The Courier News

Students design race car for national competition

February 18, 2026 by Ben Pounds

Pictured are members of Clinton High School’s Novum Racing team after their victory as Tennessee state champions in the Formula One STEM racing competition. - Submitted

Clinton High School students are getting ready to show off a racing-type car they designed in a national competition.

The CHS team, Novum Racing, won Tennessee state champion in the development class in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) racing regional finals on Dec. 13, which did not involve going anywhere in person.

The team will next compete at the national finals in Charlotte, North Carolina April 12-15.

Formula One endorses the event, billed as “The World’s Largest STEM competition.”

The students designed the car using professional CAD (Computer Aided Design) software, aerodynamic simulation and engineering analysis, Sylvain David, CHS teacher and Novum Racing team principal said.

The final car is physically manufactured with 3-D printing.

It must meet strict size, weight and safety regulations, and be powered by a carbon dioxide cartridge. Judges looks not just at performance but design and marketing as well.

Free health screenings for students

February 18, 2026 by Ben Pounds

The Anderson County Schools Special Education Department is providing free screenings for infants to 5-year-old children in for Anderson County school zones.

The screenings will include vision, hearing, speech and language, motor, social, and preschool cognitive skills.

They are designed to help parents make sure children are progressing as they should, an announcement from the school system stated.

The screenings will be in the Central Office Board Room in Clinton at 101 S. Main St., on the fifth floor.

Sreenings will be conducted from 9 until 11 a.m. and 1 until 3 p.m. on Monday, March 2; Tuesday, March 3; and Thursday, March 5.

The screenings are free, and no appointment is necessary.

They will last approximately 45 minutes for each child.

Anyone with questions should call Alex Smith, 865-463-2800, Ext. 2821 or April Manning, Ext. 2829.

BOE approves new Chromebooks purchase

February 18, 2026 by Ben Pounds

The Anderson County Board of Education voted to purchase new Chromebooks for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The board voted unanimously on Feb. 12 to spend $200,000 on these laptop computers from the general-purpose fund.

Wade Haney, director of technology for the school system said the Chromebooks have a useful classroom life of four years.

This year, the Chromebooks for the elementary school students are due for refreshing.

“The purpose of the Chromebooks is to enhance the learning experience of our elementary students, and many of our textbooks and resource materials are online, so they are used for direct instruction,” he told The Courier News.

Jo Williams made the motion, and Sherri Beaty seconded.

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