theEDGE

10/09/2026

POPULAR: WHY YOUR BRAIN CARES WHAT PEOPLE THINK
By Rick Sherrill, EDGE Educator

The pressure to fit in isn’t simply teenage drama. Psychologist Mitch Prinstein’s book, Popular, examines the psychology and brain science behind our powerful need for acceptance.

Belonging has deep roots in human survival. Our ancestors depended on their communities for protection, resources, and care. That helps explain why our brains take rejection seriously—and why being excluded can hurt so much.

During adolescence, changes in the brain’s reward and social-processing systems make peer approval especially compelling. Attention and recognition can feel intensely rewarding, helping explain the pull of popularity and online likes.

But Prinstein identifies two different kinds of popularity: status, meaning visibility and influence, and likability, meaning others genuinely value your company. Being widely recognized does not necessarily mean being well liked.

For teens, the book offers a useful way to understand that pressure: your desire for acceptance is natural, but the kind of acceptance you pursue matters.

Read the author’s "“A Letter to Teens About the Science of Popularity” in Psychology Today"
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-modern-teen/201901/letter-teens-about-the-science-popularity

10/07/2026

GOOD JUDGMENT IS NOT BEING JUDGMENTAL
I often hear teenagers say, “I don’t judge people.” That usually comes from a good place.
Being welcoming, inclusive, forgiving, and compassionate are important community values—and for many families, important parts of their faith.
But not judging someone’s worth doesn’t mean ignoring what their behavior tells you.
Someone can be nice to you while bullying others. Someone can be fun while also lying, creating constant drama, or making dangerous choices. Those patterns matter when choosing close friends—and especially when choosing someone to date.
Research consistently shows that teenagers both choose friends with similar behaviors and influence one another over time.
Being inclusive doesn't mean everyone belongs in your inner circle.
You don’t have to judge someone’s worth to use good judgment about their influence.
— Rick Sherrill, Educator | The EDGE

10/05/2026

I

HOPEFUL EXPECTATIONS, BRIGHT FUTURES
By Richard, SRA Educator | The Edge

“The bigotry of low expectations.”

What a weird-sounding phrase, I thought at first. But the more I considered it as an educator, the more it made sense.

Ascend, the national Sexual Risk Avoidance organization led by Mary Anne Mosack, puts it this way: “We stand against the bigotry of low expectations.”

To me, it means we can unintentionally underestimate someone because of their circumstances—even while trying to be kind.

Perhaps we avoid discussing teen pregnancy, single parenting, poverty, or education because a student’s family experience touches that subject. We worry the conversation might cause anxiety or embarrassment.

Those conversations deserve care. But every student also deserves honest information and our confidence in their ability to use it.

DATA IS NEVER DESTINY. RESEARCH IS NOT JUDGMENT.

Research describes patterns. It doesn’t measure a family’s love or determine a child’s future.

Children from traditional two-parent homes face challenges and setbacks. Children raised by loving grandparents, foster parents, or single moms and dads grow up to do extraordinary things.

At The Edge, every individual and family is valued. Poverty, unstable housing, or family difficulties never give us a reason to expect less of a student.

Different circumstances may require different support. Our belief in each student’s potential stays strong.

Through accurate, research-informed education, we help young people understand how their choices can transform their future. Their decisions, effort, and determination are powerful parts of that story.

Every student deserves honest information, hopeful expectations, and someone who believes in what they can become.

Quote source:

We think youth deserve every opportunity to chart a path to their futures - one that is greatly improved when they don’t engage in risky activities, like teen s*x. The decisions they make about s*x can have a significant impact on their physical and emotional health, their relationships, and their...

10/05/2026

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟯
𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗕𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗲… 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗲! 🐝🐝🐝🐝

By Rick Sherrill, SRA Educator, The EDGE

While the band’s tragic story cut their musical journey short, the iconic “Bee Girl” from Blind Melon’s “No Rain” music video remains an encouraging image—and her message is still relevant today.

In the video, she steps onstage to tap-dance, only to be laughed at. Hurt and embarrassed, she runs away—but keeps dancing, keeps searching, and eventually finds her people.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱. 𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁.

Someone made her feel ashamed. That didn’t mean she had done something shameful. She didn’t have to win over those who humiliated her to find belonging.

That single music video gave the bumblebee costume a lasting new meaning. The Bee Girl turned it into a symbol of resilience. Decades later, recreating her look—with the striped costume, tutu, and thick glasses—can recall the strength it takes to keep going after a setback.

And the actress who played her, Heather DeLoach Greiner? She grew up, married, and became a mother of three. In a 2023 interview, she happily announced, “Our little hive is complete!”

Decades later, the lesson still matters: accept feedback that helps you grow, but don’t let ridicule convince you to hide your enthusiasm. One audience’s laughter does not determine your worth—or your future.

09/28/2026

In 1991, Dolly Parton launched the Buddy Program, offering Sevier County students a $500 graduation gift if they stayed in school and earned their high school diploma.

Dolly understood the importance of education. When she attended Sevier County High School in the 1960s, dropping out was common. But she knew a diploma was an important foundation before leaving for Nashville to pursue an extraordinary dream.

“The night I graduated from Sevier County High School, back in 1964, we were all asked to stand up and talk about what we were going to do with the rest of our lives… I stood right up there and said, ‘I’m going to Nashville, and I’m gonna be a star.’ The whole place laughed out loud… But it did not shake me from my dream.”

She graduated on Friday. She left for Nashville the next morning.

09/28/2026

First day of relationship education with DCS 8th grade is going great! This is a tribute Mrs Parton would have loved, as kindness and a generous heart were her legacy!
Donations between $500 million and $600 million, driven by major initiatives like the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (which mailed hundreds of millions of free books to children), disaster relief, and medical research. Her remaining estate and business assets—largely tied up in Dollywood, her music catalog, and related properties—were valued at approximately $450 million. She gave more than she kept!
She often joked about the size of her poor family and their needs A strategic business woman she acquired silver Dollar City in the '80s with the idea of expanding to a theme park known as Hollywood that would provide multiple job opportunities for her extended family and friends in pigeon forge. 🦋🦋🦋

09/27/2026

Dolly Parton grew up in a two-room cabin in the mountains of East Tennessee, one of 12 children in a family with very little money.

Her life became extraordinary—but perhaps one of the most important things she has done with that success is help other children imagine what their own lives might become.

Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, an idea that began here in East Tennessee has grown into an international literacy movement, putting millions of books into the hands of children.

“If you can read, you can do anything, dream anything and be anything.” Dolly said.

That is a message worth sharing with every young person.

The circumstances you are born into are part of your story. They do not have to define the limits of what you can learn, what you can accomplish, or what you can become.

At The Edge, we want young people to understand that their decisions matter, education matters, and their future is still being written. 🦋🦋🦋🦋

Dolly Parton is a pretty remarkable reminder of just how far an East Tennessee kid can go. ❤️

09/27/2026

Holding Court at Teen Maze 2026 ⚖️🧑‍⚖️⚖️🧑‍⚖️

09/26/2026

For years, our educators have been trained and certified as Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialists through Ascend. That training reflects a principle central to our work: never lower expectations for young people.

Statistics surrounding STIs, unexpected teen pregnancy, substance use, relationships, and other choices can be sobering. We don't serve students by minimizing those realities or assuming they can't understand them.

Our job is to provide accurate information, sound research, practical skills, and high expectations—then give students the tools to make healthy decisions for their futures.

As Ascend President Mary Anne Mosack says: “We stand against the bigotry of low expectations.” 🦉📚🧑‍🎓

09/25/2026

The Teen Life Maze is an annual event that gives Dayton City and Rhea County Schools students an opportunity to explore how the choices they make today can shape their lives tomorrow.

Students make their way through a maze, interacting with community partners representing local colleges, mental health services, financial institutions, healthcare providers, the court system, addiction and recovery services, healthy relationships, employment, and other important areas of adult life.

Along the way, students encounter both positive opportunities and real-world consequences. The goal is simple: help young people understand that decisions have outcomes—and that education, healthy relationships, responsible choices, and strong community support can open doors for their future.

A huge thank you to our participating schools, our students, and the many community partners who give their time and expertise to make the Teen Life Maze possible each year.