Meet the "Golden Girls"
Below is an introduction to each one of our wonderful staff members that help make this newspaper possible.
Mrs. Carter
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou
Mrs. Carter is an English teacher at Oliver Springs High School, and has been blessed with the opportunity to be the Advisor of the newly re-established Journalism class and Newspaper. This is her 17th year as a teacher, though this is only her 2nd year here in TN. She lives in Sunbright with her husband and children and enjoys everything outdoors. Mrs. Carter is extremely excited for this new adventure and cannot wait to see what amazing pieces that this class of students produces.
Nicole Gann
"She's an old soul with young eyes, a vintage heart, and beautiful mind." - Nicole Lyons
Nicole is a current junior at Oliver Springs High School and the editor in chief of The OS Press. She is involved in BETA Club, FCCLA, and Tennessee Scholars. Nicole is also a member of the Roane County Youth Leadership Class of 2022. She is an avid volunteer and her interests include music, reading, hiking, writing, shopping, and history. Nicole is planning on attending university after high school and pursuing a career in the medical field. She is excited for the future of this paper, and cannot wait to embark on this journey.
Izzy Hill
"If you can't look on the bright side, find someone to sit in the dark with you."
Izzy is a junior at Oliver Springs High School and is the website manager. She has a love for writing and sees it as an important aspect in her life, Her love for writing is what motivated her to be a part of journalism. Alongside writing, she has a passion for working with animals and aspires to become a large animal veterinarian. She hopes everyone enjoys reading the newspaper as much as she enjoyed helping in the creation of it!
Emma Proffitt
"Knowledge is a weapon, I intend to be formidably armed." - T. Goodkind
Emma Proffitt is a junior at Oliver Springs High School and is the assistant website director. She is a very active member of her student body. She is president of her junior class, a soccer and rugby player, a member of the BETA Club, and proud trumpet in the OSHS Marching Band. She aspires to Ohio State University or University of Tennessee and graduate with a degree in pharmaceuticals.
Gracie Hammonds
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." - Oscar Wilde
Gracie is a junior, and she is very excited for journalism this year. She is the feature editor. Gracie is in the BETA Club and her love is for theater. Gracie has been in the school theater company since her freshman year when they did “Lafayette No.1”(Moab), “The Charge is Murder”(Professor Riley), and “Little Woman”(Meg March) in sophomore year. Outside of school events Gracie enjoys dance, in fact she has danced since she was three.
Aspen Brown
“Find the place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” - Joseph Campbell
This is Aspen Brown. Aspen is a Junior at Oliver Springs High School and is one of the assistant feature editors. She has an extraordinary love for the arts, she’s a certified band kid for the OSHS Marching Band. She is quite reserved but, if she's comfortable, you’ll find that she is an extraordinary and loving person. She is a very big fan of crime shows and horror movies. Not only striving for the arts, she has a great drive to help others. She plans on attending Roane State and Austin Peay University to acquire a bachelors in RN.
Isabelle Buring
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring" - Marilyn Monroe
Isabelle is a junior at Oliver Springs High School and is the assistant feature editor. She is a volleyball player and is in her second year playing. Furthermore, she likes to volunteer at her church to help with the younger children. She is looking forward to seeing the newspaper turn into a success.
Laura Beasley
“They hate you if you’re the same, and they hate you if you’re different.” - Eddie Van Halen
Laura Beasley is a junior at Oliver Springs High School and the Opinion/Editorial editor for the school newspaper. If you went up to Laura to introduce yourself, your first impression would probably be that she’s a little strange, but once you get to know her she can be an entertaining person to be around. This was said by several of Laura’s friends when asked what their first impression of her was. If there was a word for someone who is not exactly outgoing but will be social, Laura would be it. She would gladly talk to you about one of her few passions: music–not just any music of course. Ever since 3rd grade she’s been in love with music from the 1980’s–her favorite song being: Is This Love by Whitesnake. Laura was extremely excited to be elected for this newspaper and she hopes that it will be a resurfaced tradition for future generations.
Brooklyn Cox
"Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved." - Winnie the Pooh
This is Brooklyn Cox. She is 17 years old and is a junior at Oliver Springs High School. She loves spending her free time watching films, spending time with friends and family, and reading. She is a big fan of basically anything that is on Disney+ and she loves watching new stuff when she gets the chance to. Brooklyn is very passionate about creating things and putting all her effort and dedication into everything she does. Putting a lot of thought and detail in everything she does is something that is very important to her as well. She has always loved storytelling and just connecting with people on such a large scale, and that is why she is grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the class this year.
Katie Melhorn
“Work hard until you don’t have to introduce yourself.”-Holly Habeck
A four year performer, a two year class president, a two year captain, your newspaper’s leading sports editor, and a 16 year hard worker. Someone who has been through several sidetracking quarantines, but never had Covid. And who, despite having no gift for education, has a 3.8 GPA. With her whole life revolving around sports and music, she grew a love for performing arts. She is passionate about everything she does and never gives anything less than her best. She is someone that never makes herself less but rather expects others to be more. She strives to become better than the best and her biggest hobby is growing and challenging herself. She wants to grow up and not only see the world, but also change it. She is Katie Melhorn.
Madison Hooks
“God promises to make something good out of the storms that bring devastation to your life” - Romans 8:28
Madison Hooks is a junior at Oliver Springs High School, she is a first year for the school newspaper with the role of assistant sports editor. Maddie enjoys playing sports, including volleyball, basketball, and softball. All of which she plays for the school. She has enjoyed writing since she was a little girl, consistently entertaining her family with short stories she sat in her room and came up with. Until the age of eleven, Maddie had decided on creating a career out of it. Once her father passed away she quickly turned to the medical field in hopes she could save one’s father the way hers could not. Madison believes in following your dreams and working hard for the things you want. She also believes, “That inside a dark tunnel you can always find a light, so never give in.” Maddie hopes that no matter what becomes of this newspaper someone finds the light in it, and they never give up.
Lydia Yoakley
“Faith is my sword. Truth is my shield. Knowledge is my armor.” - Stephen Strange
This is Lydia Yoakley. She is currently a junior at Oliver Springs High School and is art & design director. She has always had a love for the arts, from playing the flute to making various google slides themes for her classes. She is dedicated to anything she puts her mind to, and tries her best in every class she is in. She is also a big fan of Marvel, Dr. Who, Star Trek, and any sci-fi, fantasy, or halloween movie!
Layla Vowell
“We're exquisitely lucky, you and I…” - Cornifer from Hollow Knight
As a junior in high school and assistant art director for the newspaper, you can often find Layla Vowell playing video games, reading books, and or poorly singing whatever song is stuck in her head at any given time. She is not too good at social interaction, so just know that she is trying her best. Layla is one of the kindest souls to walk the Earth and will do her best to help anyone who needs it.