Oak Ridge Today

ORHS Brass Quintet at Band Concert this Thursday

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Santa with the Oak Ridge High School Brass Quintet: Michael Bytell-Lancer—trumpet, Logan Swain—trombone, Ty Dahl—trumpet, Travis Pitz—horn, and Issair Franquez—tuba. (Photo credit: Atom Ray Photography, Angela Carr, photographer; used with permission)

 

The Oak Ridge High School Brass Quintet welcomed Santa to Jackson Square on Saturday, and the Brass Quintet will be just one of the student groups to be enjoyed at the ORHS Band Concert this Thursday.

“Band directors Spence Milligan and Mike Spirko—along with the JazzKats, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Combined Bands—invite you to come and enjoy an evening performance with a little jazz, a little jingle—and a lot of jolly!” organizers said in a press release. “The always popular annual rendition of ‘Sleigh Ride,’ by Leroy Anderson, performed by the Combined Bands will surely make your season bright!” [Read more…]

Reminder: ORHS Masquers present a comedy, ‘Dearly Beloved,’ this weekend

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Dearly Beloved

Oak Ridge High School Masquers, the school’s drama program, will present Jones, Hope, and Wooten’s Texas-sized comedy “Dearly Beloved” for three performances in November. Pictured above are the Futrelle Sisters, from left to right, Twink (Sarah Hepler), Frankie (Mary Kemp), and Honey Raye (Arianna Walker). (Submitted photo)

 

By Ben Fowler

Oak Ridge High School Masquers, the school’s drama program, will present Jones, Hope, and Wooten’s Texas-sized comedy “Dearly Beloved” for three performances in November.

The performances are scheduled for Thursday, November 10, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, November 12 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, November 13, at 2 p.m., at the Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center, or ORPAC, at Oak Ridge High School.

“Dearly Beloved” is the story of the Frankie, Honey Rae, and Twink as they prepare to throw a wedding for Frankie’s daughter. The Futrelle Sisters try to stay ahead of the Fayro, Texas, rumor mill, but with Frankie’s repeated conversations with her dead mother, Honey Rae’s many trips to the marriage chapel, and Twink’s desperate attempts to get her long-time boyfriend down the aisle for the first time, the odds are against them. Add in their personal tensions of who broke up the Futrelle Sisters’ gospel group, The Sermonettes, and laughter ensues. This southern comedy, filled with crazy family, odd ball love interests, and a nosy neighbor or two, is sure to delight. [Read more…]

Roane State, ORHS dual enrollment art program gives students unique experiences, opportunities

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Roane State associate professor of art and design Bryan Wilkerson teaches dual enrollment ceramics at Oak Ridge High School, partnering with ORHS teacher Gisela Schrock. Front from left are student Katie Stewart, Wilkerson, and students Olivia Hoyt and Brennan Whitson. Back, from left, are students Waverly Mullins, Josh Stanfill, Chloe Southmayd, Stevie Logan, Kaitlan Paine, Melena Haynes, Katie Roach and Mary Klages. (Photo by Roane State)

Roane State associate professor of art and design Bryan Wilkerson teaches dual enrollment ceramics at Oak Ridge High School, partnering with ORHS teacher Gisela Schrock. Front from left are student Katie Stewart, Wilkerson, and students Olivia Hoyt and Brennan Whitson. Back, from left, are students Waverly Mullins, Josh Stanfill, Chloe Southmayd, Stevie Logan, Kaitlan Paine, Melena Haynes, Katie Roach, and Mary Klages. (Photo by Roane State)

 

Artists working in ceramics must also be part scientist and part engineer, says Roane State’s Bryan Wilkerson, an associate professor of art and design on the college’s Oak Ridge campus.

Oak Ridge High School students involved in the college’s dual enrollment program in ceramics are mastering those challenges as they mold their artistic skills. They are being supervised and taught by Wilkerson and high school art teacher Gisela Schrock.

Wilkerson and Schrock launched the dual enrollment program after meeting at the Knoxville Museum of Art and becoming friends.

“Gisela and I are very different in how we approach teaching art,” Wilkerson said. “I think it’s good for students to get multiple feedback and instruction, but we also communicate so we’re on the same page.” [Read more…]

Convertible laptops provided to two grades at ORHS as part of Access Oak Ridge

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Convertible laptops were provided to 9th-grade and 10th-grade students at Oak Ridge High School in October as part of Oak Ridge Schools’ digital initiative, which is known as Access Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

Convertible laptops were provided to 9th-grade and 10th-grade students at Oak Ridge High School in October as part of Oak Ridge Schools’ digital initiative, which is known as Access Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

 

Convertible laptops were provided to 9th-grade and 10th-grade students at Oak Ridge High School in October as part of Oak Ridge Schools’ digital initiative, which is known as Access Oak Ridge.

The roll-out to the two grades at ORHS was launched the week of October 17.

“Through our Access Oak Ridge digital one-to-one initiative, our vision is to empower all Oak Ridge students with equitable access to digital learning opportunities; to innovate, design, collaborate, and ultimately succeed in local and global communities of the future,” a press release said. “This initiative is geared toward increasing opportunities for creativity and out-of-the-box problem solving. In a 1:1 environment, teachers can serve as collaborative facilitators in an atmosphere of timely information gathering and authentic problem-based learning.”

The student laptops or portable devices are also in use or being rolled out in other nearby school districts, including in Anderson County and Clinton. They’ve previously been distributed to students in some other grade levels in Oak Ridge, starting with some students in the city’s two middle schools. [Read more…]

Oak Ridger wins Paul Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award

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On Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, Jack Bailey of Oak Ridge and Demeco Ryans of Bessemer, Ala., received the University of Alabama’s Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award during halftime of the Crimson Tide’s first home game against Western Kentucky. (Submitted photo)

 

On Saturday, September 10, Jack Bailey of Oak Ridge and Demeco Ryans of Bessemer, Alabama, received the University of Alabama’s Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award during halftime of the Crimson Tide’s first home game against Western Kentucky.

The award, presented by the University of Alabama National Alumni Association, was bestowed on the two men at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

Bailey, past district governor of Rotary District 6780 (which has 3,200 Rotarians in 65 clubs in East Tennessee) and a graduate of Oak Ridge High School, is the first male track and field athlete to receive the award in its 29-year history.

Ryans played football for the Crimson Tide from 2002 to 2005 and in the NFL for 10 years.

The award honors them for “their exceptional accomplishments regarding character, contributions to society, professional achievements, and service to their fellowman.” Past recipients include Bart Starr, Ozzie Newsome, Lee Roy Jordan, Bill Battle, Mal Moore, Joe Namath, and Sylvester Croom Jr. [Read more…]

Photo: ORHS 2016 Homecoming King, Queen

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Pictured above are Oak Ridge High School 2016 Homecoming King Tyshawn Young, right, and Queen Courtney Ellison. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

The Oak Ridge High School 2016 Homecoming King and Queen were announced at halftime of the Oak Ridge-Sevier County football game on Friday, which was Homecoming.

The 2016 Homecoming King is Tyshawn Young, and the Homecoming Queen is Courtney Ellison. Wildcats fans may recognize them as members of the boys and girls basketball teams.

The 2016 Homecoming Court is pictured below. [Read more…]

ORHS WildBand wins High Music Award at Maryville Marching Invitational

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The Oak Ridge High School WildBand won the High Music Award at the 2016 Maryville Marching Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. (Photo courtesy Merny Hughey/ORHS WildBand)

 

The Oak Ridge High School WildBand won the High Music Award at the 2016 Maryville Marching Invitational on Saturday, September 17.

This is the third year in a row that Oak Ridge has earned the award, said Merny Hughey, music and teacher assistant.

The band’s next competition will be at the Karns High School Marching Festival on Saturday, September 24.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Photos: ORHS WildBand, color guard perform in Lenoir City

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The Oak Ridge High School WildBand performs during halftime of the Oak Ridge-Lenoir City football game in Lenoir City on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge High School WildBand and color guard performed at halftime of the Oak Ridge-Lenoir City football game on Friday. Here are pictures by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today. [Read more…]

ORHS 2016 volleyball schedule

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Oak Ridge High School Varsity Volleyball Team 2016

The Oak Ridge High School varsity volleyball team is pictured above—front row: Reagan Dickens, Alex Sherles, Emily Lawless;
back row: Coach Dave Kolodney, Beth Wyatt, J-J Valencia, Olivia Milloway, Stella Powell, Carolyn Pelfrey, and Isabelle Waraksa. (Submitted photo)

 

Here is the 2016 schedule for the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats volleyball team. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge High School has open house Thursday

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Oak Ridge High School will have an Open House on Thursday, August 25, beginning at 5:15 p.m. in the Food Court. Parents are asked to print their student’s schedules prior to the event from Skyward Family Access.

From 5:15-6 p.m., school guidance counselors will have PSAT sign-up and senior information tables. Many school clubs and organizations will have information tables set up during this time, a press release said. Food and drinks will be sold by the Oak Ridge High School Orchestra Boosters. PTSO will be accepting donations of hand sanitizer and Kleenex for classrooms. [Read more…]

White House recognizes Vaughan as outstanding ORHS math teacher

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Elaine Vaughan

Elaine Vaughan

 

Note: This story was last updated at 4:30 p.m.

Elaine Vaughan of Oak Ridge High School was recognized Monday as an outstanding math teacher by President Barack Obama.

Vaughan is one of only 213 mathematics and science teachers from across the country and U.S. territories who received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

The awardees represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity schools. The educators will receive their awards at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on September 8.

Vaughan was named in the Grades 7-12 Award Cohort.

Nicole Resmondo, a science teacher at Gresham Middle School in Knoxville, was named in the Grades K-6 Award Cohort.

A total of four teachers were recognized in Tennessee in the two cohorts.  [Read more…]

Early Bird Tournament Bronze Champs: ORHS varsity volleyball team beats Harpeth to win

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Oak Ridge High School Varsity Volleyball Team 2016

The Oak Ridge High School varsity volleyball team is pictured above—front row: Reagan Dickens, Alex Sherles, Emily Lawless; back row: Coach Dave Kolodney, Beth Wyatt, J-J Valencia, Olivia Milloway, Stella Powell, Carolyn Pelfrey, and Isabelle Waraksa. (Submitted photo)

 

When Oak Ridge High School’s volleyball season kicked in last Tuesday, new volleyball coach Dave Kolodney knew the team had the skills to be contenders. Winning the bronze bracket last Saturday night at the Early Bird Tournament proved this to be true.

“I think we showed a lot this weekend,” Kolodney said. “Two-day tournaments are always tough to keep energy up and stay focused over such a long time and with long breaks between matches, but they did both. And I think they proved something to themselves that they can dig deep when they’re down, find that extra gear, and fight through adversity. We may not have been in the bracket we were hoping for in the beginning, but to win any bracket is an achievement and I’m so proud of the way they played from start to finish.” [Read more…]