Students across the region are learning science and math in new ways thanks to STEM Education techniques. STEM values the how and why of learning more than the rote memorization and recall of facts.

At Tennessee Tech, the work goes on to educate future teachers about the value of STEM in their classrooms. Many of these students have already been exposed to these techniques in their own educational development. We explore teaching teachers about STEM with Kelly Moore, a member of Curriculum and Instruction team at Tennessee Tech.

Today In The Upper Cumberland airs each weekend as a way to introduce you to interesting people and subjects of interest to our community. Catch the show each Saturday morning at 6 on Lite Rock 95.9, Rock 93-7, and 106-9 Kicks Country.

Sunday morning, the show airs at 7am on Rock 93-7. Catch the show Sunday night at 6pm on Lite Rock 95.9 and at 7pm on 106-9 Kicks Country. You can also catch Today in The Upper Cumberland Sunday mornings at 7am and Sundays at Noon on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

As summer heat and humidity arrives in the Upper Cumberland, it’s time to consider how important suntan lotion, hats, and an overall sun blocking procedure can be to your overall health.

We provide expertise on sun protection and how skin cancer continues to grow as a problem nationwide. Dr. Lisa Whiteaker is a noted Upper Cumberland Dermatologist – and she’s been helping local residents protect themselves from the harmful rays of the sun.

Today In The Upper Cumberland airs each weekend as a way to introduce you to interesting people and subjects of interest to our community. Catch the show each Saturday morning at 6 on Lite Rock 95.9, Rock 93-7, and 106-9 Kicks Country.

Sunday morning, the show airs at 7am on Rock 93-7. Catch the show Sunday night at 6pm on Lite Rock 95.9 and at 7pm on 106-9 Kicks Country. You can also catch Today in The Upper Cumberland Sunday mornings at 7am and Sundays at Noon on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

The stupid jeans trend just keeps moving.  In the past month we’ve seen companies selling see-through jeans and ones that are pre-stained in fake mud.  And now . . . this.

A brand called Y/Project just started selling women’s jeans that have detachable legs . . . so you can quickly convert them to jean shorts.  Only the legs don’t quite line up, so even when you wear them as jeans there are little uncovered gaps around your thighs.

And naturally, they cost $425.

his is pretty amazing, especially right before Mother’s Day . . .

A woman in Austin, Texas named Donna Pavey met her 52-year-old daughter Sharon for the first time last week. And the video is intense, but in the best way possible.

Donna was pretty young when she had Sharon, and her parents made her give her up for adoption. She tried to track her but couldn’t, and even went back to using her maiden name so Sharon could find her if she wanted to. And it worked.

Sharon’s adoptive parents passed away recently, and she started researching her family history. She only found out she was adopted two days before she and Donna reunited last week. She ended up finding her on Facebook.

The video is great because Donna starts crying when she sees her truck pull up. Then Sharon sprints across the front yard to hug her, and immediately starts talking about how they look alike and have the same eyes.

Not considered a prominent health problem for many years, hepatitis now is on the rise. In particular, hepatitis C, continues to grow rapidly as a health concern both in the United States and around the world. In the Upper Cumberland, as prescription drug users turn to other forms of drug abuse, such as heroin, the sharing of needles leads to more cases of hepatitis.

We explore the growing health problem with Michael Railing who directs county health efforts in Dekalb, Macon and Smith Counties and Andy Langford….who serves Fentress, Clay, Overton and Pickett Counties.

Today In The Upper Cumberland airs each weekend as a way to introduce you to interesting people and subjects of interest to our community. Catch the show each Saturday morning at 6 on Lite Rock 95.9, Rock 93-7, and 106-9 Kicks Country.

Sunday morning, the show airs at 7am on Rock 93-7. Catch the show Sunday night at 6pm on Lite Rock 95.9 and at 7pm on 106-9 Kicks Country. You can also catch Today in The Upper Cumberland Sunday mornings at 7am and Sundays at Noon on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

School will be over soon and you’re trying to figure out something fun, educational and worthwhile they can enjoy this summer? 106-9 Kicks Country has a helping hand. Send your kids to Cedar Lake Summer Camp for a week-long summer camp experience.

Register now to win a week-long day camp experience at Cedar Lake….with lunch included. It’s a $140 value. The week-long day camp for younger kids ages 5 to 10…not ready to be away overnight…offers a world of fun from swimming, ziplining, canoeing, hiking, arts and crafts, fishing, and more. Your kids may not want to come home.

Get your child in the running for these week-long day camp experiences now from 106-9 Kicks Country and Cedar Lake Camp, located in beautiful Overton County. Check out their full line of summer camps as well as fall camps, retreats for adults and more. Since the early 1940s, tens of thousands of young people have come to summer camp at Cedar Lake. Now, your kids can be part of that tradition.

Only from the Upper Cumberland’s #1 For New Country…106-9 Kicks Country.

Register To Win A Summer Camp Experience At Cedar Lake

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Jackson County High School’s Kelsey Smith has been selected as the Lite Rock 95.9/106-9 Kicks Country Dream Big Scholar for May.

The award honors outstanding work in the classroom, leadership in school groups, and organization, achievement in extracurricular activities as well as work in the community. One student from a high school across the Upper Cumberland wins the award each month.

Smith is active in many clubs at Jackson County High School, such as Beta Club and

4-H. In 4-H, she has volunteered for many different events that they do. Smith has also attend several conferences for the Jackson County Beta Club.

She has maintained a 3.8 GPA over all four years of high school, while taking honors math and science classes.

Smith plans to attend Vol State Community College in the radiology technician program and later moving on to diagnostic medical sonography.

Lite Rock 95.9 Morning Show Host Sheila Scruggs visited Jackson County High School and presented Smith with a plaque. Smith will join other Dream Big Scholars from the 2016-2017 academic year at a spring banquet where she could win a $1,500 college scholarship, or one of two smaller scholarships.

106-9 Kicks Country and Lite Rock 95.9 joined forces with The Tennessee Credit Union in 2014 to encourage rising seniors who want to Dream Big. Parents, teachers, and local residents nominate graduating seniors for the award.

The Tennessee Credit Union has offices in middle and east Tennessee, including 1281 South Walnut Avenue in Cookeville. For 65 years, The Tennessee Credit Union has been helping members achieve their financial goals with products and services designed to exceed their expectations. To nominate a student to become a Dream Big Scholar, visit 1069 Kicks Country Dot Com or Lite Rock 959 Dot Com.

Listen to Kelsey’s interview with Lite Rock 95.9’s Sheila Scruggs below!

Starbucks killed it with their bright pink and blue Unicorn Frappuccinos and since then, other bright-colored “secret menu” drinks like the Dragon and Mermaid Frappuccinos have gotten lots of love on social media.

Well, Starbucks’ newest limited-edition drink ends that trend. Instead of bright colors, it’s . . . um . . . poop brown.

The Midnight Mint Mocha Frappuccino just went on sale for a limited time. It’s made out of coffee, extra-dark chocolate and mint sugar crystals, and it has whipped cream in the middle and on top. In other words, it’s made for taste and caffeine, not Instagram.

Is this a mom who’s doing the right thing to protect her kid . . . or ridiculously coddling her kid?  It’s a damn good question.

A woman named Bunmi Laditan in Quebec, Canada has a 10-year-old daughter named Maya in elementary school right now.  And she sent Maya’s teachers an email on Tuesday to tell them she’s DONE with homework.

Quote, “Maya will be drastically reducing the amount of homework she does this year.  She’s been very stressed and is starting to have physical symptoms such as chest pain and waking up at 4:00 A.M. worrying about her workload.

“She’s not behind academically and very much enjoys school . . . doing two-to-three hours of homework after getting home . . . is leaving little time for her just to be a child and enjoy family time.”

She posted a copy of the email on Facebook and it’s been going viral ever since.  It seems a lot of the responses so far have been supportive of her . . . but there’s some negative mixed in too.