Building Brighter Futures Together: NETC Partners with Marlboro County Schools

At Northeastern Technical College (NETC), we are proud to stand alongside the Marlboro County School District to create meaningful opportunities for students, even during challenging times.

In July 2025, the South Carolina Department of Education assumed control of the Marlboro County School District due to financial difficulties. While this intervention was necessary, NETC views this moment as an opportunity to step up, support the community, and ensure that students continue to have access to high-quality education and hands-on learning experiences.

Through this partnership, Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Early College students are learning in a state-of-the-art facility on NETC’s Marlboro Campus. Students have access to advanced resources, hands-on training, and real college-level experiences, all designed to prepare them for success in higher education and the workforce.

We recognize that there is still much work to be done. NETC is deeply grateful for the trust and support of parents, community members, and local leaders who have allowed us to take on this role. By stepping up, we are providing more than programs and classrooms. We are offering guidance, mentorship, and encouragement, helping students navigate uncertainty and giving families confidence in their children’s future.

This partnership reflects the strength of Marlboro County’s community. Together, we are transforming challenges into opportunities. Parents and local leaders have welcomed NETC’s involvement, allowing us to support students in ways that extend beyond academics.

Through mentoring, community events, and hands-on experiences, students are exploring their passions, discovering career paths, and building the skills and confidence they need to take bold steps toward their goals.



At NETC, we believe that education and community support are inseparable. By stepping up, we are helping to create a brighter future for every student, and we are proud to play a role in shaping the next generation of leaders, innovators, and skilled professionals. This partnership is just the beginning, and together, with families and the community, we are building lasting opportunities and stronger futures for Marlboro County students.

The NETC Nursing Department recently received a special gift from the Cheraw High School Electricity class, a custom overlay table for our simulation lab. This table will allow students to practice critical nursing skills in a realistic setting, giving them hands-on experience that prepares them for success in clinical environments.

The project was a true display of craftsmanship and generosity and highlights the power of partnerships between schools and the community. In recognition of their hard work, NETC was able to make a donation to the Cheraw High School Electricity class thanks to the support of the Betty Matheson Fund.



Collaborations like this not only enhance educational opportunities for NETC students but also strengthen connections within our community. We are grateful for the dedication, skill, and teamwork that made this project possible.

Students in Northeastern Technical College’s Microbiology course recently conducted a hands-on lab designed to reveal just how many microbes surround us in daily life. The exercise, called “Microbes in the Environment,” had each student swab both a body source and an environmental source. Samples were then inoculated on Petri plates and in nutrient broths to encourage microbial growth.

When students checked their results a week later, some surprising patterns emerged. The areas with the most microbial growth were:

1. Bottom of a shoe
2. Cell phone
3. Toilet
4. Mouth
5. Tongue

Meanwhile, the least growth appeared on samples from a bellybutton and a hand dryer.

The activity not only provided students with valuable laboratory skills but also reinforced the importance of microbiology in understanding the unseen world around us. By directly observing the presence of microbes, students gained a new perspective on everyday surfaces and the ways microorganisms impact human health and the environment.

Chesterfield’s Kathryn Johnson Named NETC Female Student Athlete of the Month

Chesterfield — Kathryn Johnson is a senior at Chesterfield High, where she earned all-region honors the past two seasons on the volleyball team plus the last four years all region honors with her club volleyball team. In her junior season at Chesterfield, she earned MVP honors and posted the Most Kills, Most Aces, and noted as Perfect Passer. She is looking forward to the start of her senior year volleyball season. 

Volleyball is her favorite sport and she started playing in the 6th Grade.  While she says volleyball is passion, she admits she “likes to play golf for fun.”

In the classroom she carries a 3.8 GPA and she has a strong desire to play volleyball at the next level.

While uncommitted to any school, she has talked to Mars Hill, Mt. Olive, and has visits planned for Coker and Wingate. The latter, she has already applied for admission.



For all her athletic and academic accomplishments, Johnson has been chosen the NETC Female Student Athlete of the Month.”

This honor is bestowed through a partnership between the Northeastern Technical College and “The High School Sports Report” with the publication communicating with athletic directors at high schools in the counties of Dillon, Marlboro, and Chesterfield, where NETC serves the needs of high school students seeking to earn dual credits in various subjects that can be transferred to colleges after a student’s high school graduation.

The NETC is currently offering over 44 online dual credit courses for the 2025-26 school year to students in the three counties they serve.

Johnson started taking NETC classes as a freshman and is currently enrolled in two dual credit online courses this semester. Courses she already completed include Spanish 101 and 102, Economics 101, Government, and Medical Terminology to name a few. She plans to take two more class next semester.

Johnson’s goal for college is majoring in Nursing and graduating as a Registered Nurse, then continue her studies to become a Nurse Practitioner in Dermatology.

She says she loves the online learning experience through NETC. Johnson said, “I feel like it’s gotten me a little smarter about the greater challenges of college level classes even though I’m currently taking honors level classes in high school.” Her key to time management with two school schedules, practice, games, and having a social life, she says “pick a day to complete the online class work, that leaves time for high school and sports, which leaves time to fill in with family and friends.”

Johnson said her favorite Chesterfield volleyball memory is from her sophomore year. “CHS went to the playoffs in 2023, we were playing really good and we had a great group of seniors mentoring the underclass players. That sticks with me, this year, I’m a senior and I hope to return that favor as a mentor to the younger players on this team.”

Chesterfield — Marquan Blount is a junior and two-sport athlete at Chesterfield High, where he is a three-year started on the football team. Plus, he is a member of the Track & Field team to help stay physically fit for the next football season. He is currently enrolled in his first semester of online classes with NETC.

On the football field, when he was a sophomore, he used his size, strength, and agility to outmaneuver his opponents that resulted in 2-3 pancakes a game. In his track and field efforts, his personal best for Discus is 84 meters and 35 meters for Shot Put. 

Going into his junior year, he’s looking to continue that strong performance on the football field and hopefully this will be his breakout season. Currently, his top three schools to play football for, after high school, are the University of North Carolina, Coastal Carolina, and the University of South Carolina.

In the classroom he carries a 3.856 GPA and he has a strong desire to play football at the next level.



For all his athletic and academic accomplishments, Blount has been chosen the NETC Male Student Athlete of the Month.”

This honor is bestowed through a partnership between the Northeastern Technical College and “The High School Sports Report” with the publication communicating with athletic directors at high schools in the counties of Dillon, Marlboro, and Chesterfield, where NETC serves the needs of high school students seeking to earn dual credits in various subjects that can be transferred to colleges after a student’s high school graduation.

The NETC currently offering over 44 online dual credit courses for the 2024-25 school year to students in the three counties they serve.

Blount says he is “currently enrolled in his first two dual credit online courses offered by the NETC.” They are Spanish 101 and Theater Arts. 2

Blount say he initially plans on majoring in Business in college.

When ask about the transition to taking online courses through the NETC, Blount says “I am getting prepared for what my actual experiences could be once I get to college”. When asked if the online experience is difficult to compared to high school work, he said, ‘it is good, it’s simple and challenging. I can email my teacher with questions, and they are very helpful.” 

Blount say is enjoying these two online courses, he plans on taking two more NETC next semester and continuing them next year.. Taking these classes, “it will get you credits you need in your first year and you will be better prepared for college.”

Taking two college level online classes, plus high school, and football practice is not the challenge he thought it would be. Blount says, “It’s important not to be lazy and you get your work done. It also helps that Chesterfield High provides ‘tech blocks” and my coaches support me in all the work for my studies.”

Blount has a favorite memory from this past football season. “We were playing against Johnsonville in the first game of the season. Head Coach Matt Quinn was in his first year and that game turned out to be our biggest game of the season. Our seniors were instrumental in pulling us together as a team, and it set the tone for the season that put us on a course to make the playoffs. This was memorable because the previous season, we won just two games.”

Northeastern Technical College - Dillon Campus is partnering with The Blood Connection to sponsor a blood drive on Tuesday, September 9 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Each donor will receive $40 in donor rewards! Each blood donation saves up to 3 lives! Donors need to be at least 16 years old (16-year-olds need a signed parental consent form !!! Electronic Parent Consent Form !!!), weigh at least 110 pounds, have a photo ID and be in general good health. 

Walk-ins are welcome but appointments will be honored first. 

Northeastern Technical College - Bennettsville Campus is partnering with The Blood Connection to sponsor a blood drive on Tuesday, September 9 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Each donor will receive $40 in donor rewards! Each blood donation saves up to 3 lives! Donors need to be at least 16 years old (16-year-olds need a signed parental consent form !!! Electronic Parent Consent Form !!!), weigh at least 110 pounds, have a photo ID and be in general good health. 

Walk-ins are welcome but appointments will be honored first.