Western South Carolina Schools Prepare Students for Innovative Futures
In Western South Carolina, students are not just preparing for the future; they are helping shape it through innovative academic and training programs. Western South Carolina schools are pioneering holistic educational strategies to equip students for success in college, military service and various career fields.
Casting a Wide Career Net
Aiken County Public Schools is at the forefront of this innovation with its career-based thematic programs, which provide students with diverse, hands-on learning opportunities aimed at preparing them for real-world careers.
For example, Wagener-Salley High School, which is scheduled to open in a new building in 2025, offers the Academy of Leadership & Military Science, where students engage in military history classes, participate in military drills and physical fitness activities, and learn valuable study skills.
Silver Bluff High School in Aiken features an Advanced Studies Academy of Technology, Engineering & Arts, offering rigorous courses in cybersecurity, computer programming and engineering. Aiken High School is the state’s first Cambridge International-affiliated high school and focuses on an international curriculum.
“All students are capable of achieving success if given the appropriate amount of support within the academic setting. The ability to truly know each and every one of our students allows educators to provide personalized learning experiences to help them grow,” says Matthew Shepler, principal of Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/High School, which offers a comprehensive agriculture science program.
“Many of our graduates end up graduating from college in just two years and then enter the workforce earlier, which can put them at an advantage.”
Martha Messick, principal of Aiken Scholars Academy
Testing Academic Mettle
All the district’s high schools also offer advanced placement courses and dual enrollment partnerships with the region’s two higher education institutions, Aiken Technical College and the University of South Carolina Aiken.
In fact, the district broke ground on a new Career and Technical Center housed on Aiken Tech’s campus in 2024. The facility will replace the current center and nearly double classroom and workspace to make room for growing career and technical education (CTE) programs. University of South Carolina Aiken hosts the district’s Aiken Scholars Academy, an academically competitive high school.
“Many of our graduates end up graduating from college in just two years and then enter the workforce earlier, which can put them at an advantage,” says Martha Messick, principal of Aiken Scholars Academy. “Plus, our small enrollment allows us to really leverage students’ natural strengths and abilities and interests and help them navigate and overcome challenges they might face once they leave us.”
Like Aiken County Public Schools, the Edgefield County School District also offers a robust menu of programs that prepare students for successful careers. For example, Strom Thurmond Career and Technology Center (STCTC), features CTE programs in high-demand areas, such as health science, welding, automotive technology, cosmetology, building construction, business and information technology.
Equipping Students with Highly Valued Skills
Students receive hands-on instruction, and STCTC often collaborates with local businesses and community organizations to offer work-based learning experiences, internships and apprenticeships as well as gauge skills needs. Recently, the school added an audio visual program to its roster to help shore up the workforce in this growing industry.
“AV programs equip students with technical skills, creativity and digital literacy that are highly transferable to various industries. Graduates with AV expertise can find employment not only in traditional AV fields but also in marketing, design, education and other sectors, thus contributing to a diverse and skilled workforce,” says Alan Gray, director of the Strom Thurmond Career and Technology Center.
The school partners with Piedmont Technical College to offer dual enrollment courses and give students a head start to both a college education and career readiness.
STCTC offers industry-recognized certifications or credentials through joint programs with Piedmont Technical College, providing students with the opportunity to earn valuable certifications alongside their high school diploma to enhance their employability and competitiveness in the job market, Gray says.
“The college also helps us coordinate work-based learning experiences, internships and cooperative education programs, which allow students to gain hands-on experience in their field of interest, build professional networks and apply classroom learning to real-world situations,” he says.
Get to Know Western South Carolina
Want to learn more about living and working in Western South Carolina? Check out the latest edition of Livability Western South Carolina.