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TABLE OF CONTENTS
» Feature New Science Labs Renovations to the science classrooms at Oak Ridge High School weren’t just about cleaning up and adding a fresh coat of paint. The faculty’s science teachers were given the opportunity to work side-by-side with builders, designers, and architects to custom-create classrooms and labs that are ideally suited to their teaching and project needs. The results have garnered awards and attention at a national level.
“The rooms are sleek and modern, and they look much like something you’d see in a university setting.”
» Feature Alternative Financing for Technology Construction ORNL and Y-12 were in need of costly updates, but they didn’t want to undergo the process of federal grant approval. Both facilities embraced unique solutions that not only quickly raised needed dollars for renovation, but also helped
12
funnel a significant amount of new tax revenue into both city and county coffers.
www.oakridgechamber.org 1
table of contents
Summer ’09 Chamber Welcome................................................................... 5 Here and Now........................................................................... 6 Branching Out Let’s Talk Technology Report Card: What’s Happening at Oak Ridge Schools Around Town............................................................................ 9 Oak Ridge Speaks Dear Abby Retro and Refreshing Health Notes.......................................................................... 11 What You Know About Head Injuries May Save a Life Welcome Dr. Mary Misischia Innovation............................................. 12 Public to Private and Back Again It IS Easy Being Green Science Labs........................................... 18 State-of-the-Art Space for Science
32
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Voices..................................................... 22 We the People......................................... 24 Get to Know Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller Golf’s Brightest Teaching Star Chooses Oak Ridge
“Oak Ridge has a family-oriented, small-town feel. We appreciate the sense of community and above all else love the schools.”
— Denise Roma
Common / Uncommon Knowledge...................................... 28 Bringing Tennessee History to the Big Screen That’s One Powerful Cat Ready, Set, Row Secret City Commemorative Walk Small Talk............................................................................ 32 Good Morning, Willow Brook Elementary!
See what other citizens have to say
Index of Advertisers............................................................ 34
about Oak Ridge on page 22.
Parting Shot......................................................................... 35
2 RIDGES | Summer ’09
CommunityLink.com
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SAIC
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executive leadership
ABOUT   This magazine is published by CommunityLink and distributed through The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. For advertising information or questions or comments about this book, contact CommunityLink at 800-455-5600 or by e-mail at info@CommunityLink.com. FOR INFORMATION   The Oak Ridge Chamber of
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4 RIDGES | Summer ’09
ROBERT L. REMINE, SR.
'ENERAL 3ECURITIES 0RINCIPAL )NVESTMENT !DVISOR 2EPRESENTATIVE
RICHARD D. ALBRIGHT
'ENERAL 3ECURITIES 0RINCIPAL )NVESTMENT !DVISOR 2EPRESENTATIVE
ROBERT L. REMINE, JR.
2EGISTERED 2EPRESENTATIVE )NVESTMENT !DVISOR 2EPRESENTATIVE
CHAMBER WELCOME
Welcome to
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
W
hen I was a teenager, I swore that once I left Oak Ridge I would never return. I vividly remember hearing my mother say, “Never say what you’ll never do.” Now, 10 years later, I am back living in the community in which I grew up, and I couldn’t be happier. My family moved to Oak Ridge when I was 11 years old, and the one thing I remember my mother saying was how excited she was that we would be receiving one of the best educations in the country. She was right. I have had the opportunity to receive the high-quality education that our school system provides and also play on some outstanding sports teams under coaches with the highest standards of integrity and character. After many twists and turns, my life has brought me here, back home. Now, I am very happy to Now, I am very happy to say that I am serving the community that has done so say that I am serving the much for me. As your relocation specialist, I am here to assist in all of your relocation community that has done needs. From housing to schools, cultural experiences to outdoor activities, I am so much for me. here to help ensure that your transition is a smooth one. Our city is one of the most intriguing, innovative, and historically interesting cities in our country. While our community has tremendous organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and residential communities, I realize that our most attractive and important element is our people. As you prepare to decide where to live, I hope you will allow me the opportunity to show you what Oak Ridge has to offer. I am here to answer any questions you may have or introduce you to people or entities in our city that may interest you. We all know that relocating can be a very difficult and challenging time, for both adults and children. Allow me the opportunity to make this process as seamless as possible. Morning or evening, I am available to assist in any manner you see fit. If you are interested in finding out more about Oak Ridge, please feel free to contact me at 865-483-1321 or herring@orcc.org. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
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Kenneth Herring Relocation Specialist Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce www.oakridgechamber.org 5
Here and now
Branching Out By Mary McGlasson
SAIC Locates New SharedServices Center in Oak Ridge
Calendar of Events July 10, July 24, and August 7
Secret City Sounds Concert Series 7 p.m., Bissell Park Pavilion www.artscouncilofoakridge.org
June 1–September 4
Manhattan Project Sites Tours www.amse.org
July 10–26
The Full Monty Oak Ridge Playhouse www.orplayhouse.com
August 21–September 6 The Graduate Oak Ridge Playhouse www.orplayhouse.com
September 27
Oak Ridge Chamber Orchestra 3 p.m. at Pollard Auditorium www.orcma.org
October 3 & 4
Hansel & Gretel Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse www.orplayhouse.com
October 8–11
Secret City Film Festival www.secretcityfilms.com
6 RIDGES | Summer ’09
I
n July 2008, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a FORTUNE 500 scientific-, engineering-, and technology-applications company, announced plans to establish its shared-services headquarters in Oak Ridge — a move that will result in the creation of 150 new jobs in the Oak Ridge area. The new Shared Services Center (SSC), located in “We were drawn to the Oak an existing SAIC facility on Laboratory Road, is the Ridge area because of its site of transaction-based functions associated with stable workforce, modern human resources, finance, and corporate purchasing — telecommunications functions that were previously located in SAIC’s San infrastructure, favorable Diego, California, and McLean, Virginia, offices. business environment, and With the advent of the new SSC, Oak Ridge will attractive quality of life.” become the headquarters of an enterprise-wide effort to deliver quality business services to the corporation worldwide — this in addition to the company’s more than 30-year presence in Oak Ridge as a leading employer, providing support to clients that include the U.S. Department of Energy and many commercial businesses. “We were drawn to the Oak Ridge area because of its stable workforce, modern telecommunications infrastructure, favorable business environment, and attractive quality of life,” said Leo Hazlewood, the SAIC senior executive who leads the Oak Ridge SSC. “We’ve developed a great deal of respect for the business and social environment by virtue of our presence in the area for the past 30 years.” A team led by the Oak Ridge Economic Partnership, a support corporation of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, worked with SAIC officials for several months to compile the necessary demographic and financial information for SAIC to make the decision to locate the SSC in Oak Ridge. The renovation to the Laboratory Road facility was completed and the space occupied in October and November 2008. Hiring for the SSC began in summer 2008, with the result that, as of March 1, 2009, 110 new employees have been added to the approximately 700 full-time SAIC employees who were already in the Oak Ridge area.
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Let’s Talk Technology
HERE AnD NOW
The Technology Summit Has Returned to Oak Ridge
By Jennifer Bull
I
n 2009, the TVC National Technology Summit is returning to Oak Ridge. This 21st annual Summit brings together 500 of the top regional and national science, technology, economic development, and education leaders. Formed in 1995 by Congressman Zach Wamp, the Tennessee Valley Corridor has built a strong alliance of community, business, education, and government leaders through a series of regular regional and national economic summits led by the Corridor’s bipartisan and multi-state Congressional delegation and a blue-ribbon board of regional leaders. These regular Summits have become the region’s best vehicle to convene, inform, and mobilize top leaders on issues of importance. The high caliber of speakers, leaders, and organizations attending the event is indicative of the role the region plays in solving America’s toughest challenges. “The collaboration among key players, both in our region and from across the
nation, that takes place at this event is essential in continuing to advance the Corridor as one of America’s most prized science and technology centers, which is the main goal of the event — to foster collaborations and help advance our region as a leader in science and technology,” says Tom Rogers, Corridor chairman. As energy is on everyone’s mind, this year’s Summit will focus on energy innovation in a variety of areas, including solar, nuclear, and fuel cells, as well as how best to advance entrepreneurship and economic development in the region. This is the first time since the premiere Summit in 1995 that the event has returned to Oak Ridge, and the growth of the Summit since then has been phenomenal. “What started as a small regional summit in Oak Ridge has grown to become a national, award-winning economic development organization uniting 10 congressional districts across five states, all
working together to demonstrate ‘national leadership through regional cooperation’ and to create the jobs of the future,” Rogers says. “Oak Ridge really is central to the entire Corridor footprint,” Rogers continues. “It is one of the primary science and technology hubs in the Corridor and is very centrally located to the rest of the Corridor congressional districts and local communities. So we think it’s advantageous [to hold the event here] and are hopeful that a record number of folks from all corners of the Corridor will be able to join us in Oak Ridge this May. “But in addition to that, I think, given how many great science and technology assets are located right here in our community, we have a lot to offer to the agenda and to the priorities of the event,” Rogers concludes. “Having so many experts and assets to call upon in one local community is advantageous to the Corridor Board of Directors in planning a strong agenda for the event.”
www.oakridgechamber.org 7
+ Report Card: A HERE AnD NOW
What’s Happening at Oak Ridge Schools
Willow Brook Elementary
• Mrs. Lucretia Pack, fourth grade teacher, was honored as our community’s 2008 Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year. Willow Brook received a $1,000 donation, and Mrs. Pack received a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart.
Woodland Elementary
• Eighteen Woodland Chess Club students competed in the 2009 Tennessee Scholastic Chess Region 1 Qualifying Tournament, winning over 47 matches. All of Woodland’s players scored points. In the Primary Division, four Woodland students received medals and finished in the top 20; one student playing in the Primary Division finished in fifth place and received a trophy for finishing in the top 10. This student also qualified to participate in the Individual State Chess Championship in Cookeville in February and received a trophy for the top unrated player in the Primary Section. Additionally, one Woodland student received a medal in the Elementary Division.
Jefferson Middle School
• The Jefferson Middle School Math Club traveled to Alabama in January 2009 to participate in the Southwest Math Competition at Muscle Shoals. Twentyseven JMS students participated in the Division II competition against 16 other schools. JMS placed third in the sixth grade category, second in the seventh grade category, and fourth in algebra. Four individual trophies were awarded to JMS students, including first place in the seventh grade and algebra categories.
Robertsville Middle
• RMS Football: 2008 City Champions. • RMS Basketball: Both the girls’ and boys’ teams were crowned 2008 District Champions. • An RMS seventh grade student is the 2009 Citywide Spelling Bee Champion and Regional Champion and represented the region in the National Spelling Bee. • Scot Smith, RMS librarian, received the Clara Hasbrouck Award in November 2008. This award is given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated dedication and commitment to furthering the cause of school libraries in Tennessee by contributing time, leadership, and effort to numerous TASL (Tennessee Association of School Librarians) activities. • Tryouts were held in Maryville for the All East Junior Clinic. Five hundred sixth through eighth grade musicians
8 RIDGES | Summer ’09
from 40 schools tried out for 200 chairs. Eighteen students were selected from the Robertsville Middle School Band: Nine students made the gold band, and nine students made the silver band. • Students from all over East Tennessee traveled to Maryville Middle School to audition for the Junior Clinic Orchestras, an East Tennessee honors orchestra for students in grades seven through nine. Robertsville orchestra students competed against 200 other strings players for a position; several Robertsville students were accepted to play.
Oak Ridge High School
• The Math Science/Computer Science students of Oak Ridge High School are continuing their winning tradition in scientific research via the prestigious Siemens Math, Science, Technology Competition. In fall 2008 both a twostudent team project and an individual project were selected for Regional Finalist status. Just 30 research projects in each category (team and individual) are selected nationwide each year for Regional Finalist recognition. Oak Ridge thesis students conduct their research with the mentorship of scientists at the Oak Ridge National Lab and other scientific agencies in the area — an important alliance for the Oak Ridge Schools. • Thirteen ninth graders won a chair at Junior Orchestra Clinic, held at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City on November 20 and 21, 2008. • Nineteen students in grades 10–12 were selected for Senior Clinic (All East), held in Gatlinburg on February 5–7, 2009. • Four students qualified to participate in the All State Orchestra in Nashville on April 15–17, 2009.
District Art Students
• Students from several Oak Ridge Schools had their artwork on display in the main galleries at the Knoxville Museum of Art during the East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition, sponsored by the KMA and the Tennessee Art Education Association. Over 1,000 works of art
were submitted to the show; only 250 were selected to hang in the museum. Twenty-three pieces by Jefferson Middle School and Oak Ridge High School students were chosen. Six Oak Ridge students received prestigious awards, and several of these students were awarded scholarships, amounting to over $50,000, to visual art universities and colleges.
AROUND TOWN
Oak Ridge Speaks Oak Ridge Chamber Is First in the Nation to Sign Up By Laura Wilcoxen for Revolutionary Towncast Web Video System
F
or several years, the Oak Ridge Chamber has taken the lead in telling the Oak Ridge story to newcomers, prospective businesses, and even long-time Oak Ridge residents who may not have known about all the great things the city has to share. Through magazines, viewbooks, DVDs, and more, the Oak Ridge Chamber has reached out to people across the nation to let them know what great opportunities await in the Secret City. Now, the Oak Ridge Chamber is the first in the nation to take advantage of a new Web program that will show the faces and places of Oak Ridge to not only a national, but a worldwide audience. The Chamber is proud to announce that they have
joined with long-time publishing partner CommunityLink to begin production of the Oak Ridge TownCast Web site. While browsing the ’Net, you may have run across a sample of traditional “community video.” While a dutiful rehash of a community’s static amenities may have
its uses, it doesn’t tell the story of a community’s greatest strength — the people. TownCast is an exciting new way to introduce the best of Oak Ridge to the rest of the world. Our community’s story — told by the people living it — will be shared online through a series of professionally produced, authentic community clips, presented in a custom-branded navigation system. Greta Ownby, CCE, is executive vice president of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. She got her first glimpse of the TownCast approach at the 2008 American Chamber of Commerce Executives’ convention, and she was immediately
struck by the “very human approach” used to present a community’s stories. TownCast producers and videographers will be coming to Oak Ridge to talk to community members — those who know Oak Ridge best. They want to hear all of Oak Ridge’s great stories — from the
long-time kids’ sports coach; from the family who have been blown away by all their new community has to offer; from the scientists whose research will someday change the world; from the kids who are enjoying the new school’s facilities. These Oak Ridgers will tell the city’s story
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TownCast is an exciting new way to introduce the best of Oak Ridge to the rest of the world.
from their perspective, in their own words, to a worldwide audience. There’s more. Through “Shoot It Proud,” TownCast will involve local students in a scholarship contest, encouraging them to create video showing the world their perspective on Oak Ridge. They can research the project, become involved in the process, and express their creativity while promoting our community. Through “Fresh Footage,” new content can be uploaded by members of the community. From shots of the Secret City Festival, to rowing on Melton Lake, to a family hike on the trail system, we can showcase what we love about life in Oak Ridge. Take a look at what the TownCast system will be bringing to Oak Ridge at www.towncast.com. Keep an eye and ear open — local newspapers, future issues of Ridges magazine, and the Chamber will be keeping the city updated on the progress of this very exciting project. People of Oak Ridge, the spotlight it on you!
www.oakridgechamber.org 9
AROUND TOWN
Dear Abby
By Rebecca D. Williams
The Ferrell Shop Features Four-Legged, Floppy Eared Greeter
Retro and Refreshing Moondollars Café and Bistro Delighting Diners
By Judy DiGregorio
F
or the last five years or so, The Ferrell Shop in Jackson Square has had a tireless greeter. Eyes trained to the front door, she hardly blinks while watching for customers. Every time the door jangles, she hops up quickly to offer a silent but enthusiastic hello. Then, she plops down obediently to wait for the next customer in the colonial gift and accessory shop. “She only barks at the UPS man,” says shop owner, Barbara Ferrell. We should explain that this special greeter is Ferrell’s 18-pound, black-and-white cocker spaniel, Abby. Ferrell got her from SARG, the Shelter Animals Rescue Group of Oak Ridge, which rescues cats and dogs destined for euthanasia at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter. “One of my customers volunteers with SARG. She walked in here with her, and she was trying to find her a good home,” says Ferrell. “The minute I saw her I wanted that dog.” Each animal SARG offers is selected for good health and temperament, and all new owners must agree to a home visit before the adoption. If an owner decides not to keep the animal, it must go back to SARG. Not that Ferrell would ever give up Abby. Despite many offers of cash, Ferrell says Abby is the one item in the shop that’s not for sale. “When I was little I had a black-and-white cocker. I guess that’s why I was attracted to her. Plus, she has these big soulful eyes,” says Ferrell. It seems that customers have fallen in love with them, too. “She puts the customers in a good mood,” says Ferrell. “If I leave her at home just one day, there’s always someone who comes in to see her.”
S
tep into Moondollars Café on the corner of historic Jackson Square and you are greeted by eclectic works of original art on the walls. A colorful Oak Ridge mural immediately catches your eye, as does the rosy-colored ceiling. There is a ’50s ambience to the place that is warm and inviting, including a coffee bar where regular patrons can leave their own mug. The menu blends the unique with the familiar, featuring daily specials such as portabella and swiss sandwiches and the shepherd’s pie burger for lunch and raspberry chipotle salmon and pork tenderloin stuffed with dried fruit for dinner. Desserts include caramel apple bread pudding, turtle chocolate cake, and red velvet cake. The café’s delicious food has earned a four-star rating from the Knoxville News-Sentinel’s “Grub Scout,” who described the setting as “retro-funky” and reported that his entrée was “… wonderful and would have been right at home on any upscale restaurant menu.” Moondollars was also honored by the News-Sentinel as a Top 10 Restaurant in 2008. Entertainment is also on the bill of fare. The newly expanded restaurant features first-class music of all styles, with a variety of bands such as Mo-Jo Bid-ness, Memphis Dave and Blues Thunder, and well-known Knoxville jazz musician Wendell Warner. Owners Kelly and Chris Ayers describe Moondollars as a fullservice café and Moondollars was also honored bistro that offers by the News-Sentinel as coffee, food, beer, a Top 10 Restaurant in 2008 and outstanding music and entertainment. They cater everything from school field trips to white-linen events. The café also features talks and signings by local authors, and the Ayers donate a portion of food sales to support community organizations such as Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties.
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10 RIDGES | Summer ’09
Photo By Don Dudenbostel
Health Notes
John Whitley, M.D., Ph.D.
By Crystal Jordan, MMC
What You Know About Head Injuries May Save a Life
T
he skull provides excellent protection for the brain. Consequently, most everyday head injuries are minor. An injured person experiences a slight headache or other mild symptoms and resumes regular activities within a short time. Some people, however, sustain a seemingly minor head injury that suddenly becomes life-threatening. Knowing what to do, when to do it, and what not to do in the event of a head injury can save lives. John Whitley, M.D., Ph.D., a board-certified neurosurgeon on staff at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, offers information about head injuries that every adult should know.
What causes head injuries? In the United States, head injuries in adults most commonly result from traffic accidents, falls, and assaults. In children, common causes are falls, sports activities such as biking and skateboarding, and abuse. Are there different kinds of head injuries? Head injuries are categorized as open or closed. An open injury is one in which an object strikes the head, or vice versa; the skull is fractured; and the object enters the brain — it may be a bullet, or a sharp tool, or a windshield. If the patient does not die immediately, surgery may be necessary to stop bleeding and remove debris from the brain. A closed injury describes a condition in which the head is injured but the skull remains intact. In some cases, swelling occurs and pressure within the skull increases, causing a cycle of damage to the brain, increased swelling, and increased pressure until the patient dies. Symptoms may be present immediately or develop over a period of hours or days following the injury. What are the symptoms of a serious head injury? Patients should receive emergency treatment if their symptoms include convulsions, severe headache, unequal sizes of the pupils, irritability, an inability to move their arms or legs, slurred speech, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, stiff
neck, vomiting, lack of coordination, changes in level of consciousness, or fluid draining from the nose, mouth, or ears. What should someone who sees an accident do and not do? Call 911 if you suspect that someone has a brain injury. Do not move the person unless absolutely necessary. Check the person’s airway and breathing, and begin rescue breathing and CPR if you know how to perform these procedures. Place your hands on both sides of the person’s neck to prevent it from moving. Roll the person’s head, neck, and body as one unit to prevent choking if the person vomits. Press a clean cloth, if one is available, to stop any bleeding, but do not remove the cloth if it becomes soaked with blood. Do not apply direct pressure if there’s a possibility the skull might be fractured. Do not remove any debris from around the wound or any objects sticking out of it. Do not pick up a child who may have a head injury. What are common treatments for head injuries? Physicians base their treatment recommendations for head injuries on the location of the injury and extent of the damage. Treatment may be as non-invasive as elevating the patient’s head slightly and keeping the neck straight to allow collected blood to drain, restricting fluids to help control swelling in the brain, or prescribing medications. Other treatments include inserting a small tube called a “ventricular drain” to measure pressure inside the skull and placing the patient on a ventilator to facilitate breathing. The goals of surgery are to stop bleeding inside the brain, prevent an increase of pressure in the skull, control pressure if it increases, maintain adequate blood flow to the brain, and remove large blood clots. A neurosurgeon may open the skull to remove clots and bone fragments or treat swollen brain tissue, or remove a piece of bone from the skull to relieve pressure caused by swollen brain tissue.
Welcome Dr. Mary Misischia! By Crystal Jordan, MMC
W
hen researching places to live, Dr. Mary Misischia wanted a close-knit community known for outstanding schools. As an oncologist, an exceptional medical facility was also a must. Oak Ridge was the perfect fit. “Oak Ridge offers the best of all worlds,” says Dr. Misischia. “My husband and I are thrilled to be raising our kids in a town where we can spend time with our family without fighting traffic. I find it even more rewarding because I can still practice, still be a mom and wife — all in one day. There are no trade-offs, and coming from California, you can’t always say that.” A board-certified and fellowshiptrained oncologist on staff at Methodist Medical Center and the Thompson Cancer Survival Center at Methodist, Dr. Misischia is passionate about her patients and her field. “I went into oncology for two reasons,” explains Dr. Misischia. “Absolutely the first was the patients. Second, the field of oncology is our future — an exciting frontier. We are continually finding new treatments, and that is incredibly rewarding.” A new treatment concept of which Dr. Misischia is especially proud is the Comprehensive Chest Clinic. One of the first clinics of its type in the nation, it reduces the time between discovery of possible cancer and treatment from weeks to days. Since it began in 2001, the clinic has seen more than 3,100 patients from seven states. “Our medical staff is wonderful — they take a team approach to treating patients,” says Dr. Misischia. “Working as a team is so important — you need everyone at the table to fight cancer.” For information about Dr. Misischia or MMC, call 865-835-4662. www.oakridgechamber.org 11
Photos Provided By ORNL
Innovation
Public to Private and Back Again Oak Ridge’s Alternative Financing Program Offers Triple Benefit to the Community By Mary McGlasson
T
wo of Oak Ridge’s most prominent employers, Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) and the Y‑12 National Security Complex, have implemented alternative-financing plans for recent building projects to update, modernize, and expand their facilities. Through Oak Ridge’s innovative alternative financing program, private companies build on land deeded to them by the government and then lease the buildings back to the government. This process benefits not only those who utilize the buildings, but also the City of Oak Ridge and Anderson and Roane counties, all of which are able to collect taxes on the properties through the arrangement, and both of which have seen increased revenues as a result. 12 RIDGES | Summer ’09
ORNL Modernizes Its Vintage Campus ORNL, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) largest science and energy laboratory, has been managed since April 2000 by a partnership of the University of Tennessee and Battelle. When UT-Battelle assumed management of ORNL, its first priority was an ORNL campus modernization campaign. With its facilities and infrastructure being mostly vintage 1950s, much of ORNL was in serious need of upgrading. Additionally, scientific advances in areas like high-performance computing necessitated up-to-date facilities and infrastructure to support them. Recognizing that obtaining federal funding for such an ambitious building program would be a slow process,
UT-Battelle utilized a three-tiered funding strategy — seeking federal, state, and private funds — as the best way to realize the goals of the modernization project. Breaking Down the Funding Federal: The federal DOE funded construction of what is now the ORNL Conference Center, which includes the Visitor Center and cafeteria. DOE has also provided land on the ORNL campus to the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee for the establishment of the Oak Ridge Science and Technology Park, which is planned to enable private companies to locate near ORNL’s research facilities. One company is already constructing a facility on the site, which will be leased to private-entity tenants.
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Innovation
The modernization has transformed ORNL into the crown jewel of the DOE national laboratory system and has resulted in significant scientific program growth.
State: The state of Tennessee has invested in ORNL through construction of four joint institutes, two of which — the Joint Institute for Computational Science and the Joint Institute for Biological Sciences — are now complete. Construction has begun on a Joint Institute for Neutron Science, and a Joint Institute for Advanced Materials will be located at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Private: In this first wave of ORNL’s modernization campaign, three major adjoining facilities — the Research Office Building, the Computational Science Building, and the Engineering Technology Facility — were made available with $73 million in private dollars on land deeded by DOE to the UT-Battelle Development Corp.
The Results From 2002 to 2007, the three-tiered funding strategy has enabled the laboratory to open 13 new facilities at a combined cost of approximately $1.8 billion. Construction on the new east campus, which includes the first privately funded complex, began in February 2002. ORNL staff began moving into the privately funded complex in the summer of 2004. The $42 million Multiprogram Research Facility followed two years later, constructed on the east campus with prime office and laboratory space. Parking lots and outmoded buildings were replaced with 181,000 square feet of modern laboratories and 1,409 new offices. Staff members have moved from nearly 2 million square feet of outdated, expensive facilities into nearly 1 million square feet of new facilities that boast high energy efficiency and state-of-the-art technology. The modernization, which has included the demolition of 70 excess buildings and the consolidation of 10 nuclear facilities into four, has transformed ORNL into the crown jewel of the DOE national laboratory system and has resulted in significant scientific program growth. The private funding approach, in concert with state and federal funding, has resulted in leadership roles for ORNL in several major DOE science programs, including neutron, nanoscale, biological, and computational sciences. This leadership is reflected in the Oak Ridge community through UT-Battelle’s early support of the renovation of Oak Ridge High School and regional support of economic development and science and mathematics education. www.oakridgechamber.org 13
Photos Provided Rob Dougherty
Innovation
Y-12 Finds Innovative Approach for Finance A U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration premier manufacturing facility, Oak Ridge’s Y-12 National Security Complex utilized an innovative approach to finance its largest construction project since World War II: the completion of the New Hope and Jack Case centers.
14 RIDGES | Summer ’09
Plans for the centers, which provide new work space to one-third of Y-12’s employees, began as a way to update and consolidate the technical, research, and support facilities, as well as to ensure compliance with current codes and energy efficiency. However, Y-12 realized that such a project would be costly and take time if a traditional federal line-item approach toward funding was used, so alternative financing was
sought in an operating lease — a thirdparty-financed, design-build project on land transferred directly to a private entity. Because Y‑12 is a Superfund site, NNSA had to seek approval from both the state of Tennessee and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency before the property could be transferred to a private party. Utilizing the operating-lease approach, the developer supplied design, finance, and construction services, and the complexes were built using approximately $100 million in industrial development bonds. Y-12 hopes this approach will save $100 million in reduced operating, maintenance, and renovation costs over the next 25 years. Y-12 staff occupied the New Hope and Jack Case centers in summer 2007. The Jack Case Center houses 1,100 employees and is home to centralized missionrelated functions. Three stories tall, it was planned to reflect the large-scale buildings constructed during World War II, with a 21st-century interpretation. The twostory New Hope Center, now home to 330 employees, is Y‑12’s new “front door.” The facility’s visitors center and publicservice groups welcome visitors and the community to the Y-12 site. Both centers were designed with energy-saving features, including high-efficiency glass and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; an Energy Star-compliant roof system; energyefficient lighting and controls; and more. In this modernization and streamlining building project, Y‑12 has not been the only benefactor: The tax base for the City of Oak Ridge has increased by approximately $1 million per year, while Anderson County has received approximately $900,000 in annual taxes. This increased revenue is one of the ways in which Y-12 maintains its status within the Oak Ridge area as a community partner and corporate citizen, fulfilling that role as well as its mission as a vital component in U.S. national security.
P.O. BOX 1 200 SOUTH TULANE AVE. OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE 37831
(865) 425-3550
OAK RIDGE CITY
www.cortn.org CITY OF OAK RIDGE STAFF City Manager: Jim O’Connor Deputy City Manager: Steve Jen
kins City Attorney: Ken Krushenski City Clerk: Jackie Bernard
Front Row, Left to Right: Ellen Smith, Mayor To m Beehan, May Back Row, Left or Pro Tem Jane to Right: Charlie Miller Hensley, Willie Go lden, Jr., Tom Ha yes, David Mosby
COUNCIL
INNOvAtION
It IS Easy Being Green New Programs Make It Simple — and Profitable — to Do Your Part for the Environment By Laura Wilcoxen
G
iven the choice, all of us would like to do our part to protect the environment. For some time, recycling has been a consumer’s best route to helping keep waste materials out of landfills. But recycling can be time-consuming; recyclables must be sorted, washed, prepared, and often transported by the consumer to a facility. While many working families may have the best of intentions, their schedules may preclude them from participating in the recycling process as fully as they’d like.
16 RIDGES | Summer ’09
But not anymore — not in Oak Ridge, anyway. In October 2008, the City of Oak Ridge and Waste Connections, Inc., introduced Single Stream Recycling to the community, and good “green” habits got a whole lot easier for residents. Through the Single Stream Recycling program, all the materials a consumer wishes to recycle may be mixed together in one collection. All the sorting and processing is done at an automated facility. Now, customers can simply toss all of their recyclables into a single bin, placing the bin
at the curb on their usual trash pick-up day. It’s as simple as that! The new automated process also allows Waste Connections to accept a wider range of recyclables, including mixed paper, mail, magazines, phone books, cardboard, and select recyclable plastics, in addition to previously accepted materials like glass, steel and aluminum cans, and newspaper. The ease of recycling might well be incentive enough for anyone to leap at the chance to join Single Stream. But the City of Oak Ridge has teamed up with a
Photo Provided By Linda Ripley
INNOvAtION
{
To activate your RecycleBank account, call 888-727-2978 or visit www.recyclebank.com.
company called RecycleBank to offer not only ecological benefits, but economic bonuses as well. Through RecycleBank, each customer receives a bin with a computer chip. When the recycling is collected, an arm on the recycling truck weighs each customer’s bin and records the amount. The data is credited to an online account, earning consumers RecycleBank points. Consumers can track their points via the RecycleBank Web site (www.recyclebank.com). The points that the customer earns through this
program can be redeemed for coupons and gift certificates from area vendors, as well as from several national retailers. It also gives customers a sense of accomplishment; by following their online accounts, they get a measure of their part in environmental efforts. The City of Oak Ridge benefits too, seeing significant savings on disposal fees as more and more trash is diverted from landfills. RecycleBank reports that its program regularly doubles the recycling rate in communities that it partners with.
New customers interested in recycling should contact Waste Connections at 865-482-3656, send in an online application at www.wasteconnectionstn. com/residential_recycle_service_request. shtml, or pick up a recycling bin at the Oak Ridge office on 400 Warehouse Road.
Oak Ridge Chamber Members Participating in RecycleBank* Absolute Salon 1122 Oak Ridge Turnpike................................................. 865-481-0812
Connie’s Naturally Gourmet 1143 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 107 ............................... 865-272-3904
Downtown Hardware 298 S. Illinois Avenue .............................................................. 865-483-4339
The Ferrell Shop 235 Jackson Square ..........................................................................865-483-0961 865-483-0961
Firehouse Subs 1143 Oak Ridge Turnpike..................................................................865-483-0866 865-483-0866
Merle Norman Cosmetics 1163 Oak Ridge Turnpike..................................................................865-483-1112
Moondollars Café 201 Jackson Square ..........................................................................865-482-1568
National Fitness Center 750 Briarcliff Avenue .........................................................................865-483-6868
The Soup Kitchen 47 E. Tennessee Avenue ...................................................................865-482-3525
If you’re a business owner interested in becoming a RecycleBank partner, contact: Alyson Paltelky ..................................................................................517-614-0982 apaltelky@recyclebank.com Tiffany Jorgensen ..............................................................................215-510-4781 tjorgensen@recyclebank.com *List current at press time of this magazine
www.oakridgechamber.org 17
SCIEnCE LabS
State-of-the-Art Space for Science By Rebecca D. Williams
Architects Tapped Teachers for Ideas When Designing New Labs at Oak Ridge High School
I
n Nivedita Ganguly’s college-level environmental science class at Oak Ridge High School, students dribble water into their homemade “ecosystem columns,” made out of three 2-liter bottles that are cut, stacked, and taped together. The water drips through two layers of soil in the top bottles and then into a water layer below. “Pretty soon we’ll put fish in it,” says Ganguly, head of the science department at the high school. She will ask students to test water and soil quality in the ecosystem over a period of six weeks as they pour in polluted water, too.
}
The science teachers worked
with architects for about a year to create
classrooms specific to their
needs.
18 RIDGES | Summer ’09
Science Labs
It’s a messy experiment. But that’s no problem in Ganguly’s room, a light-filled, organized space with plenty of sinks for cleanup, thanks to a three-year, $61 million expansion and renovation of Oak Ridge High School that was completed just in time for the 2008–2009 school year. Now that the dust has settled, students and teachers are enjoying their first year without construction, and the science teachers are proud of their new space. These were some of the first classes completed in what is now called the Learning Center of the high school. This two-story new addition is home to 13 science teachers, each with a classroom custom-designed for his or her needs and area of discipline. The rooms are sleek and modern, and they look much like something you’d see in a university setting. All are wired for SMART technology, which includes interactive white boards. Teachers use the boards to display everything from worksheets and videos to on-screen quizzes. Students can respond with hand-held remote devices that tally their answers and display them on the screen. Each science department has a computer lab, and there are extra computers in the media center for research.
www.oakridgechamber.org 19
Science Labs
The science teachers worked with architects for about a year to create classrooms specific to their needs: • Physics classes feature electrical boxes and volt meters on the desks and ceiling tracks for hanging pendulums. • Biology and environmental science classrooms contain extra sinks and table space just steps away from the lecture area. Students can move between both quickly. • In the chemistry classrooms, the laboratory is sealed off from the lecture area for safety, with several large venting hoods nearby.
After the construction, teachers have plenty of something else they always wanted — storage. There are common areas toward the center of the building with prep counters, dishwaters, industrial-sized sinks, and an autoclave to sterilize equipment. There is plenty of meeting space for science clubs, and there are cabinets in which to store student projects. Just outside the chemistry department, the storage closets for chemicals are compliant with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health guidelines. 20 RIDGES | Summer ’09
“We have really state-of-the-art storage rooms,” says Ganguly, showing off the chemical storage areas. “They are vented to the outside.” Because the major storage areas are in the middle of the building, the classrooms can be situated along the outside, with plenty of natural light flooding each room through banks of tall windows. “We worked for a year with the architects,” Ganguly says. “We went back and forth … we wanted this, wanted that. The one thing we really wanted was natural light. The kids learn better. I think it calms them down.” Ganguly and her team were impressed with the focus given to their department. “Now this is so nice,” Ganguly says. “The science program was clearly a high priority.” As for Ganguly’s classroom, it’s a far cry from the converted home economics room in which she used to teach. “There were not enough plug points or sinks, and there were wires crawling across the room. It was definitely not fun,” Ganguly remembers. Senior student Mary Ann Aabye, 17, agrees. “These are so much better. The lab I used for biology freshman year was so cluttered; everything was outdated.” Renovating the high school with all 1,500 students in it wasn’t easy. The project was completed in about 20 phases, says
{
“Student morale has been extremely favorable. I think our students are proud of the facility.”
Principal Chuck Carringer. Classrooms had to be shifted around to temporary space while each area was demolished or renovated. That meant that students got used to the sound of jack hammers and bulldozers and to getting to class by walking outside and around the campus. “Our students and staff did an outstanding job keeping teaching and
learning the order of the day during construction,” says Carringer. But now that it’s over, there’s plenty to enjoy about the new high school. “The construction project as a whole has been a tremendous improvement for our school and students,” says Carringer. “Student morale has been extremely favorable. I think our students are proud of the facility.” The entire effort has united the community from the start. The Oak Ridge Public School Educational Foundation helped to raise over $8 million in private donations to help fund the school. The community celebrated groundbreaking ceremonies for the renovation at the soccer field on June 14, 2005. Just over three years later, a dedication ceremony was held August 18, the first day of classes for the 2008–2009 school year.
The new facility has already garnered a variety of awards: • Oak Ridge High School recently received a Tennessee state award and two national awards for its design and construction. • The project was featured in the December 2008 issue of School Planning & Design . • ORHS was recognized with a Citation Award from the American Association of School Administrators. • The campus received the 2009 Learning by Design Citation of Excellence from the American School Board Journal . • The Tennessee School Boards Association selected ORHS as the School of the Year for Excellence in Architectural Design. ORHS earned second place in the Renovation Division.
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22 RIDGES | Summer ’09
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Oak Ridge
www.oakridgechamber.org 23
We The People
Get to Know Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller
By Mary McGlasson
J
ane Miller began her service on the Oak Ridge City Council on October 6, 2003, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy. She was elected to serve the remainder of an unexpired term on August 5, 2004, and was then re-elected to serve a full four-year term on June 7, 2005. She was elected to a two-year term as mayor pro tem by the City Council in July 2007.
» You’ve been a resident of Oak Ridge since you were 3 years old. What was it like growing up here? Growing up in Oak Ridge was wonderful! I had the advantage of the Oak Ridge schools. During the school year, we spent weekends at either basketball or football games. The summers consisted of long days at the Oak Ridge swimming pool, neighborhood softball games, and eating peaches from a tree in our yard. In junior high, I walked with friends to play tennis or putt-putt. Sunday and Wednesday nights were devoted to church. We did not have a lot of material things by today’s standards, but we had the things that mattered — home, family, friends, security, structure, and hope for the future.
» Why did you decide to become a public official? I had been on the fringes of city government for several years, working on Chamber projects and then on the board of the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau (ORCVB), where I served two terms as board chairman. Public service is an honor and a privilege and I love Oak 24 RIDGES | Summer ’09
Ridge — the people here are so wonderful, and I wanted to give something back.
» How has your life changed since becoming mayor pro tem? It is an extra special honor to represent the city when the mayor has a schedule conflict or is out of town. It is almost surreal, sometimes, when I think of that shy little girl at Willow Brook School now being mayor pro tem. One really great thing about serving on the City Council is that I have the opportunity to go to events and meet so many people I might not otherwise ever meet. It is exciting and, again, a great honor to represent the citizens of Oak Ridge, but “mayor pro tem” is just a title — I am still just me.
» Who are your heroes? My dad was a World War II veteran and my mom a war-bride factory worker, so I was lucky to be raised by good parents who were members of the “Greatest Generation.” We are so fortunate to have several of these great people still around us here in Oak Ridge, like Bill and Jeane Wilcox, who I’ve known since high school. In the political arena, Congressman Zach Wamp is my hero because of his enthusiasm and positive leadership skills. He has been a champion for Oak Ridge and governs from his heart. Although his schedule is very busy, he is devoted to his family and is at his home church in Chattanooga most Sundays.
We The People
» How do you find a balance between home, work, and city leadership? I try to work smart and focus on the task at hand. I use good tools — Outlook calendars, my Blackberry, checklists, and daily “to do” lists. I have always enjoyed multi-tasking and managing multiple projects. As a public relations specialist at B&W Y-12, my focus on community/public relations is a perfect fit for an elected official. I am high-energy, but I don’t drink and I eat healthy, which helps. I need to make time for exercise every day, but that has just not happened yet.
» Why do you feel you’re suited for the duties of mayor pro tem? My degree in business management from UT, Leadership Oak Ridge, East Tennessee Regional Leadership, and my professional experience in the public and private sector prepared me for this work. I have also had the opportunity at Y-12 to know and work with government officials in Nashville and Washington, D.C., and that experience has given me a good understanding of how both the state and federal governments work. I have always looked for new challenges and enjoy building consensus. I am positive and have always been Oak Ridge’s biggest cheerleader! Most importantly, I truly care about the people and have a strong desire to work to move our city forward.
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“I truly care about the people and
have a strong desire to work to move our city forward.”
» Describe some of the personal accomplishments of which you are most proud. Shortly after joining the City Council, I successfully advocated and led establishment of the “Council’s Night Out” program for citizens to meet with the Council to discuss issues of concern. I have worked closely with citizens and small businesses in various parts of the city, both one-on-one and with groups, to address and solve specific issues and concerns. For the past five years, I have served as co-chair for fundraising for the Secret City Festival, which celebrates Oak Ridge’s heritage and future. Our festival’s corporate sponsorships have doubled and annual attendance has grown to more than 25,000. In 2007, the Secret City Festival was awarded the prominent “Shining Example Award” award from the Southeastern Tourism Society for the best festival of the year and has received many other awards since. I am also very proud to be a member of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce “Live Where You Work” task force, especially the work we have done to develop a plan to grow our city with more Oak Ridge workers and improve our economic stability.
» What do the words “community involvement” mean to you?
To me it means “putting feet on your words.” Some people have good ideas and can articulate them well, but “community involvement” means taking action to make a difference. It means participating, caring, teaming, contributing, working, and giving your personal time to make Oak Ridge a better place to live, work, and visit. Fortunately, we have a great community where many citizens volunteer their time on city boards and commissions and for children’s activities. We have a great Neighborhood Watch program that takes an active role in reducing crime. We could not run our city without the many citizen volunteers who give freely of their time and energy for the good of our community. www.oakridgechamber.org 25
We The People
Golf’s Brightest Teaching Star Chooses Oak Ridge By Jennifer Bull
G
olf lovers in Oak Ridge have a unique opportunity when seeking to perfect their swing: They can work with golf pro and instructor Des Mahoney, an awardwinning teacher whose honors and recognition include: • “PGA Teacher of the Year Award” in both the Tennessee and Aloha sections • PGA Horton Smith Award • PGA Junior Golf Leader • East Tennessee Golf News “PGA Teacher of the Year” • Golf Magazine’s “Top Teachers in the Southeast” • Golf Digest’s “Top Teachers in Tennessee” • Golf Range Magazine’s “Top 50 Teachers in the USA”
Mahoney is a contributor to Golf Illustrated Magazine, PGA Magazine, USA Today, and East Tennessee Golf News. Past students have included the governor of 26 RIDGES | Summer ’09
Hawaii, and Mahoney is known throughout golfing circles for being both professional and personable. Born in Canada, Des Mahoney has lived in various places throughout the United States, including Southern California and St. Louis. With his credentials and
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“I had offers to go places like Nashville or here or Charlotte or Dallas. I actually visited Nashville, then we moved here.”
teaching talent, he could have chosen to relocate anywhere in the country and would have been eagerly welcomed by any golf community. But after taking time to look around, he specifically chose Oak Ridge to raise his daughter and teach golf.
“I had offers to go places like Nashville or here or Charlotte or Dallas,” Mahoney recalls. “I actually visited Nashville, then we moved here. “Even though I grew up in Western Canada, I liked a milder climate,” Mahoney continues. “I really picked up on the fact we’ve got four moderate seasons here. It is very comfortable, and the area was really similar to North Carolina for about half the price.” The combination of Oak Ridge attractions was just too good for the Mahoney family to pass up. “There’s wonderful weather, housing costs were good, and it is known for having a very good school system and low traffic. I really felt like it was a good overall fit for us.” Another aspect of life in Oak Ridge that Mahoney enjoys is his church. Recently, the widower married a lady he met through his church. In addition to a happy church family and married life, Mahoney is a proud father: the primary reason the celebrated Oak Ridge school system was such an attraction.
We the people
“Kelly is in sixth grade here and she is a cheerleader and she is a wonderful young lady,” Mahoney says of his daughter, love and fatherly pride evident in his voice. The professional facilities available to him in Oak Ridge are another big plus. Mahoney teaches at the Centennial Learning Center, a 2,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art indoor facility. He uses split-screen video analysis and the latest teaching aids to help all levels of golfers improve their golf game. Lessons can be booked directly from Mahoney’s Web site (www.desmahoneygolf.com). While Mahoney is pleased with Oak Ridge, the community is delighted and proud to have him as well. Many people from out of town come to the area specifically to learn from one of the best the sport has to offer.
www.oakridgechamber.org 27
Common / uncommon knowledge
Bringing Tennessee History to the Big Screen Independent Filmmaker Thrives in Oak Ridge
F
By Tim Hastings
or years, Oak Ridge’s role as the center of the Manhattan Project during World War II was not widely known — Oak Ridge was indeed a “Secret City.” When an independent filmmaker set out to tell the story of Oak Ridge during the 1940s, the members of the community proved an invaluable resource. East Tennessee native Keith McDaniel, 51, along with his production company, Secret City Films, creates films that bring the history of this region of Tennessee to life. He says he could not accomplish his goals as a filmmaker without the help of his neighbors in Oak Ridge. “The folks in Oak Ridge have been very receptive of “There are a lot of me and my work,” McDaniel people in Oak Ridge says. “There are a lot of I couldn’t do my people in Oak Ridge I couldn’t do my work without.” work without.” The Oak Ridge Public Library in particular helped with his first major film, Secret City, which documents the development of the atomic bomb — the Manhattan Project — in Oak Ridge during World War II. “The very first thing I did was go to the library,” McDaniel says. “They had a collection of 1,000 black-and-white photographs from the Manhattan Project. I got permission to make high-resolution scans of every photo.” Additionally, D. Ray Smith at Y-12 National Security Complex helped McDaniel access the Y-12 film archive. This ground-laying research helped the project win “Best Documentary” awards at film festivals in 2006 and 2007. McDaniel has also told the story of the integration of Clinton High School in 1956. “Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee [10 miles from Oak Ridge], was the very first school in the South to be integrated after the landmark Brown decision,” McDaniel says. “The city planned to tell the story through a documentary. I knew we needed the country to see this film.” McDaniel wrote, directed, and produced The Clinton 12, named for 12 African-American students who broke the school’s color barrier. The documentary began airing on PBS in 2008.
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28 RIDGES | Summer ’09
That’s One Powerful Cat World’s Fastest Computer Is Located in Oak Ridge
I
t’s fitting that a lightning-fast supercomputer helping scientists study climate change bears the name of one of nature’s most powerful cats — “Jaguar.” Capable of a staggering 1.64 “petaflops” — a quadrillion mathematical calculations — per second, Jaguar has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy as the fastest in the world. Jaguar is located at ORNL. According to the project director of the Leadership Computing Facility (LCF) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the computer is helping scientists understand climate change and helping to assure that cost-effective energy is available. “Our understanding of climate change is that global warming is being caused by human activity, much of which is related to energy production,” says LCF Project Director Arthur S. “Buddy” Bland. “Monitoring the effects of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the effects that will have on the climate relies on the power of these very large computers.” The project also explores keeping energy affordable and efficient. “Last summer gas went up to $5 per gallon,” Bland says. “We all know that over time we need to change from energy production based on petroleum to other types of energy. The scientists using these computers are looking at ways to produce
Common / uncommon knowledge
By Tim Hastings
electrical power from sunlight, as well as new technologies for storing electricity.” Scientists are also working on new superconducting wires to increase the efficiency of transmitting electricity. “About 25 percent of electricity generated in the U.S. today just turns to heat in the transmission wires and doesn’t provide any benefit,” Bland explains. Owned by the U.S. Department of Energy, Jaguar occupies floor space a little larger than a basketball court and stands 8.5 feet tall. It contains 180,000 processors (most home computers contain a single processor) and holds 300 trillion pieces of information. Also at ORNL is a supercomputer owned by the National Science Foundation. Containing 66,000 processors, “Kraken” was installed side-by-side with Jaguar in 2008.
www.oakridgechamber.org 29
Common / uncommon knowledge
Ready, Set, Row Oak Ridge’s Melton Hill Lake Hosts Thousands Each Year By Tim Hastings
M
ild temperatures, calm water, and proximity to 60 percent of the national population attract approximately 30,000 trainees and competitors each year to the Oak Ridge Rowing Association (ORRA) facility at Melton Hill Lake. “If you came down today, you’d literally see people training on the water,” Director of Rowing Development Mark Wilson said in mid-February. “We have teams come here from the Northeast, Upper Midwest, Canada, and other locations for spring training. Their water is frozen this time of year, but they can get down here in about a day’s drive and practice on flat open water. Oak Ridge is an
30 RIDGES | Summer ’09
ideal setting for rowing, as the hills protect the water and the moderate climate makes it perfect for early spring rowing.” But Oak Ridge has more to offer rowers than just clear water. “The community is a welcoming place for rowers and coaches, and our citizens enjoy having athletes in town,” Wilson said. “Oak Ridge is a safe, small city that has everything visitors need.” Additional Oak Ridge amenities make training easy and enjoyable for both coaches and spectators. “Walking and biking paths parallel the entire 1.25-mile race course,” Wilson said. “This is especially good for coaches because they can follow the entire race. The association also maintains an open grassy area for fans to sit and watch.” ORRA knows they have a great thing going, and they’re eager to encourage others in the community to join in. Besides hosting events, the association offers rowing instruction for all ages. Wilson said interest in the sport is
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“Regardless of an individual’s strength or weakness, you stay together in the boat. There can be 60 kids on a rowing team, and there is no bench. Everybody rows.”
growing exponentially because of its physical and social benefits. “Anyone who can walk can row,” Wilson said. “It uses every muscle group and is very aerobic. And it’s a great social sport. Regardless of an individual’s strength or weakness, you stay together in the boat. There can be 60 kids on a rowing team, and there is no bench. Everybody rows.” But if you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, you can still join the fun. “Another great way to get involved is to volunteer at one of the various events during the year,” Wilson said. “We are in the Volunteer State, after all!” The association will host 11 events in 2009, including three National Championships. USRowing selected Oak Ridge as its Association of the Year in 2005.
COMMON / UNCOMMON knowledge
{
The walk honors the founders of Oak Ridge.
Secret City Commemorative Walk Rotary Club Gift Honors the Founders of Oak Ridge
D
irectly across from the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is the Secret City Commemorative Walk. This memorial honors the founders of Oak Ridge and gives an overview of how the secret work conducted here during World War II caused the city to grow to 75,000 people in three years — all without appearing on any map. Oak Ridge City Historian and Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce member Bill Wilcox says, “The Rotary Club adopted the idea of building a founders monument in 2003. The result was this $350,000 gift to the city in June 2005.” The Walk has three main attractions.
“Ten bronze, waist-high tablets describe what the primary institutions of the Secret City did — such as the four Manhattan Project plants and the other institutions of wartime Oak Ridge,” Wilcox says. “Also, eight large historical markers describe life in the city during the ‘closed gates’ years from 1942 through 1949 — people enjoy these because they tell what it was like to live here in each of the Secret City years. “Finally, there are four, 30-foot-long, 6-foot-high walls on which are mounted plaques honoring 1,488 individuals who were founders of the Secret City,” Wilcox concludes. “These plaques could be
By Tim Hastings
purchased during construction to honor anyone who lived and worked here — including homemakers — during those eight ‘secret’ years.” The work that began here during World War II has had a profound impact on the city’s direction and prosperity ever since, and the project celebrates this influence. “The Walk honors both the patriots who helped bring peace to a world aching from six long years of World War II, as well as those who began, in the years right after the war, applying nuclear science to medicine, energy, agriculture, industry, and other peacetime applications,” Wilcox says.
www.oakridgechamber.org 31
SMALL TaLk
Good Morning,
Willow Brook
Elementary! WBES Broadcast an Invaluable Experience for Budding Oak Ridge Journalists By Rebecca D. Williams
P
eering into a digital video camera on a tripod, 9-year-old Olivia Kelly holds up her finger and whispers, “Five! Four! Three!” Then she mouths “two” and “one,” pointing to the anchor desk in the small broadcast studio at Willow Brook Elementary School in Oak Ridge. “Good morning,” says Brennan Whitson, 8. “I’m Brennan!” “And I’m Mykia!” says Mykia Albert, also 8. Brennan and Mykia wear red school t-shirts and beam mega-watt smiles. “We’re both reporting to you from WBES!” they say together. So begins the WBES Student News Broadcast, airing live on the school’s closedcircuit television system every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:30 and later in the day as a podcast on the school’s Web site, http:// willowbrook.ortn.edu. Willow Brook has had a morning broadcast for about 10 years, as do several other Oak Ridge schools. But this elementary school’s show is especially professional and high-tech after an upgrade about three years ago. The school received a $5,000 grant from the Oak Ridge Public School Educational Foundation, which has raised thousands of dollars through private and corporate donations for educational projects, facilities improvements, and teacher education. The Foundation’s grant to Willow Brook bought a second camera, two laptop computers, and a video mixer. Volunteers from the community helped pull it all together, including one from HGTV who redecorated the set and made a “blue screen” out of painter’s tape behind the
32 RIDGES | Summer ’09
small talk
anchor desk, enabling the computer to broadcast graphics behind the anchors. However, the most amazing thing about Willow Brook’s show is that it is put on entirely by 8- to 10-year-olds in the third and fourth grades. Each child learns every job. They can step in at a moment’s notice in case of an emergency, says the school librarian and show’s producer, Todd McDonald. Like, say… a lost tooth. “The tooth was a big surprise,” says McDonald, as he relates the story of a previous anchor’s losing a molar while on-air. “Her mouth was just gushing blood,” McDonald remembers. “Another child slipped into the anchor seat while she went to get a tissue. We kept on rolling.” McDonald chooses a new crew every grading period, and they practice Mondays after school. McDonald chooses two children to stay on and help train the next crew. They’re eager to describe their jobs. “I’m in the back scenes,” says John Vance, 9, who’s taking his second turn at WBES and says he may someday go into broadcasting as a career. “I work the
and field trip at the end of the year to controls for the camera. It’s really fun WATE, a professional broadcast station in because I get to learn all the neat stuff Knoxville. about computers.” Principal Mardee Miller says the “It’s fun,” says Dalton Wilson, a third broadcast exposes WBES children to grader taking his first turn on Camera potential careers they might not consider Two. “You have to really learn about it, or even be aware of otherwise. but I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve only been doing it two days, but it’s really fun.” “Today is the big Thanksgiving “I’m the director camera,” Lunch when tons of parents will explains Olivia Kelly. “I start visit Willow Brook to eat with their it off and point to them. It’s really fun because it’s a big children. In other news, WBES opportunity. Not many anchor, Hunter Gaenslen, loses a people get to do this.” tooth in mid-announcement. Good It is, indeed, an honor thing Demarea Whitt was waiting to be chosen for the show. McDonald hand-picks the in the wings to step in while Hunter kids for their ability to take took care of that tooth!” direction and work responsibly. — WBES blog, Nov. 18, 2008 After nine weeks, it’s time to move on, letting another crew have a chance. “Seventy percent of our kids are ‘at “Some of them shed a few tears,” risk,’ which means their families are at or McDonald says. “They take real ownership below poverty level,” Miller says. “That’s of their camera, their sound equipment.” To cheer them up, they’ll have a celebration a higher rate than most other Oak Ridge
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Index of Advertisers
ADP (Automatic Data Processing, Inc.)....25 American Museum of Science & Energy.................................23 B&W Technical Services Group..............21 Canberra.................................................25 City of Oak Ridge....................................15 Corporate Quarters........Inside Front Cover Endoscopy Center of Oak Ridge, LLC......3 Energy Solutions.....................................21 Equity Financial Group..............................4 The Estates of Oak Ridge.......................27 Herron-Connell Insurance......................25 ICX Technologies (ICX Radiation)............17 Len Hart Construction Co., Inc................14 Martin Oak Ridge Funeral Home............22 Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge............ Outside Back Cover NHC Healthcare......................................27 Oak Ridge Associated Universities.........28 Oak Ridge Convention & Visitors Bureau.....................................29 Oak Ridge Gastroenterology Associates..................Inside Back Cover Oak Ridge Tool-Engineering Inc...............7 Oak Ridge Utility District...........................4 ORNL Federal Credit Union.....................23 Pellissippi State Technical Community College.............27 Rarity Ridge............................................36 Roane State Community College...........31 Rolling Hills Apartment Homes...............22 St. Mary’s School....................................27 State Farm Insurance – Ruby Miller........7 Weatherford Mortuary............................29 Y-12 Federal Credit Union......................15
schools, and higher than the state poverty rate” (36 percent in 2004, according to the Kids Count Project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation). Despite this, Willow Brook’s progress with students is remarkable:* • Ninety percent of students have met the federal benchmarks for proficiency in math, reading, and language for the last three years. • The school attendance rate is 95.9 percent, higher than the state average of 93 percent. • Willow Brook received all A’s and B’s for academic achievement in math, reading, and language arts. • All of Willow Brook’s courses are taught by “highly qualified” teachers who hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are certified in the courses they teach.
“Our motto here is that Willow Brook is the best school in America,” says Miller. “Any time we can give them opportunities, we try to open the door for them. Our kids don’t lack abilities; they just lack opportunities, so the more things we can bring in for them to experience, the better.” Miller attributes some of Willow Brook’s success to its special year-round schedule. Students attend school for 45 days, and then they’re off for 15 days — which means breaks of three weeks in the fall, winter, and spring, called “Intersessions.” Summer break is about six weeks long, with the school year starting in mid-July. *Source: Tennessee State School Report Card, 2008.
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During fall and spring Intersession, the school offers optional week-long enrichment classes like cooking and computer instruction, plus remedial instruction for those who need it. “We never have to wait until summer to do remedial instruction,” Miller points out. “And our summer is shorter, so the children retain more.” But, Miller adds, the best systems and facilities mean nothing without dedicated teachers. The staff of Willow Brook is enthusiastic, making every effort to expose children to the extras in life. Mykia seems to agree. With curls bouncing and a beaming smile, she says, “This is just the best school in America. You can do anything here!”
Parting Shot
Sunset over Melton Lake www.oakridgechamber.org 35