Top science fair participants from each school in grades 3 – 12 competed in the Cheatham County District Wide Science Fair on Thursday, October 22. Emily Staggs (science fair coordinator) said, “The science fair is an opportunity for our students to shine bright. We are also very thankful for the community support shown to our participants.”

Community judges included Representative Mary Littleton, Commissioner Diana Pike Lovell, Mayor Tony Gross (Kingston Springs), Mayor Perry Keenan (Pleasant View), and Michele Collins (community leader and former school board chairman).

According to Staggs, Sycamore High School choir, Sycamore Middle School dance team, and Emma Baker (student at Cheatham Middle School) provided entertainment throughout the evening.

​Staggs said, “This event would not have been possible without the generous support of A.O. Smith and our wonderful food sponsors: BJ’s Family Restaurant, Cody’s Diner, The Livery Stables, and The Lunch Box.” 

The Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced this week as national Teen Driver Safety Week. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for U.S. teens 15 to 19 years old. Multiple state agencies are making teen driver safety a priority and encouraging parents and caregivers to set aside time this week to get involved.
 
“Our office has made great strides in communicating safe driving practices directly to teen drivers,” said Kendell Poole, Director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. “However, we need this information reinforced at home. Parents should not just hand over the keys without having a discussion about the rules of the road. These young drivers need guidance now more than ever.”
 
Tennessee’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) Program is a multi-tiered program designed to ease young novice drivers into full driving privileges as they become more mature and develop their driving skills. It places certain restrictions on teens under the age of 18 who have learner permits and driver licenses. The program requires parent/legal guardian involvement and emphasizes the importance of a good driving record.
 
“The Graduated Driver License law was put into effect in Tennessee in 2001,” said Director of Driver Services Michael Hogan.  “It has been a huge asset in educating teens to be safe drivers as well as develop their driving skills. Driving a vehicle is a privilege, and teens are expected to take the privilege seriously by making safe choices when driving.  Parents are part of this life-saving initiative and we encourage all parents to know the GDL law.”
 
Last year, there were over 100 fatalities statewide that involved a teen driver. Reckless or inexperienced driving puts the teen, as well as everyone around the teen driver, at risk. A recent study suggests that nearly 14% of Tennessee parents are not aware that a GDL law exists.
 
“From 2010 to 2014, 357 teens between the ages of 15-19 died in motor vehicle crashes in Tennessee,” said Tennessee Department of Health Injury Prevention Manager Terrence Love. “The GDL ‘graduated’ steps such as:  limiting teen passengers, limiting driving hours at night, supervised practice driving, seat belt use, and eliminating distracted driving are GDL legal requirements that parents can use as tools to reduce teen crashes and fatalities.  Our department is committed to working with parents, students, and law enforcement to increase GDL awareness and compliance.”
 
Parents can find more information about talking to their young drivers at www.safercar.gov/parents. If you are an educator and would like to bring traffic safety activities to your school, visit www.reducetncrashes.org.

The Cheatham County School District, in partnership with the UT/TSU Cheatham County Extension Office, hosted a dinner before the school board meeting on Monday, October 5.

“We are celebrating National 4-H Week, which is October 4 – 10,” said Sierra Knaus, UT/TSU extension agent in Cheatham County.

Knaus said 4-H is the largest youth organization in Cheatham County, which has over 2,000 members. “Our organization relies on many community partners and volunteers to make 4-H successful. One such partnership is our public school system,” Knaus added.

Tara Watson, the school district’s chief academic officer said, “We are very happy to partner with UT/TSU Extension and pleased to host 60 4-H clubs across our district.”

Watson said the meal prior to the school board meeting is a great way for community leaders to discuss opportunities for Cheatham County students. “We are grateful for the generosity of our Cheatham County extension office and encouraged by the great things they are accomplishing,” she said.

Knaus said, “Our intent for hosting this time for positive discussion was to demonstrate how our youth are growing into responsible citizens, which is exactly what community leaders want to see.”

Ronnie Barron (county extension director), Sierra Knaus (extension agent), and April Glover (extension agent) were all present during the school board meal.

The UT/TSU Cheatham County Extension Office is an outreach branch of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Tennessee State University College of Agriculture and Human and Natural Sciences, providing research-based solutions and information to the citizens of Tennessee.

​For additional information on extension services, visit http://cheatham.tennessee.edu/