Ashland Middle School Students Shine Bright in DAR Art Contest 

Lora Parsons

The Ashland Beacon

Two Ashland Middle School students recently received recognition for their artistic ability when they won the Junior American Citizens (JAC) of the Daughters of the American Revolution Art Contest. Emma Kate Hieneman, a 6th grader, and Destiny Faith Gregg, an 8th grader, taught by art teacher, Cory Brown, recently learned of their state and regional victories at the conference hosted by the Kentucky Society--Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

This centuries-old organization focuses on local, national and global service. Founded in 1890, more than one million women have joined forces to foster “historic preservation, education and patriotism” in their communities. Honoring those who fought during the Revolutionary War through these pathways is key, according to the organization’s website, which records that members have racked up a cumulative 561,723 hours of community service so far this year. Visitors to their headquarters in Washington, D.C., can find a genealogical resource library, a decorative arts museum, a collection of historic documents and a concert hall. The Kentucky Society--DAR serves within the Bluegrass State to unite nearly 5,000 women in 83 chapters as they strive to uphold the values of the national organization through service to their communities, state and nation.

While many in our community have likely benefited from the work of these dedicated women, most recently this impact was felt by Brown’s AMS art students. During the first semester of this school year, all students who were enrolled in an art class competed in the Junior American Citizens (JAC) of the DAR Art Contest. This contest is one of several youth programs available to the community through the organization’s commitment to education--one of its three foundational principles. Brown shared: “This year's theme was ‘Sparkling in the Stars with the 50th Anniversary of the NASA Space Shuttle Program.’ It was open to students across the country, with multiple categories and grade winners for each category.” Brown’s classes participated in the Stamp Design category, where two students excelled. Hieneman and Gregg were both state champions for their stamp creations. Students and their families, along with Brown, attended the Kentucky Society--DAR Conference, where they learned they were not only victorious at the state level; they also were deemed East Central District Winners. Their designs bested competitors from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia and Missouri!

When asked about the opportunity to submit their work on such a large platform, Gregg shared: “This project gave me a chance to show my art to people outside of my school and my family--to people who would have an unbiased opinion. It meant a lot to me in being able to show my skills.” 

It was exactly this sort of takeaway that Brown hoped all of his students would experience, explaining, “As an art teacher, I encourage my students to participate in art contests to provide them with valuable exposure to different audiences and artistic perspectives.” He also added that the potential for receiving awards helps to “foster a sense of accomplishment and recognition for their hard work and creativity.” 

Hieneman spoke to exactly that sentiment when she said of her participation: “I am glad that I got to challenge myself with this competition, and this just makes me proud that I accomplished something this big.”

With submissions coming in from five states, the girls have every reason to be proud of their accomplishment. Though they both feel proud of the work they submitted, they also acknowledge that their success wasn’t without some degree of struggle. Hieneman said her greatest challenge was in “getting the astronaut to look right,” and that overcoming this challenge was part of what she was most grateful for. Overcoming a difficulty of this sort makes the victory that much sweeter. For Gregg, the difficulty came after the piece was submitted. Waiting to hear if she had placed in the contest and the feeling of anticipation were the most difficult parts of her experience. Regardless of how they each struggled, or at what point in the competition their struggle came about, the girls both recognize that the feeling of pride that followed their victory made the difficulty worthwhile.

With such high accolades going to students in our local area, it is undoubtedly the desire of our local DAR Poage Chapter members that students continue to participate in the many activities and contests sponsored by the organization on a local, state and national level. Similar opportunities can be found for student participation by visiting the DAR homepage at www.dar.org. Other contests can be found there as well as teacher resources, scholarship opportunities and grant programs, to name a few. Visitors to the page will not be disappointed by the wide array of ways to take advantage of the dedicated work of the DAR. Greater opportunities for students to participate in programs like Gregg and Hieneman just might lead to other talent from our local area getting to walk among these already-shining stars.

Shattering Records & Inspiring Futures

Wheeler Builds Champion Legacy On and Off the Court

By Gary Newman

The Ashland Beacon

They say hard work is truly its own reward. As the world watched a gutsy March Madness performance against the defending NCAA National Champions, Savannah Wheeler’s star has never burned brighter. It wasn’t solely her 21-point score, the team’s halftime lead, or the epic comeback against Louisville in the previous game that propelled her here. Nor was it just the remarkable couple of weeks she had as a Senior at Middle Tennessee State University. It wasn’t even solely the now-famous encouragement from LSU’s coach, endlessly shared on social media as she ended her collegiate playing career. The true essence behind arguably the brightest star we’ve seen in a long time lies in who she is, the lives she's touched, and the journey that brought her to this pinnacle.

Wheeler’s focus is contagious, too. Just before the Conference USA Tournament, she shared what an amazing time Senior Day was for her. “It was great. Great atmosphere. Unbelievable feeling. Got a win, so you can’t beat that,” Savannah recalled, adding “I was very thankful to get to share that with everyone that was at the game.” Before anything else could be said, she was instantly focused on preparing for the tournament.

“That was a very emotional day,” MTSU Associate Head Coach Matt Insell who complimented, “These two seniors who are future MTSU Hall of Famers. A special day.” Insell described Savannah and Cortney’s families as a major part of their basketball lives.

“Savannah Wheeler is a hard-nosed, determined winner. She’s a special talent and has the ability to do whatever it takes.” Insell inserted recalling upon Wheeler arriving at Middle Tennessee State University, “When she came here, she stepped into a position and insisted ‘I will earn that respect’ and she’s done that with perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever had a player transfer in and immediately impact like she has.” Insell described just sitting back in awe, watching her play, and knowing it isn’t always going to be like this.

MTSU star junior guard, Jalynn Gregory shared, “Playing with her is great. It brought a new perspective. She’s a great and caring person, and when you bring someone like that into the game, it’s so easy to play with her.” The two share a work ethic and even compete, pushing each other forward. Gregory offered a glimpse into the success of her teammate, “She’s always going hard, putting in extra time, and she’s always in the gym.”

“I’m very competitive. I don’t like to lose; I like to win,” Wheeler explained, “I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.” I knew coming into college, I was going to run into taller and more athletic players. I’ve had to adjust my game and be a leader.” The Boyd County High School graduate and 2019 Kentucky Ms. Basketball award winner continued, “being competitive drives my work ethic. I want to be the best version of myself every day. You can always do more.”

“Savannah had an awesome career between Marshall University and Middle Tennessee State University. I think she showed this year that she could play with anyone on any level,” longtime Boyd County Girls basketball coach, Pete Fraley extended, “The thing that stood out the most to me was that she got herself physically ready to be able to play 40 minutes per game. She hit the weight room and got stronger. That along with her endless hours in the gym working on her game speaks volumes. Nothing that she does surprises me. She’s a warrior, and I’m proud to say that I was her coach.”

Over the course of her completed and impressive Division 1 collegiate career, she’s demonstrated a body of work that spans seasons at Marshall University and Middle Tennessee State University. “When I was at Marshall, I transitioned to the 2 (shooting guard) position my third year, and the transition was an adjustment. I’ve learned here (MTSU) to play at two different paces, making right reads.” She finishes her career with a lot of statistical bright spots, but she prefers a different focus. “I try to overlook stats. I try to focus on playing within myself and doing the best I can to make the right reads.”

Along the way, she’s left her mark. Wheeler holds the record for Most Free Throws Made in Conference USA history. She helped lead the Blue Raiders to Conference USA Championship, Tournament Championship where she was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, multiple Player of the Week awards, and was recently recognized as the C-USA Player of the Year. In addition to basketball accolades, she’s also graduated in the fall and continues to work on a second degree before going into a master’s program. She’s not quite decided on what’s next; her gentle personality and her driven desire to work hard and get better will propel her to success whichever path she chooses.

All of eastern Kentucky should be very proud of what Savannah Wheeler has done and continues to do. She’s a great player, but great players do way more than play great. They help others. They give credit where credit is due. They outwork their opponents and even outwork themselves. They seldom take curtain calls and they respect the awesome responsibility of impacting others. They achieve on a high level, but hold themselves to an even higher one. They do their job and help others to do the same. It’s safe to say that Savannah Wheeler is truly a great player, but she attributes the influence of her family for their support and credits, “Great coaches, great teammates, and the good Lord.” Whatever happens next, there’s a pretty strong probability that she’s not done yet.

Barrel Racing Toward A Dream

Ella Crum is Paving Her Own Way in the World

Ellen Keaton

Ashland Beacon

What comes to mind when you think of little girls? Barbie dolls, frilly dresses, play makeup and dollhouses?  That may be the case with most little girls, but with Ella Crum she preferred the outdoors and a barn with goats, pigs and horses.  Her love for animals was obvious at a young age when she began showing goats at the Boyd County Fair at only seven as a member of the 4-H Cloverbuds group.  Over the next 10 years, Ella became a fixture during the fair showing chickens, rabbits, goats, and breeding animals. As a result, Ella won several grand championship ribbons for her efforts.  

Ella loved showing the farm animals; however, her real love was with horses.  She began riding at the young age of three.  By the time she was six, she had entered her first competition riding saddle seat.  Ella said, “I started riding quarter horses when I was eight and developed an interest in barrel racing.”  The next year at age nine, Ella became part of the Boyd County 4-H Saddleite Drill Team where she competed at the 4-H State Horse Show.   

Krissy Jones was the 4-H horse leader at the time. “Ella came into the 4-H horse club as a typical horse-crazy little girl.  It was amazing to watch her learn and grow with her horse, Holly, even at a young age.  Even though she was young, she was motivated and had a drive to succeed that you just don’t see in many kids of that age.” Jones continued, “I was always impressed with her attitude.  Her willingness to try anything and give all her effort is surely what has allowed her to accelerate in her sport.”

By the time she was 12, Ella had entered her first Junior Rodeo with Holly.  There Ella found her passion.  “Barrel racing is one of my favorite events because everybody has the same pattern, but everyone’s horse and circumstances are never the same. It kind of goes the same with every event, but in barrel racing, you are going to have horses that run really fast and open. You have to set them up hard to turn. Then, you have some horses like my horse, Holly, that you have to push really hard to get past the barrels and then ride your guts out to be able to make the run.”

Ella is a member of the Boyd County High School Rodeo team and a member of the West Virginia High School Rodeo Association.  She explained that the Kentucky rodeos were nearly six hours away from the Ashland area.  In those circumstances, riders can ask for a waiver from one state to join another state that is closer.  “Through the High School Rodeo Association, I have been able to make some of my closest friends and take hold of opportunities that I never would have had.”  Ella has participated in rodeos in many states.  She also qualified to participate in the National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyoming this past year in four different events.  Most recently, Ella participated in the Battle of the Blue Ridge which is a multi-state high school rodeo event in North Carolina where she placed in the top points for barrel racing in both rounds.

Imagine a large animal charging full force sharply around barrels.  This could be a recipe for disaster.  Ella shared, “It can be dangerous.  You can hear my mom in the videos going “oh my goodness” if the horse slips or there is a little bobble I need to fix.  My dad’s like ‘just go out there and do it. You can do it.’  He’s always pushing me to be my best.”

Ella’s mom, Teresa Crum added, “I am a bundle of nerves watching Ella. You’re excited and nervous at the same time. When they open the gate or she nods her head, I take a deep breath, pray for safety first and hope for a good run.”  She continued, “I often tear up watching her perform knowing that she is doing what she loves, and it shows—through her hard work, dedication, and hours of practice. There are times as a rodeo parent you must wipe the tears, be the encourager, and lift their spirits, especially if a run did not go as planned. Rodeo is a family event. There are plenty of late nights, long drives, and lots of memories made.”

In January, Ella was awarded a scholarship from the Kentucky Fair Association for her accomplishments in 4-H.  She was nominated by the Boyd County Fair Board for this honor. Ellen Keaton, fair president recalled, “I remember my first year as president looking out and seeing the cutest little girl holding onto a lease with a goat at the other end.  I couldn’t decide if she was pulling the goat or if the goat was dragging her! It’s amazing to see the accomplished young woman she has become, and it was an honor to nominate her for the scholarship.”

Ella loves riding and competing, but she is also an exceptional student with big plans for her future. She will graduate high school this year and plans to attend Morehead State University in a pre-veterinary program.  As for her future plans, Ella commented, “I plan to graduate college, finish vet school then I’d like to open my own facility to breed horses.  I want to be the vet to take outside horses in and breed them, do artificial insemination.  I would also like to have my own brood mares and breed them and sell those colts and get them started in training.”

Although Ella does not plan on being on the college rodeo teams, she plans to continue riding rodeos through professional associations. Teresa added, “I will forever be grateful for this time with Ella, and I am proud of her accomplishments and achievements. For as long as she is rodeoing, I will always be on the sideline telling her to be safe, wishing her luck, love you, and have fun.”

There is no doubt with the determination and drive Ella has shown, she will succeed at anything she does. She is grateful for the support from her parents in guiding her future.

The Thrill of the Fight

Blazer’s A-Team Appears for First Time at State Governor’s Cup Finals

Deidra Bowling-Meade

The Ashland Beacon

 As the A-Team prepared for battle against the top ranked in the state, their fearless leader Eric Lambert gave these final words of encouragement: "A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. This day - we fight!"

The A-Team laughed knowing these words were spoken by Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, yet they were inspired to fight for a victory. Ashland Blazer’s Academic Team attended the Kentucky Association for Academic Competition Governor’s Cup last week and brought home a large coveted silver cup for placing Second Overall in the state. The team won Second in Quick Recall, First in Arts and Humanities, Second in Math, Fourth in Arts and Humanities, and 5th in Language Arts.

Senior Alexandra Ellison shared, “Nothing felt better than winning that cup. It’s something I’ve heard about since I started the academic team. That’s the end goal, our Holy Grail.” 

This was the first time Blazer High School has made it to the state finals in 32 years. Since 2013 when Lambert took over the academic team in 2012, the team has made it to the top eight.

The road to the final battle involved some steep competition.The A-Team had to compete in the district and regional tournaments to then earn a place in the state competition. A student must place in the top five for a tested area in the district competition to get to the regional competition. Then if a student places in the top five at region, he/she gets to go to the state competition. There are 20 students in each subject; only five of those get to go to the next level. Within the region, there are 12 teams with only two of those teams getting to go to the state tournament for Future Problem Solving and Quick Recall.

All students who placed at Region and competed at State were Alexandra Ellison, Drake Caudill, Nathan Woolery, Dirk Hay, Emily Williams, Bonham Buchannon, Anna Bocook, Caroline Yates, and Zack Dillon.

Blazer’s Quick Recall team is captained by Anna Bocook and team members include Alexandra Ellison, Nathan Woolery, Bonham Buchannon, Dirk Hay, Caroline Yates, and Zack Dillon.

In Content Assessment, Anna Bocook was Arts and Humanities State Champ and was 5th in Language Arts. Alexandra Ellison was 2nd in State in Math. Caroline Yates was 4th in the state in Arts and Humanities. Nathan Woolery was 11th in the State in Science.

At the state Governor’s Cup, the A-Team faced difficult challenges. Lambert remarked, “When we drew our teams and found out who we were going to play the second day, Central Hardin, McCracken and Owensboro, all three of those teams had beaten us in the last month. We knew it was going to be a rough road, but we were determined to show we had improved and deserved it. And, we did!” 

Coach Eric Lambert discussed how the students prepared for competition, “The kids practiced five days a week for about two and half hours a day. They competed pretty much every weekend, competing over a 100 matches a season.That definitely prepares them for playing against some of the best teams in the state. They also work heavily on their own using online study materials we have prepared to help them.”

Senior Nathan Woolery remarked, “I’m a nerd to begin with. I really love science.  I’m happy that I can take something I like to do in my spare time and contribute that to the team. It’s a good usage of my time and skills”.

Lambert has coached Blazer’s Academic Team for 13 years. He could tell a difference in this team from the other teams he has coached. Lambert explained,

“All my teams have been very dedicated, hardworking, and very smart. What this team has that the other ones don’t is that they were more connected. I see the love they have for each other and the time they spend together. They spend every Tuesday night playing trivia together at The Mill. They hang out nonstop together after school, study together.  They are the tightest group of kids I have ever had who are willing to put in the extra effort to not let their best friends down. They’re not a team; they’re a family.”

The A-Team all shared the same sentiment.

Junior Anna Bocook commented, “I think one of the things that has made us so successful is that we’re not like ‘this is my teammate.’ We’re like,’this is my best friend.’ We’re in it for each other.”

Junior Dirk Hay shouted, “We’re buddies!”

Woolery shared, “We have group dinners, watch TV, just hang out. It’s some of my favorite moments of the year just being together and chilling out.”

The team joked that they go as far as to watch Mean Girls, Dance Moms, The Notebook, and the Godfather together. They even went dress shopping together for Anna a dress!   

When it comes to competing, the entire team cheers for each other. Bocook shared one of her favorite memories of the entire competition, “The way they do state is they call up all the top 10 players, and you don’t know what order they’re in. What was more amazing to me than getting 1st place was standing there with Caroline Yates, a sophomore, as they called down 10th place, ninth place, and she was higher and higher on the list. She was in the top five as a sophomore. That was the best part of the award ceremony watching her be thrilled with all her hard work.” 

Coach Lambert truly cares for his team and wants the very best for them. Ellison remarked, “He’s another parent at the end of the day.  It doesn’t matter what we go to him for whether it be academic team, school…he will raise hell and high water to get us there.”

Bocook recalled Lambert calming her down after a mini breakdown during competition and assuring her it was going to be okay. “It was definitely a fatherly moment.” 

One of the most special moments from the Governor’s Cup was captured in a photo of Lambert and Bocook embracing with the cup after the competition.

Woolery said, “We’re lucky Lambert puts up with us.”

Lambert commented, “I think the biggest thing I can do as a coach is lead by example. If I take ownership as a coach and put forth that effort then the kids will do the same. I like to build bonds with them to make them feel they will do this for the team no matter how hard the work is or how much dedication that it takes. They are willing to do this for each other and also for me.” 

Coach Lambert recognized two special young ladies on the team and was thankful for all their efforts this year. Lambert stated, “Alexandra Ellison is by far the most amazing math kid I’ve ever coached. To get fourth in the state as a junior and second as a senior is nearly unheard of. She was dominant in Quick Recall Math. She’s just a great kid and has that competitive edge that you always look for. Anna Bocook is a phenomenal leader who inspired our team and pushed them to be better. She brings out the best in her teammates.” 

Ashland's Academic Team coaches include:

Head Coach- Eric Lambert

Assistant Coaches- Dawson Coovert, Matt Dickison, and Seth Skaggs

Coach Emeritus- Dr. Amber Tackett

Writing Coach- John Mulvaney

Science Coach- Justin Imel

The team is also heavily assisted and mentored by several alumni who have assisted throughout the year and attended the Governor's Cup Competition: Logan Coovert, Ace Farris, and Myintmo Tun.

Lambert commented, “After 13 years of putting in so much time and effort, I shed a lot of tears this past weekend because I had seen so many kids go through and fall just short of getting to where we are now and being one of the top teams in the state.  All our hard work has come to fruition, so I made sure to reach out to all my past players and say thank you for being part of the foundation that built this.” 

Lambert also acknowledged others who have also supported the team, “Our superintendent Sean Howard has done an amazing job supporting and empowering our coaches to do whatever it takes to get this team to the top. The Blazer administration has also been amazing in supporting and recognizing our hard work and achievements. We greatly appreciate the support from our community and their recognition of the hard work we put in.”

The future looks bright for the A-Team heading into next season with several members of the team coming back next year. Lambert shared, “I’m excited!  We will have another good team next year. At some point this will end, but not today.” 

Hayes chanted, “Number one, number one!”

Woolery repeated, “We’re not done! This group is going back.”

Hayes continued, “We don’t want to have our one year in the spotlight and then be done.”

Bocook concurred, “We don’t want it to be a one and done.”

The A-Team isn’t wasting any time as they start practice again this week and groove to Lambert’s 80s selected anthem “Eye of the Tiger.” They are ready for the thrill of the fight and rising up to the challenge of their rivals.