DCHS names Cary Smith Choctaw of the Year

Tennessee State Rep. Judy Barker (far left) was the guest speaker at this year's Dyer County High School Investment in Excellence ceremony. Cary Smith (far right) was revealed as the Most Valuable Choctaw. Her portrait will hang in the DCHS office for the remainder of the year. Barker and Smith stand with the finalists vying for the honor of Most Valuable Choctaw. From left: Barker, Hannah Evans, Brittany Cashion, Rachel Moore, Jaziree Smith and Smith.

Dyer County High School recently held its "Investment in Excellence" ceremony, which recognized students that are at the top of their class academically.

The annual honors assembly, which took place in the gymnasium, recognized the top 25 percent academically of the sophomore, junior and senior classes.

This year's Most Valuable Choctaw was Cary Smith. Her portrait will hang in the DCHS office for the remainder of the school year.

The other finalists for Most Valuable Choctaw were Hannah Evans, Brittany Cashion, Rachel Moore and Jaziree Smith.

The morning's event began with the national anthem being sung by Chelsea Lucas. Next, Dyer County Schools Superintendent Dr. Dwight Hedge, DCHS Principal Peggy Dodds and DCHS assistant principal Lynn Gardner gave awards for academic honors.

The students recognized as being in the top 25 percent in the 10th grade were Kelly Ables, Hollie Adcock, Hailey Atkins, Emily Austin, Hayden Austin, Abbiegail Bingham, Kelsey Blackwell, Tshauna Brandon, Alexandria Britton, Austin Brown, Parker Brown, Rian Burch, Amanda Burns, Madyson Caton, Lindsey Caviness, Ethan Clark, Rebecca Clayton, Dylan Coleman, Elizabeth Curtis, Rusty Dawson, Casey Dean, Emily Despain, Lane Duncan, Bethany Fair, Mallory Frank, Shelby Fultz, Larry Galler, Holly Gibbons, Ashton Goff, Yvette Gonzalez, Emily Gorman, Odessa Graham, John Haddock, Colton Harris, Stacy Harris, Jerry Hart, Quentin Haycraft, Brandon Hendren, Trevor Howard, Jacob Hudson, John Hudson, Christopher Humphries, Lauren Janeaux, Demetri Jordan, Jonathan Jordan, Kristen Kelley, John Ketchum, Madison King, Emilee Lamb, Dillion Larue, Kyle Leighton, Tiffany Lewis, Joshua Lowrance, China Maltby, Chris Martin, Wesley Martin, Wesley McCulloch Brett McDonald, Thaddaeus Medford, Meagan Moon, Chasity Moore, Chelsea Murchison, Whitney Newsom, Kearstin Owsley, Kristen Parker, Emilee Peace, Jared Peckenpaugh, Adriana Pena, Catelyn Rose, Faith Rose, Rebekah Sargent, Zackary Shaikh, Jamie Shelby, Alyssa Shelton, Spenser Shults, Mallory Slaughter, Kevin Smith, Drew Surratt, Kara Taylor, Kimberly Thompson, Tacara Vaughn, Spencer Via, Matthew Weaver and Keith Wilcox.

The students recognized as the top 25 percent of the 11th grade were Cody Austin, Rochelle Bartee, Chris Brewer, Johnathon Byrd, Zackary Capps, Shelby Clayton, Courtney Cloinger, Michael Cottrell, Kaitlin Cowart, Marlorie Dotsin, Brandy Eastwood, Emily Edwards, Holly Elgin, Taylor Faulkner, Catilin Fogarty, Jennifer Funderburk, Autumn Giles, Stella Gray, Jelisha Greene, Merideth Hall, Amber Hampton, Robert Harris, Richard Hedgepath, Preston Hill, Chelsea Holder, Kaylin Holland, Emily Johnson, Emily Jones, Martin Jordan, Katherine King, Dakoda Lee, Jessica Maltby, Mackenzie Martin, Erica Mathis, Ashley Mccann, Calvin Mclean, Mary Medling, Lydia Mula, David-Lee Newell, Laura Newhouse, Ben Pate, Rebecca Permenter, Briana Pierce, Logan Pugh, Emilee Ray, Reid Adrian, Chelsey Roberson, April Roberts, Shelby Ross, Nicholas Ruddell, Brandon Runions, Caitlin Runions, Madison Seratt, Josh Shaver, James Shawver, Taylor Shook, Jesse Smith, Courtney Smith, David Smith, Taylor Stahlman, Heather Sweat, Amanda Taylor, Cheyenne Thompson, Levi Tyler, Elizabeth Virtue, Marqueston Watson, Tana Webb, Tynan Weeks, Logan Wildenberg, Candace Windle, Kaitlyn Wood, Amanda Wright and Nichole Yeater.

The students recognized as the top 25 percent of the 12th grade were William Armour, Katelyn Bardwell, Taylor Bickers, Chelsea Brock, Katie Brock, Raelyn Brockway, Peyton Bunn, Hannah Butler, Kara Camp, Easton Cecil, Janelle Cleaves, Kassie Cowart, Amanda Crone, Cody Eichler, Hannah Evans, Katelyn Finley, Kameron Flowers, Matt French, Keshonna Galler, Heather Hart, Anthony Haycraft, Brittany Haynes, Cody Hodge, Cody Jones, William Kwasigroh, Julia Lawrence, David Lewellyng, Hillary Mann, Katelyn Massie, Todd Mauldin, Lauren Mcculloch, Heath Mclean, Ashley Moore, Rachel Moore, Rebecca Nanney, Kodi Osborne, William Osborne, Leslie Piercey, Samantha Readenour Emily Reunions, Kaitlin Richardson, John Russell, Brittany Shaver, Chandler Sheppard, Cary Smith, Jaziree Smith, Chris Stover, Brittany Sturgill, Brittany Tillman, Whitney Tucker, Jennifer Virtue, Decienne Volner, Garrett Wheeler, Jacob White and Deidra Wiggins.

Most Valuable Choctaw Cary Elizabeth Smith is the daughter of Dan and Nell Smith. She has a 4.0 GPA with numerous honors and a long list of activities she has participated in over the years.

Her honors include: Tennessee Volunteer Girl's State Nominee and Delegate 2009 * United States Achievement Academy Who's Who in Honor Roll 2007-2009 * Academic top 10 percent in freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes * United States Achievement Academy Who's Who in Agriculture 2007-2009 * People to People Leadership Summit Nominee 2009 * DAR Good Citizen Award 2009 * National Honor Society 2007-2009 * Who's Who Among All-American Scholars 2007-2009 * Congressional Student Leadership Conference Nominee 2009 * National Student Leadership Conference Delegate 2008 * Tennessee Leadership Seminar Delegate 2008 * Congressional Student Leadership Conference Nominee 2008 * National Young Leaders Conference Nominee 2008 * Dyer County Youth Leadership 2007-08 * DCHS Advisory Board Member 2007-2010 DCHS Yearbook Staff Member 2007-2010 (co-editor 2009-2010) * DCHS Leo Service Club Member 2006-2010 * DCHS Senior Class "Best Sense of Humor" 2009-2010 * DCHS Senior Class Treasurer 2009-2010 * DCHS Student Council 2006-2010 * DCHS Varsity Bowling Team Member 2007-2010 * DCHS Varsity Bowling Team "Best Attitude" 2008 * DCHS HOSA member 2009-2010 * DCHS Science Club Member 2008-2009 * DCHS Science Club Vice President 2008-2009 * DCHS Spanish Club Member 2006-2007 * DCHS Varsity Volleyball Team Member 2006-2009 * DCHS Volleyball "Best Middle Hitter" Award 2008-2009 * 13AAA All-District Volleyball Team 2009 * 13AA All Tournament Volleyball Team 2008 * DCHS Sophomore Class Treasurer 2007-2008; DCHS Freshman Class Vice President 2006-2007 * FFA West Tennessee Regional Treasurer 2009-2010 * FFA Chapter Junior President 2007-2008 * FFA Quiz Bowl Team 2008 * FFA Parliamentary Procedure Team 2008-2009 * FFA Regional Creed Winner 2007 * FFA Livestock Judging Team 2007 * FFA Opening and Closing Ceremony Regional Winner 2006 * FFA State Leadership Camp Clements Silver/Gold Leadership Award 2007-2009 * FFA State Convention Delegate 2007-2009 * FFA National Convention Delegate 2008-2009 * FFA Star Greenhand 2006-07 * FFA Chapter Creed Winner 2006-07 * Bred and produced registered Boer goats, Montadale and Romney sheep and market hogs * 4-H/FFA Sheep Exhibitor at regional, state, national, and international shows 2002-2009 * 4-H/FFA Swine Exhibitor at regional shows 2002-2009 * 4-H/FFA Breeding Boer Goat Exhibitor at local and regional shows 2002-2009.

Community Activities: Jackson Juniors USA Club Volleyball Team member 2007-2009 * member of Tucker Street Church and Youth Group 2004-2009 * attends First Christian Church 2009 * Right Choices mentor 2006-2010 * STARS National Mentoring Youth Conference, Colorado State University 2007-2009 * Church mission trip participant in International Falls, Minn. 2007 * Various community service activities including: Community blood drive assistant 2006-2008 * Dyer County High School Community Fall Festival 2006-2009 * Dyer County Annual Community Street Dance volunteer 2008 * Dyer County Depot Days Volunteer 2006 * Landscaped, planted flowers, mulched beds at churches and schools 2006-2009 * Helped elderly performing yard work, cleaning, and repairs 2006-2009 * Usher at DCHS Honor's Day 2007-2008 * Landscaped in front of exhibit buildings for Dyer Co. Fair 2007-2008 * Created and co-conducted FFA Barnyard for the Dyer County Fair 2008-2009 * Dyer County FFA Plant Sale Volunteer 2006-2009 * Salvation Army Christmas bell ringer volunteer 2008 * Provided livestock for petting zoo at Wesley Nursing Home 2006-2008 * Provided livestock for Corral at First United Methodist Church Bible School 2006-08 * Provided livestock for the Dyersburg Library Youth Day Event 2009 * Dyer County Schools Health Fair volunteer 2009 * Tornado disaster cleanup volunteer 2006.