Oak Ridge Today

Softball: Lady Wildcats to honor Coach Johnson during last regular-season game tonight

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The 2017 Oak Ridge High School softball team is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

The 2017 Oak Ridge High School softball team is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will honor retired Coach Marianne Johnson during the last regular-season game today (Thursday, April 27).

Coach Johnson retired in July 2016 after serving the student-athletes of Oak Ridge High School from 1985-2016, an event flyer said.

“Enjoy a night of memories with Coach Johnson and the ‘Pink Out’ night softball game with the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats versus Concord Christian Lions,” the flyer said. “Come join us in celebrating Coach Marianne Johnson Appreciation Night.” [Read more…]

Three Oak Ridge teachers named outstanding educators by Humanities Tennessee

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Benjamin Fowler and Julie Golden of Oak Ridge High School and Scot Smith of Robertsville Middle School have been named as Outstanding Educators for 2017 by Humanities Tennessee. Three of this year’s six recipients of the award are from Oak Ridge Schools. According to Humanities Tennessee, the Outstanding Educator Awards recognize teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching the humanities and who encourage the humanities to be an important part of their students’ lives. Each of the recipients, selected from a pool of nominees from across the state, receive a $2,000 fellowship to further their professional development in the humanities; their schools receive $1,500 for humanities programs and materials, a press release said. [Read more…]

ORHS student wins National Merit Scholarship

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Oak Ridge High School student Lara S. Blokland has won a National Merit Scholarship. The scholarship winners were announced this week by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Blokland is one of two area students to win a National Merit Battelle Scholarship. The other is Nalin H. Varma of Farragut High School.

Blokland’s probable career field is physics, a press release said, and Varma could study chemical engineering.

This week’s announcement was the first announcement of National Merit Scholars in 2017 by National Merit Scholarship Corporation, or NMSC. NMSC will name recipients of National Merit $2,500 Scholarships on May 10 and winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards on June 7 and July 17. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Junior Police Academy is in June

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Oak Ridge Police Department Badge

The sixth annual Oak Ridge Junior Police Academy will be held this summer from June 11 through June 29. The Junior Police Academy will be using an age-appropriate format this year, which will allow three separate sessions.

Sessions will be based on the grade that is obtained for the 2017 through 2018 school year, a press release said.

  • 7th grade through graduating seniors: This session will be a Junior Police Forensic Academy, an intensive week of forensic training in crime scene investigation, and the science involved. It is targeted toward those who may be interested in a career in forensic science. The training environment will be classroom and lab setting.
  • 8th grade through graduating seniors: This session will target students who may be interested in a law enforcement career. Training will focus on basic policing and law enforcement techniques.
  • 5th grade through 7th grade: This session will be a junior police camp with a police theme and will focus on group activities and team building exercises.

Are you right for the Junior Police Academy? Answer these questions: Have you thought about what you are going to do after school? Have you ever wondered exactly what a police officer does? Are you interested in a career in law or paralegal? Would you be interested in learning more about law enforcement? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you are a great candidate for the Oak Ridge Junior Police Academy. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge students compete in Southern Appalachian Science, Engineering Fair

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Ryan Armstrong earned second place for his project titled “Quantifying the Evolution of Gas from Li-ion Battery Materials” under the mentorship of Gabriel Veith of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Along with a $750 scholarship and trophy, Ryan will travel to Los Angeles, California in May to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair. (Submitted photo)

Ryan Armstrong earned second place for his project titled “Quantifying the Evolution of Gas from Li-ion Battery Materials” under the mentorship of Gabriel Veith of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Along with a $750 scholarship and trophy, Ryan will travel to Los Angeles, California, in May to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair. (Submitted photo)

 

Seven research students from Oak Ridge High School competed in the 66th Annual Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair hosted at the University of Tennessee. The competition was held March 27-30 with the awards ceremony on Thursday evening. There were 55 Senior Division projects in competition, a press release said.

Five of the students were part of the Math, Science, and Computer Science Thesis course at ORHS that is advised by Tammy Carneim and Jessica Williams. The remaining two did their research independently with the help of teachers Deni Sobek and Sharon Thomas.

Ryan Armstrong earned second place for his project titled “Quantifying the Evolution of Gas from Li-ion Battery Materials” under the mentorship of Gabriel Veith of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Along with a $750 scholarship and trophy, Armstrong will travel to Los Angeles, California, in May to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Jasleen Narula earned fourth place and $100 for her project titled “Rapid High-Throughput Toxicity Screening of East Tennessee Water Samples Using Autobioluminescent Yeast Assay” under the mentorship of Steven Ripp. [Read more…]

Man indicted on reckless homicide charge in death of Lauren Fritts

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Troy Andrew Venable

Troy Andrew Venable

 

An Oak Ridge man has been indicted on a reckless homicide charge in the death of an Oak Ridge High School graduate and former goalkeeper for the Lady Wildcats who was, at the time of her death, the member and customer service representative at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

Lauren Alexandra Fritts, 26, died Saturday, October 8, 2016, according to her obituary.

Troy Andrew Venable, 28, was indicted on the reckless homicide charge in her death on Tuesday, April 4. He was arrested Friday afternoon and released about four hours later from the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton. His bond has been set at $25,000. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Baseball Complex could be re-named in honor of volunteer

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The Oak Ridge Baseball Complex on Wilberforce Avenue could be re-named the Joe Mason Baseball Complex in honor of long-time community volunteer Joe Mason.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the re-naming during its Monday night meeting.

Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Director Jonathan Hetrick said administrators at Oak Ridge Schools and the Baseball Boosters Association have requested the re-naming.

“Mr. Mason is a 1958 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, where he lettered in baseball and football,” Hetrick said. “He has continued to support high school athletics in Oak Ridge, especially baseball, throughout his life. He spent many years coaching youth baseball in Oak Ridge. For over 30 years, he has led the maintenance efforts of the home field for the high school baseball team, Bobby Hopkins Field, along with the other ballfields at the complex. [Read more…]

Education Foundation to award more than $90,000 in grants in April 26 ceremony

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A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

 

In the final year of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award more than $90,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, a press release said.

Shirley Raines, president emeritus of the University of Memphis, will be the featured speaker, the press release said. She will give a talk titled, “Dreamers, Thinkers, Doers.”

The grants ceremony is open to the public, and it will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 4 p.m. April 26.

Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given after the formal ceremony, the press release said. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Oak Ridge Utility District.

The 2017 grant recipients are as follows: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Civic Ballet to present ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘The Firebird’ on Saturday

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The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association will present “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Firebird” on Saturday, April 8, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. (Photo by ORCBA)

The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association will present “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Firebird” on Saturday, April 8, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. (Photo by ORCBA)

 

The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association will present “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Firebird” on Saturday.

You will also have a chance to meet “Belle” and her royal friends at the Princess Tea Party on Saturday.

Both events are at Oak Ridge High School. The Princess Tea Party is Saturday morning, April 8, and the shows are Saturday afternoon and evening.

“Beauty and the Beast,” is the classic tale of an arrogant prince who is turned into a hideous Beast until he learns to love and be loved in return, a press release said. Directed and choreographed by Sharon Nicklow-Cousins and Sarah Jett, the talented dancers of the Civic Ballet bring to life Belle, the Beast, and their castle servants.

“The whole family will enjoy the ballet as our gifted dancers enter the world of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” said Christy Rickman, ORCBA president. [Read more…]

Local students selected for master class with renowned violinist

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Top row from left above are Kate Hausladen, Michael Ma, and Rachel Barton Pine; and bottom row from left are Sidney Matlock and Hannah Shipstad. (Submitted photos)

Top row from left above are Kate Hausladen, Michael Ma, and Rachel Barton Pine; and bottom row from left are Sidney Matlock and Hannah Shipstad. (Submitted photos)

 

Four East Tennessee students have been selected to participate in a special master class with celebrated concert violinist Rachel Barton Pine on Friday.

The master class is from 3-5 p.m. Friday, March 31, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. It’s part of a series of concerts and outreach activities featuring Pine and presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.

Kate Hausladen is a 15-year-old sophomore at Oak Ridge High School. She began playing violin at the age of four, studying with Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra violist Susan Shor, and has been studying with Karen Kartal for the past six years. She has been a member of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Association since 2010, and she has played in the Youth Orchestra for the past two years. She has been chosen to play in the Youth Aliyah annual concert in Oak Ridge several times and was selected to the All East and All State orchestras in 2016.

Hausladen is also a competitive soccer player and was All State for the 300-meter hurdles in 2016.

She will perform “Rondo,” the last movement in “Symphonie Espagnole” by Edouard Lalo.

Michael Ma is a senior at Oak Ridge High School. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge wins Taxslayer Border Classic soccer tournament

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats won the championship game 1-0 over Lowndes High School from Valdosta, Georgia, during the Taxslayer Border Classic Soccer Invitational in Augusta, Georgia, on Saturday, March 18, 2017. (Photo submitted by Cathy Lawless)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats won the championship game 1-0 over Lowndes High School from Valdosta, Georgia, during the Taxslayer Border Classic Soccer Invitational in Augusta, Georgia, on Saturday, March 18, 2017. (Photo submitted by Cathy Lawless)

 

By Jeff Trombly

The Oak Ridge Wildcats traveled to Augusta, Georgia, this past week to participate in the Taxslayer Border Classic Soccer Invitational hosted by Greenbrier High School.

The 36-team tournament was held over three days and included teams from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Oak Ridge High School was the only team from Tennessee in this year’s tournament.

The Wildcats won their first match against a very talented Walton High School team from suburban Atlanta 4-3 in a penalty kick tie-breaker. There was a 1-1 draw during regular time, when Carson McGhee scored for Oak Ridge. McGhee, a junior, scored when he slammed home a rebound from a corner kick by senior Austin Vinyard.

Oak Ridge junior goalkeeper Austyn Lincoln saved two Walton penalty kicks in the tie-breaker to lead the Wildcats to victory. [Read more…]

See the 2017 ORHS track and field schedule

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Here is the 2017 Oak Ridge High School track and field schedule. The first meet is Saturday at Hardin Valley. [Read more…]