Fifth-grade teacher Charla Brewster, who has taught at Darlington since 1973, talks about her love for the school and her collaboration with fellow fifth-grade teachers Bebe Cline and Perree Collier.
Fifth-grader Savannah Dempsey was named winner of the fifth-grade division of the local Independent School Science Fair held May 4 at Unity Christian School. Five area schools were represented in the competition.<br /><br />
The idea for Dempsey’s project, titled “Dying to Talk,” came about as the result of an automobile accident involving her and her mother. When the accident took place, the other driver was talking on a cell phone and was determined to be at fault.<br /><br />
“Savannah tested her fifth-grade classmates by using her Wii game system,” said Perree Collier, fifth-grade teacher. “Each test subject drove a practice lap around a track. Then, they drove a lap while talking on a phone that came with the program and another lap without talking. Savannah had comprised a list of questions to ask the students while they were driving. She then compiled the stats and came to the conclusion that the cell phone can be a distraction.”<br /><br />
When the judges asked Dempsey how she could improve her project or what she could do differently, she responded that she could have also allowed them to send text messages. <br /><br />
“When her named was announced as the fifth-grade winner, the look on Savannah’s face said it all,” Collier said. “She was grinning ear to ear! We are so proud of Savannah and the other 11 students who represented the Lower School at this event. They all did an amazing job on their projects.”<br /><br />
Each student who participated in the Independent School Science Fair received a certificate and a T-shirt.
Darlington School is pleased to announce that Charla Brewster will join BeBe Cline and Perree Collier to round out the fifth-grade teaching team for 2009-10. Beginning next year, fifth grade will be a part of Darlington’s Middle School program.
This month, Darlington’s fifth-graders graduated from the local CHAMPS program, sponsored by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Department. This educational course, whose name stands for “Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods Promoting Safety, was a 16-week program taught by Floyd County Deputy Kathy Sinclair.<br /><br />
“Mrs. Cline and I were very pleased with the content of the course, which included topics such as bullying, choices and consequences, internet safety, gang involvement, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and how to say no and stand up for yourself,” said Perree Collier, fifth-grade teacher.<br /><br />
Several students were recognized in the following areas: poster winners – Stevenson Walker and Caroline Hunt; essay winners – Jessica Mauer and Bray Pettit; and CHAMP Student of the Year – Emily Swafford. Members of the Sheriff’s Department were on hand to congratulate students as they accepted their certificates of achievement.
