JAG welcomes new officers with ceremony
Jeep Jamboree 2025
32nd annual event brings hundreds to City of Williamsburg for good, dirty fun
By Bella Morin Senior
Nearly 400 people and more than 250 Jeeps gathered for the 32nd Annual Gateway to the Cumberlands Jeep Jamboree on Friday, Oct. 17. The event transformed the Kentucky Splash Water park parking lot into a bustling hub of community spirit and fun.
This year’s jamboree was among the largest meets to date in the entire United States, a title that title has been held by Williamsburg for over six years. It marked an important milestone for both the organizers and the people of Williamsburg in general.
The Jeep Jamboree typically sees more participants in October due to the beautiful fall colors that begin to blanket the Daniel Boone National Forest. Of course, the cooler weather also encourages letting the top down and enjoying the fresh Kentucky air.
The annual event took place between Oct. 16 through Oct. 18, and was focused on a welcoming energy to bring together seasoned off-road enthusiasts and newcomers seeking the thrill of the hobby with the benefit of companionship and camaraderie. The drivers explored the many rugged trails that cut through southeastern Kentucky. Many of the trails remained within inside Whitley County, though several even stretched into parts of northern Campbell County, Tennessee. Many took the time to also stop and take in the view of many landmarks, such as Indian Mountain State Park in Jellico, or Whitley County’s own Cumberland Falls. Some of the routes offer a scenic view of the breathtaking mountain ridges of the area and a
gorgeous look at the peacefully majestic Daniel Boone National Forest.
Jeeps are known for primarily being made in America, so it is fitting that they embody the American spirit: freedom, camaraderie, and fun. Of course, by extension, the Jeep Jamboree also embodies these characteristics, helping to create a welcoming environment for passionate people to gather and share their mutual love of Jeeps. It is heartwarming to see a community come together and spread kindness while sharing their passion.
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison attended the gathering on Oct. 17 for the yearly morning meeting to kick off the jamboree. While there, he spoke to The Buzz Newspaper and gave some insight to the purpose of the event, saying “It is just people from all parts of the United States and abroad that come for a good
time,” while also crediting the jamboree’s success.
“We’ve had them from everywhere come in here and they all talk about this being one of the most beautiful parts of the country,” said Harrison.
It seems his heartfelt sentiments were also shared by many of the attendees of the Jamboree, Harrison noted that “Make them feel welcome with what we came up with, feeling like home.” Staying true to the Williamsburg motto. This small Kentucky town truly embodied southern hospitality and made a big impact on many attendees. Given the data over the last few years, the community should expect even more Jeep lovers to attend next year. Overall, despite the namesake, the weekend wasn’t just about jeeps and off-roading. The weekend was a show of community, adventure, and celebrating the spirit of kindness and exploration.
Anonymous survey shows students divided on bullying in school
By Haylee Moses Freshman
Bullying can really affect middle school and high school students in serious ways, sometimes even leading them to not want to be here anymore. Kids are still trying to figure out who they are and what they’re worth, so being bullied can really hurt their confidence and self-esteem.
When someone is constantly put down, left out, or made fun of, it can make them feel completely alone or even hopeless. They might even start to believe that no one cares about them or that things will never get better.
Without help or support from peers, family, or teachers, those negative feelings can build up over time and lead to suicidal thoughts because they think that’s the only way things will get better. Some students might even be too scared or embarrassed to reach out for help, which makes things even worse.
Bullying is a big issue in many schools across the country, and it can make students feel anxious, scared, or unsafe while they’re at school. When students don’t feel safe, it’s hard for them to concentrate and enjoy being at school.
Because of how serious this issue is, The Buzz Newspaper crafted a bullying survey to learn how to help students feel about the prevalence of bullying within the school.
The survey anonymously polled 100 students, asking their opinions about whether they believed bullying was an issue at Williamsburg City School and, if so, if they believed it is handled appropriately. The results were surprisingly divided.
According to the results, 41 students said “yes,” admitting that bullying is still a big problem that needs to be addressed. However, the other 59 students disagreed, showing that bullying isn’t a major concern.
This divided opinion raises questions about how students see bullying and what it looks like for every student. for some students, bullying could be a comment here and there, while for others, they might not consider it a big deal. These mixed responses show that bullying can affect everyone differently, and not everyone sees or understands the problem the same way. The Buzz Newspaper reached out to Williamsburg Principal Mrs. Ashley Partin regarding the results of the survey. Partin commended the newspaper in its efforts in seeking out such information, also noting that gathering such feedback from students is one of the most invaluable tools that administrators have.
“In looking at the results, I’m encouraged that a majority of students—59%—shared that they do not feel bullying is an issue at our school,” said Partin. “That aligns closely with what we see through our behavior data and student conversations: most of our students are kind, respectful, and demonstrate our JACKET Learner values of being kind citizens, accountable teammates, and trustworthy leaders.
“At the same time, the fact that 41% of students indicated that bullying is still a concern is something we take seriously and will work to improve. Even one student feeling unsafe or unheard is one too many. These responses remind us that we must continue to stay proactive in how we teach kindness, empathy, and conflict resolution, and how we respond when issues do arise.”
She noted that the school continues to address bullying through classroom conversations, counseling programs, and restorative practices, while also encouraging students to speak up whenever they see or experience unkind behavior. She said teachers and staff receive special training to help them identify and respond to problems before they get worse.
“Overall, the survey results are a good reflection of where we are and where we can continue to grow. I’m proud of the positive culture our students help create every day, and I’m equally thankful for opportunities like this one to reflect, listen, and keep improving together. I hope that this student and others continue to advocate for issues they feel are important to address in our school and invite them to share their solutions with our administration so that we can work toward continuous improvement,” said Partin.
Students are encouraged to keep speaking up about important issues like bullying and to share their ideas with administration so that we can continue to make our school an even safer, kinder, and more supportive place for all students.
Photo by Laylee Wyatt
More than 250 Jeeps descended upon Williamsburg for the event, with many traveling across the country to participate.
Photo by Timothy Wyatt
The JAG Initiation and Installation Ceremony was held October 17 in the Williamsburg City School’s auditiorium, where officers were sworn in by incoming JAG President Abby Jackson (above). Parents, as well as school administrators, were also present for the ceremony
highlighting topics and events around the school
By Caleb Nichols Sophomore
Artificial intelligence is wedging itself into society. As students, we are familiar with its influence in social media, such as Snapchat’s AI, Instagram’s advertising, and TikTok’s chatbots. But even more than this, AI is becoming increasingly prominent in today’s careers, education, and workforce.
For a brief overview, AI, such as ChatGPT, recognizes patterns in literature across the web. From these patterns, the AI generates responses to prompts, which can be extremely useful and informative for individuals aiming to research.
AI is a potent learning tool, but it is commonly misused to wholly complete assignments, corroding student learning for grades.
As easy as it may be to use AI to complete tasks, today’s workforce is becoming increasingly creativity-based, and we need to recognize how our workforce is becoming more dependent on our thinking. AI is already taking over jobs relating to accounting and automation; only time will tell the role AI will play in our future workforce. As these jobs are becoming less human-based, aspects that require a
human touch, such as personal creativity, thinking, and innovation are increasingly valued as working assets. Our future workforce needs innovative leaders with creativity and imagination who can incorporate their own human thinking into their work; AI will never be able to replace the value of human thought.
As students, the future is ours, and we must take accountability and responsibility for the people we set ourselves up to become. Misusing AI for assignments degrades our thinking, replacing the value of our knowledge with, essentially, a word calculator. There are many ways to use AI to enhance learning, instead of compromising it.
AI works incredibly well as a research tool. Being able to recognize and combine information for articles all over the internet, AI quickly and responsively provides individuals with information for their projects.
AI can also be an effective tool for brainstorming; AI’s informative responses can provoke student thinking. AI can also be used to correct spelling and grammar mistakes.
To prepare ourselves for the people we can become, we should never use AI to completely
Making education special: How SPED teachers are making a difference
By Marissa Meadors Sophomore
What is special education?
Special education provides students with a specific type of education for their personal needs. It’s provided in our school to address the needs of students that have disabilities and need certain accommodations. There is a right that guarantees it in schools through the IDEA Act (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).
Mrs. Chelsea Adkins, the elementary special education director, described her role as a special education teacher as being “there to make them as independent as they can be, and to grow in multiple directions.” Adkins, who has been teaching for 17 years, described Williamsburg as a community, a unique atmosphere, and a special place. Jacki Harr described Williamsburg as a loyal place, passionate in multiple ways, and dedication as a family.
The Middle and High School Special Education Director Ms. Jacki Haar, said that her role is “to teach everybody about inclusiveness, to be part of the world, and to make every day better than before.”
“Things are never the same, they work really hard, and a little
bit of their rockers,” said Haar.
The special education teachers didn’t just start off teaching special education. Adkins began her teaching career as a reading interventionist, which is very different from what she is doing now. With reading intervention, you work with different kids each day. In contrast, while teaching special education, you work with the same group of students. Special education teachers work with a small group of kids each day and get to grow in different ways.
When asked to compare their previous roles with their current ones, both Adkins and Haar had different responses.
Adkins noted that while both have a lot of positives, she felt that she liked being in special education more.
Haar, who has been teaching now for four years, used to teach at an alternative school that she described was like a military school, and later at a high school where she taught science. She said that being able to adapt is paramount.
“Anything in teaching you have to be able to be prepared, wait for changes, and be okay to change, whether you are working with neuro typical kids or divergent,
Both Adkins and Haar described the work as being rewarding,
PHONE: (606) 549-6044 FAX: (606) 549-6015
perform an assignment, but there are many ways to incorporate AI into learning.
In general, there are many principles for using AI for learning.
First, you should ensure that your teacher allows the use of AI for brainstorming, researching, and spell-checking. Any AI use should also be transparent.
For instance, if you wrote an essay and used ChatGPT for research, it should be appropriately cited as a resource according to the class’s teaching guidelines.
Finally, AI should provoke students to incorporate their thinking into work, rather than replace their thinking with work.
There is no denying that AI is becoming increasingly influential in today’s world. AI has the potential to change society tremendously; for these reasons, we, as students of tomorrow’s future, need to prepare ourselves for a workforce that requires human intelligence. Human intelligence is evervaluable. AI should never be used to degrade the value we hold in between our ears.
BOE presented with fall MAP results
By Laylee Wyatt Sophomore
Results from the fall MAP tests showed encouraging signs of improvement based on the previous year’s tests, according to information shared during the Williamsburg Independent Board of Education’s recent meeting.
The board met October 21 for their regular monthly meeting, where Mr. Josh Patrick, the district’s director of innovative learning, presented the board with fall MAP data. He proudly announced that fall MAP score averages have made their way back and are looking good for our school. Patrick pointed out that since these are the first MAP scores of the academic year, results were much more challenging to calculate and average this first time around.
Following the board meeting, Patrick spoke with The Buzz Newspaper regarding the MAP results to take a deeper dive into the numbers.
The fall MAP assessments set the benchmark for following seasonal MAP tests at the beginning of each year, making it important that everyone tries their best.
though each also said that it was hard to point to just one specific thing that they felt stood out to them as a highlight.
“I cannot highlight one because everyone has grown so much in their own ways, so I couldn’t just pick out one,” said Adkins.
Haar did mention two students for strides they had taken in her class recently, praising Kaylee Day for coming out of her shell and being more independent, as well as Noah Helton for performing in the school play last year.
“I cannot name just one. They all make strides in their own timeline on their own progression. In our world, you cannot base stuff on a typical timeline, everyone grows differently based on their abilities,” said Haar, mentioning Noah Helton for performing in the school play last year.
To be a special education teacher, a person must have patience because in that classroom setting you must be more understanding and patient. You must be able to do that while still having discipline to allow you to be in control of the situation. Special education is a great atmosphere but is different from an average classroom. There is often never just a “typical day,” as it changes based on the students.
In the reading test grades for Pre-K to 11th grade, an impressive 8 out of the 12 grades percentage either reached proficiency level, or increased from last year to this year, meaning more than half of Williamsburg City School did exceptionally well on fall MAP this year.
Among the grades tested, two grades stood out: eighth grade and 10th grade. According to benchmark results for this fall, their average percentiles increased substantially from the reading scores of the previous year, amounting to a 20 percent increase compared to last school year’s MAP tests.
To add to the improvements, another exceptional seven out of 12 grades reached their benchmark percentage.
This achievement from the middle school students further emphasizes the great academic growth taking place in the classroom, showcasing the work both teachers and students have put into excelling academically and improving their performance expectations year after year.
In the elementary school, Patrick dove into the highlighted performances on this season’s MAP assessment, noting the outstanding progress made by the younger grades.
Third grade has been seen to show exponential growth from the MAP testing this fall compared to the MAP testing from the previous school year. Mr. Patrick was pleased to highlight third and fifth grades for showing such a jump in their scores, who saw a substantial improvement of 30 percent over the expected benchmark.
“I am very proud of the effort and hard work made by both teachers and students thus far in the year. This test is our baseline to see areas we need to grow and improve in, and im excited to see how students learning increases from now to the Winter testing,” said Patrick.
It’s not too much longer till the winter MAP assessments, so be ready.
Photo by Marissa Meadors
Ms. Jacki Haar (left) works with a student during a hands-on activity in her special education classroom.
Overcoming the grip of fear
By Lilliana Mosley Sophomore
Fear is an interesting thing. There are irrational fears, or fears that people may categorize as “justified.”
But, justification of fears can be a strange thing.
While one person may find spiders terrifying (arachnophobia), another person finds them adorable. Given that example, is there really such things as irrational fear, or is it just different points of view on things like this?
A lot of people seem to not know the brain chemical associated fear, glutamate and the amygdala, which acts as the fear hub and processes the information it receives; however, fear can also be perceived as ‘enjoyable,’ since it releases pleasure chemicals like dopamine and adrenaline. This is why some people may be seen as an adrenaline junkie, because they are addicted to how the dopamine feels once released.
This is also how the fight-or-flight response happens. When the body experiences fear or feels the fear chemicals, it releases more chemicals known as adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare the body to fight or run.
There is nothing that is considered the most feared, as fears are subjective and vary by individuals, culture, and sometimes simple things with no reasons. There are common fears like social anxiety (fear of social situations) or acrophobia (fear of heights).
It really depends on where you are studying and the context, making it impossible to name a single, global top fear. An example of the different number one fears in different places is Europe, their number one fear is the rising cost of living while the number one fear in Nebraska is atychiphobia
L(fear of failure).
Fear is a normal thing to experience, although it can also be the sign of underlying mental health issues, such as anxiety or panic disorder. If you experience an intense amount of fear, talk to a trusted adult or friend and try to get help. You should not live life in fear as this is not normal.
Fear is also considered contagious, as seeing other people in fear can also increase your own fear levels more than you think.
Fears can be learned, socially influenced, and even sometimes passed down from generations. This a complex system though, as it can interplay with inherited predispositions. Environment can also affect it, and individual life events that have happened to people. Fear can really be based on many things. For example, the human body is born with basophobia (fear of falling) and phonophobia (fear of loud noises).
Despite this, all fear can be overcome. Fear is not always a permanent thing, but mental health conditions, including C-PTSD and PTSD can make them permanent. You can work to overcome fears in many ways.
The first way in understanding why you have this fear, where it came from, and why you have it. The second step is challenging the negative thoughts. Being able to address your own justifications about a given fear could help break through beliefs you have that may be irrational or even exaggerated. The third step is expose yourself. And the fourth is relaxation and mindfulness.
If your fears persist or interfere with your everyday life, then it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consult a therapist or counselor.
A “boo” in the ‘Burg
By Marissa Meadors Sophomore
Screaming and playing just like a kid, but the only difference is the kid is dead.
The bouncing of basketballs in the gym, to the giggling of his humor, and the screams that consist through the halls at night. The lights flickering throughout the school with objects being moved around and things being broken. What’s the cause some may ask? There is supposedly a Ghost that haunts the facility of our sacred school.
The young boy is supposedly barred under the gym and likes to taunt us that go inside this building by playing games. His name is Jeffrey, he is known as a trickster. Jeffrey has been seen on multiple occasions by multiple individuals.
The ghost is proven to be in existence. A long time ago there was a ghost hunt held at our school late at night. The ghost hunt was here in the building and on the football field. They had tape recorders and video cameras around the school set
up to catch a glimpse of sneaky Jeffrey. The people on the ghost hunt were Mr. Jerry Herron, Mrs. Sandra Herron, Mrs. Sherry Reed, and Billy Conn. The action that night was interesting. At the start it was looking to be a bust then things started to take a jump.
There were supposedly flickering lights and faucets turning off and on. Then they went out to the football field to see a line of cigarette smoke coming from the top of the bleachers. The interesting thing about this is none of these individuals smoked and there were zero individuals out there except them.
They never did experience anything else until they checked on the voice recorders. All of them were silent except for one that had been positioned it in the middle of the gym floor. When they listened back to it, they heard a child-like giggle that sounded like it was saying, “Jokes on you.”
This isn’t the only encounter that is on the books.
itt L e J acket S quare
By Savanna Bryant Sophomore
A long time ago, Mrs. Reed was the cheerleading coach of Williamsburg’s varsity cheer team. One night, she got back from a late away football game and she waited for all the girls to leave.
After the last girl left, she went to go get her kids because they would play around the school while their mom worked. Mrs. Reed went into the old main lobby to get her kids and a scream came from upstairs that said “Mommy!”
Then she saw her daughter and son walking out of the gym. Then she and her assistant coach at the time checked upstairs in the halls and rooms and there was nothing to be seen. It is believed that this was Jeffrey the ghost.
The ghost in the school has always been known by some, but not by others. There is an explanation for all the weird behavior that is happening in the school. You can take this information as you will, but remember, someone is always watching you.
Halloween Coloring Contest
Attention Elementary Teachers: Please encourage your students to color the photo to the left. The Buzz Newspaper will be selecting several winners and featuring them in the next issue of the newspaper.
Judging Categories:
• Pre-K and Kindergarten
• First Grade - Third Grade
• Fourth and Fifth Grade
One winner will be chosen from each of the above categories. Entries can be dropped off with Mr. Timothy Wyatt in Room 206. Please submit all entries you wish to be considered by Nov. 7.
Entries will be judged based on creativity and uniqueness.
Feel free to reach out to Mr. Timothy Wyatt if you have any questions regarding the contest.
W illiamsburg C ross W ord P uzzle
A discussion about teen suicide and how it is a growing issue
By Aksh Banker Senior
Suicide has always been a major problem for teens in the U.S., taking the lives of millions of children throughout the country. One of the main causes for these tragedies is often bullying.
Bullying has been a plague on the mental health of teens and affects their lives every day. We need to take priority over the mental health of our youth, and the first step is to find the reasons why teens are committing suicide at such a rapid rate and how to stop it.
According to data from the Kansas Legislature’s website, suicide is the third most common cause of death among young people, resulting in 4,400 deaths per year in the USA alone. That data also showed that bullying victims are two to nine 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims.
Bullying is a big problem in schools and isn’t taken as seriously as it should be by students. Students often insult each other as a joke, but there is no telling if a student will take it for real and bottle up that pain inside, pretend-
ing that nothing is wrong and that “It’s just a joke.” Please, consider the impact of your words on others before it is too late.
Young men are often expected not to show their emotions in any way, as it’s perceived as “unmanly,” “whiny,” or “cowardly” by those around them. That perception can sometimes even come from people they trust, such as friends and family. It can lead to problems such as anger issues, frustration, anxiety, depression, and, in far too many cases, suicidal thoughts.
Socialized gender norms, and particularly conformity to masculine norms, have been discussed as driving factors for men’s increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Being kind to your classmates when they express their emotions, rather than pushing them away from their feelings, is essential.
It’s unhealthy to bottle up all those emotions inside. Instead, you should always consider other people’s feelings.
Young women also have their own unique problems, as women are often expected to be conventionally attractive to be respected by other people. If they don’t suit beauty standards, they
W’Burg FFA launches new fundraisers, begins community initiatives
By Chloe Sawyers FFA Reporter
Our school’s FFA chapter has had a busy and successful start to the school year, with several exciting events, fundraisers, and student achievements already underway.
This fall, our chapter launched two successful fundraisers: the “Totally Tallow” line of beef tallowbased body care products, and seasonal pumpkin flower arrangements. Both sales were well-received by the community and helped support our chapter’s upcoming events and travel.
Our members also had the opportunity to participate in the first annual Bethany’s Hope horse show, where we not only helped set up and decorate the event, but also judged the horse show. This was a valuable experience for students interested in animal science, agricultural event planning, and anything to do with horses.
Our first chapter meeting of the school year was a huge success, bringing members together to reflect on all we’ve accomplished since summer and to plan for what’s ahead. At the meeting, we welcomed two new officers to the team: Jenna Prewitt as Treasurer and Marissa Tolbert as Sentinel. We’re excited to see the energy and ideas they bring to our leadership team.
Each month, we recognize outstanding members as our “Golden Pinheads” — a fun tradition that rewards hard work and celebrates involvement. Congratulations to this month’s honorees, Zimrie Housekeeper and Gage Smith. We appreciate your dedication.
Looking ahead, several members will be representing our school at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. This convention is a major opportunity, offering leadership development, networking, and exposure to the wider world of agriculture. It’s an honor to attend and a proud moment for our school as we continue to grow our presence and impact in agricultural education.
We’re proud of everything our chapter has accomplished already this year and are looking forward to what’s next for the future of agriculture: Us.
The Poltergeist: A Poem
By Aksh Banker Senior
On Midnight, 31 of October….
The violent and vengeful spirit known as Steven Watson will stalk the halls of Williamsburg City School….
With pale skin and a full beard…. He threatens to fist-fight any students that dare go inside the school at that time….
There is only one way for a student to defeat this monster…. That is to simply take a camera and point it at him….
The ghost will fly away in a fright…. And vanish into the night….
will get bullied because that is “the one thing a woman should be.”
An article from The Independent claimed that young women also compare themselves to women on social media and grow conscious of their bodies and develop eating disorders and self-harm to “fix” their bodies. When that doesn’t work, they could consider suicide.
Please, be mindful and don’t judge others for superficial reasons, such as looks. Some people will take it hard.
Parents are some of the most important people in someone’s life, but not all parents deserve their children.
According to the CUNY School of Public Health, children who suffer parental emotional abuse are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than those who do not.
A parent should be supporting and loving their children, not insulting them, swearing at them, or putting them down. If a parent is not doing their job of being a caregiver correctly, the child will feel alone and worthless because of the parent’s mistakes and could feel as if their life is meaningless. That shouldn’t happen. So, if you or someone else is suffering from parental abuse, then you need to
tell an adult. The opinions on LGBTQ are controversial to say the least, but the fact is that teens who identify in this group are suffering because of this.
More data from the Kansas Legislature’s website showed that teens who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning have more than ten times the odds of committing suicide than heterosexual teens. No matter what anyone’s opinions are, no one should even consider committing suicide for simply being who they are. If someone you know trusts you with this info, then please don’t shame them or convince them to change because that won’t do anything other than make them feel worse about themselves.
Suicide seems to be a never-ending problem for teens and young adults, but something can be done about it. Nothing is entirely hopeless or unsolvable, even when it comes to a serious topic such as suicide. It is imperative to care for yourself and others, as well as to have an open mind. No matter what kind of problem anyone has, suicide will never be a good solution. It doesn’t end the problem, it ends someone’s life.
Uncovering the truth behind the band room’s Banana Man
By Kara Moses Freshman
Have you ever gone into Williamsburg City School’s band room? Well, if you have then you know about the Band Room Banana, an old relic that is an important part of our school’s history.
After a couple of interviews by two very helpful students, The Buzz Newspaper was able uncover the truth on our longest-standing band student. So many stories have been told about our banana friend.
Among those stories is one from senior Candace Sutton.
“[Former band director] Mr. [Zachary] Shannon got him from Dollywood, but I don’t know who won him. He used to have a crown and saxophone. We’ve had him forever. He was here before I even got in high school, so at least eight years. He survived five band directors, and he is the longest standing band member,” said Sutton.
Much like Sutton, some people only know parts of the story; however, thanks to senior Zaden Housekeeper, The Buzz was able to get more of the story behind our beloved Banana Man. According to Housekeeper, it has been around even longer than previously thought.
“The band room banana has been here since [former band director] Mr. [Jacob] Sudduth’s senior year. He won it with his friends at a band competition in Dollywood and put it in the band room when his mom, Shawn Sudduth had taught here,” said Housekeeper.
Thanks to those two students, we have gotten to see a few different stories, but what really has happened with that banana?
The story behind him is so different with each student you ask: different places he has sat, different accessories he has had, different legacies that we have been told about our yellow friend.
If you ever want to visit band room banana, go into the band room and as of now he sits in the corner on the shelves near the percussion instruments. Banana Man will forever live on as a memory of our school.
Banana Man has a bit of something for everyone. For children, he’s funny and goofy. For band students, he is the mascot of our band room.
Thanks to Sudduth, we have something that means so much to Williamsburg City School. Make sure, students of Williamsburg, visit the band room banana and tell his story to the next generation of little Jackets.
The effects of drugs and alcohol on student health
By Sammie Phipps Sophomore
In Kentucky’s high schools, the impact of alcohol and drug use among students is serious.
According to a survey by the Kentucky Incentives for Prevent ion, those students experiencing serious psychological distress are two and a half times more likely to vape or use cannabis, and three times more likely to smoke cigarettes.
Meanwhile, data from the Ken tucky Department of Education shows the number of incidents in Kentucky schools involving drugs, alcohol and tobacco have risen significantly in recent years. In high schools, the number of such recorded events climbed more than 100 percent between the 2017-18 school year
and 2024-25 school year.
What this means for students is harsh.
Early substance use can impair the brain’s development, particularly affecting memory, learning and decision-making abilities. On top of academic harm, students under the influence are more vulnerable. They may engage in risky behavior, miss classes or become disconnected from school and peers.
In Kentucky, many students say they use substances to cope with stress, anxiety, or trauma.
In another recent survey, high school students themselves identified stress, depression and peer pressure as major reasons for substance use. The connection between mental health and substance use is clear: when stu-
dents don’t feel supported or safe at school or home, they are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol.
Though the rate of youth alcohol and drug use has dropped nationally since the 1990s, and the state has seen declines as well, the shifting trends present new challenges.
Vaping and marijuana use are on the rise, and accessibility remains high. To reduce harms, schools and communities in Kentucky must prioritize prevention, build stronger school climates, offer mental-health support, and engage families.
By strengthening the protective environment around young people, we improve chances that they choose healthy paths instead of risky ones.
Current stats from the top performers on this year’s varsity football team
By Kinley McNew Junior
The Williamsburg varsity football team has a series of hardworking players.
The Buzz Newspaper asked four of the team’s coaches to identify which players had the best heads on their shoulders by grade, based on statistics, leadership, and overall game impact. Based on that criteria, Peyton Hamilton, Eli Meadors, Reece Hatcher, and Brayden Sevier, were the top picks, showing the depth of talent across all grade levels.
Senior wide receiver Peyton Hamilton was voted the best overall player, recognized for his leadership and impressive play. Hamilton has 23 receptions for 477 yards and 12 touchdowns, making him a constant threat on the field.
The coaches said Hamilton demonstrates authentic leadership, leading the team in touchdowns and receiving yards, and often rallying the team in critical moments and on big plays. Hamilton has played a significant role in beating opponents this season,
scoring a total of 72 points against them, solidifying his reputation as a game-changer and clutch performer even against district opponents.
Another key player is junior running back Eli Meadors, a powerful and fast runner who breaks tackles and finds holes with precision. Meadors has carried the ball 55 times this season while running for 326 yards and scoring four rushing touchdowns, the second most touchdowns behind Hamilton.
Sophomore quarterback Reece Hatcher has had a phenomenal start to the season, showing confidence and precision. He’s thrown for 1,551 yards on 107 completions and rushed for 157 yards. Hatcher Hatcher has thrown 20 touchdowns this year, with more than half of them being thrown to Hamilton, his WR1 and favorite target in high-pressure situations.
Freshman Brayden Sevier plays all around: punt, kickoff, and kick return, showcasing his versatility and willingness to do whatever is needed.
Sevier is the definition of a team player. He shows up daily and strives to improve and make the team
better by playing the scout team and pushing starters to elevate their performance.
Two more seniors who play a significant role on the team are Gary Tye and Hayden Kleinhert. Tye and Kleinhert play a substantial role in the defense by shutting down the run game and the passing through the air. The pair have a combined total of 3 interceptions.
Tye has one interception and an interception touchdown, right behind Kleinhert, who leads the team with two interceptions, 43 return yards, one interception touchdown, and six solo tackles, proving to be a lockdown defender in key matchups.
Tye leads the Williamsburg defense with 48 total tackles, 32 of which are solo, while the other 12 are assisted. Tye also has two of the team’s seven fumble recoveries, with one being a thrilling 30-yard scoop and score against a district opponent, which really energized the crowd.
Tye also has one sixteen-yard reception touchdown, demonstrating his ability to make plays on both sides of the ball.
Photo by Kara Moses
The band room’s Banana Man (above) has become the subject of many stories over the years by band students.