Orangeburg County School District: ‘It’s about the children’; teachers, staff honored as OCSD preps for school

Education “is bigger than test scores and academics,” Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster said Wednesday.

“It’s about the children and the heart of the children,” he said.

Foster spoke at the district’s convocation, which brought together teachers and support staff from throughout the district. The event was held at South Carolina State University’s Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, with more than 2,000 people attending.

During his welcome, S.C. State President Alexander Conyers spoke about the impact teachers had in his life and commended them for “the shining light you provide to our community.”

He challenged the audience to “ensure that you give every student the opportunity to pursue his/her potential in life.”

Foster introduced a “Hard Reset: Reconstructing the Future” theme for the event. He referenced a hacksaw, Allen wrench, ratchet and a drawing pencil to explain the theme.

In his analogy, Foster said the hacksaw represents elected officials. He told those present, “Whenever the politics show up, I need you to cut through the metal.”

Foster compared the teachers and support staff to an Allen wrench and encouraged them “to be that tool to tighten in place.”

School and district administrators are the ratchet that “makes sure everything is going in the same direction.”

The drawing pencil represents everyone.

“If you make a mistake, you can erase it and start again,” Foster said.

“The most powerful thing happening right now is not what I’m saying, but what you’re seeing,” Foster said as he gestured toward the students behind him.

“You guys write the first chapter for these outstanding students. Be sure that we’re cutting through the metal and make sure you’re tightening bolts every single day. Principals and administrators, make sure your village has the same vision,” he said.

The keynote speaker for the event was Prince EA, a rapper and a poet who calls himself a “life optometrist.”

Like a regular optometrist, he “clears what’s blocking your vision,” but in a different sense.

Prince EA is well-known for his YouTube video called “I Sued the School System” which points out ways he believes schools are failing students.

The video has over 24 million views on the platform and “got a lot of people upset and a lot of people inspired,” he said.

He credits the video for pushing the conversation about “outdated educational systems.”

His presentation at the convocation was titled “Hard Reset: Success under Construction.”

He provided the faculty with ideas and tips he gathered from visiting schools in Finland, Germany and Africa. He encouraged teachers to be educators and “put an emphasis on the whole student” by focusing on more than academics.

“There’s a difference in being a teacher and being an educator. Teacher is just a job title and an educator is a person,” he said.

Also during the event, the teacher and support staff of the year were announced.

Audrey Irick of Marshall Elementary School was named OCSD Teacher of the Year.

Katina Guinyard from the Cope Area District Office was named OCSD Support Staff of the Year.

Marcus Johnson, owner of Nissan of Orangeburg, sponsored the cash prizes for the winners

Irick and Guinyard were given $5,000 each from Nissan Orangeburg.

Mary Stephens of Edisto Primary School won OCSD Alternate Teacher of the Year.

Stephanie Felder-Hilliard of Whittaker Elementary School won OCSD Alternate Support Staff of the Year.

Stephens and Felder-Hilliard received $2,500 from Nissan Orangeburg.

Neal Martin of Rhodes Graduation Services announced the company will donate commemorative rings to the winners and runners-up.

Other teachers who were among the top five teachers of the year were:

• Coderia Grant of Brookdale Elementary

• Ashley Murray of Edisto Elementary

• Sophia Smith of Sheridan Elementary

Other support staff who were among the Top five staff of the year were:

• Patricia Rivers of Elloree Elementary

• Kimberly Skinner of Mellichamp Elementary

• Belinda Preston of West Area Transportation

Nissan Orangeburg awarded $500 to all nominees.

Foster said, “These awards are not merely a recognition of outstanding commitment and skills, they are a testament to the power of education and the remarkable contributions our educators and support staff make every day.

“Our winners and runners-up are shining examples of dedication and service that inspire us all.”

Twenty-one schools in the district received funds from the Medical University of South Carolina’s Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness School-based Wellness Initiative.

The program partners with school districts to encourage “wellness and culture growth within schools,” Program Coordinator Kerri Hollifield said.

Elloree Elementary won the grand prize of $2,000 and the other winning schools received $1,000 each.

Faculty and staff were encouraged to go to the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds to enjoy lunch from various food trucks after the event.