Shopper News blog: Daddies empower princesses at Daddy-Daughter Dance

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KARNS

Daddies empower princesses at Daddy-Daughter Dance

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News correspondent 

It was a night of empowering princesses at the second annual Daddy-Daughter Dance held at Karns High School Saturday, March 3.

“It’s never too early to start teaching your daughter how she should be treated,” said Brad Standifer, father of Madison Standifer, 11. “I bring her to events like this to show her how she should be treated so she’ll have high expectations later on.”

Senior Lejla Nukic echoed the sentiment, saying, “Not only are the daughters making new memories with their fathers, but they’re also learning how to be treated.

“We learn about men from our fathers, and events like this one teach us what is and isn’t acceptable when we’re dating, and that starts young. We should only date boys who show us the same level of respect as our fathers show us, accept nothing less. We may be princesses, but we’re strong princesses.”

The event is a fundraiser for the senior class Incentive Day, which is based upon grades, attendance, and attitude. The senior class is on track to earn $3,500 through the Daddy-Daughter Dance and other fundraisers to go to Main Event, which offers food, bowling, laser tag, and more than 100 games.

Attendees were treated to a giant “hotdog” cake created by the Culinary Arts department, cookies, and cupcakes. Tables were adorned with freshly pressed table cloths and strewn with candy Kisses.

The most popular craft table was crown making with glittery pipe cleaners and ribbon.

New this year was a balloon decorated photo booth manned with volunteers to take photos with smart phones to commemorate the evening.

FARRAGUT

Ex-thief takes long journey to redemption

Margie Hagen, Shopper News correspondent 

The term “booster” usually refers to a sports fan or supporter of an organization, but in law enforcement parlance, it describes a shoplifter.

For nearly two decades, Bill Jones was a booster, stealing to support himself. Now he lives an honest life and helps police and security agencies prevent the crimes he used to commit.

Three years ago, Jones had a spiritual awakening after happening on a series of perfect crosses formed in unusual places. “No way was it all a coincidence,” he said, leading him to make the decision to change his path and put his faith in God. 

Raised in Ohio by a family who practiced the Pentecostal faith, Jones felt like an outsider in that religion and drifted away. He began stealing because “it was an easy way to make money,” adding, “In just a few hours a week I made enough to live pretty well.” He estimates that at times he made as much as $100,000 per year.

Starting with small items like CDs, he sold at flea markets and then realized he could “wholesale” stolen goods to dealers. He built relationships and took orders for merchandise. It meant less money but also less risk. “One reason I was so successful was that I wasn’t greedy and operated under the radar.”

Jones didn’t look or act like a booster either; he was always dressed and groomed well.  Aware of his surroundings and what the clerks were doing, he would often engage them in conversation to dispel suspicion. With all the money he made, he never saved any. Noting that Al Capone was convicted for tax evasion, he said, “I didn’t want to leave a paper trail.” 

Finally, he decided “I didn’t want to be that person anymore.” He contacted local police and offered to return about $15,000 in stolen merchandise. That’s how he met Glenn Alred. Initially Alred didn’t believe Jones, but the two developed trust, became friends and started speaking together at crime prevention forums throughout Tennessee. “It’s a way to pay back,” Jones said.     

Leaving his former life as a booster wasn’t easy; broke and homeless for a while, Jones was determined not to backslide. With the help of Alred and others, he didn’t and says, “I am so grateful and striving to be better every day.”    

Now a member of The Hills Nashville, a nondenominational gathering, Jones says, “God put me in this place to serve.” Pastor John Ragsdale has become a mentor, and Jones feels at home, saying, “There is acceptance of everyone.” 

Once an outsider himself, Jones makes it a point to reach out to everyone. He rides a custom chopper that attracts attention and creates relationships that he builds on. With a nod to the crosses that led to his redemption, “I am Cross Branded” is the name Jones chose for a ministry apparel line he created. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter. 

More:Knoxville history chronicled inside walls of 200-year-old church

BEARDEN

Black history classes study Africa, converse with Africans

John Shearer, Shopper News correspondent 

Not only has Amanda Sharp had her African-American history classes learning about Sierra Leone. At West High School, they have also been interacting with the West African nation.

Using modern technology, they have been able to converse with some students at a school there via Google Chat and video this year for the first time.

“They got to see each other and go back and forth asking each other questions,” said Sharp.

Despite the state-of-the-art method of communication, though, the conversations were still timeless, based on the reaction of the West students.

“It was fun to get to experience what they are going through physically and mentally,” said student Morgan Godbee, who actually had to follow the conversations on Snapchat.

John Martinez felt the experience was not only educational, but also, as he put it, pretty cool.

“It shows you how diverse even their population is,” he said. “They are not all from the same place. Everyone is different.”

According to Sharp, a social studies teacher who also teaches psychology, her African-American history classes learned about the Gullah and Geechee people who had been brought to the islands of South Carolina and Georgia.

Many of these plantation people, who developed a unique culture growing rice in the slavery days because their masters were not around and they had no overseer, came from Sierra Leone, she said.

West High librarian Nancy Williams had a cousin, Katy Bobin, who had formerly worked at a school in Sierra Leone through the EducAid program, and they talked with her last year. However, that just began the interest in the country.

“We wanted to know a little more and wanted to FaceTime with these students in Sierra Leone,” said Sharp.

So with the help of the technology staff at West, they figured out a way this semester.

Sierra Leone is known as a more religiously tolerant nation that has made progress toward political stability and reconstruction following a civil war that ended about 15 years ago, according to information found online.

English is a main language of the country due to its former status as an English colony, but the students also learned that as many as nine languages, including Krio, are spoken there.

The West students also learned that even the meaning of some English words there might be different from those here. For example, the term home school in Sierra Leone means that the students live on the campus of the school, Sharp said.

But the universal feeling of joy over friendly communication was still easy to pick up during the conversations.

“To actually communicate with the kids was amazing,” said student Donyea McDermott. “You hear about (the country), but to actually see them and talk to them and get to learn about their school day were important to me. I just had fun communicating with them.”

Sharp said the students also have “pen pals” among the students there, and the West students have also set up drives for supplies the students overseas need.

The West students have received plenty in return as well.           

“We push for them to take ownership (of their learning) and this helps in that,” said Sharp. “They are able to make connections or at least get curious.”

She added that the project has also helped West as a school with an International Baccalaureate program follow its philosophy of being internationally involved.        

NORTH/EAST

Duane Grieve takes the helm at Design Center

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News correspondent

The East Tennessee Community Design Center is pleased to announce the arrival of its new executive director, former vice mayor and city council member Duane Grieve.

Who better to head up the ETCDC, which seeks to beautify the area through professional design, than someone who is responsible for restoring some of Knoxville’s most beautiful buildings?

As the owner/architect of Grieve Associates Architects for the past 30 years, Grieve not only renovated his own vintage 1880s office building on Emory Place, but two others there as well. Passionate about historic preservation, he is also responsible for restoration of the original Miller’s Department Store on Gay Street, Anderson Hall at Maryville College, and the Alumni Gym at the Tennessee School for the Deaf, among others.

His practice encompasses commercial, city/state, and custom residential projects. Recent examples are the Volunteer Ministry Center’s new headquarters, the Maryville Municipal Center and several projects at the University of Tennessee.  

A tenured assistant professor of architecture at UT for 14 years ending in 1986, he has also taught there as adjunct professor in professional practice.

Since the 1980s, he has served in the American Institute of Architects as local and state president, gulf states regional director, national treasurer and chairman of the national AIA trust. He’s also chaired the Mayor’s Task Force on Preservation and on Codes Review, and has volunteered in many capacities, including the Historic Zoning Commission and the Cornerstone Homeless Task Force. In 2008-09 he was president of Scenic Knoxville. Under his leadership digital billboards were banned from the city. 

Many Knoxvillians know Grieve as a city councilman for the second district, elected in 2009, re-elected in 2013, and named vice mayor in 2015. His termed expired this past December.

The ETCDC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make East Tennessee a better place to live and work by bringing professional design and planning assistance to community groups and nonprofit organizations. The Design Center receives pro bono design assistance from area architects, landscape architects, planners and other professionals.

Rick Blackburn, president of Blackburn Development Group LLC and the organization’s board president, says, “The ETCDC is very pleased and excited to have Duane Grieve as our new executive director. Duane brings a unique level of experience to the Design Center through his work both as a distinguished architect and as the former vice mayor of Knoxville. He has the knowledge and the ability required to move the Design Center forward in its goal to make East Tennessee a better place to live for everyone. Duane shares the vision that Design Center leadership has been developing over the past year and will be a tremendous asset in seeing that vision realized.”

More:Shopper News blog: The Muse: An East Knoxville treasure

SOUTH

MuleKick notches first year, plans kids' apparel line

Heather Robinson, Shopper News correspondent

MuleKick, a South Knoxville-based apparel company, is celebrating its first anniversary this month.

Rachael and Ryan Willis are the husband-and-wife team behind the MuleKick brand. The couple specializes in locally inspired clothing emblazoned with unique designs that promote a South Knoxville culture. They also sell hats and accessories. Their future looks bright, as MuleKick has plans for a pop-up shop and a children’s clothing line coming soon.

“We’ve always loved unique local and regional apparel,” said Ryan Willis. “We realize it can sometimes be fairly pricey for the consumer, so we launched MuleKick with the goal of providing high-quality products at reasonable prices.”

Their 37920 shirt, featuring the South Knoxville ZIP code, is a favorite for both owners. Not only was it the first shirt designed by their company, it is distinctly special to them as South Knoxville residents.

“Rachael was born and raised in South Knox,” said Ryan. "A lot of folks don't realize until they see the shirt up close that the ZIP code design actually includes the streets and neighborhoods that make up 37920.”

Another favorite is their shirt design that simply says “Aight”, a phrase made popular among local folks after new University of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt inserted the word repeatedly during his initial press conference.

“The success of our 'Aight' shirt, which was a design Ryan came up with shortly after Coach Pruitt's introductory press conference, was a highlight of the year,” said Rachael.

During the press conference, Ryan realized that the casual slang used by the new coach put people at ease. The word “Aight” humanized the coach and made him have local appeal.

“We had shirts available on our website for pre-order within 3 hours of the press conference and in the following week sold nearly 1,000 shirts,” said Rachael.

The couple hit the ground running and between the two of them were able to tend to the mounting orders. “It was quite an accomplishment that the two of us were able to fulfill every order as fast as we did,” said Rachael. “We didn't sleep much that week!”

The couple has likely had many weeks without sleep, as the year became even more monumental for them. Racheal and Ryan welcomed their first child while introducing their brand.

“It’s obviously been a challenging but exciting year, finding a balance between our full-time jobs, learning to grow a new business and of course, changing diapers,” said Ryan.

Family support, as well as that of the greater community, helped the couple ease into running a business.

“All expectations I had were quickly surpassed in those first few weeks and the support has continued for the entire year!” said Ryan.

“We really had no idea what we were doing and took it one day at a time. The local support we received from family, friends and the community was unbelievable.”

Moving into their second year, MuleKick is staying busy with the business it has built from the ground up.

“It will be an extremely busy start to our second year,” said Ryan. “We’re currently planning our first-ever pop-up shop, which will be held this spring, while also rolling out our first line of children’s clothing.”

For more information on MuleKick Brand, visit the company’s website at www.mulekickbrand.com

BEARDEN

13-year-old proves world-beater in jiu jitsu

John Shearer, Shopper News correspondent 

At the same time the Winter Olympians were jumping into the air in freezing temperatures in South Korea, Knoxville resident Dylan Hasbrouck was participating in a much different form of athletics close to ground level in warm California.

But like many of the now-famous athletes shown on TV, he also won a medal and an important international championship, becoming the first young person from Knoxville to do so.

On Feb. 18, the 13-year-old Brazilian jiu jitsu competitor from the Karns area won the prestigious Kids Pan American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championship in the Teen 2 Grey Belt Heavyweight division in Long Beach, Calif.

Laban Propst, his head instructor at the Lucas Lepri Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Knoxville facility on Sutherland Avenue where Hasbrouck trains, called the accomplishment amazing.

“Some of the best child competitors from the world traveled to the U.S. to compete,” he said, adding that Hasbrouck had to beat two youngsters from Brazil, where the sport is big. “This is the equivalent of winning a world championship as an adult.”

Hasbrouck certainly understood and appreciated that accomplishment. “It was exciting,” he said recently at the Knoxville facility after returning. “It’s definitely adrenaline pumping. Everything is kind of rushing through you.”

Brazilian jiu jitsu is a martial art/combat sport that accentuates grappling and ground fighting. Resembling wrestling somewhat at a quick glance, it teaches that a smaller or weaker person can defend himself or herself through leverage and technique and by taking the fight to the ground and applying joint locks and chokeholds.

A match lasts four minutes and is won by points, submission or referee’s decision, said Propst, a former Gardner-Webb football player and wrestler, who later took up the sport and has operated the Sutherland facility for nearly three years.

Hasbrouck said he became interested in the sport several years ago while taking karate at the Wolf Clan Combat Sports facility in Knoxville. He noticed a jiu jitsu class was also being offered and decided to try it. He quickly felt he had found his sport.

“Something felt good about it,” he said.

As a home-schooled seventh grader, he is able to work into his schedule several training classes a week at the facility. And he does not seem to dread the work involved, either.

“He gets upset if we can’t get him here,” said his father, Jason Hasbrouck.

Propst said Dylan definitely has a lot of self-discipline and a work ethic beyond his years.

“He is focused and he does what he is asked to do,” he said. “And he is receptive to what we try to teach him. He is driven to self-improve.”

Hasbrouck added, however, that he does not think he is all that different from most boys his age, jokingly pointing out that he likes to play video games during down time, too.

As for the future, Hasbrouck would love to soar figuratively even higher in the sport while literally continuing to spend plenty of time at ground level on the mat working hard to get better. Propst said Olympic officials have looked at adding the sport to the Olympics, and Hasbrouck said he would love to one day be good enough to compete.

Regardless, he hopes to keep participating and does not expect to ever burn out from all the training.

“I love doing it, so it is easy to do,” he said.

Besides the tangible rewards like medals, Propst said the sport also has intrinsic ones and that any male or female person of any skill level can get a lot out of the sport.

“It teaches so many concepts – speed, quickness, agility, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination,” he said. “It’s probably one of the most involved sports you can do. And parents recognize that it is a good way to keep kids in shape.”

More:New coach, solid foundation for Powell baseball

KARNS

Countering a distorted 'selfie' image

WORDS OF FAITH

Angela Akers, Shopper News guest columnist

It seems as if modern technology makes our lives easier while it increases our sense of anxiety. Is my Amazon Alexa laughing at me behind my back? Is my Roomba collecting sensitive information about my household that could be accessed by hackers? Is my GPS trying to kill me? Now a study in the Journal of American Medicine says that selfies distort our physical image, and are responsible for a surge in cosmetic surgery or cosmetic treatments in the under-30 crowd.

According to an article on WTOP, “Researchers at Rutgers and Stanford developed a mathematical formula that shows a selfie taken about 12 inches from your face makes the tip of your nose appear an average of 7 percent wider, and the nasal base 30 percent wider, than a photo taken from 5 feet away.”*

I really wish my nose were just a little wider and more prominent – said no one ever. So our cute little camera phones have turned us into a bunch of Pinnochios, and we’re feeling more than a little insecure about it.

One of the authors of the “selfie effect” article goes on to say, “It’s distorted; don’t judge yourself based on a selfie.”

What happens when our self-image is based on a distortion? We spend billions on fashion and beauty products, and still fail to achieve an ideal that brings us satisfaction.

But self-image springs from our identity, and what happens when our identity is based on a distortion? The result is a lack of self-awareness, self-confidence, a lack of courage and of inner peace.

What if we had technology that could do a reverse selfie? That could show us who we really are? Imagine that in the time it took to snap a selfie, you could discover your identity and purpose all in one place.

There’s a book for that.

In the letter to the Ephesians in the Bible, Paul writes these encouraging words, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) There it is in one verse, your identity and purpose, undistorted. You are God’s handiwork – some translations read “work of art.” You are created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do.    

What if you really believed this passage? What would it change about your life?

If you are God’s work of art, is there ever any reason to put yourself down or compare yourself to others? And is there ever a reason to treat others as less than priceless?

And if you were created to do good works, which God planned in advance for you to do, then how can you ever feel purposeless again? How can you feel like your life is random or meaningless? God made you for specific good works, and wherever you go, you are an agent of God’s grace and power.

Don’t let a digital image, which can be Photoshopped or deleted with one swipe, tell you who you are. Your identity and purpose were created by God, and nothing can take that away from you. 

*"What plastic surgeons want you to know about selfies" by Kristi King, WTOP, March 1, 2018.

Angela Akers is editorial researcher for the Knoxville News Sentinel and the Greater Knoxville Business Journal.

FARRAGUT

Town lobbyists' fee agreement raised

Margie Hagen, Shopper News correspondent

Last week’s BOMA meeting sparked a spirited debate over approval of an increase in fees to Laine Communications; the local firm lobbies in Nashville on behalf of Farragut and the scope of the work they do has expanded.

Why does Farragut need a lobbyist? Each year hundreds of bills are filed in the state legislatures; those bills have the potential to affect the town’s operations. Monitoring and reviewing the bills wending their way through the legislative process requires a significant amount of time and expertise. Securing sponsors, attending conferences and hearings and testifying are part of what lobbyists do.

Bills on telecommunications, short-term rentals and taxes are followed; cell phone tower locations and the proposed hotel/motel occupancy tax are two important issues being monitored. Often people aren’t aware of impending bills until they directly affect them, so being proactive instead of reactive helps the town shape the impact of future legislation.

Four out of five aldermen voted in favor of increasing the budget for the professional services from $10,000 to $25,000 per year, to run for approximately the next 18 months. “It’s been a good deal in the past for services,” Vice Mayor Ron Pinchok said, noting that the expanded scope justifies the increase.

Alderman Bob Markli dissented; he’s been an opponent of the hotel/motel occupancy tax and objects to using town money to fund lobbying support, saying, “I feel (it) would be highly detrimental to increasing our revenues.” He feels it’s also discriminatory to put an additional tax burden on the hotel/motel industry.

Nearly a dozen hotel/motel owners, managers and representatives showed up to voice opposition to the occupancy tax. As with most issues, each side cites studies bolstering their positions. Pinchok pointed out that the meeting was not to debate the merits of the tax, but to authorize additional funds to compensate Laine Communications for expanded representation on a number of bills.

Members of the Greater Knoxville Hospitality Association were prepared to voice their concerns, but because this meeting was not a forum on the occupancy tax, no one from the group was called up to speak. Executive director Jill Thompson said, “We’ll be back for the next (BOMA) meeting on March 22 and thereafter until we have the opportunity to speak.”

On another note, a public meeting and discussion concerning the Watt Road corridor is slated for March 21, 6 p.m., at Town Hall. Informally dubbed the Western Gateway, the area from Kingston Pike to I-40 is expected see considerable development in the next several years.

Mark Shipley will be presenting an overview, reviewing current conditions and explaining challenges like land use, traffic and topography. A survey will be conducted to identify what residents want to see along Watt Road. Connecting Mayor Bob Leonard Park to nearby neighborhoods with sidewalks and creating a unique identity for the corridor will be topics for discussion.

More:Shopper News blog: See last week's government meeting in Farragut

SOUTH

Ijams hosts fishing event after goldfish 'invasion'

Heather Robinson, Shopper News correspondent 

Last week, Ijams Nature Center urged visitors to “give a goldfish a home” as they reported that over 200 goldfish had invaded their 96-year-old naturalized pond.

The goldfish problem was detected after someone, unknown to Ijams, released the invasive species into the park's most historic pond.

“We had over 200 people attend. Mostly parents with young children, our favorite audience,” says Stephen Lyn Bales, senior naturalist at Ijams Nature Center.

The crowd used nets on poles of varying length and weight, making the event enjoyable for all ages and abilities.

“We have been doing dip net activities with kids for over 40 years,” says Bales. “Kids love catching tadpoles and newts, learning about their life histories and then putting them back. Today's 5-year-old is tomorrow's aquatic biologist!”

Six-year-old James Ogle, a student at Bonny Kate Elementary, took home a new goldfish he had named Ijams. The fish will share the home of Speckles, the Ogles' Platy fish. James attended the event with his parents, Travis and Sara Mills Ogle.

“He is adapting well and swims all over the tank,” says Sara Mills Ogle. “And he has a new fish friend that follows him all around the tank.”

While goldfish make great pets, Bales has a list of reasons they shouldn’t be left to make their home at Ijams.

“Although very attractive, goldfish are an imported member of the carp family,” says Bales. “They will, if left unchecked, destroy the healthy balanced ecosystem of a natural native pond. Think of them as kudzu with fins."

He says that events to remove the goldfish will help restore the natural balance of the pond. The goldfish threaten many of the species meant to occupy the pond, including native tadpoles, newt and young insect larvae like that of the dragonfly. The dragonfly is especially important to Ijams, as it eats the pesky mosquito.

Ijams hopes to have more events like this in the future to eradicate the problem. The warmer weather will help the goldfish be more active and, therefore, easier to spot.

“This is the first time we have had such a goldfish invasion,” says Bales. “I knew after a night of below freezing temperature the goldfish would probably not be very active. They are ectothermic. Their body temperature is the same as the water temperature.”

Despite the difficulty in spotting the goldfish, the crowd had fun and Ijams is excited to plan similar events in the future.

For more information about upcoming event at Ijams, visit www.ijams.org or find their event schedule on Facebook. You may also call 865-577-4717

NORTH/EAST

Second at 200: Celebration to blend musical traditions

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News correspondent 

With its 200th birthday approaching in October, the members of Second Presbyterian Church are in celebration mode. They’re marking the year in many ways, and this Sunday they’ll be presenting a free concert by the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra to the community.

Conducted by the KSO’s music director, Aram Demirjian, the concert will focus on the region’s history and the role of Second Presbyterian Church in Knoxville over the last 200 years. Traditional folk songs such as “Wayfaring Stranger” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” would have been popular during early church history. Percy Grainger’s “Irish Tune from County Derry” and Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3 speak to the unique Scotch/Irish traditions important in this area’s history. Traditional hymns including “Morning Has Broken,” “Amazing Grace” and “How Firm a Foundation” celebrate the musical traditions and ancestries of the Church.

The concert will feature a very special soloist.

Young dulcimer player Sarah Morgan started her musical journey at 7 years old. At age 18, she placed first at the 2012 National Mountain Dulcimer Championships held in Winfield, Kan. A year later she went on to become a finalist in the 2013 International Acoustic Music Awards. She’s currently studying traditional music, Appalachian studies, and art entrepreneurship at Morehead State University.  

Having “fallen in love with traditional Appalachian music,” she says, the East Tennessee native incorporates the rich musical heritage of the area into her music. 

She’ll be heard on “Shaker Melody” from Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and Conni Ellisor’s “Blackberry Winter.” It’s a unique chance to hear this traditional instrument played in collaboration with a chamber orchestra.

The concert is offered in honor of Betsey Bush, who was a generous philanthropist and valued supporter of the KSO as well as many other arts and charitable organizations including Knoxville Opera, the Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville Botanical Gardens, Helen Ross McNabb Center, Volunteer Ministry Center, the University of Tennessee School of Social Work, East Tennessee Historical Society, the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee, Knox Heritage and Friends of Tennessee’s Babies with Special Needs. Bush, who died in July of 2017, was a dedicated member of Second Presbyterian.

The Second Presbyterian Church 200th Anniversary Celebration Concert happens at 3 p.m. this Sunday, March 18, at Second Presbyterian Church, 2829 Kingston Pike. The concert is free and all are invited.

FARRAGUT

Checkmate! Tykes take to chess at Goddard School

Margie Hagen, Shopper News correspondent

Chess is a game of strategy, requiring skill and concentration, but for kids at the Goddard School, it’s as simple as child’s play. Preschoolers as young as 3 have taken up the game in a unique program called Chess at Three. They play regularly and hold matches; it’s one of the most popular activities at the school.

Designed to make learning fun, each chess piece is a different character and has a story to go along with it. For example, the white king is “King Chompers,” who can eat 30 pizzas at once and has a big belly. He can move only one space at a time, just like the king in regular chess. Other pieces have their own stories; the kids remember the stories associated with each piece and begin to play chess.

It started when Pre-K teacher Leia McKenzie attended an educational conference where Chess at Three was introduced. She realized the potential of the program, saying, “It teaches the kids cognitive skills. They learn decision making, planning ahead and problem solving, all while having fun.”

Rachel Shearer is the teacher in charge of the program. “We have small groups that play a couple of times a week,” she said. “It’s free choice, so they decide if they want to play.” And they do want to play; the engaging “fairy tales” appeal to the kids and the stories stick with them.

For the Goddard School, it’s another way to enrich the curriculum. The Hardin Valley location, 10720 Virginia Way, accepts children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Owner Anoula McCarren has operated the school for nine years, saying, “I love seeing their personalities emerge and grow.”

The school is decorated with a nautical theme; classrooms are named for sea creatures like dolphins, guppies, jelly fish and sea turtles, making them easy for kids to remember. “The school can accommodate 172 students and is near full capacity now,” McCarren said. She recently added three new classrooms and a multipurpose room.

Farragut also has a Goddard School, 125 Loudoun Road. The two locations sometimes get together for Chess for Three tournaments.

What do the kids say? Lily Fisher likes to play “because of all the different stories and moves they have.” Veteran player Cameron Bogus likes the characters; when asked about his favorite, he was quick to answer “Ironman!” Ok, that’s not a chess piece, but who can blame him for getting caught up in all the excitement?

The HV Goddard School sponsors quarterly community service projects. A canned food drive for Second Harvest runs through March. They are already planning their Fall Festival, where donations will benefit East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

Kids love games, so you can try this at home. Any chess set will do, but you’ll have to provide the imagination. More info at goddardschool.com.

More:Shopper News blog: News from your community

KARNS

Knoxville group quilts for foster kids

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News correspondent 

About 20 quilters from novice to expert gathered at Cedar Bluff Branch Library for the monthly meeting of Knoxville Area Quilting Friends on Saturday, March 3.

The group is the brainchild of Debbie Anders, who began quilting three years ago.

“When I was just starting out, I didn’t have anyone to learn from. I learned from the internet, but it was hard going sometimes. I started this group so experts and beginners can come together for inspiration and learning. We have a champion sewer as well as three beginners here with us today.”

The 120-member group is working on a project for foster kids in Loudon County.

 “We’ve partnered with Loudon County DHS to provide quilts to all 50 foster kids so they can get a quilt for Christmas. We’re going to try to provide a quilt for new kids coming into foster care too. Hopefully it will be something of their very own they hang on to to give them comfort when they’re scared.”

Even kids are getting in on the project. Cailyn Collins, 11, and her younger sister Briann Collins, 8, made a quilt featuring horses, kittens, dogs and hearts.

“We included lots of animals because animals don’t judge. We shouldn’t judge others for the way they look or for the things they like to do. It’s not OK to bully others,” said Briann Collins.

The group meets at Cedar Bluff Branch Library the first Saturday of the month at 12:15. Next month, there will be a speaker on paper piecing, which is sort of like using a pattern to sew clothes, but it’s a lot more intricate.

“We have speakers quite a bit too,” said Anders. "In the next few months we’re also going to have a speaker on long arm quilting, which is a machine used to sew through the entire quilt sandwich using intricate patterns.”

Join Knoxville Area Quilting Friends on Facebook.

OPINION

A parent's power is tricky to wield

Leslie Snow, Shopper News columnist

I spoke my mind. I said what needed to be said. When the kids were little, that was my job, to impart knowledge, to teach them what they needed to know. I had a lifetime of experience that told me that was my job.

And they were such unformed things; there was so much they needed to know. I taught them to recite their ABC’s and how to tie their shoes. I taught them “inside voices” and showed them how to take turns. When they said unkind things, I asked them to think about their words. “Was that nice or mean? Kind or unkind?” They still remember those questions. 

I knew I was teaching them. I was aware and purposeful and had an array of adages at my disposal. “Be friends with whoever you want but be strong around friends who make poor choices.”  “Do as much good in a day as you can.” “Stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves.”  “Treat everyone with kindness.” “Don’t go to bed without doing your homework.”

Not every lesson sunk in. And sometime, when my children reached their mid-teens, they stopped listening to much of anything I said. Those were the eye rolling years, when I wasn’t very smart and they, in turn, knew everything about everything. I couldn’t possibly understand what they were going through. I didn’t know what it was like to break up with a boyfriend or lose a friend. I offered up all kinds of wisdom that was flatly ignored or met with exasperated sighs.

I remember writing about those years with equal parts frustration and humor. “I used to be king,” I once wrote, “but now I’m barely a squire, more like the distant cousin of someone who used to be squire.” I talked about losing my voting rights and all my magical powers.

I’m in a new phase of parenting now. My children are older and mostly independent. We like to get together and talk about the big issues facing the world. We like to trade funny stories and tease each other lovingly. We know each other well and we like to be together. We’re friends now. And after all this time, they think I’m smart again.

And while I always knew my kids would outgrow the eye rolling years, I didn’t realize I would regain my voting rights. My children listen to me again. They want to know what I think about the choices they make. They follow my advice. When I talk, they listen. And it terrifies me.

“I have to stop offering my opinion when the kids talk to me,” I told my husband after a recent visit with the kids. He smiled expectantly, waiting for the punchline. “How come?”

“Because they listen to me now, and I don’t want that much power. If they ask me what I think about a specific problem, I’ll be glad to tell them, but they have to make their own choices now. I don’t want to share every thought I have because I don’t know what’s best for them all the time. My opinion carries too much weight and I don’t want that responsibility any more. What If I tell them what I think and I’m wrong?”

I didn’t see it coming, but I don’t want to be king anymore. I’m all out of aphorisms. I want to guide my children, but I don’t want to lead. At this stage in my life, being a former squire’s distant cousin suites me just fine.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.