Student with Hampton County roots chosen as state winner
Barnwell, S.C. {April 25, 2023} – The South Carolina Career Development Association (SCCDA) announced the state winners of their 2023 National Career Development Association Poetry & Art Contest, all of whom will now compete in the national competition. Barnwell School District 45 would like to congratulate Reid Barker for being the state winner in the 9th through 12th-grade division.
Reid represented the Barnwell County Career Center (BCCC) in the contest and her entry was sponsored by BCCC Guidance Counselor Mercedes Walker.
Reid Barker, a senior at Barnwell High School, plans to attend the College of Charleston in the fall to pursue a degree in Biochemistry. She is scheduled to deliver the Valedictorian address to her fellow classmates on May 26, 2023, as the top academic performer in the class of 2023.
Reid Barker is the granddaughter of Buddy and Joanne Phillips of Hampton and the late Owen and Margie Barker.
As a state winner, Reid received a certificate and a gift card, as well as having her poem shared statewide. Reid’s poem focused on her future ambition to be in the medical field. Her poem can be read below in its entirety.
The Cycle of NursingFrom the first time you put on a baggy pair of scrubs to "play pretend" on your stuffed animalsThat's when love grew.A love for always asking questionsA love to take care of othersA love for helping others in needThat love transforms into ambition.An ambition to take rigorous classesAn ambition that drives you to apply to competitive programsAn ambition that is the key component that gets you an acceptance letterThen comes determination.Determination that pushes you through grueling hours of studyingDetermination that allows you to persevere through 6 AM clinicalsDetermination that will earn you a degreePassion follows determination.Passion which tells you to never give up on a patientPassion is what motivates you to always do betterPassion is what you need to get through what seems like a never-ending shiftAlong comes dedication.Dedication is what allows you to leave all the hardships of your day at the front doorDedication to a profession in which sickness and death will surround youDedication is what keeps you goingNevertheless, problems will persist…Complications will arise,Obstacles will stand in the way of success,And doubt will rear its ugly head.It takes grace to overcome.Grace to lift yourself up, when fearfulGrace to admit when you make mistakesGrace which follows you as you walk the floors of a hospital andTo the time where you put back on those scrubs from earlier that suddenly fit and get ready to save a life.
Reid is the daughter of Rusty and Missy Barker. According to them, “Reid is so smart, so determined and very creative. Words cannot express how proud we are of her accomplishments on the high school level. Ultimately, Reid is the best child we could have ever hoped for.”
Reid’s mother is also a long-time educator in Barnwell School District 45.
“Reid’s poem was so touching as it described so well the medical field, including the joys and challenges one will face when choosing that career path,” said BSD45 Superintendent Dr. Crissie Stapleton. “Reid’s poem truly embodied the love and passion a medical professional must have, and we are so proud of her as she moves forward to begin her studies in the medical field.”
Barnwell School District 45 applauds Reid’s accomplishments and future plans. According to Barnwell High School Principal Franklin McCormack, “Reid embodies the true spirit of a Barnwell Warhorse. She is well rounded and humble but make no mistake about it – she’s also very determined to succeed on the highest level regardless of the academic or extracurricular activity she is pursuing.”
TCL graduates more than 300 students
Beaufort County native Rufus Pinckney honored with Presidential Medallion
The Technical College of the Lowcountry graduated 321 students at its annual commencement ceremony held Friday, May 12, at Beaufort’s Waterfront Park.
Students earned certificates, diplomas and associate degrees from more than 60 programs of study including nursing, computer technology, early care and education, business administration, culinary arts and many more.
Upon graduating, students also have the distinction of becoming college alumni, TCL President Dr. Richard Gough noted. He went on to say that while many alumni further their education at four-year colleges and universities, most would remain and work in the area.
“They keep our hospitals, our construction companies, small businesses, law firms and everything in between running,” he said. “TCL alumni are the fabric of this community.”
Also graduating on Friday were dual enrollment students, or high school students enrolled at TCL and working toward a certificate, degree or diploma. Of the more than 300 TCL graduates, 43, or 13% of TCL’s class of 2023 were dual enrollment students – the largest number to date.
Tori White, one such student, served as the commencement’s student speaker. A senior at Whale Branch Early College High School, White was chosen from a pool of candidates who applied for the honor.
White earned an Associate Degree in Arts and an Associate Degree in Science from TCL. She also earned a Certificate in Arts/General Education and a Certificate in Arts/Liberal Arts Core – also while at TCL. She plans to attend South Carolina State University in the fall. Ultimately, she would like to go on to medical school and specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, she said.
“My career goal …is to one day be able to provide accurate information to assist women of color with their health,” she said.
Beaufort County School District Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, who served as commencement speaker for the ceremony, commended White on her career aspirations and spoke about the importance of education and what it has meant to him personally.
“The education that you receive here empowers you to chart your own course and make a positive impact in our community,” he said.
Rufus Pinckney
TCL’s Presidential Medallion was also revealed and awarded at Friday’s ceremony. Each year, the Presidential Medallion recognizes a distinguished community leader who exhibits enthusiasm, integrity and perseverance beyond the ordinary to help build a better and stronger community.
This year’s honor went to Rufus Pinckney, President of the Mather School Coastal/Lowcountry & Alumni Chapter. A Sheldon native, Pinckney also serves as Board Chairman for the Mather Interpretive Center in Beaufort and serves on the Board of Directors for the TCL Foundation.
Pinckney graduated from Robert Smalls High School in 1967 and attended Mather Jr. College, which was located on what is now TCL’s Beaufort Mather Campus. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Savannah State University in 1972 and went on to work at the International Paper Corporation in Savannah, Georgia, retiring in 2015 after 46 years on the job.
Pinckney has a passion for working with community leaders and organizations that have a mission to enhance and enrich the lives of those around them.
About TCL
The Technical College of the Lowcountry is the region’s primary provider of higher education and workforce training. The public, two-year, multi-campus community college serves approximately 5,000 students annually. TCL has campuses in Beaufort, Bluffton and Hampton and serves Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties. For more information visit www.tcl.edu.
Jonathan C. Vickery, Publisher / Owner of The People-Sentinel, contributed to this article.