin High School October 7 to honor FHS students Michael Hall, David Curtis and Anaea Dossey. The Franklin High Band Directors are David Aydelott, Jacob Camps and Michael Holland.

On October 8,  Ravenwood High School students Thomas Vines and Taylor Winkler were honored as well. The Ravenwood High band directors are Mark Kinzer and Brant Poindexter.

The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band features the 125 top marching band members from across the United States. Members are selected by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in cooperation with All American Games and Drum Corps International.

Students are nominated by their band director in the fall of their junior year, submit application materials in the spring of their junior year and are notified of acceptance by NAfME in late summer before their senior year.

The 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl will take place Saturday, January 9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.

FHS Teacher Leya White

Franklin High JOBS Transition Teacher Leya White has become the newest Williamson County educator to be given an award for the positive difference she makes in and out of the classroom.

White has been named the Teacher of the Year by the Tennessee Council for Exceptional Children (TN-CEC).

“I am extremely honored and a little shocked to be nominated for this award,” said White. “I am thankful to be able to teach such hardworking students and work with such dedicated professionals. Although this award was given to me individually, it represents the successes and accomplishments of the Transition II students at Franklin High School.”

White was nominated by her students. She will receive her award at the TN-CEC Fall Conference October 22 and 23 in Nashville.

As district tournament play finishes and region play continues, girls soccer and volleyball teams have announced their All-District teams. The teams are selected by the coaches and announced either during each sport’s district tournament.

PHS Senior Madison Tarabay (left) with PHS Assistant Principal Randy Hatley.

WCS students continue to earn awards at the national level and Page High senior Madison Tarabay is the most recent example of how a dream and a lot of hard work is starting to make a difference in her life.

During the summer of 2014, Madison was nominated by staff members at Page High to attend the Envision Medical Leadership Forum Program in New York. Through friendships formed at this forum, Madison found herself nominated to attend yet another prestigious conference, the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, which took place in Boston June 24-26.

The congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields.

“Attending this congress to me meant that my hard work was actually paying off, further getting me to my future goal of becoming a surgeon,” said Madison. “I took away from the conference a confidence in what I want in life. My generation is the future of medicine and we were told to bring out that greatness within us. I plan to do just that.”

In addition to attending the Congress, Madison also received the Award of Excellence.

“To me, this award represents passion and honor,” said Madison. “I love the feeling of excelling in school, which makes my family proud of me, and I hope I can continue to excel and make them proud.”

After high school, Madison plans to attend the Arts and Sciences Program at the University of Alabama to major in Pre-Medicine.

Gabrielle Boulay during the elementary state cross country meet.

She might only be in the fifth grade at Winstead Elementary, but this is one runner you do not want to challenge to a mile race – unless you plan to lose.

Gabrielle Boulay is the new state record holder for the mile run at the Tennessee Elementary Cross Country State Meet with a blistering time of 5:35. Not only did Gabrielle break the state record, which was her record from last year, but she broke the meet record as well. Gabby is the first elementary female in the state to win back-to-back titles.

“Winning this race was a big honor for me, my team, my friends and my family,” said Gabrielle. “I just remembered throughout the race that I was going to do this for the people who are supporting me back in Franklin.”

Gabrielle is also a hard worker in the classroom, bringing the same intensity and dedication to her academic studies as she does to her athletic pursuits.

“Gabrielle is an amazing athlete and wonderful student,” said Winstead Elementary Principal Kathy Wells. “She works hard during the school day on her academics and is self-motivated in all areas. I am very proud of her focus to break her record and the state record.”

Gabrielle has big things planned for her academic and athletic future.

“I have plans to continue to run in both middle and high school,” said Gabrielle. “I have seen quite a few people who have run in middle and high school and gone on to the Junior Olympics or have received scholarships to great colleges. I feel strongly about taking my running career as far as I can go and hope to continue running long into the future.”