Staff, students roll up their sleeves for first annual Irmo Community Pride Day
April 15, 2015
Educators say Irmo Community Pride Day was aimed at fostering school spirit, furthering community outreach efforts and giving students and staff an active, hands-on role in recent upgrades and beautification projects at Irmo High School.
In January, the international arts magnet school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open its new center for the arts, a facility that includes a 600-plus seat theater and gallery space for displaying student art. The construction project for Irmo High School also included new instructional space and other improvements, as part of a districtwide bond referendum voters passed in 2008.
“The recent upgrades at Irmo High School have helped sparked excitement and enthusiasm for our school and community,” said Irmo High School Principal David Riegel. “The aim of Irmo Community Pride Day was to continue the momentum and enthusiasm that currently surrounds the school. By having students and staff take an active, hands-on role in beautification projects and community service; we are demonstrating the proud past and bright future of Irmo High School and its partnership with the community.”
Around 20 members of the Irmo High School football team led a donation and food drive at a local grocery store as part of the day-long project. Items collected by the student-athletes will benefit the district’s Snack Pack program, which provides weekend food supplies to students in need.
“Through their efforts, we were able to collect well over $2,000 in Snack Pack food items and another $230 in cash to buy more,” said Stuart Stout, who leads the food program. “I wish everyone in the community had been lucky enough to see these young men showing how their parents, their coaches and their teachers have influenced them…and they have now influenced others.”
At the school, students and staff revitalized a memorial garden in the school courtyard, cleaned and polished the school’s trophies and display cases, and painted the school logo on driveways in front of the school. For students like Kayla McWhite and Ja’Deon Robinson, Irmo Community Pride Day was a chance to show true “school spirit.”
“I think it’s a great idea, and it’s important for us to show people that we care about our school and want to give back,” said McWhite, who spent the morning cleaning trophies with the rest of the Irmo High cheer team. “School spirit is about more than wearing the colors or even what you say. It’s about what you do and the respect that you have for your school…I was happy to do something small to make our school look good.”
“It’s kinda like my duty to the school,” said Robinson. “I’m in JROTC, and we learn all about duty and service…this is our way of serving our school. It’s a great school, and I think we owe a lot to it.”
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