District Five recognizes volunteers, businesses at annual Community Involvement Celebration
May 4, 2015
IRMO, SC – Lexington-Richland School District Five held its Community Involvement Celebration on May 1, saluting the hundreds of individuals, groups and businesses that serve the district’s schools.
Nearly 300 volunteers attended this year’s event at Spring Hill High School. District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner said volunteers play a key role in the district’s success.
“The question I get asked by my colleagues across the state frequently is ‘Just what is the secret sauce that makes District Five so great,’” Hefner said. “…It’s because we have great kids and great parents. We have wonderful teachers who are so laser-focused on teaching and learning and wonderful staff. And in addition to all of that, we have almost an unequal level of community support…You (volunteers) are the secret sauce in our district’s success.”
District Five Board Chairman Beth Hutchison added, “We know that the successes of each and every school in this district are because of you. You really do make a difference.”
Awards are presented during the annual event in several categories, including: Outstanding Volunteer, Outstanding Volunteer Group, Outstanding Mentor, Outstanding Business Partner and Outstanding Parent-Teacher Organization. This year’s Superintendent’s Volunteer Service Award was presented to Dr. Barbara Waldman, a past-chairman of the Irmo High SIC who has volunteered at several District Five schools.
“I believe in this district and in doing everything we can for our students, and I volunteer because it’s the most natural thing I can think of doing,” Waldman said. “It’s important that we give back to our students. The time that you give will be amplified tenfold in a way that affects the most important thing about our district: the students.”
District Five 2014-2015 Community Involvement Celebration awardees include:
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER:
Elementary
Rachel McFarland, Harbison West Elementary
Middle
Teresa Ward, CrossRoads Middle
High
Suzanne Tedder, Spring Hill High
VOLUNTEER GROUP OF THE YEAR:
Elementary
Watch D.O.G.S., Nursery Road Elementary
Middle
Girls Empowered to Lead, Chapin Middle
High
Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo, Irmo High
BUSINESS PARTNER OF THE YEAR:
Elementary
Theresa Miley (State Farm), H. E. Corley Elementary
Middle
Palmetto Health Baptist Parkridge, Chapin Middle
High
Dr. Jim Mensch, Spring Hill High
MENTOR OF THE YEAR:
Elementary
Dian Alston, Dutch Fork Elementary
Middle
Keith Overbay, CrossRoads Middle
High
Cindy Gleaton, Chapin High
PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR:
Elementary
PTO Board, Dutch Fork Elementary
Middle
PTO Board, CrossRoads Middle
High
IHS Band Booster, Irmo High
SUPERINTENDENT’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD
Dr. Barbara Waldman
Community Involvement Celebration: District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner talks to nearly 300 volunteers that attended the district’s Community Involvement Celebration on May 1. Awards are presented during the annual event in several categories, including: Outstanding Volunteer, Outstanding Volunteer Group, Outstanding Mentor, Outstanding Business Partner and Outstanding Parent-Teacher Organization.
Pictured: District Five 2014-2015 Superintendent’s Volunteer Service Award recipient Dr. Barbara Waldman, a past-chairman of the Irmo High SIC who has volunteered at several District Five schools. Lexington-Richland School District Five held its Community Involvement Celebration on May 1, saluting the hundreds of individuals, groups and businesses that serve the district’s schools.
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