Sports News for September:
Go Red Devils!
-Kendall, RHNN Sports
Red Hot News Network Red Devil Dynamo of the Week: Mrs. Janice Montgomery
If you asked any student at Lawrence County High School for their thoughts on Mrs. Janice Montgomery, they would have nothing but positivity to share. Multiple students have commented on her kindness and her concern for their wellbeing. “She’s very sweet. She’s always going above and beyond to make sure I’m content and happy with my learning experience,” says sophomore Skylyn Stevens. Because she’s such a kindhearted, hardworking individual, Mrs. Montgomery is this week’s Red Devil Dynamo.
Mrs. Montgomery had a unique beginning to her career in education. She began her job as a substitute when her children started going to school. She was a substitute for sixteen years before she became an online facilitator at LCHS. She has been facilitating online classes full time for five years. Along with her usual classes, this year she also supervises the blended students who don’t have classes on Mondays.
Although she recognizes the benefits of virtual learning, Mrs. Montgomery has some concerns about how it will affect students. “There are some students that might have an easier time this year with virtual learning, but personally I would rather have them here,” she said in an interview. “I get to talk to them if they’re having any issues or just to see how they’re doing. It’s hard to talk to them when they’re at home, but when they’re here I can at least check on them and get to see them.” Her love of communicating and connecting with students is appreciated by everyone. “Mrs. Montgomery is the type of person who lights up the hallway when you walk by her,” says Ethan Gordon, a member of this year’s graduating class. “She keeps the school’s environment a great place to learn.” Her brightness makes school more enjoyable for both blended and traditional students.
After her work at school is done, Mrs. Montgomery goes home to spend time with her family. She has been married for twenty-seven years and she has two children. “I really just love spending time with my family. Every chance we get we try to do something together. We’re very close.” Her daughter, following in her footsteps, is also working in education, and her son is in college.
While Mrs. Montgomery realizes that this year is unlike any other, she believes the seniors should have a positive end to their high school experience. “Even though these are different times, try to enjoy it. It’s going to go by fast. You’re going to miss it if you just try to hurry through it. Try to make the best of it. Things will get better.”
By: Baylee Willingham, Staff Writer
Sports News for Friday, Aug. 28th:
Red Hot News Network Red Devil Dynamo of the Week: Mrs. Jessi Welborn
With all the new challenges this school year presents, there has never been a more stressful time to be a school counselor and virtual coordinator, but Jessi Welborn fills those shoes perfectly. With her positive attitude and bright personality, she is one of Lawrence County High’s most valuable assets. Although her plate is full being a cross country coach, one of two school counselors, and the bridge between virtual students and teachers, Mrs. Welborn can always take time out of her busy schedule to help a student in need. All of her wonderful qualities make her the perfect choice for this week’s Red Devil Dynamo.
Mrs. Welborn, a graduate of UNA, has worked in education for nine years. She has taught multiple subjects, including physical education and English. When asked about her favorite part of her job, she replied “The students, definitely. Especially with everything going on right now, getting to see everybody and communicate with everyone is the best part.” LCHS students love Mrs. Welborn, describing her as caring and joyful. Jacob Alvis, a junior cross country runner, says “She’s a strong person and a huge help to the team.”
Outside of school, Mrs. Welborn loves spending time with her husband of fourteen years, who happens to be her high school sweetheart. They have two children together, ages six and three. She says they love jumping on the trampoline and fishing together.
To say that the class of 2021 will be having a strange senior year would be putting it lightly. Each day contains more surprises than the last. Mrs. Welborn has a bit of advice for this year’s graduating class: “Don’t rush. Enjoy the process, whether you’re going to college, or going to work, or joining the army. Take your time. Whatever you choose to do, do it with a purpose instead of just doing it because you feel like it’s the next thing you should do.”
By: Baylee Willingham, Staff writer
Virtual education, also known as E-learning, has sparked the interest of many people as technology continues to improve. This year in particular has made virtual learning a popular
topic due to it being the reality for many students all over the world. While E-learning is fairly new to most schools, people have very different opinions on the new teaching style. Some believe this will be a great asset to our education, while others believe it is a setback. Is virtual learning truly the education of the future?
According to online statistics, the virtual learning rate grew from 49% in 2015 to a staggering 98% in 2020. The market for online learning is estimated to grow 12.8 billion dollars
between 2020-2024. Many people believe this is only the beginning of virtual learning. Online classes offer many benefits to students such as flexible schedules, working at their own pace, and increased learning materials. Although these all seem like very positive advantages, one major issue is that students lose the ability to communicate effectively in person. Traditional
school provides structure and teaches responsibility. The lack of structure from E-learning is a hard adjustment for some students, but most adjusted well. Lawrence County High school is one of the many schools offering virtual learning this school year. Due to the health and well-being of the community, many students have decided to
attend this school year online. Here’s some opinions of LCHS students and staff members regarding their experiences with virtual learning.
Whether traditional school is back to normal or virtual school is here to stay, the students and staff members at Lawrence County High School seem very optimistic for the future.
Paige Hancock, Red Hot News Editor
When did you begin teaching?
“I did my student teaching in 1992 in Mrs. Byna Luse’s Kindergarten class at Caldwell Elementary School in Scottsboro, AL. I always wanted to teach Kindergarten since I
was 5 years old but have actually gone on to teach every single grade level from Pre-K to 12 th grade since then. I was a substitute and did several leaves of absence when my
biological kids were very young so I could stay home with them more. So I didn’t start teaching full time until 1997 at Brownwood Elementary School in Scottsboro, AL where I
went to elementary school. It was very neat to teach where I had also had the privilege of learning as a child.”
What all involves being a Special Education teacher?
“Special education involves so many different aspects of teaching. In general education, most teachers specialize in one certain area but in special education you need to know
about all of the different subject areas and electives. If you want to pursue a degree in special education you first start by picking an age range, either Pre-K through 6 th grade
or 7 th grade through 12 th grade. You can choose to do both like I did if you are not sure. Special education teachers can be more like a resource teacher where they have
students come to them for extra help in a certain subject area or they can do more inclusion teaching where they go into the classroom to help students in their regular
classroom. You can also teach in another setting like mine where you have a set group of students that you teach all day every day in certain areas like alternate standards,
autism classes, behavior units, etc. This job also involves a whole lot of paperwork. It is the worst part of my job but a necessary part of it as well. You have a lot more contact
with parents, hold meetings, do testing documents and write IEP’s.”
Describe a day in the life of Christa Frakes:
“This is a loaded question!
I get up early and get myself mostly ready and take some time to pray and focus on God, then I start waking all of the kids up to get them fed and ready for school. We are
foster/adoptive parents so some morning are more of a challenge than others. We have had as many as 9 kids in our home and as little as 4 kids at a time to get ready and out
the door. My husband and I are a fabulous team and have assigned jobs each morning to help our household run as smooth as possible. Right now we only have 4 kids so my
husband takes them all to their school so that I can finish getting ready and get to my school. I teach all four core subject areas to my students who are all on different
learning levels in all four grade levels. This can be a challenge so I have two amazing paraprofessionals who help me every day to meet all of the students’ needs. We also teach life skills and adaptive PE. After school, I usually stay and work for a short time before I start my whole afternoon mom routine of running kids to this activity and that sport, this meeting or that church event. Then I try and cook supper at least 3-4 times a
week so that our family can sit down and eat a meal together. We get homework done and baths finished up and the kids in the bed by 8:30. Sometimes I will sit down for 30 minutes or so and watch a show with my husband then I head back to LCHS to finish up work or get things started for the week or do paperwork. I am a night owl so I like to stay up late to work. Then I sleep a few hours and get up and start it all over again the next day.”
What is your favorite thing about Lawrence County High School? “I love everything about it – especially the people: staff, students, parents and administration! It is a fabulous
place to work.”
If you could give a piece of advice to any graduating senior this year, what would it be?
“Spend time learning to love and serve other people in whatever you choose to do in your life. So many have given to you and now it is your time to give back to others. This
world is so focused on me, me, me, what I want, what I need, what feels right for me, etc. but if you take time to focus on others and what they might need it will do your heart
some good. Find what you love and do it with all that you’ve got!”
Article by: Aalyiah Crow
While Micheal “Vandy” Vanderploeg might not be native to Lawrence County, you would never be able to tell considering the relationships he has formed at LCHS. Vanderploeg moved to Lawrence County in 2015 from the Northern United States and first was employed as a dispatcher for the Alabama State Troopers. Despite this career choice, his love of teaching changed his path. In the summer of 2016, Vanderploeg had an interview for a position at LCHS and not too long after, he was offered a job as a history teacher. Vanderploeg has not only helped coach the Red Devil football team, but also runs an exceptional AP U.S. History program which has gifted inexpensive college credit to many deserving students. Because of his seemingly endless dedication to inspire and motivate the students around him, Micheal Vanderploeg is this week’s LCHS Red Devil Dynamo.
Throughout his four year stretch at LCHS, he has inspired students to make the most of their high school experience by participating in extracurriculars and making good friends. “Find something to get involved in,“ says Vanderploeg. “Whether it be an athletic team, academic club, band, or any of the number of organizations that are offered; high school will be much more enjoyable and memorable if you have a good group of people to share those memories with.” Although at first, it may seem as this is a persuasion tactic to join the football team, Vanderploeg shares that wisdom with the best intentions and encourages you to join whatever ‘suits your fancy’. Clubs are what make high school enjoyable, and making new friends along the way isn’t so bad either.
While he is a connoisseur of all things athletic, Vanderploeg takes pride in his many accomplishments in the field of AP U.S. History. He explains that his biggest accomplishment while at LCHS is the high rate of people who passed the APUSH exam. “I had 2/3 of my students earn college credit by working to get a qualifying score on the May exam,” says Vanderploeg.
[On a personal note, being one of the students who passed, I personally know that Vanderploeg, like all faculty members at LCHS, will go above and beyond for any student who asks, and he always makes that very clear.]
He says that “if you’re struggling with anything at school, reach out for assistance and I promise we’ll be available to help.”
Like many other faculty members, the environment found in LCHS appeals to Vandy. “My favorite thing about LCHS is the family feeling I get from both the staff as well as the students,” he explains. “I like the fact that LCHS is a little smaller environment, and I recognize most of the faces I see on a daily basis.” Whether it be supervising the morning car rider line and greeting everyone with a smile, blasting game day music through his computer speakers on Friday mornings during football season, or even writing recommendation letters in very short notice, Vandy’s always there to help.
Overall, Coach Vanderploeg does everything in his power to motivate young people to be the best they can be, then encourages them to be even better than that. Whether it be helping coach football, enlightening the minds of exhausted sophomores and juniors with engaging history lessons, or even just hyping everybody up with interesting choices of game day music, Vandy’s got your back. Join us in honoring Micheal Vanderploeg as this week’s Red Devil Dynamo for the seemingly endless battle he fights to inspire and motivate young people to be their best-self.
Written by: Kaitlyn Letson
Marty Hutto, coach of LCHS baseball and football for over a decade, a leader in the LCHS community, an inspiration to students and community members, and a staple to LCHS sports has been chosen as this week’s Red Hot News Network’s Red Devil Dynamo.
Hutto, a dedicated father and coach, has lived in the Lawrence County area his entire life and has devoted his time to giving back to the place he grew up. Throughout his childhood, Hutto attended Courtland and Hazlewood schools and graduated from East Lawrence High School in 1993. A few years after graduating, Hutto married then Robyn Carpenter in August of 1998. The same year Robyn, his wife, now known as the other Coach Hutto around LCHS, was employed at Lawrence County High School. Since entering the Red Devil Family, the two have raised two children, Ty and Anna Clare, which Hutto describes as his “biggest accomplishment” and has made being involved in LCHS athletic organizations a family matter. There isn’t an LCHS sporting event that the crowd doesn’t see Marty Hutto – whether it be coaching, socializing, or cheering on his kids and wife.
Hutto began his coaching career in 2008 when Coach Rory Carpenter offered him the position of assistant baseball coach at LCHS. Although he is employed full-time at 3M in Decatur, Hutto happily gives his time and effort to his community and LCHS. As he has been a part of the sports realm at LCHS for over two decades, Hutto says his favorite thing about this school is the “family atmosphere,” which he relates as a comfortable reminder to his childhood. Hutto says he believes that “getting to be a part of all these young athletes lives and helping them the best he can to become successful adults” are his biggest accomplishments. Also, Hutto says he feels very blessed to be able to work full-time, all while having the “ability to coach and do what he loves – winning.”
When asked to give a piece of advice to the students at LCHS, he says he would like to say: “Don’t waste opportunities.” Hutto strives to highlight his players in ways that they do not miss their opportunities to be successful. Whether he be screaming, running, whispering, or having a hard conversation with a player, those who watch Hutto on the sidelines and dugouts can see his love for the game – and the players. When asked what his favorite memory of coaching at LCHS was, his response: “Beating #2 ranked Boaz 1-0 in game three of the second round of baseball playoffs in 08.” Hutto says “it was pretty special.” Hutto has been involved with many, many wins and losses in LCHS sports and he is still going strong in coaching – and the undisputed LCHS pitchers’ mound protector since 2008.
His positive attitude and involvement in the lives of young people at LCHS prove the selflessness of his character. It is safe to say there would be a missing piece in the LCHS family without his dedication to LCHS Sports.
Please join us in honoring Coach Marty Hutto as this week’s Red Devil Dynamo for the tireless effort he exercises in making Lawrence County a better place.
Article by: Kaitlyn Letson
Described by students as cheerful and optimistic and determined to help, Mrs. Belinda Cross is a kind and passionate beacon of light throughout Lawrence County High School and the entire community. Beginning her adept teaching career twenty-three years ago, Cross not only supports several school clubs and organizations but also finds the time to thoroughly instruct a mix of six advanced and standard science classes — all while being involved with Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Youth Group. Because of her tireless effort to improve the lives of everyone around her, she is this week’s Red Hot News Network Red Devil Dynamo.
Cross, who graduated from Hazlewood High School, says she found something special when she began teaching at Lawrence County High School. We asked Cross what she loves about LCHS the most, to which she replied “I have been involved with many schools, and I love the family atmosphere at Lawrence County High School. I’d chose to be a Red Devil over just about any other option.” Dedicated to sponsoring Lawrence County High School’s Scholars Bowl Team, National Honor Society, and STEM Club, Cross has a passion for helping lead students in the right direction and inspires them to be the best they can be.
“I really enjoyed watching my Scholars’ Bowl Team defeat East Lawrence’s team,” says Cross. Not to mention this was the year they were the ‘national champions’. While she remains humble and kind, Cross has accomplished many impressive achievements in her career. For instance, when asked what she considered some of her biggest accomplishments, Cross included “It was exciting to travel to the Microsoft Headquarters and Washington D.C. to present our successful science projects at a national level, including the chance to address a group at the United Nations in New York City.” In addition to addressing the U.N., Cross was also “blessed with the opportunity” to represent Lawrence County High School in the Solve for Tomorrow program which brought approximately a quarter of a million dollars in technology to our school, a feat that very few can say they’ve done.
Aside from her work life, Cross also enjoys spending time with her two sons and husband of twenty seven years, Tim, and staying connected in her community, especially her church youth group. Cross also enjoys painting and landscaping in her free time. In the interview, Cross mentions two “odd things” that she is proud to have achieved. Those are: becoming moon rock certified by NASA, meaning she is qualified to take custody of rocks collected from the lunar surface, and being a charter member of the Alabama Homicide Investigators’ Association.
Overall, Cross inspires and motivates people to be the best they can be, whether it is teaching them in their science classes, cheering them on from the Scholars’ Bowl Team metaphorical sidelines, or even bringing tens-of-thousands of dollars in technological aid within their reach. Cross supports her community inside and out of the classroom and it’s safe to say LCHS wouldn’t be the same without her. Join us in honoring Mrs. Belinda Cross as this week’s Red Devil Dynamo for the tireless effort she exercises to make Lawrence County a better place.
Article written by: Kaitlyn Letson
Callie Singleton, a backbone for Lawrence County High School, began her career at LCHS sixteen years ago in the same classroom she is in today. Singleton has seen students, principals, teachers, and parents come through the high school year after year, but it seems Singleton is one of the biggest constants — always taking the reins and making things happen with ease. Because of her continuous, never-ending effort to make LCHS great, she is this week’s Red Devil Dynamo.
It all started for Singleton many, many years ago. She, like her entire family, received an education from Lawrence County High School, and still considers it home. We asked Singleton what being a Red Devil means to her. Her response: “I love being a Red Devil. My entire family graduated from LCHS. I consider this to be my home.” Not only does Singleton love being a Red Devil because of her nostalgic past of school and family, but she says that being a Red Devil means so much more. She says she loves the traditions that LCHS carries through the years. She says “traditions shouldn’t be considered ‘living in the past’ but rather what keeps the people and places of a community significant.” She references a past mentor teacher at LCHS that reminded her of this and says it has always stuck with her. Reminiscing of her high school days, she also expresses her love for Homecoming week, and says her senior year homecoming is her fondest memory of LCHS because of the amazing time she had with her class.
During her career, Singleton has taken many roles and responsibilities. To name a few, she has been yearbook sponsor for sixteen years, English Department Chair for sixteen years, Senior Sponsor for nine years, Graduation Sponsor for nine years, Homecoming Sponsor for sixteen years, New Teacher mentor for four years, and coached cheerleading at LCHS for four out of her sixteen years. Singleton has been involved with countless other responsibilities, but the amount of responsibilities she takes on isn’t why she should be commended. Rather, we want to commend the ease in which she handles her responsibilities. Many teachers would buckle under the pressure, but not Singleton — she relies on her grit and continuing practices that have made LCHS successful from years prior. She does this all with the heart of a true Red Devil.
Going further, we ask Singleton if she could say one thing to the community, what it would be. Her answer: “You should be proud of where you come from and where our kids attend school. We have great students and great teachers, and the kids are surrounded by teachers and staff who want nothing more than to see them succeed.” Many teachers say these things, but coming from a teacher like Singleton, it’s different. With a teacher who is so involved in the community, it means more. It means she realizes the potential of the community and has made it her mission to move it forward.
Singleton hopes to leave a great impression on LCHS during her time here. We ask her what she wants students to remember her by and she says “students should just do what they are supposed to do.” The deeper meaning of this is simple. “Students should worry about their own personal lives, and not get so caught up in others’ that they forget what ‘they’ are doing to move forward” says Singleton. “Life is easier when we realize that actions determine consequences, whether they are the good consequences or the bad ones.” Many students who have traveled through Singleton’s classroom have heard these words before. Singleton says she repeats it constantly because she knows how easily students can alter their true destiny, just by not recognizing their true purpose.
Today we commend Singleton on her continuing efforts to make LCHS great. Without our “backbone” teachers, the school and community would not run smoothly. Today we challenge the community to give this week’s Red Devil Dynamo a “thank you” or a “good job” as her work and effort is unending.
LCHS Red Hot News Network 