Proof Positive

June 25, 2019 • Board of Trustees MeetingLEXINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE

Wildcats are #1!In a best-of-3 showdown against Byrnes High, Lexington High softball came back from one game down to win the 5A state softball championship.

Members of the championship team include LHS’s Ashley D. Causey, Jaci M. Fleming, Riley M. Ford, Sarah G. Gordon, Hannah A. Kumiyama, Allie H. Light, Skyler B. Logsdon, Megan G. Mazzei, Alyssa C. McCraw, Madison T. Montgomery, Samantha P. Montgomery, Peri N. Rouillard, Jessica M. Senn, Savannah A. Shannon, Cassidy B. St. George, Saige M. Stanley, Maggie A. Taylor, Aleah M. Waters and Kalli B. Williams, as well as Pleasant Hill Middle’s Madison G. Carwell.

In Game 1, LHS fell 12-8, returning to win Game 2 5-1 at home. Despite being down in Game 3 by three runs, the Wildcats rallied to win the school’s first title since 2001.

The 6-5 win in Game 3 brought LHS its fifth softball championship in school history.

Led by winning pitcher Allie Light, LHS stopped Byrnes from scoring in the final five innings of the game. Kumiyama, Senn and Stanley all hit home runs to keep the Wildcats ahead on the scoreboard.

LHS finished the season with a 26-4 record.

Freshman phenom wins stateWhite Knoll High’s Kaniya M. Johnson took track and field by storm this season, winning a state title and player of the year while still a freshman.

At the state track and field meet, Johnson won the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.66 seconds, breaking her school record. Her time ranks second in the state record books and 38th in the nation.

Johnson set another personal best in the 200-meter dash at 24.02 seconds, finishing second at state in a close race. She also nabbed fourth place in the 400-meter dash at 56.03 seconds.

The Timberwolves track team landed in 11th place overall at the state meet, their best finish in school history. The team placed higher than any other from Region 5-5A.

In recognition of outstanding performance all season long, the S.C. Coaches Association of Women’s Sports named Johnson 5A Female Track and Field Player of the Year.

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LHS student wins poetry prizeLexington High’s Taylor A. McElwain wrote an award-winning poem inspired by the world around her.

McElwain’s poem “Daylilies and Darkness” won the prestigious Skylark Prize from The Poetry Society of South Carolina. In May, she read her piece at the PSSC meeting, where she accepted the $500 prize.

The Skylark Prize gets its name from “Master Skylark,” authored in 1922 by Charlestonian John Bennett, a founding member of PSSC. Written about a young singer in the time of Shakespeare, the book was a top seller for many years.

Any student enrolled in a high school English program in South Carolina can enter a poem 36 lines or less in the annual contest.

Two seniors win National Merit scholarshipsGilbert High’s Haley F. Kubilus and River Bluff High’s Alexander M. Pendris both won a college-sponsored Merit Scholarship through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

In recognition of excellent academic achievement, National Merit Scholarship Corporation named Kubilus and Pendris scholarship semifinalists, finalists and, lastly, winners of funding from their university of choice.

Kubilus received a scholarship from the University of Alabama, where she plans to study international relations. With his scholarship from Clemson University, Pendris plans to study physics.

Officials from each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. These scholarships provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.

Alexander PendrisHaley KubilusBrilliant bands earn top honorsEight Lexington District One band programs received the state’s highest award after a superior year of performances, learning in May that they earned enough points to receive an S.C. Band Directors Association Outstanding Performance Award.

Band directors accepting the awards include Gilbert High’s A. Hunter White, Gilbert Middle’s Matthew Boiteau, Lexington High’s P. Aaron Gantt, Lexington Middle’s Craig C. Davis, Meadow Glen Middle’s Melanie E. Winn, Pelion High’s Otto J. Hage, Pleasant Hill Middle’s Ashley S. Gable and River Bluff High’s Ken D. Turner.

Bands accumulate points through participation and scores earned at marching band championships, all-state and region band events, concert performance assessments, and solo and ensemble festivals. Those with the qualifying number of points receive the Outstanding Performance Award, commending student musicians and band directors for their hard work.

Season highlights for the winning schools include LMS earning superior with distinction at SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment; MGMS Symphonic Band receiving a superior with distinction at SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment; PHS Marching Pride finishing second at the state 2A SCBDA Marching Band Championships; and PHMS Honor Band earning a superior rating at SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment.

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Soccer seniors land all-star invitesSenior soccer players from four Lexington District One schools landed invitations to all-star games featuring the best players from North and South Carolina.

River Bluff High’s M. Jaden Kordes and Peyton B. Miller will play for South Carolina in the Clash of the Carolinas game on June 29. Both team captains this season, Kordes and Miller led the Gators to the second round of the 5A playoffs.

Kordes scored 17 goals plus three assists, while Miller finished the year with five goals and 10 assists. Teammates voted both seniors tied as Most Outstanding Player for the season.

Also representing the Gators at the Clash of the Carolinas, RBHS’s Jordan A. Mishoe will play on the South Carolina girls team. Mishoe scored seven goals, with five assists, leading RBHS to a Region 5-5A championship and a record of 22-1-1. She received a Team Leadership Award from her fellow players.

The S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association selected additional seniors for the North-South Soccer Classic, held June 22.

On the boys’ side, Gilbert High’s Angel O. Barraza, Lexington High’s Nolan D. Pollard and White Knoll High’s Jacob R. Koon played for the South team.

Barraza finished the season with 27 goals and 13 assists, as well as region player of the year, leading GHS to a region championship. A four-year starter, Pollard netted three goals and two assists this season.

As WKHS’s goalie, Koon recorded 11.5 career shutouts and two team-MVP awards for his junior and senior seasons.

Three Lexington District One seniors played for the South girls squad at the North-South Soccer Classic. River Bluff High’s Sophia A. Monsma finished the season with seven goals and five assists, winning a Team Leadership Award.

White Knoll High’s Ashlyn P. Simon and Kaylee A. Williams also received invites to the all-star game. Simon scored 13 goals with 13 assists, making all-region this season, while Williams recorded 48 goals and 16 assists her senior season, as well as receiving region player of the year.

Angel Barraza

Jordan Mishoe Nolan Pollard Ashlyn Simon

Kaylee Williams

Peyton Miller

Sophia Monsma

Jacob Koon Jaden Kordes

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Graduates earn Palmetto Fellows ScholarshipMore than 100 Lexington District One 2019 graduates’ high marks on the SAT or ACT earned them the opportunity to apply for prestigious Palmetto Fellows scholarships.

Established in 1988 by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship provides top-performing students funding for all four years of college.

Eligible students from Gilbert High include Zachary J. Elliott, Marena O. Fleming, Isabella D. Fralick, Harliann N. Hendrix, Haley F. Kubilus, Hailey R. Leitner, Autumn R. Melton, Lucia M. Merida, Kyla M. Osborn, Kristopher D. Phelps, Kiersten A. Price, Jacob T. Randall, Lydia D. Roxburgh and Annabelle C. Smith.

Graduates from Lexington High receiving the scholarship include Hoda Abdalla, Alison E. Bell, Anne G. Blakely, Bryson J. Burkett, Taren B. Daniels, Joshua K. Dunham, Alex S. Fellers, Andrew L. Foust, Caroline R. Goodman, Savannah G. Griffin, Connor B. Hewson, Nathanyl W. Homa, Matthew A. Horton, Rebecca D. Huxtable, Chase C. Hyman, Mehul Jain, Jonathan L. Jezowski, Kasey E. Jones, Zachary W. Kearney, Deborah G. Kifle, Paul T. Kim, Ryan T. Krick, Raymond Lin, Joshua P. Little, Parker A. Lovett, Megan G. Mazzei, Matthew B. Miller, Heny A. Patel, Katherine M. Pearce, Nolan D. Pollard, Ariana Quetglas, Maggie G. Salley, Kevin Shah, Adrian M. Soto, Madalyn A. Stabler, William H. Thompson, Jarrett S. Turner, Emma E. Van Horne, Reet Verma, Giang H. Vu, Caleb E. Wahdan, Caleb A. West, Mackenzie B. Yoder and Winni Zheng.

From Pelion High, seniors Charlie B. Allemond, Leia N. Cogdill, Lauren C. Duenke, Trevor M. Dunn, Taylor G. Johnson and Makenzie L. Renew are eligible to receive the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

Eligible students from River Bluff High include Julia E. Bland, Ben J. Brown, William J. Butler, Jordyn M. Carroll, Maile L. Carroll, Olivia D. Cook, Matthew J. Coolidge, Alana R. Deany, Charles C. Dickerson, Ashton L. Doar, Olivia G. Farrar, Ashlyn E. Frick, Lauren M. Garrison, Taylor M. Garrison, Conner A. Gordon, Lauren C. Graves, Jackson R. Jeffcoat, Nayoung Kim, Christina Lin, Andrew L. Loftis, Devon L. Mastin, Jared D. O’Berry, Mansi K. Patel, Megha N. Patel, Alexander M. Pendris, Katherine J. Pitts, Jeremiah T. Reeves, Reagan Ross, Drew B. Sander, Emma K. Scott, Thomas A. Shealy, Sajan K. Singh, Jared P. Springer, Jonathan W. Tan, Abigail K. Taylor, Sophie M. Taylor, Allison G. Torok, Joan C. Wendt, Cooper R. Whitley and Albert Y. Zhu.

White Knoll High students eligible to receive a scholarship include William A. Allison, Cheyenne M. Bailey, Jacob L. Ballington, Charles R. Bedenbaugh, Ben T. Brown, Ashley D. Crim, Eliza P. Elizondo, Isabella G. Estrada, Lillian M. Graber, Samantha C. Hoskins, Adam M. Kimsey, Michael A. Norris, Anna R. Palmer, Jacob A. Re, Laura B. Rohrer, Daniel H. Sides, Alaisha N. Smith, Taylor G. Smothers and Kylee A. Weaver.

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Pelion players head to all-star baseball gamesTwo Pelion High Panthers, Drew D. Boozer and Dylan J. Williamson, played with top-notch talent from North and South Carolina at the annual all-star baseball games, held May 21–22.

Boozer played for South Carolina 3A/4A in the North-South all-star game, hosted by the S.C. Baseball Coaches Association. This season, he hit seven doubles and one home run, as well as 15 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases.

Invited to play for the South Select team, Williamson pitched 59 innings for the Panthers this season, with six wins, three losses and 103 strikeouts. On offense, he hit six doubles and three home runs, with 28 runs batted in and 20 stolen bases.

Boozer and Williamson led the team to the 3A playoffs for an overall record of 17-11.

Drew Boozer Dylan Williamson

GPS counselors win $500 grantGilbert Primary School Counselors Mackenzie D. Hall and Amber L. McMillan successfully applied for a grant to bring a much-needed resource to their school next fall.

Hall and McMillan won a $500 mini-grant from the Palmetto State School Counselor Association. They plan to use the funds to purchase calm down kits for classrooms.

With sensory-friendly toys and other items, the kits provide students an outlet and a way to redirect in the midst of a stressful moment.

With the kits, they hope to continue improving GPS’s discipline data, as well as students’ ability to choose healthier coping strategies.

Ross grant benefits Pelion studentsPelion High Instructional Coach Ashton C. Padgett recently won a grant from a popular retail chain.

Padgett received a Ross Stores Foundation Store-Based Giving Program Grant to equip students for real-world experiences. She plans to use the $500 funding to provide enrichment for students in need.

Ross Stores Foundation seeks to create brighter futures by building academic achievement and life skills on behalf of economically disadvantaged youth.

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Softball players connect on all-star bidsThe S.C. Coaches Association of Women’s Sports selected five Lexington District One senior softball players for its annual all-star games, held June 19.

Gilbert High’s Savana A. Rosson played for the 3A/4A South team, while Lexington High’s Hannah A. Kumiyama, River Bluff High’s Kayla K. Oswell, and White Knoll High’s Hannah J. Goodwin and Andrea F. Lyon played for the 1A/2A/5A South team.

As pitcher this season, Rosson pitched 128 innings with 241 strikeouts, making her the career and single-season strikeout record holder at GHS. On offense, she hit five home runs and batted in 32 runs.

With a .581 batting average, Kumiyama hit 17 home runs, 17 doubles and 47 RBIs.

The Gators’ 2019 Offensive MVP, Oswell hit four home runs this season on top of a .359 batting average and all-region selection.

WKHS’s two selections posted record-breaking statistics. With 199 strikeouts and a record of 17-2 as a pitcher this year, Lyon broke WKHS’s wins record with 90 and finished second in the books for strikeouts with a total of 898.

Goodwin launched five home runs this season to hold the school record for career home runs with 42, in addition to batting in 28 runs to break the school RBI record with 176.

Hannah Goodwin Hannah Kumiyama Andrea Lyon

Kayla Oswell Savana Rosson

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Educators complete global certificationEducators from multiple schools recently earned their National Geographic Educator Certification, helping them teach from a global perspective.

Newly certified staff include Gilbert High’s Jennifer Rosinski; Lake Murray Elementary’s Blair B. Wells; Pelion Elementary’s Lauren W. McElveen; Red Bank Elementary’s Britani A. Magargle; River Bluff High’s Garrison Hilton, Amy P. Price and Chris J. Winkler; White Knoll Elementary’s Ryan Kingsland; and White Knoll High’s Courtney Bass, Deidre Pukl and Alison Westmoreland.

National Geographic offers this professional development free of charge to educators committed to inspiring the next generation of explorers, conservationists and change-makers. The program builds their skills in generating interdisciplinary classroom activities centered around real-world problems on local, regional and global scales.

Participants complete an in-person or online workshop, develop and implement two activities that apply the skills gained in Phase 1, and finish with a capstone project that tells the story of student learning, demonstrates professional growth and inspires other educators.

After completing the certification process, educators can better empower students to make informed decisions and solve meaningful challenges in their communities.

Stacey, Thompson honored by LDOEOPThe Lexington District One Educational Office Professionals awarded Chief Human Resources Officer Mike Stacey and Executive Secretary Barbara Thompson, CEOE, annual honors this spring.

Stacey won Administrator of the Year, while Thompson took Office Professional of the Year.

Promoted to his current role in January 2017, Stacey joined Lexington District One in 1999 as the first principal of White Knoll High. In 2006, he transferred to Central Services where he served as Director of Middle School Education, Media Services, 504 Services, Leadership Development and Quality, and Alternative Education in Instructional Services. He became human resources director in 2014.

Thompson works at Central Services, at the front desk and in Human Resources.

She first joined the district 22 years ago as an instructional assistant at Red Bank Elementary, before moving to White Knoll High as discipline secretary and guidance secretary.

A charter member of LDOEOP, Thompson is also a member of the South Carolina Association of Educational Office Professionals and National Association of Educational Office Professionals.

References to trademark and brand ownership have been removed for ease of reading, but in all cases should be taken as read and respected.

Lexington County School District One is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all students, parents/legal guardians, staff, visitors, personnel and community members who participate or seek to participate in its programs or activities. Therefore, the district does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or any related medical conditions), color, disability, age, genetic information, national origin or any other applicable status protected by local, state or federal law.

The district will use the grievance procedures set forth in policy to process complaints based on alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; and Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The district designates specific individuals to handle inquiries or complaints. To find out whom to contact and how to contact them, please go to our website at lexington1.net/contact-us.