BEHIND THE BLAZE

2.26.24 Wrestling Team's Journey to the State Championship

Welcome to another riveting episode of 'Behind the Blaze,' where we delve into the sweat and determination of the state wrestling championship journey. Coach Bowdy Boyce chats with leading wrestlers: Aslan Nadeau, Thomas Rubio, and Sebron Colson. Each lay bare their highs and lows, the grit and grind it takes to survive and thrive in this intense sport.
Starting the conversation is 2023-2024 state champ Thomas Rubio, who outlines his challenging run from the start of the season to bagging the title amidst unexpected victories and defeats. He emphasizes the importance of smart wrestling and staying composed during the pressure-laden moments. Motivated by the prospect of improvement, Rubio continued to fine-tune his techniques throughout his journey, culminating in his victorious performance at the state championship.
Next is Aslan Naidoo,, who shares his preparation and determination leading up to his third-place finish. He highlights the importance of treating each practice as preparation for the competition and the mental and physical toughness needed to keep pushing past limits. Naidoo also reflects on the invaluable lessons from wrestling that one can apply in life beyond the mat.
Shifting gears, we hear from two-time state finalist Severin Colson, who despite not clinching the title, showcases an unwavering spirit and dedication to excellence. His journey echoes resilience, goal-setting, and camaraderie, reflecting that each wrestling bout is more than just a match—it is a testament to personal growth and commitment. Colson shares his plans for the future, valuing the lessons that wrestling taught him about exceeding his own limitations.
Furthermore, the athletes offer insights on how they approached fending off academic stress, maintaining weight, and managing performance anxiety, underlining wrestling's quintessential nature of mental strength.
Lastly, Rubio is back in the spotlight, speaking candidly about his training regime and future aspirations as a sophomore state champ. His unwavering resolve to perform better at the national level and aim for more state titles is a testimony to his exceptional dedication to wrestling.
This episode isn't just about winning or losing. It vividly captures the essence of wrestling as a mental game where the will to persevere through adversities is a victory in itself.

2.26.24 - Ignite with Mr. Justin Smith

In this week's episode of Ignite, the official podcast of Blackmon High School, principal Justin Smith recaps a successful weekend for the school's wrestling and basketball teams and provides reminders of upcoming school and extracurricular events.This week, Blackmon High School basks in its recognition as a Reward School for the State of Tennessee and honors the achievements of our boys' and girls' wrestling teams that saw twelve students qualify for the State tournament, including one State Champion. Our basketball teams had a victorious weekend and their journey continues in the next round of the region tournament. Extracurricular activities such as the spring musical and sport events are in full swing with our dedicated students practicing tirelessly for their respective season. Acknowledging our student's academic commitments, we discuss the scheduling of the ACT boot camp, an all-day event with follow-up workshops on following dates. We also draw attention to the Jason Foundation's presentation on suicide prevention, happening at our school auditorium in the evening. This week, a prom dress event was held for students in need this past Saturday and there will be a head start into Graduation season with cap and gown pictures being scheduled for our seniors. Important reminders include attention to parking lot safety and an advance notification about a no school day due to election on Tuesday, March 5th. We close off with student-specific announcements including club meetings, competitions and the upcoming blood drive. We thank students and parents for their continued co-operation and untiring efforts as we blaze towards another successful school week!

2.20.24 Ignite with Mr. Justin Smith

Welcome to the latest episode of the Ignite Podcast, the official channel for updates and celebrations from Blackman High School. Mr. Justin Smith, the principal at Blackman, brings you the latest announcements for the week of February 19th through February 23rd.
In this episode, we celebrate Blackman High School’s recognition as a reward school by the state of Tennessee. This elite academic award is a testament to the hard work of our teachers, staff, and students, as well as the support and investment of our parents. Highlighting other noteworthy accomplishments, we honor the success of our wrestlers, basketball teams, JROTC, and culinary arts team in their various competitions. Mr. Smith also applauds the individual efforts of our students who have made us proud.
Diving into the announcements, Mr. Smith provides important updates about the ACT boot camps for juniors and sophomores, the rescheduling of a parent information session on suicide awareness and prevention, the guidelines for student drop-off and pickup, details about the career fair at Stewart's Creek High School, and more.
For our students, information about Black History Month events, a free prom dress event in collaboration with Rachel's Closet, and the visit of Evita Arts and Sciences Institutes is shared. The episode wraps up with a hearty expression of gratitude towards all parents and students that are making Blackman High School a great place every day and wishing everyone a fantastic week ahead.

2.12.24 Ignite with Mr. Smith - Celebrating Successes and Black History Month

Welcome to the latest episode of Ignite, the official podcast of Blackman High School where you catch the latest school announcements and highlights for the week of February 12th through February 16th. This week, we celebrate the successes of our alumni and current students on the national and local stage, from Super Bowl feats to academic recognition and beyond.The Super Bowl saw a former Blackman student, Jawan Jennings, etch his name into the sports annals as only the second player in history to throw and catch a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. In fact, he was even on the shortlist for the Super Bowl MVP. Despite the outcome of the game, we are proud of his accomplishments, which brought a nationwide spotlight on Blackman high.Our students continue to shine, with the Varsity Co-Ed cheerleading squad finishing second in their national competition, our boys and girls basketball teams heading into district and region, and a notable mention to our students awarded the coveted Buchanan Fellowship at Middle Tennessee State University.Stepping into academics, we have a variety of updates. Note that our ACT Bootcamp signups continue for juniors, with remaining spots opening up to sophomores if available. This is a unique chance for students to receive substantial, subject-specific guidance to improve ACT scores from specialised BHS teaching staff, all at no cost.Remember to check your child’s progress as we are at the halfway point of the third quarter. We also inform you of changes to our district events calendar, mainly the rescheduling of the Suicide Awareness and Prevention parent meeting initially marked for February 12th.Lastly, we remind all parents and visitors about the approved student pickup and drop-off areas. We reinforce that these areas are strictly the gymnasium and all others, specifically behind the school and in front of the school, are off-limits.For our students, several important events are coming up, including soccer tryouts and Black Student Union activities. Please pay careful attention to the meeting times and requirements for participation.Thank you, parents and students, for your continuous support and dedication to Blackman High School. Here's to a great week. As always, go Blaze!

2.5.24- Ignite with Mr. Justin Smith - ACT Readiness, Black History Month and More!

Welcome to another exciting episode of Ignite! On this week’s rundown from Blackmon High, we have crucial updates ranging from ACT readiness programs to upcoming school events. We are gearing up to start our winter CERT benchmark, a personalized ACT readiness program during our Impact classes. This program aims to help 10th and 11th graders maximize their ACT scores with tailored tools.We’ll be running ACT boot camps on Saturday, March 2 and follow-up workshops from March 4-11 after school. Last year’s boot camp helped students bump their scores above 21, and we're excited to welcome more students this year. Alongside our academic endeavors, we're also supporting our co-ed varsity cheerleading squad competing in the National Championships in Florida and celebrating Senior Night for our basketball team.There's also a band concert slated on Thursday and a soccer team parent meeting. This week marks the midway point of the third quarter, and progress reports will be available on Skyward. Parents, please remember to look out for the next district parent series focusing on Suicide Awareness and Prevention, held at Blackmon High on February 12th.On the student front, expect tryouts for soccer and softball, a German club meeting, and pre-selling Valentine candy grams by the school newspaper. And in recognition of Black History Month, our Black Student Union has an impressive lineup of activities that will be announced soon. Thank you for being an essential part of the Blackmon High community. As always, Go Blaze!

1.29.24 Ignite with Mr. Justin Smith

In this episode, we provide announcements for the week of January 29th to February 2nd. We discuss the happenings and opportunities for parents and students alike, including our EPSO (Early Post-Secondary Opportunities Night), registration of students for the coming year, and upcoming academic events. Parents are encouraged to learn more about how their children can earn college credit or industry certifications before leaving high school.
We also provide details about the upcoming ACT boot camp on Saturday, March 2nd and the following after-school workshops on March 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 11th. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to get subject-specific help on improving their ACT score. Sign-ups are currently open on the school's website and priority will be given to Junior students.
On Tuesday, January 30th, we will be holding our Homecoming event, with games against Riverdale at home and a special ceremony during halftime. Some special lunch options will be available during the day; however, this will be a cash-only event. In addition, we have some rescheduled basketball games, and we give a shout-out to our boys' and girls' wrestling teams.
Lastly, we make a reminder for parents regarding drop-off and pick-up locations and safety measures, and we also announce some activities and meetings for the Spanish, Softball, and German clubs.

1.23.24 Ignite with Mr. Justin Smith

Blaze Basketball with Coach Barry Wortman and 2024 Seniors