SCASC Winning Projects
Below is a description of the projects submitted that were named
SCASC Projects of the Year at the 2009 state convention.
Middle School Winners | High School Winners
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT WINNERS
Mock Election – Bates Middle School
Voters lined up, getting voting instructions from professionally dressed poll workers, every worker intent on doing their best to make the crucial election successful and efficient. Votes were cast using computerized polling software, the results available immediately and announced to the eagerly waiting audience. This was the scene at Bates Middle School as the student council conducted an overwhelming successful school-wide mock election on November 4, 2008. Student council members manned the polls, performing all the duties from voter registration through the voting process, concluding with giving out the “I Voted” stickers when the voters were done. Voting was conducted electronically using media center computers. The student council members were the on-scene experts, guiding both school staff and their classmates through the process and making sure that everyone’s vote counted. To ensure everyone’s inclusion in the process, including special needs students, student council poll workers provided paper ballots to students unable to participate in the computerized voting. The mock election mimicked the national election in the selection of candidates and included a referendum on changing the school dress code. This referendum familiarized the students with the process in which governments accept or reject a proposal, and involved the students directly in the decision making process at their school. This referendum displays the power of student government in action; each vote counting towards the school wide decision. During this election 687 students cast their ballots, with student government at the forefront of this display of the democratic process in action.
Black History Month – Dutch Fork Middle School
Each year, the Student Council of Dutch Fork Middle School organizes the school's Black History Month events. In order for the events to be successful, everyone must participate, and we do mean everyone! We invite participation from the students, faculty and staff. We provide a detailed plan, with opportunities for every discipline in our school. We have a door-decorating contest among our homerooms, and we have Fine Arts teachers, support staff and one of our administrators to serve as judges. They are given rubrics and have to vote on the winners for each hall. The winners are announced. Ribbons are awarded to the winning dens/homerooms and candy is given to all participating homerooms. The decorated doors are featured on our school's webpage. We work with our Media Center to provide and announce questions everyday for the Black History Month Trivia Contest. Students place their names and answers in boxes in the Media Center. Students are encouraged to use the computers and books to find the answers. There is a daily winner for each grade level. Daily winners are drawn and receive certificates and candy bars! The questions/answers are posted on our school web page for the entire community! We play African-American music, like Motown and jazz on Fridays in the cafeteria. We also work with our cafeteria manager to offer African-American/Southern Cooking dishes, like black-eyed peas and sweet potatoes. Everybody loves these events and participation is high!
Groundhog Job Shadow Day – Dutch Fork Middle School
Working in conjunction with the GCDF coordinator at DFMS, the Student Council served as the primary pool of candidates to job shadow state government officials. Student council members completed applications to participate. Feedback on the members was collected from each of their teachers to rate their performances in class and within Student Council. The Student Council members who were selected had to attend an orientation with our GCDF Kama Staton, who reviewed the behavorial expectations and shared insight with our members as to what they would experience. The Student Council members shadowed everyone from Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, Superintendent Jim Rex, and other leaders from our state government.
Student Council leaders wrote and presented reports on their experiences to the Student Council body and to the student body. Their reports and pictures are displayed outside of our Guidance Office in the school. The purpose of the exercise is to allow the students to view how leadership skills are utilized in the workplace, especially in state government. Job skills in the real world and the requirements to succeed and the desire to serve others were shared during these experiences. These are the skills that Student Council members hone everyday.
This Is Our Night – Alice Drive Middle School
There were four eight graders in the special needs classes and this was going to be their last year attending ADMS before embarking upon the high school. We wanted to say “Thank You” to this extraordinary group of students that helped with many of our activities. We decided to sponsor the students at our Blue and White Ball. A parent volunteered to style the young ladies’ hair. A teacher provided the tuxedos. Pauline Florist donated the corsages and boutonnieres. Job’s Limousine Service provided transportation, a limousine and chauffeur. Lifetouch Photography provided portraits.
On May 23, 2008, the driver began his journey by picking up the students from their homes. Each guest was presented and pinned with a corsage or boutonniere. The chauffeur reached his destination with our precious and special deliveries. The chauffeur got out of the limousine and opened the passengers’ doors. He extended his hand to the young ladies and escorted them out of the limousine. We were greeted with big smiles, two beautiful young ladies and two gentlemen. We could sense the excitement and joy that the students felt as Superintendent Dr. Zona Jefferson, teachers, and students gathered to welcome our guests. Several students escorted our guests to the Hawk Rock Café, where these students danced the night away.
This was an enjoyable and memorable occasion for our guests, student council members, and students.
Board Appreciation – Alice Drive Middle School
School Board Appreciation Week was scheduled for the week of January 26, 2009. Our school board representative was Mrs. Hattie Watson. Student Council decided to honor our guest with a luncheon which was held on Thursday, January 29, 2009, in the multi-purpose room. Upon arrival to school, our guest was greeted by Jon Dial, our student body treasurer, and was given a tour of our facility by Student Council. She visited the classes and interacted with the students. After the tour, Mrs. Watson was escorted to the multi-purpose room. Matt Holloman, student body president, welcomed our honored guest and she was presented and pinned with a beautiful corsage. Our spotlight focused on the whole curriculum--academics, related arts classes, extracurricular activities, and sponsored clubs. Our Strings Ensemble provided entertainment for the luncheon. Next, Mrs. Watson heard from the Voices of ADMS which consisted of representatives from our student body. The representatives introduced themselves and gave a brief summary of the learning experiences, and events within their domain. Mrs. Watson was given an opportunity not only to listen to the Voices of ADMS but to view samples of the students’ work. Our cafeteria manager prepared a delicious meal for the event. Student Council members served our guest, administrators, and teachers. Mrs. Watson shared with us the duties and responsibilities of our school board members. She thanked Student Council and students for their hospitality and stressed the importance of education and striving for excellence. This was an awesome experience for our students.
Be My Valentine – Alice Drive Middle School
Our goal for the project was for Student Council to present a Valentine’s card with a lollipop to every student at ADMS. Also each student was given the opportunity to show the spirit of love and caring for their friends, classmates, and teachers by purchasing and sending cupid grams, balloons, and carnations. The Valentine’s Committee members passed out packets to the homerooms which consisted of information sheets, ordering forms, and envelopes. During homeroom and the three lunch periods, students filled out order forms and paid for their items. The prices ranged from fifty cents (.50) to two-dollars ($2.00).The profits from the project were used to purchase items such as lollipops, red paper, and ribbon that was needed to fulfill our goal of presenting each student with a Valentine’s card and lollipop. The members made and folded 690 cards and attached lollipops to the cards. Every student has his/her name written on a Valentine’s card stating that the card was sent from “A Friend”. It was obvious that from “A Friend” was Student Council.
On Friday, February 13th, Student Council members wrapped the carnations, made and attached candy bags to the balloons. The treats were delivered and students returned to homerooms to pick up their Valentine’s treats. Homeroom officers distributed the items that were ordered and the Valentine’s cards from “A Friend”.
HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT WINNERS
General Pride – Wade Hampton High School
At the start of the school year, we began the process of applying to be Palmetto’s Finest school. The student council supported the effort, along with administrators, teachers, and various community members, in reaching our goal of being the best school in the state. Student council had members on the committees in charge of writing the application that won us a visit. Through this process, we felt so much pride in Wade Hampton, and truly began to understand how wonderful our school really was.
The application won us a visit from the judges, which was another chance for us to show pride in our school. Our council made signs and greeted the visitors at the front door. The successful visit made us a finalist for the award, and we began preparing for a second visit. Again, council members were waiting at the front door for the visiting team with a huge sign and a greeting. Our principal, Mr. Radford wanted to include student council in the final event of the process. We were invited to ride the bus to Columbia to be present when the finalist was named. Student council was thrilled, and thirty members went to the ceremony armed with posters, noisemakers, and an abundance of school pride. It is hard to put into words the amount of pride we all felt in that auditorium. We were cheering, and Mr. Radford beamed when he entered the room and the council began chanting “Radford, Radford, Radford!” WE WERE SO PROUD! The winning high school was announced and we were stunned to hear that it wasn’t Wade Hampton. We sat through the rest of the program, cheering for a Greenville County elementary school that won. Our dejection was short-lived. By the time we got to the bus, we decided that the people who made the decision must have been wrong. WE ARE PALMETTO’S FINEST! We cheered all the way home, and discovered that even though we didn’t win, we had found a pride in our Wade Hampton Generals that we had not known before.
Scavenger Hunt – Wade Hampton High School
Every year, student council organizes a canned food drive for the Salvation Army. We had noticed a drop in participation over the last two years. Our students started brainstorming and came up with doing a scavenger hunt for food items. Students met in the front of the school and received their list of items to be collected. Items were worth a certain number of points. Each club was trying to earn the most points. Student went to the houses of their friends and families to collect whatever they had in their refrigerators and pantries. We are sure a few ran to the Piggly Wiggly for a few items, but the point was to donate to the charity what we could. Students only had two hours to collect items. We had four clubs participate for the “bragging rights” to being the winner. The Interact Club won with the Key Club coming in second. All total we collected over 500 cans of food, about 10 turkeys, two hams, and many bags of rice and pasta. We found this to be a great success and plan to do it again this coming school year.
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Dodgeball Intramurals – Richland Northeast High School
2009 Dodgeball Intramurals started in February and lasted until the beginning of March. Games were played every Tuesday and Thursday, during lunch. There were two games per day, played in the gymnasium, each lasting about eight minutes. The dodgeball games were open to all Richland Northeast students and no admission was charged. Students were given the opportunity to form teams of at least five students that would compete in the games. They were required to create a team name and each of the team members also had to have their fees paid in order to participate. In addition to completing the registration form and paying their fees, teams were also required to read all the rules listed and provide signatures agreeing to abide by the regulations. Registration cost was $15.00; the money was used to buy medallions for the winning team. Dodgeball Intramurals was such a big hit that student government decided to cap- off this well-loved spectator sport with a ultimate dodgeball championship between captains of the teams and faculty members. The game was publicized through flyers and guest appearances made by the teachers and students on the morning news show. Admission of one canned good or 50 cents was charged to get into the game. The student versus faculty game was also a huge success! Through this recreational activity Student Senate raised $325 and over 100 canned goods for God’s store house while simultaneously promoting school enjoyment and unity.
Prom Promise – Airport High School
Each year on the Wednesday before the senior prom, Student Government plans a Drinking and Driving Awareness Assembly for seniors. Representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving as well as from the other agencies such as the SC Highway Department deliver motivational and informative speeches on the dangers of drinking and driving. This year, our main speaker was a victim of drunk driver. Barely able to stand and laboring to talk, he spoke of how on his senior year in high school he was hit by a drunk driver. Not expected to live, he spent months and months in the hospital, having to learn how to speak and walk all over again. This young man had a full scholarship to attend USC and was going to be a lawyer. Now, he has to be dependent on others for survival. After the assembly, each student is given the chance to sign the Prom Promise Pledge. Those who sign also receive key chains and t-shirts. Since doing the Prom Promise Program, no student at AHS has been lost to drinking and driving on prom night.
Thursday Third Block Throw Down – Airport High School
During our annual Charity Drive Week to raise money for Camp Kemo, Student Government sponsors a “telethon” competition between third period classes on Thursday of the week. The student body president and the principal act as emcees and use the public address system to encourage classes to gather their money and take it to the “headquarters” – the student activities’ director room. As the money comes in the emcees announce who has turned in what, who is in the lead, and how much has been turned in. The top three classes bringing in the most money during the 90 minute period get a pizza/cookie party. This past year, AHS raised $16,000 during the Thursday Third Block Throw Down.
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Senior Citizens Prom – Pelion High School
PHS hosted a Senior Citizens Prom. Student Council members danced the evening away with local Seniors to some oldies. Student Council members also preformed for the Seniors and taught them to do the ‘Cupid Shuffle’. Students also interacted with the Seniors over some light snacks. At the end of the dance a Prom King and Queen were crowned. The students and the Seniors had a great time being able to tell stories about their High School experiences and share time together. The video produced showed a montage of the evening’s events including the King/ Queen Dance.
Holiday Giving Assembly – Chapin High School
After the eye opening experience of viewing the Corridor of Shame documentary, our Student Government was certain we wanted to devote our fund-raising efforts for the fall semester to somehow help a SC in need school. We contacted Bud Ferillo, the producer of the documentary to inquire ways to help. After considering several options, we decided to adopt East Elementary School. The principal was delighted and helped to identify specific items needed. Our list included coats and outerwear, underwear, books, school supplies, book bags, and hygiene products. The Student Government designated an item for each individual school clubs to collect. The student body president also challenged the students of CHS to raise $10,000.
This goal seemed to stretch initially, but many fund-raisers along with the outpouring of monetary donations came together to help us reach our goal. Throughout the next few months, students had a movie night, passed donations buckets at football games, held a student v. teacher volleyball tournament, and sold Chick-fil-a biscuits. In December, the senior students of student government took a day trip to visit East Elementary School’s principal with a $10,000 check and other contributions at our annual Holiday Giving Assembly. She immediately took the coats back to her school to distribute before the holidays and additional trucks were sent back to CHS in the days following the assembly to retrieve the several boxes of donated items.
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