Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment, Student Success

Bearden Student First to Earn Four CompTIA Certifications

Dr. Tim Cathcart and Vlad Serov in Bearden’s cyber lab.

Bearden High School senior Vladimir Serov is the first student in Knox County Schools to receive four certifications from CompTIA, one of the IT industry’s top trade associations. 

Bearden math and cybersecurity teacher Dr. Tim Cathcart affectionately calls these certifications the “Core Four,” which includes ITF+, A+, Network+, and Security+. The exams cover a range of IT, hardware, and software basics for those getting started in the field. 

Serov took the first exam in the spring semester of 2022.

“I crammed about 40 hours’ worth of video into three or four days. The test was the day after that,” he said. “I passed with a significant margin, which was surprising.”

Serov went on to pass the remaining exams during the year. He completed a fifth test, Linux+, in December.

CTE specialist Chris Tucker, who helped implement the partnership with CompTIA, is proud that Serov’s hard work has paid off.

“I see a very bright future for Vlad, but if there are other students that see this, I’m hopeful that they are encouraged that it is doable,” Tucker said.

Serov echoed Tucker’s hopes, saying, “I had no experience, no skill, which means that anyone can do the same thing I did.”

Serov and other classmates who are also working toward certifications recommended signing up for a computer science class or joining a cyber club or a CyberPatriot team for students who may be interested in the field but are unsure of where to start. 

The CTE department is working to add computer science classes to more high schools in the district in coming years to accommodate the growing interest in the field. 

“Knox County and Chris Tucker are really doing a good job of getting the word out to individual schools,” Stephen Schneiter, CompTIA’s Instructor Network Program Manager, said. “Bearden is really taking the lead on it.”

Earning certifications in high school, no matter the industry, helps students find employment in a high-wage and in-demand profession post-graduation.

“These certifications give you a leg up on life, and they help you be able to maximize your potential as a contributing member of society,” Cathcart said. “They are hopefully getting a better start in life.”

Bearden’s success in this field could be attributed to Cathcart’s passion for his students and Tucker’s work to establish partnerships with organizations in the industry. 

Andy Benson, a senior who has passed three exams and is working toward his fourth certification in the “Core Four,” is thankful for his teacher. 

“I think what Dr. Cathcart is doing is amazing,” Benson said. “I didn’t even think of computer science as something I wanted to go into until last year. He’s such a great teacher that I think I might be doing this as a job in the future.”

Cathcart came to Bearden after 32 years in the Air Force. Following his retirement from the military, he began looking for an opportunity to continue to serve in his community. 

This opportunity was found in the classroom. 

Local industry partners have also volunteered their time in the classroom to “light a fire in those individuals,” Tucker said.

These partnerships have also provided grants and funding, vouchers for students’ exams, and testing spaces.

 

Kaleigh Walker Community Partners, Student Success

Beaumont Students Share The Spotlight As Tiny Tim

Two students from Beaumont Magnet Academy are sharing the stage this month, playing the role of Tiny Tim in The Christmas Carol at the Clarence Brown Theater.

These young actors, second grader Penny Peterson and third grader Golden Littlejohn, are no strangers to performing in front of crowds.

“I’ve done a pre-show in my dad’s play, The Little Prince,” Peterson said. “Before the show started, I played in the sand with the character toys.”

Her mother, Amelia, directed this year’s musical at the Clarence Brown Theater, and her father, Joshua, is the Founding Artistic Director for the River & Rail Theatre Company.

Littlejohn has performed in school plays at Beaumont. Most recently, the school presented a show called The Greatest Snowman, a spin-off to the 2017 musical film The Greatest Showman. The year before, he was in the ensemble for The Great Big Holiday Bake Off.

“While I was doing it I was a little nervous,” Littlejohn said of his audition, set up by Beaumont theater teacher Amanda Taylor. “When I’m nervous and singing or doing a monologue, I just go faster.”

Both students were offered the role and began rehearsing in October. The pair take turns starring in the 28 performances that run from November 23 through December 18.

“We have to stay up late for some of them. We have to miss school for some of them,” Peterson said. “My favorite scene I do is the Cratchit scene because that’s Tiny Tim, and that’s the main character I play.”

Outside of performing, the students are active in their school. Littlejohn participated in the school spelling bee and is a Beaumont Ambassador.

“The first person I escorted around the school was the Superintendent,” he said with a proud smile. 

Both are thankful for the unique opportunities they have on and off the stage.

“It’s been a really good experience of learning, but also a fun theater experience that not a lot of kids get to do,” Littlejohn said. 

Kaleigh Walker Student Success

Halls Middle Beta Club Headed To Junior National Convention

The Halls Middle School Beta Club placed in seven events at the Tennessee Junior Beta Club Convention last month and will compete in the National Convention next summer.

Beta Club is a service-oriented organization for middle and high school students that focuses on academics, leadership, and character. There are chapters all over the United States, and schools compete once a year at the state level with the hopes of continuing to the national competition. 

The students in the HMS chapter have an impressive resume that has led them to Nationals for the past several years. So far this year, the club has volunteered at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Nashville, purchased Christmas gifts for a family in need, made a donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and promoted breast cancer awareness, decorated a tree for the Fantasy of Trees, and organized a 9/11 memorial assembly — just to name a few.

These volunteer opportunities are what led the club to earn first place in the Service Learning Showcase. 

“They work hard, and they give it their all,” Beta Club sponsor Dina Lane said.

In addition to placing in the Showcase, HMS also placed:

  • 1st in Color Photography (Lillian Holt),
  • 1st in Quilling (Lillian Holt),
  • 2nd in Living Literature (Katie Evans and Craye Newman),
  • 2nd in Portfolio (Katie Evans),
  • 2nd in Technology (Ben Tyson and Ben Keaton), and 
  • 5th in 7th Grade Mathematics (Ben Tyson).
 

The group will compete in Louisville, Kentucky, next summer.

While succeeding at this level is exciting for these middle school students, the members enjoy the other aspects even more.

“I like helping people, so that’s probably my biggest thing for Beta,” said Landon Chittum, who gave a speech at Junior Convention on “unsung heroes.”

Eight-grader Ella Miller said her favorite part of Beta Club is “probably when we do things for Children’s Hospital. It’s really nice when we’re able to do that for them.”

The next step for the eighth-grade students is to start a chapter at Halls High School.

“Beta Club can actually allow you to get scholarship money,” Lane said. “I know they would love to have one at the high school. I’ve offered to help.”

Other KCS students who placed at the state convention are:

  • 1st in 7th Grade Spanish (Miguel Escobar, Carter Middle)
  • 1st in Jewelry (Emmalee Long, Carter Middle)
  • 2nd in Onsite Art Painting (Kameryn Lee, Carter Middle)

 

Kaleigh Walker Student Success

Students Honored At Elementary Art Competition

Fourth-grader Avery Quilty and art teacher Genevieve Byrd at Pleasant Ridge Elementary with “Ice Cream Spidey.”

Three KCS students’ artwork will be on display at the Tennessee State Museum next year, as part of a statewide competition.

Elementary art teachers from across the state could submit their students’ work for the State of Tennessee Art Review and Showcase (STARS) competition, but only 19 pieces, the top three per grade level and one best of show, were selected. The showcase will be open to the public from January to May.

The KCS honorees are: 

  • 1st grader Joyce Hu (3rd place, Farragut Primary, art teacher Ruth Granroth),
  • 3rd grader Leah Powers (3rd place, Powell Elementary, art teacher Jenny Snead), and 
  • 4th grader Avery Quilty (3rd place, Pleasant Ridge Elementary, art teacher Genevieve Byrd).

Avery Quilty’s piece, which she named “Ice Cream Spidey,” was nominated by Byrd, who taught the fourth grade class about Henri Matisse, an artist famous for his collages.

“I wanted them to be able to look at his art and see how you can combine different types of shapes,” Byrd said. “I gave them a really, really broad theme. I said, ‘We’re going to combine a creature or animal with food.’”

Quilty sketched four different designs and decided to combine a strawberry ice cream cone with a six-legged spider, which she constructed out of paper and glue. 

“This is the first time something really big has happened in my life,” Quilty said. 

She plans to travel to Nashville in January for the ribbon presentation and to view her art in a museum for the first time. 

The fourth grader hopes to continue growing her artistic skills and one day become an animator.

Kaleigh Walker Community Partners

Superintendent’s Council Aims To Support District Priorities

As Knox County Schools works to strengthen ties between the district and local communities, a new initiative was launched this week to help foster engagement.

On Nov. 29 and 30, Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk met with the newly created Superintendent’s Council on Accelerated Learning.

The committee includes teachers, administrators, families, business leaders, higher education partners, and nonprofit leaders. Their goal is to provide insight and guidance from diverse perspectives about the district’s operations, while also serving as champions and advocates for KCS.

In particular, council members will help develop action plans to implement the district’s four priorities:

  • Excellence in Foundational Skills;
  • Great Educators in Every School;
  • Career Empowerment and Preparation; and
  • Success for Every Student.

The goal of this committee is “to be purposeful” and identify opportunities and shortcomings in each priority and develop detailed action plans on how to improve the district within these categories, Rysewyk said.

The Council will continue to meet throughout the school year to consider major items in each priority.

“With the knowledge and context we’re going to provide for you, give us your input and ideas,” Rysewyk told Council members. “Educating kids is not just the school system’s job. We all have to figure out as a community how we’re going to do that.”

The Council is not the only new group formed to help advise on the future of Knox County Schools.

Teacher Councils and Family and Community Councils were also created in each region to provide information-sharing and consultation between families and district leaders around items that impact schools, communities, and students. A Principal Advisory Council and CEO Champions Council will also advise the Superintendent directly.

Kaleigh Walker Student Success

Bearden Soccer Player Wins “High School Heisman”

Bearden High School senior Brinley Murphy signs a letter of intent to play soccer at the University of South Carolina.

Bearden High School soccer player Brinley Murphy received a prestigious honor this month when she was named one of two Heisman High School Scholarship winners for the state of Tennessee.

The $1,000 scholarship is sponsored by the Heisman Trophy, which also recognizes the most outstanding college football player in the country. The high school award is given to the most remarkable student-athletes in the country who make a difference on and off the field. 

Murphy was nominated by Bearden college counselor Susan Bolinger, who said, “she’s got some really great accolades, but more importantly, she’s just a great young woman.”

The list of her accolades is extensive, as she has been named the 2021-22 Tennessee Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year. In addition, she is three times All-State, All-Region, and All-District, a two-time Region MVP, a State MVP, MVP All-American, and she has led her team to two state championship wins. 

“She always goes above and beyond,” Bolinger said. “She makes Bearden a better place to be.”

When Bolinger told the star athlete she had been nominated, Murphy said, “it’s just a huge honor.”

Her family has been an integral part of her success. Both of her parents were also successful student athletes.

“They’ve always instilled in me to work hard no matter what,” Murphy said.

She also receives a phone call from her grandfather before every game to wish her luck. Once she committed to the University of South Carolina, she started receiving an additional call to make sure she was watching the match.

This constant encouragement and support from family, friends, and coaches is the reason she stays motivated in academics and athletics, she said.

This drive also led her to South Carolina.

“They just won an SEC championship for soccer, and they have the number one honors college in the country,” Murphy said. “I see myself succeeding the most there.”

In addition to joining the soccer team, Murphy plans to take pre-med courses.

“I’ve always wanted to be some kind of doctor,” she said. “I’ve always liked helping people.”

 

Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment, Great Educators

HVA Teacher Receives National Guard Promotion

Lt. Matthew Riddle with his wife, Jillian, at his graduation from Officer Candidate School in August 2022.

Earlier this year, Hardin Valley Academy math teacher 2nd Lt. Matthew Riddle celebrated a promotion to an officer in the Tennessee Army National Guard following a year and a half in Officer Candidate School (OCS).

Riddle joined the National Guard three years ago as an 09 Sierra, with the intention of becoming an officer. 

The lieutenant said he has always felt the calling to join the military. He was a part of Carson-Newman’s ROTC program and was ready to commit when his plans were abruptly put on hold.

“My younger brother got diagnosed with lymphoma in his brain,” Riddle said. “I felt like joining the Army and my brother, not knowing what was going to happen there, was not a great time to join up and possibly get deployed somewhere.”

Riddle then finished college, began teaching high school math, and got married before once again pursuing the military and OCS.

“The year and a half of OCS was probably the hardest thing I’ve had to accomplish,” he said.

Officer candidates attend monthly sessions throughout the program and two sessions of field operations training during the summers.

“It’s two and half weeks of miserable,” Riddle said. “And every single month, being able to mentally prepare yourself and stay physically fit and injury-free, it’s just very taxing.”

Riddle earned his commission as a second lieutenant in the Tennessee Army National Guard during a ceremony on August 13.

As difficult as the path to become an officer has been, leadership has always been a driving force for Riddle. He has adopted leadership positions in other areas of his life as an athletic coach and math teacher.

“I think it’s really a passion of mine as somebody that wants to lead, to be able to grow other people,” he said. “I like being able to push those that are younger to reach whatever their potential is.”

One way he leads his students is by educating them on the military and its benefits, so they consider it as a potential postgraduate pathway.

“KCS is pushing for this movement that not every kid has to attend a four-year university, and that’s okay,” Riddle said. “We need those trade schools, and we need those people that are willing to join the military.”

Riddle now looks ahead to a 16-week Basic Officer Leadership Course to further his career as a military intelligence officer. He is also pursuing a doctoral degree in mathematical education.

“I don’t know how I’ll introduce myself,” he joked. “At that time, it’ll be Dr. 1st Lt. Matthew Riddle.”

 

 

Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment, Student Success

Powell High Student Earns Perfect Score on ACT

Zach Carter, a senior at Powell High who recently earned a perfect score on the ACT, hopes to become a roller-coaster engineer.

Zach Carter made history for Powell High School as one of the few students in the country to make a perfect score on the ACT.

Carter took the test during the spring semester of his junior year and waited a week longer than his peers to receive his score. 

“I was pretty relieved,” Carter said. “They called me down to the guidance counseling office to surprise me. It was pretty special.”

To make the accomplishment even more impressive, Carter has dealt with vision problems all his life. He was born with motor nystagmus, an involuntary movement of the eyes, and said he “didn’t really have sight until a few months into my childhood.”

The Powell High senior received training and assistance through Knox County Schools to “help me work at a comparable standard to everyone else around me,” he said.

His mother, Stephanie Carter, said she is proud of her son and how he overcomes his obstacles.

“He’s never let his vision hold him back from what he wants to do,” she said. “He just pushes through it and finds a different way of accomplishing it.”

Principal Dr. Chad Smith believes Carter sets an example for younger students.

“When you let school work for you, look what it can do,” he said. “There should be no excuses. I think that’s the true testament.”

Carter credits his ACT success to teacher Micaiah Smoker’s ACT prep “boot camp.” PHS students of all ages are invited to attend a three-hour, Saturday morning course for test-taking tips, practice tests, and goal-setting. Smoker said students who attend generally see a two- to three-point increase in their score.

“Professionally, it made me feel like the work has been put in,” Smoker said, regarding Carter’s achievement following the boot camp. “It’s a monumental thing for him and Powell High School.”

What’s the next step for this soon-to-be graduate? Carter recently toured Ohio State University and the University of Tennessee, taking particular interest in their marching band and engineering programs. 

He said he hopes to continue participating in the band while working towards his dream career of becoming a roller coaster engineer. 

Regardless of where Carter decides to continue his education, he will be remembered at Powell High School.

“That accomplishment is something we’ll still be talking about long after Zach’s moved on, to show that it can be done with extra hard work, determination, and the right attitude,” Smith said. 

 

Kaleigh Walker Student Success

First Lady Visits Sarah Moore Greene On National Tour

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden speaks with Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy principal Robin Curry during a school visit on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona also met with students and teachers during the visit.

Students and teachers at Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy experienced a once-in-a-lifetime event on Monday as they welcomed First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as part of their national tour of schools.

Biden and Cardona, alongside Principal Robin Curry, visited the classroom of second-year teacher Kaitlyn Baker to meet students.

“When the press came in, all the students went silent,” Baker said, laughing. “But then the First Lady came in, and she really filled the space in the room and was building relationships with the students.”

Principal Curry said classroom visits are a natural part of a typical student learning walk.

“It was just awesome to be able to let her see our kids working hard and our teachers work on foundational literacy,” Curry said.

Biden also spoke with teachers in a small roundtable about educational support.

Farragut Intermediate special education teaching assistant Karol Harper discussed her experience entering the field through Tennessee’s unique Grow Your Own initiative, the state’s apprenticeship plan for preparing professionals transitioning into teaching positions.

The program was a major focus during Biden’s visit to the University of Tennessee later that day.

But the classroom visit and roundtable weren’t the only items on the agenda at Sarah Moore Greene. Biden and Curry had a surprise in store for the staff. Together, they unveiled a renovated lounge space featuring a calming color palette and comfortable furniture.

“I’m just grateful,” educational assistant Rachel Rodgers said. “To be able to go somewhere and sit and recharge and to enjoy your lunch. It’s a blessing to be able to have that.”

The new space has also helped to build community between teachers.

“Before, third grade teachers would sit with third grade. Fourth grade would sit with fourth grade,” Baker said. “But I’ve gotten to talk with other teachers too because we have a common space for when we don’t have students with us.”

All in all, Principal Curry hopes this visit inspires a long-lasting change in the community.

“I’m just hoping that we continue to focus on the great things that our community has, with our school being one of them,” Curry said.

The First Lady and Secretary of Education continued their tour with stops in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

 

Kaleigh Walker 865 Academies, Career Empowerment, Student Success

College Application Month Provides Support For Seniors

As many Knox County students begin their senior year, they are also faced with a question: What will they do after graduation?

The district’s college and career counselors are helping to guide these seniors with College Application and Exploration Month, a statewide event that aims to generate excitement and provide education about the college application process.

“Our goal is to motivate students pursuing a college education, particularly those students that may be first-generation or low-income,” said Gibbs High School college and career counselor Lisa Marie Brown.

Many universities across the state offer application fee waivers during September as part of the initiative, and KCS high schools have organized several events throughout the month for their students.

Gibbs High School is hosting a Senior Family Night for students to meet with campus representatives from various institutions to learn about their programs. School counselors will also be set up during lunches to help answer application questions.

“My hope for our college-going students is that they challenge themselves and use every resource available to them to learn, grow, and become successful,” Brown said.

Hardin Valley Academy senior Megan McElroy looks forward to meeting with different colleges this month to find the perfect fit for her.

“I’m planning to go to a community college for the Tennessee Promise,” she said. “I need [a university] that will take my transfer credits, something that is not super expensive, one that has a community so you feel supported, and they help you after you graduate.”

Seniors across the district will meet with their school counselors to discuss post-graduation plans. For those interested in pursuing a college education, more information on College Application and Exploration Month can be found here.