Latest news with #OakRidgeHighSchool
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$3.2M from state to be released after July 1 for Scarboro 85 Monument in Oak Ridge
The Tennessee General Assembly voted in April to approve $3.2 million primarily for funding the construction of the Scarboro 85 Monument in A.K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge. The funds will be released after July 1 when the state's new fiscal year starts. According to a news release, $2.7 million will be spent to update the completed initial design of the monument and to cover the cost of the construction. The remaining state funding of about a half of a million dollars will finance a program of national public education, tourism development and Black heritage preservation related to the historic Scarboro 85 desegregation of the first two public schools in Oak Ridge and in the Southeast, starting on Sept. 6, 1955. The two schools the 85 Scarboro students attended were Oak Ridge High School and Robertsville Junior High School. Both the city of Oak Ridge and Anderson County have donated $125,000 each to the project, and another $200,000 has been raised through private donations. Additional donations to this effort can be made through the website. 'We thank the Tennessee State Legislature for approving the recommendation of Gov. Bill Lee to fund our monument that will honor the people in Oak Ridge who helped open the modern civil rights era,' said John Spratling, an award-winning educator and chairman of the Scarboro 85 Monument Celebration Committee. 'The new monument will honor 85 brave young Black Tennessee students from Scarboro in Oak Ridge who became the very first to desegregate two all-white public schools in the Southeastern United States. This year is the 70th anniversary of that game-changing civil rights event.' Spratling said the next step will be 'to confirm our estimate for construction costs with a local construction contractor who knows the local costs of construction materials and labor in our area. To do this, we must first receive the state funds needed to hire a construction contractor. We understand that the Tennessee State Historical Commission will be responsible for disbursing the state funds.' He said it has not been determined whether the city of Oak Ridge or another entity 'will procure a construction company. We are actively working on this issue. We estimate that about a year and a half will be required to complete the project, once we have received the state money and obtained a construction contractor.' Spratling emphasized that the committee hopes to expedite the process for completing the project. 'It's obviously urgent to complete the monument as soon as possible so that the surviving Scarboro 85 students can be honored in person,' he said. 'Tragically, there are only about a dozen of the 85 students left.' The monument has been designed by a nationally known architecture firm called demian\wilbur\architects. It will feature 85 'Pillars of Courage' surrounding a central plaza of 'Healing and Hope.' The monument will also include lighted footsteps approaching it from both sides, symbolizing the Black and white communities that came together to make possible the historic desegregation. Spratling said, "The monument architects have gone to great lengths to ensure the monument's design and content reflect the views of the 85 students, Scarboro residents, the Oak Ridge public and local community leaders.' The monument design, which was officially unveiled in 2023, has been featured in a variety of local newspaper stories and highlighted at numerous public events. On March 28, at the 'Lunch with Legislators' event hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge responded positively to the public request for state funds for the monument project by Rose Weaver, long-time Scarboro historian and co-chair of the Scarboro 85 Monument Celebration Committee. 'This monument will be a shining tribute to these true pioneers of the civil rights movement,' McNally said. 'I am hopeful this honor will serve to further secure the rightful place of the Scarboro 85 as one of the most critical and pivotal groups in the historical struggle for civil rights.' 'We really appreciate the support from Gov. Lee, Lt. Gov. McNally, the Tennessee State Legislature and the people of Tennessee in recognizing these wonderful pioneers,' Weaver said. Spratling added that the committee is 'still fundraising because our original goal is $4.2 million.' He noted that the completion of the monument will include contributions made by students in teacher Mark Buckner's Wildcat Manufacturing program at Oak Ridge High School. Spratling said efforts will be made to spread the Scarboro 85 story nationwide through professional marketing and promotion in the hope of attracting tens of thousands of visitors a year to the monument, providing an additional economic boost to the Oak Ridge area. For more information, contact Spratling, a teacher and coach at Robertsville Middle School, at jspratling@ or Weaver, currently the poet laureate of Oak Ridge, at rs_wvr@ This article originally appeared on Oakridger: $3.2M from state to be released after July 1 for Scarboro 85 Monument
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee baseball commit wins Mr. Baseball award
Tennessee baseball commit wins Mr. Baseball award 2026 Tennessee baseball commit Mikee Teasley was named Class 4A Mr. Baseball by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association on Tuesday. The junior pitcher and third baseman is from Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He led the Wildcats to the Class 4A state tournament for a second consecutive season. Teasley also earned District 3-4A Player of the Year honors by the league's coaches following the 2025 regular season. Teasley committed to the Vols and head coach Tony Vitello on Oct. 20, 2024. Oak Ridge was slated to open tournament play Tuesday against Clarksville at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Tuesday, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. The first-round game will now be contested Wednesday with first pitch slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT. Oak Ridge (34-7) set a school record for wins this season, eclipsing last year's total of 28. The Wildcats won both the District 3-4A regular-season title and postseason tournament championship. Teasley entered state tournament play with a .391 batting average. He has totaled seven home runs, 33 RBIs and 12 doubles. Teasley (8-1) has recorded a 1.16 ERA and 113 strikeouts as a pitcher. Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New Oak Ridge grad places third at national symposium with autism research project
Brandon Bonamarte, now an Oak Ridge High School graduate, placed third at the 63rd annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) held on April 22-26. The event welcomed 239 of the brightest high school STEM students from across the country, their teachers, and JSHS university partners. Esteemed judging panels of scientists from the Department of Defense selected the top presenters in each of the eight categories. Brandon was awarded a scholarship for his placement in the oral presentation category. Bonamarte presented his research experience building a program to diagnose patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder based on data from the Social Responsiveness Scale, according to a news release from Oak Ridge Schools. Bonamarte and his research partner, new ORHS grad Cailyn Lawson, worked with Rick Archibald at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to determine that SRS is a good predictor of an ASD diagnosis. "Our program has the potential to streamline the diagnostic process by reducing the amount of data required to make an accurate diagnosis,' said Bonamarte. 'This research experience played a significant role in inspiring me to pursue the study of mathematics and its real-world applications in college.' Bonamarte and Lawson were able to conduct research at ORNL as part of the Math, Science Thesis course at Oak Ridge High School under the guidance of thesis advisors Deanna Pickel and Jessica Williams. 'We're incredibly fortunate to be part of a unique, STEM-focused community where our students are provided the opportunity to work alongside some of the nation's leading scientists,' said Williams. 'We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with ORNL and their willingness to enrich student learning in this way.' Bonamarte is the son of Robert and Joy Bonamarte, and Lawson is the daughter of Justin and Carol Lawson all of Oak Ridge. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) is a Department of Defense sponsored STEM program (U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force) that encourages high school students to conduct original research in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement. By connecting talented students, their teachers, and research professionals at affiliated symposia and by rewarding research excellence, JSHS aims to widen the pool of trained talent prepared to conduct research and development vital to our nation. This article originally appeared on Oakridger: New Oak Ridge grad places at symposium with autism research project
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Preparing Oak Ridge students for a future of AI, advanced manufacturing is topic of talk
Mark Buckner, leader of innovative education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and workforce development, as well as the visionary founder and lead instructor of Wildcat Manufacturing at Oak Ridge High School, will speak to Friends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory at noon Tuesday, May 13, at the UT Resource Center, 1201 Oak Ridge Turnpike. 'Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators: How Oak Ridge's Educational Ecosystem Is Preparing Students for Manhattan Project 2.0 and Beyond' is the title of his talk. Manhattan Project 2.0 refers to the U.S. Department of Energy's active promotion once again of nuclear energy development in Oak Ridge. The goal is to fuel advancements in artificial intelligence by training AI models at power-hungry data centers that will likely need reliable electricity from future advanced nuclear power plants. Before the free presentation starts, sandwiches, chips, cookies and drinks will be available at 11:15 a.m. at the UT Resource Center for a donation of $10 on a first-come, first-served basis. To view the virtual presentation, click on the talk title on the website homepage and then click on the Zoom link near the top of the page describing the lecture. You can view it the next day by clicking on 'Past Talks' on the website's navigation bar. In summarizing his talk, Buckner said, 'Oak Ridge is no stranger to world-changing innovation – from the Manhattan Project to today's cutting-edge research. I will showcase Oak Ridge High School's ground-breaking iSchool and Wildcat Manufacturing programs. 'These initiatives immerse students in industry-aligned, hands-on learning using AI, robotics and digital manufacturing techniques. In this approach, a new generation of innovators are being prepared to tackle what national leaders call Manhattan Project 2.0 – the race for leadership in AI and advanced manufacturing. 'Attendees will learn how Oak Ridge Schools' partnerships with ORNL, Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Roane State Community College and others are enabling real-world projects and workforce development, as well as how this model is helping meet critical national STEM workforce needs. 'I will connect my experiences as an ORNL researcher to this education revolution, inspiring the Friends of ORNL audience with deep insights into experiential learning, digital twin simulations and agile innovation in the classroom.' During his 32-year career at ORNL, Buckner served as a senior research scientist and leader of the lab's power and energy systems group. He pioneered work in signal processing, machine learning and computational intelligence. He was named one of the 'Smart Industry 50' top digital innovators for his efforts to apply Industrial Internet of Things, big data and AI to real-world challenges. Today, he serves as the founder and lead instructor of Wildcat Manufacturing at Oak Ridge High School, an award-winning program where students engage in advanced robotics, digital manufacturing and agile innovation practices. He is well known in the Oak Ridge community as a mentor for FIRST Robotics and a champion of experiential learning, often implementing Scrum and agile methods in the classroom to mirror high-tech industry teamwork. In 2024, Buckner delivered a keynote talk at the Digital Twin Consortium, sharing his approach to revolutionizing education and workforce development through industry-aligned, hands-on learning. He sees his career as a unique bridge between cutting-edge research and secondary education. As a Ph.D. engineer-turned-educator, he calls himself 'passionately dedicated to helping to cultivate the next generation of innovators and maintain Oak Ridge's legacy of national leadership in science and technology.' This article originally appeared on Oakridger: FORNL: Preparing students for a future of AI, advanced manufacturing
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Orange County leaders call for change after teen hit, killed while walking to school
The Brief After a 16-year-old girl was fatally struck while walking to Oak Ridge High School, Orange County leaders are pushing for a reduced speed zone and traffic cameras near the campus. Commissioner Mayra Uribe is urging immediate action, calling the current 45 mph limit unsafe and advocating for a school zone to prevent future tragedies. ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County leaders are calling for change after a 16-year-old girl was killed Monday while walking to Oak Ridge High School. What we know The speed limit outside Oak Ridge High School is 45 miles per hour. There isn't a school speed zone placing the limit at 15 or 20 miles an hour the way you'd see outside elementary or middle schools. The Florida Department of Transportation says school speed zones placed at high schools have to be done on a case-by-case basis and justified by an engineering study. District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe, who happens to be an alumnus of Oak Ridge High School, wants a speed zone established at that school. She also wants traffic cameras installed there that would automatically catch people driving over the speed limit near the school. What we don't know The Florida Highway Patrol has not said yet whether speed was a factor in the crash. We also don't know whether there has been any major push in the past to classify Oak Ridge Road as a school speed zone, though Commissioner Mayra Uribe says residents have complained about the road being unsafe. What they're saying "That's too fast for lots of kids coming out of the school," said Penny Brecker, who lives near the school. Jose Rosario, who also lives nearby, seconded that. "They do run fast through here," he said. Orange County District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe says what happened was a tragedy that she wants to make sure never happens again. She also believes there have probably been many close calls that preceded the deadly crash. She wants a school speed zone established and traffic enforcement cameras installed. "I am reaching out to Assistant Secretary with DOT and saying we need this to happen yesterday," said Commissioner Mayra Uribe. So that's my goal. And I mean, that's not going to bring back, you know, the tragedy that we went through and the grief that this community is going on, but it will start having some more accountability." What's next FDOT told FOX 35, the County would be the ones to plan, fund, and carry out an engineering study establishing a school zone, since it's their road. Commissioner Uribe says she wants that process started right away. She and the other County Commissioners are also finalizing their lists of where they want traffic cameras installed. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source FOX 35 reporter Marie Edinger covered the story, highlighting Commissioner Mayra Uribe's push for a reduced speed zone and traffic cameras near Oak Ridge High School following the death of a 16-year-old student.
