Student Handbook

LIFE

A publication created by journalism students at Dyer County High School and Dyersburg High School

The State Gazette proudly partners with Dyer County and Dyersburg School Systems to support students exploring journalism as a future career path. Created for students by students, the Student Life magazine offers a platform for creative expression, while also provding real-life experience designing, writing, photographing, and paginating orignal works of thier own. Not only does Student Life provide students with a physical product of their work, carrying their names and bylines, but it also encourages them to become more engaged in their community and in their schools.

Table of Contents

Photo by Anna Fisher

Artwork by Breanna Brooks

DHS Art

By: Casey Lewis

Art is all around Dyersburg High School; from the drama sets to the mural in the commons, there are artists at every turn. Junior Breeanna Brooks and sophomore Tuesday Gann have helped with most creative endeavors.

Gann and Brooks have helped with creating the book mural on the walls in the commons, but both of them create art outside of school. Brooks paints on acrylic canvases and. In the future, Brooks plans to pursue art full-time instead of as a hobby.

“I would love to be an art teacher when I get older and maybe sell my canvas paintings online as sort of a side job. I am actually going to try selling some of my small canvases this summer as a little bit of a head start,” Brooks said.

Getting a job through pursuing art can be difficult due to the change in popular tastes throughout time. Keeping up with the trends can be tiring.

“Not only is it very hard to make a job out of art, it’s also very hard to earn any money from it. Most artists were not even recognized until after they died, so it feels a little useless,” Gann said.

Gann primarily focuses on pencil sketches and digital art whereas Brooks focuses on painting. The process for digital art and sketches is

different from the process of painting.

“It depends on the medium, but for paintings, I first grab a reference online. Next, I freehand the details of what I am drawing with a pencil. I then use acrylic paint to color section by section, such as from mouth to eyes to ears. Then I might add glitter paint, but otherwise, that’s my whole process,” Brooks said.

Gann’s process is a little shorter for digital art, but for pencil sketches it is a similar process except without the paint.

“Digitally sketching, coloring, and shading could be anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours or maybe more, depending on the complexity,” Gann said.

These skills, however, did not form out of the blue; both of these artists have been working on perfecting their craft for years. They have seen improvement from their first art pieces to their most recent ones. Brooks has been working for thirteen years, and Gann has been working for ten years on pencil sketches and four years on digital art.

To create art, imagination is key. Creating art is bringing life to the world inside the head, and this is how Gann and Brooks got started in art.

“My mom and grandma both noticed I had a special talent for free-handing art when I was little, so that really jump-started my interest into art at a young age. But I also always liked the idea of being able to create whatever you want out of your imagination, which art allows you to do,” Brooks said.

Gann started creating art in a similar way as Brooks did. “I always had these detailed worlds in my head, and I wanted to find a way to make them real, or at least show them to others. It became a way to share my creations with others,” Gann said.

Brooks and Gann have contributed to the art scene at DHS by staying involved with the art club. Getting involved with art can be intimidating for new people, but it is beginner-friendly for everyone and is a great way to be expressive.

Congressional Art Contest winner –LOREN DAVIS

By: Jenna Harrison

On Thursday, April 13, Dyer County High School junior, Loren Davis, won 1st place in the Congressional Art Competition for our Congressional District #8, Congressman David Kustoff’s District. This contest is one of the most competitive and coveted art awards among high school students, and is an annual nationwide effort by the members of the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize and encourage the artistic talent across the nation.

Loren’s artwork was unveiled at a reception hosted by Congressman Kustoff at the West Tennessee Regional Art Center in Humboldt, and was chosen out of artwork submitted by 20 counties, with each school being allowed six entries. Loren’s artwork, will be on display at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. for one year, along with winning artwork from other Districts around the country, and where thousands of Congressional members and visitors will pass by each week. Loren will be flown with a family member to D.C. to attend an art reception displaying her art along with other state’s art at the Capitol this summer.

Loren’s artwork will truly represent West Tennessee, as her vibrant pencil drawing is of Indian Corn, grown by her Visual Art teacher Marjie Sanderson at her West TN farm and vineyard. The same artwork by Loren also won “Best in Show” in the UTM High School Art Contest & Exhibit, chosen out of high school art from across Tennessee. Thank you, Loren, for sharing your talents and artwork, and for representing West Tennessee talent so well in Washington D.C.

A Family Found In The Theatre

By: Zoe-Haven Brown

Dyersburg High School offers many opportunities for students with the wide range of extracurriculars provided. Extracurricular activities can be very beneficial for students. Being more involved allows students to make new friends and explore activities that interest them. One extracurricular activity that is very beneficial for DHS is the Trojan Drama Club.

Theatre brings everyone together. It does not matter what students are good at, there is something in drama for everyone. Those who are good with their hands can build sets, those good with technology can work with sound and light equipment, those with good social skills can work with the house, those who are artistic can help with makeup or hair and those who love to entertain can be actors. Drama is not just about those who are acting, everyone in every show is extremely important to its success. There is a place for everyone.

The director of the DHS Trojan Drama program is Trevor Yarbrough. Yarbrough, or Mr. Y as most of his students refer to him, has been directing plays since 2009, directing 16 full-length productions, 15 one-act productions and 3 musicals.

“I came to Dyersburg High School because I was given the opportunity to just focus on theatre arts,” Yarbrough said.

Yarbrough transferred to DHS right before COVID-19 hit. He had already known the previous director, Chris Solomon, through student teaching. He kept in contact with her as he went to DyerCounty to build up and develop their drama department. When he found out she was retiring, he decided to transfer and take over.

“When she announced she was retiring, I just knew instantly that this was where I needed to be. I had done all that I could to build that program, and I knew I was leaving it in good hands,” Yarbrough said.

After four great years of hard work, Mr. Y has built up the drama program and made it feel like a home. Every student involved in the program is beyond grateful for him and his hard work.

DCHS THEATRE

During the 2022-2023 school year, the Dyer County High School’s drama club put on two different school productions. The Fall production was called “The Rules Of Comedy”, commonly described as “A physical comedy “blow-out” with an interesting twist.” The play was a funny, fastpaced, wholesome play, that was so much fun for the drama club and the student-body as a whole. This was a really fun play to work and be a part of but the main focus of this article is this most recent production the club put on.

This production that DCHS Drama put on was called “Pandemonium”, a funny and heartfelt story following multiple undercover Greek Gods. This play took five weeks of preparation to prepare for and put on. Throughout the story, we follow our goddess of wisdom, Minerva, through the works of discovering who among them killed Zeus. It was a suspense-filled play with multiple plot-twists you wouldn’t have expected. So many people were involved with the production of this play, allowing so many students to be involved with their school. All the cast worked so hard, practicing everyday after school from 3-7 p.m., and the tech crew worked as hard as they could to help with the smooth flow of the play.

The DCHS drama club and drama club directors work hard to put on entertaining shows for our school and our community. We are so grateful for all the behind-the-scenes workers and all the teachers who work day and night to put these things together. Along with just getting involved, this club brings many other skills that are helpful to be successful

in day-to-day life and beyond high school. DCHS drama is an amazing club to be a part of and will help you connect with your school, community, and to make friendships that will last forever.

Amateur lens-work by students at Dyersburg High School

Representing only a snapshot of the many creative minds in the field of photography is junior David Covington, who owns his own business for his automotive camerawork shooting cars, trucks, and other vehicles provided by his clients.

“I started my own automotive cinemetography business in 2021, I’m now doing shoots for clients ranging from local residents to more widely known companies and influencers. It has now grown to the point where I’m

able to sell merchandise and host car shows across Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kentucky. It’s truly a passion for me that has grown over the past few years and that will continue to grow,” said Covington.

Junior Anna Fisher discovered her love for photography during her ninth grade year. She uses disposable cameras to capture events, nature, and activities with her friends and family. Fisher admires the vintage look and handiness of disposable cameras as opposed to larger, higher-resolution cameras.

“I have a photo album where I keep printed pictures, and I love being able to look back at them and relive the moment they were taken,” Fisher said.

Sophomore Razan Asad enjoys taking photos during her travels. Using only her iPhone, and no editing, Razan captures unique photos of nature and architecture around the world. Her favorite location thus far has been the country of Jordan.

“There were so many unique places [in Jordan] that you can’t find anywhere else. I love being able to capture special moments and keeping them as memories,” Asad said.

Asad plans on keeping photography as a side hobby or even a career interest in the future.

Anna Fisher

Razan Asad

Razan Asad

Razan Asad

DCHS Photography

DYERSBURG EXCURSIONS

BY SAM JAYROE

Our town has several beloved locations that the students of Dyersburg have chosen to call their own. These locations include the new Sportsplex which is right across the street from Dyersburg High School; the Okeena Park, which is only half a mile away from Dyersburg High School and the Forked Deer River Park, which is located in downtown Dyersburg directly next to the Forked Deer River.

The Sportsplex has only been open since November of 2021, but is already a very popular place for students to go play basketball, soccer, baseball and more. DHS junior Will Fowlkes has worked at the Sportsplex for almost a year and said he enjoys the facility because of its openness to the community as a place to go and have fun with friends. The main attraction of the Sportsplex for many is having an indoor facility to play sports at any time in any weather.

“The Sportsplex is a very fun and cool environment where people love to come hangout or even practice their sports. We also do a lot for the community by having certain special needs days and camps for younger kids,” said Fowlkes.

Okeena Park is also a very popular option for people looking to play basketball. There is no admission fee into the park courts, so the Okeena Park almost always has a crowd of people playing basketball. The Okeena Park not only has basketball courts but also has playsets, swings, a walking trail and a large pool. Though the Okeena pool is the oldest public pool in Tennessee, it is a great way to cool off on a hot summer day.

Okeena Park

Forked Deer Trail

Splash Pad and Playset

The Forked Deer River Park is another relatively new addition to the park system of Dyersburg. There is a large playset, a splash pad and a fenced in dog park which allows pawed pets to play on the obstacles. The Forked Deer River Nature Trail section of the park spans roughly one mile round-trip. Many walk the trail, but some people enjoy riding their bikes along the trail, which is a great option to switch up your bike riding scenery. The nature trail runs parallel to the river for the ma-

jority of the time, allowing users to experience nature in a way they might not have done before. On the trail, walkers will pass by a floating boat ramp that can be used to get small boats in and out of the river. There is also a paved path that spans two miles round-trip on the top of the levee.

Even though some young people may feel like Dyersburg has nothing to offer, there really are some quality options for spending time with one another in this great city.

Forked Deer Trail

Okeena Park

Okeena Park

Sportsplex

Sportsplex

Sportsplex

Student Businesses at DCHS

The One Who Bakes

Have you ever had a hankering for bread? Not just your classic loaf of Wonderbread, but real bread. The bread a family member would make and you would just feel at home? That bread that made fall come alive when you smelled it in the kitchen. Maybe it’s just Starbucks biscotti or the little sweet cornbread loaves you got for school lunches. (These were a staple of my fifthgrade year.)

Or maybe you’re in a pinch and the girl you like said all she wants is bread. Well, I have the perfect person for you, to get that girl or to remember your childhood. Meet Andrew Griffith, or The One Who Bakes. He’s been in business for the past year, a DCHS senior and podcaster for our amazing newspaper. He’s known for his famous apple bread, peach bread, and cherry bread. In this next paragraph, you’ll hear from Andrew himself, and what his business is about.

Jenna- So, what made you start your business? Or, first, what is your business?

Andrew- Okay, so my business is a bread-baking business. I go off of one recipe that I started with and then I expanded with it. There’s this place in Indiana that has this apple orchard and a big farm for it. They’ve made a lot of traditional apple recipes like apple pie, apple loaves, etcetera. Well, for years, my mom’s been making this one thing called apple bread, and I really liked it, so for a school end-of-year party, I made it and everyone really liked it. Then, people were like, ‘Hey, can you make a loaf?’ And I was like, I can make money off of this, so then I proceeded to make more bread. I started going to school with a few loaves every day, and they would all sell out. People were like, “Dang, this is good bread.” So I worked on that and I made peach bread and expanded to more types of bread. At one point I tried banana, but it didn’t work out. Besides that I do have a new recipe coming out soon.

Jenna- And what made you really want to start? Outside of money, did you want to make this your career when you get out of

Interview by Jenna Harrison

high school, or is it more until you go off after you graduate and do your own thing?

Andrew- Well, this is a side gig that I do that isn’t mentally draining, something I really enjoy, and I have a lot of fun doing it. That’s why I was like, “why not make money off a little hobby of mine?” But it’s definitely not something I want to make something out of.

Jenna- Yeah, okay, that’s understandable. And you do not sell your products out of school? Is it simply for the high school?

Andrew- My main source of business is inside the high school. However, I do deliveries and special orders. Like, you can request a cake, some people request big loaves of bread, and I can make almost a Bundt cake out of the bread. I once made a special order of chocolate muffins. That was really fun.

Jenna- Oh, wow! So do you have any socials or a phone number, so people can call or text and order through that?

Andrew- As of right now, it’s only my personal Snapchat and Instagram if anyone wants to send me a message. And I can go from there.

Jenna- Great. It’ll be at the bottom. But, that’s good to know! And that’s the main goal of this interview, to make sure you have as much business as you possibly can. So, do you have an eventual goal with this bread business? Or are you just doing it for fun?

Andrew- I’m doing it for fun, I have fun doing it, and I make money doing it.

Jenna- The high school dream?

Andrew- *laughs* Yeah.

Jenna- Oh, wow. Now, is there anything in particular that you want people to know about baking bread or baking in general? And if they want to do it?

Andrew- It’s very fun and very rewarding. If you listen to the rules and the recipe, it usually comes out well. Baking is more of a science than an art. It’s just . . . You have to get everything to the right amount of ingredients so that things can go right. I’ve had to throw out ten to twelve loaves at times because they didn’t turn out right or the way I like them, so I didn’t want to sell those. I don’t want to sell imperfect products, so to speak.

Jenna- Oh, wow. I think that’s really it. Is there anything else you want to add?

Sales, advice, anything?

Andrew- If you want to start a small business, just do it. What’s stopping you?

Well, you heard it here folks. For a bread that even Oprah Winfrey would recommend, Andrew Griffith is the person to order from. Whether you want his staple apple bread, or a special order of chocolate muffins, he can whip something up that everyone will love. His social media is underneath to place an order or to find out the prices. And as always, thank you for reading!

*The interview has been edited for length and clarity

Andrew’s Snapchat and Instagram@a.griffith1

How Bread Baked My Life

By: Andrew Griffith

Since the dawn of civilization, there has been one type of food that has remained constant. In its earliest form, it was a mixture of coarsely crushed grains and water cooked over a fire like a pancake. The food I am talking about is bread. Thousands of years later the pancake of the past is now probably one of the most diverse food groups in the world. People have found so many different and unique ways to make bread. I feel like I could go on a tangent, like Bubba did in Forrest Gump, about how many ways there are to make it. In modern times, bakeries are the masters of this craft. What if I said that there is a baker going around Dyer County High? Specifically a baker going around and selling bread at school and around town? I am the one who bakes; I am the baker. My name is Andrew Griffith, and I have a love for baking.

My obsession for bread started when I was stuck at my house during quarantine. I was stuck with eating frozen ravioli and frozen meals. I eventually got tired of this and started making homemade meals. I first started off by making a really good homemade onion soup. After this, I realized I really enjoyed making it. My next project after the soup was a little more ambitious. I decided I wanted to try to make traditional bao buns. For the people who don’t know what that is, it’s a steamed Japanese bun folded like a taco and then filled with pork belly, chives, and hoisin sauce. I went to Youtube to try to find a recipe for them and immediately found one. After making the bao buns, I realized that I could make it a hobby. Sadly, this new acquired hobby may or may not have caused me to gain rapid weight during quarantine. However, I’m still very happy I found this passion. After several weeks of baking every day, I decided to start experimenting with my own recipes. Some of the experiments turned out to be great. The other experimental recipes I made should have stayed in my head. After a while, I realized that posting videos of me making the experiments online would be a good idea. After I made my first bread video, it went viral. The bread I made for that video was called “Gfuel Bread.” I made the bread by making an artisan bread recipe and replaced some of the sugar with Gfuel. That video alone now has over 2.5 million views. This made me realize that people really enjoyed those videos. Therefore, I started making videos over and over again about baking bread. After a while sadly, I started losing interest because it started feeling like a chore to keep my fans happy. So I quit making the videos and baking entirely for about a year and a half.

Right before the start of the Summer in 2022, the passion started again in the most unique way. For an end of the year party at school, I decided to bake some of the old bread recipes my mom used to make. I brought three different breads to school that day. I brought a loaf of apple

bread, banana bread, and pumpkin bread. After the party, the rest of my loafs were still partially intact except the apple bread. The apple bread was completely gone, and people asked if I could make more for them. I saw this as an opportunity for cash because I needed some for an upcoming vacation. I baked the bread and then the next day people asked if I could make more. So for the next week I was constantly bringing bread to school and selling out consistently. Over the course of that week I made over $300 of profit. Once the school year ended, I stopped business cold turkey. Once I got back from vacation, I started picking up deliveries and selling at local businesses. I wasn’t making as much as I was at school but I was still staying afloat. I commonly would go to Chick-fil-a and Game X Change and deliver bread to employees. I also was commissioned several times over the course of the summer. Once school started up again, I started a job at Game X Change. The pay wasn’t the best, but I really enjoyed the job. After working there for 5 months, I was let off because of scheduling issues. Once I got the news I would no longer be employed, I decided it was time to bake again.

Now, I bake bread pretty much every day. I bake apple bread, peach bread, strawberry bread, pumpkin bread, banana bread, peanut butter banana bread, artisan bread, and special requests. All of the baking I do is at home in my kitchen. I am very grateful that an old passion of mine has turned into a business. Honestly, I could care less about the money. My favorite part of this job is that I get to have social interactions with people. This side hustle is actively teaching me how to sell and communicate with people on a business level. It’s rudimentary of course, but it still holds the same principles. Because of this, I am now known by many as the “bread man” or the “muffin man.” I hold these names with pride and love that I can make simple and affordable breads for anyone who’s willing to purchase it.

I am the one who bakes.

How to make my “Famous” peach bread!!!

The inspiration behind this bread was peach cobbler

COOK TIME: 90 minutes

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

OVEN TEMP: 300 F

Ingredients needed…

1 can of peaches in heavy syrup

3 cups of flour

2 eggs

1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ tablespoon of cinnamon

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Pulverize the peaches in a blender till no chunks are left (If you want the chunks don’t blend as long).

2.Mix the 2 cups of sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup of oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and peach mixture together till thoroughly combined.

3.Then wisk together the 3 cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda, and ½ tablespoon of cinnamon.

4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and then grease 4 3X8 inch pans or two 4X10 inch pans to put the mixture in.

5.Then bake the bread in the oven for 90 minutes and enjoy (check the bread with a toothpick before you take out)!

Interview by Jenna Harrison

Eggs. Everyone loves eggs, especially fresh and local. And one of the perks of having a smaller community, you can buy eggs from your neighbor, co-worker, or friend. Here at Dyer County, Jake Eblehar has his own small business with JEGGs. He is a sophomore who also is involved with our FFA. He has done a lot within the club and has been *cracking* down on his business.

Jenna- So, Jake, what is your business?

Jake- My business is JEGGS. J-E-G-G-S, if anyone is wondering how to spell it.

Jenna- *laugh* And what do you do at JEGGs?

Jake- Currently, I sell eggs. I raise the chickens on my property, and I tend to them daily.

Jenna- And how did you start off with JEGGs?

Jake- So 4-H was offering their chick chain company, and I got four chicks from that. But before that, I got six chicks from Rural King.

Jenna- Aww!

Jake- And it went from there. And they kept coming. And coming. *pause* And coming.

Jenna- *laughs* I feel like you’re slightly traumatized from these chicks.

Jake- Not even slightly.

Jenna- *laughs* Like, full-blown?

Jake- Absolutely.

Jenna- Off that topic, what’s your eventual goal with your business?

Jake- I want to eventually sell my chickens and I’m going to start raising the chicks to productive chickens. Because people don’t want to deal with the hassle of raising chicks, so I want to be in the business.

Jenna- Okay. So give me an estimate of what you’ll make in maybe a month.

Jake- I’ll make, currently, about one hundred bucks a month.

Jenna- Oh, wow, that’s not bad at all.

Jake- But once I start doing the chickens, I’ll possibly look at 3 to 5 hundred.

Jenna- Oh wow, that’s a big jump.

Jake- Yeah.

Jenna- And do you sell inside of school or outside of school?

Jake- Outside, mainly. I’ll talk to people in school and ask if they need eggs.

Jenna- And where do you sell?

Jake- Mainly at my church. I have routine customers for that I know I need to bring a certain amount of eggs every so often.

Jenna- Do you have any social media accounts that you use for JEGGs?

Jake- No, I only use my phone number.

Jenna- Okay. And how long have you been in business?

Jake- I think I’m going into my fifth year.

Jenna- Look at little business savvy you! Do you plan to make your sales more mainstream? Like at the Dyersburg Farmer’s Market or Farm to Table?

Jake- Since I’m cutting the eggs soon, I’ll mainly just be talking to the customers to get the breed of hen that they want, if they want a straight run, and see specifically what they want to use

them for, so that I can tailor the breed of the hen to the customer themself.

Jenna- Oh, wow, okay, and what is your eventual goal with JEGGS?

Jake- I would like to change it to chickens and eventually make it to an eventual cattle ranch, possibly.

Jenna- And what inspired you to start JEGGs? Outside of the obvious chicken traumatization. Jake- Well, my grandparents always had chickens, and I always got practice from helping my grandparents. It was so fun for me. It kinda just made sense to do it.

Jenna- Final question and I’ll leave you alone. What would you say to people who want to become business owners, similar to yours, which is a farmer?

Jake- Mainly, I say just do it. I mean, you’re going to make mistakes whether you study it or not. I mean, you could spend three class periods studying business, every day, but you’re still going to mess it up, you’re still going to lose animals, you’re going to break eggs, and things are going to happen. Things will mess up, but you still just have to do it.

Jenna- You just gotta do it. Agreed.

Well, there you have it. Jake Ebhelar with JEGGs, a small business that sells eggs and eventually, chickens. Give him a call with his number below if you ever need a dozen eggs for 2.50$, or a chicken. I personally feel like the chicken would be a great Christmas gift.

Jake’s number- (731)-445-4516

*The dialogue has been edited for length and clarity.

Retro&Retail

Here at Dyer County High School, we have various student run businesses. One of our favorites is Retro&Retail. This business was founded by Carleigh Scott and William Simmons. We asked them some questions, and here is the brief explanation of their business they provided us.

“Hi, our names are Carleigh Scott and William Simmons. In February of 2021, we had the idea to start selling custom-made shirts. At the time, we were sophomores in high school. Now seniors in high school, we have grown immensely and turned our hobby into a recently registered business!

Originally known as Divine Designs Creations, we needed a name that described us better. Suggested and picked by our customers, Retro & Retail was chosen. We are best known for our “$10 Thursday Sales,” where we sell our pick of shirts for only $10. Our “Trivia Tuesday” also sets us apart. Trivia Tuesday is where we ask a random trivia question and everyone’s names are spun on a wheel to win a 50% discount! Since day one, our goal has been to take the best quality shirts and offer them at an affordable price so that everyone is included!”

Student businesses are such an interesting and inspiring thing to see, especially one as successful as Carleigh and William’s. Retro & Retail has had such success and shows other students that it is possible to do something good and create something successful as long as you set your mind to it!

Typically, high school is when the pressure begins for teens to find a job and make money. But, what is the best option for a job when you’re at school for a majority of the day?

There are a variety of jobs in Dyersburg that offer part-time shifts. Junior Patrick Healy recently began working at Walmart. His main job is to place returned items back on the shelves.

“Walmart pays more than most other jobs in the area and isn’t fast-paced so it’s not too stressful,” Healy said.

Several teenagers choose to work here because of the hours, pay and variety of work. Healy claims that his newfound job is tedious but that he enjoys being able to listen to music while he works.

Senior Aiden Hensley works part

time at Ermco as an intern. It is part of his work-based learning and he sometimes leaves school before seventh hour to go there. He is expected to log and collect the keys to the doors of the building that the employees use.

Ermco is an appropriate opportunity for him because he eventually wants to enter a field of chemistry or engineering. Having Ermco on his resume during his high school years will help him to achieve this. Ermco is an atypical type of job for the average high school student, but it works for his path, which goes to show that high schoolers do jobs in more areas of the workforce than generally imagined.

A more archetypal job option for students is the food industry. Sophomore Sa’nyla McMullen works at Sonic Drivein.

Photo by Hannah Pankey Courtesy Ermco HR

“I think my first experience has made me more confident. Having my own money makes me feel like I have my life together and gives me a sense of comfort knowing that I have money,” McMullen said. The first job experience is often transformative for students. It introduces a new sense of security as McMullen has stated.

She emphasizes that Sonic allows her to make “good tips” in exchange for customer service. Jobs such as this can be a good first job for students who are just starting to get into the workforce and need to start building their real resume.

Several teenagers in a small town like Dyersburg also choose to work in

small-town boutiques. For sophomore Jenna Flatt, this is the case. She works at Ivory Road Boutique.

Her job requirements include “modeling clothes, stocking the shelves, cleaning up and helping customers,” Flatt said. This is her third job and she claims that Ivory Road Boutique is the best option for her because it allows her to demonstrate her love of fashion and become more fiscally responsible.

Like the food industry, this type of job also requires customer service and communication skills. This is a suitable option for teenagers because it allows teens to develop useful skills for adulthood that will eventually be needed in any job after high school as well.

Journalism

Choctaw Broadcasting

For our Choctalk Project in Journalism, the broadcast group has used the very generous budget from the school to get the best equipment we could afford to build the set. The set would include a main table that would be where the host and the guests would sit. This table would 6 feet long and have two 3 foot wings from the side. We would also have a backdrop made from plywood that would be 8 foot backdrop with 3 sections. There would also be some LED lights to make it look the best we can possibly make it. We as the Broadcast team are extremely excited and ready to see the finished product.

Below, is what we plan for the finished product to look like:

The News Broadcasting Project

Within Dyer County’s journalism program, there are multiple things students can focus on. If the students don’t know what they would like to do within the program, they can try different areas to find what their favorite is. A couple students from Dyer County High School were really interested in videography, and came up with an idea of creating a weekly news article that students will be able to watch on the journalism groups website.

These students wanted a change. They knew the journalism website with articles aren’t really what grasped students attention when they turned on their chromebooks. They knew these videos starring a student from Dyer County and featuring a variety of people, such as teachers or athletes, would be a fun and entertaining way to grab students attention to let them know whats going on within the school.

These students, along with Kim Stewart, the journalism teacher, had to get verification from central office to start this project. Once presenting the idea, the journalism

program was informed that the central office would pay for anything reasonable that they needed to get this show on the road. They began brainstorming how they would want to run the show, how the setup would look, and what they would need to purchase.

They purchased multiple things such as a Sony FX6 camera for filming, microphones, audio equipment, and all of the materials for the desk. The vision for the desk would be big enough for about four to five people, with precise exterior wood work and LED lights. One of the students in the journalism class is also in the STEM class, so he, along with the students who came up with the idea, are responsible for building the entire desk to their exact liking and measurements.

The students are currently still working on this project, and expect to be done with the entire set up by the end of the school year. The broadcasting show will roll out at the beginning of next year giving new or prior students the opportunity to look into the different potential broadcasting careers they could pursue in the future.

DCHS Pod

The Paranormal Pair talks about haunted locations and the history behind them. The locations range from places few know of to some of the most famous spots. The Paranormal Pair podcast hosts are Carolina Troxel and Lacie Coleman. Lacie and Carolina lighten the mood by adding humor while still informing their audience of the dark history behind these locations. A couple of their favorite episodes are The Conjuring House and The Winchester Mystery House. There are many other interesting episodes hosted by the Paranormal Pair discussing the many spooky sites around the world.

casting

CRIMSON CRIMINALS

Laura Brimm, a sophomore student, does a podcast on ‘DCHS Podcasting’, on all things serial killers, most unknown or usually the few with less publicity. Her podcast is called the Crimson Criminals Podcast. Episodes have a few jokes, and humorous statements, despite the severe crimes described in these episodes. She decided on her podcast about serial killers because of MMM or Murder Mystery Mondays hosted by Bailey Sarian. Laura has watched this podcast for a long while and loves every episode. Not only that but she is an avid fan of Criminal Minds and has watched every single season, she and her family all sit down and watch it together, along with the show BONES. BONES is a show that has to do with less of the FBI side and more of the corners and physical anthropologist side of things. BONES follows Temperance Brennan, Dr. Brennan, as she solves murders based on the body of the victims. It honestly, is a very interesting thing to watch and then decide to take inspiration for her podcast from. From the copycat killers to the originals, she covers them all.

She uses the website Criminal Minds Wiki, which is no surprise because of her love for the show, for a lot of her research and inspiration for what serial killer she will be stabbing next. Criminal Minds Wiki has a simple and beginner-friendly website design that makes research easy and makes finding inspiration even easier. The website has everything from fictional killers of criminal minds to real-life criminals all around the globe, and not to forget, easily accessible.

Laura came up with the name for her podcast because of simply the word crimson. Crimson was her favorite word to say when she was nine when her grandmother told her it was the color of her nicest sweater. Other than thinking it’s a funny word to say, the color is the exact color of blood, crimson red, and you can always figure out more by listening to her podcast, The Crimson Criminals Podcast on ‘DCHS Podcasting’.

The Noah Show is part of DCHS podcasting hosted by Noah Norville. In his podcast, Noah discusses topics such as music and NBA history. Episodes consist of the discussion of NBA Draft selections from the 1990s to the 2020s, influential albums, and rankings of the discographies of favorite artists. The Noah Show is a relaxed listening experience that guides the listener through different subjects and is here for your listening enjoyment!

Three Idiots and a Scholar in short is a group podcasting effort to discuss anything and everything without a filter. In essence, it’s a freeform conversation amongst it’s hosts. From food and business to politics and current events. Whatever the topic is, you can be assured that Three Idiots and a Scholar will bring it to the surface. The show’s main feature is the dynamics between the 4 hosts. With each of them having a specialty and unique perspective.

Although the original premise of the show was that one of the hosts was more informed than the other three, it was found that this format was too limiting. Episodes range in their level of planning, with some of them being completely freeform, and others having some bullet points for discussion. Oftentimes the topics are picked based off of what’s currently in the news cycle. We don’t just discuss world events though, there’s oftentimes discussion about what’s going on in our school and community.

The creation of the podcast was fairly straightforward. It was agreed upon that there wasn’t really a central source of information, this was coupled with an important question to the hosts. What makes a podcast enjoyable? Of course, the core of any podcast is the idea of being part of a conversation as you listen, so it was decided that a casual format would be optimal. This isn’t too dissimilar from what you might listen to on something like the Joe Rogan podcast.

Of course, the show wouldn’t exist without it’s hosts, each of the 4 hosts promises a unique input and field of interest. From history and politics, to health and diet. Everything is covered. What makes the podcast unique is it’s unscripted nature, where as other podcasts may write a rigid script to follow, or even just read the news to the microphone. Three Idiots and a Scholar is basically just a conversation about whatever is on the news for that month.

Podcasting has been a positive influence, keeping the community and any listeners informed and entertained. Future podcasters should keep in mind that podcasting simply isn’t for everyone, if you don’t do well in front of the microphone or find yourself often getting lost in conversations, then podcasting may not be the best choice. It should also be understood that a podcast can be about essentially anything, so it’s best to find a niche and commit to it. It’s also recommended that you socialize, and make some friends to podcast with. As podcasting alone ends up just being a narration of your subject of interest. It’s also good to bring people who might challenge your views and opinions, sparking some debate and bringing a touch of drama to your show. But different types of podcasts will need to be structured differently, and what works for one group may not work for another. Ultimately it’s up to you to find what works best for your group and commit to it.

In the year 2010, Dyersburg High School and Dyer County High School were banned from playing sports against each other due to being in different athletic leagues and a fierce rivalry. However, in August of the 2021-2022 school year, the two schools played against each other in a football game for the first time since the ban. Contrary to predictions, the reintroduction of competition between the schools created an atmosphere of unity and community.

Rival games and competition have created a unique way for each school to support the other while still engaging in competitive activities. For example, there is still a big push to win games against the opposite school. At Dyersburg and Dyer County, students make posters, organize biting themes, and arrive in masses to the games. Previously, inter-school communication was less common and not as easily achieved. Now, there are opportunities for students to get together for friendly and healthy competition at many different types of events.

“Even though the athletic competitions can get intense in the moment, I cherish the time I spend with my Dyersburg friends. I see these events as a benefit for both schools to compete against each other,” Dyer County sophomore Macey Armstrong said.

Armstrong is able to connect with students at DHS through a shared love for dance at the Fine Arts Warehouse. She also goes to DHS sporting events to socialize and cheer on the athletes.

DHS junior and athlete David Calderon says that competition between himself and his friends at Dyer County does not have a significant effect on their friendship.

“We tend to look past the ‘bad blood’ between the schools and treat each other like friends. Though there is some talk, it’s just being playful,” Calderon said.

By Hannah Pankey

While the students from each side have a sense of pride in their own school, most are able to recognize and appreciate the accomplishments of their individual schools. This was made clear at the basketball State Quarter Final in Murfreesboro when the cheer squad from Dyer County took it upon themselves to cheer on the DHS basketball team when the Dyersburg cheerleaders were late to the game due to traffic. Instagram

Dyer County junior Justice Mosley is friends with many students that attend DHS. Mosley emphasizes that because he grew up around students from DHS, it is easier to connect and stay close despite a school rivalry.

“I normally spend time with DHS people the same amount that I spend time with DCHS people outside of school. When I leave my house, I’m surrounded by many people from both schools,” Mosley said.

While Mosley is a student at DCHS, it is not uncommon to spot him at a Dyersburg football game during the season.

“Sometimes I go to Dyersburg football games when my school is playing away games. My dad is from Dyersburg and so am I. Sometimes I just go to support the team and whatnot,” Mosley said.

It is truly a sight to see students from

rival schools attending games at each other’s schools just to support one another, and the reintroduction of sports between DHS and DCHS has been a catalyst for this.

Dyersburg sophomore Avery Coleman notes that she also is able to keep in touch with her DCHS friends through shared events.

“Usually, a group of friends from both schools all go and eat somewhere after games to catch up with each other,” Coleman said.

Coleman also shared her belief that there is no real hostility between the two schools.

The close relationship of the students between Dyersburg High School and Dyer County High School has allowed for a strengthening of this community and a sense of unity grown from a rivalry.

POETRY

Dead Flowers Talking

by: Myren Hurst

Lilies one day, roses the next.

Each day a new flower.

Maybe I’ll choose a dandelion with some of its petals ripped off.

Forget-me-nots will be a normal occasion.

Each time I feel life collapsing on me, I pick a new flower to admire before it’s no good and slowly withers.

The flower gourd gets more and more bare each day from my flower-picking ritual.

Eventually it goes fully bare, just grass and weeds.

The more I picked the “flowers,” the more they wouldn’t come back each season.

And eventually the gourd wasn’t a gourd at all, but a valley filled with withered memories of what it once was.

What it could’ve been.

The dead flowers would haunt my mind, and would remind me of how much prettier the gourd could be today if it weren’t for my hands.

If it weren’t for my legs.

If it weren’t for my chest.

If it weren’t for that day.

If it weren’t for him.

Untitled

by: Alyssia Holley

To love is to die.

But you are a sight, For sore eyes. A glimpse at such beauty, Would truthfully cause a remedy. Sealing the scars,

From which they can’t be seen.

Smile lines forming on thy face, As they feel like they’re in space.

But to love is to die, right? But when you chuckle, They feel a flutter. When you smile gently, It fills their heart plenty. A simple hug

To them, they feel like they’re in luck.

And those eyes,

The Hard Nights That Never End

by: Skyler Mansfield

I can feel my rib cage stretch beneath my skin. I let out a roaring yawn. I quiver because I can’t seem to fall asleep. When I shut my eyelids they are aching like my eyes are rolling back in my skull. I stretch my muscles, then relax, then stretch again. Nothing seems to aid me. I turn on static white noise that repeats but all it did was make it worse. I sit up for a second and think to myself what to do, but the only answer I have to that question are more questions. My head fills with thoughts, I’m overwhelmed. I lay back down and stare at the rough ceiling. I somehow see different shapes and figures in the brushed spackle. All of a sudden I start to doze off when I hear the tiniest of noises. The cycle starts all over again.

I Just Want to go Home

by: Steffanie Oabel

I just want to go home

But why do they always bring me to this place? Is this home?

This is not home

Home is where I can be free

Yet I appeared to be stuck in this place

Wretched and shattered

Where exactly is home?

Home is my happy place

I can be myself but in this place

I am simply a pretender

Like this place that keeps pretending to be my home

I just want to go home

I’m tired of wearing this disguise

Like them trying to disguise this as my home

This is simply a place, a place where I can’t escape

The Missing Piece

by: Courtney Richardson

When exploited, strengths become weaknesses

Expectation birthed at the first sign of potential

Pressures morphe into obsession

Perfection unattainable, but utmost desired

Everlasting attempts to reach the standard

Delusion crafted at the idea of attainment

Unprecedented does the discrepancy between a goal and an expectation go

Attachment to a person intangible

A life conceived at the notion of conjectures

Prometheus Unchained

by: David Price

We are the future forced to be Sisyphus

Partaking in an never-ending race for change, just to fall again

Damned in an ever-failing game with unspoken rules

While Prometheus lays in chains, a sacrifice to give us fire and tools

But the game, too, is Prometheus, the god that lay eaten for eternity

It is one that is repentant for its gift and denies us, for we are playing the game of fools

We failed to use his gift of fire and blaze to become unchained

We are monotonous slaves of the those who made the needle larger

Better to fit the camel in

People are starving and cold, they proclaim we are the ones who are evil

They dine on feasts and are everwarm in those ivory steeples

As they bicker about the sin we facilitate, they fail to realize we walk their path

We deny it though, for to recognize their evil, we’d have to confront our own

Cowardly, we remain to watch the crows come for us

We contently lay dying, accepting the rules we just now realize are in place

We deny that we can use fire and blaze to make change that we need

We hide from the necessary blood that requires spilling

The cost is great and strength of will required, the boulder unheaved

If we don’t act, we die

So let’s burn the corpse on the rock

And become Prometheus Unchained

Teeth Are the Portals of the Soul (Teeth Song)

by: Billy Paschall

Teeth scare me

So sharp and pointy

Baby don’t smile cause you scare me

When we kiss

I’m afraid you’ll bite me

And I’ll become your favorite food

I’m sweet as candy

You’d never hurt a fly sweet as candy

I let you bite and bite

Teeth scare me

So sharp and pointy

Baby I cry cause you scare me when I die

please burn me and set me free

Creative Writing

A-Z Advice for Life

by: Dorian Owens

A- All the feelings

B- Broken hearts

C- Chill out bruvs

D- Don’t give up

E- Everything’s going to be worth it

F- Feel the love from the real ones

G- Groups will come together and fall apart just as fast

H- Hakuna Matata

I- It’ll get hard but you can get through it if you just don’t give up

J- Jokes will get outta pocket really fast

K- Kindred spirits are here just have to find them

L- Love yourself, never forget that

M- Music is your friend

N- No toxic relationships, it’s not good for the mind no matter how you justify it

O- Overcome your insecurities about yourself, there’s nothing wrong with who you are not in the way you dress, speak, look, or act so stop trying to hurt yourself like that

P- Please don’t wear a mask or you might lose sight of who you are

Q- Quitting is an option but it won’t be the best one

R- Real relationships are rarely found but definitely worth it

S- Stop being childish you’re not a kid anymore

T- Trials are inbound for sure so be ready for your character development

U- Under pressure, diamonds are formed

V- Very much worth it in the end; just trust me

W- When’s lunch???

X- XOXOXOXO love you, random stranger

Y- You don’t need to be with anyone to make you happy, you can do that for yourself again, I promise

Z- Zoning out will most likely cause you to miss out on life, this thing only happens once you know might as well make it worth it

The Night He Was Found

by: Jacob Robbins

This took place about five years ago when some friends and I decided to go to this high school party in December. It was cold that night but luckily the people throwing the party had a huge bonfire going and hot chocolate on their deck.

I haven’t been out of the house for a while due to all of thirteen to twenty going missing mysteriously. It has been a while now since the last time someone up and vanished. So we decided not to worry about it as much considering it has been a month since the disappearances. So we all decided to go out. It was a few days before the end of school we were being let out for our winter break so we thought it would be good to go celebrate at a local party. At first, everyone was having a good time there was music going and everyone was either freezing from the cold or dancing like crazy people. Being smart I stayed by the fire and kept warm. It was nice for a little while but as it got later, colder, and darker I decided to take a step inside to grab some fresh hot chocolate. Do they have options for hot chocolate such as milk or water? First of all, who uses water for their hot chocolate? What are you, psycho?

But anyways I picked the one made with milk like there was another option. It was good

but my tongue scalded from how hot it was, it tasted pretty good to me despite the fact.

The noise from the people died down and suddenly it was completely silent. I ran outside to look and everyone had left except a few buddies that came with me. They had waited for me to come back so we could leave. There were still a few people outside but it was just the people who owned the house and a few people who were waiting for rides.

The boys and I decided to leave but one of them, Owen, hasn’t come back yet. I wonder where he is, he didn’t tell me anything. Did he leave with someone? I’m not sure so I and two other friends went to look for him. Nowhere in sight, they said. I didn’t see him either. We decided to call the police and put a search team out for him. Now, it’s been five years, and still no trace of him.

Hold on, I’m getting a call.

“Hello, who is this?”

Over the phone, a voice says, “They found Owen… His body was buried under the house. It was found after the house was demolished due to it being abandoned and caved in. The people who owned it haven’t been home in almost four years. Apparently, the man who owned the house was a mass killer.”

“You’re joking right?” I say back

“No sir.” says the man on the phone.

I hang up as quickly as possible and do research. The owner was a serial killer who hid his kids, along with many others, under his house after murdering them in cold blood.

He was the murderer all along and we had no clue. That night was the scariest night I’ve realized, should have been the scariest night of my life.

Let Them

by: Malaya Bush

People are gonna be who they are, and do what they want to do regardless of what we say or do…

So let them.

We’ve gone years and years wondering why the people in our lives have done what they did. We would spend months and months questioning ourselves and trying to understand the situation the best we could.

As children, we wondered about our parents all the time. Not much we can do, and not much we can change.

It takes years and years to see and understand that sometimes, it’s not about us. Not about what we do or don’t.

Some hurt people, hurt people… But then again some hurt people, heal people.

We just have to choose our path and what kind of person we want to be. Friends, significant others, family, strangers, and coworkers.

All of them.

If they want to choose something or someone over you, LET THEM.

If they want to go weeks without talking to you. If they are okay with never seeing you, LET THEM.

Let them put themselves first and let them show you who they really are and not what you perceived them to be.

If they are wanting to follow the crowd instead of being a leader, LET THEM.

If they want to judge or misunderstand you, LET THEM.

If they act as if they can live without you. If they walk out of your life, hold that door open, and LET THEM.

Let them lose you because you were never theirs, to begin with, you were and always will be your own.

Stop exhausting yourself and your mentality about what you can change, or how to make yourself more worthy. You will always be worthy.

Trying to control any decision or action of others is a waste of time. Let them be, and let them do it on their own.

I understand it’s hard to make sense of why they do the things they do in the first place, but we can’t control them or the actions involving the others around us. One thing we can control is how we choose to react.

Remember that when you decide to start letting them show how awful they can be, don’t let it blind you to how amazing others can be. So let them.

Let them show you who they truly are, not tell you.

Let them prove how worthy they are of your time.

Let them make those steps to be a part of your life.

Let them earn your forgiveness.

Let them make that phone call first.

Let them do things just because it is being done with you.

Let them find that safe place inside you.

Let them see the heart of yours that didn’t harden.

Let them love you.

No matter what happens in life, take those risks, learn the lessons, and remember to “let them.”

The Human Mind

by: Jaxon Fincher

The Human Mind is truly the scariest thing of all.

Do you have a voice in your head that helps you think?

I do.

At one point I realized not everybody does and that’s kind of scary to me because personally, the voice in my head helps me get through life. Some people may think it’s crazy to have a voice in your head but if anything, I think it’s normal.

Think about this: our brain has two sides; the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind controls everything we are aware of from sensations, to memories, to feelings. The unconscious mind has more influence on personality than the conscious mind does. If something is wrong with either side of the brain, a person can’t function correctly. Think about an iceberg: Only a fragment of our ideas and feelings are conscious or “visible” to us, while the main part is unconscious or “invisible” to everybody around us. The most important part of the mind is the part you can’t see. Our feelings, motives, and decisions are influenced by our past experiences, and stored in the unconscious part of the mind.

Our mind controls our behavior so if you’re having a bad day, you usually express it by facial expressions or words. I know everybody overthinks, I struggle with it every day and I’ve gotten better about it over time, but most days my mind is still my biggest enemy. Ironically the human mind tends to forget the things it should

remember and remember the things it should forget. Have you ever sat there and just thought of something bad that happened to you five years ago? I know I do and I let it get the best of me until I snap back into reality.

You have to remember you have control of your mind whether you think so or not. Instead of putting yourself down, tell yourself this is my world and hype yourself up.

If you’re having a bad day you can’t think straight. If your head is racing and you’re stressing because of it, pause and take a break from whatever you’re doing. Take care of yourself and your mental health. You know that one person that you can’t stand but you think maybe if you got to know them or could change their beliefs they’d actually be a cool person? There are plenty of them in this school. I’ve had people that literally don’t even know my name and talk crap about me. The most arrogant people have the most closed minds but the widest mouths.

You ever have that one friend that helps everybody but nobody really helps them? I feel like I’m that friend because usually, the people with the best advice have been through the most. I’ve been through so much you wouldn’t even think of but my mind is stronger because of everything I’ve been through. Self-mind control is very important for your mental health and safety. Here are a few ways you can improve your mind control: accept yourself, write your feelings, think positively, step back from your thoughts, focus on the present moment, and accept what you can’t control.

When the mind is “weak”, a situation becomes a problem. When the mind is “balanced”, the situation becomes a challenge. When the mind is “strong”, the situation becomes an opportunity. Keep your mind strong, you got it! In elementary school, I remember we had to write everything we thought we couldn’t do and went and buried it outside because they didn’t want us to say the word “can’t”.

You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you tell yourself you can. Your mind will believe whatever you make believable. What you think you become. When I’m overthinking and sad, I’ll act sad until I tell myself there’s no reason to be sad.

You may see a scary movie and think “Huh I hope this never happens in real life”, but what’s scarier is the human mind, which is more dangerous than anything in the world. George Orwell said, “Reality exists in the human mind and nowhere else”.

NOT HEALTHY OR HARMLESS