A pair of teachers, who are miles apart, are using District Five's technology initiative to connect their classrooms, and their students!

Berry Shoals Intermediate School teacher Melinda Duckett and Beech Springs Intermediate School teacher Chelsey Grummell worked together to design a project that could allow their students to work collaborate, even though they're in different schools.  Using their laptops and the internet, students from Berry Shoals and Beech Springs worked with a website called "Talky" to complete a research assignment on key figures from the Harlem Renaissance.
Students were able to see and talk to each other online to complete the project, while making new friends at the same time!  It was a great collaborative effort! 

Great job, Berry Shoals and Beech Springs!

Thousands of our students will have a new book in their hands, thanks to the generosity of District Five staff members, and the Teacher Forum.

Through a recent book drive organized by the Forum, District Five teachers, staff and community members donated more than 3,000 books to benefit area children!

The Teacher Forum coordinated the book drive with Middle Tyger Community Center, and head of District Five Family Ministries, Lyn Turner.  Forum president Marisa Neumann and member Sunshine Furner delivered the books to Middle Tyger this week, and presented them to the center's executive board.

Thank you to all those who donated to this wonderful cause!

Several Byrnes High School seniors are on the road to success, after signing scholarships to bring their athletic talent to the college playing field.

Six Byrnes students officially accepted scholarship offers Wednesday, as part of a spring "Signing Day" event at the school.

Those signing scholarships included:
Kayce Shelton (Softball:  Converse College), Malik Epps (Cross Country/Track:  Clemson University), Devin Dexter (Football:  Newberry College), Parker Malone (Soccer:  Spartanburg Methodist College), Samantha Dieguez (Cheerleading:  Limestone College), and Jamarris Adair (Track:  Coker College).

These students bring the scholarship total for Byrnes athletes this year to more than $1.5 million.

Congratulations and good luck to these talented student athletes!

Six Byrnes High School students are on their way to careers in the classroom, after being named South Carolina Teaching Fellows!

The students, all members of Rhonda Dodson's Teacher Cadet program at Byrnes, went through a rigorous selection and interview process to earn the scholarship.

The students selected as Fellows include:
Kat Arnold, Tanisha Berry, Kayla Henderson, Katelynn Kitts, Annika Pregenzer, and Mallory Turner.

The program provides each student a $24,000 scholarship, given they commit to teaching in South Carolina schools for four years following graduation.

Congratulations to these future educators!  We are proud of you!

If you visit Duncan Elementary in the future, you might see a beautiful new addition to the school grounds!

This spring, the school received a grant from the Spartanburg County Foundation providing an "artist in residence" to work with and teach Duncan students.  In this case, the artist was funded to come in and create a beautiful sculpture that Duncan could display on its campus.

Fourth grade students had the opportunity to work with Bob Doster, a local artist, and their art teacher, Travis Galloway, to create self-portraits in a unique way that will last for many years to come.

Students used a plasma cutter to create their self-portraits, which Doster then welded to make the final masterpiece!

The sculpture was deliver to the school Thursday, and will soon be displayed on the campus for students, parents, and the entire community to see.  Great job, Duncan students!

Students at Wellford Academy recently laced up their running shoes for the chance at a scholarship!

Students in each grade competed in the school's annual "Pacer Challenge", a program that encourages students to run, and compete for the most "laps completed". 

A boy and girl from each grade who completed the most laps won a scholarship to participate in D5 cross country this fall!  Coach Tim Thigpen and Byrnes High School runner Malik Epps were on hand to present the scholarships.

Students honored were:
Ella Zhuk, Anna Trizzino, Cameron Godfrey, Alexis Tyler, John Parker Trizzino, Darion Griffin, Trey Dean, and Angelina Ukhaneva.

Keep racing, Wellford students!

Second graders at River Ridge Elementary School went on a super safari adventure this week!  Students and teachers traveled to Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo, where they got to see a variety of animals like lions, koalas, and meerkats!  Some students even got to hand feed the zoo's giraffes!

During part of their explorations, they participated in a class and learned how animals transfer energy through the circle of life.  During the class, students were able to pet live animals, like a centipede, hedgehog, turtle and a blue-tongued skink.

Now, the 2nd graders are eager to visit again!

Disney characters Simba and Mufasa recently came to life at the District Five Fine Arts Center recently! 
Students at Beech Springs Intermediate School brought the Disney classic "The Lion King" to stage before a packed crowd.

Fellow students were able to attend in the morning, with parents and community members filling up the auditorium for an evening performance.

Bravo, Beech Springs!

The Byrnes High School  AFJROTC Drill Team has some new hardware after a recent competition!

The team competed at the Top Gun Drill State Championship last weekend, battling 21 other high schools and 35 mph wind gusts at McEntire Air National Guard Base.

The Rebel Storm took home first place in the Unarmed Flight Regulation competition and 2nd place in the Armed Individual Regulation competition!

Please help us congratulate the following cadets for their achievements:

Jaysun Bunner, Kaylia Capell, Morgan Carstensen, Nathaniel Cash, Auburn Collins, Jared Daniels, Katelyn Gilbert, Shayla Goode, Erin Hackney, Sophia Kinsella, Jade Krankowsky, Erin Lee, Brandon Schrum, and Alyssia Surrett.

Way to go!

Students at Reidville Elementary School recently got a glimpse at the future, and what they want to be one day!  The school celebrated "Career Day", with different visitors from the community.  Students were able to meet an engineer, animal control officer, doctor, artist, and much more!

Students also got in on the fun by dressing up as what they might want to be in their career.

Great job, Reidville!