Smith Shines for Barbourville Cross Country

by Michael Smith

The Barbourville High School Cross-Country team just completed another successful season. Although the season ended well, the journey to that point was more difficult than normal. The first meet was held on September 12 at Lynn Camp High School and proved to be difficult for nearly all racers. The next three scheduled races were cancelled and the season looked shaky; however, by mid-October the races picked back up. All of the runners completed one race by the end of the season, which is required to compete at the Region 6 meet. 

The Regional meet was held at Wayne County’s home course on October 24. Multiple obstacles came up and the team only had two racers on that day: one boy and one girl. Lillian Partin raced in the varsity girl’s race and recorded her best time of the year. Stephen Smith raced in the varsity boy’s race and finished 9th and set a new school record time of 19:21.10. This was enough for Stephen to advance to the KHSAA State meet on October 31. 

Stephen competed in the KHSAA State meet and had a great race. He set yet another School record time of 19:13.45 and placed in the top third among all runners in the meet. After the race, coach Dave Nevels said,” I would like to thank all of the students, teachers/faculty, and parents for supporting another year of cross country. It’s been different and difficult, but we made it through.” Coach Nevels was very pleased with Stephen’s performance and cannot wait for another season. 

Volleyball Team Makes Great Strides This Season

 by Devon Messer

Photo by Chris Hammons

This season in 2020 the girls volleyball team played 18 matches total, with 5 wins and 13 losses. Considering that the team was very young overall and the program had not won any games the prior three seasons, this was a very successful year. The coach this year was Rachel N. Gibbs in her second year of coaching. 

The team's first game of this season broke their 60-game losing streak. This was an away game against Harlan County. The starting line up included Alexis Woolum, April Roark, Kailey Napier, Sydney Jones, Aubrey Woolum, and Tessa Hillard. The end score between Barbourville Independent and Harlan County was 3 sets won for Barbourville and 2 won for Harlan. The last determining set was 15 to 10. 

The district tournament game was their last game this season for the school and the seniors. They fell short and lost ending with an early season. Otherwise, many other games were canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. Overall, the 2020 season was one of great improvement and a huge step forward for the BHS volleyball program.

"As Normal As Possible": BIS Virtual Learning from a Student's Perspective

by Morgan Mays

This school year has been like no other. Due to COVID-19, we had many different options for going back to school. For all virtual students, we are adjusting from the normal in-person class five times a week to distance learning. I am currently doing the all virtual schedule. A full day of virtual learning is very different from our daily school routines. However, our teachers and staff are working extra hard to make this time feel as normal as possible. 

The school day starts at eight o’clock. We are required to join the virtual classroom every day. Our teachers have done a great job of making accommodations for students both virtually and in the classroom. Once we join each class, we get started just as we would if we were at school. We complete any assignments that we are given and listen to the lesson plan for the day. This is the time where we get to interact with our teachers and students. We have open discussions about the content we are covering and ask any questions that we may have. Communication with friends is especially important during this time. We still talk and joke with each other to make the day feel as typical as possible. 

Overall, this time has been an adjustment for everyone. As the year continues, we learn every day how to adjust to our new normal. Virtual learning has come a long way since we first started. Our teachers have made it a priority to continue to teach and encourage us as we stay home. So even though this year has been far from normal, virtual instruction has been a great way to stay home and learn. 

Food Boxes Ease Burdens for Families

by Madi Fields

The looming pandemic has brought about many changes in families, leaving some caregivers without work and lack of resources to provide food and nourishment for their children. The Barbourville Independent School System, in collaboration with Save the Children and FRYSC, has been able to ease the burden by supplying weekly food boxes during the month of October. 

Each box contained 25 pounds of food, which was 10-12 pounds of produce, 5-6 pounds of protein, and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt along with a gallon of milk.. In total the School System distributed 288 boxes of food and milk each week The boxes were available to anyone in the community with no income guidelines or restrictions.

Dixon's Record-Breaking Season Sets New Standard for BHS Golf

 by Bville Buzz Staff

During the 2020 season, Charleston Dixon, a six year member of the Barbourville High School Varsity Golf Team and current senior, shattered several school records. 

Charleston’s season started off strong as he set a new school record by qualifying for his fifth consecutive spot to the All “A” State Golf Tournament. Charleston shot 36 in the All “A” Region Golf Tournament to earn his spot at state. 

At the All “A” State Tournament, held at Gibson Bay in Richmond, Kentucky, Charleston finished T-14 while shooting a 76 to claim another school record for best overall finish. At the Conference Tournament, Charleston finished as a member of the All Conference Second Team upon completion of all conference matches.

Charleston then competed at the Boys' 10th Region Golf Tournament in hopes of earning a spot in the state tournament. After a rainy finish, Charleston shot 78 and made his way into a three-way playoff to determine who advances to the state tournament. After battling for four holes, Charleston made a 35-foot putt for birdie to advance to the KSHAA Boys State Golf Tournament at Bowling Green Country Club in Bowling Green, Kentucky, ending a eight year drought of a member of the boys' golf team advancing to the state tournament.

At the state tournament, Charleston shot 82, marking yet another school record, and finished T-54, also a new school record. 

Charleston represents his school very well inside and outside of the classroom, and his golf season has set a standard for future BHS golfers.

First Day of School Brings New, Unique Challenges

by Lily Kate Hubbs

The first day of school often brings nervousness and excitement among teachers and students as they wonder what the new school year will bring them.  However, this school year brings a unique dynamic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  While the students at Barbourville Independent started the school year virtually on September 9th, students were able to return to campus on a hybrid system on September 28th.  The Blue Team started on that Monday followed by the White Team on that Tuesday.  Even though things looked different for the students and staff, they definitely couldn’t “mask” their excitement to be back in school! 

Students Paint Ceiling Tiles in Arts & Humanities Class

by Chante Brown

Brandon Hillard’s Art and Humanities already conquered dance. It was only natural to conquer visual art next. Mr. Hillard asked his students what the year of 2020 meant to them, and with their newfound knowledge of expressionism, they painted their hearts out on the ceiling of his classroom.

Kylie Lambert

Sydney Jones

Hope Warfield

Jordan Collins

Chante Brown

Clarese Roberts

Madyson Lawson

Dustin ‘ Barney’ Liford

Lynsey Lozano and Logan Viars

Barbourville Soccer Recap

by Logan Bingham

During the 2020 Soccer season the boys finished with a record of 0-1-8. This was the best season so far for the team. The program is still being built after only its 3rd year. In one of their best efforts of the season, they came up short in the 13th region All “A” Classic in a shootout against Middlesboro.

Co-Captains on the team were seniors Michael Smith and Logan Bingham and junior Cayden Wagner. Scoring leaders were: Michael Smith (9, Stephen Smith (4), and Logan Bingham (1). Sam Buchanan finished 19th in the state among goalies for total saves with 154 total, averaging 17.1 per game.

Thank You -- From a BHS 2020 Senior

by Cailin McDonald

There is no doubt that this has been a difficult time for seniors across the country. We are missing some of the biggest moments of our high school career, not to mention all of the little moments that were left to have in high school. However, there is also no doubt that this unprecedented time has brought about incredible difficulties and confusion for EVERYONE. I knew that even amidst this crisis that we would continue to receive support throughout the rest of our senior year. (BIS teachers are the best!) However, I could never have dreamed of or asked for the amount of love and support that has been shown to the class of 2020 since the last day of school.

I think I can speak on behalf of the entire BHS class of 2020 when I say thank you. Thank you to the parents, friends and families who have always been and especially now are our biggest supporters. Thank you to all the school staff and class sponsors working so hard to make sure that our accomplishments are still celebrated this year. Thank you to the family, friends, businesses, and complete strangers for sending notes, gifts, or just general love and encouragement our way. Personally, I am incredibly moved and eternally grateful for all that is being done for my classmates and me. There are too many insane and terrible things happening right now, and yet so many people are still making this Senior class from “The Little School” feel so loved. Thank you!

Student-Created Math Mural in Mr. Cox's Classroom

by Chante Brown

The images herein depict the progress on the Mathematics mural now present in Matthew Cox's classroom. The mural was created by Barbourvile students shortly before in-person classes ended for the year.

The concept was created by Sydney Jones and Payton Hembree and further elaborated on by Mevludin Grahic, Ally Davenport, Emily Isom, Ava Whitehead, and Chante Brown. The piece took three weeks.

This, too, shall pass...

by Isaac Gray

During these dark and troubling times, many of us may feel disconnected or that perhaps the world has gone down, and this is it. Well, we at Bville Buzz are here to tell you, it's not over. The nation may have come to a standstill for this virus, but it is temporary. For it is in the interest of our safety we separate ourselves and keep ourselves safe from those who are ill, and also keep our loved ones safe from the illness. While in quarantine, you should cherish every moment and make sure you show your family you love them, as they remind you how much they love you, as fate has drawn you all back together.

Don’t feel your Lord has abandoned you, either. He has brought families together in a time of crisis and imbues those who fight the virus with the energy and inspiration to fight on in His name. It is getting better, but sadly, some who get infected do not make it. We, the young and the willing, must do our part to protect the elderly and the infants from this infection. As many of us are young and still in our prime, we can more easily and more readily fight off the virus than perhaps an 85-year old-citizen. Stay safe, keep distancing. We’ll make it through together.

Teacher Appreciation: Ms. Rachel Andrews

by Lucy Robinson



There are so many wonderful teachers and staff at our school, but I wanted to write an article 

about one that has impacted me the most this school year. Although I do feel bad only 

picking one,  Rachel Andrews has really helped me get through this year with my sanity still 

intact. 


 This year Ms. Andrews was my volleyball coach and the assistant basketball coach. I also 

got to be in her classroom every day as a student helper.


 Ms. Andrews was an amazing coach, always making things fun while still getting the work 

done. She helped our team improve so much, whether it be on the court or just as people. She 

is also one of the best teachers I have ever seen. She gets so invested with the kids, and 

even in the classroom she is able to make learning fun. Ms. Andrews was always able to tell if 

I was having a hard time, and she was always there to help. She is a great person to share a 

laugh with and a great person to learn from. 



Ms. Andrews is still working hard to make sure all of her students are continuing to learn. 

I wrote this article to express my appreciation to Ms. Andrews for all the hard work she has 

put into this year. I also want to thank every teacher and staff member who is still looking out for 

their students.

Barbourville Students Advance to State Governor’s Cup Competition

by Cailin McDonald

Four Barbourville students will be advancing to the 2020 state Governor’s Cup competition at the Galt House in Louisville on March 14th-16th.  At the middle school regional competition, Savannah Hoffman placed second in composition and Samuel Moore placed fourth in arts and humanities and  language arts to earn their spots at the state competition. High school senior Peyton Mills placed fourth in composition and is one of the top five competitors advancing to state in scenario writing. Senior Cailin McDonald will also be advancing after placing fourth in arts and humanities at the regional competition. 

Remembering Kobe Bryant

by Joseph Smith and JT Hall

Kobe Bean Bryant was an inspiration to many. That's why on January 28, 2020, when the news of his death swept the globe, everyone everywhere in some way, shape, or form was affected. Then an hour later the news came out that Gianna Bryant, his 13 year old daughter, was also in the helicopter crash along with 7 others. This tragedy affected many NBA players to the point where they started taking 24 second shot clock violations, 8 second violations (24 and 8 were his jersey numbers), and copying dunks Kobe had done. Teams left open seats in the stands for him and his daughter. Some teams gave out t-shirts that had his name and numbers and his daughters name and number. Teams would also wait for their game against the Lakers and show a tribute video in remembrance of his legacy.

From the moment Kobe entered the NBA he was a global phenomenon. Some of his accolades include winning five NBA championships, 2x scoring leader, 1x season MVP, 2x finals MVP, 15x all NBA team, 12x all defensive team, 18x all star, 4x all star game MVP, 1 NBA dunk champion, 26 50-point games, 6 60-point games, 2x olympic gold medalist, and 1 81-point game.

Kobe Bryant was one of those players that would let his opponents know that he was better than them, and he would go out and prove it. There was a week in March, 2007 where Kobe scored 50 points four times.

Jay Williams, a former NBA player, tells one of our favorite Kobe stories, Before a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls, Williams decided to push himself to show up five hours early to get in practice. When he arrived, Bryant was already on the court. Williams proceeded to work out for more than an hour before leaving the court. Bryant was still practicing when he stopped, and Williams decided to watch from the sidelines.

“It’s not like his moves are nonchalant or lazy,” Williams recalled in the interview. “He’s doing like game moves.”

Finally, after an additional 25 minutes, Bryant went to the locker room to prepare for the game. The Lakers star went on to score and assist a total of 40 points during the game, according to Williams.

Williams said he was so impressed he felt compelled to ask Bryant why he worked as hard as he did that day. Williams recalls Bryant telling him, “I saw you come in and I wanted you to know that it doesn’t matter how hard you work. I’m willing to work harder than you.” Kobe Bryant was so dominant on the court because of his work ethic and how much he believed in himself. That's why when he passed it shocked the world because he was a so many people's hero for the sole reason of how hard he worked for his accomplishments and didn't have them handed to him.

Recently the Lakers organization had a memorial for Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan gave a speech. He said, "When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died. And as I look in this arena and across the globe, a piece of you died, or else you wouldn't be here. Those are the memories that we have to live with and we learn from."

Kobe was an amazing father, and an amazing athlete. He was a great role model for future fathers and for athletes. For these reasons Kobe Bryant will never be forgotten and will be forever missed.

Barbourville High School and GEAR UP Determined to Invest in their Seniors

by Peyton Mills and Hunter Bargo

As the latest semester at Barbourville High School kicks into high-gear and classes begin anew, a handful of prospective students are continuing their education in a first for the school: a dual credit class through local Union College taught on campus, in an attempt to make such opportunities available to a wider variety of students. Despite this monumental step forward, however, there was one crucial detail left to examine, and it came in the form of payment. College courses are notoriously expensive, and while this particular class was much more affordable than a typical course, some students were concerned about having the money to pay. Indeed, the cost alone threatened the ability for many students to take the class our school had worked so hard to obtain.

Concerned, Brandon Simpson, the teacher at the helm of this project, set out to find a solution. He contacted Courtney Murphy, our GEAR UP coordinator, who immediately related to the issue and began working tirelessly to procure the funds in order to pay for any student willing to challenge themselves and take the class. “There’s no reason to pay for college when you can get scholarships that pay for it,” Murphy said on her reasoning, and with this year being GEAR UP’s first granting services to high school seniors, it was the perfect time to pitch funding this class to her supervisor.

Courtney Murphy (above) works through GEAR UP to help seniors
 with various post-graduation concerns. (Photo by Pamela Williams.)

GEAR UP has three major goals: to increase academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education; to increase rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary education; and to increase student educational aspirations and student and family knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing. Murphy stresses the importance of these goals not only for college, but also for careers outside of or instead of college. But ultimately, it is about supporting students no matter their choice to better themselves, and Murphy, Simpson, and GEAR UP alike showed this willingness in the most sincere and important of ways.

BIS Has "Club Day"

by Joshua Crawford

On February 11, Barbourville Independent had their first Club Day. Students were able to join a club of their choice. The clubs included basketball, board games, coffee, card games, dodgeball, creative writing, movie enthusiasts, music, school spirit, stress management, photography, weightlifting, trivia, video gaming, yoga, Spanish, games and more, and student technology leadership.

One purpose of club day was to give the option for students to be able to socialize with other classmates about a particular interest they shared. It was a good way for students to forget about the stresses of school and have fun. A full hour of the school day was dedicated to the clubs.

My fellow students have said that they really enjoyed club day and can’t wait to have it again. As for me in particular, I am a part of the movie enthusiasts club, and I really enjoyed it! We were provided popcorn as we watched the movie, and all around had a pretty fun time. I believe that club day is a very fun program we have at our school, and I can’t wait to have it again.

Creative Corner #2: Art & Poetry

This edition of creative corner features a watercolor called A Trek Through the Woods by Chante Brown, a junior at BIS. The picture is based on a scene from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. We also feature an untitled poem by Chante, who is one of the most talented artists and writers we have at BHS. The poem's content will ring true to anyone who plays video games.

A Trek Through the Woods by Chante Brown:

"Untitled" by Chante Brown

I think I've eaten my weight in Doritos
And drank my tears in Gatorade.
I collapse in this chair
Only three times a day.

That may not seem like much
But count the hours in between
And you'll be met with the gross, techno reality
Of your modern joystick king.

This self-deprecating attitude
Is the only way that I
Retain a bit of dignity
Despite this wasted time.

I've outlived most children
In my hour stats alone
And my kill streak is bigger
than anyone else's I know.

Despite my ear muff crown
I don't respect myself
Because this high cholesterol diet
Is detrimental to my health.

I eat and I eat
I game and I sleep
I'll win and I'll win
Until it's my turn to be reaped.

Students & Staff Dress to Support Mr. Hibbard

by Bville Buzz Staff

Several students and staff members took part in today's Superhero Day to support faculty member Stephen Hibbard. Here are just a few pictures:

 

Abbagail Smith Signs with Union College

by Bville Buzz Staff

2/13/20 -- Today, Barbourville Lady Tigers' point guard Abbagail Smith signed to play basketball at Union College.

Smith has been an integral part of the girls' program for the past six years. She has been a varsity starter since her arrival in seventh grade, and she has racked up 1457 points and 680 rebounds over that period. Several colleges have recruited Smith, but she decided to stay home and become a Bulldog.

Smith has an impressive list of accolades in her Barbourville Career, including the following:

• All "A" Classic All Tournament Team -- 2 years in middle school and all 4 years of high school.
• Joined the 1000 point club as a junior, becoming just the 8th Lady Tiger to have accomplished this feat.
• Named to the 51st District All Tournament Team and the All-13th Region Third Team in 2019.
• Chosen for multiple Kentucky All-Star teams and played on successful AAU teams in Kentucky and Tennessee.
• Received the All "A" Classic Scholarship and the WYMT Mountain Classic Scholarship.

In addition to her basketball achievements, Smith is also in the top 5% of her senior class with a 4.34 GPA. Teachers and coaches at Barbourville have often commented on her work ethic both on the court and in the classroom.

Tiger Glass & Co.: A Delicious New Business at BIS

by Isaac Gray and Autumn Messer

Tiger Glass & Co., which was started by Mr. Hillard’s 5th period FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) Essentials class, desires to bring our school a variety of quality homemade glass candy every Friday at concessions. In order to promote our product, one of our proud workers will be making an announcement every Thursday at the end of the day to tell  our valued customers what flavor we will have on Friday. Announcements will be posted about upcoming flavors on  bulletin boards and teachers’ whiteboards. Also look out for our informative flyers around the school!  Each flavor will have a school related name, such as Blue Grass Razz, Tiger’s Blood, Cumberland Gapple, and many more! Watch out for us on social media like Instagram and Facebook for announcements, as well!

To ensure our flavors are enjoyed among most of our demographics, we had a three-day long survey. This survey was given out to 165 students ranging from grades 6th-12th. The top three flavors, which will be offered every week for sale, included blue raspberry, watermelon, and cotton candy. These top three flavors will always be on sale, and the fourth flavor will interchange. This means we always keep a variety in the flavors available to our valued customers.

Our company is named after the school mascot, and our logo is an eye-catching paw print backdrop draped with a Tiger Glass banner. Our packaging design will feature a flashy bag tied together with a tiger print ribbon, and our logo with nutritional facts will be attached.

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings Per Gallon Bag
Serving Size	1/8 Gallon
Calories	197
	% Daily Value
Total Fat  0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g               0%
Trans Fat  0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 42mg            1.75%
Total Carbohydrates 71.2g 19%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugar 71.2g	19%
Protein      0g	0%
Vitamin D 0mg               0%	0%
Calcium  0mg                0%
Iron        0mg	0%
Potassium 13mg

Lady Tigers Earn #3 Seed in District Play

Last week the Barbourville Lady Tigers completed their round of district matchups against Pineville to get their district tournament seed. The Lady Tigers fell short to Pineville and Knox Central,  putting them at the 3rd seed. Lynn Camp, falling short to all three district opponents, is the 4th seed.

The 1st and 2nd seed is still undetermined as Pineville and Knox Central have yet to play. The district match between the Lady Lions and Lady Panthers will happen this Saturday the 15th. This winner will be the top seed while the loser will be the #2 seed. The Lady Tigers will play the #2 seed in this year’s 51st District Tournament.

HS Academic Team Earns 2nd Place in District Competition

On Saturday, January 25th, Barbourville’s High School academic team went to Oneida Baptist Institute to compete at the district level of the Governor’s Cup tournament. The team got several  wins. The Future Problem Solving team won first place, and the quick recall team placed second. Both teams will be advancing to the regional competition on Saturday, the 15th of February at Corbin High School.

Four students also placed and will be advancing to the regional competition as individuals. Those students are as follows:

Peyton Mills: 1st in Composition and 3rd in Language Arts
Cailin McDonald: 1st in Arts and Humanities and 4th in Social Studies
Stephen Smith: 3rd in Math
Lillian Partin: 5th in Composition

Overall, the team earned second place at the District competition.

Student Congress Applications Due by February 1

The Henry Clay Centre for Statesmanship is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose

mission is “to change the nature of our country’s political discourse and the manner in

which our nation approaches ideological divisions.” One way they do this is by holding a

High School Student Congress for juniors every summer.

The Student Congress is an immersive summer program for students interested in politics,

leadership, and public policy. Students focus on different dimensions of politics and public

policy through an intensive curriculum. Students engage with lawmakers, local officials,

and community leaders to learn about the difficulties associated with being a leader in

public policy, bi-partisanship, and civil discourse. Students learn about current political

issues, informed by different perspectives of Henry Clay. For example, the 2019 Student

Congress focused on Henry Clay as the great Orator, so students debated issues related to

immigration.

Barbourville Senior, Cailin McDonald attended that 2019 High School Student Congress.

“The High School Student Congress allowed me to learn about current issues facing our

country in an experiential manner that helped me realize just how important collaborative,

bi-partisanship effort, and civil discourse. That along with spending a week with like-

minded, passionate students made for a week I will never forget.”

Any junior wanting to apply can do so at: http://henryclaycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2020-High-School-Student-Congress-Application_Fillable-PDF.pdf

The applications are due online on February first.