Can you Meet at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex Saturday (August 30th) Morning?

Anybody out there, can meet me tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 11 AM, August 30th at the Louis Street side of the V.O. Dobbins Complex for just a few minutes?

The building has a new feature for the Kingsport community that we're anxious to show off. It will make you proud, and I'm doing a news story on it.

It is guaranteed to make us the envy of other people in Kingsport, and in particular, other alumni groups around East Tennessee. DB doesn't even have anything like this.

We'll tour just a few areas and I promise you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for your participation!


Calvin

Douglass Alumni Scholarships: Generations of Continuing Education

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE THEM LARGER

"Don't forget where your help came from, and in turn, don't forget where you came from."

That was the message for graduating African-American high school seniors more than 30 years ago from the Douglass Alumni Association of Kingsport, and it's the same message the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association still has for black seniors furthering their education.

Although the alumni association for upper East Tennessee's largest black high school changed its name two years ago, its focus to provide scholarships to the school's descendants has not changed. "We have always thought that trying to help black seniors heading off to college, would give them an incentive to make something out of themselves," says Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni president Douglas Releford, "and in turn, they would come back in some way and help the community that helped them."

Back in 1982, members of the Douglass High School Alumni Association in Kingsport first wanted to recognize graduating African-American high school seniors, whose descendants attended Kingsport's African-American high school.

"To be recognized by your own people inspires you to do more," says Byron Williams. According to a plaque recently discovered at Dobyns-Bennett, Williams was the first honoree of the V.O. Dobbins Scholastic Memorial Award. At that time, financial scholarships were not fiscally possible, but recognition of academic achievement among black students going to college was absolutely necessary.

Williamson still remembers the day of the awards ceremony at his DB graduation 32 years ago.

"I had no idea I was getting a scholastic award," he says. "When they called my name, I went up on stage in from of all those people. They said I was being honored with the V.O. Dobbins Scholastic Memorial Award, and I was very suprised. I knew about Mr. Dobbins and Douglass High School.. my mother Mabel and my aunt Jesse Dennis both went to Douglass, and I remember they telling me how he used to grow vegetables in his garden in the summer so the students there would have something hot to eat in the winter. My folks always told me about the good education that they got, so the fact that I received an honor with Mr. Dobbins' name on it meant a lot."

"It made a powerful impression on me."

After that first one, recipients of the V.O. Dobbins Scholastic Award were Angela Maxwell in 1983, Delbert Davis in 1986, Rhonda Kincaid in 1987, Shana Wright in 1988, Deeya Dobbins in '89, and Chad Machen in 1990. The award faded away after that year, and the plaque disappeared into the historical archives of Dobyns-Bennett, never to be awarded again.

Eleven years later, Douglass alumni who had been holding reunions every other year since the early 70's, begun to realize the importance of financial support for young African-American descendants of the school. In 2001, the alumni group began providing $500 dollar scholarships to black seniors who met the criteria set forth by an appointed scholarship committee of the alumni association.

"A lot of places won't give out a scholarship unless the graduating senior has a 4.0 grade point average," Releford says. "That's great, but not everybody has a 4.0 GPA.. some have GPA's of 2.8, 3.4., maybe even 3.8. We wanted to reward those seniors who were still going to college, but not necessarily in the top 10% of their class."

"The kids in the lower 90% who were still going to college, deserved a shot at financial help, too. It was our way of saying 'we love you just the way you are. If you try hard, we will reward you for giving it your best shot."

"So far, no one has disappointed us," he says. "It's been very rewarding to see the results."

AT RIGHT, DOUGLASS SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION 2007

Scholarship availability was always open to Douglass School descendants, but requirements to receive awards tightened up a bit over the years.

"Two years ago, our alumni board decided to help more of our school descendants and give out more money," Releford says. "We did that by requiring, not only that the recipient be a descendant of a Douglass graduate, but also that the descendant be a member in good standing of the alumni association. That year, 2012, we gave out a total of five scholarships, the most we've every given in a year, and we have averaged at least three every year since then."

AT LEFT, DOUGLASS SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION, 2009


To qualify, scholarship applicants have to write a short essay on why they think the financial aid is important to their particular education needs, what course of study they plan to engage in, how they plan to make an impact on society, and also provide a high school transcript. Applicants also have to provide an acceptance letter from the college or university they have chosen. On approval, the Douglass scholarship will then be deposited in the student's name in the financial aid office of the school.

Financial scholarships began in 2001, and were given at Douglass alumni reunions.  The first college-bound students to receive Douglass alumni financial aid were Tia Lanauze and Michelle Hankins. In 2005, Kristopher Leeper was awarded the scholarship, and Terrance Maxwell, Blake Leeper and Courtney Wolfe were the recipients in 2007.

Previously, scholarships were considered and presented to recipients during the Douglass Alumni reunions every 2 years. Upon a rules change in 2010, even more college-bound Douglass descendants benefited from the financial help.

"Our board decided to award scholarships every single year, instead of every other year," says Releford. "Some of our alumni correctly pointed out that students graduate every year, not just every 2 years. They felt that everybody should have a chance. By changing to every year, there is no way that we would miss the opportunity to reward a student with help to continue their higher education."

AT LEFT, DOUGLASS SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION, 2011


Since the change, Jessica Williams and Darius Davis received Douglass scholarships in 2010. At right, Briasha Russell, Chris Sensabaugh and Brenton Leeper were the recipients in 2011. The next year 2012 saw the largest number of scholarships in alumni history: Sierra Evans, Todd Gilmore, Courtney Alexander, Kelsie Dulaney and Justin Long were the honorees. Last year, Devanun Swafford, Hunter Muller, Cyndee Morrisette and Jessica Cherry were the winners.

BELOW LEFT, 2013 DOUGLASS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS
BELOW RIGHT, GRANDMOTHERS OF 2014 DOUGLASS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

For 2014, the recipients of Douglass scholarships are Evan Wilmer, Akeyia Arnett and Dontae Johnson.  One of the scholarship awards is in memory of local educators Wilbur and Della Hendricks.. 

"Often, our winners are already in school when the scholarship names are announced," says Releford. "When they are not present to accept the honor, friends, family, even grandmothers proudly accept in their absence. Those friends and family members remember the Douglass tradition of recognizing educational talent and are just as proud of getting the scholarships as the people who get the award."

Releford says today, the scholarships are funded through dues from Douglass alumni. Periodically, the group holds golf tournaments, the proceeds from which, go directly into the scholarship fund.

Only a few months ago, the long-lost V.O. Dobbins Scholastic Memorial Award plaque was found and presented to the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association by Dobyns-Bennett High School. The alumni group's board then decided to combine the Scholastic Memorial award and the Douglass alumni scholarships, creating a new V.O. Dobbins, Sr. - Sons and Daughters of Douglass Scholarship Memorial Award.

"This award IS the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association," says Releford. "It is our hopes, dreams, education and community, all wrapped up into a financial package. We do other programs in the community and partner with several organizations in Kingsport, but our main purpose is scholarships for our school descendants. It is our heart and soul that we honor the education that we as alumni received from a school that meant a lot to us. The newly combined scholarship award honors the teachers who gave their heart and soul to make sure we were prepared for life. That's the V.O. Dobbins Sr. part. We cannot give our descendants an education, but we can help them financially, when they chose to get one. That's the alumni association part."

AT RIGHT, BYRON WILLIAMS, DB-DOUGLASS CLASS OF 1982

The new focus continues the legacy of the Douglass School of Kingsport through its many descendants, including Byron Williamson. He went on to ETSU, earning a degree in computer science.

"It's a good feeling to know that the community encourages you to go to college," he says. "The feeling that you have done something further than the generation before you, but that generation fully supports you financially and spiritually. If you achieve, give back to the community.. if it's time, give that back.. if it's money or expertise, give those back."

"Always give back to the next generation coming along, simply because the previous generation gave to you."

Kingsport's 4th of July Parade: "Gets Bigger and Better Every Year"

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE THEM BIGGER

"It really does. It gets bigger and better every year."

Everybody loves the Mack Riddle American Legion Fourth of July parade in Kingsport. At every intersection, Center Street is packed with spectators, many of them young children. They enjoy the pagentry of floats, bands, marchers and just plain ordinary citizens in formation, celebrating the birth of our country.

Among those spectators.. Gwan Hill and his family of Kingsport.

"I like the old cars," he admits, "those really old cars and the way they have them fixed up. The cars get older and nicer every year."

Hill says the organizers really do a good job.

"It's great that you can line up along the parade route, and the bands and the cars drive right up close to you," he says. "You can see everybody's face that's happy to be in the parade, and since I like the old cars, I get to see how they've fixed 'em up.. every little line, every coat of paint."

Everybody else has their little Kingsport parade favorites. For Hill's wife, Tameika, she comes to see lots of parade floats, but there's one thing that makes her proud.

"The DB band," she says, emphatically. "I love the band. I think DB's band is just unbelieveable. It's the best band around.. when they're on their A game, you just can't beat 'em."

DOBYNS-BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL BAND




SULLIVAN SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL BAND




SULLIVAN NORTH HIGH SCHOOL BAND

It helps that Tameika is a Dobyns-Bennett graduate, class of '96.

Gwan Hill says, his family has been to many Kingsport Fourth of July parades, too numerous to count.

"We do notice that every time we come, there's always something new.. something we haven't seen before," he says. "That's what makes it so much fun.. you never know what you'll see that you've never seen before. There's more involvement from different people. You can be in the parade and be an individual, instead of being in a group."

"That's people just supporting the Fourth of July," he says "People here do that in the parade, both as groups and people as marchers."

He says, his hometown of Johnson City needs to sit up and take notice, because there's nothing like a Kingsport parade.

"We don't have these kinds of civic parades in Johnson City celebrating the 4th," he says. The '83 Davy Crockett High School graduate has a suggestion for the powers-that-be in that city. "I would recommend that some committee come over here to Kingsport and take a look at what they're doing here and how they're doing it."

"They should take that back, and either duplicate it or do it better."

Kingsport’s Fourth of July Celebration & Parade began at 10 AM Saturday the 4th, kicking off from the Renaissance Center and rolling through town to its end point at the intersection of Eastman Road and Fort Henry Drive.

It was the 56th Mack Riddle American Legion Fourth of July Parade in Kingsport.

IF THE SLIDE SHOW DOESN'T START AUTOMATICALLY, CLICK ON THE ALBUM TITLE BELOW

2014 Kingsport 4th of July Parade - Video Maker

Umoja Festival Stories, Pictures and Videos Posted

Stories, videos and pictures from the recent Umoja Festival in Johnson City are now posted.

You'll find them at the Langston link on the main page of the website.

The stories include a feature on the Young Adult Stage, with videos and pictures from the Gospel Fest and the performances later on Saturday.

Also, a story on the Main Stage, with videos and pictures on the festival's main headliner, the Faze II Band.

There is also a feature story on the Umoja Festival parade, with videos and pictures from the African drummers and stilt walkers.

And finally, a history of the Johnson City festival, with this year's festival committee chairman, Ralph Davis.

Go to the Douglass website's main page, scroll over to the links underneath the TV screen, and click on the one that says "Langston Tigers - Johnson City."

Homecoming

Central Baptist Church, 301 Carver St., Kingsport, will celebrate its homecoming Sunday.

The morning service will begin at 11 a.m. with Minister Lamar Gordon of Friendship Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., preaching.

The afternoon service will begin at 3 p.m. with Pastor C. Danny Johnson of Thankful Baptist Church in Johnson City preaching.

What's Next for Holston Valley Hospital & Medical Center? Letter From the Mayor

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE RIVERVIEW COMMUNITY -- LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD


On Monday, August 18 at 5:00 p.m. there will be a community forum concerning the future of our area hospitals. This important meeting will be held at the Kingsport Center for Higher Education auditorium, 300 W. Market Street, downtown Kingsport.

Please plan to attend. Our medical profession has been our employment growth leader for the past several years and the loss of any or both of our hospitals would be very critical to our City. The Wellmont Board of Directors intend to make a decision on the future of Holston Valley and Bristol Medical Center by December. They need to hear your comments and concerns. If we do nothing, there is, in my opinion, a very good chance that both Wellmont and Mountain States will look at out-of-area mergers, acquisitions or outright sell.

It is imperative that the industry leaders, business people, civic groups and all citizens learn as much as possible concerning the current Wellmont situation. There would appear to be three options for Wellmont.

a. Remain independent as they are now (the board does not feel this is a possibility).

b. Merge Wellmont and Mountain States in order to become a larger (approximately $2 billion) medical facility.

c. Merge / sell to an out-of-area large medical facility where local control would be in question. This action would be permanent and irreversible.


We all know there will be changes within the medical profession caused by several factors including Obama Care. For the sake of our City, County, and Northeast Tennessee, we must insure that we get this decision right. Your input matters.

WHEN: Monday, August 18 at 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Kingsport Center for Higher Education Auditorium, 300 W. Market Street Kingsport, TN 37660

(signed)

Dennis Phillips, Mayor
City of Kingsport

Vols present Swafford with challenge of playing safety

THIS ARTICLE COURTESY THE KNOXVILLE NEWS-SENTINEL, THROUGH THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By DAVID COBB

Knoxville News Sentinel

KNOXVILLE — Few fans knew who Devaun Swafford was until the first quarter of the 2013 Tennessee-Florida game.

Swafford, then a walk-on true freshman playing in his fourth game, intercepted Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel and ran 62 yards to give UT a 7-0 lead.

By the time Bob Kesling found Swafford’s name on the roster and shared it with Vol Network radio listeners, the defensive back stood in the end zone, ball in hand, and offered a quick head nod to a silent Swamp and a CBS national television audience.

Speaking with the media Tuesday for the first time in his UT career (actually, Swafford has spoken several times with the Douglass website), the former Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett High School standout recalled the gesture and said it was “just to let them know I’m out there.”

Now everybody knows.

Despite an influx of talented defensive backs, Swafford earned a scholarship after spring practice and received first-team reps at safety alongside Brian Randolph through the first week of fall camp.

The lead he gave the Vols against Florida did not hold, but Swafford’s playmaking ability lingered throughout the 2013 season. He rounded out his freshman campaign by returning a blocked punt for a touchdown against Georgia and forcing a fumble against Vanderbilt. He earned his second start of the season at nickel back in the finale against Kentucky.

Swafford finished his freshman campaign with 17 tackles while splitting time with JaRon Toney at the nickel position.

Now tasked with learning to play safety at a relatively pedestrian 184 pounds, the 5-foot-11 sophomore said his agenda is simple for year two in orange.

“I just want to stay real low key,” Swafford said. “I want to make plays and let people know, ‘Hey, he was overlooked coming out of high school.’ Hopefully my play will take care of itself and I’ll move on to the next level.”

He added that he feels more comfortable at safety because he can see the whole field.



Head coach Butch Jones complimented Swafford on Tuesday and hinted that he will at least continue to contribute on special teams in 2014.

“Devaun is one of those individuals that has put a lot of weight on and he’s really done exceptionally well in the strength and conditioning area,” Jones said. “And we’ve challenged him playing safety now. Swafford brings it every day.”

Following a recruitment in which FCS schools showed the most interest, the 247Sports two-star prospect committed to UT in late December of 2012 under an initial agreement that he would sit the 2013 season as a grayshirt with the expectation of receiving a scholarship in 2014.

But he changed his mind after arriving in Knoxville and elected to walk on and play immediately.

“We’ve asked a lot of him,” Jones said. “Here’s a young man that didn’t play much defense in high school and here he is your starting nickel in games, going into the Swamp, playing at Florida and having a big interception.”

Devaun's big dreams

THIS ARTICLE COURTESY THE CHATTANOOGA TIMES-FREE PRESS

By Patrick Brown
Chattanooga Times-Free Press

At one point, Devaun Swafford wasn't sure he was going to be part of Tennessee's football team for the 2013 season.

The Vols' new staff had flipped Malik Foreman, his teammate at Kingsport's Dobyns-Bennett High School, from his commitment to Vanderbilt, and his "initial agreement" with Tennessee was for Swafford to grayshirt and join the program the following January.

Instead, he decided to join the Vols as a walk-on and shortly thereafter found himself taking an interception back 62 yards for a touchdown at Florida and running a blocked punt back for a score against Georgia in addition to starting two games.

"I always hoped for the best," Swafford said. "I dream about big plays all the time. I was just blessed enough to have the opportunity to make those plays, and I ran with it."

Now the 5-11, 184-pound Swafford is on scholarship and working with Tennessee's first-team defense at safety after playing nickelback last season.

"It was a big accomplishment," he said. "I've been working hard all my life, and I kind of figured I could compete with the best. I came here as a walk-on and then tried to earn my way and finally earned it."

DEVAUN SWAFFORD WITH "MAMA JILL" ELLIS, AT THE DB GRADUATING SENIORS PARTY IN RIVERVIEW IN LATE MAY, JUST PRIOR TO LEARNING HE WAS TO BE AWARDED A UT FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP

Swafford was at the beach earlier this summer when Vols cornerback Cam Sutton sent him a congratulatory text message. He hopped on Twitter and saw that Jones had awarded him a scholarship. The coach actually met with Swafford privately in his office previously to tell him he was going on scholarship.

"He kind of played a little bit of a joke on me. Then he told me at the end," Swafford said. "I can't remember honestly, but he had me on edge. When he told me, I was relieved."

Swafford's days as a starting safety may be numbered considering the number of freshmen the Vols brought in at that position, but for now, it's his spot to lose.

"Swafford brings it every day, and we're going to need him on special teams," Jones said. "He's continuing to evolve in terms of his football intelligence. We've asked a lot of him.

"Here's a young man that didn't play much defensive back in high school, and here he is, your starting nickel in games. He's done a great job, and we really need him to step up, especially in our special teams game."