by Jennifer Crutchfield

Chief Dragging Canoe and John Sevier had a long history of rivalry.

Land grabs, duels, treason and secession marked the birth and death of the “State of Franklin”.  A handful of fortified outposts between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River seceded to form their own state in 1794 but the drama began decades earlier.  The fertile Watauga region had been neglected by the post-Revolutionary War government, separated from cities and society by an imposing mountain range and plagued by encroaching explorers and the constant threat of Indian attacks.

Translated as “Land of the Free” the renegade republic was originally called “Frankland”, its name changed to curry the favor of Benjamin Franklin.  The saga of the de facto independent republic was an early symptom of the conflict between federal bureaucracy and local autonomy.

The 1775 Treaty of Sycamore Shoals and the 1783 Holston Treaty ceded millions of acres of the Cherokee Nation, land purchased largely by legislators and their business partners. The encroaching pioneers inflamed the warrior chief Dragging Canoe and increased the number of Indian attacks on pioneer settlements.

Chief Dragging Canoe’s warriors, led by Chief Skyuka, faced John Sevier atop Lookout Mountain in what is called the Last Battle of the Revolutionary War.  Fought in September of 1782 while peace negotiations were taking place in Paris this battle and the Cherokee alliance with the British showed the split between the Cherokee Nation and the warrior Chickamauga tribe.

The renegade state of Franklin voted to secede from North Carolina in the time after the Revolutionary War.

In 1784 North Carolina ceded territory from the earlier land grant to the federal government.  That attempt to repay Revolutionary War debts inspired the citizens of the area to secede from North Carolina.  When the State of Franklin issued its declaration of independence they cited distance from the North Carolina capital, the lack of protection against indian attacks and the absence of legislative representation.

John Sevier had made his name in the Indian Campaign, claiming 35 victories in as many battles, earning the moniker “Chucky Jack” for his love of his land along the Nolichucky River.  Born in Massachusetts John was 27 years old when he settled in the Watauga territory.  Sevier was sent by his fellow citizens to Congress to request statehood, to make treaties with Cherokee leaders and made Governor of their fledgling republic in 1785.

Sevier was paid 1,000 deerskins as his government salary, other men receiving otter skins, raccoon skins and minks for their roles as state treasurer, secretary, clerks and constables.  By 1788 tensions were at a boiling point.  Governor John Sevier was charged with treason for trying to negotiate aid from Spain and led a retaliatory battle against his rival, John Tipton, remembered as the “Battle of Franklin”.

A Cherokee named Slim Tom visited John Kirk’s homestead that Spring, a visit that would change the history of the region.  When father and son returned they found 11 members of their family massacred, victims of Slim Tom and his warrior brothers.  John Sevier and John Kirk, Jr. led 150 men against Cherokee villages, bent on revenge.

John Sevier is a key figure in Tennessee history and in the saga of the lost State of Franklin.

Following pledges of friendship the village of Hiwassee was burned to the ground and Old Tassel and three other revered chiefs were brutally assassinated under a flag of truce.  Chief Dragging Canoe and Young Tassel waged war against the settlers, soaking the land that had been theirs in blood and making good the ominous promise that “There is a cloud hanging over it. You will find its settlement DARK and BLOODY.”

The State of Franklin collapsed in 1789 and John Sevier served his region as a Congressman from North Carolina, later elected in 1796 as the first Governor of the State of Tennessee.

by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner

Dweezil Zappa is pictured here with his daughters Zola and Ceylon.

If you are among those who have considered revisiting your teen years to determine if another try at it would get a better outcome, you may want to rethink it.   Even in movies like Freaky Friday and 17 Again, the trip back doesn’t have much appeal and accomplishes little more than a brief escape from present regrets. Unless you were prom queen or captain of the football team, going back is sure to mean teenage feelings of inadequacy, pimples, and hokier fad diets.

In the book, Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self, editor Joseph Galliano and some famous folks try their hands at sharing the advice they would give themselves as teenagers.   Here is a glimpse at what some contributors wrote:

Rock Singer Alice Cooper’s advice to his sixteen year old self:

Trashy girls are excitin’ for about 5 minutes. Keep your eye out for a really good-lookin’ church girl. Then you’ll have the best of both worlds.”

Stephen King  (The Shining, Misery)

It’s simple, really, just five words: stay away from recreational drugs.

JK Rowling (Harry Potter)

Attempting to isolate those life lessons I could pass back to the girl I used to be.  It made me look at my seventeen-year-old daughter and remember, in a more powerful way than ever before, just how raw and vivid life is for her, in a way that it has been only intermittently for me as an adult. I would not go back to sixteen for anything you could give me, and yet I still recognize that she has something I have lost along the way— something I had to lose, to stay sane.

William Shatner (Star Trek)

Yes, that inadequacy.  It’s there all the time, isn’t it?  Will you remember your lines?  Will that girl ever put her arms around you and tell you that she loves you?

Enjoy those feelings of inadequacy… What will be, will be, and although there is much you can do about it, in the end, there isn’t much you can do about it.  The idea is to keep trying.  Don’t let up.   Things happen—good, bad, dull, and exciting.  Survive, struggle, and keep the love in your heart.

Lu and I think that the advice “to your teenage self” is covered nicely in these lines, so we thought about the advice we could offer to teenagers still out there and reading this column.  It’s rather important and still within your control.  It could be the most important advice you take within the next ten years!

Here it is:  Begin now thinking about what you will name your unborn children.

We won’t lecture you but we’ll build a case for consideration.   A name can  be special enough to say “Hey, world, I’m here!” but it should not say, “Hey world, I’m the child of parents who may have been delusional 15 years ago!”

It must be great, for example, to be a celebrity kid, but how will they feel explaining these names in high school:   Apply (child of Gywneth Paltrow), Dweezil (Frank Zappa), Blanket (Michael Jackson), Kal-el (Nicholas Cage).

This name thing is just something you still have time to think about before you write history on your child’s birth certificate.   Take it from two “happy to have plain names”—Lu and Edna.

by Alison Lebovitz

My closet has become a veritable three-ring circus. Every morning as I enter my not-so-big tent to get dressed, I wave to the animal print garments and faux-fur accessories surrounding me, nod approvingly at the crowd of shoes below me and then begin my daily high wire act. This precarious routine requires me to stand unaided as I foolishly attempt to balance on one foot and put on whatever socks or boots or pants I have deemed critical to my outfit. My rational self begs me to sit down on the floor or to lean on the doorframe in order to simplify this task. But my stubborn impatient self insists, “Nah, you got this,” as I tempt fate with every shaky maneuver, just barely getting my foot into said sock or boot or pant leg before all balance is lost completely and I somehow manage to land on two feet.

But unlike the Ringling Brothers, my act is done without a safety net. And so as one might imagine, a few months ago the inevitable happened – in the middle of my balancing act I fell. And it was not a graceful fall, one that landed me on a cushion of cocktail dresses or on a bed of Banana Republic pants. This was a clumsy, awkward, downward descent that left me lying on the floor with a pair of leggings twisted around my ankles, a cowboy boot piercing the back of my neck and a vision of that woman in the commercial pleading, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” My head just barely missed hitting a corner shelf, so although I was shaken, I eventually emerged from my closet unscathed and fully dressed.

I thought about this episode recently when I was asked to speak at a training session for the Junior League of Chattanooga. The topic was, “Achieving Balance in Life.” I was five minutes late to the session, having stayed to watch the final minutes of our son’s basketball game, and was also double booked that evening because the training session overlapped with a retirement dinner my husband and I had agreed to attend. As I was searching in vain for a parking spot, in the pouring rain, assuring the Junior League woman on my cell phone that I was indeed on my way, and simultaneously reaching under my seat hoping to retrieve that emergency lip gloss I usually keep in the cup holder, I could only laugh at the pure irony of the situation. I can barely achieve balance in my own closet, much less my own life, and here I was about to reveal the secret behind a balancing act that was clearly more act than balancing.

But isn’t balance in the eye of the balancer? And do the number of balls we are expected to juggle on a daily basis truly reflect or measure up to the multiple acts we manage to balance throughout our lives? So if achieving literal balance in my own closet had become so difficult, I needed to figure out the ways I was managing to successfully balance my life elsewhere.

I started paying attention to all the minor and major parts of my life that do have balance. For instance, I always let a car go in front of me in the car rider line at school, and I even let two or three cars in when someone ahead of me fails to do so. Balance. I usually order my burgers without the bun so I can eat the French fries without as much guilt, and I always drink Diet Coke with my popcorn at the movies. Balance, balance. And for every time I have grown impatient with one of our sons, forgotten to sign one of their permission slips for school or even missed one of their sporting events, I have sat quietly and listened to them play piano, trombone or drums, have committed to memory what toppings they each like on their frozen yogurt or pizza, and have never missed a single birthday. Balance, balance, balance.

So when I look at all the things that happen under the Big Top of my life, it seems I’m not such a bad ringleader after all. And even if I can’t achieve the perfect balance all the time, or even in my closet, it’s okay. It’s still the Greatest Show on Earth!

by CP

This year the Rescue Prom campaign will provide thousands of dresses free for area students.

Whether you are a mayor, teacher, pastor, mentor, baker or candlestick-maker Boyd Patterson and the City of Chattanooga call on you to join in the fight for the future.  An initiative called “The Future is Ours” is looking for Chattanoogans to use their skill sets to mentor youth as a part of prevention and intervention programming.

Schools, recreation centers and faith-based programs will provide the framework for a prevention and intervention initiative targeted at children and their parents.  Designed to empower parents and communities to make a difference, this initiative seeks to engage at-risk children and inspire them to dream and achieve.

Chattanooga’s Community Centers bustle with activities after school as the Prevention Youth Development (PYD) programs inspire and educate teens and adolescents.  “I’m Unique” redefines beauty and teaches young ladies self-esteem and healthy habits.  “Grilling with B” emphasizes healthy eating, safety and independent living skills while job readiness programs teach life skills, computer literacy, resume development and ACT/SAT/GED preparation.

The Prevention Youth Development programs of the Parks and Recreation department organizes classes, events and workshops for area teens.

Internship programs, music, a sound studio, photography and art programs balance with job etiquette classes and financial planning lessons to offer students safety, enrichment and a view of a positive future with achievable goals.  Marcus Thomas (643-6800) welcomes ideas and volunteers as he and his team create programs to enrich and inspire Chattanooga’s youth.

Lt. Scott Shepherd, supervisory School Resource Officer (SRO) for Hamilton County, oversees officers in 23 schools.  These professionals serve in equal parts as role models, educators and life advisors.  They show that interaction with officers is not always negative, teaching prevention, safety and self-esteem as they serve as resources for both students and their parents.

Lt. Shepherd and Gang Czar Patterson both encourage parents to talk to their children, watching for changes in their behavior and remind them to reach out to the SRO’s and teachers when they notice differences.  Children are exposed to an ever-growing list of troubles, temptations and traumas and our “microwave society puts a lot of pressure on today’s kids.”

When a community works together amazing things can happen.  Last year our entire region was rocked as tragedy struck thousands of families.  In the wake of the storms, wreckage and ruin good things happened as partnerships formed and people worked together to help each other rescue the prom.

Parents and donors worked together to provide prom dresses, tuxedos and suits for hundreds of storm victims.  The dresses came from all over the United States and from as far away as Mexico.  This year Rescue Prom has partnered with the Chattanooga Department of Parks and Recreation and the Chattanooga Parent to serve thousands of area teenagers.

Donations of clean dresses on hangers will be accepted at the South Chattanooga Recreation Center on Friday, February 24th from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm.  Teens from participating organizations will be selecting dresses and accessories at the Center on Saturday, February 25th from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.

Please contact Crystal at crystal.cadieux@yahoo.com or at 423-298-4246 for information on donating, volunteering or signing up to participate.

Liza Blair

Smoothie Snack Treats

Gabe and Jack Paty love making smoothies and Mom, teacher Samantha Paty, enjoys sharing in their tasty treats.

Smoothies are a fresh, delicious and nutritious snack option.   Made with fresh or frozen fruit and juice, smoothies have a thick, creamy texture from the addition of milk, yogurt, or ice base.  Natural sweeteners, such as honey, can be added for flavor and extra healthy benefits.

Smoothies in America date to the early part of the 1920′s with recipes printed and distributed by blender and appliance manufacturers.  At this time, smoothies were still considered a specialty drink.  It wasn’t until the mid-1960′s that smoothies became a healthy food choice.  And in the mid 1980′s, smoothies became a mainstay in American culture.  With the proliferation of frozen juice stands and drive-thru establishments, the smoothie became a healthy snack alternative to chips and soda.

When making a smoothie, have your kids help gather ingredients.  Or, let your kids create their own smoothie by experimenting with different fruits and juices.  Giving your child control in making their smoothie could result in having a child more likely to eat new foods.  Smoothies are a great choice for picky eaters.  Favorite fruits, combined with ice and a little bit of dairy, have a similar consistancy of milk shake but with less fat and calories.

Here are some recipes to try with your family.  And have fun creating your own smoothie combination.

Tropical Sunrise:

Frozen bananas

Frozen strawberries

Orange juice

Berry Fun:

Frozen strawberries

Frozen blueberries

Orange juice

Vanilla yogurt

Honey

To change the flavor and texture consistency, use seasonal fruit mixed with ice, milk or juice.

By Lisa A. Smith, MD

It’s been said that “minor” surgery is surgery on someone other than yourself. One exception to this old adage is when your child needs surgery.

All children can benefit from psychological preparation for planned surgical experiences. Adequate preparation can help children feel less anxious about the surgical process and have a smoother recovery.

Studies show significant differences in post-surgery anxiety between children who were prepared for surgery and those who were not. The differences are consistent across age groups and between genders, and regardless of the pain level involved.

Preparing yourself

To prepare your child for surgery, you must first prepare yourself as a parent. Become as knowledgeable as possible about the planned surgery. At the preoperative office visit, ask your child’s surgeon about the length of the procedure, expected time in the operating room, pain control, wound care and recovery time.

Most surgeries are now “same-day” procedures requiring no overnight or prolonged stays. At least one parent may stay with the child at all times except while the surgeon is operating. After surgery, you may stay with your child in the recovery room. If hospitalization is required, many hospitals, like T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, allow parents to stay overnight, minimizing separation anxiety for both parents and children.

As a parent, you can help your child by remaining calm. Simplify your life during this time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from family and friends. Children, including infants, will sense if you’re feeling frightened or stressed. Even nonverbal communication—relaxed facial expressions, gestures and body language—can give positive assurance to your child before surgery.

Preparing your child

Once you’re prepared for your child’s upcoming surgery, you’re ready to prepare your child.

How you do so will depend on your child’s age, maturity and level of development. Children cope much better with medical procedures if they have some idea of what will happen and why it is necessary. Try to explain in terms appropriate for your child’s level of understanding, correcting misconceptions and dispelling fears and feelings of guilt.

Teens

Common fears and concerns of teens who are facing surgery include

• loss of control
• being away from school and friends
• having a body part damaged or changed in appearance
• fear of surgery and its risks
• pain
• dying during surgery
• fear of what others will think about their sickness or hospitalization.

Books and Internet articles can help your teen learn more about the upcoming surgery. Let your teen know that it is acceptable to be afraid and to cry. Recording thoughts and feelings in a journal may be helpful to your teen. Encourage friends and family to call, visit or send cards after surgery, so your child will be assured of a strong support system.

Surgical care

Pediatric surgeons specialize in the surgical care of children. They are surgeons who, by training, are oriented toward working with children and understanding their special needs. By discussing a proposed surgery ahead of time with the pediatric surgeon, parents can help their children cope effectively with the experience.

Parents are the most important resource for answering children’s questions. So it is vital that parents understand what will happen during their child’s experience with the hospital/surgery.

pull-out box/bio, to use with headshot:

Dr. Lisa A. Smith is a pediatric surgeon with University Surgical Associates and an assistant professor of pediatric surgery at the UT College of Medicine Chattanooga. For more information, call Erlanger’s physician referral line at 423-778-LINK (5465).

Making Time for Homework- and For Fun!

by Jason Isaacs

Encourage your teenager to do the following: show up, get the work done, and move on! Many students will be thrilled to hear that they are expected to have an “end time.”

What does your teen enjoy doing when he or she is not doing homework?  I often hear “sports” or “video games.”  What would your teen say if you presented the following challenge, “You know-  you are not spending enough time playing sports?”  Would his jaw drop?  Would she believe you?

Most teenagers can learn to study more efficiently.  Time is lost to distractions- music, cell phones, and television offer a barrage of distractions that make study time too long and less effective.         Challenge your teen to accept the following: there are ways to spend less time on homework, improve  grades, and make time each week for the things they enjoy.

Set up a time to study- Set your student’s “office hours.”  Make the time consistent so they can tell their friends when they are not available.  Your teen should be expected to show up on time for his or her “office hours.”  Encourage your teenager to do the following: show up, get the work done, and move on!  Many students will be thrilled to hear that they are expected to have an “end time.”

Set up a place to study- This place should be for “studying only” during that time.  The study area should be free of background noise such as televisions and music.  The kitchen table, a desk in a spare room, or the student’s bedroom are all good places- as long as there are no distractions in the room.

Plan time for everything else- In order to focus, students need to know that time has been made for “everything else.”  Writing out a weekly schedule helps them to remember that time has been allotted for everything that is important.  Have your student agree to the schedule- you won’t be just a “parent with a bunch of rules,” you will be the parent helping the student keep the commitment he or she has made!

These skills are imperative for students to improve grades today; learning the benefits of making commitments and building structure will also teach them the independence they need when they graduate!

Jason Isaacs is the Center Director of Sylvan Learning Center in Chattanooga and has been an active member of the Sylvan team since 2005.

The Chattanooga Chinese Association sponsors several cultural events each year.

Learning a new language can be rewarding for adults and for children but learning as a family can build memories and expand experiences, providing a unifying activity for everyone in the family.

Children are natural linguists and research indicates that learning languages at an early age boosts brain activity, stimulating neural connections and creating a more dense “grey matter” in their brains.   The College Bound Seniors Report, issued by the Board which administers the SAT tests, shows that students with 4 or more years of foreign language score an average of 140-150 points higher on the Critical Reading, Math and Writing sections of the standardized test.

The fun and family bonding of learning about a new culture together can present learning opportunities in all kinds of family interactions from cooking and grocery shopping to trips and ethnic adventures.  Exploring a new culture with your children can add sights, sounds, flavors and confidence that can help children bridge boundaries while creating a bigger view of the world and their place in it.

In the ever-changing global market East Tennessee businesses, schools and families are becoming more culturally diverse, increasing the number of languages spoken in our region and expanding the number of opportunities for students with languages on their educational resume.

Learning about a new culture with your children is a great way to build memories while improving their ability to compete in a new global market.

Whether your family learns online, with a computer program or at a bricks and mortar site with personal instruction the memories you create will build a base for your children and for shared experiences that cross the parent/child gap, forming stronger bonds through shared goals.  In the Southeast Tennessee region opportunities abound for language instruction and the following resources can direct your search for the perfect language for your family.

Chattanooga Chinese School

www.cca-ccs.org

423-855-8554

Chattanooga School of Language

Laurie Stevens

423-802-2040

www.chattanoogalanguage.com

A variety of programs are offered that can prepare you for travel, business or workplace training as well as kids culture camps and language learning.  The Chattanooga School of Language offers instruction during the Winter term in Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and French.  They also host monthly social meet-ups for those with enough base in a language who need more opportunities for practical speaking.

Foreign Language Academy

www.foreignlanguageacademy.org

865-694-8880

All instruction is provided by native speakers for children and adults.  Instruction and translations are available in French, Spanish, Italian, Portoguese, German, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Japanese.

German Saturday School – Knoxville

www.germansaturdayschool.org

(Held at Sacred Heart Cathedral School – www.shcschool.org)

by CP

The Knox County L&N STEM Academy recently celebrated a milestone with over 100 families.  Located in the historic downtown L&N building, a restored train station with elaborate stained glass and 106 year old tile floors, the STEM Academy opened its doors to students in August and had its first STEM Showcase as this grading period ended in December.

Learning is dynamic, characterized by self-identified inquiry and puts students together in problem-solving group lessons that address real world problems.  Building a roller coaster by applying gravity, friction and velocity teach students and inspire lifelong learning.

Principal Becky Ashe was previously the director of curriculum at Knox County Schools and says that “Students are very empowered, they have a lot of freedom. They know if you want something that isn’t here, you have to ask for it.”

Students look forward to the technology, energy and challenges in this new school and engineers have been meeting with students eager to design a bridge walkway from the main building to their expanding labs  and teaching spaces in the building next door.

Golf, yoga, the local YMCA, cross-country and tennis keep students physically active while a chamber ensemble, concert band and art programming supplement the STEM curriculum.  Weekly trips to the East Tennessee History Center, Lawson McGhee Library and business neighborhood at the World’s Fair Park expose students to the culture and commerce of a bustling downtown.

iPads were donated for the 300 freshmen and sophomores enrolled this year but fundraising for next year’s student needs remains a challenge that the school faces.  The maximum capacity of 700 ensures that the remarkable education and integrated learning won’t be compromised by over-crowding as the smiles and successes bring more students to this innovative Knox County school.

Students at CGLA enjoy their STEM classes and programs.

Established with a mission to provide young women with a rigorous college preparatory education focused on match, science and technology the Chattanooga Girls Leadership is the first charter school to be approved by the Hamilton County Board of Education.  The Academy has been serving students since 2006 and entered a new phase as they moved from the James A. Henry Resource Center to their new location in Highland Park at the former site of Tennessee Temple Academy.

The CGLA continues to expand, serving students in grades 6 through 12, offering a strong college-preparation curriculum emphasizing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).  Students participate in LEGO Robotics, expand the boundaries of their classrooms with community walk-abouts and hone their language arts and creative sides with Poetry Out Loud programs and the Young Southern Writers Contest.