DA Graduate Places Fifth in Miss Universe Competition
Former Davidson Academy graduate and current Miss USA Rachel Smith graced the stage in Mexico City at the
56th annual Miss Universe pageant. The entire production was watched by a live audience of 10,000 and more than 600 million television viewers worldwide.
Smith received high scores in the swimsuit competition along with many other parts of the competition. She competed against 77 other women from all over the world. Congratulations on this great achievement, Rachel!
On Tuesday, May 15, the fourth graders traveled
to our State's Capitol building and the Tennessee
State Museum. This is an annual trip as fourth
graders learn more about Tennessee history. This
year's fourth graders were excited that Governor
Phil Bredesen was speaking at the Capitol. He
greeted students in Mrs. Goad's, Mrs. Herrell's,
and Mrs. Smith's classes with handshakes. They
even had their picture made with our Governor!
Peek Participates in Fundraiser
Kennady Peek, a second grader in Mrs. Murphy's class, recently participated in a national event to raise funds for
Children's Miracle Network to benefit Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. The event was hosted by the Springfield Wal-Mart.
Kennady was broadcast by XM Kids on satellite radio and was heard all over the United States.
Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization
that raises funds for children's hospitals all over the United
States. For more information about this organization, visit XM Kids Traveling Road Show.
Softball Team Wins Regional Championship
Davidson Academy's softball team recently won the Middle Region Division II championship, beating Father Ryan 4-1.
They will now compete in the state tournament beginning May 22.
Jackelyn Mead, Kasey Leonard, Holly Beth Jones all were named to the all region team and Ainsley McCullough was named the region MVP.
For more information about the team's participation in the state competition in Murfreesboro, visit www.tssaa.org.
Choirs Win First Place at Competition
Davidson Academy's Advanced Chorale and Junior Choir both
took first place at Music in the Parks on April 20th and 21st
in Atlanta, Ga. The Advanced Chorale received an excellent
rating and the Junior Choir received a superior rating.
Congratulations to both choirs!
Yandell Competes at Kentucky Opry
Logan Yandell, a sixth grade student
in Mrs. Clinkenbeard's homeroom,
has been competing at the
Kentucky Opry for the past several
months. Through a series of eliminations,
he recently competed in
the Grand Finals. Logan played 2
songs on the mandolin and won first
place in the Instrumental Division.
He also has been asked to play in
the Stars of Tomorrow Band at the
Kentucky Opry this summer on Friday evenings. He had a
great time. Logan is the son of
Greg and Christa Yandell. Congratulations, Logan!
National Junior Honor Society Inducts New Members
Twenty students were inducted into the Davidson Academy chapter of the National Junior Honor
Society on May 9 in a ceremony
attended by parents, faculty, classmates and friends. Membership
in the society is based on scholarship, character,
leadership, service and citizenship.
New members include ninth graders Elizabeth Butler, Bradley
Hinkle, and Derek Vaughn; and eighth graders Joshua
Gregory, Emily Hancock, Brett Hardaway, Emily Jordan,
Madison Kerns, Robert Mutter, Callie Oldfi eld, Haley
Poole, Annalise Price, Brandon Ravenell, Katie Richey,
Lauren Speck, Anna Steele, Kaleb Thomas, Shelby Vetter,
Erin Wood and Taylor Wylie.
The chapter also elected new officers. Serving for 2007-08 will be Betsy Swann, president; Thomas McLaughlin, vice president;
Erin Cox, secretary; Matthew Roberts, treasurer; and
Kristen Clay and Shelby Stone, service co-chairpersons. National Junior Honor Society sponsors are Mrs. Beverly
Blomquist and Mrs. Dianne Bolin.
Bishir Competes in Horse Show
Sterling Bishir (5th grade in Mrs. Walker's classroom) placed in
several categories at the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagle Horse Show recently.
She placed third in the Hunter Over Groundrails Trot category, fourth
in the Hunter Over Groundrails Walk and Trot, and fifth in the Crossrails
Hunter Under Saddle. She is a member of the Ace High Pony Club in
Hendersonville and is the daughter of Steve and Traci Bishir. Congratulations, Sterling.
Students Assist in Special Olympics
Davidson Academy athletes assisted in the Sumner County Special Olympics
last Friday. The annual event was held at Gallatin High School with special
needs students from several area schools participating. The girls helped with
the softball throw. "It was so much fun," said Hannah Rust, sophomore. "We were
so touched by these athletes and how they put so much effort into the competition,"
she added. The state Special Olympics will be held at Vanderbilt University on
Saturday, May 19th.
DA Alum Earns Top Honors at Trevecca University
Amy Hutchins, a former DA student, was recently honored both academically and athletically at Trevecca University.
She received the Business Award for having the highest GPA of any business school graduate this year. Also, her participation on the school's women's basketball
team earned her the "X Award" from her coach and the Betty Ragsdale 'Spirit' Award from her team for her
Christian stewardship, academics, athletics and sportsmanship. Hutchins graduates magna cum laude this
Saturday.
Twillie Wins Four Blue Ribbons in Swim Meet
Joshua Twillie, a first grader in Mrs. Spradlin's class, represented
Davidson Academy at the Spring 2007 Elementary School Swim Meet
held in Lebanon, Tenn., on Sat., April 28. Joshua won first
place blue ribbons in four events for first grade boys: the 25 yard
backstroke, freestyle, breast stroke and butterfly. Joshua is the son
of David and Joy Twillie. Congratulations, Joshua!
Kindergarteners Celebrate Earth Day
Mrs. Henderson's K-4 class celebrated Earth Day by recycling
trash to treasure! They recently completed a science lesson
and a classroom unit on "Where Does Garbage Go?" Each
student was asked to bring in a decorative or useful item that
they created from trash. They brought in games, toys, vases
and many more creative items while learning to do their part to keep
God's beautiful world clean.
April 2007
Michell Wood Receives Arrow of Light Award
On March 27, Cub Scout Pack 161 in Pleasant View awarded Mitchell Wood with the highest
achievement a Cub Scout can earn - the Arrow of Light. After receiving this honor, Mitchell,
a second-year Webelo, became a Boy Scout and crossed over into Troop 76.
Mitchell became a scout during first grade at Davidson Academy and has worked through the ranks
of Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos. His goal is to become an Eagle Scout. He is currently in the fifth grade
and is the son of Kevin and Lesia Wood.
Davidson Academy Team Places 2nd Overall in TMTA Math Competition
On Tuesday, April 17th, 26 Davidson students competed in
the 51st annual TMTA Math Contest at Vol State. The DA
team placed 2nd overall in the competition. Matthew Roberts
placed 9th in the Algebra II category. Emily Davis and Emily
Eaton placed 6th and 10th, respectively, in the Calculus
and Advanced Topics category. Congratulations to all DA
students who participated!
DA Students Excel at 54th Annual Youth Legislature
Students at Davidson Academy recently served as mock state
government officials at the 54th annual YMCA Youth Legislature,
held at the Tennessee Capitol building.
Students who participate in the program present original bills through a
series of committee meetings and legislative sessions and take on roles as
governors, senators, representatives, justices, lawyers,
commissioners, lobbyists, and press corps members. Interestingly,
several of the students have proposed bills
that have become actual laws in Tennessee.
Several Davidson Academy students were honored at the event, including
Tiffany Guy, Whit Hamilton and Caroline Milam. Guy, a junior from Hendersonville,
served on the governor's cabinet as commissioner of education and proposed a
bill that would create a one-semester elective course to aid the college
admissions process. Ninth-grader Whit Hamilton of Nashville was named
Outstanding Statesperson for his exemplary approach to legislation, and
junior Caroline Milam of White House was elected attorney general for
the 2008 Youth Legislature session. Milam's primary responsibility next
year will be to determine the constitutionality of every proposed bill and resolution.
Carney selected as University of Tennessee cheerleader
Davidson Academy senior Dani Carney has been selected as one of
16 female cheerleaders on the University of Tennessee's cheerleading squad.
Dani attended clinics in Knoxville this year in preparation and was
selected at this weekend's try-outs.
The UT cheerleaders cheer for football, men's and women's basketball and
participate as ambassadors for the university at over 90 off campus
events each year. They also attend the annual national collegiate
cheerleading championships. Congratulations, Dani.
Keen Wrestles into Second Place
Fourth grader, Jake Keen, placed second in the 85 lb. midget division
recently at the Tennessee AAU State Wrestling Tournament. He is the son of
Starlis and Michele Keen and is a student in Mrs. Smith's homeroom.
Congratulations, Jake!
March 2007
Nationwide Insurance Named Title Sponsor of Bear Pride Golf Classic
Davidson Academy's Bear Pride Golf Classic is proud to
share a title sponsor with a prominent professional golf tour!
Nationwide Insurance, national sponsor of the Nationwide Tour,
will serve as the 2007 title sponsor.
The sponsorship agreement was arranged through Davidson Academy
parent, Rayme Phillips, owner of the Nationwide Insurance agency on
Glancy Street in Goodlettsville. Rayme and his wife, Wendy, are the
parents of Whitney Phillips, a sophomore member of Davidson Academy's
Women's Golf team.
Davidson Academy's own version of the Nationwide Tour will tee off on
Monday, May 7th at The Club at Fairvue Plantation in Gallatin.
Both morning (7:30 a.m.) and afternoon (1:00 p.m.) starting times are
available. Contact Pam King at pking@davidsonacademy.com to
secure a spot in this increasingly popular golf event.
Former Davidson Academy Student Wins Miss USA Title
After competing against contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Davidson Academy alumna Rachel Smith won the title of Miss USA on Friday night. The 21 year old from Clarksville is also a graduate of Belmont University and a former intern for the production company behind The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Smith edged out top finalists Meagan Yvonne Tandy of California; Cara Renee Gorges of Kansas; Helen Salas of Nevada; and Danielle Lacourse of Rhode Island.
When asked whether she was ready to take over, Smith admitted it would "be a little bit of a challenge," but added that she was ready for it. "I'm excited to see what this year will hold," she said.
Smith will live in a fancy New York apartment for a year, during which she'll spend most of her time traveling as she represents the Miss Universe Organization and speaks out on breast and ovarian cancer awareness. She also gets to represent the United States in the worldwide Miss Universe competition.
Vaughn Honored by Football Foundation
On Tuesday, March 6th, senior Duane Vaughn was honored
by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame
at a banquet where he received a scholarship and the "Inspiration
Award" given by the NFL Retired Players Association.
The Inspiration Award is an award for leadership both on and
off the field.
Wasill Featured in The
Tennessean
An article featuring our DA parent, Joi Wasill, appeared in
the Living section of the February 23, 2007 issue of The Tennessean.
Joi, the education coordinator for Moms ALIVE (Adoptive
Life is Very Exciting), speaks to high school girls concerning
their options if they are faced with unplanned pregnancies.
She mostly informs the girls about their option of adoption in
an attempt to clear away the misinformation they may have
about adoption.
Moms ALIVE formed six years ago and added school presentations
to its offerings in 2002. Moms ALIVE, a group of
adoptive mothers and birth mothers, meets at Two Rivers
Baptist Church the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30
to 8:30 p.m. Call 264-2276 or visit www.momsalive.org for
more information.
Austin Johnson named Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest state champion
Austin Johnson has been named the 2007 Tennessee State Champion of the Poetry Out
Loud: National Recitation Contest, which encourages high school students to memorize
and perform poems. On Saturday, March 3, he defeated contestants from across the
state.
For his first place win, Johnson received a $200 certificate from the
National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation and a volume of poetry.
Davidson Academy also received a $500 voucher to be used to purchase volumes for the
library.
Johnson will now represent Davidson Academy and the state of
Tennessee at the national competition in Washington, D.C. which will
be held April 30 and May 1, 2007.
February 2007
Bear Pride Golf Classic Welcomes Paul Decker as Honorary Chair
John and Leighsa Binkley, Co-Chairs
of Bear Pride Golf Classic 2007, have
proudly announced that new Upper
School Head, Paul Decker, has agreed
to serve as Honorary Chair. The tournament,
Davidson Academy's largest
annual fundraising event, will be held on Monday, May 7th at
The Club at Fairvue Plantation in Gallatin.
The Tournament Committee was excited to ask Mr. Decker
to serve as Honorary Chair. It is hoped that his service in this
capacity will allow him to become better acquainted with lots
of Davidson Academy supporters, and that his involvement
will help to attract some new community interest in the event,
as well. Paul will be playing in the tournament and will help
greet the approximately 200 golfers from all over Nashville
who'll be participating.
Well-wishers are invited to forward donations in support of the
tournament to: Davidson Academy, In Honor of Paul Decker,
1414 Old Hickory Blvd., Nashville, TN 37207. Questions may
be directed to: Pam King, Director of Development, (615)
860-5305 or pking@davidsonacademy.com. Bear Pride Golf
Classic helps to fund academic programs across all grade
levels at Davidson Academy.
DA Students to Compete in World Cheerleading Competition Bailey DuMont, Gracie Moore, and Emily Kershaw's All
Star Cheerleading Squad, Prime Tyme Ravens, have been
invited to compete in the World Cheerleading Competition.
This competition will be held in Orlando, Florida in mid-April
at the Disney's Wide World of Sports and will be nationally
televised. The team will be competing against teams from
all over the world. This is a very big honor for these girls!!
Bailey, a 9th grader, is the daughter of Kevin and Susan
DuMont. Gracie, a 9th grader, is the daughter of Roger and
Inglis Moore. Emily, a 7th grader, is the daughter of Sammy
Kershaw and Kim Kershaw. Congratulations, girls!
Students Compete in a Recent Youth Wrestling Tournament
Kyle Gilbert, third grader in
Mrs. Bratcher's class, and
Jake Keen, fourth grader
in Mrs. Smith's class, competed
in an AAU Wrestling
Tournament at Cookeville
High School on Saturday,
February 24th. Kyle placed
fi rst in the 70 lbs. Midget
Class. Jake placed second
in both the 85 lbs. Midget
and Junior Classes. Kyle is
the son of Keary and Kelley Gilbert. Jake is the son of Starlis
and Michele Keen. Congratulations!
Mock Trial District Competition
Seventeen teams competed in the Mock Trial District Competition this weekend at the new court house in downtown Nashville. Congratulations to Holly Rice for being named Best Defense Witness out of 51 witnesses and to Lauren Goldberg for being named Most Valuable Player of the Davidson Academy team. All team members performed exceptionally well in our first Mock Trial competition: Lauren Goldberg, Caroline Milam, Seth Coats, Faith Smith, Holly Rice, Katie Smith and Kaila Sewell.
Flipside Places 1st and 3rd at Jamfest
The Flipside Dance Team competed at the Music Jam Jamfest Nationals at Municipal Auditorium
(Nashville) on February 4th. They received a banner and plaque for their 1st place National Pom
routine. They placed 3rd in Hip Hop and received a plaque.
Alum Drew Bratcher Puts DA in the News
Drew Bratcher, class of 2001, is working as an intern for the Washingtonian
magazine in Washington D.C. He wrote this article for the magazine about his experiences
teaching a class at his alma mater and chaperoning the class on a trip to D.C. last spring.
January 2007
Band Members Participate in Honors Band
This past weekend, Lauren Goldberg (flute), Michael Hotchkiss (french horn) and Daniel Kidd (trumpet) performed at Western Kentucky University at the 27th Annual Honors Band Festival and Clinic. The three were chosen from over 775 students nominated from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. They auditioned for chair placement on Thursday afternoon and then started a series of rehearsals Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning concluding with a concert Saturday afternoon at the historic Van Meter Hall on the WKU campus. Congratulations to them for an outstanding performance!
Kemp Receives Civitan Award
Senior Chase Kemp was honored on January 17, 2007, with
the Walter Nippers Nashville Civitan Sportsmanship award
for the 2006 football season. Chase is the son of Jerry and
Cheryl Kemp. Congratulations, Chase!
Extended Care Registration
For Parent/Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Davidson Academy will dismiss at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday,
February 6, 2007 for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Extended
Care will be open for those needing care. Lunch and snack
will be provided. Cost for the day is $20.00 for those registering
by Monday, January 29. There is a $10.00 late fee
for those registering after Monday, January 29. Charges
will be assessed for those registering and not attending. To
register, stop by the Extended Programs offi ce and pick up
a registration form.
Miss Tennessee to Travel to Africa
2003 DA graduate and the current reigning Miss Tennessee
USA, Rachel Smith, has been chosen to teach for one month
at Oprah Winfrey's new school for girls in Africa. Rachel, a
journalism major at Belmont, interned for eight months in
Chicago for Harpo Productions, a company owned by Winfrey.
She was crowned Miss Tennessee USA last fall and will
compete in the Miss USA pageant on March 23, 2007, in Los
Angeles, California. The pageant will be televised on NBC.
Varsity Cheerleaders Win 1st Place
Congratulations Varsity Cheerleaders on winning 1st place in the Medium High School Level 4
division at the Athletic National Championship Series in Chattanooga, Tn. This is the 3rd
year in a row that our cheerleaders have won 1st place in this competition.
Two Named As Finalists in Mr. Football Award
Eric Davis and Josh Williams were named as finalists in prestigious Mr. Football Award
for Division II A/AA.
Volleyball Award Senior Emily Davis was named to the Division II All Region Volleyball Team.
Emily is the daughter of Randle and Brenda Davis. Congratulations, Emily!
Girls' Golf Team Wins Regional, Third in State Congratulations to the 2006 Girls' Golf Team for winning first place in the
regional tournament on October 2, 2006. Hillary Goodall won 2nd place overall with a score
of 81. Stephanie Smith won 4th place overall with a score of 83. The team advanced to
state championship competition at Old Fort Golf Course in Murfreesboro last week, finishing
third. Congratulations, girls!
Congratulations To the Class of 2006
The Davidson Academy class of 2006 was offered (another school record) $2,560,034 in college
scholarships, an average of $37,648 per student. College and University Acceptances
