In case you hadn’t noticed, Seymour students have been all over the news recently, and it’s all good!
Early this month, Seymour High debaters outscored and outperformed the competition from bigger and better-funded teams to bring home an armful of plaques and certificates at the Carson-Newman Invitational meet. For the first time ever, the team took the coveted first-place Debate Sweepstakes Award.
Seymour High’s chorus was recognized earlier this month in the national Disney Honors program, an impressive way of saying “Good job! to these talented performers.”
And more recently, the Tennessee Bar Association took note of the fact that Seymour High competed in the state Bar’s High School Mock Trial Competition. after winning its district’s competition last month, following which Nathan Johnston was named MVP for the school. Seymour High School placed 15th out of all the schools competing statewide.
Individually, many students distinguish themselves by what they are doing in their own lives.
Young Angela Karl, for example, is an SHS student who devotes much of her spare time to raising funds and collecting much needed supplies for the Sevier County Humane Society. What a difference she’s making for all those unwanted and abandoned pets.
And Murrella Parton, a senior and member of the school chorus, not only won the single UT Grace Moore Vocal Scholarship awarded this year, she also entered and won an unofficial audition at the American Idol Experience in Disney. She has earned for herself a Fast Pass to the producers of an official “Idol” audition later this year, allowing her to skip the long lines that gather for a chance at competing.
There are an untold number of individual achievements among Seymour’s kids and most of these go unheralded but they are no less worthy of the community’s congratulations. We apologize to them for not being able to acknowledge them.
Take sports, for example. Herald sports editor Kimberley Hood would attest that Seymour High students play hard and play well consistently and every victory reflects well on the coaches, the school and the entire community.
These are all good kids. They don’t do drugs, don’t drink alcohol and don’t flunk out. It’s encouraging to us that these teens are setting a good example for the rest of our kids.

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