Goose Creek Students 'Turn It Around,' Recognized for Hard Work

Berkeley County School District recognized students in the district and in the Goose Creek area who — after facing challenges and barriers— have made the conscious choice to adopt a positive attitude towards his or her education and fully commit to pursuing a successful future.

They were recognized recently by the district. 

Here are the turn-around students from the Goose Creek area:

Christopher Myers, Cane Bay Middle

Christopher’s behavior and attitude in school has vastly improved over the course of the school year. While he was never a student who caused any incidents, he just seemed to always be involved in some small way. His grades at the beginning of the school year reflected a young man who just wanted to do the bare minimum to pass. By the beginning of basketball season, he was in danger of failing. As a result, he was removed from the team and missed almost half of the season. Chris recognized that his path was not leading in the direction he desired. He began to work hard to pull up his grades and isolated himself from situations that could cause trouble. Chris now exudes the high standards of Cane Bay Middle. He has rejoined the team, and when the season ended, his good work continued. He possesses rare leadership abilities and has proven himself to be a fantastic student and athlete. 

Austin Pabon, College Park Middle 

Impressive! That is the first word that comes to mind when College Park teachers reflect on Austin’s achievement this year. Last year, the young man’s sixth grade year was a bit rocky. He struggled with classroom behavior, was often disruptive in class, and struggled academically. He did not seem to take school seriously, and had very little motivation to complete work to the best of his ability. Austin has depicted a different side this school year. He advocates for himself and asks administration to monitor his behavior and school work. He checks in each morning with an assistant principal, and checks out each afternoon. On a normal day, Austin achieves 100 percent of his points. His teachers have reported that Austin is a wonderful addition to their classrooms 3and has maintained positive behavior in all classes. When he feels that he may have a bad day, he is very quick to inform his teachers so that accommodations can be made to help him make good decisions. Austin is truly deserving of this honor. 

Paul Mitchell, Hanahan Middle

Paul exemplifies how powerful a positive attitude and hard work can be. He came to Hanahan Middle School late in the year, in November. He had failing grades in math, science, and was barely passing ELA. He was getting in trouble often at school and at home. At Hanahan, Paul came in with a positive attitude and a desire to change. He expressed he wanted a fresh start and was willing to work both academically and behaviorally. Paul is now excelling in all of his classes. He attends after-school tutoring and is always looking for suggestions for improvement. He is a positive role model to his peers. Students and teachers often ask Paul to perform one of his rap songs, as he is very entertaining and he loves to rap! Paul is a valuable member of the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Club and is proud to be a Hanahan Hawk. It is just the beginning for this phenomenal young man, as he continues to show improvement in his classes and plans to play on the football and basketball teams next year. 

Kalyn Drinkwater, Marrington Middle School of the Arts

Kalyn has made tremendous improvements in academics, behavior, and attitude since beginning Marrington Middle School of the Arts in the sixth grade. Once boisterous and unfocused, Kalyn is now a self-controlled, determined young lady who is planning on attending college. She is described as her teachers as kind, attentive, and always smiling. She shows initiative in the classroom and is a very hard worker who takes her grades seriously. She displays creativity, humor, and good judgment. Kalyn’s progress can be seen in the classroom, in her relationships at school and at home, and in her pursuits outside of the classroom, including dance. She continues to stay focused on the future, and the sky is truly the limit for this young woman! 

Joshua Brown, Sangaree Middle 

When Josh Brown started the school year, the school faculty expressed concerns regarding his attitude towards school and authority. He was often involved in conflicts and seemed disinterested in his studies. Josh has made tremendous improvements in both his behavior and academic pursuits. He now comes to class each day, ready to learn. He raises his hand to ask and answer questions and responds appropriately to adults when asked to correct any misbehavior. The changes in his behavior and attitude have been reflected in his grades and his relationships with others. He has made better choices and has greatly improved with his respect towards authority. The staff of Sangaree Middle is very proud of this young man and is excited to see him accomplish his goals and dreams. 

Joy Huger, Sedgefield Middle 

Joy had a rough start at the beginning of the school year. She had difficulty responding respectfully to the adults around her and struggled both academically and in her social interactions with others. However, Joy has committed herself to turning education around. She is respectful to her peers and the school administration, and she has become very dedicated to her school work. She is a very smart young lady, whose work is paying off. In the third quarter, she made the A/B honor roll. Joy asks for help when she has conflicts and is able to stop herself before making poor choices. The school is very proud of her, and the staff has greatly enjoyed watching her blossom into a responsible, respectful young lady.

Bianca Baker, Westview Middle

Westview Middle students are encouraged to be proactive and be “doers.” After overcoming struggles, Bianca has taken this philosophy to heart. Bianca was on probation when she came to Westview Middle. She had been expelled the previous year but saw the new school as a chance to begin anew. From day one, she has worked to maintain her grades. She has been a model student and has had no referrals. After the first nine weeks, she was one grade shy of participating in the academic celebration. Bianca approached a school staff member and asked what she needed to do to make this honor the following quarter. With the incentive of receiving two popsicles, Bianca accomplished her goal and has not missed the list since. She has also worked to improve the culture of caring at Westview. Not a day goes by without her checking on how the school’s administrative team is doing. She brightens everyone’s day, and the school is a better place because of her attitudes and actions. 

Brookelynn Doctor, Cane Bay High

In the past four years, Brookelynn has made great progress in the classroom and personally. She now exhibits strong character, a positive attitude and respect for others. As an athlete, she has become a positive leader and role model for her younger teammates. She has become very involved in JROTC as a flight commander. Brookelynn continues to inspire everyone around her, including the teaching staff at the school. Her grades are better than they have ever been and has major plans to attend military college and join the air force. 

Steven “Blair” Mills, Cane Bay High

Blair has not always been academically successful during his two and a half years at Cane Bay. At the beginning of his junior year, his attendance & punctuality were poor. In fact, during his freshman and sophomore years, he was failing several classes. But things have changed. With a lot of hard work and dedication, Blair has seen his average improve by 20 points. He strives to maintain good attendance, and serves as a leader and tutor to his peers. He has not allowed any limitations to stop him from obtaining his goals, and he is on course to receive his high school diploma. 

Emmanuel “Manny” Alcantara, Goose Creek High

Manny started high school at Timberland High in the fall of 2008. During his freshmen year, he earned 4 credits and he transferred to Goose Creek in August of 2009 as a sophomore. During his sophomore year, he had numerous discipline referrals for disturbing class, cutting school, and getting into physical and verbal altercations with other students. He was expelled and earned no credits for that school year. In 2011, with only seven high school credits, he was a new person and finished the year by earning all eight credits for that year. As a fifth year senior, Manny has needed nine credits to graduate. He has been successful in completing an Evening High School requirement and is making As and Bs in his classes. He will graduate GCHS on May 31, 2013. Mike Bender, an English teacher at the school, taught Manny in the tenth grade and again this year. In an essay that Manny wrote for Mr. Bender’s class this year, the student wrote that after getting kicked out of school and getting in trouble with the law, he felt disappointed for letting his mom down. That was his turning point. He worked hard to stay out of trouble and never thought about selling drugs again. He came back to school focused and on track to graduate. Manny is an inspiration to his classmates and his teachers. 

Antoinette “Nettie” Young, Goose Creek High

Nettie has had a great deal of turmoil in her personal life. Below is a brief description of some of the challenges she has confronted. “At age 12, I was put in the system of statistics of kids born into poverty who never make it out. With no father figure, I looked up to the people around me—drug dealers, robbers and gangbangers. I soon fell into the life they portrayed and began to go down the wrong road. By the age of 14, I had been shot at, robbed, and jumped. In my freshman year of high school, I had lost all hope for a better future and I had lost all hope for myself.” During her freshman year, Nettie only earned two credits and had a long list of disciplinary infractions that included tardies, truancy, cutting class, fighting, and a disorderly conduct charge. She was placed on school probation. She started the tenth grade with similar disciplinary issues, but they soon became fewer and fewer. With the love and support of her mentor Mrs. Deese and this hard, hard work, Nettie has changed her life. Nettie started passing her classes and turned herself around. She has been accepted to her first choice of colleges and is committed to overcoming every obstacle in her way.

Raekwon Ricardo, Hanahan High

Raekwon has made a huge turnaround in a very short amount of time. Like many students, he had a bad case of “senioritis” before the beginning of the second semester. In fact, he did not attend school for the first few days of the semester and proceeded to miss days for several weeks. However, with a little prodding, Raekwon came around. He promised to come to school each day and—with only one exception—maintained that vow. Spanish teacher Lieu Stoddart describes Raewon as having played the role of “cool cat” in the past, often hiding his intelligence. He is an extremely smart young man who has overlooked his potential at different times in his life but who has managed to commit to a bright future. He made up an abundance of missed work from excessive absences. And he has continued to spend his lunch with teacher s in order to catch up. In the second semester, he has made mostly As and Bs and has maintained a positive attitude. He is staying focused on the upcoming graduation. 

Ebony Campbell, Stratford High

Ebony came to Stratford at the beginning of the school year from the Bronx. She had not done well academically at her previous school, failing several classes in her freshmen and sophomore years. She wanted to make a new start at Stratford and it has been. She is excelling in her classes, has maintained a positive attitude, and continued to make new friends. One teacher commented that Ebony is truly a delight to have in class and possesses a rare ability to bring others together. When getting ready for a group performance for Greek Theatre, she welcomed two younger students into her group. Ebony has plans to go to school to become a nurse and is constantly strategizing about which classes will best prepare her for her future. Ebony will graduate and be tremendously successful in her career. 

Jalisa Sewell, Stratford High

Jalisa has grown to be a responsible, emphatic, and caring individual, who is focused on her academic studies and future. During the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school year, Jalisa was known by some of her peers as being hot-tempered. She was expelled from the school and sent to the Alternative High School for fighting and excessive rules violations. She was failing multiple classes, making it impossible for her to graduate on time. It appeared that she was on a bleak pathway… how wrong that perception was… In August 2012, Jalisa and her mother met with Principal Lopes and a school guidance counselor to discuss whether she should be readmitted to Stratford. It was an unforgettable meeting. Jalisa was very upset and disappointed about being placed on academic probation. She knew it was a chance for a new beginning, and it was. She committed herself to her studies and met with the counselor frequently to confer with decision-making. As time progressed, Jalisa became more confident and independent. Jalisa has had NO referrals this school year and has completed evening classes. She has a strong B average and continues to exhibit great inner beauty and is on course for greatness.