A DeKalb County High School freshman has been named as the January “Student of the Month.” Lilly Anderson, 15, is the daughter of Caitlin and the late PFC Billy Gene Anderson, and was presented the honor last Friday, receiving a certificate and a gift card for a meal at Jude’s Traveling Food.

“She did not know she had won the award whatsoever,” said DCHS Assistant Principal Seth Willoughby. “She was nominated by one of the teachers. She’s always willing to help someone no matter what and that’s why we really appreciate having Lilly around.”

Very softspoken, Lilly said she enjoys Algebra I, Extra Reading, and math at school, and hopes to one day become a veterinarian.

Ray Patterson of Smithville was named January’s Parent of the Month due to an essay written by Patterson’s foster child, 18-year-old DCHS junior Braxton Spears.

“I wrote this essay based on him taking me in from a different facility, and it changed my life. I wrote about how he took me into his home, and how it has changed my life in school and outside,” said Braxton.

Spears said he came to live with Patterson in September, after a stay at New Frontiers boys’ home. He is originally from Kentucky, but came here from Clay County. He said that his favorite subject is math, and he hopes to one day become a marine biologist.

Patterson said he was surprised when he got the call that he was to be honored as Parent of the Month.

“I’m proud of Braxton for having written it. He (Braxton) needed a home, and I had a placement for him. His case worker knew of me from New Frontiers because I had another kid who lived with me, who graduated a couple of years ago. She thought it would be a good fit for him. He struggled at first, but now he’s doing great,” said Patterson.

Patterson said he has been a foster parent since 2004, and has recently had five boys in his care including Braxton. He also has a daughter. He received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal at Jude’s Traveling Food.

The January Teacher of the Month award was presented to Maddison Richardson.

“It’s a great honor,” Richardson said. “I see other teachers get it for what they do around the school, helping kids out and making them feel good doing clubs and stuff like that. So, to get it is a big honor.”

Richardson is the daughter of Sonya and Jeremy Parsley and teaches geometry. She was selected by the administration as Teacher of the Month. She is in her third year as teacher at DCHS, a school she graduated from in 2019. She furthered her education at Tennessee Tech, and she is married to Colton Richardson of Cannon County.

When asked how she liked teaching at the school she graduated from, Richardson said, “It’s quite fun. A lot of times people think I am still a student here. A lot of people I work with were my teachers. That was a weird adjustment. They treat me like their own and look after me.”

Maddison was a member of the Lady Tigers basketball team that made a state tournament appearance in 2019 under then Coach Danny Fish. She later became an assistant to Coach Fish for three years and for one year under Coach Brandy Alley. Richardson has also been a Service Society and SGA club sponsor.

Richardson received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal at Jude’s Traveling Food.